What We Never Would Have Found or Imagined on Our Own…
“Accompaniment is when we are humbled by their hospitality, inspired by their faith, and challenged to see church in new ways.””
A simple phone message—“Go with him. You will never be the same again.”—set Pastor Mark Ziemer and Grace Lutheran Church in Tomahawk on a life-changing journey into a congregation-to-congregation partnership with Lekubu Parish in South Africa. What began as a letter exchange grew into deep accompaniment marked by shared homes, worship, leadership, and faith, reshaping how participants understood what it means to be church. Through years of mutual visits and hospitality, the Spirit led both communities into a partnership that continues to change lives on both sides of the world.
“Someone will be holding up a sign in the airport stating ‘Ziemer.’” Go with him. He will return you in three weeks. You will never be the same again,” such was Bishop Ditlhale’s phone message the day we took off for Johannesburg. How true. The four of us on that first congregation-to-congregation visit were forever changed by that immersed cultural experience of faith and congregational life in the Western Diocese.
“Contact and visit the parish with which you are matched,” Rev. Harrison insisted. In 2005 rather than be complacent with having built a new sanctuary, the Grace Lutheran, Tomahawk Church Council realized the need to redirect that momentum to a new project that would center Grace’s vision on “being” church. Crossways Camping Ministries’ trips to the Western Diocese and their hosting counselors from there inspired Grace. But Rev. Wayne Harrison, then Director of Crossways, reminded Grace of the congregation-to-congregation matches that were handed out at every Synod Assembly.
“Lekubu” was the name on that sheet. A letter was sent. A reply came back. The Lekubu Parish Council welcomed a visit and named the dates. That same year Bishop Ditlhale and MaBishop visited the East Central Synod of WI and, having heard of that letter exchange they made a point to come to Tomahawk. Grace, Tomahawk realized, when a Bishop from Africa comes to your very door and says, “You must come,” we had to go.
“The Americans have landed,” were the first words we heard, spoken by Jake Matladi’s Chair of the Parish Council. It had taken more than a year to work out the details as we arrived in June, 2006, “One small step for mankind,” Mr. Matladi declared, “One giant leap for partnership.”
I have never been the same after that to Lekubu Parish in 2005. I returned with others from Grace three more times, and Lekubu Parish visited Grace three times. We have collectively spent more than 200 days and nights in each others homes and lives. I truly see God’s Holy Spirit stirring and leading through the South African counselors at Crossways, Rev. Wayne Harrison, Bishop Ditlhale, and the foresight and daring leadership of the Lekubu Parish Council. They led us to what we never would have found or imagined on our own.
That visit was a thoroughly immersed cultural experience. Living in their homes, eating their food, experiencing their daily lives of three African villages, and being total involved in their worship and in gatherings of the Youth League, Young Women’s League, Men’s League and the Choir is far beyond and better than any tourism. Accompaniment is when we are humbled by their hospitality, inspired by their faith, and challenged to see church in new ways. What a gift to us as we witnessed laity leading and ministering and the pastor’s role to train, guide, and support them. In walking together we are forever changed.
The Rev. Mark Ziemer
