Item List

St. Paul's Lutheran Church , Indiana Harbor, Indiana, led by Rev. Theo. Claus who learned Spanish for this outreach, begins ministry on September 14, 1924. He writes, "When I accepted the call of our Indiana Harbor congregation, I should have started this work immediately. But - better late than never! Several times I noticed that Mexicans came to our church. However, not being able to understand the language we used in our services, they derived very little benefit from the services. finally, having been encouraged by several brethren, I decided to study the Spanish language, which all the Mexicans are using. This was about eighteen months ago..." The article, which begins on page 79, describes the first mission efforts and gatherings that led to 40 people attending in 2025.

The Spanish mission among the Mexicans of Chicago opened on August 16, 1925 in the parish hall of Peace Lutheran Church. Thirty-three people were present.

Rev. Jose Fernandez, of Spain, enters the LCMS via colloquy and is ordained and installed for service in Chicago at First Spanish Evangelical Lutheran Church of the LCMS.

Rev. Sergio Cobian arrived in San Antonio, Texas and began evangelizing.

Rev. Andrés Meléndez began serving as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, San Antonio

Rev Martinelli was installed on May 17, 1931, learned Spanish and began Spanish services in October. He ministered in Spanish, Italian, and English.

F C Streufert writes, "In 1932 Synod by resolution transferred the work of the Foreign Tongue, the Jewish, the Indian, the Immigrant, and the Seamen's Missions to the Home Mission Department of the respective Districts in which the work was done. The Foreign Tongue Missions are gradually disappearing. The younger generations speak the English language. The majority of our foreign-tongue churches are for the time being bilingual. For obvious reasons only in Mexico the Foreign Tongue Home Missions have a future."

The November "Noticiero Luterano," includes a directory of churches and pastors: - Trinidad, San Antonio, Texas & Rev. A. Melendez - Getsemani, Vanderbilt, Texas & Rev. Harry H. Smith - Mision Luterana, Bishop Texas & served by R. H. Wuensche - San Pablo, Los Angeles, California & Rev. Bruno Martinelli - 3 Misiones de San Luis, Missouri & Rev. R.A. Jargo - San Juan, New York City, New York & Rev. J. Haviland The December edition adds: - Sion, Three Rivers, Texas & Rev. D. E. Naumann

A Spanish‑language LCMS periodical first published in 1936 with Rev. Andrés Meléndez as its editor. It featured Bible studies, sermon preparation aids, devotionals, and instructional articles for Spanish‑speaking laity and clergy. It was published from 1935 to 1973.

“Dr. Andrew Melendez Spanish Lutheran Hour Speaker, 1941-1972 Dr. Andrew Melendez, a native of Puerto Rico, brought the Gospel to the Spanish speaking world through The Lutheran Hour. He was named Spanish Lutheran Hour speaker in 1941, and for the succeeding thirty-one years his voice was heard throughout Latin America, Spain, and cities in the United States with Spanish-language radio stations. Melendez was instrumental in launching the Spanish magazine Noticiero Luterano (Lutheran Witness), and was editor of Spanish literature for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Melendez' messages, delivered on the Spanish Lutheran Hour, urged its listeners to be sensitive to God's mission. Dr. Melendez spoke in a different language to people of a different culture, but the call of Christ remains the same.“

"In 1944, while he remained Lutheran Hour speaker, Melendez was called to be the Director of Spanish Literature for the LCMS. He translated the Book of Concord, Luther’s Small Catechism, several volumes of Luther’s Works and a Lutheran hymnal, Cantad Al Señor. He also translated tracts, devotional texts and Sunday school materials and books for children, such as Little Visits with God."

"In 1953, Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield conferred upon Melendez the degree of Doctor of Divinity."

