Lutheran Church in America. Board of World Missions

See LCA 16/7/5.

From the description of Trinidad Program Files 1964-1973. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48059673

See LCA 16/7/4.

From the description of Peru Program Files 1964-1973. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48059671

See LCA 16/3/1, Administrative History.

From the description of Correspondence 1950-1966. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48047281

Earl Styer Erb served as Executive Secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions of the United Lutheran Church in America (See Administrative History, ULCA, 19) from 1952-1962 and of the Board of World Missions of the Lutheran Church in America (See administrative history, LCA 16) from 1962-1967. He succeeded Luther A. Gotwald and was succeeded by Arne B. Sovik. Additional Erb records are contained in the ULCA records (ULCA 19/1/6).

From the description of Executive Secretary Earl S. Erb Files 1961-1967. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48047279

See LCA 16 Administrative History, LCA 16/6 Administrative History.

From the description of Subject Files 1956-1981; 1969-1975. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 52635243

See LCA 16/3/2 Administrative History, LCA 16/3/2/3 Background, and AUG 24/4/1/2 Background and Description.

From the description of Subject Files 1961-1975; 1962-1972. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48047296

See LCA 16/7/6.

From the description of Uruguay Program Files 1962-1974. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48059674

See Lutheran Church in America 16, Board of World Missions, Administrative History.

From the description of Lutheran Church in America. : Board of World Missions. Minutes, Board of World Missions 1962-1972. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48047277

See LCA 16 Administrative History.

From the description of Financial Reports 1962-1972. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 52635240

From the description of Annual Reports 1963-1971. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 52635239

From the description of Minutes, Executive Committee 1963-1972. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 52635237

See LCA 16/7/3.

From the description of Guyana Program Files 1960-1972. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48059663

See Administrative Histories for LCA 28/3/5/1, ULCA 19/5/1, and AUG 24/3.

From the description of Finance 1955-1973; 1960-1962. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48048275

See LCA 16-7-2.

From the description of Chile Program Files 1959-1972. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48059661

Arne Benjamin Sovik served as the Executive Secretary of the Board of World Missions (See Administrative History LCA 16) of the Lutheran Church in America from 1967-1971. Prior to serving in this capacity, he was the Director of World Missions for the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), and he returned to the LWF as Director of Area Studies from 1971-1983. He succeeded Earl S. Erb as Board of World Missions (BWM) Executive Secretary and was followed by Robert W. Stackel as Executive Director of the restructured Division for World Mission and Ecumenism (See Administrative History LCA 28/).

From the description of Executive Secretary Arne B. Sovik 1967-1971. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48047280

The Cabinet of Secretaries of the Board of World Missions of the Lutheran Church in America (See LCA 16, Administrative History) was composed of the Executive Secretary and the Secretaries for Finance, Planning, Interpretation, Personnel, Africa, South America, South Asia, and East Asia. They met once a month, more often if necessary.

From the description of Minutes, Cabinet of Secretaries 1962-1972. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48047278

The files were collected by the Secretaries for South America, Warren C. Johnson (1959-1961, see ULCA 19/8), and William E. Cox (1961-1970, see LCA 16/7/1).

From the description of Argentina Program Files 1959-1969. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48059656

The Federation of Malaysia was formed in 1963 as a merger of former British territories, Malaya, Singapore, Sarwak, and North Borneo. Singapore withdrew from the federation in 1965 to form an independent city state. Malaya is now known as West Malaysia and North Borneo as Sabah.

The Board of Foreign Missions of the United Lutheran Church in America (ULCA) began work in Malaya in 1953 (see ULCA 19/1/6/2). When the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) was formed in 1962, David L. Vikner was appointed Secretary for East Asia, a post he held until 1970. Vikner had previously served the ULCA as Secretary for Japan from 1958-1962. Delbert E. Anderson was named Secretary for East Asia in 1971 and served in that position, renamed Program Director for East Asia when the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was formed, until his retirement in 1998.

In 1972 the Board of World Missions was renamed the Division for World Mission and Ecumenism (DWM). A more detailed look at the history of the work of the LCA in Malaysia and Singapore can be found among DWME records (see LCA 28/6/5/1).

First ULCA and then LCA missionary activity was done under the umbrella of the Association of Missionaries in West Malaysia and Singapore (see LCA 28/3/6/2). In 1963 the Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore was established (see LCA 28/3/6/1), and the Association of Missionaries served as a liaison between the Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore and the BWM. Although there was then some national leadership of the church, the presidents (1963-1972) and bishop of the church (1972-1977) were missionaries. However, in 1979 the Malaysian government required all foreign missionaries to leave, thereby placing the church completely in the hands of the nationals.

