Shaping Future Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania Through Music

Global Mission associate, alumnus teaches music in Tanzania.

When asked to talk about his current music teaching position in Tanzania, Rob Stuberg ’81 responded that he’d be happy to after he returned from Safari where he’d be “off the grid.” It’s one of the perks of where he lives and volunteers six months of the year.

When Stuberg graduated from Concordia, he became a vocal music teacher. He later pursued business. After selling his business, Stuberg was called to work as a church musician. He earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in worship and liturgy and served in the Montana Synod for 18 years. He is a deacon in the ELCA, rostered in the Montana Synod, specializing in worship and music ministry.

His first introduction to Tanzania was in 2011 when he and his wife, Carolee, were living in Nebraska. The Nebraska Synod of the ELCA and the Northern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania have a companion relationship. Their Nebraska congregation participated in a pastor exchange with a Tanzanian pastor, and the Stubergs got to know Pastor Kiwelu.  

“Several years later, we went on a two-week Vision Trip to Tanzania, which is a bit like a typical short mission trip but we don’t build anything physical,” Stuberg said. “The idea behind a vision trip is building relationships ‘in accompaniment’ with one another and expand peoples’ vision of the world.”

After several trips to the country, he was invited to spend a sabbatical at Mwika Lutheran Bible and Theological College, a Tanzanian seminary that trains pastors, evangelists, parish workers, and church musicians. Stuberg was recruited as an instructor and is now a visiting lecturer, teaching worship and liturgy, Western music history, conducting, voice class, guitar, and vocal ensemble from September through March. He is finishing his fifth year teaching in Tanzania. Carolee serves as a volunteer in a support role.

Stuberg is a Global Mission associate with the ELCA and has an ELCA Letter of Call that is in cooperation with the Montana Synod, ELCA Global Mission, and the ELCA churchwide council. As a Global Mission associate, he is not paid by the ELCA. As volunteers, the Stubergs are provided with a house on the seminary campus rent-free, but their travel and expenses are self-funded. They have friends who have donated funds to support student scholarships and other projects for the school.

“We are here because of the warm and welcoming nature of the Tanzanian people and of the Tanzanian way of life,” Stuberg said. “The students here are financially very poor by Western standards and they appreciate education, understanding that it is a great privilege. Teachers here are highly respected, and the students usually carry my backpack and guitar around campus for me and usually greet me with a Swahili greeting, ‘Shikamoo Mwalimu’ or ‘I respect you, teacher.’ At the same time, the students understand that the teachers are genuinely caring and deeply want the best for their students.”

“It is a great privilege knowing that we are helping to shape the future leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania,” he added. “It’s one of the largest and fastest-growing Lutheran bodies in the world.” 

And about that Safari — Stuberg said they visited three parks with friends: Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation area, and Serengeti National Park. “We saw every animal imaginable and the stark beauty of the Serengeti is amazing.”