The Mexican Seminary Moved!

Professor Natán, Victor, Jaime, Luis, Dan, & Professor Larry

The Confesional Lutheran Seminary of the IELC in Mexico has prepared men for the public ministry of the gospel in various locations in its 20-plus year history - Torreón, Monterrey, Mexico City, Puebla, back to Torreón, then León. This summer it returned to Puebla.

Two professors from the LATTE team, together with two men who are studying full-time, moved from León to Puebla in August. The IELC decided to relocate its seminary in order to accept two more full-time students, better train a part-time student, and combine efforts with the local ministries.

By God's grace, the seminary now has four full-time students plus three men in the Certified Pastor program. One man should be ready to start his vicar year in January. We ask the Lord of the Harvest to bless the preparation of his workers. We also encourage you, God's people, to think about where our future pastors will come from. Look for children and youth who have the gifts to serve. Speak well of your pastor and the ministry to them. Encourage them to consider serving God in the gospel ministry.

Worship Workshop

The agenda for the third weekend of January included a joint workshop in México for Mexican pastors and seminary students from Mexico and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS). Worship was the theme of the workshop. Professor Natán led a Bible Study on the elements of worship. Mexican Missionary Mike continued the workshop in a review and discussion of a new Lutheran hymnal in Spanish.

Two of the WLS seminary students, Ryan and Tim, previously served as English teachers in Mexico. It was a special treat for Mexican seminarista (seminarian) Dan to spend time with them.

The Mexican pastors enjoy coming together every two years for a workshop to assist their current ministries. Many of them travel long distances for this study and fellowship, and return to their congregations full of new ideas and encouragement.

LATTE Meets

Professors Natán, Philip, Larry, & Lorenzo

This month, members of the LATTE team met after a Latin American Missions Conference.  The four professors discussed their 2013 teaching schedules, on-site and online courses, and students.

Two workshops are scheduled this spring for current seminary students and graduated pastors. In April, the professors plan to lead sessions on "Marriage" and "Stewardship" in Colombia.  In May, they plan to present "Pastors Care for Straying Sheep" and "Stewardship" in Mexico.

Please keep all professors, students, and their families in your prayers during this 2013 school year.

Update from Mexico

In spite of ongoing uncertainty and insecurity in portions of Mexico, God continues to bless His church in this country. An increase in national church independence and maturity can be witnessed alongside an increase in WELS volunteer activity. WELS Kingdom Workers now has a full-time volunteer coordinator, Howard, in Mexico for the purpose of organizing WELS lay member ministry opportunities.

More Christmas Greetings from Mexico

From Mexico:

Pastor Alejandro sends greetings and a strong hug to all of the brothers and sisters in the USA. In these days, may the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus, be born and grow in your hearts. In the company of your loved ones, may you receive all the blessings of love and mercy from our Lord.

In Christ, Pastor Alejandro,

<><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Desde Mexico:

Pastor Alejandro envia un saludo y fuerte abrazo a todos los hermanos en EEUU. que en estos dias tambien nazca y crezca en sus corazones el Salvador del mundo, nuestro Señor Jesus, en compañia de sus seres queridos reciban todas las bendiciones de amor y misericordia de parte de nuestro Señor. 

En Cristo, Alejandro 

Photo Credit

Christmas Greetings from Mexico

Greetings, dear brothers and sisters in Christ. With all my heart I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a New Year full of many blessings. We will be praying for you that God continue to use you in the expansion of his work and that you may be a blessing for other brothers and sisters. May the peace of God be with you.

Saludos mis hermanos en Cristo, les deseo de todo corazón que pasen una feliz Navidad y un año nuevo lleno de muchas bendiciones, estaremos orando por ustedes para que Dios los siga utilizando en el crecimiento de su obra y sean de bendición para otros hermanos. Que la paz de Dios sea con ustedes. 

 -- Seminarian Dan

Fall Update

One LATTE professor has now completed preparing an entire Dogmatics course for online presentation (moodle) and has taught it for the whole cycle. He has also prepared the Hermeneutics course for the same presentation. Another LATTE professor has been named director of the Mexican seminary by the national church. 

LATTE continues to provide training for future pastors as well as continued education for those already serving [in Latin America].

Class with 2 Mexican and 1 Colombian Students

I (Phil) am a professor on the Latin American Traveling Seminary team. At the present time I am living in La Paz, Bolivia because of a special assignment that I was given. Recently I was given a special opportunity, that of participating in the Mexico seminary program by means of Skype.

