LCMS endorses fellowship with Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church of Bolivia

The Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, LCMS president, shakes hands with President Limberth Fernandez Coronado of the Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church of Bolivia upon declaring altar and pulpit fellowship during the 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod on July 21 in Phoenix. (LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford)

By Rachel Bomberger

PHOENIX — The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in convention formally endorsed President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison’s May 2025 recognition of altar and pulpit fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church of Bolivia (ICEL).

Res. 5-01, “To Recognize Altar and Pulpit Fellowship with Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church of Bolivia,” passed by unanimous voice vote and was followed by a standing ovation and a joyful singing of the Common Doxology.

The Rev. Limberth Fernandez Coronado, president of the ICEL, addressed the convention in Spanish following the vote, with a translator repeating his words in English for the delegates.

“All glory be to the Lord of the universal church. It is a wonderful foretaste of that glorious day when the whole church will gather to praise our Lord. I have the privilege of representing my church in this deeply moving moment. [The] Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bolivia and the LCMS recognize one another as sister churches united in a shared mission of confession and proclamation of the true Gospel. Thank you so much.”

The ICEL grew out of outreach efforts begun by Norwegian Lutheran missionaries, as Fernandez recalled in a recent interview with KFUO Radio: “We are the fruit of the work of a Norwegian mission society that came in the ’60s. They came to Bolivia in those decades to share the Gospel with us.”

Beginning in 2000, ongoing conversations between the ICEL, LCMS International Mission and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (IELB) led the ICEL gradually to distance itself from its pietist roots and embrace confessional Lutheranism. Today, the church has congregations in five of nine Bolivian districts and proclaims the Gospel in both Spanish and Quechua (the language of many indigenous Bolivians).

Fernandez’s KFUO interview, recorded Saturday, July 19, at the LCMS convention, ended with a word of deep gratitude and a request for prayer:

“Please pray, because we are a small church and there are great challenges. But we greatly desire to share the Gospel and give a good witness of the truth across the country of Bolivia.”

Read more about the ICEL on Reporter.

2026 LCMS Convention

Under the theme “Christ Is Risen Indeed,” the 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod met July 18–23, 2026, at the Phoenix Convention Center in downtown Phoenix.

There are several ways to get convention news, including:

Web

• lcms.org/convention/national

Video

• lcms.org/convention/national/livestream

Audio

• kfuo.org

Social media

• facebook.com/lcmsconvention

Email

• lcms.org/reporter-signup

Posted July 22, 2026