First ordained Lahu pastor in the ELCA serves in two-expression church

“After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ ”  — Revelation 7:9-10

Christ Lutheran Church in Visalia, Calif., is a church transformed. In opening hearts and doors to a ministry among the community’s Lahu people, the congregation has become a two-expression congregation moving toward the future with hope and promise.

The first step was to welcome a worshiping community of Lahu people. The second step was to join with the Lahu community to support and encourage the Rev. Samee Singkeovilay, who became the first ordained Lahu pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, in April 2018. Soon after, he became the mission developer pastor for the Christ Lutheran Lahu Ministry, a Synodically Authorized Worshiping Community sponsored by the Sierra Pacific Synod.

Called to connect

Nestled in the San Juaquin Valley near the Sierra Nevada foothills, the city of Visalia is home to the largest concentration of Lahu people in the United States: about 2,000 (out of a total of 130,000 people). This is the largest number of Lahu people outside of Asia. Most Lahu in Visalia have family ties to Laos and surrounding areas in Southeast Asia. As such, “the people pretty much know each other and most people are related to one another,” said Singkeovilay. His ministry focuses on building connections with and among this close-knit community.

The Christ Lutheran Lahu community has been worshiping at the church since 2006, after forming nearly 10 years earlier and initially worshiping at another church. Drawn to partnership in ministry with Christ Lutheran, in June 2018 the community became the Christ Lutheran Lahu Ministry SAWC, shepherded by the Rev. Teresita Valeriano, director for evangelical mission for the Sierra Pacific Synod.

But the connection goes deeper. The Lahu Ministry’s 40 worshiping families recently joined Christ Lutheran Church, en masse, transforming Christ Lutheran into a church with two expressions. This two-expression church comprises a collaborative partnership between a historically European-origin community and a newer community of Lahu people who, by adding their culture and heritage, have expanded the outreach and ministry potential of Christ Lutheran Church.

Glimpses of the future

The impact of Singkeovilay’s ministry is one reason for this connection. Bishop Mark Holmerud of the Sierra Pacific Synod, who ordained Singkeovilay, sensed his faith and commitment to serving the Lahu people of Visalia at their very first meeting, to consider his candidacy. “Pr. Samee is the kind of servant leader who gives me hope for the future of this church. At his ordination, several pastors from his TEEM [Theological Education for Emerging Ministry] cohort traveled hundreds of miles to join in the service. That spoke volumes to me of the impression he made on his classmates and their support for his journey to be ordained to serve at Christ Lutheran.”

With the transformation into a two-expression church, Christ Lutheran reflects the vision of the future that the ELCA is pursuing — to truly reflect the diversity of its community and the country and to seek to grow relationships with all God’s people. “Pastor Samee, as the ELCA’s first ordained Lahu pastor — and the Lahu community as a whole — are gifts to our church, not only in terms of diversity, but also more important, in terms of what we can learn from their contribution in mission and hospitality. I am very encouraged and inspired by this new mission partnership, a witness of missio Dei being lived out,” said Valeriano.

“Christ Lutheran is planting the seeds, serving as an example for vital congregations with two expressions to spring up all across the country,” said the Rev. Pongsak Limthongviratn, program director for Asian and Pacific ministries at the ELCA.

Involvement yields growth

Singkeovilay has been involved in the Lahu worship community for many years. The appeal of the ELCA began in 2009 when Singkeovilay, serving as worship leader, began to seriously consider going to seminary. Eventually he came to realize that, “in order for me and the Lahu to do ministry effectively, I should go through seminary and become an ordained pastor.” In 2011, with the encouragement of Christ Lutheran Pastor Brian Malison and Lahu elders, he made his decision. “Christ Lutheran Church members and leaders were a driving force for me to pursue becoming a Lahu pastor in the ELCA.” Over the next seven years, while working as a custodian in the Visalia Unified School District, he worked to complete the TEEM program of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary.