The two Mexican students that I am teaching are Dan and Luis. What makes the situation even more interesting is that Raúl, a seminary student from Quibdó, Colombia also joins the class. The class I am teaching to these three students is New Testament Isagogics. 

We thank the Lord for this technology which enables us to teach students in their own classrooms or settings even though we as professors live in distant countries.

Chiles en Nogada

As we approach September 16, Independence Day in Mexico, lots of restaurants are offering the special dish of "Chiles en Nogada". This delicious meal is served in Mexico during the months of August and September.  Some say it is because the pomegranates are in season, others say it is a way to celebrate Independence Day, and others claim it is a combination of both.

The ingredients include poblano chiles filled with picadillo – filling of meat, spices, & fruit. A walnut-based cream sauce covers the chili, and pomegranate seeds are sprinkled on top. It is also very patriotic displaying the nation’s bandera – flag with green (chili), white (sauce), and red (pomegranate). The way it is served varies from region to region.

If you'd like to try making this delicious meal, click here for the recipe.

B2S

Back 2 School! Back 2 Sem! Time to buy pencils, notebooks, highlighters... and don't forget your Greek Bible!

 Mexican Seminary Students Luis and Dan

God has blessed the Mexican church with two full time seminary students who started the new trimester on August 15. Dan is a returning student, and Luis is starting his first year. We were able to coordinate some of their classes with two full time students in Colombia, too. Henry should finish his formal seminary training by the end of the year, and Raúl is finishing his first year.

As they study Greek and Hebrew, Old Testament history and the Gospels, Church History and the Formula of Concord, sermon-writing and leading worship, we ask the Lord of the harvest to bless the training of these men and then to send them out as workers in his harvest field--sharing the message that Jesus was B2S, born to save.

Click here for additional information.

Pastoral Retreat in Mexico

Last week, Professor Natán and I joined our Mexican brothers and sisters in faith for a "retiro pastoral" - pastoral retreat. Our group of 43 included 10 Mexican pastors and their families, 2 seminary students, 2 LATTE professors and their wives, and a Mexican missionary and his family.

The mornings began with a group breakfast at the missionary's cabin. The ladies divided into teams to prepare and serve the meals throughout the retreat. I came home with some great new recipes!

After breakfast, all of us headed to a conference room for a devotion. Then the women returned to the cabin for a Bible Study focused on how living in a glass house can be a positive thing. The youth led the children to the cabin next-door to teach them Bible stories and crafts. The men remained in the conference room for two in-depth Bible studies and a workshop to compose a new hymnal.

After the Bible study, the ladies did last-minute grocery shopping and began lunch preparations. Then the entire group met for lunch at the cabin. The afternoon was full of free time to play soccer, swim, hike, nap, and spend time together as a family.

I really enjoyed this time getting to know my sisters in Christ more deeply. To share the joys and challenges of life in Mexico along with being the wife of a pastor. I am extremely thankful for the endless bits of advice that they gave me about basic aspects of daily living, new vocabulary, at home remedies, and living your life as a witness for Christ.

In the early evening, we came together again at the cabin for a devotion followed by a light supper. The day concluded with fellowship and a few guitarists for entertainment. We repeated this schedule for three days in a row.

Created with flickr slideshow.

Everyone cherished these special moments together as many of them live far distances apart, and some of the pastor's wives met one another for the first time. The previous pastoral retreat was 9 years ago, so the group has grown quite a bit from that time. We hope to gather again for the next Mexican pastoral retreat in 2014.

One of the highlights for Natán and me, was to share a video of greetings to our Christian brothers and sisters in Latin America with the group. While we were in the USA on furlough, we interviewed several students, members, and pastors from the Phoenix area in Arizona, the Apache mission in Arizona, attendees at the LWMS Convention in North Carolina who are members of Sure Foundation in New York, New York and are originally from Latin America. We also included greetings from one of the pastors from our sister synod in Brazil. The Mexican pastors and their wives appreciated the greetings so much that they've requested copies to share with their congregations.

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free —and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

Click here for more photos.

Damas Luteranas

“How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity.”

 -- Psalm 133:1

What a joy it was for my husband and me to attend the 2nd Mexican Lutheran Women's convention. Forty-six women from 8 different congregations and 5 states as well as visitors from Chile and the United States joined together for 3 days of Bible study, finalizing and adopting a constitution, worship and fellowship. 

  Business Meeting

Larry and I have been living in Mexico for 19 years and have been a part of almost all the congregations represented so all these women leaders are dear friends.

