African Nationals Programs

Multicultural Ministries at St. Paul’s UMC

Worship and More

For nearly 20 years, a close-knit community of African Nationals have made their spiritual home at St. Paul’s. Composed of individuals and families who’ve immigrated to the U.S. from a variety of African countries, our African National (AN) members gather each week in worship, prayer, and friendship. Our AN choirs praise God through joyful song and dance with voices lifted in Swahili, Kirundi, French, and English.

Worship services, led by Pastor Daniel Niyonzima, are held on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings. Interpreters are on hand to help with translation.

TAZAMA UKURASA HUU KWA KIRUNDI5

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RABA IYI PAGE MU KISWAHILI5

Programs

We’ve offered a number of programs over the years to help individuals new to this country settle in and thrive as members of our community. From English language learning and citizenship preparation to shared meals and sewing circles, our time together is filled with laughter that bridges different cultures and lets us learn from one another.

Choirs

Exuberant music fills the air at every African National worship service. Children, youth, and adults participate in African National choirs, which perform during worship and occasionally at other churches and events. Our AN choirs include:

Sunday School Choir (children ages 5-9)
Zion Choir (middle school and high school youth)
Jerusalem Choir (adults and youth)

For information on choir practice and fellowship times, contact Pastor Daniel or the church office at 319-363-2058.

History

In 2007, our pastors received a call from a local hospital requesting a visit for Daniel Niyonzima and his wife, Perpetua, who had just welcomed their eighth child. Daniel explained to the hospital staff that he and his family were immigrants from Burundi and a refugee camp in Tanzania. Trained as a pastor by United Methodist missionaries, Daniel had come to Cedar Rapids to live, work, and continue his ministry with others like him and his family.

A close relationship developed between Pastor Daniel’s family and St. Paul’s, with members of the congregation forming a support team to help them adjust to life here. Within a year, an African Nationals congregation of 130 was worshipping at St. Paul’s.

Pastor Daniel is now an ordained elder in the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, and he has connected our AN ministries to others in our community and the Midwest.