Christ Lutheran initially supported the Lahu community by providing space, which Singkeovilay and the Lahu elders feel “opened the door for the Lahu people to learn, to study the Word of God and to grow.” In time, as church leaders witnessed the depth of Singkeovilay’s ministry and the potential to reach more people, the church stepped up to do more, and to build greater connections between the two communities. To date, this has mostly meant shared worship opportunities as well as spiritual and financial support for Singkeovilay’s seminary path. But a greater partnership is in the works.

The Lahu worshiping community has found that getting involved in Christ Lutheran’s ministries has been “one of the best ways to learn from one another and share the Lahu culture and heritage,” said Singkeovilay. Experiencing the culture of the Lahu has been a blessing to the English-speaking community. “The Lahu remind everyone that (1) God’s church is multi-faceted and multi-ethnic; (2) saying you are inviting and actually being inviting are two different things; (3) grace is the common language that binds us, even though we speak different languages; and (4) the future of Christ Lutheran Church is going to look different now that the Lahu are a part of CLC,” said Malison.

Living the future, now

With its two expressions, Christ Lutheran is showing intentionality. It is beginning to live the vision of the future, now. The combined church has an end goal in mind, much like the vision of the church presented in Revelation (chapter 7: 9-10), which describes a multitude from every nation worshiping God together. “We have just begun to make plans and create strategies for greater ministry impact within our community, but I am sure that whatever that looks like, it will be beyond anything we would have thought of as a church before our formal merging,” said Malison.

Holmerud and Valeriano of the Sierra Pacific Synod have been a source of encouragement for Christ Lutheran as it begins to explore its path forward. Singkeovilay is thankful for this support, realizing, “there are people working behind the scenes to help me and to encourage me. Thanks be to God—through the prayer and support from Christ Lutheran Church, the synod and the ELCA, I can do more pastoral care to the Lahu ministry.”

by Kris A. Mainellis, Program Director for Communication and Events, Congregational Vitality

Congregational Vitality Training and DEM Gathering
August 16-23, 2019  |  Christ Lutheran Church, Baltimore, Maryland

Timeline of Events

FRIDAY (8/16)

9:00 am – 6:00 pm           Behavioral Interview Training – Day 1 (plan arrival for Thursday)

 

SATURDAY (8/17)

8:30 am – 4:00 pm           Behavioral Interview Training – Day 2

 

SUNDAY (8/18)

Travel day for DEMs (to attend DEM Gathering)

 

MONDAY (8/19)

8:00 am – 5:00 pm           Coach Launch – Day 1 (plan arrival for Sunday)

8:00 am – 5:00 pm           Homeless and Justice Network Gathering – Day 1 (plan arrival for Sunday)

8:30 am – 4:30 pm           DEM Gathering – Day 1 (plan arrival for Sunday)

               1:00-3:30 pm:    DEM Intensive Learning Experience with CV Team

1:00-5:00 pm                     Boundaries Training for Mission Developers – Day 1 (plan arrival for Monday AM)

 

TUESDAY (8/20)

8:00 am – 12:00 pm        Boundaries Training for Mission Developers – Day 2

8:00 am – 5:00 pm           Coach Launch – Day 2

8:00 am – 3:00 pm           Homeless and Justice Network Gathering – Day 2

8:30 am – 4:30 pm           DEM Gathering – Day 2

9:00 am – 12:00 pm        Latinx Coaching Meeting (plan arrival for Monday)

1:00-3:00 pm                     REDIL Meeting (plan arrival for Tuesday AM)

2:00-5:00 pm                     Intensive Learning Experience for New Mission Developers (plan arrival for Tuesday AM)

3:30-5:00 pm                     Congregational Vitality Training Event Facilitators’ Meeting (plan arrival for Tuesday AM)

 

WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY (8/21-22)

8:00 am – 5:00 pm           Congregational Vitality Training Event (plan arrival for Tuesday)

 

FRIDAY (8/23)

8:00 am – 2:30 pm           Congregational Vitality Training Event

Friday evening flights home are strongly encouraged.

