Latin American Lutheran Churches members of LWF Sustainability Program News As many of you are now aware, as a result of a long process, in 2006, the Conference of Bishops and Presidents of the Lutheran World Federation Latin America Region decided to embark on a program together to examine the issues surrounding the sustainability of their churches. A leadership group was formed to flesh out the objectives and issues to be addressed and look at possibilities together. A program was designed and each church was asked to designate a point person to be involved in it. While this issue is clearly a concern for all the churches in the region, each church is at a different place and many have their own process. The sustainability program will be a forum for sharing these experiences and learning together. Each of the churches has designated a point person to participate in this program and to bring back what is developed and learned to contextualize it within its own reality. With much interest, the ELCA Global Mission Latin America Team has followed the progress of this program and understands its clear priority for our companions and for us as the ELCA in the accompaniment of these churches. From many companion synod or global mission committee meetings, there is no doubt that questions regarding church sustainability issues are critical in our companion relationships. They also loom large among many ELCA churches. We learned the accompaniment model from our companions in Latin America and it has changed ELCA Global Mission, Now, I believe we will learn about sustainability from these companions! Our very ability to engage in God’s mission as a church depends on sustainability. Background: This program came about as churches in the Latin America region looked at challenges presented by the churches in terms of ecclesial models with immigrant churches looking at mission and contextualization, the emergence of other “successful” ecclesial models and the absence of models for Lutheranism in new social sectors of the excluded, churches in the “maintaining mode”, the rejection of the mission or the incapacity to assume it, churches that are involved in everything, the difficulty of equilibrium in holistic mission. In terms of economic resources, factors include membership below poverty levels and dropping still lower, the lack of a culture of stewardship and self-sustainability, and changes in ecumenical cooperation. With regard to human resources, pastor-centered ministry as opposed to the priesthood of all believers, huge mission fields, lack of theological education as well as other types of formation. Other issues include concentration of power and resources, centralization, disconnection between central offices and the church bases, the absence of wide consensus regarding identity and models, identity in the hands of a few and the pressure of “easy theologies” for example, glory theology and theological and cultural assimilation. In light of these factors, the role of this program is to animate and facilitate the reflection and practice of sustainability in the Lutheran communion of Latin America. Specifically, the objectives are to 1) Accompany and generate in a sustainable form, spaces for reflection, theological and methodological practices in order to create a culture and spirituality of planning and sustainability in all levels of the church and 2) Promote in
the churches, the identification and potentiality of local, national resources, gifts and talents as well as those of the Lutheran communion to make them available for the mission of God. To do this, the program turns on three axis which might be thought of as three interconnected circles: 1) Theological reflection on mission, church, ministries, pastoral models, stewardship, church administration and spirituality 2) Participative strategic planning 3) Identification and mobilization of resources. This will be a long-term effort as the subject matter is complex and will require careful work over time. A blog was set up for this program to permit anyone who is interested in getting an indepth understanding to review the documents, access the tools presented and stay up to date with the discussions as they proceed. It can be found at: http://sustentabilidad.wordpress.com/ Latin American Lutheran Churches members of LWF Sustainability Process Continues in Santiago, Chile Santiago was the second meeting of the point people with the leadership team. Important parts of the program were: Morning and evening devotions led by Dr. Paolo Butzke using the Mark 2 story of the paralyzed man. Each morning and evening, we gathered to do a different form of meditation on Mark 2. This story definitely has implications for sustainability. A new understanding emerged of how the crowded house is the church which often doesn’t make room for those who are seeking Jesus. Also, we reflected on the importance of strategizing new ways to make openings (like the hole in the roof) for those who are seeking Jesus – not to give up when our first plan (entering by the front door) doesn’t bring success in opening up our church. We need to be willing to find new ways to carry out God’s mission. Check-in on reception of churches regarding progress of program and proposed plans done in small groups, then in large groups: In general, point persons reported that the program to date had been well-received by the leadership of the churches. Most participants had been able in those few short months that included the long Christmas break, to meet with appropriate church structures and receive their support to continue. Achievements identified were the formation of support teams, achieving much progress in a short time, looking for economic resources