# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S22 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 22 OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS education is our emphasis and something done together. Fifteen districts of the LCMS and more than 200 partners such as the Lutheran Hour, LWML, and many RSOs and congregations support this effort. Teaching the Gospel is at the heart of OIM and as such her missionaries are the primary carriers of the Gospel as sent by the LCMS to foreign lands. All our efforts focus around this core of making Jesus Christ known for the forgiveness of sins to this generation for the sake of bringing yet others into His kingdom by His means. As such, we are dedicated to spreading the Gospel far and wide, planting Lutheran churches by the leading of the Spirit in His Word, and being a merciful people to our surrounding communities. LAC Region Projects Luther Academy—OIM LAC fully supports Luther Academy, which has been an excellent means to strengthen the pastorate across Latin America. More than 60 conferences have been held in the past 6 years in Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. Concordia Seminary the Reformer and Mercy Center— founded in 2018 in Santiago, Dominican Republic, after planning that began in 2010. This is a 4-year program including vicarage. The men are prepared as Evangelists, Shepherds, and Teachers. Professors and students alike spend 10–15 hours a week as evangelists in church planting, with the objective of having planted a church. Greek and Hebrew alike are a staple of the seminary. Residential Seminary—There are 10 men in residence from Chile, Peru, Mexico, Guatemala, and Spain. Five men graduate this May. SMP—25 men are studying SMP online with students from an additional 8 countries. Four men graduate this May. Deaconess—Deaconess regional intensives were launched in fall of 2018 in Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic, with 115 women participating. Courses are taught in the spring and fall, with online classes in development. An online Greek class is in development. Mercy Center—The Mercy Center is an institute of Concordia Seminary meant for laity and church workers alike. The center seeks to prepare the church to be the hands and feet of Jesus in mercy towards neighbors. Every One His Witness has also been translated so that a good sturdy witness of the Gospel is given alongside of loving one’s neighbor. Partnerships are with Lutherans For Life, Hogares Luteranos Buen Pastor, and Ambassadors of Reconciliation, amongst others. Eight conferences are planned throughout Latin America and the Caribbean Region. Lutheran Hymnal—The new Spanish hymnal will include five complete orders of Divine Service, Matins, and Vespers, the Psalter, Small Catechism, and 600 hymns. It is projected that the hymnal will be received in more than 15 Spanish-speaking countries. Lord willing, the hymnal will be released in spring 2020. The last complete Spanish hymnal was completed by LCMS in the 1950s. VDMA—The average Lutheran pastor had access to three Lutheran books. Today, thanks to our online VDMA project and the work of many translators and editors, we have released 18 books, various issues of Journal of Lutheran Mission, Logia, Good News, and others. 195 Spanish-speaking pastors have 2019 Convention Workbook access to this online literature via phone, tablet, or computer. Books are prepared for pastors in preaching, Bible studies, academic books, and journals. LAC Missions and Partner Churches •• Argentina (partner church)—Iglesia Evangélica Luterana Argentina (IELA)—This mature church body has over 250 congregations and 80 pastors serving throughout the country. Concordia Seminary, founded by LCMS missionaries, is today served by an all Argentinian faculty and is 80 years old. In recent years, the IELA has founded new Lutheran schools and has more than 10 elementary and high schools. •• Belize (LCMS mission)—Missionaries have been in Belize for two years. We will celebrate the confirmation of our first Belizean on January 24, 2019, in Seine Bight. Reynelle Gonzales has been associated with the Belize Mission Society for many years and Missionary Duane Meissner has been working with her for several months. We rejoice at this celebration after almost two years of work in the country. Vicar Benjamin Flores continues to instruct another lady in Seine Bight in Spanish, and she will become our first Spanish-speaking confirm and when ready. Vicar Flores has also made inroads into the community in Riversdale with kids’ club activities. As we endeavor to center our work more around the hub in Belmopan, the capital, participation in worship and kids’ club at Banana Bank Ranch continues to grow. We also provide regular ESL classes to Spanish-speaking participants in Valley of Peace (an UNHCR refugee settlement). Ties with a group in Orange Walk continue to strengthen as we include a family of Peruvian Belizeans in our short-term activity planning and Belize FORO. •• Bolivia (International Lutheran Council, ILC, partner church)—Iglesia Cristiana Evangélica Luterana (ICEL)—Bolivia is a landlocked country divided between its mountainous west and lowland east, with a strong indigenous culture. The ICEL has sought theological and continuing education resources for her pastors from the LCMS, and men preparing for the ministry in the ICEL are attending Seminario Concordia in the Dominican Republic. A primarily rural church, the ICEL hopes to move the seminaryformed future pastors into urban church-planting contexts. •• Brazil (partner church)—The Igreja Evangélica Luterana Concórdia (IELB) is a mature church which was planted by 102 LCMS missionaries from 1901 to 1976. Today, the IELB has over 2,000 congregations and more than 800 pastors. The IELB is the first daughter church of the LCMS to purposely work overseas in western Portuguese-speaking Africa planting churches. Eleven pastors were ordained two years ago, and more than 90 churches have been planted. Additionally, the IELB has bought a compound and founded a seminary as well.