Two U.S. Conferences Raise Funds to Aid Tanzanian Pastors

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The Tanzania United Methodist Conference in East Africa, one of the newest in the denomination, is trying to plant churches and pay pastors to serve them. It’s a tall order that relies on wide support—as wide as the ocean—to have any hope of success.

From an ocean away, the Greater New Jersey (GNJ) and Eastern Pennsylvania (EPA) conferences are providing major support through a missional partnership with the Tanzania Conference, as they become partners themselves in this growing endeavor.  The two U.S. conferences together are raising funds to help pay a living wage to under-compensated pastors (see For Tanzania 2025)   

Moreover, a dozen leaders from both GNJ and EPA will travel to Tanzania in late May to attend its Annual Conference session and then teach in its training school for pastors.

GNJ raised and donated $110,000 in 2024 to help pay pastors’ salaries and also to fund the building of a new church in Bamia, a growing community just outside of Dar es Salaam, the nation’s largest city. The conference also sent a team of leaders there to attend the annual conference and teach at the pastors school.  

Retired Bishop John Schol began leading annual visits there in 2018 to foster supportive friendships by attending the Tanzania Conference’s sessions and helping to train its clergy. The Covid pandemic interrupted those visits in 2020-2022.

Afiliated Conferences Become Global Mission Partners

While some members of EPA contributed to the 2024 fundraising campaign, the two newly affiliated sister-conferences became full partners in a second campaign this year to raise additional, much-needed funds for clergy salaries. Instead of a grand total this time, the new goal—promoted on the conferences’ websites and a campaign giving page—is for donors to help sustain a pastor’s income at various giving levels—from one month at $100 up to a full year at $1,200.

“The average Tanzanian United Methodist pastor earns $63 annually; and many aren’t paid at all by their churches,” the campaign reports. “In addition, right now in Tanzania, economic difficulties and denominational challenges make this a critical time of needed support. This second-mile campaign seeks to provide a living wage of $1,200 annually for each United Methodist pastor of Tanzania.”

With over 80 congregations, the conference has more than 100 ordained pastors and about 70 licensed local pastors, most of them with families. Many young pastors are expected to start new churches in their first appointments and to help fund them by offering pre-schools to care for local children.

“Their Wesleyan fire to share the good news is contagious,” said the Rev. Dawn Taylor-Storm, EPA’s Connectional Ministries director. “They embody the Holy Spirit’s flame that is at the heart of United Methodism.”

She joined GNJ’s 2024 visit in her role as EPA&GNJ Assistant to the Bishop for Leadership Development. “Many of the pastors walk to their churches. Some share motorcycles. These pastors live out Jesus’ call to go, trusting in God to provide the resources.”

When Taylor-Storm preached at a church there one Sunday, she witnessed people bringing chairs into the unfurnished church. “I was amazed and moved by that sight of the community bringing their own chairs to worship in that space.”

Living Wage Fundraising Campaign raises $27,000 so far

The new campaign, launched in January, has raised over $27,000 so far between the two conferences; but much more is needed.

Kaufmann’s UMC in Annville, Pa., is trying to do its part. Their Bible study group of about a dozen members is donating at least $100 a month to the campaign. They were inspired when they learned about “the plight of Tanzanian pastors making little or nothing for their service to God's kingdom by bringing God's word to the Tanzanian people,” said the Rev. Bill McNeal, pastor.

“It struck a chord in my heart. And rather than going to the whole church, I thought it would be a good project for our Wednesday Bible study group to do. They agreed right away.”

The group, including a member in Florida who participates via Zoom, decided in April to make it a recurring monthly donation from funds members contribute each week.

“It's through God's glory that we’re able to do this,” said McNeal. “It’s moving our church to produce outward fruit, and that's one of the proofs of our faith.”

A dozen EPA&GNJ church and conference leaders will participate again in Tanzania’s annual conference May 25-27, led by new EPA&GNJ episcopal leader Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi, who will preach and help celebrate Communion.

Then the visitors will help teach at the Tanzania Conference’s pastors' school May 28-30, joining Tanzanian clergy leaders to teach courses in English and Swahili. Their focus will be on making disciples and nurturing discipleship, with classes in worship and sacraments, evangelism, preaching and teaching, pastoral ethics and self-care, and even marketing and communications.   

Bishop Mande to Welcome EPA&GNJ Team to Tanzania

Bishop Mande Muyombe, who leads the Congo Central Conference’s North Katanga Area that includes Tanzania, will again welcome the visitors and the contributions they will bring, including funds raised to help compensate his underpaid pastors.

Also greeting them will be the Rev. Mutwale Ntambo Wa Mushidi, the conference director of Church Development and Evangelism and a longtime friend of both U.S. conferences. He and his wife Kabaka Ndala Alphonsine were one of two clergy missionary couples sent from their home in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1992 to introduce United Methodism to Tanzania. He recruited leaders and planted churches and ministry sites, while his wife and partner provided education for women and children. Tanzania became an annual conference in 2012.

The couple, who are both United Methodist Global Ministries missionaries, have covenant relationships with GNJ and EPA and have visited both conferences a number of times, including in 2024. They have spoken at dozens of church, district and conference events to encourage support for their conference’s fledgling growth.

In addition, their daughter Hedwige Mutwale, a graduate of two United Methodist-related institutions—Africa University in Zimbabwe and Drew Theological School in New Jersey—is a new pastor serving two Lancaster, Pa., area churches in EPA’s West District.

“It's all about learning and building relationships through fellowship and partnership,” said Taylor-Storm.  “My life has been forever changed by my time in Tanzania.  The people there teach me courage, persistence, faith and what it means to trust in God’s grace above all else.

“And each time we go,” she added, “our conversations and learning are deeper, richer and more authentic. We share not only the joy of service, but also an understanding of what a mission partnership should look like.”

John W. Coleman serves as editor-at-large for United Methodist Insight. Please email Insight for permission to reproduce this content elsewhere.