In addition to the Association of Missionaries in West Malaysia and Singapore, the LCA also related to the LCA Missionary Association of Sabah. This group was composed of missionaries assigned to work with the Basel Christian Church of Malaysia (formerly the Basel Self-Established Church of North Borneo) in Sabah. This church had been organized in 1925 by the Basel Mission, a Swiss-German body. Following World War II, the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church had provided assistance to the Basel Mission, and the LCA continued this support.

Additional background information and records can be found in LCA 28/6/5/1.

From the description of Malaysia and Singapore Files 1949-1974; 1962-1972. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48047297

See also 16/3/2, Administrative History Because the number of missionaries in the various Lutheran church bodies in Taiwan was small, there was a need for cooperative mission effort. Eight American and Scandinavian mission groups met together in 1952 to form the Taiwan Lutheran Mission (TLM). These groups were the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Danish Mission Society, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Brethren, the Lutheran Free Church, the Lutheran Free Church of Norway, the Norwegian Lutheran Mission, and the Norwegian Mission Society. Their purpose was "to preach and teach the Gospel and to establish and cooperate with the Chinese Lutheran Church on the island of Taiwan."

The governing body was the annual conference, with all missionaries of the participating missions members of this body. Officers were president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. An Executive Committee, composed of the president, vice-president, and secretary, plus one member from each of the full-member mission boards, and one member from the associated boards chosen on a rotating basis, could meet between annual conferences to conduct business. Those who served as president are as follows: Arne B. Sovik, 1952-1955; Herman Bly, 1955- 1957, 1958-1960, 1962-1963, 1966-1967; Erling Helland, 1957-1958; Lars Bjorsvik, 1960-1962, 1963-1965; Jorgen Hanson, 1967-1968; Roger Domyahn, 1968-1969; Ernest M. Caltvedt, 1969- 1971; Allen J. Swanson, 1971-1973; and Everett W. Savage, 1973-[1975].

The name of the TLM was changed to the Taiwan Lutheran Missionaries Association (TLMA) in 1967. At this time the missionaries abrogated much of their leadership role to serve under the Taiwan Lutheran Church.

From the description of Taiwan Lutheran Mission Files 1952-1975. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48047294

Led by Dr. Chin Chung-an, a medical doctor on the staff of a China-based arsenal that was transferred to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in 1950, 18 adult Christians formed the nucleus of the first Lutheran work on the island of Taiwan (then known as Formosa). In 1951 Dr. J.L. Benson of the Lutheran Augustana Mission visited this group and organized it into a congregation, with Dr. Chin serving as pastor. Chin later received theological training in the United States and returned to serve both as president of the Taiwan Seminary and as president of the Taiwan Lutheran Church.

Benson, along with the Rev. Arthur S. Olson of the Lutheran World Federation, surveyed the Taiwan field in 1951. The survey indicated both the need and the opportunity for Lutheran work in Taiwan, and several Lutheran churches that had worked either in China or Hong Kong or both became interested. Because many of the mission groups were small, there was some wisdom in banding together to oversee the Lutheran work. Several of them had already been working together in the Lutheran Theological Seminary in China and then in Hong Kong (see LCA 16/3/1/5), and the seminary in turn was training workers who could evangelize Taiwan.

The Taiwan Lutheran Church (TLC) was organized in 1954 with Chinese leadership and a membership of over 1000. Although it was autonomous, it received help and guidance from the Taiwan Lutheran Mission (TLM), a cooperative group of missions (see LCA 16/3/2/2). By 1963 the TLM had turned over all administrative and evangelistic responsibility to the TLC and changed its name to the Taiwan Lutheran Missionaries Association. Missionaries were considered members of the TLC and as such were eligible for office, but they were no longer in charge. Beginning in 1961, mission funding and personnel requests were processed through the China Advisory Committee (see LCA 28/3/5/3).

The TLC is divided into four districts centered in the cities of Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung and is headquartered in Taipei. The main legislative body is the Biennial Synod meeting, with business conducted between meetings by the Synod Council, composed of the president, vice president, Chinese secretary, English secretary, financial secretary, treasurer, and business manager. Later these officers became the Board of Trustees, and the membership of the Council was changed to the president, vice president, Chinese and English secretaries, the district chairmen, and three members elected from the laity.

