Ev. Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
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Please Note: This is not the official page of ELCSA. If you need to contact church officials, please use the contact details supplied below. Please note that there are also other Lutheran Churches in South Africa.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (or ELCSA) is by far the largest of the Lutheran Churches in South Africa with 615 000 members. It is the traditionally "black" church which resulted from missionary activity by Lutheran churches from America, Scandinavia and Germany. After WWII in the wake of weakening influence of the Europeans and the awakening independence of the African churches, the Lutheran missionary societies merged their congregations into one Lutheran church.

ELCSA has 1 612 congregations and preaching stations (in South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland) served by 484 pastors and 27 evangelists. It was formed in 1975 by uniting 4 Regional Synods. Today it is divided into 7 Diocese, each headed by a bishop.

ELCSA has long been a member of the Lutheran Community of Southern Africa (LUCSA), the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the South African Council of Churches (SACC).

The Headquarters of ELCSA are located at the Lutheran Centre in Bonaero Park, Kempton Park outside Johannesburg:

Contact Details:
The Presiding Bishop: The Rt. Rev. Louis Sibiya,
The General Secretary
Physical Address: Lutheran Centre, 24 Geldenhuys St, Bonaero Park, Kempton Park
Postal Address: P.O.Box 7231, Bonaero Park, 1622
Tel. +27-11-973-1853/4/5
Fax. +27-11-395-1888

The 7 Diocese are the following:

• Northern Diocese:

Contact: Bishop Moila
Physical Address: Podisha Dithsaba, Seshego
Postal Address: P.O.Box 1186, Pietersburg, 0700
Tel. +27-15-223-7071/2
Fax. +27-15-223-7073
• Central Diocese:

Contact: Bishop Ndanganeni P. Phaswana
Physical Address: 833 Central Western Jabavu, Kwa Xuma, 1868
Postal Address: P.O.Box 1210, Roodepoort, 1725
Tel. +27-11-930-3551/2/3/4/5
Fax. +27-11-932-0467
• South Eastern Diocese:

Contact: Bishop Louis Sibiya
Physical Address: The Church Centre, Umpumulo
Postal Address: Private Bag 9204, Mapumulo, 4470
Tel. +27-32-481-7785/96
Fax. +27-32-481-7786
• Cape Orange Diocese:

Contact: Bishop Mervyn Assur
Physical Address: Natasha St, Northview, Kimberley, 8301
Postal Address: P.O.Box 703, Kimberley, 8300
Tel. +27-53-871-1032
Fax. +27-53-871-2363
• Western Diocese:

Contact: Bishop Dithlale
Physical Address: Site 2864, Thlabane, 0305
Postal Address: P.O.Box 536, Rustenburg, 0300
Tel. +27-14-565-6556/7
Fax. +27-14-565-4595
• Botswana Diocese:

Contact: Bishop Eksteen
Physical Address: Bontleng, Gabarone, Botswana
Postal Address: P.O.Box 201012, Gaborone, Botswana
Tel.& Fax +267-30-2144
• Eastern Diocese:

Contact: Bishop Jeremiah Bheki Magagula
Physical Address: KaSchiele Lutheran Mission, Mantsholo Road, Mbabane, Swaziland
Postal Address: P.O.Box 117, Mbabane, Swaziland
Tel. +268-404-3411 (Diocesan Office)
Fax. +268-404-1847