LHM helps Chilean Lutheran Church Plant New Mission in Santiago

LHM helps Chilean Lutheran Church Plant New Mission in Santiago
Release No: 09-15
By Noel Hwande

Feb. 20— SANTIAGO, Chile: For years, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Chile (IELCHI) has dreamt about starting a mission in the mega-city of Santiago as the base for expansion of the church in that area. The IELCHI's congregations are currently concentrated in the northern cities of Valparaiso and Viña del Mar, about two hours from Santiago.

That dream has finally come true thanks to an effective partnership between the IELCHI and LHM (known as Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones -CPTLN - in Latin America). Two years ago, Latin American Area Counselor Ken Peterson was contacted by IELCHI President Rev. Carlos Schumann to see if he could participate in a planning meeting to start the new mission. "I was very happy to hear from President Schumann, and he told me that the church was now truly ready to launch this mission project in that huge city that has over seven million people," commented Peterson. "I was really excited to meet with them and start the planning together from the beginning."

After an initial planning meeting with the IELCHI leaders, the group drew up a strategic plan to seek funding and start the mission as soon as possible. The plan called for setting up a mission office in a strategic area of Santiago that would also serve as a CPTLN center, with the missionary and CPTLN coordinator working in a joint effort to establish the mission. CPTLN would serve as the outreach arm, and the missionary and volunteers from the IELCHI would do the follow-up on contacts and their natural "networks" (family, friends, co-workers).

Thanks to the support of an anonymous donor that wanted to see this new effort succeed in Santiago, the mission and CPTLN were able to start work in June 2007. Rev. Cristian Rautenberg of the IELCHI was commissioned and installed as the Santiago missionary, and Marianela Bravo was named as the CPTLN coordinator and mission administrator. They implemented the strategy, adjusting as they found out what worked best in the environment of Santiago.

Soon, Pastor Cristian was swamped with contacts and referrals of people to the mission, which began adding new Christians month by month. In November 2008, the congregation - that is called simply "Mission Santiago" - dedicated its first "church" in the renovated patio of the building rented by the mission in the La Florida district of Santiago. Peterson was on hand for the dedication service and had the honor to cut the ribbon, officially opening the facility that can seat some 50 people.

The group now has nearly 50 people involved regularly, and is developing all the activities of an established congregation, including five men in theological education classes. Pastor Cristian has emphasized leadership development and is training the people to take ownership of their church. They have also opened a new mission in an even more populous area of the city called Puente Alto, some 10 miles from La Florida.

"I feel proud and honored to have been part of this wonderful project to begin the mission and plant the seeds for an expanded IELCHI presence in Santiago," commented Peterson. "By planning together from the start, and with the great support of the IELCHI leaders and the churches members, we have been able to see how effective such joint efforts can be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and blessing of the Lord."

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