Renewed optimism for Costa Rican church

Leaders committed to improving participation in church life

(LWI) - The Costa Rican church has new governance and renewed optimism for the future.

At its recent assembly, the Lutheran Costa Rican Church, a member of the LWF, elected a new governance and presented reports on institutional matters, diakonia, communities of faith, finance, and presidency.

Delegates from across the church took part, including communities served by the church, the board of directors, pastors, coordinators of programs and commissions, special guests, representatives of One World Mission and the Lutheran World Federation, as well as representatives of the ELCA synods of North Carolina and Southwest Texas.

“With their [delegates] presence, we highlight the importance of forming one body in Christ and being surrounded by a larger community of faith,” Rev. Gilberto Quesada, Pastor President of the church said.

During the assembly, participants expressed their wish to continue the transformational work of the church. The goal is to achieve a healthy, well-developed institution with a renewed administration, in which openness and exchange of opinion and experience are determining factors in being the church.

“It is not enough to call ourselves Christians”

“For the church it is of great importance to give continuity to the governance processes,” the church treasurer report said. The church needs to continue fostering leadership, encourage greater participation in the life of the church, and create systems that would lead to greater accountability by the board.

It is not enough to call ourselves Christians but it is also essential...to give testimony of our being of believers and followers of Jesus.

As an important democratic process in the life of the church, the assembly lifts the voices of rural, urban, indigenous communities and youth, as well as being a vehicle to promote leadership empowerment and inclusion, Pastor Oscar de la O working among indigenous communities said.

Referring to accountability, church president Rev. Quesada said, “In this struggle we are learning to be more accountable and responsible with our resources, human and financial, since it is not enough to call ourselves Christians but it is also essential, as executors of the resources of the institution, to have transparent practices, to be balanced and above all that give testimony of our being of believers and followers of Jesus,” he said,

He expressed his gratitude to those who had supported processes to improve accountability.

The new board is Pastor Gilberto Quesada (president), Esmeralda Pérez (vice president), Luis Zamora (secretary) Young Yudi Torres, Oscar Varela, Rocio Umaña, Pastor Julio Melara and Oscar Retana.

The official installation of the new board took place during a liturgical celebration in the central office, at which congregants publicly committed to accompany board members. Preaching was led by Bishop Ray Tiemann of the Southwest Texas Synod. The newly elected board has a mandate until February 2021 when the next assembly will be held.

Original news (Spanish)

By the Latin America and the Caribbean Communications Network. Edited by LWF Communications.