Protestant church in La Plata becomes new partner church of the ELM

The Evangelical Church of La Plata (IERP) in Argentina has been working with the Evangelical Lutheran Missionary Organisation for decades. The IERP has long since created volunteer work opportunities for volunteers from Germany and also regularly sends South-North volunteers to Germany. Now the cooperation is to be put on a binding and sustainable footing. At this institutional level, cooperation will also become less dependent on the time commitments of individuals, as Dr Mirjam Laaser, Head of the International Church Cooperation Department at the Ev.-luth. Mission in Lower Saxony (ELM), emphasised.

On 28 April 2025, Church President Leonardo Schindler and General Secretary Ricardo Schlegel, representing the IERP, and Holger Siebert and Holger Nerlich, representing the Ev.-luth Mission in Lower Saxony, signed a contract that now has to be approved by the ELM's Mission Committee. This means that the IERP is on its way to becoming the 20th partner church of the ELM.

The President of the IERP, Leonardo Schindler, commented on the signing with a look at the church and society: "At a time when individualism is on the rise, we are sending out a signal that we want to be a church and walk together." The division in society is also increasing in Argentina. "We have common ground in the problems that we want to solve," said Schindler.

The document that has now been signed is "not just a piece of paper", emphasised Andrea Rodriguez-Weiss, treasurer of the Evangelical Church of La Plata, but a commitment that has been worked out together and that speaks of a future with God.

Holger Siebert also focussed on the shared faith in his introductory speech. The day's motto from Luke 18:35-43 tells how Jesus "opens the eyes" of a blind man. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asks the blind man. "Lord, that I may see," he replies. "This question also goes to us: what should we do for each other?" said Holger Siebert, asking for God's help in this endeavour. The aim of the partnership is to grow together in faith - learning, celebrating and serving. And also to recognise where we may have "blind spots".

Background:

The Evangelical Church of La Plata (Iglesia Evangélica del Río de la Plata - IERP) is a united church in the countries of Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. It goes back to German-speaking immigrants. The church currently consists of 42 congregations in seven districts. The synod, which meets every two years , is the highest body of the church. It elects a church leadership headed by the church president, who has been Leonardo Schindler since 2018. The IERP currently has around 25,150 members.