Praising God under a sheltering roof
WELS members’ gifts to our sister synods in Nigeria help provide construction for these synods’ church buildings.
Author: Douglas P. Weiser
“Here is the church. Here is the steeple. Open the doors, and see all the people.” Do you remember this game?
It’s not hard to imagine seeing the people in church in our sister synods in Nigeria. That’s because several churches don’t have roofs. Congregations meet inside naked church walls, worshiping under temporary palm mat shelters.
One day those congregations will all have roofs. Then imagine seeing the people praising God in those holy places.
That day of praising God under a sheltering roof was hastened by an offering of $17,186 from the 2005 LWMS national convention for our sister synods in Nigeria, Christ the King Lutheran Church and All Saints Lutheran Church.
The intent of the gift is to encourage Nigerian congregations to take the initiative by building their foundation and walls up to the roof level. Some have also invested in the expensive roofing first, and will use our support to get supplies for making blocks and then building their foundation and walls. When congregations invest themselves in their houses of worship we want to lend them a hand.
Meanwhile, the LWMS project for Nigerian church roofs encouraged others. Students at Wisconsin Lutheran High School, Milwaukee, gave offerings of $6,000 for the walls and floor of All Saints Lutheran at Woleche. Their gift complemented the church roof already completed by the people there. In addition, a couple attending the 2006 LWMS convention made a gift of $5,000 toward the church roof at Christ the King, Ikot Ufen. This congregation has already built a foundation and walls for a church that will seat about 500.
Next time you’re sitting dry and comfortable in your church praising God for his grace in Jesus, imagine worshiping under the open sky. Then imagine a few more Nigerian brothers and sisters under their new church roofs. And when you think of “all the people” in their churches, give thanks to God for the generosity of LWMS and others. I know I do.
Douglas Weiser is a member of the Africa Administrative Committee and the liaison to Nigeria.
Volume Winter 2007, Category: BWM LWMS
Copyrighted by WELS Mission Connection © 2008
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