Jambo! (Hello!)

I’m back from Tanzania and I can’t wait to share the experience. Attending the Pamoja summit in Iringa, Tanzania was incredible. It was amazing to be able to travel, study, pray, and share meal fellowship with pastors from St. Paul and the Iringa Diocese on the other side of the planet. I learned so much about culture, the church, people, and God.

Since returning from the Pastoral Mission to Tanzania, I have discovered that the pilgrimage resists a thirty second description. There are so many layers and aspects - more than the hundreds of pictures that I took along the way. Stereotypes and quick descriptions don’t do proper justice to the complexity and richness of the experience.

When I left for Tanzania, I had a pocketful of questions about our mission partnership, Tanzania, customs, culture, and faith. They came from you and I appreciated the effort that went into the asking. Over the course of my journey, I did my homework. Whereas I will not claim to be an authority or have the final word, I did uncover some answers from my perspective and observations. The time has come for me to tell the story of Pamoja!

In order to respond to all the questions and tell the story in a way that allows for conversation, I will be offering a four-week series on Sunday mornings entitled, Pamoja-A Story to Tell. On March 1, 8,15, and 22 from 11:00 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. I will share stories, pictures, and videos from the Pastoral Mission to Tanzania. Come and learn about the vital partnership in the gospel that we share with Christians a world away.

I am grateful for the many opportunities that God has given all of us to be in ministry that shares in God’s grace. As always, I look forward to seeing you in worship.

Asante sana Yesu (Thank you, Jesus!)