Witness Moment

A Center for Worship and Learning

The new chapel at Neema Lutheran College in Kenya provides a place for worship and the training of future church leaders.

Story by Shara Osiro and Cynthia Awuor | Photography by Shara Osiro | Summer 2025

On Sunday, Feb. 9, the bell echoed across the campus of Neema Lutheran College in Nyamira County, Kenya. The moment the college community had long prayed for was finally here: the dedication of the new Chapel of the Cross.

People gathered for the grand procession. Behind the cross came a long line of choirs, students, faculty and staff, pastors, bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK), mission partners, community members, and other guests. It was a joyous sight, a true celebration of faith and God’s enduring promises.

As the procession reached the newly constructed chapel, Archbishop Joseph Ochola Omolo of the ELCK proclaimed the words of dedication with reverence and joy: “Let the doors of this chapel be opened for the preaching of the saving Word of God in accordance with the confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, for the administration of the Holy Sacraments according to the institution of Christ, and for offering to God the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.”

Following this solemn declaration and the subsequent ribbon-cutting, the first Divine Service began, led by LCMS missionary Rev. Dr. Walter Steele as liturgist. The event marked a new chapter in the worship life of the college.

Serving the Community

In addition to Sunday Divine Services, Neema Lutheran College holds services every weekday morning and evening. The newly dedicated Chapel of the Cross now stands at the heart of this theological community, serving nearly 200 on-campus students and around 250 students from the neighboring Teacher Training College. More than just a place of worship, the chapel provides a model indoor church learning space where future Lutheran pastors and church leaders are formed and strengthened in their callings.

With a seating capacity of 600 people, the chapel is designed to serve both the campus and the wider community of believers. In the future, it will be used to host pastors’ conferences, church functions and special events.

“The chapel is the heartbeat of the seminary, the center where Lutheran theological knowledge and spirituality meet,” shared the Rev. Dr. Joseph Tom Omolo, principal of Neema Lutheran College.

A Vision Fulfilled

The Chapel of the Cross is the realization of a long-held vision — one first articulated by ELCK Archbishop Emeritus Walter Obare. It was in 1996, during a visit to Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, that Obare stepped into the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus, which sparked his vision for a sacred space at the heart of Neema Lutheran College.

Over the years, this dream was prayerfully nurtured by faithful supporters, who celebrated the groundbreaking in July 2023. Now, thanks to financial support from The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, the vision has become a reality.

As students come to Neema Lutheran College, the chapel will serve as a training ground for future pastors and deaconesses from across Eastern, Central and Southern Africa. These future church leaders will return to their home countries equipped to preach Christ, serve faithfully and plant new Lutheran churches. Through this chapel, the LCMS is making an impact that reaches confessional Lutheran church bodies throughout the region.

Learn More

Learn more about the Synod’s work in Africa

Shara Osiro

LCMS missionary and communication specialist for the Africa region.

Cynthia Awuor

Shared ministries administrative assistant at the LCMS Africa field office in Nairobi, Kenya.