A Message from Rev. Tesfai Tesema
We were blessed to host Dr. Yared, his wife Dr. Bethel, and several enthusiastic youths from St. Mark.
I’m thrilled to inform you that our leadership retreat was an immense success and exceeded all our expectations. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Lord for bringing together leaders from two continents.
The event saw participation from over 60 attendees, with a notable highlight being that over 50 participants were young individuals aged between 22 and 35. This dynamic group was an eclectic mix. Half of them are actively involved in church planting in their cities, while the rest are either considering it or playing supportive roles. We had participants from diverse regions including London, Frankfurt, Eastern Canada, and multiple U.S. cities.
We provided guidance and motivation to these dedicated missionaries branching out into the Western world. The pictures attached share some memorable moments from the retreat. We’re also excited about our vision of hosting such events annually. These will serve as platforms to inspire and empower the upcoming generation of church planters. Furthermore, we plan to hold regional virtual meetings and offer individual and group coaching sessions throughout the year. Stay tuned!
We were joined by Brother Surafel and his wife Elroy, prominent young adult leaders from the Oromo Resurrection Lutheran Church. We’re collaborating with them on a church plant initiative for the second generation from the SED. Dr. Yared and I also had meaningful discussions with another young leader from the Mekenayesus Church in the DC area, who’s keen on contributing to a Lutheran church plant in your district. Dr. Yared will provide further details on this. Additionally, the youth from St. Andrew church left the retreat deeply inspired by engaging with exemplary young leaders.
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For more information about this ministry, please contact Yared Halche – Executive Director of Mobilizing Witness for the SED
yared.halche@se.lcms.org
