UEM - Online Seminar Southern Africa - Germany

“Embracing Diversity and Inclusion” 
Challenges in Being One as churches

You are warmly invited to join the Southern Africa – Germany online Seminar 2026! This is an annual online space where people and partners from both nations come together to share experiences, ideas, and hopes for the future.
 

This year’s seminar invites us to reflect further on the theme of the General Assembly of UEM held September 2025 in Tanzania: 

“The Beam in our Eye – Discrimination in Church and Diaconia”. 

From the two speakers we will hear about factors that contribute to discrimination and ways to become facilitators of inclusion. Cohesion within churches will be explored and where and how Solidarity can be practiced and strengthened. 

We will also reflect on how this can be practiced in leadership roles and all in all, together we will make a step towards Becoming ONE in our day-to-day work as partners and in God’s shared mission.

Through open dialogue and a shared reflection in small groups we hope to explore new ways of partnering, collaborating and finding ways to live together.

Your voice and your experience matter! By taking part, you will help to deepen mutual understanding, to contribute to building bridges of partnership that last and to make this a blessing for our UEM community.

Your subscription is welcome until 30th JUNE 2026!

 

Program (CEST)

Friday, 10th July 2026

16:30 - 17.00 Opening of TEAMS

17:00 - Welcome & introduction to the topic

17:20 - 17:40 — TOPIC AND SPEAKER #1

Kathrin Christine Steinkamp (see image on the right, second from the top) from Bielefeld, Germany, heads the Public Relations department of the v. Bodelschwinghsche Stiftungen BETHEL. BETHEL is one of the largest diaconal institutions in Europe, its headquarters in Bielefeld. 
The approximately 25,000 employees understand their annual commitment to 270,000 disabled, sick, elderly and disadvantaged people as an expression of Christian charity. BETHEL is a member in the UEM and Kathrin Christine Steinkamp is its delegate in the area of Mission and Ecumenism.

 

17:40 - 17:50 — Questions & clarifications

17:50 - 18:00 — Short Break

18:00 - 18:20 — TOPIC AND SPEAKER #2

 

Vuyokazi Christine Vinqi (see image on the right, third from the top) from the Uniting Reformed Church in South Africa, URCSA, close to Johannesburg, is a self-employed Coach for Leadership & Team Development Workshops as well as Keynote & Motivational Speaking. She is head of VU.LUMI Consulting. Her work focuses on helping organisations to navigate complexity, strengthen accountability, and lead with intention and integrity.
Vuyokazi Christine Vinqi also is a member of the UEM Council and advises UEM in financial matters.

 

18:20 - 18:30 — Questions & clarifications

18.30 - 19.00 — Break-out Sessions

19.00 - 19.15 — Group reports in the Plenary

19:15 - 19:35 — Success stories of the Partnership Groups

19:40 - 20:00 — Closing and Evening prayer and Open Sharing

Registration deadline 30.06.2026

Please register here

 

Preparation Team:

Yoram Karusya, Regional Service of UEM
Helmut Müller, Regional Service of UEM
Ute Mruck, UEM Partnership Officer
Claudette Williams, UEM Co-Worker Monschauer Land (URCSA)
Dr. Jean-Gottfried Mutombo, oikos-Institut for Mission and Ecumenism, EKvW
Dr. Emmanuel Muhozi, UEM Executive Secretary Africa
Dr. Ernest William Kadiva, UEM Head of Regional Office Africa
Reuben Inganji, UEM Project Officer Department Africa

This is a seminar of the United Evangelical Mission.

United Evangelical Mission 
Rudolfstraße 137 
42285 Wuppertal 
www.vemission.org 
KD-Bank eG 
IBAN DE45 3506 0190 0009 0909 08