From the description of Taiwan Lutheran Church, Minutes, Correspondence, and Subject Files 1955-1975; 1961-1971. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48048468

The Lutheran Theological Seminary was founded in China in 1913. See AUG 24/3/6 for a record of its history in China.

In December of 1948 the seminary and staff were evacuated from China, moving to Tao Fong Shan in Shatin, Hong Kong. At the time of this move the seminary was a cooperative effort among the Norwegian Missionary Society, the Finnish Missionary Society, the Lutheran United Mission (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America), the Augustana Synod Mission, the American Lutheran Mission, and the Church of Sweden Mission. It was also under the auspices of the Lutheran Church of China, a cooperative Lutheran church established in China in 1920.

The LTS did not answer the need for the training of lay evangelists and women. Thus, at meetings of the heads and representatives of missions, plans were laid for the Lutheran Bible Institute. A Board of Directors was in place by November of 1952, with the first three-month course offered in January of 1953. In the fall of that same year, the first three-year course was offered. In 1969 the institute became a part of the LTS.

At the end of June 1977, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong "voluntarily terminated its former theological school, the LTS." ("General Information," Lutheran Theological Seminary website http://www.lts.edu/english). Under the same name, and using the same facilities, a new Lutheran Theological Seminary was jointly founded by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong, the Chinese Rhenish Church, the Tsung Tsin Mission, and the Taiwan Lutheran Church.

From the description of Lutheran Theological Seminary and Lutheran Bible Institute Files 1948-1975. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48048612

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong (ELCHK) was organized in 1954. "In 1953 the Hong Kong Lutheran Mission, comprised of representatives of the various missions that had supported the Lutheran Church of China (LCC), laid the basis for a provisional organization of the church. . . .Since 1960 they have been organized into a China Area Coordinating Committee (CACC). Membership includes the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish Missionary Societies, the ELCA (former American Lutheran Church and Lutheran Church in America) as well as the ELCHK."

The General Assembly, meeting in annual conferences, comprised the highest authority of the church, with a Church Council empowered to meet at least quarterly to conduct business between annual conferences. The Church Council was composed of the president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and 12 members elected by the General Assembly.

In addition to the Church Council, a Board of Directors was created in 1959 when it was necessary to write a Memorandum and Articles of Association for incorporation. Although this Board of Directors was given the power to change the constitution if it came into conflict with Hong Kong law, it was directed to bring such changes to the following General Assembly for approval. This process was not always followed, and there were tensions between the Board of Directors and the Church Council; between the ELCHK constitution and the articles of association; and between a congregational form of church government and a central form.

The Lutheran Church in America related to the ELCHK through its Board of World Missions (BWM) and through the boards of its predecessor church bodies, the Board of Foreign Missions of the United Lutheran Church in America and the Board of World Missions of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church.

From the description of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong Files 1954-1977; 1959-1972. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48049582

The Lutheran Church in America Missionaries' Association, Hong Kong (MAH), according to its constitution, "consisted of all missionaries, including wives, assigned to work in Hong Kong by the Board of World Missions [BWM] of the Lutheran Church in America." The association held monthly meetings in addition to an annual meeting. An Executive Committee, composed of the officers of the association (chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, and treasurer) could transact business between meetings. Chairmen that could be identified from the records were Rodger Singer (1962-1963), Donald Nelson (1963-1966), Delbert Anderson, (1966-[1969]), and Anders Hanson ([1969]-1970).

Duties of this association included acting on behalf of the BWM and in consultation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong. It looked after property owned by the BWM, disbursed BWM funds, and disseminated information to provide education about and stimulate support for the work in Hong Kong. MAH was formed in 1962, with a constitution adopted in 1963.

From the description of Lutheran Church in America Missionaries' Association, Hong Kong Files 1957-1975. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48047292

Because the Lutheran Church of Guyana (LCG, called the Evangelical Lutheran Church of British Guiana until 1965) did not have a seminary of its own, it sent students to be trained in the United States and Canada. The United Lutheran Church in America (ULCA) and then the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) provided scholarships and loans for such students, based upon recommendations from the LCG. It was expected that such scholarship students would return to Guyana to serve in the pastorate there. However, many students chose to remain in the U.S. or Canada.

