About Lutheran Church of South Sudan
A Church with a Mission
Our mission is to share the hope of Christ with vulnerable South Sudanese refugees through education, training, and support. Our goal is to see lives changed as people are empowered and equipped to share that hope with others.
A Country of Conflict
South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan in 2011 after the deadly and bloody civil war that claimed 2.5 million lives and caused 8 million natives to be displaced. While South Sudan is approximately the size of Texas, it is home to 65 tribes with 65 different languages and continues to be in a state of conflict. Fighting is intermittent but fierce.
The Crisis in South Sudan
Peace is the most indispensable phenomenon the world lacks. Many parts of the world experience wars and violence that result in mass displacement. South Sudan is one of the countries torn apart by cycles of wars. The country has not witnessed the fruits of peace for six decades. The latest civil war erupted on December 15, 2013. The war claimed 20,000 lives in one week and 400,000 more in the last seven years. It displaced 4 million and forced 4 million more to seek refuge in the neighboring countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Sudan.
The violence then forced the Lutheran Church of South Sudan to relocate its head office from Malakal, South Sudan to Gambella, Ethiopia where it began to shine the light of the gospel on the refugee and the displaced.
12.5 million
people live in
South Sudan
4 million
are refugees
65% of refugees are under 18
Life expectancy is 56 years
A Vibrant Church in the Midst of Conflict
The Lutheran Church of South Sudan is a vibrant church serving and meeting needs daily in the midst of this growing humanitarian crisis. LCSS is planting congregations in South Sudan and in many Sudanese refugee communities in five different countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda.
South Sudan and the Surrounding Countries
Because of the civil war in South Sudan, the LCSS church body has made its headquarters in Gambella, Ethiopia, a few miles over the border from South Sudan. Many Sudanese refugees fled to neighboring countries and live in communities in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. LCSS reaches people in many refugee camps and in five different countries.
American Mission Team Members Reflect on LCSS
LCSS Partnerships
The Lutheran Church of South Sudan works closely with organizations to fulfill its mission, including a North American board which is dedicated to the growth and development of the Lutheran Church of South Sudan and Trinity Lutheran Seminary.
The Western Gambella Bethel Synod of the Ethiopian Church Mekana Yesus
Convocation for the Theology of the Cross
Trinity Lutheran College