Lutheran Council in the USA. Division of Mission Services. Dept. of Latin American Publications. Standing Committee.

The Lutheran Council in the USA (LCUSA) was founded in 1967 as an inter-Lutheran agency of The American Lutheran Church (TALC), the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (SELC)(which became an LCMS nongeographic district in 1970), and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). The Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC) joined LCUSA in 1978 and the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America became a member in 1982. LCUSA coordinated the work of the participating church bodies in mission planning; ministry to students, immigrants, and other groups; theological education, dialogues, and studies; service to military personnel; public relations; and government liaison activities. The Division of Mission Services was established at the LCUSA's founding to further cooperation.

Among the LCUSA church bodies in their mission activities in the U.S. and abroad. The Department of Latin American Publications, originally named the Department of Spanish Publications (1967), prepared and published printed materials in Spanish and participated in conferences related to the ministry of the cooperating bodies among Spanish-speaking people. Levon H. Spath directed the Department and administered the program of Publicaciones El Escudo (PEE), an incorporated body founded in 1960 by the American Lutheran Church (1930-1960), the Augustana Lutheran Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the United Lutheran Church in America, and the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. In 1973, the Division of Mission Services and Division of Welfare Services merged to become the Division of Mission and Ministry.

The Department of Latin American Publications was continued under the new Division until 1975. Its responsibilities had been taken over by PEE the preceding year. The LCUSA was terminated in 1987 at the founding of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

From the description of Minutes and Agenda, 1967-1974. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 38922077