ELCA Liberia Support Network

Totota Lay Leaders and Ministry Training Center offers more programming

There are approximately 70 pastors, 112 ordained deacons, and dozens of evangelists in the Lutheran Church in Liberia (LCL). The LCL’s theological training center and bible school for lay leaders and ministers, based in Totota, Bong County, serves to provide them with additional training and education to increase the effectiveness of their ministry.

The center's recently adopted new name is the Louis T. Bowers Lay Leaders and Ministry Training Center (LTB-LLMTC).

The Center has new program with three “legs.” “Leg one” is the Residential Course with four levels each of nine weeks. Level 1 is the Beginners Courses for all church leaders. Level 2 and 3 for Evangelists and level 4 for Ordained Deacons and Deaconesses.

“Leg two” is an Outreach Program to teach in the various parishes. “Leg three” is to make use of the center as a retreat center. Because of the financial support from ELCA and DEM, the new program began with the 1^st Residential course on September 12^th , 2006.

The Training Center was given a boost in January and February of 2006 when three visiting pastors from the Upper Susquehanna Synod of the ELCA, (Ron Shellhamer, Detlef Huckfeldt and retired pastor Albert Swingle), led two week-long seminars at the Totota Training Center -- one for ordained clergy, the second for Deacons/Deaconesses and evangelists – in the area of biblical theology, Lutheran theology, worship and liturgics. The USS synod has also sent some theological books which are now being used in the center’s library.

Language Literature Literacy and Bible Translation Center

Also located in Totota is the LCL's Language, Literature, Literacy and Bible Translation Center, which serves the purpose of reaching out to indigenous people with the Word of God in their own mother tongues. The center produces Christian literature, translates the Bible and teaches the people how to read and write their own languages.

In addition to the Kpelle and Lorma languages, the Grebo language has been added. Presently, the liturgy has been translated in Grebo and is being edited. Luther's Small Catechism is also been translated. All of these languages translations have proven very helpful to the people in their Christian lives. The Books of Exodus, Deuteronomy and Hosea were not submitted for editing due to the breakdown of the computer. However, a draft of the book of Job was completed along with II Kings, Ezra, Daniel and Ezekiel in Kpelle. Parts of the Psalms have also been completed. The Books of I Kings and the remained of Deuteronomy have been checked and is been finally edited.

During the year 2006, 15 adults received certificate of promotion to the second phase in the Kpelle literacy while 5 adults received certificate of completion of level 4. The Kpelle dictionary is in the final stage of completion.

During 2006 the center received one computer, one printer, one photocopier, one scanner, one reso-graph printing machine and few office supplies which were purchased from a USD$9,700.00 grant from the LWF/WS. This equipment will promote and increase the activities of the center in term of literature production.

A bilateral agreement has been entered into with the Cuttington University to produce Kpelle literature; CU will provide the materials and equipment for the work. Two laptop computers were also provided by CU. The center also received one laptop computer from the Bible Society in Liberia.

The new expanded curriculum led to 17 students, including 3 women, completing the first nine weeks of residential training in December 2006, the first to take place since the civil war.

Short-term and long-term programs specifically designed for lay leaders include courses in Bible, Church History, Doctrines, Christian Ethics and Practical Theology. These programs are aimed at reaching parish and district council members, staff and board members of LCL institutions, and other lay leaders who are selected by their regions to become recognized as evangelists in the LCL.

The Center encourages students at all levels to be able to read and write in their own language(s) before coming for training, but do not make that a requirement. Speakers of Kpelle, Lorma and Grebo languages can take advantage of the Language, Literacy and Bible Translation Center, which is also located in Totota.

The Center is run by acting director, Rev. Lydia Manawu Weagba, and supported by consultant Rev. Finn Hougaard from the Lutheran Church in Denmark.