Noche Mexicana (Mexican Night)

Missionary and Mexican field counselor Mike gave a sermon in our closing service that included the Psalm verse with which I titled this story. It has special meaning to us all as Señora Ibarra, 96 year [old] widow of one of the founding pastors of the Mexican Lutheran church, crocheted these [crosses] as a momento for all of the attendees at the convention, even though she was unable to attend. She sent them with her daughter and grand daughter, who are a continuing legacy to the importance of the Word in this faithful family.

Sra. Ibarra's Handmade Cross

May God continue to strengthen and bless this group of very special women in their efforts to support the work of His Kingdom.

Damas Luteranas is officially recognized as Sociedad Nacional de Damas Luteranas de Mexico -- National Society of Lutheran Women in Mexico.

Workshop Wrap-Up

The recent LATTE workshop on seminary training in México concluded with a closing worship service with Lord's Supper on Friday. Afterwards, special moments of farewells and contact information were exchanged. One of the Mexican pastors left a day early. A long-time member of his congregation passed onto glory so he needed to return for service preparations.

The pastors are returning home with five days of devotions, cultural experiences, and fellowship in addition to their studies on adult education, seminary curriculum development, online resources, and many hours of homework.

What a blessing to have the opportunity to come together and focus on preparing future pastors!

Pastor Appreciation

 

Isabela & Lulu

Last Sunday after the worship service, two ladies, Isabela and Lulu, asked if they could prepare and serve a meal for the visiting pastors who were participating in the seminary training workshop led by LATTE.  All the participants welcomed the offer.

On Wednesday, Isabela and Lulu arrived a couple hours before lunch time to prepare Pozole (recipe coming soon) - a typical Mexican soup with different ingredients varying from region to region.  Lots of work was put into this homemade meal, which was evident in the taste.  Everyone agreed that it was a delicious meal with many requests for another bowl.   

The ladies wanted to express their appreciation to those who teach and preach God's Word, as they are continually thankful for hearing and knowing the truth, hope, and peace found in the Bible.

It is pure joy to watch these ladies grow in faith and see their love in action and excitement to serve.  Pray that it be contagious!

Isabela and Lulu are taking weekly instruction classes with Pastor Brad to become members of Cristo Resucitado in México.  Both ladies are active with the local ministry and already receive this mission as their church home.

Seminary Training

Professor Larry, Student-Pastor Henry, Professor Natán, Pastor Israel, 

Pastor Juan, & Pastor Alejandro

This week LATTE is hosting a 5-day workshop in México; providing training to four pastors to teach seminary courses. Three pastors are from different parts of México and one student-pastor is from Colombia. 

The workshop began Monday morning at the ministry center with a joint breakfast, because two of the pastors arrived directly from the local bus station after overnight bus trips.  A devotion led by one of the pastors followed the meal. 

They begin each day after breakfast and continue until 2:00 pm.  Then the group breaks for lunch and spends the remainder of the day doing homework to present the following day.

Professors Larry and Natán are leading the workshop with emphasis on curriculum development, adult education, and online learning.

It is a great opportunity to review the basics, learn new methods, and grow in fellowship.

Update from Mexico

 

Extraordinary events are taking place in Mexico right now. Violence caused by the drug war is occurring at an astonishing rate in northern Mexico. And yet, our churches in the north are not just surviving, most of them are growing at a rate which they have never before experienced. 

At the same time growth continues to occur in more peaceful areas of the country as well. WELS Kingdom Workers recently approved the funding of a short-term volunteer coordinator position to Mexico.

Rosca de Reyes

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup warm water
• 1 packet yeast
• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs -- beaten
• 3/4 cup butter --room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon anise seed
• 4 teaspoons vanilla 
• A small figurine or toy (optional)
• Candied Fruit -- 2 cups of assorted fruit cut into strips (figs, orange, lemon, mango or cherries)

   Topping

• 1 egg beaten (egg wash)
• 1/3 cup sugar (topping)

Directions:

1. Sprinkle yeast on surface of  water (in cup) & let it sit for 10 min
2. Combine yeast water, flour, sugar, eggs, butter, salt, cinnamon, anise seed & vanilla in  large mixing bowl 
3. Mix until a dough forms
4. Knead dough for 5 min
5. Cover & let rise in a warm area until dough is doubled in size (est. 2 hours)
6. Punch dough down and shape into ring 
1. Roll dough into a log shape & bend the ends around to form a circle or you can make three thinner strips and braid them, putting ends together
2. Ring should be 12-14 inches diameter
3. Lift up one area & insert toy by pushing it up through the bottom
4. Smooth out any lumps or tears
7. Add the dried fruit by laying it across the top and pressing it in slightly
8. Let it rise until doubled
9. Brush top with egg wash & sprinkle with sugar 
10. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees

This holiday bread shaped in a ring is common in many Latin American countries to celebrate Día de Reyes - Kings' Day (January 6) with a small Jesus figurine baked inside.  The tradition follows that whoever finds the figurine must host tamales on February 2nd, Día de la Candelaria - Day of the Candles.  Go to http://withlovefromlatinamerica.wordpress.com/?s=balloons+and+bread for more details.

