The Lutheran Church Mission in Uganda (LCMU) was established in 1994. Evangelists were sent from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG), a partner church of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, to begin and nurture the work since there were no Lutheran pastors in Uganda at the time. Today, the LCMU is served by Ugandan pastors and operates in all four regions of the country. The LCMU now has more than 75 congregations and preaching stations—some meet in buildings and some meet under mango trees but all belong to the Body of Jesus Christ. God is growing congregations faster than he is providing pastors so lay leaders often nurture congregations. The LCMU has many trained lay leaders who lead worship and preach.
The LCMS began work in Uganda in 1995 as part of a regional East Africa mission strategy. The LCMS currently supports leadership training that equips faithful evangelists and pastors in such a way that they will be qualified to multiply the Gospel message among many others.
The LCMU can easily be considered a national church body since it has congregations in all four regions of the country: Northern, Eastern, Central and Western. The LCMU operates in 16 of the 78 districts in Uganda and works in seven of the approximately 42 language groups in Uganda. Nine ordained pastors serve in the LCMU along with 25 evangelists and two deaconesses. Currently, 10 men are studying for the pastoral ministry at Lutheran seminaries in Kenya and South Africa.
Many lay leaders are trained on a monthly basis at one of six Mission Training Centers (MTCs) located in: Ibanda, Masindi, Lira, Amudat, Jinja, Kayunga and Busia. Lay leaders who prove themselves at the MTC level may be nominated to receive advanced training through Theological Education by Extension (TEE), which meets twice per month in Kampala and has a two-year curriculum. Successful completion of TEE qualifies a man to apply for seminary, but many will continue to serve with distinction in their local context.
The LCMS first provided support for mercy projects in 1996, specifically providing funds for desks at a school for orphans. Later mercy projects have also included providing animals for church workers, which could provide additional income or food sources.
To learn more about the LCMU, you may also wish to visit:
https://lcmu.wordpress.com