History

The Eastern and Coastal Diocese is one of the twenty Dioceses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. The Diocese was constituted and registered as an independent church on 13 December 1962 by that time known as Uzaramo-Uluguru Synod. In December 1970 the name was changed to ELCT: Eastern and Coastal Synod until December 1986 when the name again was changed to ELCT: Eastern and Coastal Diocese.
Missionary activities in the Coastal Region started in August 1887 with a missionary of the Berlin Mission who was called Johann Jacob Greiner.
The mandate of the Diocese is obtained from God himself, the constitutions of the ELCT and the Eastern and Coastal Diocese together with the constitution and the laws of the Country. In fulfilling the constitution and the laws of the Country the ELCT: Eastern and Coastal Diocese is a legally registered as a religious organization in Tanzania and given the certificate of registration No. SO.10525 of 25/8/2000.
The scope of the work geographical covers the region of Dar es Salaam, Coastal Region as well as the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia. The geographical location of the city of Dar es Salaam which is the Diocesan Headquarters is a metro pole, big attraction to people from different parts of the world.
The city is the economical centre of the country and harbours big potentials for the Diocese and the country at large.
The ELCT – ECD cooperates and work closely with not only with United Republic of Tanzania government and local NGOs, FBOs, and CSOs but also works either in collaboration or in partnership with foreign multilateral and bilateral organizations and sister church organizations based in Africa, Asia, Europe and America.