wfn.org | LCMS Delegates receive greetings from overseas partner churches

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@wfn.org>]

The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
Board for Communication Services
1333 S. Kirkwood Road St. Louis, MO 63122-7295

61st Regular Convention St. Louis, Mo. July 14-20, 2001

July 19, 2001 #42

Contact: Bruce Kueck (314) 342-5715

Delegates receive greetings from overseas partner churches

ST. LOUIS The leaders of three overseas Lutheran churches brought greetings 
Thursday, July 19, to the 61st Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church 
Missouri Synod. The convention is meeting here through Friday, July 20.

Dr. Carlos Winterle of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil, Bishop 
David Piso of Good News Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea, and Rev. Abuit 
Fajardo of the Lutheran Synod of Mexico each spoke briefly to the 
convention. The three leaders told delegates that they were happy to be 
invited to the convention and extended personal thanks to LCMS President 
Robert T. Kuhn for their invitation.

Winterle reminded delegates that the two church bodies share in the mission 
to "Tell the Good News about Jesus." Both, he said, are "looking for the 
opportunity to share Christ with people." He also thanked the LCMS for the 
past 100 years of prayer and support for his church body. Winterle gave the 
LCMS a cross made of Brazilian wood and a small, freestanding Brazilian flag.

Piso said he was "happy and thankful" to be at the convention. In his 20 
years as president of his church body, he has never been to an LCMS convention.

"Thank you & for sending precious, very good missionaries," Piso said. He 
added, "We probably got the best ones."

Piso said that the LCMS missionaries sent to Papua New Guinea have been 
instrumental in spreading the Good News of Jesus through their country. He 
said his church body is proud to be a partner of The Lutheran Church 
Missouri Synod. "Missouri has the heart & Missouri has everything the Lord 
has given," he said.

Coming from a country of 100 million people, Mexico s Fajardo expressed his 
concern for the lack of growth of the Lutheran church in his country. With 
90 percent of the Mexican population being Roman Catholic, Fajardo asked 
the LCMS to "pray and pray" for the Lutheran church to grow.

On a lighter note, Fajardo expressed thankfulness that the Missouri Synod s 
president-elect is from "the north part of Mexico." The president-elect, 
Dr. Gerald Kieschnick, who is president of the Synod s Texas District, 
laughed along with the rest of the delegates.