Who are we?
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Sudan and Sudan (ELCSS/S) is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church worldwide, which has its beginning in 1517 when Dr. Martin Luther publicly called for the correction of the errors followed in the Roman Catholic Church. The Evangelical Lutheran Church follows the shared heritage of the Old Churches, including the Bible as the One True source of Christian Doctrine and Guidance, and the Three Ecumenical Creeds, namely, The Apostle’s Creed, Nicene Creed and Athanasian Creed.
Values
We believe and teach that justification is by God’s Grace alone, through faith alone and in Jesus Christ alone. We hold Scripture to be the inerrant word of God. We believe, teach, and confess that the Holy Bible is the only source and norm that all teachings of the Church may be judged.
Mission
Our mission is to reach more and more people with the word of God and render services to all who are in need, to train manpower for these tasks and be a sustainable Church.
Vision
Our goal is to increase the number of preaching centers; congregations etc. in locations near current centers as well as strengthen the teaching and training in current centers. We will train adequate manpower through short seminars of spiritual and administrative fields. Church sustainability will be increased through focus on good administration and increasing income generating projects which open new ways to render services to the needy.
History of the Church
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Sudan and Sudan (ELCSS/S) was established in November 1993 in Juba, now the capital City of South Sudan, by the late Rev. Andrew Mbugo Elisa. He became the first native ordained pastor in 1999 and first Bishop in 2006 before he died in 2009.
In 1994, the church moved its centre from Juba to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, in order to create more congregations to answer the needs of the people of Sudan. The aim of establishing this was to meet the spiritual needs of the Sudanese people through the right teaching of the Holy Scriptures and in the Confessions of the Lutheran Church, to evangelize all people in Sudan regardless of their color and creed, to meet the social demands of the people by creating services such as education, health and social care for the needy, and finally to edify the believers of Lutheran communion.
The real expansion begun in 1998 when three centers were opened in Khartoum with branches extending to Port-Sudan, the major Sudanese town in the Red Sea region about 1000km east of Khartoum. In 2000, the church was further expanded to the Blue Nile region bordering the Republic of Ethiopia, Upper Nile State of the republic of South Sudan and many others.
In 2005, Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed in Naivasha, Kenya between the Islamic Northern government and the Christian Southern rebels who have now become the rulers of the new republic of South Sudan. The Church moved its head quarter to Juba. The Church still operates in Sudan and in Uganda in the Camp.
When the war erupted in 2013 and 2016 it caused many south Sudanese people to spread all over the neighboring countries, and abroad. Due to this incident many of our Christians took refuge in many Districts of Uganda: Bweyale Refugee Camp in Kiryadongo District, Moyo, Currently Obongi District in Palorinya Refugee Camp, Bidibidi Refugee camps in Yumbe District and Lamwo District, Kenya Kakuma Refugee Camp and Gambelle Ethiopia.
”Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.”
Jeremiah 30:2
Office
Juba – Head Office
P.O. Box 463
Kololo, Juba Nabari
elcsss.hj(at)gmail.com
+211 923 424 765
Contacts
Bishop: Ezra Bako
ngirimoezrabako
(at)gmail.com
+211 918 814 133
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Sudan / Sudan 