The Word of the Lord endures forever

On October 3, 2024, we celebrated, along with our preschool children and their families, 21 years of our Christian preschool. On October 7, local authorities shut it down. We knew we were approaching a turning point and had been hopeful that we might be able to expand our community education program this school year. But the decision went the other way.

What happened? Since mid-September we were involved in the latest round of a struggle that continued for more than a decade. To begin at the beginning, we started our preschool with the help of a non-governmental organization that existed in the early 2000s. This philanthropic enterprise, Fundación del Niño, provided foodstuffs for preparing nutritionally balanced breakfast and lunch, and certified teachers to establish neighborhood preschools in private homes that met certain standards for health and safety. Luz Maria enrolled her home in this program and we were off to the races. The foundation was quite pleased with our ability to meet the material needs of the children, and had no problem with the fact that our daily routine included prayer, Bible readings, Christian songs and Biblically oriented crafts.

As time went on, the Ministry of Education of the state of Barinas took over more and more of the funding and administration of the program. Eventually, all of the in-home preschools but ours were closed. We were able to keep ours open because of overwhelming support from the surrounding community. But every year since 2012 we have had to contend with a faction within the state bureacracy that wants to close our preschool. Every year we have won the argument with support from the families of our preschool children, although with constantly changing, at times arbitrary regulations. From 2003 to 2020, children attended our preschool from two to six years of age, with a graduation ceremony to see them off to first grade. Since 2020, the parents, although they prefer our preschool, have had to transfer their children to state-run preschools at three years of age with no farewell.

We have long suspected this oposition was ideological in nature. Luz Maria recalls how, some time ago, a representative of the school district told her that we should be prepared to be assigned a homosexual teacher. Luz Maria told the representative that was a non-negociable “No”. 

This time we were told plainly that the only way our preschool could continue to operate was if a) we turned our property over to the state; and b) eliminated all the religious content from our educational program. Once again, the community rallied to our support. More than 200 people signed a petition to keep our preschool open. For awhile it seemed like the fight was in our favor, with the possibility we might even be able expand beyond the preschool level. Then came the October 7 announcement and, two days later, the confiscation of preschool furniture and equipment that had been lent to us in 2003. The families staged a protest at the preschool to which their children had been transferred. They have not given up and plan to make further appeals.

So we are considering ways to continue our ministry in a somewhat different form. One option still open to us is registering as a completely private school. This would require, first of all, that we would have to charge tuition. Since the community wants what we have to offer, at least some parents may well be willing to pay minimal tuition. Third, we would be completely responsible for paying at least one teacher with full benefits. 

Otherwise, we still have Luz Maria´s afterschool tutoring. We could expand that program to include weekend workshops in remedial mathematics and English, for example. Also, there is the possibility of seminars in other subjects of interest to the community, such as gardening and food preparation. In any event, we will have to turn the page and start a new chapter in our ministry, God willing. We have walked in faith since the beginning, and, by His grace, have stayed the course for 21 years. Thanks be to the Lord for that, and we trust that the future is in His hands.

507 years of the Reformation

On Sunday, October 27, we observed Reformation Sunday at our mission in La Caramuca. It was a low-key event this year, although in the past a number of people have received first communion at our Reformation service. These include Diana Carolina Torres, Jeckson Gabriel Marquez, Kimberly Marquez, Sandro Perez, Noel Alexander Marquina, Pedro Santana, Karelis Santana, Jimmy Perez, Angi Perez, Deisi Torres, Yovanny Torres, Yhonny Torres, Jeison Manuel Arellano, Anyi Garrido and Oriana Montoya, 
On October 31, we observed Reformation Day with an evening service at Corpus Christi Lutheran Church, our sister congregation in Barrio El Cambio, Barinas. Corpus Christi currently does not have a full-time pastor. After the service, we celebrated with cake and popcorn, not only the Reformation, but 25 years of marriage for Ludy and Adonay Tarazona, members of Corpus Christi.
The sermon text was the same for both services: "Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth -- to ever nation, tribe, tongue, and people -- saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water" (Revelation 14:6-7). 
This verse teaches that evangelism involves proclamation of God's righteousness (the Law) and God's mercy (the good news or Gospel of salvation through faith in Christ). All have sinned and fallen short of God's righteous, but Jesus paid the penalty for all on the cross. But for forgiveness to be received, there must be recognition of sin, which the Law brings, and repentance which flows from faith in God's Word.

Lex orandi, lex credendi: 500 years of Lutheran hymnals

Prosper of Aquitaine, a disciple of St. Augustine, coined the Latin phrase, "Lex orandi, lex credendi". Literally it means, "Rule of prayer, rule of belief". More broadly, the structure and content of worship both reflects and shapes personal belief. This has been the guiding philosophy of 500 years of Lutheran hymnals, as we learned from the Rev. Dr. Sergio Fritzler, director of Concordia El Reformador Seminary in the Dominican Republic. Dr. Fritzler presented an overview of the development of hymnals up until the time of Johann S. Bach in a October 30 Facebook conference.The first distinctly Lutheran hymnal was published in 1524. Although it was a complete paragraph of German text, it was more widely known as "Achtliederbuch" ("The Book of Eight Songs"). Five songs were written by Martin Luther, two by Paul Speratus and one by Justus Jonas. The Luther songs are included, in Himnario Luterano, the new Spanish-language hymnal published by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation.

