In 2018 we made a commitment to partner with the UMC in Tanzania. As we welcome back our latest resource team and hear their thoughts let’s reflect on all that we’ve accomplished over these last six years.
GNJ raised $110,000 over the past year alone through the ForTanzania campaign. These funds built a new church in Bamia, one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in Dar es Salaam. Folks have place where they can gather, hear the gospel, find community, and serve God.
The additional money raised will fund pastor’s salaries so that every UMC pastor in Tanzania would receive a live-able wage for the next two years.
Resourcing new leaders through the Pastors’ School
Through our resource teams we’ve equipped pastors in Tanzania with resources to lead their congregations well. Rev. Dawn Taylor-Storm and the Rev. Dr. Eunice Vega-Perez taught a course on Renewal in UMC History, Rev. Leslie Houseworth and Mr. Eric Drew taught Preaching Renewal and Breakthrough, Rev. Dr. William D Carter III and Rev. Leslie Houseworth taught on Women in the Bible, and Bishop Schol taught a course on the book of Acts. In addition, the team shared Breakthrough resources, written by EPA & GNJ clergy, and then translated into Swahili to nurture transformational preaching and expand access to commentaries and resources for pastors.
The investment we have made in nurturing a new generation of servant leaders in Tanzania is already bearing fruit. One of the most impactful moments of the Annual Conference for Rev. Dawn Taylor-Storm was witnessing growing numbers of clergy women. “In 2007, the first woman, Yunisi Kalanga, was ordained in Tanzania. At our local Pastor’s school in 2024, women clergy filled multiple rows, women served in leadership as District Superintendents and women’s voices were centered in the conversations. There is still much work to do for gender equality, but progress is being made and I am thankful for the GNJ teams over the years who have modeled the sharing of leadership between women and men.”
Mr. Samuel Perez was moved by the passion and fervor of the worshipping community “During daily worship, before we started the annual conference, which lasted for 3 days, and the workshops during Pastors’ School, we praised God with song and dance, in a way that I never experienced before. Their love for God was clearly expressed in the way they worshiped and prayed.”
United Methodists are stronger together
When we work together, we have a greater impact than we could ever have on our own strength. Dawn Taylor-Storm shared “I wish that every United Methodist would be able to witness the power of our connectional system, as the work of the United Methodist Church is building churches, schools and health clinics in communities and raising up new leaders to serve the worldwide UMC.”
Through your sacrificial giving you have built a new church building and invested in a new generation of leaders by pouring in financial and ministerial resources. Thank you!