In 1961 Arthur J. Henne, a missionary serving as president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of British Guiana (ELCBG), traveled to Jamaica to investigate Union Theological Seminary, which had been founded there in 1955. This seminary was supported by several denominations and served several countries in the Caribbean. Partly because of the propensity of Guyana students to remain in North America and partly because the training in Jamaica more nearly approximated the localized training appropriate for service in Guyana, the LCG and Board of World Missions encouraged students to seek training in Jamaica instead of the United States or Canada. This seminary was later named the United Theological College of the West Indies.

From the description of Scholarship Files 1946-1973. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48059669

The Iglesia Evangelica Luterana Unida (IELU) of Argentina was formally organized and a constitution adopted in March of 1948. The organization was assisted by Robert S. Oberly, appointed Commissioner to Argentina by the Board of Foreign Missions of the United Lutheran Church in America (ULCA) in 1947. The ULCA accepted it as a synod in July of 1948. It was not recognized by the government of Argentina, however, until September 15, 1955, when President Juan Peron signed the documents recognizing its existence. Peron was overthrown the following day, a fact that most of the IELU historians have noted. It was only when this government recognition was gained that the church could legally accept the transfer of lands and property from the Board of World Missions. Prior to the organization of the IELU, the church existed as the Argentine Conference of the United Lutheran Church in America.

At the time of organization, the IELU was composed of eleven congregations with a membership of 1,102. The IELU was governed by an annual convention whose officers were president, vice- president, secretary, and treasurer. These four officers with the addition of eight elected members formed an Executive Committee, which conducted business between conventions. The president, vice-president, and four other members were to be ministers. Although its first president, Jonas Villaverde, was a national, the other officers were all missionaries. Villaverde was replaced by missionary John M. Armbruster in 1949. The church moved slowly toward full indigenization throughout the 1960s.

Refugee immigration following World War II brought many Lutherans to Argentina. There followed a major struggle as the new church tried to adhere to its goal of keeping its churches Spanish-speaking while still responding to the needs of Lutherans from European countries. This was a time of dissension between missionaries as well as between church body and missionary.

Those who served as president of the IELU were as follow.

Jonas Villaverde, 1948, 1958-1966.

John M. Armbruster, 1949-1950.

Luis Garcia, 1950-1953.

Levon H. Spath, 1953-1956.

Zoltan Antony, 1956-1958.

Juan Cobrda 1967-[1977?].

From the description of Iglesia Evangelica Luterana Unida Files 1948-1977; 1960-1971. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48059658

See also LCA 16 Administrative History.

Dr. Ross E. Paulson served as a member of the Board of World Missions (BWM) of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) from 1966-1972. He was a Professor of History at Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois. During his tenure on the BWM he served as chairman of the Personnel Committee, member of the Executive Committee, BWM representative on the ALC-LCA Joint Committee for World Mission, and was a participant in the 1967 Long-Range Planning Conference of the Lutheran Church Malaysia-Singapore.

From the description of Dr. Ross E. Paulson Files 1962-1972; 1966-1972. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 52635241

See also AUG 24 Administrative History, ULCA 19 Administrative History, LCA 16 Administrative History.

By action of the 1954 convention of the United Lutheran Church in America (ULCA), the Board of Foreign Missions (BFM) was directed to establish a School of Missions on the campus of an existing Lutheran institution. A committee consisting of representatives from the BFM, the Women's Missionary Society, and the Board of Education was formed to study the project.

The school opened in 1957 on the campus of the Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary in Maywood, Illinois, with Paul P. Anspach serving as dean, succeeded by James A. Scherer and Donald C. Flatt. The School of Missions was operated as a division of the school, under the jurisdiction of the seminary administration. Its purpose was to provide both pre-field missionary training as well as courses for missionaries on furlough. It was designed as a one or two-year program. The BFM financed the building of a dormitory and transferred ownership of the building to the seminary. With the appointment of an Augustana faculty member in 1960, Augustana assumed some of the financial responsibility for the school.

Instructors included James A. Scherer, Richard R. Syre, Donald C. Flatt, Eino Vehanen, David Lindberg, and others, including several visiting professors from other countries.

When the formation of the LCA was under consideration, A Consultative Committee on the School of Missions was established. The school was moved to the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago at the time the seminary bodies merged.

In the late 1960s there was a shift in mission thinking from long-term missionary to short-term, from individual church body mission to cooperative Lutheran missions, and from denominational to ecumenical endeavor. By 1972 the LCA had even changed the name of its mission governing body from Board of World Missions to Division for World Mission and Ecumenism. In keeping with this trend, the School of Missions was closed in 1969 and avenues were explored to place mission research and education in a larger context.