 

See you in Baltimore!

 

by Kris A. Mainellis, Program Director for Communication and Events, Congregational Vitality

Congregational Vitality Training Event: August 21-23, 2019

Held at Christ Lutheran Church, Baltimore, Maryland

……….UPDATED June 19, 2019……….

 

REGISTER TODAY FOR THE CV TRAINING EVENT & DEM GATHERING!

Watch this video, from the Las Vegas CV Training Event last February, to gain valuable insight from several DEMs and other colleagues: https://youtu.be/1fYkmj6xfL0

View the Bishop Panel from the Las Vegas event: https://youtu.be/bfNzp0WkTAM

 

DEM Gathering:

August 19-20 | Monday – Tuesday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Register by Friday July 12, 2019.

USE THIS LINK: DEM Gathering Registration Link

Please read ALL the Travel & Logistics information first, and then call Pam at Direct Travel, at 800-543-8016, to book your flight, using code 30-143, DEM Gathering.

 

Training Offered at CV Training Event:

August 21-23 | Wednesday – Thursday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm AND Friday, 8:00 am – 2:30 pm

MISSION DEVELOPMENT TRAINING TRACKS

No Registration Fee for NEW (2019) mission developers (and other approved leaders) and accompanying DEMs.  |  Housing is included (double occupancy, up to 3 nights).

USE THIS LINK: No-Fee Registration – Fee for Single Room Link

• PART 1 TRAINING: For new developers (2019) and their accompanying DEMs. To bring any previous leaders who have not been trained, please consult with Rev. Ruben Duran or Rev. Anna-Kari Johnson.
• PART 2 TRAINING: Returning developers and lay leaders who need part 2 training are welcome, but please consult with Rev. Ruben Duran or Rev. Anna-Kari Johnson before registering.
• FOR SEMINARIANS: Contact Rev. Rob James to plan student participation before registering.
• ALL OTHERS: Returning leaders (developers from previous years) and other ministry leaders are welcome, but please consult with Rev. Ruben Duran or Rev. Anna-Kari Johnson before registering.

Three types of mission development training tracks: SELECT ONE OPTION FROM A, or B, or C

A. NEW START TRACKS:

• African National Churches
• Asian Churches
• Church Launch — Basic principles and best practices, including nuts and bolts and practical tools in developing a new ministry.
• Churches Starting Churches — For those who are planting out of an existing church, OR, for those who want to explore what’s involved in starting a satellite or second site. DEMs can invite pastors (not just mission developers) from their synods to attend, in consultation with Rev. Ruben Duran.
• Multicultural Churches
• Postmodern Churches
• Poverty / Homeless Justice Ministries – Developing ministries among and with marginalized communities.
• REDIL / Latinx Ministry (New Starts and Existing Churches) training by REDIL (Red Ecumenica para el Desarollo de Iglesias Latinas — Ecumenical Network for the Development of Latino Churches.)
• We plan to bring back the Prison Congregations track in February 2020.

B. NEWLY ORGANIZED, CONSOLIDATED AND MERGED CONGREGATIONS:

We welcome DEMs to bring one pastor and two lay leaders for this track. Please call or text Rev. Anna-Kari Johnson for more details, at 773-990-0814. No fee for registration or double-occupancy housing (up to three nights), but participants must cover flight and other travel expenses.

C. COHORT DEVELOPMENT GROUPS — BY INVITATION ONLY:

Leaders will gather to work on developing or further developing the following cohorts and curriculum:

• African Descent Cohort
• American Indian – Alaska Native Cohort
• Arab – Middle Eastern Cohort
• Recovery and Reentry Cohort

 

VITAL CONGREGATIONS COHORT

Registration Fee: $200  |  Housing Fees: double occupancy: $85/person per night; single occupancy: $170/person per night

USE THIS LINK: Regular Paid Registration Link

Note to DEMs: If you are accompanying one or more mission developers, you may use the “Mission Development” (no-fee) link at the top of this page instead of this link.

