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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 24

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
the Kingston area over 11 years. He has continued
leading the original LCMS mission of St. Andrew in
mid-town Kingston, has planted a second congregation, Faith, in downtown Kingston, and is working
on establishing a third two hours west of the capital.
A native Jamaican, Claudious Dell, is being prepared for ministry and doing evangelism work in the
western Jamaican parish of Westmoreland. A new
ministry center in the Halfway Tree area of Kingston
was dedicated in 2018. It is currently being renovated
to provide missionary housing, short-term team accommodations, and worship space.
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Mexico (partner church)—In partnership with the
Lutheran Synod of Mexico (LSM) or Sínodo Luterano
de México (SLM), the LCMS currently has work
taking place throughout the country. A FORO has
been established to further coordinate these efforts.
Throughout the four sub-regions, the LCMS supports the work of our partner church (LSM) through
online and in-residence pastoral formation. Such
efforts are supported through a partnership with
Concordia the Reformer Seminary in the Dominican Republic, Luther Academy, and the establishing
of the Martin Luther Institute (an institute of the
LSM). Theological courses support the formation of
pastors, deaconesses, and other church leaders. These
efforts continue to increase the number of ordained
pastors in the LSM from three and have already
doubled to six their number in the past few years. In
addition, there are currently two young men studying at Concordia the Reformer Seminary, with over
10 in online programs. The number of pastors in 5
years could be more than 20. Additionally, OIM has
two full-time missionaries serving in Mexico City.
Rev. Daniel Conrad serves the congregation of San
Pablo, and Rev. Andrew Schlund serves the congregation of El Buen Pastor. Both also serve as mentors to
students in theological training programs.
Nicaragua—This church body is planted by Lutheran
Church Canada and is a partner church of Lutheran
Church of Canada (LCC) and the ILC. She has
more than 27 congregations and pastors and an even
greater number of deaconesses. Her seminary is in
Chinandega and is between cycles with professors
coming from Canada. Recent efforts on the part of
OIM are to bring continued education courses to
pastors via Luther Academy by Spanish-speaking
professors.
Panama (LCMS mission)—The work of the LCMS
in Panama has been centered on planting churches
and strengthening existing congregations. Currently,
efforts are under way to (re)plant a church in Sabanitas (Colón area). Plans for future evangelism include
expanding the work in the area of Margarita, also in
the Colón area. The formation of pastors and deaconesses is also a key component of LCMS work in
Panama. Rev. Brian Gauthier serves as a theological
educator, where he assists with training and mentoring pastors, while Deaconess Eva Rickman assists

2019 Convention Workbook

with diaconal formation. Rev. Arthur Rickman also
serves alongside our partners in Panama in various capacities. Additionally, Rev. Arthur Rickman
serves as an area facilitator for the countries of Cuba,
Colombia, Mexico, and Panama. The Gauthiers
and Rickmans also serve the needs of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Panama (Iglesia Evangélica
Luterana de Panamá, La IELPA) as various other
needs arise.
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Paraguay—(Partner church) Landlocked Paraguay
sits between Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia. The
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay (Iglesia
Evangélica Luterana del Paraguay, IELP) began with
Lutheran immigrants from Brazil in the 1930s and
today has more than 60 congregations. After several
generations as an immigrant church, intentional expansion beyond the eastern base of the church body
has begun. LCMS partners with Lutheran Hour
Ministries to help the IELP expand to both the cities
and rural areas throughout Paraguay.

••

Peru—(LCMS mission) LCMS OIM Mission has
worked diligently to found a new Lutheran church in
Peru, beginning in the capital of Lima. The congregation in the Los Olivos neighborhood is outgrowing
its current facility and looking for a new site. Castillo
Fuerte (“Mighty Fortress”) mercy house focuses on
the children of the neighborhood of La Victoria, who
receive educational help and Bible teaching while
many of their parents are working in the nearby
fabric and clothing factories. This has given birth to
a new congregation, where multiple Baptisms are a
common occurrence. In the San Borja neighborhood,
English classes have resulted in many contacts and
several people who are ready to begin the process of
confirmation into the Lutheran Church. Contacts in
Lima have also moved to other parts of the country,
and the team is exploring the possibility of expanding
to other areas.
The most exciting news is that this young church mission has already begun to send men to prepare for the
Holy Ministry. The first son of this mission is preparing for his vicarage, and a second student is finishing
his first year in seminary. The prospect of Peruvian
congregations served by seminary-trained Peruvian
pastors is only a few years away.

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Puerto Rico (LCMS mission)—In 2015, the LCMS
returned to intentional, full-time mission work in this
U.S. territory by deployment of two missionaries for
service in the city of Mayagüez. Previous work had
established the small congregation of Príncipe de Paz
(Prince of Peace) in this western city, with its own
constitution and facility. In 2017, Hurricane Maria
wreaked havoc in this U.S. commonwealth, and the
LCMS responded with a significant disaster response
effort. That effort has seen over 2,000 bags of relief
supplies distributed, over 50 roofs rebuilt, and classes
offered in English and music to over 70 disaster
victims. During this effort, a second congregation
was planted in Ponce, Puerto Rico’s second largest