LCC Representation at Francophone Theological Formation Meeting in France

Participants at the Francophone Theological Formation Meeting at Église Évangélique Luthérienne Saint-Pierre in Châtenay-Malabry: Rev. Dr. Dinku Banto (Lutheran Heritage Foundation); Rev. Shauen Trump (LCMS Africa Region); Rev. François Lara (LHM–France; Theological Studies Committee, ÉÉL–SF); Rev. Garry Heintz (former liaison pastor for African churches, ÉÉL–SF); Rev. Dr. David Preuss (LCMS Eurasia Region); Rev. Dr. Gleisson Schmidt (Chairman, ILC Francophone Churches Committee; President, ÉÉL–SF); Rev. Dr. David Somers (ILC Francophone African Churches Committee; Lutheran Church–Canada French Ministries; LHF Board of Directors); Mr. John Wolf (LCMS Africa Region); Rev. Tuomo Simojoki (Lutheran Heritage Foundation).

FRANCE – Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC)’s Missionary-at-Large for French Ministries, Rev. Dr. David Somers, recently attended the Francophone Theological Formation Meeting held at Église Évangélique Luthérienne Saint-Pierre in Châtenay-Malabry.

“The meeting seemed serendipitous as the two days unfolded,” said Dr. Somers, who noted that, beyond broad preliminary guidelines for the gathering, the direction of the discussions had not been predictable.

“What resulted from the talks was surprisingly encouraging for its practically applicable and constructive progress on several key issues for global French theological education—some for immediate action, some in the coming months, and others forming realistic long-term goals—at a level not previously seen for the edification of francophone Lutheranism.”

Organized by Mr. John Wolfe of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) Missions in Africa, the meeting focused primarily on francophone Africa, while also considering the broader global francophone Lutheran context, including Haiti and Canada. Participants discussed theological formation, continuing education, the development of teaching materials, and the diverse needs of various church bodies.

A key point of discussion was a draft proposal for a hybrid program combining local pastoral mentorship with online courses offered through the Église Évangélique Luthérienne—Synode de France (ÉÉL-SF)’s Centre de formation théologique en ligne (CFTL).

The proposal was examined as a potential model for global use, even as Lutheran churches in Haiti and Burundi explore ways to implement their own pastoral training. This model may also prove beneficial for LCC, which does not currently provide formal theological education in French.

Representatives from LCC, LCMS, Lutheran Heritage Foundation, ÉÉL-SF, and the International Lutheran Council participated in the meeting. As these organizations often work with some of the same francophone churches—and in other cases, with different ones—the gathering provided an important opportunity to share updates, learn from one another’s work, and explore avenues for collaboration in support of French-language Lutheran ministry worldwide.

Building on the success of this gathering, two further meetings are scheduled for Spring and Fall 2026.

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