Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference

 

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

The Lutheran Church of Ethiopia Starts a School

By

           
                          Students in grades 1-4 at Maor Lutheran School

Please join with our brothers and sisters in the Lutheran Church of Ethiopia (LCE) as they celebrate the successful opening of their new Maor Lutheran School on October 2021.  Maor is a Hebrew word that means “Light.”  The school is located in the city of Dukem, which is about 8 kilometers from the LCE headquarters and seminary in Bishoftu, Ethiopia. The students and faculty have completed their first semester of study.  

About 750 students are enrolled in the school.  The school makes use of two separate campuses, one for the three levels of kindergarten, and the other for grades 1,2,3 and 4.  Altogether, the school has 38 teachers and assistant teachers, as well as a support staff of 15.  

Maor Lutheran School in Dukem is a very important part of the LCE’s gospel ministry.  In addition to the normal secular classes which are required by the Ministry of Education in Ethiopia, students also receive Bible lessons (Christ Light Curriculum) every day, five days per week.  Non-Lutheran students are free to “opt out” of these Bible studies if they and their parents so desire, but about 620 of the 750 students take part in the daily Bible studies.  All Bible studies are taught by well-trained members and theological students of the LCE.  The lessons are taught in the Amharic and Afan Oromo languages which students understand well.

Praise God for this wonderful opportunity to share his saving Word!

Submitted by Rev. Kebede Getachew Yigezu and Rev. Mark Panning


                      Christmas celebration at Maor Lutheran School


                                   The top students in grades 1-4

The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference

The Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference is a worldwide fellowship of Lutheran church bodies, committed to the teachings of the Lutheran Church found in the Book of Concord of 1580. Established in 1993 with thirteen churches, the CELC has grown by God’s grace to include thirty-four church bodies today.

Every three years, representatives from CELC churches gather for fellowship and theological study at an international convention. Regional meetings are held in alternate years. These gatherings provide spiritual encouragement for confessional Lutherans who often find themselves quite isolated. Visitors are always welcome at these gatherings

Joint work of the CELC includes the writing of The Eternal Word: A Lutheran Confession for the Twenty-First Century, which testifies to the unity of doctrine enjoyed by CELC churches. The CELC also has a commission to help coordinate and improve theological training in CELC churches.

Speaking about the heart and core of the CELC, former President Gaylin Schmeling wrote:  “The CELC stands ready to give answer to the confident hope of salvation in Christ that is within us. It is a refuge for those seeking confessional homes and a beacon shining the light of the Gospel in a sin-darkened world. Here the central truth of the Reformation, justification by faith alone, continues to be proclaimed. We are declared righteous by nothing we do or accomplish, but alone on the basis of Christ’s redemptive work which is counted as ours through faith in the Savior. He accomplished salvation for all on the cross and announced it to all by His resurrection, declaring the whole world righteous in Christ. This treasure is brought to us personally through the means of grace and is received by faith alone in the Savior which is worked through those very means of grace.”

Recording of the Ninety-Five Theses

Ninety-Five Theses for the 21st Century