"Culto Cristiano was published in 1964 in Argentina as the “most inclusive work published in Spanish under evangelical auspices.” (Preface) The churches and institutions involved were the Lutheran Church in America, the American Lutheran Church, and the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod along with the Latin American committee of the Lutheran World Federation. It came to fill a great need among immigrant churches in the Americas who at that time were still using German and Czechoslovakian hymnals along with Spanish hymnals with lyrics only. Still widely used today, Culto Cristiano was reprinted many times in different formats. The enduring legacy of Culto Cristiano continues in the new Himnario Luterano published in South America in 2022. The name Culto Cristiano was chosen to include the diversity of sources of historical liturgies and Christian denominations." Rev. Dr. Hector Hoppe (Retired Director of Multiethnic Resources, Concordia Publishing House)

“1967 – Zion members help form and support Lutheran Border Ministry. Zion members are involved in the Cristo Rey mission and mercy work in Ciudad Juarez begun by Pastor Schrank (who assisted Zion as vacancy pastor in 1968).” Pastor Schrank was the Rocky Mountain District (then named Colorado District) missionary at large for Hispanic ministry in El Paso.

“Hispanic task force was appointed by the board for missions of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod from January to November 1976… The members of the task force were in alphabetical order: - Dr. A. Aslschwede, Bhe - Rev. Victor Constien, Synod, Education - Rev. Alberto L. Garcia, Chicago. Il (Chair) - Rev. Eugene F. Gruell, Miami, Fl - Rev. Roger Leenerts, N. American Ex, Synod (Secretary) - Mr. Jesus Martinez, Lay Person, La, Ca - Rev. Glenn O’shoney, Mission Ex. Tx Dist. - Mr. Agapito Riojas, Lay Person, Grand Rapids, Mi. - Rev. Dr. Herbert Sims, Professor, Ctc, Rf, Il - Rev. Leopoldo Vigil, Pastor, Harlingen, Tx”

Location: Concordia Teachers College, Chicago, Illinois Theme for the conference: “La Reforma Continua Y Nuestra Mision Hispanica” “Our On-Going Reformation and Our Hispanic Mission Bible text: romans 1:13-17 Since there was not a president or chair, we chose Mr. Carlos Puig to chair meeting. Alberto Garcia volunteered as coordinator for accommodations and travel. Total enrolled and participants for the first conference: - congregations 37 - full time servants in ministry: - 14 ordained pastors - 3 lutheran teachers - 2 deaconesses - 2 certified lay ministers - 3 lay workers - 1 lutheran social worker - 3 vicars in Hispanic ministries - 16 lay representatives from congregations doing Hispanic work - 25 church representatives/ visitors from synod and districts. - 70 counted (at least registered) - of course, members of local congregations in Chicago participated at communion service

"The Institute for Hispanic Ministries was housed at Concordia University, River Forest, Ill., from 1978 to 1987. It prepared men in Spanish language for ordained public ministry and had a three-person full-time faculty. Functioning under the colloquy program, it prepared men for convertible vicarages after 27 months of full-time instruction. About 20 men completed the program."

"[The Rev. Carlos H.] Puig served in the U.S. Navy and worked as a businessman in Miami before beginning his career in the church. His first position with the LCMS was as a missionary at-large to the Hispanic community in Racine, Wis. Puig was later called by the Synod’s Board for Mission Services to serve as the first executive secretary for Hispanic Ministry, a position he began in 1979. Later, he also was responsible for administering the LCMS pastoral colloquy program for Hispanic Ministry. In 1988, Puig joined Concordia Publishing House (CPH) as the director of the Ethnic Resources Department, where he was instrumental in the publication of a Spanish-language edition of The Book of Concord. He also supervised the production of a number of other resources, including a Spanish hymnal and a Hmong hymnal."

Originally named “Centro Cristiano San Pablo,” established by Zion Lutheran Church, El Paso, TX, under the leadership of Rev Steve Hughey and the Rocky Mountain District (then Colorado District). Rev Karl Heimer as Pastor/Director is its founding Pastor/Director. It is now named Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care and San Pablo Lutheran Church in El Paso, TX.

Eighteen fully Spanish magazines were published between 1985 and 1990. It was the official publication of the National Hispanic Conference of the LCMS with valuable theological articles and resources along with news of Hispanic-Latino Lutheran work in the United States and important historical content.

"The Hispanic Institute of Theology, established in 1987 with offices in the Chicago area, prepared Hispanic men for certification for ordained ministry and women for deaconess certification. The Institute also trained lay workers. The program successfully combined video with local instruction in more than 30 cities for a I0-course pre-seminary sequence. Typically, 150 men and women take the pre-seminary courses at any given time, and about 15 men and women are enrolled in seminary-level courses leading to pastoral ministry or deaconess certification."

