wfn.org | Ethiopia: Leadership Has Enhanced Women's Participation in Church

[FRANKI@elca.org]

Historic Ordinations Were Unprecedented

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia/GENEVA, 20 March 2001 (LWI) - Women of the Ethiopian
Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) recognize that a change of attitude
in the EECMY leadership has fostered their role and participation in the
church.

Ms. Aberash Dinsa, coordinator of the EECMY women's ministry has
acknowledged the "acceptance and encouragement of the church leadership" to
promote the involvement of women in all activities of the church.

Dinsa was speaking at celebrations marking 2000 as the EECMY Women's Year.
The event was organized under the auspices of the church's 16th General
Assembly, January 21-28.

Even though the women's coordinating office has undergone some changes to
attain its present status, structures at the synod, district, parish and
congregational levels have experienced little change over the years, mainly
due to shortage of qualified personnel and/or funding, Dinsa said.

Dinsa is a member of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Council, and
vice-chairperson of the LWF Program Committee for Communication Services.

Rev. Yadessa Daba, outgoing president of the EECMY spoke of the outstanding
progress made by women in the church. He cited the ordination of two women
pastors, Rev. Bakure Daba (May 2000) and Rev. Hirut Megersa (August 2000) as
a major stride unprecedented in the history of both the church and country.

Women make up around 52 percent of the over 3.3 million-member EECMY. It is
the largest LWF church in the South.

*       *       *

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now has 131 member
churches in 72 countries representing over 60.2 million of the nearly 64
million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches
in areas of common interest such as ecumenical relations, theology,
humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication, and the various
aspects of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the information service of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF). Unless specifically noted, material presented does
not represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units.
Where the dateline of an article contains the notation (LWI), the material
may be freely reproduced with acknowledgement.]

*       *       *
LUTHERAN WORLD INFORMATION
PO Box 2100, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Editor's e-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
Tel: (41.22) 791.63.54
Fax: (41.22) 791.66.30
http://www.lutheranworld.org/News/Articles/EN/LWI