Mission History

Lutheran Church of Rwanda

The Lutheran Church of Rwanda (LCR) started officially on May 23, 1995. The challenge that confronted the LCR and Rwanda in December 1994 was truly extraordinary. Thirty two years of country divisionism, more than eight years of economic collapse, and four years of civil war and 90 days of savage genocide had left one million people dead, a collapsed nation and economy, and infrastructure destroyed. The violent legacy of genocide, civil war and of an authoritarian state has caused poverty, political instability and social and spiritual fragility.

After the war and the genocide, about four million Rwandan refugees were repatriated, resettled, and reintegrated peacefully. Among the returnees were Lutheran Christians and pastors, mostly from Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), who had lived in exile for about 45 years. Most of the Lutheran returnees settled in Rusumo and Rukira Districts of Kibungo Province, while some others went to the northeast, central and northern parts of Rwanda. Christians returned with their pastors and evangelists who had had theological education in Tanzania and Kenya. They wanted to retain their tradition as Lutheran Christians.

The Lutheran church was officially registered as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in July 2002. The LCR joined the Lutheran World Federation in 2002 and also belongs to the Lutheran Communion in Central & Eastern Africa (LUCCEA).

Today, 15,000 Christians make up the LCR, which has coordinated and conducted seminars and workshops for church and community leaders to help them develop participatory methods of sustainable peace building, reconciliation and parish development