Rev. Gilo Gora Agwa to Preach About Care for Those on the Margins at 2025 Berger Lecture
The 2025 Berger Lecture at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary will be held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, January 20, 2025.
Rev. Gilo Gora Agwa (MDiv'14) will present and preach on "Proclaiming and Demonstrating God's Care for Those on the Margins" at 11:00 a.m. January 20 in Blades Chapel, Blades Hall, University of Dubuque. The sermon will also be livestreamed at www.facebook.com/DubuqueSeminary.
A lunch by reservation will be held after the worship serve at 11:50 a.m. in Blades Chapel. Following the meal, a hybrid closing discussion on the care for immigrants and refugees will occur at 12:30 p.m. in Blades Chapel. To reserve a meal or request a Zoom link to engage in the closing discussion, please contact UDTS@dbq.edu by Monday, January 13, 2025.
"In a world of conflict, oppression, and war, Rev. Gilo Gora Agwa has provided inspiration in ministering to those who suffer and are most vulnerable," said Rev. Beth McCaw, DMin, dean of the seminary, vice president of the University of Dubuque, and associate professor of ministry. "As a UDTS student and then as an alumnus, Rev. Agwa's ministry in Ethiopia and among refugee adults and children in the United States has modeled Matthew 25 ministry. We are honored to welcome him back to refresh our connection to the global church and our commitment to God's children at risk."
Agwa is an ordained teaching elder with a rich background in ministry and leadership, both in Ethiopia and the United States. In Ethiopia, from 2000 to 2011, he served the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus East Gambella Bethel Synod (EECMY-EGBS) in various capacities including executive secretary, director of the Department for Mission and Theology, and director for the Development and Social Services Commission. Agwa also held positions such as vice president of the East Gambella Bethel Synod, board member of the Gambella Peace and Development Council, and board member of the Gambella Evangelical Churches Fellowship.
Agwa holds a bachelor's degree in leadership and development studies from the Mekane Yesus Management and Leadership College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. After relocating to the United States in 2011, he continued his theological education, earning a master of divinity from UDTS.
Agwa currently serves as the teaching elder for the Fountain of Life Faith Community, a joint ministry supported by the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area and St. Paul Area Synod. The Foundation of Life Faith Community meets at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi, Minnesota, every Sunday afternoon. Additionally, for the past eight years, Agwa has worked as a part-time chaplain at Sanford Health/Good Samaritan Society Nursing in Stillwater, Minnesota.
Agwa's current ministry in Minnesota includes micro projects focused on serving refugees from Ethiopia and South Sudan, particularly the Anuak community.
The Berger Lectures on Preaching were established by alumni and friends of UDTS in memory of the later professor of preaching, David I. Berger.
