About Our Pastoral Staff – Ethiopian Evangelical Church in Toronto

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The movement of the Holy Spirit swept the entire country of Ethiopia in 1967. This captured the attention of many young and old who were hungry for god. One of them was young Alemayehu Gondere who was serving the Ethiopian Air Force. During those excited times, Full Gospel Church was born where thousands of souls got saved as a result of Gospel preaching.

Knowing God in Christ Jesus, gave Alemayehu Gondere not only everlasting life, but new perspective, and fresh outlook to life here on Earth. Since this wonderful spiritual blessing, God in His Omnipresence has been always with him and my family to this day. Before coming to Canada, he was engaged in spreading the Gospel. Alemayehu was small Group that started the first Ethiopian Christians Fellowship, at first Baptist Church, which grew to the biggest Ethiopian Evangelical Church, Pastored by the three servants of the Lord.

As a Born again Believer, Dr Alemayehu Gondere got blessed in many ways, spiritually and as well as professionally. He was also blessed with Marriage and have had three children. Recently he & his wife are blessed with a grand child

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Born into a religious family with many generations of devoted ministers in the Bethe-kihnet tradition, Dr. Efrem Leakemariam was expected to follow the status quo. He grew up listening and observing religious teaching at home. Because Efrem’s father was a Pastor, his home was always filed with full of hymn and daily chanting.

Even though Efrem was involved in religious activities and Deacon in the most revered church of Ethiopia, he always felt empty inside. His soul was searching something to fill the void and gain some inner peace. Once he traveled almost 80 km on foot to the Monastery of Debre-Damo and stayed with a number of Monks and Hermits for weeks.

Turning point came in the form of a Christian man who was travelling in the area, with whom he had deep religious conversation. Efrem learned the need of salvation, meaning of scriptures. Especially Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved”. Soon after that conversation, Efrem was beginning to feel the presence of Holy Spirit in his life.

Dr Efrem had served in different capacities: as an elder, bible study leader, counselor, mission board leader, and also in teaching & preaching the Word of God together with many dear brothers & sisters. He was called to the Pastoral Ministry and ordained together with other brothers on May 4, 2002 in Ethiopian Evangelical Church of Toronto.

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In the wake of Ethiopian military coup in 1974, which followed by “Red Terror”. Thousands were killed for their views and most of the time without any substantial reason. The Church was persecuted heavily – particularly evangelical believers. Closing churches, imprisoning and torturing Christian leaders and the youth was daily ordeal believers faced. As a result hundreds of thousands were forced to flee to neighboring countries – the Sudan, Kenya, and Djibouti – and from there to Europe, the United States, and Canada.

Following such a massive migration, some Ethiopians came to Canada as early as 1985. Ethiopians who were settled in Toronto area established churches in different communities. Elders in 3 of those churches came together and prayed god for his guidance to bring these churches together. In 1999, God’s spiritual guidance brought together three full Gospel, Evangelical churches that were serving Ethiopian communities in Toronto.

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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

— John 1:1

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