The pastor as an ecumenical leader: Reflections and Pastoral Ministry experiences at Bvumbura parish, Zimbabwe

Abstract

This article explores the position and the role of the pastor in local ecumenism. It argues that the pastor is a central figure who consciously and unconsciously influences local ecumenical engagement between his/her local congregation and other denominations. Local ecumenism is ecumenism ‘from below’, whereby Christians in a given locality enjoy sharing spiritual and material resources as a way of being church together. It is in this context where the pastor is found to be an ecumenical leader as he/she gives services to the members of the community as families and member churches. The researcher has used his experiences at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ) Bvumbura parish as a point of reference on how a pastor would be found engaging in ecumenical work as well as in carrying out expected pastoral duties. It is within this context that many denominations cooperate with each other at various levels serving the church and community in general in the process. The paper ends up discussing the expressed five pastoral roles as a means of fulfilling the call of the pastor as an ecumenical leader.