On October 25, Luz Maria and I participated in a Zoom conference in which Dr. Douglas Rutt, professor emeritus  at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Missouri, spoke on the "Reformation in its Global Contact", particulary with reference to the European colonization of the Western Hemisphere.

God is our refuge and strength

To prepare for our celebration of Reformation Sunday on October 29, our youth made copies of Luther’s Rose out of construction paper and tissue while learning the significance of the symbol. We also practiced singing “Castillo Fuerte” (“A Mighty Fortress”) and “Dios es nuestro amparo” (“God is our refuge”). Both of these hymns are based on Psalm 46. “Castillo Fuerte”, number 546 in our new hymnal, is a Spanish translation of Martin Luther’s “Ein Feste Burg” by Juan Bautista Cabrera (1837-1916), with the musical arrangement by Johann Sebastian Bach. The author of “Dios es nuestro amparo”, number 545 in Himnario Luterano, is unknown, but it is a favorite among Venezuelan Lutherans. Other Reformation Day hymns included “Justificados, pues, por fe”, 802 in our hymnal. It’s another anonymous tune, but the lyrics are straight from Romans 5:1 in the Reina-Valera Bible (equivalent to the King James Bible in the Spanish-speaking world).

Angi Santana.

Angi Santana, Luz Maria’s daughter, mounted the Luther roses on more solid cardboard for wall mounting. Then, on Sunday, each of the youth were presented with their plaque and encouraged to explain its significance to family members who were not in attendance.

During the week following Reformation Sunday, I shared with the preschool children the story of King Josiah's reformation in 2 Kings 22:1-23:30. The people of Judah had fallen into idolatry and error. The Temple of Jerusalem was in disrepair. The king and high priest were surprised when they found an original copy of the writings of Moses. He publicly read the book of the covenant to the people, beginning the restoration of true worship.

Next Sunday we will observe All Saints Day. Of course, October 31, 1517, is the exact date on which Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the doors of what is often called “the Castle Church” in Wittenberg, Germany, signalling the start of the Reformation of the 16th Century. In fact, the name of the church is All Saints Church. It was the chapel for Wittenberg University and the common practice was posting news and announcements on its wooden doors for the university community. Very likely no one gave Luther a second glance as he put up his document. Nowadays the doors are made of cast bronze with the 95 Theses engraved on them.

Presentation of plaques.

We cannot know exactly what Luther was thinking at the time, but it was fortuituous for him to post the 95 theses on the doors of All Saints Church on the eve of All Saints Day. In his theses, a series of propositions offered for academic debate, Luther challenged the idea that the Pope could use a treasury of merit earned through devotion and good works by people declared to be “saints” by the Roman church to alleviate the time served by less exemplary people as penance in Purgatory with letters of indulgence.

The early Christian church singled out for special honor those departed believers who had suffered imprisonment, torture, exile or death for their faith. Near the end of the second century, confessors (those who suffered for the faith, but were not put to death) were distinguished from martyrs (those who died for the faith). After the end of Roman persecutions, a confessor was a Christian noted for virtuous life. The building of churches above the graves of confessors and martyrs by the third century developed into the custom of placing their relics under or in altars and invoking their intercession. We still follow the custom of acknowledging heroes of the faith in the New Testament or early church history with the title of saint (e.g., St. Paul, St. Augustine). But, thanks to Luther and his fellow reformers, we now understand the entire church, both on earth and in heaven, to be the communion of the saints, who are all who have been declared righteous in God’s eyes through faith in Jesus Christ. According to the Lutheran Confessions, the saints in heaven may pray for the church on earth (Apology to the Augsburg Confession XXI 9), yet it does not follow that they are to be invoked. The saints in heaven are not mediators of intercession or redemption (Apology XXI 14–30). Invocation and prayers to saints are prohibited (Smalcald Articles-II II 25), but the confessions approve honoring the saints (Augsburg Confession XXI 4) in three ways: 1. By thanking God for examples of His mercy; 2. By using the saints as example for strengthening our faith; 3. By imitating their faith and other virtues.

The reformation of King Josiah.

A special day to honor all was kept on May 13 in the churches of the eastern Roman Empire according to Ephraem Syrus (who died around 373 A.D.) This may be why Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon, a former pagan temple, in Rome and an architectural marvel with the world’s largest masonry dome, as a church in honor of the Virgin Mary and all martyrs on May 13, 609 (which it remains to this day). But early in the eighth century, Pope Gregory III dedicated a chapel in Rome on November 1 in honor of all departed saints. In 837 Pope Gregory IV ordered the observance of All Saints Day on November 1 throughout western Christendom. By the end of the 13th Century, November 2 was designated as All Souls Day to follow All Saints Day as the day to request requiem masses for those believed to be in purgatory.