Happy Epiphany!

Christmas in México

Between the flashing Christmas lights and piñatas, you can find nacimientos - nativities on display here in México during the Christmas season. 

In México, many families participate in a posada - commonly a re-enactment of Mary & Joseph looking for an inn in Bethlehem.  Each family in a neighborhood will schedule a night to host the posada during a 9-day period, leading up to December 24th.  Each night, the group of pereginos - pilgrims wander from house to house with lit candles, looking for a place to stay.  They make their request through a special song.  Then they are turned away, until they reach the home of the host, where they pray the Rosary and sing hymns of praise in front of the nativity.  Then the children are blindfolded and try to break open a piñata with a stick.  The piñata is often full of candies, fruit, and peanuts usually accompanied by a regional hot ponche - punch for the adults.

This year, our mission, Cristo Resuscitado, offered special activities during this joyous Christmas season. The events included decorating the church, a Christmas for Kids night, and a fellowship potluck with a piñata for the children (and adults). In preparation for these activities, several of our prospects introduced some Christmas traditions to us. We discovered that children enjoy little wrapped candies and mandarin oranges along with freshly cut sugar cane as a special gift in addition to our homemade cookies. 

Regarding decorations, we found out the nativity scenes can become quite detailed including ponds made out of foil to house ducks surrounded by paper palm trees. Much work is put into setting up the nativity, but baby Jesus isn't placed in the manger until midnight.  This is connected to the family custom of rocking baby Jesus late Christmas Eve after a special meal. 

It is a challenge to distinguish between family traditions and religious customs.  As a mission, we are slowly developing our own congregational Christian traditions with input from the members and prospects focused on Jesus Christ our Savior.

We were delighted to almost have standing room only for our special Noche Buena - Christmas Eve Service and 21 for our Sunday morning Christmas Day service.

May God continue to bless the efforts of telling the story of Jesus around the world!

A Growing Mission

This Sunday, the mission Cristo Resucitado -- Resurrected Christ in México; received its first two members with over 50 people in attendance.  These two new confirmands,  Javier and Victor, have been studying the Bible and its teachings with local  Missionary Brad for the past year.

It has been amazing to watch the Holy Spirit work in their hearts.  Both began attending weekly Bible studies, then worship services regularly, and bringing their families to church activities.  Listening to their initial questions about God's Word transform into concrete affirmations of faith has been heart-warming.  Tears flowed down my face as I witnessed Javier and Victor confess their faith and take Holy Communion with our mission team.

This joyous event has also served as an encouragement to others who are taking instruction classes with Missionary Brad. Several expressed their excitement to become members of the congregation and want to continue to learn more about the Bible and its teachings.

It is neat to watch our church family grow and become active. Some invite friends and family to worship services, Bible studies, and fellowship activities. Some take ownership by providing snacks for after the worship service, cleaning and building maintenance, or donating items as needed.  Last week, a man brought a Christmas tree, this week someone else brought a stand for it, and this Sunday, multiple families brought Christmas decorations.

Being part of the congregation is one of the abundant blessings of serving on the LATTE team. The opportunity to share my faith and build relationships with fellow believers is an awesome privilege I will always cherish.

May God continue to bless the mission efforts in México and around the world.

Cristo Resucitado is located in México and began regular worship services in July, 2010.  The Lord has blessed the efforts of this mission in countless ways as mission workers share the good news of the Savior Jesus Christ with the souls in Léon.  Go to www.luteranosmexicanos.net and www.lutheransinmexico.com for more information on this mission.

Mexico Update

Monterrey, México

 In September, the Mexican Lutheran Church (IELC) celebrated its 20th annual national convention at the Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) congregation in Monterrey. National pastors and delegates attended from throughout the country, coming from as far away as northern Sonora and the Yucatán peninsula. For the first time an online ministry meeting was held the day before the convention to discuss how to coordinate the various ministries being carried out in a number of the congregations. For the first time the average weekly worship attendance is over 400. 

Go to www.lutheransinmexico.com for more details.