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Sunday, May 4, 2014

IELB 110 Years Convention and Worship




President Matthew Harrison (translated by Rev. Gerson Lindon -- pictured above) gave the keynote presentation at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil's (IELB) 61st convention. The IELB is celebrating their 110 year as a church in Brazil. His presentation was titled, "The Challenge to Preserve Confessional Identity" based upon Martin Luther's On Counsels and the Church. The Brazilian Convention of approximately 1500 delegates have President Harrison a standing ovation.



International Lutheran Council (ILC) and other international guests greeted the IELB during the convention.



A significant moment of the Brazilian convention came when the IELB signed a protocol document with the Lutheran church in Uruguay for altar and pulpit fellowship. The IELB also
committed to doing church planting in Mozambique.




In between sessions of the IELB convention, the ILC conducted strategic planning. A significant part of the time was spent planning the next ILC World Conference to be held in South America in the fall of 2015.



Over 7,000 people who arrived by the bus load came for the worship commemorating the 110th year of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil. The choir alone numbered in the thousands. Last year the IELB had over 5,000 people attend a mission festival. This sort of attendance is reminisce of the sorts of crowds who came to events in the Missouri Synod 50 years ago.



From Brazil, we travel to Argentina to meet with the Lutheran church.

- Posted on 4 May 2014 by Dr Albert Collver using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:ES-010,Aracruz,Brazil

Saturday, May 3, 2014

ILC Meeting in Brazil




ILC President Hans-Jörg Voigt talks to Rev. Ted Krey, LCMS Latin American Regional Director, about the situation of the church in Latin America. The ILC Executive Committee met in Acracuz, Brazil for the 61st Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (IELB) where Rev. Egon Kopereck was re-elected as President on 2 May 2014.




The ILC Executive Committee was interviewed by press for the IELB and brought greetings. (Pictured above in top frame: Dr. Albert Collver, ILC Executive Secretary and Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee, President of the Lutheran Church Canada). Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, President of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, attended as a special guest of the ILC.



Apart from the ILC Executive Committee's regular business, it met to develop a strategic plan around the ILC's objectives.
The ILC exists for the purpose of encouraging, strengthening, and promoting confessional Lutheran theology and practice centering in Jesus Christ, both among member churches and throughout the world
▪ by providing opportunities for the joint study of contemporary theological issues.
▪ by giving mutual support and encouragement to the heads of member church bodies.
▪ by encouraging and assisting member churches in planning for mission outreach.
▪ by strengthening theological education through conferences of theologians and seminary teachers, mission staffs and those involved with human care.
▪ by facilitating communication between confessional Lutheran churches of the world through the publication of ILC News.
▪ by stimulating and facilitating the preparation and publication of confessional Lutheran literature.




The ILC Executive Committee containing representatives from around the world continues to meet in between attending the Brazilian convention. The ILC Executive Committee members (pictured above left to right): Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, ILC Executive Secretary; Archbishop Christian Ekong of the Lutheran Church of Nigeria and ILC representative for the Africa region; Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK), Chairman of ILC; President Egon Kopereck of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil and ILC representative for Latin America Region, President Matthew Harrison of the LCMS, ILC special guest; President Robert Bugbee of the Lutheran Church Canada, ILC Vice Chairman and ILC representative for the North American Region; Rev. Jon Ehlers, Chairman of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England and ILC representative of the Eurasia Region; Rev. Gijsbertus van Hattem, President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Belgium (ELKB) and ILC Secretary; President James Cerdinõla of the Lutheran Church of the Philippines and ILC representative for the Asia Region.

- Posted on 3 May 2014 using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Rodovia ES-10,Aracruz,Brazil