In Venezuela, the second day of November often is called el Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), but unlike Mexico there is no skull candy, parades or altars in the graveyard with food offerings for the departed. For many people, the day has little religious significance, but rather is the customary time to visit, clean and place fresh flowers on the graves of loved ones. Halloween is considered a North American holiday. Although retail stores will put up Halloween displays and sell Halloween-related merchandise, many evangelical sects strongly oppose Halloween for its supposed pagan origins.

So what about those pagan origins? The Samhain harvest festival appears to be a purely Irish, not a pan-Celtic, tradition. It’s not even mentioned in any historical documents until the ninth century, long after St. Patrick evangelized Ireland in the fifth century. Whether either Pope Gregory III in 731 or Pope Gregory IV in 837 was worried about any survival of Irish paganism is not certain. Scottish and Irish immigrants did bring some of their folkways to the United States in the 19th Century, which became popularized as Halloween traditions. For example, their skill at carving out turnips or beets to place candles inside was applied to the pumpkin, a very North American plant. (A similar type of giant squash, known as auyama, is found in Venezuela, but it is a different species (Cucurbita moschata) than the North American pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo).) “Trick or treating”, as we know it, began in Canada in the 1920s. While a direct link between modern Halloween and ancient Celtic paganism is dubious at best, there is reason to think of Halloween as primarily a North American secular holiday.

What we must consider is not the origin of Halloween, but what it has become, which is, for many people, an excuse to dabble in the occult. Certainly in my own experience, Halloween was a lot more fun in a social environment where witchcraft was only make-believe. That’s not the environment in which we now live. So we prefer to emphasize the significance of All Saints Day in church history, especially in relation to the Reformation. On this All Saints Sunday, we will remember the members or relatives of our members who have passed to eternal life:

• Marisol Torrealba

• Daniel Ramírez

• Xiomara del Carmen Torrealba

• Carmen Benicia Garrido

• Ramón Escorcha

The church sings the faith

From October 21 until December 2, Luz Maria and I will be participating in an online course in introducing the new Spanish hymnal led by Gustavo Arturo Maita, the pastor of Príncipe de Paz (Prince of Peace) Lutheran Church, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. He was baptized and raised as a member of Cristo Rey (Christ the King) Lutheran Church in Maturín, Venezuela, and was, in fact, the first child in Venezuela to receive a Lutheran education scholarship from LeadaChild. The Olathe, Kansas-based mission agency has provided similar scholarships to our preschool children since 2006.

Gustavo Arturo Maita.

Pastor Maita began formal theological studies with the Juan de Frías Theological Institute in Venezuela and continued at Concordia Seminary in Buenos Aires,Argentina. He served his vicarage in the Dominican Republic and graduated from Concordia Seminary in Argentina. In 2017, he received a divine call from the Lutheran Church of Venezuela to serve as an Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod alliance missionary in Puerto Rico. As a church-planting pastor, he has shared preaching and teaching responsibilities at multiple church plants. Additionally, Pastor Maita is the Disaster Response Coordinator for Puerto Rico and provides long-distance disaster response consulting and in-person workshops for church leaders and laity in countries across the Caribbean.He is married to LCMS missionary Ruth Maita, a teacher who also serves in Puerto Rico. The couple has been blessed with two children, Mikhaela and Isaiah.

Go Beyond with Team South America

On November 8-9, 2023, we will participate with other Global Lutheran Outreach (GLO) missionaries in an online event to raise money for GLO to provide us with critical support services without increasing the current 10 percent missionary assessment. For just one day, your donation to GLO will be tripled thanks to our generous campaign sponsors! All contributions received through the Go Beyond! event will be directed to the GLO general fund, and not to a specific missionary. We will ask you to give directly to GLO so that it may continue its vital role as our sponsoring organization. Through GLO we receive international health insurance, plus accounting and tax services. GLO also underwrites the Medicine for Venezuela project, which supplies non-prescription medicines to members of Lutheran congregations throughout Venezuela; ministry to Venezuelan immigrants in Santiago, Chile; and enables the sending of missionaries by national Lutheran church-bodies around the world that lack a missionary support infrastructure.

Adrian Ventura in Wittenberg.

Luz Maria and I will be part of Team South America, which also includes Pastor Adrian and Cruz Maria Ventura, Corali García Ramos, and Elianeth Pineda Vielma, all Venezuelan expatriates in Chile, and Maira Ferrari de Muller, a Lutheran teacher and GLO board member in Montevideo, Urugay. We have set a goal of raising $4,000 for GLO, which with matching funds will total $12,000. Team South America will have its own Web page to receive online donations. The Go Beyond event will last from 2:00 pm US Eastern time, November 8 until 2:00 pm ET November 9. 

Here is where to find our Team South America Web site:

https://charidy.com/glo/samer

Adrian Ventura is the first Venezuelan national pastor that I met in 2002. For 20 years he was the pastor of Cristo Rey (Christ the King) Lutheran Church in Maturín, Venezuela, and twice served as president of the Lutheran Church of Venezuela. He is now the pastor of Divine Providence Lutheran Church in Santiago, Chile. We ask the God of all comfort to bring peace and comfort to his wife, Cruz Maria, upon the recent death of her father. May the promise of a blessed reunion in heaven be the balm that heals hearts which are separated by distance.