wfn.org | Lutheran Church in Puerto Rico Celebrates Centennial

[Brenda Williams <BRENDAW@elca.org>]

Reply-To: ElcaNews <ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG>
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

December 3, 1998

LUTHERAN CHURCH IN PUERTO RICO CELEBRATES CENTENNIAL
98-42-239-MR

     BAYAMON, Puerto Rico (ELCA) -- Lutherans in Puerto Rico and
from
around the world celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Lutheran
presence
in Puerto Rico through a festive worship service here Oct. 31 at the
Interamericana University of Puerto Rico.  More than 1,000 Lutherans
attended the two-hour worship service organized by the Evangelical
Lutheran
Church in America's Caribbean Synod.
     The history of the island and its people, who are a combination
of
"Taino"  (original inhabitants), European (Spain) and African races,
was
told through dance and music at the beginning of worship.  The
service
featured a 100-member choir made up of singers and musicians from the
26
ELCA congregations in Puerto Rico.
     The Rev. Rafael Malpica-Padilla, bishop of the ELCA's Caribbean
Synod
from 1987 to 1993, preached the sermon.
     "The local news gives us an idea of the crises we are
experiencing in
Puerto Rico today," said Malpica. "The official unemployment rate is
13 to
14 percent; there is an increase in the crime rate and deterioration
of
public safety; and there is economic instability.  The crisis is not
only
financial.  Every day we witness the brokenness of our social and
moral
fiber."
     Malpica is director for the Latin America and Caribbean desk of
the
ELCA's Division for Global Mission.
     "The great effort toward reconstruction in our country is not
limited
to the recovery of the recent weather catastrophe," Malpica said.
"The
challenge that lies ahead of us is how to communicate hope ... how we
can
restore faith in the promise of a life plentiful and abundant."
     "Hurricane Georges left behind losses of human lives, and of
private
and public property.  The hurricane made us realize our
vulnerability,"
Malpica said.
     Hurricane Georges tore across Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands
before making its way through the rest of the Caribbean and to the
Gulf
Coast states late September.
     "The efforts of public agencies, civic organizations and
religious
groups had been channeled toward the reconstruction of our country.
Restoration of electrical and telephone systems, cleanup of debris,
efforts
to provide temporary shelter to those who lost their homes, pastoral
accompaniment in the emotional and spiritual recovery of victims
took
place," he said.
     The worship service was a special component of the ELCA's
Global
Mission Event, held Oct. 30-Nov. 1 at the San Juan Grand Beach
Hotel.
"Communicate Hope" was the theme of the event organized by the
ELCA's
Division for Global Mission.
     After the service the Rev. James Kenneth Echols, president of
the
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, presented the "Community of
the
Cross" award to the Rev. Francis L. Sosa, bishop of the ELCA's
Caribbean
Synod, for his commitment "to move forward the Lutheran mission by
means of
the ELCA's Caribbean Synod."
     The Rev. Frederick E.N. Rajan, executive director of the ELCA's
Commission for Multicultural Ministries, also presented Sosa with a
plaque
commemorating the centennial.
     Guests included the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of
the
ELCA, the Rev. Ramon Miguel Benito Ebanks, bishop for Iglesia
Evangelica De
Confesion  Luterana en Cuba (Evangelical Church of the Lutheran
Confession
in Cuba), and Dr. Walter Gwenigale, medical director for Phebe
Hospital,
Suakoko, Liberia.

For information contact:
Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Director 1-773-380-2955 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html