Gore Bethel Mekane Yesus Choir

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History and ministry

From Wondimu Legesse (2017). “Simul Lutheran Et Charismatic In Ethiopia”, Lutheran Forum, Winter 2017. (Online version [LF Blog]):

Endalkachew Kidanewold and Mersha Seyoum [contact through Rev. Gashahun Nemomsa?] were students living in the hostel and mission compound in Gore when the spiritual revival started in Febr. 1970.

Iteffa Gobena (EECMY President Emeritus) served as an evangelist in the congregation. He shared a room with Dagne Bayisa, a graduate of Harar Teacher’s Training Institute [cf. Harar MW Choir]

Another link to the charismatic revival that had started elsewhere in Ethiopia was Tibebe Kumalo, a graduate from Debre Zeit Veterinary School [cf. DZ Mekane Yesus Choir].

Q: Was there a students’ fellowship choir or congregation choir?

Fur further reading

Endalkachew Kidane-Wold (1980). Evangelical Christianity in Illubabor. BTh thesis. Addis Ababa: Mekane Yesus Seminary. [39 hand-written pages]

Fanuel Abera (1999). The Introduction of Evangelical Christianity and the efects of Charismatic Renewal in Gore Bethel Mekane Yesus Congregation. BTh thesis. Addis Ababa: Mekane Yesus Seminary.


Norlander, Agne (1996). Väckelse och växtvärk i Ethiopien. Stockholm: EFS. – Following is the summary of p. 41-42 in Lindahl, Local History (s. below):

“In February 1971 a dozen students led by 20-year evangelist Iteffa Gobena had an ecstatic religious experience and started preaching to others. This movement made the American mission administration in USA change their decision to close the mission station in Gore.”

Online resource on local history

Gore,” in: Local History of Ethiopia, compiled by Bernhard Lindahl, 2005 (published on the website of The Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala)