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T O
G E T H E R I N M I S S I O N
For twenty-five years, Grace, Auburn, has helped sponsor, LCMS Missionary
family, Rev. David and Joyce Erber. They serve in the mission field
of Nigeria, West Africa. Pastor Erber serves LCMS World Mission as
the area facilitator for English-speaking West Africa. He is responsible
for guiding and encouraging LCMS missionaries and mission work in the
Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. He works closely with
national church leaders in each of these countries, as well as with the
LCMS World Mission Africa management team. David also works with the
Oswald Hoffmann School of Christian Outreach at Concordia University, St.
Paul, Minn., to conduct the Master of Arts in Christian outreach degree
program for pastors and church leaders in Nigeria. The Erbers have served LCMS World
Mission in Africa since 1986. David graduated from Concordia University,
Ann Arbor, Mich., and Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind.,
with a Master of Divinity and a doctorate in missiology. Joyce (Clark) is
from Loveland, Colo. She graduated from Valparaiso University, where she
became interested in missionary service. Together, the Erbers attended the
Summer Institute of Linguistics in Grand Forks, N.D. and Dallas, Texas.
Their children, Luke, Jonathan, and Naomi, were born in Jos, Nigeria. They
enjoy traveling, village living, Boy Scouts, and dividing their education
between homeschooling and attending a Christian international school. Please pray for the Erbers as
they minister to the people of English-speaking West Africa. Ask the Lord
to raise up Christ-centered leaders of Lutheran congregations. Pray that
the Lord would protect David as he travels and that the Holy Spirit would
continue to sustain and grow the Lutheran church bodies in
English-speaking West Africa. •
Birthdays:
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Erber Missionary Update
Dear Partners in Mission, On Monday, April 20, Rev. Christian Ekong, President of the Lutheran Church of Nigeria, Joyce and I visited Professor Julius Okojie and others at Nigeria’s National Universities Commission (NUC) in Abuja. Going to Abuja is kind of like going to Washington DC. It’s Nigeria’s seat of government and there isn’t any other place in Nigeria quite like Abuja! (They have big government buildings, wide roads, no motorcycles, street lights, almost constant electricity.) During our previous visit to Abuja, we received a letter of ‘approval for conducting MACO in Nigeria pending a verification visit’. The purpose of our visit to Abuja on April 20 was to extend an invitation to the NUC for the verification visit. The NUC is ready to plan the verification visit but their initial estimate of expenses for the visit was US$5,000 (This was about twice the amount we were anticipating. Presently we are waiting for a promised second estimate). Unification in Liberia – May 10, 20009 For the past few years, four different groups of Lutherans (ELCLS, UHP-ELC, EVLC and CALC) have been working through a process of unifying into one national Lutheran Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia. On Sunday, May 10, the various groups involved are meeting to sign a two year interim constitution and install interim leaders for the unified church. This is a major step forward for the church in Liberia! I will be in Monrovia, Liberia for this event. Then the following weekend I will attend the national conference of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sierra Leone in Jembe, Sierra Leone, I will be traveling with Dr. Mike Rodewald, our new LCMS Regional Director for Africa. This trip will be Dr. Rodewald’s first opportunity to meet the church presidents and other leaders in Sierra Leone and Liberia as well as learn about the work of introducing people to Jesus Christ in these countries. Family Notes: Luke finished his second year at Concordia University Chicago last week and Jonathan celebrates his 18th birthday next week (May 12). Our family is really going up! Request For Prayers! Please join us in prayer: That God would provide the open doors and finances we need to obtain complete approval for program MACO. This unique program gives our pastors and church leaders in Nigeria better evangelism outreach training than most of our missionaries ever had! …that God would bless the steps of Lutheran unification in Liberia. …that God would bless the national meetings of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone. …that God would use Dr. Rodewald and myself as we travel and meet with church leaders and pastors in Liberia and Sierra Leone as well as watch over the Erber and Rodewald families as they remain in Soth Africa and Nigeria during our travels. Thank you for your prayers and support! Your partners in mission Pastor David Erber
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Pastor
David and Joyce Erber and their children,
Luke, Jonathan and Naomi
Erber
Missionary Update
Dear Partners in Mission, Over the past year, we have noted many times in our Updates that we need a letter of invitation or approval from the government of Nigeria in order to conduct the Master of Arts in Christian Outreach degree program in Nigeria. The goal of this program is to help our pastors and church leaders grow in their evangelism outreach practice and leadership abilities. In October, Joyce and I made an initial visit to the National Universities Commission (NUC) in Abuja to request a letter of invitation. We were told that the NUC needed to see the Nigerian “anchor” behind the program and not a couple of foreigners. In November, I returned to Abuja with the president of the church, the rector of the seminary, and three other leaders from the church. We were told we needed to present a proposal for what we intend to do. That afternoon, the seminary rector and I worked to prepare an initial proposal. In December, I rewrote the proposal and sent ten comb-bound copies to the NUC in Abuja. On January 28th, Joyce and I went to Abuja to find out what was happening with our proposal. We learned that nothing was happening. We explained that I was traveling to Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota and that it would be very helpful if I could take some feedback from the NUC to them. I was told I should come to the NUC office next Tuesday when I come to Abuja for my flight to the U.S. (February 10). Hopefully I would be able to obtain some feedback by that time. On Tuesday of this week (February 3) I called the NUC Executive Secretary’s secretary to check on the situation and learned that our proposal was locked in the office of one of the directors and that this individual was out of town. I was advised to reproduce additional copies and bring them to Abuja the next day. So on Wednesday (February 4), Joyce and I went back to Abuja. We presented new copies and had the opportunity to meet with the Director of Inspection and Monitoring as well as with some other individuals. This weekend they are studying our 36 page proposal and will give us feedback (and hopefully the needed letter) at a 9 a.m. Monday meeting in the NUC’s Executive Secretary’s office. We simply need a letter stating that Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota is invited to offer their degree program in Nigeria. That’s all we need. We invite you to join us in prayer that we our meetings at the National Universities Commission in Abuja go well and that we receive the needed letter of invitation. Joyce and I will be traveling to Abuja on Sunday so that we are ready for Monday morning’s meeting (before I leave for the U.S. and Concordia University, St. Paul on Tuesday). Thank you for your prayers! Your partners in mission Pastor David Erber
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Pictures: Rev. Dale Talsma and
Pres. Ekanem, |
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Pictures above: 1) Rev. Kierien Ekpang - Ordained January 6, 2007 (As a young man, Pastor Ekpang worked doing odd jobs around our house in 1991.) 2) LCN Convention – Luther Cathedral Choir in front row. Sunday, January 7, 2007s. 3) LCN President, Rev. Effiong Ekanem ordaining five new pastors. 4.) Five new pastors, LCN National Convention, Jan 6, 2007
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Greetings from
Pastor David Erber While attending the 98th Convention of the Michigan District, Pastor Reed and Don Pfannes had opportunity to visit at length with Missionary Pastor David Erber. Grace, Auburn, has supported Pastor Erber's work in Nigeria and throughout Africa for twenty years through the Together In Mission program. Pastor Erber extends his warmest greetings to the family at Grace and expressed his encouragement and gratitude for all the mission efforts contemplated and carried out through our congregation. |
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Pastor David and Joyce Erber
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