History

Bill and Roberta A. Smith, the first United Methodist missionaries sent to Senegal by the General Board of Global Ministries, arrived in Dakar in May 1995. It took one year to get authorization to start work, which began in 1996. At that time, two other families arrived in Dakar: the Rowleys and the Streyffelers. In March 1998, the Ndjungu family came from the Democratic Republic of Congo to reinforce the team, and the Ujereh family arrived in September of the same year. The Ndjungu and Ujereh families were the sole UMC missionaries in Senegal from 2003 to 2007, when the Brown-Whale family came to support.

Sunday services began in 1998 in the home of Alice Saperau. At that time, Alice was a lay preacher and a key person in the early life of the church in Senegal. (Alice is now married to the Rev. Ernest Lyles and resides in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.) The first congregation of Senegal was chartered on Pentecost in May 1998 by the Rev. Debbie Fisher from the Northern Illinois Annual Conference. Since that time, the church has expanded to 15 congregatons in both urban and rural communities.

In the fall of 2005, by action of the directors of Global Ministries, the mission initiative in Senegal officially became a mission according to The Book of Discipline. The Senegal mission is now under the jurisdiction of the Côte d’Ivoire Annual Conference. The first annual meeting of the Senegal churches was held June 17, 2006, presided over by Bishop Benjamin Boni of Côte d’Ivoire. The fifteen Senegalese United Methodist congregations reported on their work, including evangelism, advocacy for healthcare, job training, and farming ministries for women, children, and youth. Celebratory worship was held the following day.

The Special Board for Pastors’ Ordination in Senegal, meeting in Dakar on June 14 and 15, 2006, approved 9 of the 11 lay pastors for ordination. At the following Annual Meeting, on June 19, 2007, these nine new UMC pastors were ordained and began their commitment to the church and all those thirsting for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As church planters in Senegal on behalf of the United Methodist Church, we seek to receive the same blessing which the early church at Thessalonica received; remember our work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope.