LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 286

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286

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

In September 1994, the ELCG sent two missionaries, Rev.
Gyampadu and Evangelist John Donkoh (bishop of the ELCG since
2018), to establish the Lutheran mission in Uganda. They organized
the first training session on Lutheran doctrine and teaching, which
was attended by 200 individuals from 30 Bible study groups that
had already been organized by the lay pioneers of these mission
efforts. The two missionaries presided over the first Lutheran
worship service on Oct. 30, 1994, in Jinja town.
In November 1994, President Fynn invited a delegation of leaders
from the LCMS to visit Uganda. This delegation included Rev.
Allan Buckman, Rev. Robert Roegner, and Rev. Bryant Clancy.
This visit officially marked the beginning of LCMS mission efforts
in Uganda.
On April 27, 1995, the Lutheran Church Mission in Uganda
(LCMU) was officially established and registered with the
government of Uganda. A nine-member board of directors was
formed, and additional missionaries from both the ELCG and the
LCMS were sent in subsequent years. As a result, by God’s grace,
the LCMU experienced significant numerical growth.
In 2011, despite (and perhaps partly because of) the steady and
significant growth in this young mission church, the LCMU
experienced serious internal strife and division over leadership,
organizational, and financial issues. Although matters of doctrine
were not involved, the strife was serious and nearly divided the
church. Strong and persistent efforts to restore order and harmony
were led by Bishop Fynn of the ELCG, Dr. David Tswaedi (thenBishop of the Lutheran Church in Southern Africa, an LCMS
partner church), Dr. Michael Rodewald of LCMS World Mission,
and local LCMU church elders.
At the conclusion of a series of meetings in the fall of 2011 that
included all factions of the LCMU, there was full agreement that a
new constitution was needed that would more clearly address the
issues that had contributed to the internal tensions and divisions.
This agreement led to the convening of the 4th LCMU Delegates
Conference on Oct. 21–23, 2011, which was attended by 330
delegates representing all LCMU congregations. At this conference,
a new constitution was approved with the goal of reorganizing the
LCMU as a national synod under the leadership of a presiding
bishop. At the Delegates Conference in November 2015, the LCMU
officially transitioned from being a mission field under the auspices
of the ELCG to a self-governing church body named the Lutheran
Church of Uganda (LCU).
The LCU accepts without reservation the following:
• justification is by God’s Grace alone, through faith alone, in
Christ alone;
• the sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the
written Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and
practice; and
• all the symbolical books (confessional documents) of the
Lutheran Church as a true and unadulterated statement and
exposition of the Word of God.
Despite the many challenges it has faced as a young and growing
church, God has richly blessed the Lutheran Church of Uganda. The
LCU has planted congregations in all four regions of the country,
with a still-growing membership of over 50,000. The LCU has over
150 congregations organized under seven deaneries (regions or
districts), served by around fifty pastors. Congregations meet
mainly in rented halls, classrooms, members’ homes, or under trees

2023 Convention Workbook

in the open country. There are also, of course, many needs—
including a need for translation of theological literature and
resources, as there are around 42 spoken languages in Uganda (the
LCU currently serves in 10 language areas), but most of the
materials used by the LCU are in English.
In 2010 the LCU established a theological seminary to train men as
pastors and to equip both laymen and laywomen in various
vocations of church work. In addition, there are nine Mission
Training Centers operating in the seven deaneries of the LCU that
seek to equip lay people for work in evangelism, mission, and
human care. The LCU is engaged in a wide variety of human care
efforts, including agricultural projects, provision of clean water and
sanitation, health care initiatives, educational efforts, AIDS care
and support, and provision of food to the hungry.
In September 2016, Bishop Charles Bameka of the LCU, writing on
behalf of the entire church, requested altar and pulpit fellowship
with the LCMS, stating that while “we are a small, emerging
confessional Lutheran church body at the formative stage, without
extensive structures or organizations,” we are “committed to the full
authority of the Scriptures as the infallible Word of God and
subscribe without reservation to the Book of Concord.” Bishop
Bameka noted that during its entire existence the LCU has been
served by missionaries from both the LCMS and the ELCG, and
covets “support, encouragement and theological guidance from the
LCMS, convinced it will help the Lutheran Church of Uganda in
the proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of the
Sacraments among the people of Uganda, as we together conserve
and promote the unity of the true faith (Eph. 4:3–6; 1 Cor. 1:10) and
provide a united defense against schism, sectarianism (Rom. 16:17)
and heresy.” Bishop Bameka also indicated in his request that “we
fully understand that Altar and Pulpit Fellowship is a relationship
that has as its basis agreement ‘in Doctrine and all its Articles.’”
Various informal discussions took place over the years between
LCU leaders and LCMS officials, including reports to the
Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) about the
theology, practice, and polity of the LCU and its organizational
challenges and status. Finally, in October 2022, Bishop Bameka and
several other key leaders of the LCU met face to face with the
CTCR and LCMS President Matthew Harrison for formal
discussions regarding church fellowship.
Following these discussions, and at this same meeting (October
2022), the CTCR unanimously adopted a motion recommending the
recognition of altar and pulpit fellowship with the LCU in keeping
with Bylaw 3.9.5.2.2 (b), which states:
When a church body applies for formal recognition of altar and
pulpit fellowship with the Synod, such recognition shall be
proposed at a convention of the Synod only after the approval of
the commission (CTCR).
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church of Uganda (growing out of the
Lutheran Church Mission in Uganda, formed in 1995) was
established in 2015 as a confessional Lutheran church with
significant assistance and direct support from the Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Ghana and the LCMS; and
WHEREAS, Despite various internal and organizational
challenges, the Holy Spirit enabled the LCU to evangelize
effectively in Uganda, planting congregations in all four regions of
the country with a still-growing membership of over 50,000 in over
150 congregations, establishing a seminary and nine mission