21.07.2016

Head of the UEM Regional Office Africa becomes bishop elect

Chediel E. Sendoro has been elected by the synod of the new Mwanga Diocese of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) as their first bishop. The former district Mwanga, which is part of the Kilimanjaro governmental region, only was declared an independent diocese during the 19^th General Conference of the ELCT which was held in Arusha in 2015. Until then Mwanga was part of the Pare Diocese. ELCT consists now of 25 dioceses. It will be the task of Chediel Sendoro, who was born in Mwanga, to establish and build the structures of the church. “I see the office ahead of me as a big challenge because starting a diocese from the scratch is not easy. The responsibility itself is too big and so I need God’s assistance and the prayers of my brothers and sisters who know me and my weaknesses so well.” The 46 year old pastor of the Eastern and Coastal Diocese of the ELCT lives Dar Es Salaam. Since 2013 he was heading the Regional Office of the UEM. His task was to foster the cooperation between the 13 African member churches and associated partners of UEM. Reverend Chediel Sendoro will participate to the forthcoming General Assembly, which will take place from 1^st to 7^th of October 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda. From 1^st of November he will then serve in Mwanga. During a visit at the 16^th and 17^th of July he was already introduced to some parish members. The installation service is planned to take place at the beginning of 2017. The Executive Secretary of the Department for Africa and his supervisor until now, Reverend John Wesley Kabango is very happy about the election: “It has been a very good choice! We as colleagues are really proud of Askofu Sendoro. We all appreciate his team work and his pastoral skills. It will definitely not be an easy task but he is the right person to lead the diocese! We will continue to keep him in thoughts and prayers and ask that God’s rich blessings be with him.” Before working for UEM Sendoro served in the Department for Mission and Evangelism of his church. The interreligious dialogue has been one of his focus areas. He is married to Marystella, they have two children.