From the description of School of Missions Files 1955-1970. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 52640740

Ruben A. Pedersen served as Secretary for Africa for the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), first for the Board of World Missions (BWM) from 1965 to1972, and then for the Division for World Mission and Ecumenism. He succeeded Rudolph C. Burke and was himself succeeded by Gerald E. Currens.

As Secretary for Africa, Pedersen had administrative oversight of LCA-sponsored scholarship students from Africa. Students were chosen by their own synod or diocese, with the understanding that service would be given back to the synod or diocese at the completion of the studies. Once chosen, a student could apply for scholarship funds to the mission body or to the Department of World Missions Cooperation of the National Lutheran Council (NLC). Beginning in 1965, applications were reviewed by the Tanzania Assistance Committee (TAC), a cooperative effort of several mission bodies which related to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT). (See Background, LCA).

Once a scholarship was granted, the student was assigned to one of the cooperating bodies for finance and supervision. The supervising body directed reports back to the local church body and consulted with them regularly for direction when questions arose.

Scholarships were granted for clinical pastoral education, teacher training, business education, or medicine. Few of the original scholarships were for advanced degrees, although many of the students petitioned for further study once in the U.S. Most had jobs waiting for them in Tanzania at the completion of their studies. The return rate to Tanzania for work in the local churches and church institutions was high.

From the description of Tanzania Student Files 1960-1974. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48048697

The Lutheran Literature Society (LLS) traced its roots to the Lutheran Board of Publication (LBP), begun by the Lutheran Church of China in 1924 and situated in Hankow. The LBP was in turn related to the Lutheran Literature Society, American Branch. The members of the LBP, as well as some of its Chinese staff, moved to Hong Kong in 1949, following Communist takeover of mainland China. They continued publication from Hong Kong, sending their printed materials back to China.

When the Lutheran Church of China (LCC) ruled in 1951 that anything published in Hong Kong without the approval of the LCC would be illegal in China, the Lutheran Missions Literature Society was started in Hong Kong as a cooperative effort of the Augustana Lutheran Mission, Norwegian Lutheran Mission, Lutheran United Mission, Norwegian Evangelical Free Church Mission, Lutheran Board of Mission (Lutheran Free Church), Mission to Buddhists, American Lutheran Mission, Svenska Kyrkan's Mission, and the Norwegian Missionary Society. In 1953 reorganization omitted the word mission from the name.

The LLS reported to the Hong Kong Lutheran Missions Conference (see LCA 16/3/1/7). As the Hong Kong churches became autonomous, they took over responsibility for the society. Mission funding for the society was then channeled through the China Advisory Committee (See LCA 28/3/5/3).

From the description of Lutheran Literature Society Files 1942-1977. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48047284

See also LCA 16/6, Administrative History. The Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church became a church related to the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) at the time of the formation of the LCA in 1962. Prior to this time the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church had related to the United Lutheran Church in America. For the minutes and structure of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church at that time, see ULCA 19/7/2/1. By the time the LCA relationship was established, however, the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church was already an independent church body, directing its own work and working toward becoming self-supporting.

Though the LCA missionaries were organized as the Council of the India Mission (see ULCA 19/7/1 and LCA 28/6/3/1), missionary placement and work now came under the direction of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church, and most of the mission property had been handed over to that church as well. Financial aid as well as some missionaries were provided by the Board of World Missions (BWM) of the LCA (see LCA 16/6, Administrative History).

In 1964 a new constitution (called the rules of association) was adopted. At this time the office of president became a full-time position, and the restriction that it must be an Indian was lifted. Karlapudi Devasahayam was the first president elected under this constitution, serving from 1965-1969, with Samuel W. Schmitthenner (a missionary born in India) following from 1969-1981, and Khaki Nathaniel from 1981-[1992].

The Executive Council, which oversaw the business between conventions, was reduced to a membership of 24, composed of the four officers (president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer), two representatives from each synod, five (at least one a woman) elected by the convention, and five missionaries (at least two women) also elected by the convention. There were Boards of Christian Education and Literature, College Education, Evangelism and Missions, Finance, Medical Services, and Social Welfare. In addition there was a Commission of Adjudication and 15 standing committees.

From the description of Minutes 1962-1970. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48047298

See also Backgrounds for LCA 16/6/2/1 and ULCA 19/7/2/1 and Administrative Histories for LCA 16/6 and ULCA 19/7.

