Braai plates not enough to tackle N$15m ELCRN debt
A lack of money is crippling the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN), with employees at its head office and various departments reportedly not having been paid in months.
Employees have claimed the church's debt currently stands at N$15 million plus outstanding salaries.
Even vulnerable dependents, such as the widows of former pastors, allegedly haven't received their allowances for up to two years.
Begging to be paid
The church's head office employees shed light on the issue in a letter sent to Bishop Sageus /Keib and the church leadership on 16 May.
In the letter, the employees expressed their deep disappointment and frustration with the handling of the "unbearable crisis of employees surviving for more than five months without salaries."
The employees said they last received written feedback in December 2022:
"The salary days on the 15th of the month come and go without a word from the leadership."
Leaders remain mum
The writers added: "We understand the situation and, in 2022, already tried to get by without an income for three to four months, but instead of improvement, the situation has worsened with terrible consequences."
In addition to the approximately 15 employees at the head office, the Andreas Kukuri Conference Centre, the Department of Social Development, the Media Centre, the fundraising and hostel departments, especially the Martin Luther High School hostel, are also affected by the situation, employees said.
Retirees are also not receiving their allowances from the church, they added.
The letter also requested the intervention of the ELCRN Church Council, claiming a lack of urgency in communicating with stakeholders or finding a solution.
"We hardly see our leaders talking to each other outside of formal meetings. We see that there is tension, there are factions within the leadership, and no unity.
"How can we as employees hope and trust that the leaders will resolve the crisis if there is disagreement and no healthy working relationships?"
No comment
Meanwhile, resolutions from the last synod of July 2022, such as the establishment of a real estate and economic committee, have not yet been implemented, while advertisements for the sale of assets have been placed in local newspapers.
Gala dinners, the sale of meals and contributions from church members are a drop in the bucket in terms of the total debt, the employees pointed out.
According to the employees, valuable human resources available to the church are not being utilised.
The church's financial director, Ferdinand Gertze, deputy bishop Abraham //Kheibeb and bishop /Keib could not be reached for comment.
According to //Kheibeb and pastor Maureen Dausas, only the bishop is authorised to publicly address the church's finances.
Bishop /Keib answered his phone only once, despite multiple calls, and said he could not comment as he was busy with a service. Afterwards, he could not be reached again.
– [email protected]
Employees have claimed the church's debt currently stands at N$15 million plus outstanding salaries.
Even vulnerable dependents, such as the widows of former pastors, allegedly haven't received their allowances for up to two years.
Begging to be paid
The church's head office employees shed light on the issue in a letter sent to Bishop Sageus /Keib and the church leadership on 16 May.
In the letter, the employees expressed their deep disappointment and frustration with the handling of the "unbearable crisis of employees surviving for more than five months without salaries."
The employees said they last received written feedback in December 2022:
"The salary days on the 15th of the month come and go without a word from the leadership."
Leaders remain mum
The writers added: "We understand the situation and, in 2022, already tried to get by without an income for three to four months, but instead of improvement, the situation has worsened with terrible consequences."
In addition to the approximately 15 employees at the head office, the Andreas Kukuri Conference Centre, the Department of Social Development, the Media Centre, the fundraising and hostel departments, especially the Martin Luther High School hostel, are also affected by the situation, employees said.
Retirees are also not receiving their allowances from the church, they added.
The letter also requested the intervention of the ELCRN Church Council, claiming a lack of urgency in communicating with stakeholders or finding a solution.
"We hardly see our leaders talking to each other outside of formal meetings. We see that there is tension, there are factions within the leadership, and no unity.
"How can we as employees hope and trust that the leaders will resolve the crisis if there is disagreement and no healthy working relationships?"
No comment
Meanwhile, resolutions from the last synod of July 2022, such as the establishment of a real estate and economic committee, have not yet been implemented, while advertisements for the sale of assets have been placed in local newspapers.
Gala dinners, the sale of meals and contributions from church members are a drop in the bucket in terms of the total debt, the employees pointed out.
According to the employees, valuable human resources available to the church are not being utilised.
The church's financial director, Ferdinand Gertze, deputy bishop Abraham //Kheibeb and bishop /Keib could not be reached for comment.
According to //Kheibeb and pastor Maureen Dausas, only the bishop is authorised to publicly address the church's finances.
Bishop /Keib answered his phone only once, despite multiple calls, and said he could not comment as he was busy with a service. Afterwards, he could not be reached again.
– [email protected]
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