“Simon, son of John do you love me?....tend my sheep.”
John 21:17
Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Mission Society (OELMS) 2023 Annual Report, September 2023
Sacramento, California
Preamble
Oromo Evangelical Mission Society (OELMS) was established in 2012 under the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) with the purpose of planting churches across the United States where the Oromo immigration is growing rapidly to outreach to non-Christian Oromos with the good news of Jesus Christ. The vision statement of OELMS is “to establish missional and scripture-based Oromo speaking ministry throughout the world; most specifically to prepare and equip disciples of God that can reach out to the non-Christian Oromo population and other ethnicities through prayer and with the word of God.”
The more specific mission statement reads:
To establish ministry groups in the communities where the immigrant population is growing rapidly with particular emphasis on the Oromo diaspora in the United States and connect them to local congregations of the LCMS, alongside efforts to reach and establish missions among the 40 million Oromo worldwide.
OELMS’s mission is to reach out to non-Christians and plant churches based on Christ’s great commission mentioned in Matthew 28:16-19 where Jesus called His disciples and appointed them with authority to go and preach the gospel to people of all nations and ethnicities. Even though the focus of our mission is the Oromo community, our goal is to reach out to the world at large through the Oromo-speaking congregations and missionaries.
There were only four small groups or congregations that came together in 2012 with a vision to establish OELMS and reach out to the non-Christian Oromos. In the eleven years, God has enriched our ministry and blessed us with 26 member churches across the states in North America.
Ministry Report:
OELMS Board of Directors meetings: This year, the OELMS Board of Directors has met over ten times and has passed some very decisive decisions that are beneficial for our ministry. On average, these meetings took over two hours monthly. We thank God and these dedicated board members for their unreserved commitment and support of OELMS’s ministry.
Leadership Training & Annual National Conferences: Since we had the 2018 OELMS Annual National Conference in Kansas City, MO, we were able to organize spiritual conferences at four churches. Those are the Oromo-speaking Lutheran congregations in Phoenix AZ, San Diego CA, Las Vegas NV, and Kansa City MO. We give glory to our God who nourished his people in many ways. We also want to say thank you to those who served during these conferences in many different ways. For next year, we have a plan to visit more OELMS
congregations to encourage them in God’s mission. The purpose of the annual national gatherings is to train, equip and energize our lay leaders and prepare them to be the disciples and ambassadors of Christ.
New Churches joined OELMS: In the last two years, two congregations have joined LCMS and OELMS. These two churches are Horeb Evangelical Lutheran Church in Portland Oregon and The Oromo Lutheran Church in Sacrament, California.
Church Building Purchase: In the last five years, three of our churches have purchased church buildings from the LCMS churches and three more are in the process of fundraising. Our churches are not only growing in numbers but thriving spiritually as well. God is at work. Praise to God!
Church Planting: In 2023, OELMS planted two churches: One in Sacramento, CA, and one in Grand Rapids, MI. The one in Sacramento has already started its ministry at the Light of Valley Lutheran Church in Elk Grove, CA. However, the one in Grand Rapids is still in the process of becoming an LCMS church.
Future Church Planting and Second-Generation Ministry Plan: In 2024, the focus is to continue with church planting and establishing youth ministries for the second generation. Two new sites are under our radar for church planting in 2024: Nashville, TN, and Tampa, FL. According to our survey, no ministries are currently serving in Afaan Oromo in these two areas.
Children and Youth (Second-Generation) Ministry: OELMS is in the process of translating the children and youth ministry curriculum to Afaan Oromoo (The Oromo language). Currently, we are seeking material and financial support to complete this translation for all our churches to use.
Theological training: Jesus said, “The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few, so pray to the Father that He may send more workers.” As I mentioned above, our Mission Society needs more trained pastors. This year God has opened the door for some of our members to get theological training here in the United States and Ethiopia. Daawaa Jarso from San Diego has joined EIIT program.
Challenges
Shortage of trained pastors: There exists a shortage of trained pastors for OELMS member congregations. In the past year, several OELMS congregations were looking for trained pastors, and it was challenging for the board to identify and assign them. This will be more challenging as we think of starting an English service for second-generation Oromo immigrants. Through the EIIT program, there are a number of students enrolled, so we think these students will fill up some of the gaps. However, it should be noted that this is one area where our member congregations need to pay attention as a way of raising future leaders for the next generation.
Financial Instability: The other major challenge OELMS’s ministry is facing is in the area of finance and stewardship.
OELMS Ministry Partners:
Finally, we would like to thank the following mission partners:
LCMS Minnesota South District: We would like to thank the Minnesota South District for their partnership and financial support that covered most of the cost of this year’s conference. We also have President Lucas Woodford serving us this Sunday. We are forever grateful to God our Father for your partnership in the building up of His kingdom, “and may the Lord reward you for your kindness ..." (Ruth 1:8).
Woodbury Lutheran Church: We would like to thank the Woodbury Lutheran Church in Woodbury Minnesota for their partnership and financial support that covered part of the cost of the OELMS Executive Director compensation; for providing financial support for four (4) missionaries in Mekane Yesus Seminary Ethiopia and for supporting this year’s leadership training. We are forever grateful to God our Father for your partnership in the building up of His kingdom, “and may the Lord reward you for your kindness ..." (Ruth 1:8).
Christ Lutheran Church in Kansas City, MO: We would like to thank the Christ Lutheran Church for their partnership and financial support that covered part of the cost of Pastor Abdi’s salary and health insurance; We are forever grateful to God our Father for your partnership in the building up of His kingdom, “and may the Lord reward you for your kindness ..." (Ruth 1:8).
Zion Lutheran Church in North Highland, CA: We would like to thank the Zion Lutheran Church for their partnership and or hosting the 2023 OELMS conference and for all their financial and material support;
Light of the Valley Lutheran Church in Sacramento, CA: We would like to thank the Light of Valley Lutheran Church for their partnership and for providing financial support for the 2023 OELMS conference, and for hosting the Oromo Lutheran Church in Sacramento;
The California–Nevada–Hawaii LCMS: We would like to thank the CNH-LCMS District for their partnership and for providing financial support for the 2023 OELMS conference in Sacramento; The Lord has allowed us to accomplish many things together to His glory. We believe that souls have been saved, lives have been transformed, pastors have been equipped, missionaries have been sent, and the kingdom of God has been advanced because, in great part, of your perseverance in partnering with us. We have no doubt that our ministry will bring a harvest of souls safe in the arms of Jesus when He comes again. “May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done” (Ruth 2:12).
God’s blessings!
Rev. Demelash Yosef Mr. Girma Daka
OELMS Executive Director OELMS President