Pastor George Mabe, born on 7 February 1962, passed away on 23 June 2021 due to COVID-19 complications. Pastor Mabe joined the FELSISA in 2010, when the Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELC) in Diepkloof (Soweto, Johannesburg), with more than 2000 members, was accepted as an associated member of the FELSISA.  

Apart from being the full-time pastor of the congregation, Pastor Mabe continued in his profession as a schoolteacher. Due to internal conflicts in the EELC, Pastor Mabe resigned in 2016 with the EELC withdrawing its associated membership from the FELSISA.  On request from various former EELC members, Pastor Mabe became the pastor of the newly establish Diepkloof Evangelical Lutheran Church (DELC) in September 2016.  Being totally committed to the FELSISA and its foundational teaching, the DELC was accepted as an associated member of the FELSISA in 2018.

The news of Pastor Mabe’s death was received with great sadness by many, in particular, all pastors of the FELSISA, who appreciated the immense contribution Pastor Mabe made both as the pastor of the DELC and a loved fellow pastor. The funeral was held by Pastor Harry Niebuhr (Fairland, Johannesburg) on 30 June 2021 in the midst of strict COVID-19 regulations.  We pray for God’s comfort on Pastor Mabe’s wife, Anna, all relatives and members of the DELC in the sure hope of resurrection to eternal life with our loving Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  We also pray that God will provide the DELC with a new and faithful pastor.