• DESCRIPTION: This is a special training track for those involved in leading a congregational process toward revitalization (formerly known as redevelopment). The Vital Congregations Cohort will be a dedicated track for these leaders and their accompanying DEMs. Participants will receive specialized training with a team of experienced practitioners who will share principles, best practices and tools. Nancy Nyland, DEM for the Indiana – Kentucky Synod, will support this team. DEMs: If you have a leader currently engaged in, or about to begin a revitalization process, we encourage you to attend this training with your leader(s). Space will be limited to the first 25 leaders (and their partner DEMs) who register.

 

SYNODICAL VITALITY FOCUS GROUP

Registration Fee: $200  |  Housing Fees: double occupancy: $85/person per night; single occupancy: $170/person per night

USE THIS LINK: Regular Paid Registration Link

Note to DEMs: If you are accompanying one or more mission developers, you may use the “Mission Development” (no-fee) link at the top of this page instead of this link.

• DESCRIPTION: A Synodical Vitality Focus Group will gather to begin work toward creating a synod support system for congregational renewal. Seven synods have been invited to help develop an experiential training process, and we want you to be aware that this exciting planning is going on, led by Pastor Dave Daubert and DEM Richard Jorgensen, Lower Susquehanna Synod. We hope to offer this training for all synods in February 2020.

 

DEM COLLABORATIVE CONVERSATIONS

Registration Fee: $200  |  Housing Fees: double occupancy: $85/person per night; single occupancy: $170/person per night

USE THIS LINK: Regular Paid Registration Link

• DESCRIPTION: DEM Collaborative Conversations are designed for DEMs who are not accompanying a mission developer or a leader in the Vital Congregations Cohort, and who are not part of the Synodical Vitality Focus Group.

Synod Vitality Strategy Planning Conversation

Join Keith Zeh, DEM for the Northwestern Minnesota Synod, and Maristela Freiberg, DEM for the New Jersey Synod, to learn and discuss key concepts and best practices for setting up the framework for a synod vitality team and strategies. Conversation will cover the Synod Vitality Team Training topics presented at the Seattle and Las Vegas CV Training Events and more. Meeting times for this track will follow the training track schedule listed in the Agenda. This is not team training, but rather a collaborative time for DEMs only, who will begin to work on a plan over the 2.5 days of training.

This Conversation will include the following components:

• Listening to each participating DEM as they tell and describe: their synod context, what they are noticing and wondering about synod vitality strategy planning, as well as naming the strengths, opportunities, hopes and challenges going forward.
• Answering questions and providing guidance on: What is a synod vitality strategy? Why have a synod vitality strategy? What are key components to developing and actualizing a synod vitality strategy? How to assemble a synod strategy planning team or table. What resources are available to the synod? What are some of the key learnings and practices resulting from other synod vitality strategies? How to prepare for bringing a synod vitality team for training at the February 2020 event (location to be announced soon).
• Takeaways will include: an action plan reflecting the DEM’s next steps, ongoing collegiality among the participants via Zoom conversations, and availability of ongoing coaching and mentoring.
• Maristela and Keith bring considerable firsthand experience and lessons learned in developing and implementing synod vitality strategies. They enter this collaborative conversation to share and encourage as well as to learn from those who participate.

Additional Conversation Opportunities

DEMs who are not participating in the Synod Vitality Strategy Planning Conversation may choose to create their own DEM Collaborative Conversations following the training track schedule on the Agenda. This time is yours to connect with other DEMs, churchwide staff, and other national church leaders to talk, share and consult for maximum benefit.

 

Pre-Event Training:

BOUNDARIES TRAINING FOR MISSION DEVELOPERS

August 19-20 | Monday, 1:00-5:00 pm AND Tuesday, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Registration Fee: $70  |  Housing Fees: double occupancy: $85/person per night; single occupancy: $170/person per night

USE THIS LINK: Boundaries Training Link

Note to DEMs: Please share this link with your mission developers who need to take Boundaries Training. Note that the Boundaries Training link will NOT be included in other links. Participants must use the Boundaries Training link. You will need to send it to them.

