ELCIN celebrates 154 years of the Namibian mission

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) commemorated 154 years of its mission, known as the Etumo Festival, with a celebration on Saturday.President Nangolo Mbumba joined the celebrations at Omandongo village, along with the King of Ondonga, Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo.The day serves as a reminder of July 1870, when Finnish missionaries arrived at Omandongo to spread the gospel in Namibia.Unity and fellowship Mbumba said that, as a product of the church and a member of ELCIN, he honoured the invitation, cognisant of the fact that Namibia is a predominantly Christian country.He noted that the missionaries never grew weary of their mission, and the celebrations are a result of their evangelical endeavours and "a bountiful harvest manifested in the unity and fellowship of worshippers of Christ Jesus."The president said the ELCIN Etumo Festival offers an opportunity for Namibians to come together as a people enlightened to the truth of the gospel, as Christians, to reflect, and to reinforce their values and fellowship.“I am pleased to witness the congregation of ELCIN deaneries from the eastern and western dioceses at this historic event to advance the Church’s mandate of serving spiritually and emotionally the people, most notably the needy, through the gospel,” Mbumba said.He said that as Namibians celebrate the Etumo Festival, they should be inspired to continue the noble mission of service and sacrifice to their fellow human beings with fervour and dedication, as witnessed by the pioneering missionaries in Namibia.By doing so, he said, they will create a stable, peaceful and inclusive Namibian nation that exemplifies the tenets of their Christian faith.

ELCIN celebrates 154 years of the Namibian mission

Comments

Namibian Sun 2026-09-11

Please login to leave a comment

ELCIN celebrates 154 years of the Namibian mission

Comments

Namibian Sun 2026-09-11

Please login to leave a comment

Subscription Required to Access Content ×

Login

Subscription Required to Access Content