Latin America and the Caribbean
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© Salvadoran Lutheran Synod / Communication Services |
The LWF communion in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) includes 16 member churches (14 in Latin America and two in the Caribbean) in 14 countries, with a combined membership of 822 thousand at the end of 2007. One church has membership over 700,000 and nine churches have fewer than 10,000 members.
The LAC area desk (based in Geneva) accompanies LWF member churches in their holistic ministries through programs and projects that respond to particular concerns of church life in the region and specific priorities identified by the member churches.
Regional Expression of Communion
Bishop Victoria Cortez (right), member of the LWF Executive Committee and Rev. Dr Walter Altmann (left), Moderator of the World Council of Churches briefing the Latin American Church Leadership Conference about the ecumenical reconfiguration process. © Communication Office IELCO/R. E. Cortés |
The LAC member churches have been holding annual leadership conferences for the last 20 years, as their chosen instrument and strategy for deepening relationships and developing concrete expressions of joint responsibility in mission.
The exchange of personnel, participation in assemblies and synods and assistance during periods of difficulty through visitation and mediation have been increasing steadily over the years. Churches are also working together regionally on programs in four areas: illegitimate external debt; HIV and AIDS; communication; and diaconia.
Advocacy on Illegitimate External Debt
How much will she have to pay for debts that never benefitted her? © LWF/J. Schep |
Upon request of the regional leadership conference, the LAC area desk designed a program that allows the churches to proactively engage in advocacy work related to external debt. As a pilot project in decentralized programmatic work in the region, the program is based in Argentina and staffed by the region’s member churches. The focus has been on awareness raising, education and advocacy activities at the grassroots level in the churches. An international consultation was held in September 2005 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the theme, "Illegitimate External Debt: From Prophetic Denunciation to Political Action."
Please click for the Final Message from the LWF Consultation on Illegitimate Debt,
Argentina, 2005 in English or Spanish. (Links require Adobe Acrobat Reader) 
Communion and Diaconia
A sustainable church needs to incorporate the gifts and cultural identity of youth. |
A consultation organized by the regional network on diaconia brought together all regional diaconal projects relating to indigenous people. In addressing the right of self-determination for indigenous people, including their own spiritual and religious life, churches were encouraged to support the cause of indigenous people by adopting an inter-religious perspective in their work.
The regional coordination of responses to HIV and AIDS has been very active in promoting understanding among member churches about the pandemic and facilitating concrete initiatives to respond to the challenge of HIV. It is recognized that the Lutheran communion has a high responsibility in the region to develop religious language that is non-stigmatizing and liberating, when talking about HIV and AIDS.
Communion and Creative Collaboration
Strenghthening churches in mission: only collaborative efforts will succeed! |
The LAC area desk assists member churches to identify and coordinate opportunities for cooperation, and promotes creative initiatives with partners. For example, a member church was assisted to review the full scope of its bilateral projects and develop an integrated project proposal, thus proving a comprehensive overview of its programming work and significantly enhancing coordination and monitoring of the work. Through such efforts, bilateral relationships can unfold additional potential that will make a difference for the churches and the partners.
Sustainability in Mission
"Women's cross" from El Salvador © Wolfgang Döbrich |
The area desk is providing coordination, advice and coaching for a new regional program focused on sustainability in mission. A comprehensive approach, encompassing missiological and ecclesiological dimensions, structural and financial aspects, and the role of pastoral and lay leadership, will develop understanding and consider models. A regional core group, accountable to the leadership conference, will implement the program.
Click here for the blog sustentabilidad.wordpress.com (Spanish/Portuguese) with relevant documentation about the joint process of LWF member churches in Latin America in their struggle for greater sustainability.
For further information please contact:
Area Secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean
Rev. Martin Junge
E-mail: mju@lutheranworld.org
Administrative Assistant
Ms Margarita Thilby
E-mail: mth@lutheranworld.org