“[Rev Dr Roberto] Gonzalez served twice as a national executive with LCMS World Mission — as counselor for Hispanic mission-field development in North America from 1998 to 2003, and as counselor for Hispanic ministries from 1989 to 1994. In the four years between those two positions, Gonzalez served the Ohio District as the Synod’s first missionary to Puerto Rico.”

"¡Cantad al Señor! was published in 1991 as an initiative of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod to respond to the need for a more Lutheran hymnal for use in Hispanic churches in the United States and in the mission field. Pastors and musicians from the American continent provided old and new hymns and a new liturgy with a more Latin flavor. This hymnal contains only 111 hymns from various Christian traditions. Although it is known in most Lutheran churches along the continent, it was not adopted as an every Sunday hymnal but used only occasionally. The small number of hymns and the difficulties in distribution might have contributed to this. The liturgy and some hymns were included in Himnario Luterano (2022)." Rev. Dr. Hector Hoppe (Retired Director of Multiethnic Resources, Concordia Publishing House; Cantad al Señor committee member)

A taskforce is formed “in order to ensure of ethnic women of our church in mission.”

With a grant from the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, Ysleta Lutheran Mission and San Pablo Lutheran Church, El Paso, Texas, launched after school music ensembles and classes that included guitar, voice, piano, guitar, piano, trumpet, and percussion plus a brass ensemble, choir, praise band, and mariachi group. The program was called Sounds of Ysleta Music Ministry and later changed its name to Adelante Music Ministry and then Adelante Ministries. The program was directed by Stephen E. Heimer. Mariachi San Pablo was founded in this ministry by Rev. Jose Ruiz Ovalle and Stephen Heimer.

Originally named “Lutheran Hispanic Ministries” becomes a non-profit organization in 2002 and changes its name to Lutheran Latino Ministries when it becomes a 501c3 in 2003. It becomes a Recognized Service Organization of the LCMS IN 2010.

The first National Hispanic Ministry convention was held August 1-5, 2003 in Los Angeles, California with the theme: “Under the Cross of Christ: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.” The President of the Hispanic Mission Society, Rev Eloy Gonzalez, presided. The convention elected its first board of directors: Rev Dr Alberto Gomez, President Rev Alex Merlo, Vice President Susan Gonzalez, Secretary/Treasurer Rev Julio Flamenco, board member Rev Enrique Orozco, board member

“LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick appointed the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Hispanic Ministry in June 2006. He charged the task force to study and determine the best methodology for the Synod to move aggressively in its mission to Hispanics (Latinos).” Members of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Hispanic Ministry Rev. Dr. David Benke, Bronxville, N.Y., president, Atlantic District Rev. Eloy S. Gonzalez, ( chairman), St. Louis, Mo., associate director, Center for Hispanic Studies, Concordia Seminary Rev. Dr. Douglas Groll, Chicago, Ill., retired director, Hispanic Institute of Theology Rev. Carlos Hernandez, San Francisco, Calif., districts and congregations director, LCMS World Relief/Human Care Rev. Jotham Johann Jhang JD, ( ex officio), Alexandria, Va., executive director, Center for Asian Missions and Evangelism and director of Cross Cultural and Ethnic Ministries for LCMS World Mission Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Aurora, Colo., mission executive, Rocky Mountain District Rev. Alex Merlo, Aurora, Ill., pastor, San Pablo Lutheran Church Rev. Angel Perez, (ex-officio), Casselberry, Fla., mission developer, Florida-Georgia District Rev. Robert Selle, Fort Meyers, Fla., mission developer, FloridaGeorgia District Melissa Salomon JD, Chula Vista, Calif., director, Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones, Tijuana, Mexico Susan Gonzalez, North Richland Hills, Texas

Since September 2006, the Center for Hispanic Studies at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, has incorporated- and continued- the work of the Hispanic Institute of Theology.

The Lutheran Hispanic Missionary Institute was established by the Rocky Mountain District in El Paso, Texas, in 2007 and held its first classes in 2008 with Rev. Richard Schlak as its director.

