“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13) With this motto, UEM reaffirms its commitment to peace, reconciliation, and empowering women and young people. It resolutely calls for action against all forms of discrimination and sexualized violence.

The 11th General Assembly of the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) ended with a worship service on the afternoon of September 19 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. On the last day of the meeting, delegates from the 39 members in Africa, Asia, and Germany adopted key resolutions on future cooperation under the motto “The beam in our eye – against discrimination in church and diaconia.”

Measures against discrimination and sexualized violence

The General Assembly adopted a comprehensive protection package against sexualized violence. Churches and diaconal institutions should be safe places that offer protection and healing. This includes the application of binding protection guidelines, the establishment of confidential reporting systems, and comprehensive support for victims of sexual violence. The Council was tasked with appointing independent ombudspersons in all three UEM regions. In addition, it is to develop a protection concept for children, young people, and vulnerable adults that also applies to international encounters.

The delegates called on members to specifically appoint women to leadership positions so that leadership in the church and in diaconia reflects the diversity of God's people. In addition, the General Assembly called for the consistent implementation of an intersectional approach to effectively overcome multiple disadvantages. Structural changes, pastoral care, advocacy, solidarity, and practical support should contribute to reducing multi-layered discrimination. In addition, measures to combat HIV/AIDS should be resumed and programs developed to prevent psychological stress in children and young people caused by digital technologies.

Recognition of ordination and more participation for young adults

The delegates decided on the mutual recognition of ordination within the UEM communion as soon as possible in order to facilitate the exchange of theologians. An amendment to the constitution also makes it possible to convert the legal status of UEM as an association under old law to the contemporary legal form of a registered association. The rotation of the moderator's position between Africa, Asia, and Germany is now stipulated in the constitution. In addition, the Council will be expanded to include two more seats for young adults. In future, they will have three votes instead of just one for all regions.

Partnerships rethinking and sharing responsibility

Church partnerships are to be certified in future according to the criteria decided upon at the International Partnership Conference in 2023. In addition, new forms of cooperation are to be developed. The next Partnership Award will be presented on the theme of “Peace and Justice.” At the same time, the delegates reaffirmed the joint financial responsibility of all three regions in view of the dwindling resources of German churches. For example, measures were decided upon for fundraising, investments, third-party funding acquisition, cost savings, and contributions. A new goal-oriented process structure will also help to align the work of the UEM more clearly with goals and financial possibilities in the future.

Statement of the General Assembly

In its statement, the General Assembly expresses, among other things, its great concern about the war in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where the member church CBCA (Communauté Baptiste au Centre de l'Afrique) is located. The war is claiming many innocent victims, including members of the CBCA congregations. Destroyed infrastructure and the constant threat of arbitrary violence by armed militias characterize the lives of many people in the region. UEM also stands with the victims of war and violence in Ukraine, the Philippines, Papua, Israel, Palestine, and other regions. It calls on the parties to the conflict to accelerate peace talks and to uphold the rights and dignity of all people.

"We thank God that our 11th General Assembly in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was peaceful and constructive. The active participation of all 39 members strengthens our common witness for justice, peace, and the integrity of creation. With the words from Philippians 4:13, we go forward with hope and confidence into the future: God is the strength of UEM and its members," said Rev. Dr. Andar Parlindungan, General Secretary of UEM.

The next UEM General Assembly will take place in 2028 at the invitation of the member churches GKJW and GKJTU on the Indonesian island of Java.

The full statement of the General Assembly is available at this link. Here you find our Press Release.

The Partnership Award 2025 of the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) goes to the church districts of Magharibi of the Eastern Coastal Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ECD-ELCT) and Siegen-Wittgenstein of the Evangelical Church of Westphalia (EKvW), which are linked in partnership. With their joint project “Forest – Sun – Water”, the German-Tanzanian youth partnership group convinced the UEM jury and thus secured prize money of 2,000 euros. The awards were presented on 17 September 2025 during the UEM General Assembly in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) on behalf of the church districts to Bishop Dr Alex Malasusa (ELCT-ECD), Church Councillor Rev Dr Albrecht Philipps (EKvW) and Devroda Kagusa (delegate of the ELCT-ECD) from the Tanzanian partnership group.

Innovative model for young multilateral partnerships

In their joint application video on YouTube, the young adults vividly documented how, over the past two years, they actively tackled the consequences of climate change in Tanzania and Germany. In Wilnsdorf, for example, they planted 150 climate-resistant trees and converted the church forest into a mixed forest. During a return visit to Tanzania, fruit trees were planted together with a local school. In addition, the Tanzanian youth group established its own tree nursery, in which 4,500 seedlings were raised. The environmental project has already received wide public attention in both Tanzania and Germany. In the summer of this year, a joint trip to Romania took place to expand the environmental project on a trilateral level.

The jury praised the project as “an authentic contribution to tackling climate change” and as an innovative model for multilateral partnerships. The youth project not only addresses central fields of work of the UEM such as advocacy, evangelism and partnership, but also provides an exemplary illustration of how the change of generations in the church district partnership, which has existed for more than 40 years, is successful.

