Pastor Keith Kolstad’s 25th Anniversary and African Sendoff
матрациZion Lutheran Church celebrated the 25th Anniversary of Pastor Keith Kolstad’s ordination on Sunday, April 25th. Bishop Tom Skrenes of the Northern Great Lakes Synod, ELCA presented Pastor Keith with a certificate recognizing his anniversary.
During this service we wished Pastor Keith Godspeed as he prepared to leave for Tanzania. Our service concluded with an African sendoff. The contemporary worship band lead African hymns in worship and the choir sang an African Spiritual. Shawn Limberg directed local students Allison Koerner (7th Grade), Paul LaPlant (8th Grade), and Brittney Koerner (9th Grade) who played their African marimbas and drums. A special reception was held in the fellowship hall after the service.
Pastor Keith left on April 27th for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for a 3 month sabbatical. He is working with the leaders of the Azania Front Lutheran Church to assist with their ministry opportunities. The Eastern and Coastal Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, which encompasses Dar es Salaam and the island of Zanzibar, is experiencing tremendous growth. Within the past eight years, the number of congregations in the diocese has grown by two thirds.
The Northern Great Lakes Synod of the ELCA was paired with this diocese in 1991 and a deep relationship has grown. As recently as May of 2007, a church choir from Dar es Salaam visited our area because of this relationship. Local people have also helped to build a library at a seminary in Kisarawe. The Synod has worked with the Diocese on many other projects.