for the PEP (participative strategic planning) process, articulating previous experiences and localizing the process were achievements. Obstacles identified were some resistance, difficulty in identifying what process to follow after Managua, receiving the manual. Presentation of pilot projects: Each point person was asked to present a pilot project that would use the PEP planning process as a result of what was learned in Managua in which the majority of time was spent on learning this process. New tool on sustainability: LWF Mission in Context If our church ceases to exist and there is no effect on the reality around it, there was no mission. What are we doing with the mission of God? Mission is God’s, not ours. We are called to participate in God’s mission. Important ideas presented were the following: Mission is not just one scheme that never changes. Mission in context means to arrive together in God’s mission. Since
this is God’s mission, the question for us is how to be witnesses to God’s mission? We don’t talk about the church’s mission, we talk about God’s mission and how we as a church participate in that mission. The church is a missionary church because God is a missionary. Mission is integral. It includes proclamation, diaconal work and justice. The objectives of God’s mission in a certain place will be found in its context. Context is the first step because the people all come from their context. Using the Luke paradigm from Luke 24:13 and following, it is to SEE, REFLECT AND ACT. First we see the context, then we interpret this reality and then we construct our practice. In each, the church is both subject and object of transformation, reconciliation and empowerment. This implicates individuals, structures and relationships. To recognize the context, there must be dialogue and listening to voices from the outside. Mission is not an option, rather it is the reason to be the church. Download at: New tool: Church PEP Strategic Planning Process in Congregations in Brazil: Dr. Butke gave a detailed presentation drawn from his experience using the PEP process in a congregation, Indaial in Brazil. He begins with a definition of terms and continues with Biblical support for planning in the church. He shared a copy of his one page explanation for congregation members which included the dates and times of the four meetings, 2 1/4 hours each, set up to accomplish the process. He also gave us copies of the forms he used for each step listed above. Note: You can find this on the blog now and soon it will be posted in Spanish. This kind of process for congregations is pretty ground-breaking. Identification of relevant programs in the churches related to sustainability: Using a giant diagram of a fish spine, participants listed their churches programs related to sustainability as little fish bones coming off the big spine of sustainability. The next step here will be the mapping of these initiatives in each church. This will be important for us to know about in our companion church. At this point I was given the opportunity to share with the participants, a summary of our consultation. Since some churches do not have a bilateral relationship with the ELCA, it became important to explain the ELCA Companion Synods program and the large network of companion synod relationships that have developed. I talked about our consultation in Costa Rica and referenced the work we did around identifying best practices for companion relationships around sustainability. You will find one of our best practices documents listed on the Sustentabilidad Program blog! Following the accompaniment model, our main interest in following this Latin American Lutheran Churches Program is to learn what to do as well as what not to do in our companion relationships. Together with our companions, Follow-up: Point persons will refine their pilot projects and initiate them and have the support of the leadership group and other point persons as needed. Point persons were asked to form small teams to strengthen their efforts and to continue to investigate actions and articulations in the local arena. I agreed to write about this event in our newsletter and was asked to keep the process visible for ELCA companion synods so we can remain linked to it. Other follow-up will be done by leadership group with the contribution of the Latin American Desk of LWF. The next gathering will be in August. Look for a report in the fall newsletter. Final observations from group in Santiago: 1) We are discovering each time more powerfully that sustainability is a theme around models and modes of being the church.
We must reflect about our practices. 2) We feel supported by our churches as we carry out our tasks that we have assumed in this process. 3) We are already initiating pilot projects in local areas. 5) We have received important tools and the necessary support for our work from the leadership group and we feel better trained. 6) We believe this is a medium to long-term process. 7) We have been able to tackle this program regionally. Seeing other realities produces questions and changes in us. 8) This process is a great opportunity for the growth of our churches. One final note from me here: Following the accompaniment model, our main interest in following this process of Latin American churches members of LWF is to learn what to do as well as what not to do in our companion relationships. Walking together with our companions in this process over the next three years makes me confidant that when we gather again as Lutherans in the Americas in 2010 at the next consultation, we will be able to move deeper into defining those best practices and thereby, increase our true understanding of accompaniment. Mary Campbell