Kanisa la Mennonite Tanzania

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Kanisa la Mennonite Tanzania
Tanzania: World Factbook, 2009
Location
Contact information
Date established	1935
Presiding officer	Joseph Saye Nyakyema
MWC Affiliated?	Yes
Number of Congregations	283 (2006)
Membership	50 560 (2006)

Kanisa la Mennonite Tanzania (KMT), formerly Tanganyika Mennonite Church, is a Tanzanian Mennonite conference in Tanzania. KMT is officially associated with Mennonite World Conference. In 2006 KMT had 50,560 members in 286 congregations..

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History

Origins

Kanisa la Mennonite Tanzania formally began with the arrival of Lancaster County Pennsylvania missionaries in 1934. Elam Stauffer led missionaries in an effort to create a self-sustaining solid church.

Growth

The church grew, but there were significant culture differences that influenced the way Tanzanians interacted with the church. The creation of churches, schools, hospitals, and community development characterized the early years of mission. The emergence of the East African Revival movement in 1942 had a profound influence on Tanzanians and missionaries alike, calling all to repentance and the breaking down of barriers. By 1950, four Tanzanian pastors were ordained and in 1967 Zedekia Kisare was chosen as the first Tanzanian Mennonite Bishop. The Mennonite Theological College of Eastern Africa, jointly run with Kenyan Mennonites, began in 1962 and continues today.

Present

KMT currently is largely self-sustaining and embedded in key areas in the country. It is now made up of two Dioceses, the North Mara and the Southern Diocese.

Acknowledgments

Annali Smucker compiled much of the information presented here in a student research paper for an Anabaptist History Class at Goshen College.