Forty-Five Lutheran lay people will reach out to local congregations starting March 2012. Rt. Rev. Bishop Dr. Joseph Bvumbwe of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi (ELCM, at his closing speech of ETS workshop sent forty five trained participants on mission to reach various local congregations.

The Ceremony took place in Lilongwe Cathedral church on Sunday 4th March, 2012 after participants went through various topical themes of evangelism for two full days.

The Bishop, assisted by Dean Rev. Joseph Banda (Assistant to the Bishop), Dean Rev. Feston Phiri (Training Coordinator), Dean Rev. Alick Msuku and Acting Dean Rev. Evance Mphalasa, crowned ETS trained volunteers by personally pinning beautiful LHM badges on participants’ clothes.

It was a wonderful moment of encouragement and commissioning the church to take the Gospel out to nonbelievers. The church cerebrated the commissioning ceremony with beautiful songs, preaching and of course the Holy Communion.

‘Reaching out with the Gospel with sanctified hearts’ was the workshop theme.

In two full days participants went through topics such as ‘What is Lutheran Hour Ministry, Basics in Lutheranism and Reformation, Worship, Stewardship, Homiletics and church management.

The church and the ministry staff together selected these topics based on the timely needs.

Facilitators included the highly motivated, experienced theologians and academicians.

The forty-five trained volunteers came from Lilongwe Parish congregations; Nthunda, Lilongwe, Area 24, Area 36, Chinsapo, Area25 and Byanzi congregations. Congregations contributed food, accommodations and facilitators towards the workshop.