Dar Es Salaam is one of the first places in what is today Tanzania where missionaries from Germany started to spread the Gospel. Johann Jacob Greiner, from the Bethel Mission, arrived from Zanzibar July 2nd, 1887 in Dar Es Salaam. The work was not easy in a predominantly Islamic environment. Today the Eastern and Coastal Diocese has about 66,000 members. Its area stretches from the islands of Zanzibar in the East to the river Ruvu in the West and from Bagamoyo in the North to Kibiti in the South. On the basis of regional contribution to national GDP, the two mainland regions of the Diocese represent the richest and poorest regions of Tanzania: the city of Dar Es Salaam and the Coastal region.

Men and women of all ages take over responsibilities in the various activities of the congregations. Children make their first steps in faith in Kindergarten and Sunday School. The youth tries to make people aware of the challenges of life in dramas, the women visit sick people in the hospital, the men use their skills in developing the congregations. Pastors, evangelists and parish workers are leading the congregations and sub-parishes and are teaching in schools. An important part of the congregational life are choirs. In many churches in Dar Es Salaam there are two services in Sunday mornings and in each two or more choirs contribute to the worship service.

In a newly written "Five Year Development Plan" the Diocese tries to respond to the diverse needs of the city and rural situations. With an emphasis on evangelism, economic projects, community projects and social welfare projects the church tries to attract new people to the Christian faith, to respond to needs in a changing society and to broaden its financial basis.

The Eastern and Coastal Diocese and its congregations have many links to Churches in Sweden, Germany and the United States. Missionaries from partner churches in Finland, Germany and the US are serving in the Diocese. Every year visitors are welcomed from partner congregations and Lutheran Christians from here are invited to share their Christian faith with brothers and sisters abroad.

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