ABOUT BOUNDARIES TRAINING:

• Boundaries Training is required every 24 months for all mission developers who have not completed this
  8-hour training in their home synods.
• Contact Terri Novak, administrative coordinator, Congregational Vitality, to send in previously earned Boundaries Training certifications.
• Plan to arrive in the morning of Monday, August 19, to attend Boundaries Training, which begins at 1:00 pm Monday, August 19.

 

MISSION DEVELOPER INTENSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

August 20 | Tuesday, 2:00-5:00 pm

No Registration Fee for mission developers registered for this CV Training Event.

Housing is included (double occupancy, 1 night).

For NEW and approved newer mission developers (contact Anna-Kari Johnson).

USE THIS LINK: Mission Developer Intensive Learning Experience Link

Note to DEMs: Please share the link with your mission developers who need to take this Mission Developer Intensive Learning Experience. Note that the Mission Developer Intensive Learning Experience link will NOT be included in other links. Participants must use the Mission Developer Intensive Learning Experience link. You will need to send it to them.

• DESCRIPTION: New mission developers will explore their sense of guiding purpose — identify and understand their “why”; and learn the basics of how to carry out ministry as a developer in their mission contexts, including mission developer expectations, toolkit, best practices, networks, coaching and more!

 

Additional Pre-Event Training:

BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW TRAINING

August 16-17 | Friday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm AND Saturday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm

• DESCRIPTION: Behavioral interview training will be offered at Christ Lutheran Church on Friday, August 16, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm (lunch and dinner included), and Saturday, August 17, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm (lunch will be provided). All trainers, training materials and meals (as noted) will be provided.

• Contact Christina Johnson to learn more, 773-380-2597.

 

ELCA LEVEL 1 COACH LAUNCH TRAINING

August 19-20 | Monday & Tuesday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

USE THIS LINK: Coach Launch Link

• DESCRIPTION: Coaching is a skill of using deep listening and powerful questions as you journey with others to empower them to live more fully into their vocations in life. Coaching is a posture that helps you move forward (even through the most difficult things), builds on learning from relationship and is a powerful catalyst for congregational vitality. This course will introduce you to coaching basics and provides an opportunity to practice these skills. Upon completion, you will have a framework to begin using these tools in formal and informal coaching relationships and you will be a Level 1 Coach in the ELCA.

• Please contact Jill Beverlin, ELCA Coaching Coordinator, for criteria and availability, 773-380-2692.

 

ELCA LEVEL 2 SPECIALTY COACH TRAINING: CARE FOR CREATION COACHING LAB

August 21 | Wednesday, 8:30 am – 1:30 pm

• This Coaching Lab experience is for individuals interested in training to become Care for Creation Coaches, providing an experience in restoring creation resources and an opportunity to deepen coaching skills to become a Level 2 coach in the ELCA.

• This is for people who are NOT participating in the Congregational Vitality Training Event. Stewardship/discipleship/mission developer-redeveloper lab training will not be offered at the CV Training Event.

• Please contact Keith Mundy for criteria and availability, 773-380-5045.

 

Questions and Contacts:

• For registration questions or problems, contact Kholoud Khoury (773-380-2830), or Philip Rivera (773-380-2553).
• For overall event logistical questions, contact Kris Mainellis (773-380-2749).
• For content/training questions, contact Anna-Kari Johnson at 773-990-0814, Rob James at 815-721-0079, or Ruben Duran at 630-440-8591, or the contact person listed.

 

 

by Kris A. Mainellis, Program Director for Communication and Events, Congregational Vitality

 

This Ministry Check-In was submitted by Neil Bullock, Stewardship Project Coordinator, Domestic Mission, ELCA

Editor’s note: Sometimes ministry cohorts arrange to go off site as part of their experience at ELCA Congregational Vitality Training Events. The workshop described below took place during the training event held at Community Lutheran Church in Las Vegas, February 6-8, 2019.

