PROFILE OF FJKM
PROFILE OF FJKM 
The Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (or FJKM, as it is known from abbreviating the equivalent in Malagasy ,) was formed in 1968, bringing together congregations that had grown from the mission work of three bodies : the London Missionary Society (1818), the French Protestant Mission (1896) and the Friends’ Foreign Mission Association (1867). It has more than six million members or more than 40% of Madagascar’s Christian population.FJKM’s highest policy-making body is the General Synod, which is comprised of nearly 400 delegates & alternates from the church’s 38 Synods. The General Synod meets once every four years (next XVIII in 2016) and it elects the National Council.The 80-member National Council meets twice a year, usually in April and October. It is made up of 38 clergy, 30 lay leaders, 10 teachers (from FJKM’s 581 schools) and two representatives of FJKM theological institutions. A small number (2-5) of alternates are also elected in each category to fill any vacancies. The National Council has two permanent advisory committees : one is on the Care of the Laity and the Care of the Clergy.In turn, the National Council elects from among its members the officers of the church : the President, two Vice Presidents – one from the clergy and one from the laity, a Treasurer, and two Advisors – also one from the clergy and one from the laity). The officers of the church meet weekly as an executive committee to oversee the running of the church. With the approval of the National Council, the President also appoints a General Secretary to manage the day-to-day affairs of the church. The Secretary General serves on the executive committee in an ex officio capacity. 
The national office of FJKM houses three main divisions : the Department of Churches, the Department of Schools and the Department of Staff and Finance.The Department of Churches is the largest of the departments. Its work includes the administration and development of :1. FJKM theological institutions2. The eight branches of the church : Women, Men, Youth, Laity, Sunday School, Boy and Girl Scouts, Blue Cross (which fights drug and alcohol abuse), and Revival (which includes the network of spiritual healing and retreat centres, known as toby) ;3. The three projects of the church : the Evangelism Department, the Theological Research and Formation Department and the Development Department ; and4. The work of the church, including such diverse initiatives as TOPAZA orphanage, an order of nuns, a dairy, a printing press, a radio station, social workers and a chaplaincy program.FJKM Development Department (SAF) deserves special mention. It was started in 1974 and has more than 70 units spread throughout much of the country, about half of which are medical clinics. SAF has programs in Health (clinics, nutrition, family planning, prevention of transmission of malaria, TB and HIV, etc.), Environment (environmental education, reforestation, protection of indigenous vegetation, development of new fruit trees), Agriculture, and Infrastructure (including clean water). It has its own board of directors and has formal non-governmental organization (NGO) status.The Department of Schools oversees FJKM’s extensive network of schools. The church operates about 581 schools around the country serving more than 189,899 students. About 80% of these are primary schools ; the rest are middle or high schools. The DS also operates a Teacher Training College that is being incorporated into the newly established Reformed University of Madagascar, which it is working to develop.The church has more than 6 719 congregations, organised into 38 synods (including one synod for overseas congregations). It is a growing church, having planted on average one new church a week for the past ten years. However, there are currently only about 1310 ordained clergy (of whom about 200 are women), so most ministers are responsible for a number of congregations. They are assisted by an extensive corps of lay pastors and catechists who are able to preach and provide pastoral care. Roughly 40% of Madagascar’s population is Christian.CURRENT OFFICERS OF FJKMPRESIDENT : Rev. Lala RASENDRAHASINACLERICAL VP : Rev. Jean Louis ZARAZAKALAITY VP : Mr. Marc RAVALOMANANATREASURER : Mr. Mparany ANDRIAMAHEFAADVISORS : Rev. Hubert RAKOTOARIVONY & Mr. Maurice RANDRIANARIVO THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF FJKM 
The Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (or FJKM, as it is known from abbreviating the equivalent in Malagasy ,) was formed in 1968, bringing together congregations that had grown from the mission work of three bodies : the London Missionary Society (1818), the French Protestant Mission (1896) and the Friends’ Foreign Mission Association (1867). It has more than six million members or more than 40% of Madagascar’s Christian population.FJKM’s highest policy-making body is the General Synod, which is comprised of nearly 400 delegates & alternates from the church’s 38 Synods. The General Synod meets once every four years (next XVIII in 2016) and it elects the National Council.The 80-member National Council meets twice a year, usually in April and October. It is made up of 38 clergy, 30 lay leaders, 10 teachers (from FJKM’s 581 schools) and two representatives of FJKM theological institutions. A small number (2-5) of alternates are also elected in each category to fill any vacancies. The National Council has two permanent advisory committees : one is on the Care of the Laity and the Care of the Clergy.In turn, the National Council elects from among its members the officers of the church : the President, two Vice Presidents – one from the clergy and one from the laity, a Treasurer, and two Advisors – also one from the clergy and one from the laity). The officers of the church meet weekly as an executive committee to oversee the running of the church. With the approval of the National Council, the President also appoints a General Secretary to manage the day-to-day affairs of the church. The Secretary General serves on the executive committee in an ex officio capacity. 
The national office of FJKM houses three main divisions : the Department of Churches, the Department of Schools and the Department of Staff and Finance.The Department of Churches is the largest of the departments. Its work includes the administration and development of :1. FJKM theological institutions2. The eight branches of the church : Women, Men, Youth, Laity, Sunday School, Boy and Girl Scouts, Blue Cross (which fights drug and alcohol abuse), and Revival (which includes the network of spiritual healing and retreat centres, known as toby) ;3. The three projects of the church : the Evangelism Department, the Theological Research and Formation Department and the Development Department ; and4. The work of the church, including such diverse initiatives as TOPAZA orphanage, an order of nuns, a dairy, a printing press, a radio station, social workers and a chaplaincy program.FJKM Development Department (SAF) deserves special mention. It was started in 1974 and has more than 70 units spread throughout much of the country, about half of which are medical clinics. SAF has programs in Health (clinics, nutrition, family planning, prevention of transmission of malaria, TB and HIV, etc.), Environment (environmental education, reforestation, protection of indigenous vegetation, development of new fruit trees), Agriculture, and Infrastructure (including clean water). It has its own board of directors and has formal non-governmental organization (NGO) status.The Department of Schools oversees FJKM’s extensive network of schools. The church operates about 581 schools around the country serving more than 189,899 students. About 80% of these are primary schools ; the rest are middle or high schools. The DS also operates a Teacher Training College that is being incorporated into the newly established Reformed University of Madagascar, which it is working to develop.The church has more than 6 719 congregations, organised into 38 synods (including one synod for overseas congregations). It is a growing church, having planted on average one new church a week for the past ten years. However, there are currently only about 1310 ordained clergy (of whom about 200 are women), so most ministers are responsible for a number of congregations. They are assisted by an extensive corps of lay pastors and catechists who are able to preach and provide pastoral care. Roughly 40% of Madagascar’s population is Christian.CURRENT OFFICERS OF FJKMPRESIDENT : Rev. Lala RASENDRAHASINACLERICAL VP : Rev. Jean Louis ZARAZAKALAITY VP : Mr. Marc RAVALOMANANATREASURER : Mr. Mparany ANDRIAMAHEFAADVISORS : Rev. Hubert RAKOTOARIVONY & Mr. Maurice RANDRIANARIVO THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF FJKM 