J. Frederick Neudoerffer served as Secretary for Southern Asia from 1962-1972, the entire time of the existence of the Board of World Missions (BWM) of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA). He continued with the Division for World Mission and Ecumenism (DWME) of the LCA, with the title of Secretary for Southern Asia and the Middle East, from 1973-1984. Neudoerffer also served as Secretary for India for the United Lutheran Church in America (ULCA) from 1954-1962. In each variation of this position, Neudoerffer had administrative oversight of the mission work in India. He served as liaison between the BWM and the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (see ULCA 19/7/2/1 and LCA 16/6/1/2).

Those who served as president of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church were as follows: Sylvester C. Berger, [1927]-1928; Roy M. Dunkelberger, 1928-[1931]; J. Russell Fink, [1941]-1944; Ethakoti Prakasam, 1944-1950; A.N. Gopal, 1950-1954, 1958-1960; Gorikapudy Devasahayam, 1954-1958, 1962-1964; K. Krupadanam, 1960-1962; Karlapudi Devasahayam, 1965-1969; Samuel W. Schmitthenner, 1969-1981; and Khaki Nathaniel, 1981-[1992].

From the description of Correspondence 1940-1977; 1954-1972. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48048281

Ruben Arthur Pedersen served as Secretary for Africa for the Lutheran Church in America, first for the Board of World Missions (1965-1972) and then for the Division for World Mission and Ecumenism. He had previously been a missionary with the Augustana Lutheran Mission in Tanganyika (1946-1961) and an Associate Director for the Department of World Missions of the Lutheran World Federation (1961-1965). He succeeded Rudolph C. Burke and was himself succeeded by Gerald E. Currens.

The work of the Board of World Missions of the Lutheran Church in America in Tanzania was a continuation of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church work done in Tanganyika (See background AUG 24/8). In 1963 a political union of mainland Tanganyika and the off-shore islands of Zanzibar and Pemba resulted in the formation of Tanzania. The Federation of Lutheran Churches of Tanganyika was then dissolved and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) was established in 1963.

The Tanzania Assistance Committee (TAC) was formed in 1965 for implementation in 1966. Its purpose, as noted in the "Articles Governing Cooperation," was to "function as the forum for counsel among all bodies which render assistance to the ELCT - 4 S/D, and it shall coordinate and administer the program which provides assistance from the participating bodies to the ELCT - 4 S/D." S/D stands for Synods/Dioceses, of which there were four: Central Synod, Northeastern Diocese, Northern Diocese, and the Synod of Uzaramo-Uluguru. The ELCT could apply to the TAC for financial assistance, mission staff, or scholarships. The LCA was one of several bodies comprising this committee.

Related Tanzania records can be located among Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church records under Tanganyika (AUG 24/8) and Pedersen, Secretary for Africa, Division for World Mission and Ecumenism (LCA 28/2).

From the description of Tanzania Program Files 1962-1972. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48048278

In 1951 the Iglesia Evangelica Luterana Unida (IELU), translated United Evangelical Lutheran Church, began planning for a pre-seminary in Argentina.

In 1954 Bela Lesko, an Argentine pastor, presented a plan for an international Lutheran seminary to a Lutheran World Federation (LWF)-sponsored Latin American Conference held in Brazil. The LWF conference called for the establishment of such a seminary no later than April of 1955. The IELU agreed to modify the building it was constructing for its pre-seminary in Jose C. Paz and make it available for the use of the seminary.

The seminary was named Facultad Lutherana de Teologia (FLT), translated Lutheran Theological Seminary. Participating church bodies were the IELU, the Evangelical German Synod (Rio de la Plata), the Evangelical Lutheran Mission in Colombia, the Evangelical German Church in Chile, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Venezuela, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Uruguay. The seminary was to be controlled by a Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors was made up of one representative from the Latin American Committee of the LWF and one from each of the participating bodies, with the exception of the IELU, which was granted four representatives because of its greater financial and legal responsibility. An Executive Committee, composed of the Dean, the 4 representatives of the IELU, and two additional members residing within 500 kilometers of the seminary, acted for the Board between sessions. The school opened in 1955 with six students.

In 1969 the FLT merged with the Facultad Evangelica de Teologia (FEDT, translated Union Theological Seminary). The new organization was called the Instituto Superior Evangelico De Estudios Teologicos (ISEDET), which can be translated as Evangelical Higher Institute for Theological Education.

From the description of Facultad Lutherana de Teologia (Seminary, Jose C. Paz) Program Files 1954-1974. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 48065001