 

On Thursday, February 7, 2019, Pastor Dan Lund and Gary Nelson of the Church of the Damascus Road, Weatherford, Texas, joined Craig Whitney and me [Neil Bullock] for a workshop at Reformation Lutheran Church in Las Vegas. Craig and I represented Bethel Church, Chicago.

We were invited by Lead Pastor Jason Adams. I was in contact with Pastor Adams about three weeks before the conference about conducting a workshop on Recovery and Reentry at Reformation. There was a small group from two congregations, Reformation and The Lakes Lutheran Church (also located in Las Vegas).

I gave an introduction of the Recovery and Reentry Cohort and why we were in Las Vegas, and what we are hoping to do, going into the next Congregational Vitality Training Event, coming up in August 2019 in Baltimore, Md.

Pastor Dan shared what the Church of the Damascus Road is doing in Texas with recovery-based Bible study. Gary Nelson shared his testimony of coming out of prison in 2017 and being welcomed by his Lutheran congregation in Texas and how he has started a recovery Bible study at his congregation as an extension of the Church of the Damascus Road. He shared how it has changed his life and his whole family.

Craig Whitney shard his testimony of how he got connected to Bethel Church. He shared how Bethel welcomed him and gave him opportunities to get involved in the reentry ministry. Craig shared how important it is that he is able to be connected into the life of the congregation and not just attend worship. Craig serves on the church council at Bethel. He has recently finished his certification to become a drug and alcohol counselor with the State of Illinois. Craig is a case worker in Chicago at Breakthrough Urban Ministries, a community faith-based organization that offers services to returning citizens.

The workshop was about two hours, and then we returned to the CV Training Event for the afternoon Recovery and Reentry Cohort training track.

 

Church of the Apostles (COTA) in Seattle, Wash., does church differently. Embracing the essential Pacific Northwest traits of exploration and self-expression, the church has been drawing in young adults between the ages of 20 and 40 (and now their families) since its beginning as a storefront new start in June 2002. A key part of COTA’s identity is its focus on connecting with ancient church traditions in creative ways to grow authentic relationships with God and each other.

COTA is a mission of the Northwest Washington Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia. It became an organized congregation in May 2017. Located in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, the church reflects the broader arts culture of its community. COTA seeks to free people to grow in faith by sharing their artistic gifts, boldly, in worship and in life. “We are not about getting to God, but about finding ways for God to get to us,” said the Rev. Ivar Hillesland, pastor.

 

Reclaiming the ‘de-churched’

Seattle and the neighborhood of Fremont, in particular, is well-known for large concentrations of unchurched, or “de-churched,” people. “COTA holds a particular mission towards those who are wary of, or direct victims of, the institutional church and the harms that have been caused in its name,” said Hillesland.

Church of the Apostles seeks innovative ways to replace the negatives with affirming alternatives. Church leaders continually reimagine the context and flow of worship services, finding new ways to build on ancient traditions. Hillesland says he is fascinated with figuring out new ways to be and do church. He thinks of the COTA ministry as a sort of church research and development lab. “We have tried to find as many ways as possible to let God speak through our worship and being, and we’ve had many failures along with our ‘successes.’”

In another nod to the past, the church’s home is the Fremont Abbey, a beautiful Lutheran church building constructed in 1914. The Abbey also houses the Fremont Abbey Arts Center, established by the COTA congregation to meet the community’s desire for a place to come together to create and experience the arts. COTA continues to partner with the center, currently under the leadership of an independent director, to integrate the arts into worship and community life.

Priesthood of all believers in action

Taking to heart the theology of the priesthood of all believers, the church strives to have leaders with diverse backgrounds and life experiences. The tasks of planning worship and preaching can be especially meaningful to those who have been unwelcome to use their gifts in the church because of their gender, race or sexual orientation. “Centering the voices of those traditionally marginalized speaks to our intention to expand gender and racial representation and experience, and it gives us a more expanded understanding of the imago dei, or divine image present in all humans,” explained Hillesland.

