TERMS OF REFERENCE

ON

COOPERATION AND PARTNERSHIP

WITH

THE

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE GAMBIA

 

P.O. BOX 5275

BRIKAMA. THE GAMBIA.

WEST AFRICA.

Email: leadership@elctgambia.org

Website: www.elctgambia.org

© 2000

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CO-OPERATION AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE GAMBIA 
TERMS OF REFERENCE OF PARTNERSHIP

             The Evangelical Lutheran Church of The Gambia (ELCTG) is an autonomous national church, as known in The Gambia since the year 2000 as a religious association. It is an Associate member of the Lutheran Communion of West and Central Africa states (LUCCWA) which is a regional body of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). 

           The Gambia is based on the Bible, that is, the canonical books of the Old and New Testament, which is the Holy and Infallible Word of God. The confession of faith is based on the Word of God that is expressed in the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasius Creed, in the Augsburg Confession and the Small and Large Catechism of Martin Luther. The theological foundation of the Church is based on the Holy Scriptures (the Bible) and the Evangelical Lutheran confessional documents. 
Objectives

Participate in developing spiritual, moral, cultural and social perspectives of The Gambian people. 

Preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, teach the believers, administer  sacraments, exercise discipline, doing missionary work, Diaconia and other Christian activities as a growing church, all  with aid of the Holy Spirit. 
 

The church has a synodical structure: 

• Congregation 

• Parish 

•  Departments 

• Office of the Church 

• Council of the Church 

•  Synod 

ARTICLE l: Purpose

     The main purpose of the cooperation between the Evangelical Lutheran Church of The Gambia and her partners is the strengthening of the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through witness and service. 

     The two entities in the partnership will therefore undertake to promote financial self-sufficiency and function of the Church into a single Lutheran Church in The Gambia. 
  
ARTICLE 2: Identity 

     The Evangelical Lutheran Church of The Gambia is a sovereign entity which receives partners at her breast. 

     It respects the rules of procedure of the partners and the rules of cooperation established between her and them. 

     The Evangelical Lutheran Church of The Gambia is a local national church body and has the responsibility to meet the challenges of missionaries in its territory through its board. The needs and methods are determined together with each partner taking account of existing resources. 

ARTICLE 3: Role 

   The Evangelical Lutheran Church of The Gambia's role is: 

• To invite missionary workers from partner churches in specific department of assignment. 

• To recruit and assign workers to their places of work while seeking housing, and determining the place of residence. 

•  To prepare activity reports. 

• To make number of requests, extensions or break of contracts. 

•  To provide audit and internal control. 

• To convene meetings of the Partnership Forum.

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ARTICLE 4: Areas of Cooperation 

   Cooperation will be carried out through actions and activities recorded in the various departments of the Church including: 

• The proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ for the salvation of every soul / evangelism. 

• The establishment of new parishes. 

•  Social Services in Communities of operation. 

•  Community development

• Leadership Training

•  Capacity building of co- operations. 

•  The strengthening of multilateral relations. 

•  Exchange of personnel 

•  Mutual spiritual support.

• In time of dialogue between religions, the church emphasizes the inquiry for mutual peaceful coexistence and understanding. The partner must

• Observe the differences. 

• Observe the operation of the Church to know that other areas of cooperation are possible depending on the needs and realities of the moment. 

 

ARTICLE 5: The Work

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•  All activities within the framework of cooperation will be for the good of the Church and the communities in which it operates. They must contribute to their construction, their economic and spiritual growth and to their full potential. 

•  Every worker is under the direction of the Church and of his/her department. 

•  Any proposal for a component or project must go through his/her department before being submitted to the office of the Church and finally to the church council for decision.

• Every worker has the right to annual leave: leave and annual conferences should be planned and communicated to the department concerned and the church leadership. 

 

ARTICLE 6: Management

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• Each partner can take its fiscal year for support. 

• The annual reports of activities of departments and parishes will be announced (late February each year). 

• The consolidated budget will be given each quarter. 

• The fiscal framework of the whole church will be presented to each partner and the level of self-financing of the Church, and grants from other partners for all activities. 

• Any fund to the church will be managed by the treasury of the Church with the board according to constitution of the church on the role of the church council which states that:  The Church Council: Is responsible for managing the entire property and the handling of funds of the Church, the General Treasurer: takes full accounting of the Church finance and indeed the situation regarding the inputs and outputs in the accounts of the church,  manages the body of the Church based on the budget prepared by the council of the Church , ensures correspondence with donors and recipients of funds,  and prepare of statements to be submitted to the council of the Church. 

Article 7: Transparency 

       To share with one another, there most be mutual transparency in the management of the common good. For this, communication between partners must be transversal and information should reach as fixed and real as when we know that the failure of communication may especially hinder the work of one or the other partner. 
        Therefore, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of The Gambia will comply fully with all requirements of partners in audit (internal and external) and control. 

ARTICLE 8: Equipment

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• Materials purchased on behalf of the church remains the sole property of it. It is designed for smooth operation and service activities. 

• Respect of car mileage (as a Case settlement) is required for everyone.

•  It is inconceivable to confuse ones own material / property with that of the Church. This means a perpetual inventory most be steady and all asked through the various divisions of the Church by the council of the Church in connection with the cash and materials / property. 

• Any property bought in the name of the Evangelical Lutheran church of The Gambia remains the property of the church be it missionary or local church fixed or none fixed asset. It should not be converted at the end of a personnel end of term of service to the church but continuously remains the property of the church for the continuation of God’s work in The Gambia..

ARTICLE 9: Discipline 

     In case of complaint against a worker for immorality, heresy, drunkenness, quarreling, witchcraft, especially when the complain is from the proportion of the population of  the church, community  or department, the senior pastor of the parish or the Development Coordinator, in consultation with members of his /her decision-making body, is responsible for an investigation. 

If the worker is wrong, the pastor or coordinator of the Department should urge to improve its behavior. 

If the exhortation is not enough the case can be transmitted to the church board that will decide ultimately. 

Article 10 Language 

     The language of cooperation is English. However, everyone must make an effort to study and understand the language of cooperation. 

The cooperation document can be translated into the language of stakeholders for a better understanding of its contents and context. 

Amendment 

     Any modification or amendment shall be made in consultation with the relevant partner for a better understanding.