Potential areas of reformation under the new ELCRN dispensation

THE ELCRN TRANSFORMATION WORKING GROUP WRITES:

The much contested Synod has come and gone. The results of the May 2019 Bishop elections have also been officially released.

More than a month has passed since then. Lutherans are currently caught up in the euphoria of the impending consecration of their preferred Bishop on 3rd November 2019. The anticipation, the expectation, the excitement amongst the Lutherans can be easily be equated with the environment that prevailed in Namibia during early 1990 as they awaited the nation's independence.

Lutherans will be misguided if they thought the struggle is over. A lot of damage done by successive previous dispensations need to be undone and the church be brought back to its former glory. So, let us not think that the consecration is the solution. Now, massive hard work lies ahead.

It is being acknowledged that the new Bishop and his leadership team need to be given space and time to find their feet, study the situation and come up with their own strategic vision for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN). This is not negotiable. Any external support coming in must be at their request and should be aimed at adding value to their ideas, plans and visions. In colloquial southern African political expression, nobody or entity should seek to capture the new leadership.



RECOMMENDATIONS

Be that as it may, there are a few potential priority areas that may need immediate consideration by the new leadership. These areas represent the proverbial low-hanging fruits and are herewith presented by the Transformers as recommendations, and not as a blueprint, for Team |Keib's consideration:

• The Bishop and the team may consider undertaking a comprehensive audit covering a minimum of 5 years. Such audit will inform the new administration about the current status, the scope and extent of maladministration and what exactly they are taking over. This will enable them to start on a clean slate while it will also make people guilty of transgressions face legal consequences if necessary. In the absence of such process, they will end up taking the blame and inheriting the responsibility for the transgressions of the previous administration.

• The new Bishop and leadership team may consider prioritising the development of a modern and state-of-the-art Strategic Vision and Plan for ELCRN – with transformation at its centre. Such vision may, amongst others, cover aspects such as:

• Revision, strengthening and democratization of the ELCRN constitution. The current Constitution needs serious legal scrutiny and alignment with National Constitution and relevant Namibian laws.

• Introduce measures of transparency and accountability at Head Office especially in the Bishop's Office, the Church Council and all circuit and parishes-level structures. Periodic feedback and information sharing measures may be helpful – announcement at parishes, circulars, using social media and proactive interaction with the media.

• Matching strategic leadership positions in ELCRN with requisite minimum academic qualifications and recruitment of qualified candidates. Modernising and making transparent ELCRN Human Resources Management (HR) policies and practices. Focus should be on recruitment, promotion, transfer and disciplinary processes which must be brought in line with the Labour Act.

• Introduction of modern and transparent procurement and asset disposal policies and practices that do not expose the church to corruption, losses and abuses.

• Developing and introducing a Christianity-based Code of Ethics/Conduct for the clergy and staff members.

• Recruit voluntary expertise or hire professional expertise to develop and implement a business plan in order to ensure that church assets are commercially run with skilled individuals in charge of income-generating assets.

• Recruit voluntary expertise to develop a Resource Mobilization Strategy that will guide transparent fundraising processes from donors and other philanthropic causes and transparently accounting for such resources.

• Automate and digitize ELCRN operations – financial management, human resources management, asset management, fleet management, meetings management, record management, membership database etc.

• Developing and maintaining a website for ELCRN as a modern and efficient tool for information dissemination and management. It will also increase to transparency as ELCRN HO, Church Council, Circuit and Parish activities will be shared online as well as annual activity plans, annual reports, annual audited financial statements. Statements, names and details of various elected office-bearers, procurement announcements and results, recruitment announcements etc. will all be shared and made readily available online. Lutherans with the requisite skills, expertise and financial resources must be prepared to volunteer resources (both financial and human) to assist the new leadership when called upon.

(Prepared by the ELCRN Transformation Working Group on 08 October 2019 and published as a reply to a series of letters written by Chris Tiboth.)