EGST launched an extended church leaders training on gender, health and theology in Adama/Nazareth on July 8, 2017 at Mamme Adama Hotel. 34 leaders from 14 denominations attended the sensitization workshop. Welcoming the participants, Pastor Mekonen Getachew, Chairperson of Adama Evangelical Churches Fellowship, encouraged the leaders to maximize the opportunity of partnering with EGST on capacity building.
The sensitization workshop is designed as part of the scaling up of an ongoing church leaders training at EGST and it involves four fellowships, specifically in Adama, Butajira, Wolliso and Debrebrehan. It is planned to equip a total of 160 leaders and create a long term capacity development of senior and middle level church leaders, full time ministers and lay ministers.
Women Ministry Department leaders of EECMY, EKHC and ECFE partnered in organizing the workshop and expressed their commitment in implementing this training at fellowship, synod and zonal levels of their respective ecclesiastical structures. Speaking on the occasion, Reverend Tseganesh Ayele, Head of the EECMY Women Ministry Department, challenged the leaders to focus on strengthening women ministry at all levels. Mrs Buzunesh Tumsida from EKHC Women Ministry Department likewise expressed the commitment of EKHC for improving the ministry expanded to women at all levels including at higher educational institutions. ECFE Women Ministry Head, Hiwot W/Yohannes further called on the leaders to cooperate in such trainings in order to enhance the capacity of women and leaders at fellowship levels.
EGST has currently completed the training of 96 Church leaders at nine local congregations and churches in Holeta and Addis Ababa.