Time for Class

Up in La Esmerelda, following the National Council Meeting of the ILAG, were classes for the leaders of the church. Leaders from most of the churches in the ILAG attended. It was fun for me to hear them talking about the Marburg Confession and the 95 thesis of Martin Luther along with discussing what it means to have a new life in Christ using 2 Cor 5:17 and Eph. 1:14. These classes that the leaders all participated in contained much of the same material that I learned over my four years at Luther Seminary as I was prepared to be a pastor in the church.

The group was split into two groups for most of the time… one group had lessons in Spanish inside the church and the other group had classes in K`Kechi (still not sure how to spell that) by the church’s oven outside. Spanish is a second language for most of the members of the ILAG. Every three months or so they gather, in different parishes, and prepare themselves to be not only better leaders but some hope to be Pastors, Catechists, or Ministers of the Word. They do not go through candidacy or official seminary classes at an accredited university or seminary… they cannot afford to leave home and family and for many life in Guatemala City would be too foreign. But the church needs leaders and is using its resources to prepare these who come forward or are chosen to deliver the gospel to the people.

Repeatedly, I have heard Padre Horacio say that the ILAG is one of the churches that preaches the truth of the gospel… one not the only one. Teaching the leaders in one way that ILAG preaches the truth.

That being said… as a woman I have an interesting role. I am not ordained, though I hope to have a call one day, but if I was the community churches are not ready to accept a female as a pastor. El Tuerto, in the City, has expressed a desire to have one of the women in their church ordained… they are ready. She has been working among them for a long time. Padre Horacio is working on improving the role of women in the church and in the communities, but it takes time. He wants me to teach some classes to the leaders in the up coming sessions… on the church year and on confession/absolution… I cannot wait!