It's official!!

Dearest family, friends, and supporters...Greetings and peace in the name of Jesus Christ, our light and our life!

It was made official yesterday afternoon when Pastor Pedro Bullon, President of ILEP (la Iglesia Luterana Evangelica Peruana) installed me as the Pastor at San Juan Camino de Esperanza, I am now an ILEP pastor! More than thirty children and twenty adults (approximately) came to the service, and our little chapel was packed full! What an exciting time for all of us.


As the children gathered, there was much energy, noise, enthusiasm, hugs, and boisterous singing...what a wonderful way to begin!



There was lots of music, thanks to our musicians, Mario and Samuel...


Pastora Adita Torres preached an inspiring message linking our baptisms with that of Jesus Christ, while recalling that it was my cross-cultural trip here four years ago with the LTS (Lutheran Theological Seminary) and God's working in these years, that led me to serve here. All of these activities, God's activities, are grounded in those baptismal, life-giving waters. We sang "Tu has venido a la orilla", "You have come down to the Lakeshore", a reminder of our call as disciples, a call that begins at the "lakeshore", in the waters of our baptism.






As part of the Installation Liturgy, I received a chalice (cup), a paten (plate) and the Holy Bible, symbols of the office of Pastor: Word and Sacrament.


And with being given the official welcome, I presided at the Eucharist (in Spanish of course!) for the first time as their Pastor. It went pretty well considering it was the first time to preside as Pastor and in another language.


Plus, I was, and am still, very emotional when I consider all that has happened in recent years to bring me to this time and place, to serve God's people in this partnership with ELCIC and ILEP.














Following the worship service, we gathered for fellowship and celebration in the open area of our grounds and it was a nice way to visit, hug and begin to meet more people from the area!











Some of our members....Carlos with daughters, Laurena and Pati..











Ida and Luzaurora...











Gladys, myself, Ana Maria, and the girls....





Thanks be to God for this precious, holy time in which to be in ministry and partnership together...to share one another's joys and sorrows, talents and dreams! Thank you, ELCIC, supporters, ELW's, prayer partners, friends and family, for making all of these connections and relationships possible! We stand at the beginning of something incredible in this congregation of believer's...as the Gospel text for this Sunday affirms, "Come and See" the revealing of Godself through Jesus Christ. It is an invitation to all of us to be witnesses of Jesus Christ present with us. And surely, Jesus Christ was present with us in this beginning, in this Installation service, as Jesus will continue to walk with all of us. For this, our congregation is apty named "Camino de Esperanza", "The Way of Hope"....

With peace, joy, and love,

Pastora Fran.