The Lutheran Connection, Ghana 2014

Yes, Missy, I was able to make a Lutheran connection even in Ghana.  It's nice to feel at home even across the Atlantic. The pastor of St John's Lutheran Church in Takoradi, Ghana has taken up his position as a third career.  He currently also teaches at a private secondary school in the area.  Pastor Joseph Bart-Plange's wife is the only trained deaconess in Ghana having completed her training at Concordia Seminary (where my step mom worked) in Fort Wayne, Indiana (where I grew up).

Pastor Bart-Plange

St John's Lutheran Church and School

Martin Luther Preschool.

How cool is that!

It's interesting that after our brief visit, my travelling partner said I had a gleam in my eye.  Although our schedule did not allow us to worship at the church, I appreciated the opportunity to introduce my self.  I would have been disappointed to have come this far and missed saying hello to a fellow Lutheran literally down the street.
I think the "gleam" in my eye came from the excitement of the pastor himself. The congregation has about 120 worshippers on Sunday, not bad for a city with churches everywhere:  Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican, Methodist, Pentecostal, Assembly and Church of God etc.  They use the "red" hymnal--CPH 1941, but the pastor was excited that he also have the new service book.  They have a choir and definitely like to sing.  
There is a definite LCMS missionary presence around Ghana,especially since dome have been forced to flee Nigeria.
The school is typical of most in Ghana in some ways:  the students wear uniforms and have very poor facilities by our (or even most) standards.  The "neighborhood" is typical as well:  back several buildings and rocky paths off the main road in the midst of houses, goats and chickens.  The pastor even raises rabbits to help with expenses. Some noteworthy differences:  this "basic" school only has 120 students and is a private school, receiving no govt funds.  Ghanaians prefer such private basic schools because they offer a better education. 
The Lutheran Church is active in Ghana.  To learn more follow the link below:

www.lcms.org/ghana

http://www.ilc-online.org/members/africa/ghana/


Please pray for the growth of God's church in Takoradi and Pastor Bart-Plange's work as well as for all Lutherans and other Christians in Ghana and all over Africa, especially Nigeria.