New church workers for Nicaragua

Newly consecrated deaconesses (front row) and newly ordained pastors (middle row) pose for a picture following the service. In the back row are pastors who took part in the service, including Rev. Ed Auger, ILSN President Marvin Donaire, and LCC President Emeritus Ralph Mayan (left to right, beneath the cross).

NICARAGUA – January 25 was a day of great celebration for the Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua (ILSN – Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua). That Sunday, eleven pastors were ordained and nine deaconesses were consecrated for service to the church.

The new graduating class nearly doubles the number of pastors in the ILSN, and increases by half the number of deaconesses. The church body now counts 26 pastors and 32 deaconesses to serve its 23 congregations across the country (as well as mission work in Costa Rica and Honduras).

“Our Lord Jesus Christ tells in Scripture to pray to the Lord of the harvest that He would provide workers,” said Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel, Lutheran Church–Canada’s (LCC) Executive for Missions and Social Ministry. “He has answered those prayers, and for that we are truly grateful. These young pastors and deaconesses will be a great blessing to the church in Central America.”

Lutheran Church–Canada first began mission work in Nicaragua in 1997. Just over ten years later, in 2009, the ILSN was founded.

A major component of LCC’s mission work in Nicaragua has been theological education for pastors and deaconesses. The first class of Nicaraguan Lutheran pastors was ordained in 2002, following a three-year program of multiple two-week intensives taught by professors and pastors of LCC. January’s graduation marks the fourth class of pastors and deaconesses to be ordained and consecrated for service.

Missions in Nicaragua continue to grow, thanks to close cooperative work. In September 2014, LCC called Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod missionaries Rev. Ed Auger and his wife Deaconess Cherie Auger to serve as mission supervisors in Nicaragua. In that role, the Auguers assist the ILSN in its work and oversee LCC missions in the region.

For more information on LCC’s missions, visit www.LutheranChurch.ca. You can support LCC’s missions through online giving, or by sending donations by mail:

Lutheran Church–Canada
3074 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, MB  R3K 0Y2
Canada

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