Africans get a church of their own

Iowa City has a new church to minister to recent African immigrants, many who can't speak much English yet. These services will be in African languages and will help with much more than just worship. DP

By Rob Daniel, Iowa City Press-Citizen

press-citizen.com: The Iowa City African Church of the Nazarene has a specific purpose, said its pastor, the Rev. Chapain B. Tosingilo.

"It has a really specific need to reach Africans in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids," he said. "We want to teach them with the Gospel in English and other African languages."

At noon Sunday, the Iowa City African Church of the Nazarene will host its official organization as a church at 1035 Wade St. Although anyone is welcome, the church will focus on immigrants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other African countries, with a service in English, Swahili and French.

"Some who are coming as immigrants may not know English, so we want to help them worship God," Tosingilo said.

The official organization on Sunday will feature a sermon by Garey Miller, the denomination's Iowa district superintendent, who will speak on the duty of the church, Tosingilo said. There also will be Spanish music led by Jose Segura, a pastor who leads the Spanish-language service at the Iowa City Nazarene church. In addition, there will be music from the Mama Teague Band, Mama Falanga Z. Sula band, an African choir and African youth and children. There also will be a demonstration of the wearing of African clothing, with a dinner following the festivities.

Tosingilo said he expected 100 to 150 people to attend the opening service. The church then will meet every week at noon at the Iowa City Church of the Nazarene. The African church also will have a Bible study from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. every Saturday as well as regular prayer and counseling available, he said.

Though the service will focus on the African immigrants, Tosingilo said the church is available for anyone who wants to come.

"We want to be open to as many people as we can," he said.