Global Mission

Oregon Synod Global Mission Event
February 2, 2008
Zoar Lutheran Church
Canby, Oregon
Canby, Oregon -

Bishop Dave Brauer-Rieke and Bishop Victoria Cortez Rodriguez

The Oregon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) holds a Global Mission Event annually. This year's event was held February 2 at Zoar Lutheran, Canby with the founder of the Nicaraguan Lutheran Church of Hope, Bishop Victoria Cortez Rodriguez, as the keynote presenter.

Bishop Cortez, who also serves as vice-president of the Lutheran World Federation for the Latin America and Caribbean region, impressed the crowd of more than 140 Lutherans from across Oregon with her wisdom and humor.

Bishop Cortez recounted the history of the Lutheran church in Nicaragua for the refugee community of Salvadorans who settled there during the years of the civil war in El Salvador. The attendees were deeply moved by her personal story of fleeing her native El Salvador and arriving in Nicaragua with nothing – no property, no friends, and no family – but literally bumping into Christian friends who had fled earlier. They greeted her with “Today the Lutheran Church has arrived in Nicaragua !”

Bishop Cortez shared that the church is almost 80 percent young people. It has been through the youth that the parents, young families, and elders have joined the church. The church is deeply involved in the lives of the poor and emphasizes the importance of showing the love of Christ. She stressed the inclusion of all people. “I’m not interested in whether people become Lutheran,” she said. “I invite anyone who wants to share the Word of God.”

Bishop Cortez went on to explain her understanding of the term companionship. She said, “Companionship is our ability to reach out our arms to embrace and to walk together. We don’t hold out our hand and ask how much money will you give me? We hold out our hand for a handshake. The Nicaraguan people have a richness of faith because we have Jesus in our heart. We are a church filled with enthusiasm. We want to share that with you.”

Later in the day the bishop spoke with participants during 2 one-hour workshops.

During those 2 workshop times, 25 presenters offered 19 workshops on topics such as creating dialogue between Christians and Muslims, the evolution of global mission, encouragement of cultural competency, fair trade, global music in congregations, work of the ELCA Hunger Appeal, mission work during retirement, and more.

Just about anyone can take advantage of this learning event to broaden their understanding of global mission, gather resources, network with others and discover new ways to enhance congregational and individual global mission. Next year’s event will be held at Our Savour's Lutheran Church in Salem on February 7. For more information contact the Oregon Synod Global Mission Chair, Delores Vilstrup at 503-281-4191

The Oregon Synod (www.oregonsynod.org) is made up of 118 congregations and more than 45,000 members. The Oregon Synod Office is in Portland.

The ELCA is the nation's largest Lutheran denomination with more than 5 million baptized members in more than 10,657 congregations organized into 65 synods. Find out more about the ELCA at www.elca.org.

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