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Communauté Mennonite au Congo (CMCo)

CMCo is the first and largest Congo Mennonite Church to arise out of an inter-Mennonite venture in Christian mission in central Africa. Founded in 1912, the Congo Inland Mission (now known as the Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission or AIMM) was the joint effort of the Defenseless Mennonite Church (now known as the Evangelical Mennonite Church) and the Central Conference of Mennonites (now merged with the new Mennonite Church USA.) The CIM settled in the West Kasai area of south central Congo and eventually extended its ministry over an area roughly equivalent in size to the State of Illinois. In time, a church emerged which draws upon five major tribal groups of the region.

In an historic meeting at Djoko Punda in February 1960, the Congo Church was granted its autonomy and adopted the name Eglise Mennonite au Congo or EMC in its acronym form. The Church secured its legal charter from the government in 1964. The name has changed across the years in keeping with political and ecumenical shifts around it. This Church is now known as the Communauté Mennonite au Congo, or CMCo. Its present headquarters are in the city of Tshikapa in t he West Kasai. Current membership is listed as 85,400.

CURRENT CMCo OFFICERS:

* Rév. Komuesa Kalunga - president/legal representative
* Rév. Birakara Ilowa - vice president
* Rév. Kamizelo Kianza - general secretary

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