Contents of this page:

History
Background Information
The Political and Socio-economic situation in the Sub-Region & its impact on the life of the church
Our Commitment to breaking the silence on HIV/AIDS
Our Priorities
Bilateral Partners in Mission and Development
Ecumenical Relations
New Requests to the Project Committee
LUCSA Officers

LUCSA was inaugurated in a Constituent Assembly which met at the Lutheran Church Centre in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, in 1991. Since then LUCSA has become a platform that enables its member churches to collectively respond to the challenges and the needs of the sub-region.

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Background Information

LUCSA is a voluntary non-profit-making, faith-based organisation of 16 autonomous and independently constituted Lutheran Churches in the following 9 countries in Southern Africa: Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The member churches are as follows:

1. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Angola (IELA)
2. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Botswana (ELCB)
3. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA)
4. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Africa – Natal Transvaal (ELKSA NT)
5. Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa – Cape Church (ELCSA Cape Church)
6. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN)
7. Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCRN)
8. Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (DELK)
9. Moravian Church of South Africa (MCSA)
10. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi (ELCM)
11. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mozambique (IELM)
12. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia (ELCZa)
13. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ)
14. Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (LCSA)
15. Reformed Lutheran Church of South Africa (RELUCSA)
16. Lutheran Evangelical Church of Africa (LECA) – Zambia.

With the exception of the last 3 churches, all the others are members of the LWF. The Lutheran population in the sub-region is growing and is currently estimated to be approximately two million. This includes 2 Portuguese speaking churches in Angola and Mozambique, and three German speaking churches in South Africa and Namibia.

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The Political and Socio‑economic situation in the Sub-Region and its impact on the life of the church

The sub-region had experienced challenges that posed serious threat to the livelihood of the people.  Zimbabwe in particular suffered the most.  In the response to the situation in Zimbabwe, LUCSA launched in December 2008, a “Seed For Zimbabwe” campaign with the objective of intensifying awareness on the state of hunger in that country and appealing to the community and the ecumenical partners in the region and abroad to donate money that will be used to purchase seeds to enable the people of Zimbabwe to produce food for themselves.  This campaign saw the delivery of aid worth $600 00 from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

With the political landscape also stabilizing due to the all-inclusive government, there are signs of common purpose in efforts to revive the economy and the people of Zimbabwe have been given hope and expectations that the new political dispensation will ease the situation. There is no doubt that the hardship will continue for some time.

The Church leaders, as the source of support and hope, have highlighted the need for "compassion; hope for the future, and renewed commitment to playing a more active role in nation building, to ensure that the people of Zimbabwe do not experience the same pain again. They have undertaken to be part of the peace-building initiatives and play key role in the nation building and reconciliation processes for the purposes of God's Kingdom."

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Our commitment  to breaking the silence on HIV & AIDS

HIV & AIDS continues to be a serious challenge, with the sub-region having the highest infection rate. The epidemic has taken a toll on the human resources, leaving no institution untouched including the church.   Everyone is affected in one way or another. Pastors and other care givers are getting burnt out since their major task has become that of burying and consoling the bereaved, and they have to live with the frustration of caring for millions of orphans and their grand-parents who have lost bread winners through the epidemic.  The epidemic raises many questions relating to justice and human rights, particularly the rights of women as well as orphans and vulnerable children.  This has prompted the churches to identify effective initiatives for the prevention and in particular empower the youths and the women with skills to meet these challenges.

Over the past four years LUCSA has been walking with the member churches in an endeavour to equip and enhance their capacity to respond effectively to the epidemic.

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Our Priorities

As an instrument of coordination and support to her member churches, LUCSA has developed programmes that are aimed at building and sustaining the capacity of these member churches. Through LUCSA, the member churches can act together in all matters which they have identified as being of common interest. Its task is “to foster   reconciliation, promote social and economic justice as well as human rights.

To promote stewardship and self reliance; encourage the sharing of resources and skills within and among the member churches” (Art. 2 of the Constitution).

This means that LUCSA’s role is to enable or facilitate the member churches to carry out their mission. LUCSA is not an implementer of member church projects but a facilitator or enabler, and only acts upon the requests of member churches. The following are LUCSA’s priority areas in its capacity building activities and these were identified by member churches   through their church leaders:

• HIV & AIDS prevention, care and support
• Mission and Development
• Justice, Peace, and Reconciliation
• Diakonia
• Development of Christian Education materials
• Theological Education
• Stewardship and Self Reliance of member churches
• Bursary Programme.

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Bilateral Partners in Mission and Development

LUCSA is in partnership with the following:

• VELKD: ELC Hannover
• North Elbian Church
• ELC Bavaria
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Global Mission
• Bread for the World (Germany)
• Church of Sweden
• Finish Evangelical Lutheran Mission
• Norwegian Church Aid

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Ecumenical Relations

• National Council of Churches in the Sub-Region
• All Africa Council of Churches
• World Council of Churches

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New Requests to the Project Committee

• Funding for the LUCSA HIV and AIDS Programme
• Funding for the LUCSA-NORDIC Diakonia (LUNODIA)

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LUCSA OFFICERS

	President:	Bishop C Moenga (Bishop, ELC Botswana)
	Vice President	Bishop Dr J Ramashapa (Presiding Bishop, ELC Southern Africa)
	Treasurer:	Bishop N Shava (Presiding Bishop, ELC Zimbabwe)
	Executive Director:	Bishop Dr A Moyo
	Diakonia Co-ordinator	Rev White Rakuba, Tel:  +27 11 973 1873, Fax: +27 11 395 1615, white@lucsa.org

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