The LCMS testifies to Congress about, "our understanding of the relationship between the church and the state," and application to the issue of immigration. The testimony can be found here (as of November 12, 2025) https://files.lcms.org/file/preview/78w0nreA0K8FZaEFJdHhpl4u5H7Sw6vj

"Some 20 Hispanic church workers and lay leaders from Houston, Brownsville, McAllen, Del Rio and San Antonio came together for the event to discuss the process of growing from a mission plant to a full-fledged member congregation of the Synod. The Rev. Dr. Carlos Hernandez, director of LCMS Church and Community Engagement — which includes the strategic development of Hispanic ministry — led the conference workshop.   “Many of our Hispanic congregations are not organized as congregations that can vote, have a presence at conventions or send the pastor as a delegate,” Hernandez said. “There’s a feeling that our Hispanic congregations don’t have enough of a voice in the matters of our Synod. We want to develop congregations with greater maturity and all the rights and responsibilities that come with it.”

[translated from document written in Spanish] "The Hispanic Ministry of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is led by Rev. Dr. Carlos Hernández, its director (Sacramento, California), and by the following workers who serve under contracts with the Synod and in partnership with Director Hernández: • Rev. Zabdi López – pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Gridley, Calif. • Rev. Rubén Domínguez – pastor of El Buen Pastor Lutheran Church, McAllen, Texas • Deaconess Luz Guerrero – Woodbury Lutheran Church, Woodbury, Minn. Other pastors and deaconesses serve voluntarily in the national Hispanic Ministry and are periodically called to serve nationally in their areas of interest and expertise and in their geographic regions as needed: • Rev. Samuel Gómez – Grace Latino Ministries, Escondido, Calif. • Rev. Tomás Angon – Immanuel Lutheran Church, Valparaiso, Ind. • Rev. Martin Zárate – St. Paul Lutheran Church, Melrose Park, Ill. • Rev. Pablo Domínguez – Cristo Rey Lutheran Church, East Moline, Ill. • Deaconess Raquel Rojas – Redeemer Lutheran Church, Bronx, N.Y. • Deaconess Ligia Morales – Prince of Peace, Orlando, Fla. Our goal is to develop a national network of Regional Hispanic Ministry, composed of counselors and advisors who can assist in strengthening existing Hispanic ministries and in creating new ones."

"Nueva Vida — which means “new life” — is the first Hispanic congregation to be chartered in the LCMS Southeastern District. At the service, the Rev. Pedro Lopez was installed as Nueva Vida’s founding pastor. But this moment was years in the making. The Hispanic outreach that would eventually become Nueva Vida started in 2008 when three congregations in Circuit 9A in northern Virginia — St. John’s Lutheran Church in Alexandria, Va.; Prince of Prince Lutheran Church, Springfield, Va.; and Grace Lutheran Church, Woodbridge, Va. — partnered to form a covenant in Hispanic ministry."

The convention’s president, the Rev. Dr. Leopoldo Sánchez, told Reporter that its main objective is “to offer Hispanic workers in our districts — and others who work in Hispanic ministries with them — a much-needed time of learning, fellowship, empowerment and refreshment so that they can return to their ministries re-energized and with a renewed commitment to continue their challenging work.”

La Liga Misionera Hispana se incorporó como una entidad 501(c)(3) para ser la entidad legal y agente fiscal, y el medio para implementar las prioridades de la Convención Nacional Hispana de la LCMS.

"By any measure, Himnario Luterano was a mammoth undertaking. Over 14 years in the making, it is the result of a collaboration reaching from the “Southern Cone” (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay) to South America, Central America, and North America. Its lofty goal: unite Hispanic Lutherans around the world with the same hymns and common orders of worship. Using Lutheran Service Book as a model, it is an elegant hymnal and a highly worthy successor to Cantad al Señor. Barry L. Bobb With special thanks to Professor Sergio Adrián Fritzler (editorial committee), Rev. Dr. Ted Krey (LCMS), and Ross Johnson (Interim Facilitator of LCMS Hispanic Ministry).

LCMS National Mission includes Hispanic ministry in the work supported by All Nations Ministry. Its All Nations Council includes representatives from the Hispanic Missionary League and the National Hispanic Convention.

Members of the boards for the National Hispanic Convention and the Hispanic Missionary League serve as representatives of Hispanic Ministry in the first All Nations Council: Rev. Juan Zamora and Rev. Rodrigo Fernandez

Rev. German Novelli is installed as the new director of Hispanic Ministry for Lutheran Hour Ministries.