Iglesia Cristo WELS Internacional (ICWI), a Spanish-speaking church in Latin America, has officially applied for membership in the CELC. This church was formed in 2021 by fourteen congregations—all WELS missions—from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bolivia, and Venezuela. It is a landing place for congregations that grow out of Academia Cristo, a multi-faceted program of Bible instruction and church planting in Latin America.
According to the CELC membership guidelines, a church seeking membership in the CELC should do the following:
- request membership through a letter to the CELC President,
- obtain a recommendation for membership from at least one CELC church that is in formal church fellowship with it, and
- submit its constitution and doctrinal statement(s) to the CELC President at least one year before the triennial convention at which the membership request will be considered.
All of these materials have been received from the ICWI, including a membership request signed by ICWI President Henry Herrera and a letter of recommendation signed by WELS President Mark Schroeder. Any member church of the CELC that would like to see the ICWI documents should contact the CELC President, and he will share them.
In keeping with the CELC constitution, the CELC Commission on Theology will officially evaluate the membership request and will bring a recommendation to the next triennial convention, which is being planned for 2026 in Zambia, Africa.
We are thankful for the prospect of adding another church in Latin America and for the prompt application. Any other church that is contemplating membership should be aware of the steps that are necessary and the application deadline—one year in advance of the convention.
Submitted by the CELC Planning Committee
