Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 43

2026 Convention Workbook
8 
OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
Shadrack Donkoh formally notified the LWF General Secretary of 
the withdrawal on Oct. 8, 2023. Also in October, Rev. Dr. Joel Le-
henbauer, executive director of the CTCR, visited Ghana to make a 
related presentation to ELCG lay leaders, providing encouragement 
and theological support. Throughout the process, Bishop Donkoh 
and the ELCG leadership conducted their correspondence with the 
LWF with Christian dignity, clarity, and firmness, maintaining both 
theological integrity and fraternal respect. The LCMS rejoices with 
our sister church in Ghana for their faithful stand on God’s Word 
and looks forward to continued fellowship in confessing Christ cru-
cified.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK)
In August 2025, CR attended the ELCK’s general pastoral and 
bishops’ workshop, delivering theological presentations on unity in 
Christ’s Word and the LWF today. The instruction proved well-re-
ceived through lively discussion, thoughtful questions, and the 
ELCK’s scheduled reconsideration of LWF membership at their 
next national convention. During this visit, CR also met privately 
with bishops from nine other confessional Lutheran church bodies, 
strengthening fellowship bonds, faithful confession, and mutual en-
couragement amid contemporary challenges. These leaders includ-
ed Archbishop Joseph Ochola Omolo (ELCK, Kenya; host); Bish-
op John Donkoh (ELCG, Ghana); Bishop Christian Ekong (LCN, 
Nigeria); President Denis Rakotozafy (FLM, Madagascar); Bishop 
Yohana Nzelu (South East of Lake Victoria Diocese, ELCT, Tan-
zania); Rev. John Gwandu, representing Bishop Nicolaus Nsangsn-
zelu (Mbulu Diocese, ELCT, Tanzania); Rev. Silvanus Msuya, 
representing Bishop Daniel Mono (Mwanga Diocese, ELCT, Tan-
zania); Rev. Jackson Mushendwa (Western Diocese, ELCT, Tanza-
nia); Bishop Selestine Seburikoko (LMA-STH, Rwanda); and Rev. 
Mussie Alazar (EELC, Ethiopia).
Lutheran Church of Uganda (LCU)
The LCMS recognized altar and pulpit fellowship with the LCU 
at the 2023 convention. The LCU traces its origins to missionary 
work from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK), 
with Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG) and LCMS 
collaboration. Initially established as the Lutheran Church Mission 
Uganda (LCMU), the church body reorganized as the Lutheran 
Church of Uganda in 2015, with Rev. Charles Bameka elected as 
bishop in 2015 and consecrated in 2017. Bishop Bameka’s leader -
ship has consistently emphasized strong education and Word and 
Sacrament ministry as the church’s central calling.
In December 2023, following reports requiring clarification, 
Rev. Frese attended the LCU’s regular synodical convention in Jin-
ja, Uganda, to observe firsthand the church body’s governance and 
electoral processes. The convention proceeded with transparency 
and proper ecclesiastical order. Elections were conducted with in-
tegrity and according to the LCU’s constitutional procedures, and 
Bishop Bameka was reelected. Present as fraternal observers were 
Archbishop Joseph Omolo (ELCK, Kenya), retired Bishop David 
Tswaedi (LCSA, South Africa), and President John Shadrack Don-
koh (ELCG, Ghana), who served as founding pastor of the LCMU. 
These sister church leaders familiar with the LCU’s history wit-
nessed the lawful proceedings.
Regrettably, internal tensions resulted in a division within the 
LCU in late 2023. Rev. Benson Barhuka, dean of the Southwest 
Deanery, and his son Enoch Barhuka, both educated in South Af-
rica, departed from the LCU along with several pastors and recent 
graduates from Lutheran Theological College Uganda. They estab-
The OLS grew out of the new approach to education taught by 
the Wittenberg Reformers. It was built in 1564 as the city school 
for boys. In 2007, the International Lutheran Society of Wittenberg 
(ILSW) purchased the building and developed it into the Interna -
tional Lutheran Center at the OLS. In 2019, the ILC joined LCMS, 
Germany’s Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK), and 
Concordia Publishing House as ILSW members. The OLS provides 
a place for people to learn, grow, study, meet, retreat, and experi -
ence the Gospel in Wittenberg, home of the Reformation. The cen-
ter is directly adjacent to St. Mary’s City Church, where the great 
reformer of the church, Martin Luther, preached the pure Gospel: 
All are saved through faith, not according to their works, but by 
God’s grace in Christ. The OLS holds regular Divine Services and 
Bible classes, and offers a confessional Lutheran interpretation of 
the Reformation, which otherwise would not exist in Wittenberg, 
the birthplace of the Reformation.
Czech Republic, Missions, and Fellowship
During an OIM Eurasia educational forum held Oct. 21–26, 
2025, in Wittenberg, Germany, Rev. Krikava presented a paper on 
language acquisition in church planting as a vital step in forming 
indigenous churches that seek church fellowship with the planting 
mission church.
From Nov. 1 to 7, 2025, and during travel to Plzeň, Czech Re-
public, Rev. Krikava served as facilitator/translator for Evangelical 
Lutheran Synod (ELS) President Glenn Obenberger and Rev. Steve 
Sparley, a member of the ELS Board for World Outreach. The ELS 
trip’s purpose was to determine the state of an ELS mission be-
gun in 1990 but without missionaries since the early 2000s. Use 
of a Roman Catholic deacon for church services and support of an 
attached non-Lutheran school taught a clear lesson: Lutheran mis-
sions need Lutheran pastors.
Rev. Krikava then traveled to Prague to meet with Rev. Martin 
Damašek, acting bishop of Evangelical Church of the Augsburg 
Confession in the Czech Republic (ECA VvČR). Under his leader-
ship, the ECA VvČR’s interest in pursuing church fellowship with 
the LCMS is gaining momentum.
Africa
In the triennium since the 2023 convention, CR has witnessed 
the Lord’s rich blessing on confessional Lutheran churches on the 
African continent. From the historic fellowship recognition with 
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Sudan and Sudan and 
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Uganda, to addressing LWF 
aggression against confessional Lutheran churches, to expand-
ing fellowship dialogues with associate churches, to intensifying 
theological education initiatives from Madagascar to Ethiopia, the 
Spirit’s work in creating and sustaining unity in Christ’s Word is 
bearing fruit among our African sister and associate churches.
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG)
With confessional courage grounded in Holy Scripture and the 
Lutheran Confessions, the ELCG withdrew from membership in 
the LWF in October 2023. The ELCG’s Annual Delegates Confer-
ence in March 2023 passed a resolution calling to sever the church’s 
relationship with the LWF and its affiliates. The resolution affirmed 
the ELCG’s commitment to the inspired and infallible Holy Scrip-
tures as the source and norm of all doctrines and practices, and to 
the Lutheran Confessions contained in the Book of Concord as the 
true exposition of the Holy Scriptures. The ELCG Board of Direc-
tors affirmed that action in June 2023, and President/Bishop John