COTA members and friends come together Sunday evenings for worship—a mix of personal interaction, art, music, a message, and a time of exploration. Opening the pulpit creates space for varying perspectives and authentic reflection. Worship is also a time to experience the divine through creative expression of ancient liturgies. For example, worship music, often written by Music Director Lacey Brown, reflects “themes of ambiguity, expressed spiritual pain or longing, and expanded multigender metaphors for the Divine persons.” Brown also encourages musicians in the COTA community to create songs centered on specific themes or seasons, culminating in projects like the recently released Epiphany Songs.

In an ever-changing world, COTA grounds itself by connecting the past to the present in a way that is authentic to its identity and purpose. According to Hillesland, “As more and more things seem ephemeral, we find ourselves seeking ancient things, things deeply rooted in tradition that can anchor us in the turbulence while at the same time give us more freedom and space to creatively experience God.” It is this connection that inspires the people of COTA to go out into the world as people transformed in Christ.

by Kris A. Mainellis, Program Director for Communication and Events, Congregational Vitality

The Rev. Mariana Mendez knows how to make the most of difficult situations. Mendez and ministry partners at Misión Luterana Agua Viva work to share God’s love in spite of, or perhaps because of, the challenges of life in El Cenizo, Texas. Located 20 miles south of Laredo, this small, rural city of a little more than 3,000 people is situated just four blocks from the banks of the Rio Grande River. The river serves as the border between the United States and Mexico.

Incorporated in 1989, El Cenizo’s history is framed by its origin as one of hundreds of south Texas colonias established in the 1950s — rural, unincorporated subdivisions lacking basic infrastructure such as potable water, sewer service and electricity. This region continues to be one of the most impoverished areas in the United States.

But Mendez focuses on the positive. She believes that although the community of El Cenizo faces significant challenges, “it also has significant opportunities for life and ministry.” Misión Luterana Agua Viva is a place of refuge, offering help and instilling hope. The church partners with local organizations, agencies and other churches to help the people of El Cenizo survive, find stability and grow through a combination of direct support, education and training.

Empowered leaders share God’s grace

Key to its mission is its focus on cultivating leaders. The church identifies leaders and sends them for training with public agencies. Episcopal and Methodist sister churches and nondenominational partners provide further training in health care, education, self-sustainability and entrepreneurship, nutrition and family care. In addition, Agua Viva works closely with a local pastoral counseling and coaching center, which has (so far) certified and graduated 12 leaders who serve as community facilitators from Agua Viva.

Mendez’s late husband, the Rev. Moises Mendez (who recently passed away), set into motion the church’s ongoing practice to develop and multiply church mission workers. One essential element of training: each leader is charged with identifying and developing other leaders. Mariana believes this practice is essential to accompanying the people of El Cenizo in their efforts to survive and thrive in this Third Culture border town. “We are multiplying the priesthood of all believers as we work together as partners inside the church and in the community to become facilitators of the work of God.”

Mission partners make all the difference

Mariana and Moises were initially called to mission development in Laredo in October 2002. The mission moved to El Cenizo in 2007, where Agua Viva took up residence in two double-wide trailers within four residential lots purchased 14 years earlier by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. With additional partnership and support from the ELCA’s Southwestern Texas Synod and the help of seven partner churches, Agua Viva was able to refurbish the trailers, pay off the mortgage on the land, build a sanctuary, and begin ministry and mission in the community. Agua Viva continues to steward its resources carefully, including ongoing ELCA churchwide mission development support. Mendez credits the Holy Spirit for “helping us to grow the Kingdom of God on earth,” and she appreciates the church’s many partners: “Thank you for your prayers, your commitment and solidarity toward those most in need within our border community.”

“As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” — Jesus (John 17:18 )

by Kris A. Mainellis, Program Director for Communication and Events, Congregational Vitality