“The action of the youth from the Tanzanian church district of Magharibi and the Westphalian church district of Siegen-Wittgenstein impresses me greatly. I am delighted about the UEM award. Young people are committed to God’s creation, planting trees in Germany and Tanzania, and at the same time having lots of fun. One can only say: aim of the partnership achieved. I wish the young people for the future that the trees and the bonds of the heart continue to grow and I am eager to hear what we will learn from the action with Romania. Congratulations!” said Albrecht Philipps, Church Councillor of EKvW.

„We give thanks for the UEM structures that make a space such as this possible, where strong women create a supportive atmosphere.“ With these words the women delegates to the General Assembly of the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) conclude their report and recommendations.

For two  days, before the start of the General Assembly this September 2025, they met at Luther House, Daressalaam, for the Women’s Pre Assembly to discuss women’s perspectives from the UEM Regions Asia, Africa and Europe.

Peace, Networks and Empowerment

UEM is active on issues of gender justice in all three regions, and that is where the contributions of the women’s delegates came from: Henriette Malinyota (CBCA*, DR Congo) described the war in the region around Goma and its impact on women and children. Together with UEM, the CBCA is active there to facilitate peace and assist people with their daily needs. Vuyokazi Vinqi (URCSA*) reported about women’s efforts in South Africa to empower themselves economically.

In the Philippines, workers who travel across national boundaries bring their concerns to the front, often with regard to discrimination by “hosting” societies and governments. Juliet Solis-Aguilar told the delegates about UCCP’s* struggle alongside these women. Julia Karimi shared about the situation in Germany, where traditional churches are looking for new orientation in a society that is more diverse than many churches think of it.

Together, not against each other

The delegates stressed the need for an intersectional approach, recognising that gender discrimination is compounded by ethnicity, class, disability, marital status, age and other factors. Without this approach, gender justice can often be hindered by being compared to other factors and their financial and other needs, says Thea Hummel, UEM Head of Advocacy. With an intersectional way, these factors promote and enhance one another, following a vision of justice for all.

 

To do this, the Women’s Pre Assembly recommends, among other things:

• strong safeguarding policies and survivor-centred support regarding sexualized violence
• to prioritise and strengthen UEM staffing and resources for gender justice
• to conduct a study on women in leadership positions in the UEM member churches

The recommendations of the Women’s Pre Assembly will be deliberated at the General Assembly. For more information on the ongoing General Assembly, please visit our website and social media sites.

 

*CBCA = La Communauté Baptiste au Centre de L'Afrique (Baptist Church in Central Africa)

*URCSA = Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa

*UCCP = United Church of Christ in the Philippines

A total of 32 authors from Africa, Asia, and Germany took part in the international essay competition of the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) on the topic of “Overcoming Discrimination and Violence in Church and Diaconia.” Among the participants were 17 men and 15 women. The award ceremony took place on September 15 as part of the study day of the UEM General Assembly. The winners personally presented their texts there.

The jury, consisting of Prof. Dr. Simone Sinn (University of Münster), Dr. Ipyana Mwamugobole (Evangelische Mission Weltweit), and Dr. Dennis Solon (Institute for Diaconal Studies and Management), honored three works for their particular depth, relevance, and originality:

1. 1st Prize (€1,000): Nenny Ika Putri Simarmata of the Indonesian church Huria Kristen Batak Protestan with her essay “The Church as a Lighthouse of Inclusivity: Facing Gender Discrimination.”

2. 2nd Prize (€600): Françoise Niyonsaba of the Eglise Presbytérienne au Ruanda with her contribution “Neither Jew nor Gentile: Accessibility for Persons with Disability in Church Mission – The Case of the Church in Rwanda.”

3. 3rd Prize (€400): Julia Karimi of the North Church with her essay “Shattered Trust: The Church’s Role in Addressing Anti-Black Racism and a Call for Institutional Transformation.”

At the same time, the accompanying essay collection was officially presented. Of the submitted contributions, 21 essays were edited by Rev. Félicité Ngnintedem and Dr. Dennis Solon and published by BPK Gunung Mulia Publishing House (Jakarta, Indonesia) under the title “Breaking the Silence – overcoming discrimination and violence on the path towards a just and inclusive community.”

“Silence feeds discrimination and violence and leads to social division and a distorted image of the Church. Breaking this silence means critically questioning systems, structures, traditions, and even small everyday actions that perpetuate discrimination and violence. With this essay collection, young people are raising their voices: they are breaking the silence that keeps hundreds of thousands trapped in the machinery of discrimination in church and society. At the same time, they call on us, the community of churches, to resolutely stand against all forms of discrimination and violence and to make the church a safe haven of joy. This book is a first step. Others will follow. For the fight against discrimination continues, and we will win it. Or, as one says at the start of a race: ‘On your marks, get set, go!’”
– Rev. Félicité Ngnintedem