Introduction
The Ethiopian Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Church is not a member of the Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia, but there is good cooperation with other denominations in some areas, e.g. Bible translation.
In the last century, many songs in the church’s hymnal were translations of hymns from Scandinavia and the USA.
Hymn book
Yeadvéntist yewudasé mezmur (‘The Adventist Hymnal’). Translated English songs with notation. Addis Ababa: Seventh-Day Adventist Church Publishing and Printing, 1982/83 (1975 AM).
» Open book
Yesebatenya ken advéntist yewudasé mezmur (‘The Seventh-Day Adventist Hymnal’). Several Ethiopian songs added. Addis Ababa: Artistic Printers, 2011/12 (2004 AM).
Manuscript
» Read manuscript with Seventh-Day Adventist hymns in Hadiyya
YouTube Channels
Adventist Songs Channel (> 1,5 k subscribers)
Hope Channel Ethiopia (incl. Oromoo songs)
Mercy SDA (> 4 k subscribers)
Choirs
Addis Ababa
(?) One Way [Adventist?]
Oromia
Southern Regions
Soloists
A
Amanuel Etore [Hadiyya songs]
Ayantu Ejeta [Oromo songs]
B
Beyene Bedicha (Pastor)
D
Degife Tirkaso (Pastor)
E
Eyasu Regasa [Sidaama songs]
M
Mamo Petros, * 1982
Molalign Hailu (Pastor)
P
Other remarkable soloists (according to Belayneh Chafamo, 2019):
from North Ethiopia
- Molla _ _ _ [Anamo?] (moved to the USA)
from Oromia
- Tesfaye (Pastor) has 2 vols.
- Girmaye Bayisa (2 vols. ?)
from Kambaata
- Abera has 2 vols.
- Desta Anamo
from Hadiyya
- Ayele (Pastor) has 1 vol.
- Selamu has 1 vol. [in Amharic]
- Temesgen has 1 vol.
For further inquiry
Helen Afework Woldemichael
Editor of the SDA hymn book and Director of Choral Music at Forest Lake Academy (Florida)
» Visit Helen Afework’s Facebook page
Eastern Ethiopia Union Mission
» See entry with contact data in Adventist Yearbook
Further reading
Launhardt, Johannes. Evangelicals in Addis Ababa (1919-1991): With special reference to the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus and the Addis Ababa Synod. Münster: Lit Verlag, 2004. [p. 45-48]
Pfeiffer, Baldur Ed. Seventh-day Adventist Contributions to East Africa, 1903-1983. Frankfurt/Main: Peter Lang, 2005.
Truneh Wolde-Selassie. Adventism in Ethiopia: The incredible saga of the beginning and progress of the Seventh-day Adventist work in Ethiopia. Addis Ababa, 2005. [publ. unknown]
Invitation
There is little information available in English language on the gospel music of this community. If you can help fill our knowledge gaps, please contact us through the form at the bottom of this page.