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Parish Partners
In the late 1990's a bishop's delegation from the Greater Milwaukee Synod visited the Diocese of Meru in Tanzania, Africa. While there, the Tanzanians let the Milwaukee delegation know that they grew coffee. Milwaukee drank coffee. Would Milwaukee like to buy Tanzanian coffee?
Shortly after that connection was made the synod and diocese agreed to form a partnership whereby congregations from the Greater Milwaukee Synod would partner with parishes from the Diocese of Meru.
Parish to parish partnerships begin with prayer support and communication back and forth. Eventually these partnerships can grow into relationships that support visits to each other's country, attending worship together and learning about each other's culture. Most important, is the fact that God is at the center of the relationship.
Many of the partnerships have seen the Milwaukee congregation sending financial support to their Tanzanian partner. Schools and churches have been built, wells have been dug, medical support has been given, educational scholarships have been sent, coffee beans have been purchased and imported, all in the name of love.
Diocese of Meru delegation arrival at Adoration Lutheran, Oct. 2019.
Bishops Kitoi and Erickson kneeling in front.
Current Partnership status
For many years this sub-committee has had the responsibility of finding new congregations in the Greater Milwaukee Synod that would like to partner with a parish in the Diocese of Meru. That changed when COVID arrived and limited the ability to actively pursue new partnerships by person to person meetings.
While we have been able to add a couple of new partners, this sub-committee has become a way for the Greater Milwaukee Partners to remain updated about partnership news.
Our partnership chairperson checks in with the Milwaukee partners every few months for updates on the partnership especially on the communication with their Meru parish. We want all of the information about pastors, phone numbers, and contact persons to remain current.
For additional information about becoming a parish partner please email pwminfo2@gmail.com .
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