Celebrating 150 years of Presbyterian partnership in Chile

Grace Presbytery’s general presbyter speaks at the celebration

by Dennis A. Smith, World Mission | Special to Presbyterian News Service

SANTIAGO, Chile — The sanctuary at Unión Cristiana Presbyterian Church in Santiago, Chile was full the evening of Sunday, July 21, as representatives of all four presbyteries of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Chile (IEPeCh) gathered to give thanks to God for 150 years of mission partnership with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

The message was brought by Rev. Dr. Jan DeVries, General Presbyter of Grace Presbytery in Texas. Grace Presbytery’s Director of Ministry Services, Joanna Kim, accompanied DeVries to explore possible future avenues of mission partnership with the IEPeCh.

In her sermon, DeVries focused on Ephesians 4:1-16, emphasizing that the unity of the church is a gift we receive from Jesus Christ, not some accommodation that we cobble together through our own partisan efforts. In this text, she observed, Paul was seeking “how to enable a diverse group of people, all equally zealous in their faith, to stand in the unity they had in Jesus Christ instead of giving in to their differences.”

The key leadership roles assumed by women in this denomination was eloquently illustrated as IEPeCh Executive Secretary Rev. Jaqueline Troncoso led communion and the elements were distributed by four women elders. Chilean Presbyterians began ordaining women as ruling elders back in the 1930s.

Presbyterian World Mission was represented by Rev. Dr. Valdir França, Area Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, and by the author, who’s the regional liaison for South America. Smith brought greetings from the Presbyterian Church of Venezuela (IPV), where he visited earlier in the month, affirming the warm and supportive welcome given to IPV members, recent immigrants to Chile, by the IEPeCh.

At the annual pastors retreat that preceded the anniversary celebration, França led the group as they identified key pastoral challenges facing the IEPeCh today. Participants highlighted four current issues:

• Migration — Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, Haitians, Colombians, Peruvians and others have emigrated to Chile in recent years. How can the church be welcoming to the stranger and advocate for their rights in Chilean society?
• Theological education and leadership training — Many pastors are getting older and most congregations are led by part-time ministers. Thankfully, the Comunidad Teológica Evangélica (CTE), another PC(USA) mission partner in Chile, now offers seminary studies with accredited academic degrees through an innovative arrangement with the Catholic University of Valparaiso. This means that those called to ministry can now receive an accredited degree that will allow them to seek employment in other fields while also serving as pastors or lay leaders in local churches.
• Liturgy — As many churches are opting for religion as spectacle, the IEPeCh is trying to discern how to offer their communities thoughtful, joy-filled worship. Participants noted that setting up a drum kit beside the communion table and projecting praise songs on the church wall may not be the best way to attract youth to worship.
• Diaconal ministry — More and more people are falling between the cracks in Chilean society. How do we rethink the use of our church buildings? Can they be used as community centers for after-school activities in addition to worship? Have we mapped our neighborhoods to understand current needs and priorities?

Rev. Dr. Jorge Cárdenas, moderator of the IEPeCh, noted that although the Chilean church is a small denomination, it has a long tradition of speaking truth to power, even during the difficult years of Chile’s military dictatorship. For years, he said, the IEPeCh leadership has shared pastoral letters with members that have been unafraid to tackle the difficult issues facing Chilean society, including corruption and increasing social polarization as wealth and opportunity have accrued mostly to the elites.

“Continuing to partner with the PC(USA),” concluded Cárdenas, “gives us the gift of walking together and learning from one another as we proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed.”

Dennis Smith is Presbyterian World Mission’s regional liaison for South America.

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Celebrating 150 years of Presbyterian partnership in Chile