Fall Festival 2026

Karibuni sana – You are warmly welcome to Bega Kwa Bega’s annual Fall Festival, 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, September 19, at Augustana Lutheran in West St Paul.

Registration opens at 8 a.m. with refreshments and an opportunity to meet leaders of our affiliate organizations. Our BKB Scholarship & Education team will also have student letters to distribute and will display photos of current progress on our science lab construction projects at Ipalamwa and Bomalang’ombe secondary schools.

Tanzanian handcrafts are also on display, and you can take items home with a donation to the BKB Parish Equity Fund, which provides matching grants to unpartnered parishes. Those parishes may need a pikipiki or may be roofing a chapel, and your contributions go a long way to sending the message that the whole Iringa Diocese is included in this Bega Kwa Bega companionship.

The keynote session features a conversation between Iringa Diocese Bishop Blastone Gavile and Saint Paul Area Synod Bishop Justin Grimm. 

Breakout sessions lean into the theme of the day, Rise Up and Build. We hope to inspire you to rise up and build relationships, intercultural competence, an understanding of a neighboring companion synod relationship, and best practices for sharing God’s abundant gifts through projects with our congregational and affiliate partners.

• Kathy Chatelaine, assistant to the bishop for global ministry in the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, will share experiences from their companion relationship with the Central Diocese of Tanzania.
• Pastor Amy Mihelich Smith of Prince of Peace, Roseville, will equip travelers to deepen relationships across cultures with practical ways to listen well, ask thoughtful questions, navigate differences, and build meaningful connections.
• Ginny Rudolph and Marie Liberda from the BKB Scholarship and Education Team, along with Frank Mkocha by video, will introduce you to a new initiative that provides opportunities to all through education.
• General Secretary Shadrack Nyaulingo, Pastor Lusungu Msigwa, and Kirsten Levorson will share best practices for congregations and affiliate organizations when sharing God’s abundant gifts through mutual projects.

The morning concludes with festive worship led by our hosts at Augustana Lutheran. Bishop Justin Grimm will preach and Bishop Blastone Gavile will bring greetings from Iringa. We’ll continue our tradition of praying for companion parishes and congregations by name, while lighting candles.

There is just one piece of news that deflates our joy for this day. Unfortunately, Bishop Gavile and General Secretary Shadrack Nyaulingo were unable to obtain visas for their travel and will not be with us in person. They will still be with us in spirit and their voices will be heard through several video greetings.

We trust they will be with us on another day in the future, God willing. 

Even so, it will be a morning you won’t want to miss – please register now!

Tupo Pamoja!

Kirsten Levorson

Director of Bega Kwa Bega

P.S. There's no charge to attend, but please let us know if you're coming! (The registration process will ask you which affiliate update and breakout session you wish to attend.)

A Message from the Bishop

It has come to my attention that there's some perceived uncertainty about Bega Kwa Bega Director Kirsten Levorson's status with the companionship. Let me reiterate that Kirsten will continue to lead our remarkable companion relationship with the Iringa Diocese in Tanzania. This partnership is one of the deep treasurers of this synod, and I'm grateful it remains in her capable hands.

-- Bishop Justin Grimm

Important Notice About Mailing Checks to the Synod Office

Effective immediately, please mail any checks for Bega Kwa Bega to this address: 

Saint Paul Area Synod 

105 University Ave. W. 

St. Paul, MN 55103

If your congregation has a P.O. box in your records, please remove it from any of your processes as we are discontinuing its use. Include the BKB account designation in the memo of your check. Questions? Contact Finance Administrator David Roinas at david.roinas@spas-elca.org or call him weekdays (except Tuesdays) at the office, 651-224-4313.

BKB Lab Projects

This year, our collective efforts are focused on roofing the lab classroom buildings at Ipalamwa and Bomalang’ombe secondary schools. These two schools need dedicated, well-equipped laboratory classrooms to meet government requirements and to provide high-quality education for students. We have collected cash and pledges totaling $42,000 and we need $8,000 more. Donations are welcome by check or online:

• Write checks to SPAS with "BKB Lab Projects" in the memo line; mail to Saint Paul Area Synod, 105 West University Avenue, St. Paul MN 55103
• Contribute online 

Money Matters

The Bega Kwa Bega office regularly monitors the exchange rate of Tanzania Shillings to U.S. dollars. The current rate being used is 2650 TZS to 1 USD.

• Reminder: When sending funds for BKB projects by check, please write checks payable to Saint Paul Area Synod and mail them to the synod office at 105 University Ave W, St Paul MN 55103. Include the BKB designation in the memo line. You may also give online, making a one-time gift OR set up monthly sustaining gifts at spas-elca.org/give.

Questions? Contact david.roinas@spas-elca.org or 651-224-4313.

Do you have news to share with the Bega Kwa Bega Community?

Email begakwabega@spas-elca.org

Planning to travel to Tanzania? Check out resources and give us a heads up about your plans here. Groups are included below as they submit itineraries, rosters and contribute traveler fees.

**Do you have just a small group? Check with the BKB Director to see who else is planning a trip. Two congregations traveling in tandem is a great way to share costs and experiences.**

October

Helen Yotter & Christy Baum - Iringa 
Office Volunteers

All Saints & Zion, Cottage Grove

Days of Grace

Smith family

January

University of MN engineering students

Luther Seminary Pamoja

Shoulder to Shoulder

February

House of Prayer, Oakdale

phone 651-224-4313 | email begakwabega@spas-elca.org

website spas-elca.org/tanzania

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