History of the Congregation: Nuestro Salvador

1940 – 1950

In September 1944, Reverend Andrés Mazak, a Slovakian missionary from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Argentina, responded to a call from Lutheran residents in Montevideo to lend his services. He presided over Church services, baptisms, confirmations, and marriage ceremonies. It was left uncertain whether he would return to serve the community in Montevideo again.

The family of Eduardo Costa and Mrs. Adelo Noguera de Costa, long-time members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Argentina and residents of Uruguay, wanted Lutheran spiritual care.

The Reverend Hugo Kummer, Lutheran pastor of the Evangelical German Church, felt bad that he was not able to pastorally serve the many Lutherans with whom he had a good relationship and who relied on him for special services.

Moreover, there was a woman named Vilma de Grach, married to Mr. Miguel Grach, a Roman Catholic, who wanted to have Lutheran Church services in Spanish and had discussed the matter with Pastor H. Kummer.

The Reverend Kummer wrote an official letter from his congregation to the United Evangelical Lutheran Churchs in Argentina (IELU), offering both the use of its sanctuary and the willing collaboration of its members. The letter was received by IELU Vice President Rev. H. D. Hammer, who presided over the Commission of Church and Evangelism, the organization responsible for opening new projects. The Commission approved the opening of a center in Montevideo, Uruguay, and presented its recommendation at the IELU Convention in Argentina.

After a period of preparation, the Reverend Jonás Villaverde, President of the IELU in Argentina, presided over the first Church service on June 20, 1948. Thirty people attended. They shared ideas about how to move forward with the project, keeping Pastor Villaverde there all week until the second service and fixing the date for the next service.

The IELU was not able to send a permanent pastor to Montevideo, but with that goal in mind, it sent a pastor every month to provide pastoral care, administer the sacraments, and preside over Church services. After awhile, the president of the IELU asked Reverend H.D. Hammer to take charge of the project, since it had been formed based on his strong recommendation. The Reverend Hammer had recently left the United Missions project (Junta de Misiones) in order to work more with the Lutheran World Foundation in matters concerning war refugees. Rather than allowing the project in Montevideo to close, however, Reverend Hammer took it upon himself to provide pastoral care for the community. Thus, from the first Sunday of April 1949 until the first Sunday of September 1952, Reverend Hammer provided pastoral care with monthly or bi-monthly weekend visits. Church services were always held in the Evangelical German Church, on 1066 J.M. Blanes Avenue.

1950 – 1960

A Catechism class, formed by Teresita and Juan Grach and Gisela Hari, began in 1950. In May 1952 Reform Sunday was chosen as the date for the first Confirmation service.

At the beginning of September 1952, the Reverend Paul Benson and his wife, Mrs. Elba, sent by the National Lutheran Council that August, began to work under the direction of Pastor Hammer. But the President of Argentina, J.D. Perón, closed the border between Argentina and Uruguay, making it impossible for Pastor Hammer to travel to Montevideo. Due to these circumstances, the community was left in the hands of newly-arrived Pastor Benson.

The Reverend Benson decided to move Church services from the Evangelical German Church to his own private home. The Congregation began to be called “Nuestro Salvador,” meaning, “Our Savior.”

In 1953, at the recommendation of Pastor Benson and Mr. Eduardo Costa, the National Lutheran Council bought a piece of property on the corner of Av. 8 de Octubre 3449 and Carlos Crocker 2561.

In August 1955, Pastor Hammer, backed by Mr. Adolfo Wolf, published the first issue of the monthly bulletin—an eight-page document called “The Lutheran Beacon.” Mr. Wolf was an enthusiastic collaborator.

On July 3, 1955, Pastor Hammer and his wife donated a beautiful communion set in memory of the Pastor’s mother, Mrs. Bertha A. Hammer. The community dedicated the gift to the glory of Christ.

In May 1955, the community consecrated and dedicated a bronze tray for receiving offerings. The tray was a donation from Pastor Hammer in memory of his father.

In December 1955, the community consecrated four cedar pews, donated by Mr. Eduardo Costa.

In 1958, Mrs. Margarita de Frey donated lace to Mrs. Herminia de Peri, who donated it to the Congregation. Mrs. Lidia de Ludzcanoff donated the material, and these two women together made a beautiful mantel for the altar. Mrs. De Frey was Roman Catholic, and Mrs. De Ludzcanoff Orthodox.

1960 – 1970

In October 1962, Mrs. Vilma de Polis donated a beautiful mantel to cover the Communion service. It was consecrated in the Service of Holy Communion on Sunday the 11^th.

Beginning at this time, North American missionaries began to arrive from the Augustana Lutheran Church and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church, which then became the Lutheran Church in America.

In 1966 the Congregation founded the Evangelical Institute, later named the Ecumenical Lutheran Center (CLE), which moved into its own building in 1968.

1970 – 1990

At the beginning of 1975, the Lutheran Church in America suspended its attention to the congregation of “Nuestro Salvador” and continued to support only the CLE.

As recently as 1988, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and the IELU came to an agreement in which the Congregation of “Nuestro Salvador” was brought into the IELU, with the vision of integrating the CLE into the IELU, as well.

The Congregation was formally created within the IELU in 1989, and the CLE put under the administration of the IELU on March 15, 1991.

In that same year, 1989, Pastor Augusto Fernandez Arlt was installed as incumbent pastor of the Congregation. He served until the end of 1991.

The situation in the Congregation at that time was the following: around 25 families had become affiliated with the Congregation; the Congregation had a Counsel of Directors; and a bi-monthly bulletin, “Vinculos,” meaning “Bonds,” was published to share the Congregation’s activities. The Congregation was by then a part of the IELU, based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1990 – present

On July 12, 1992, Pastor Raúl Estéban Denuncio was installed as incumbent pastor of “Nuestro Salvador” and Director of the CLE. During this period the Congregation strengthened its ecumenical bonds and founded The Counsel of Christian Churches in Uruguay.

In August 1994, the Congregation founded the Mission San Juan in Montevideo, coordinated by Pastor Raúl Denuncio, Mr. Oscar Cassal and Miss Rossina Russo. The mission was brought to a halt in 2001.

In 2001, the congregation of “Nuestro Salvador” moved its activities into its current building on Avenue 8 de Octubre 3324.

In December 2004, Pastor Denuncio retired from “Nuestro Salvador” and Pastor Wilma Rommel received a call from the Congregation to serve as pastor.

In October 2005, Pastor Rommel was installed as incumbent pastor of “Nuestro Salvador.”

In April 2006, the Congregation formed a Bible Study group of twelve people in Jaureguiberry. In that same month, the Congregation also created a program for Christian education for youth and re-opened the Mission San Juan at the request of residents in El Cerro, Montevideo.

In May 2006, the Congregation came into contact with Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Minnesota, USA, and from that moment the two communities began to grow together in a partnership.

In September 2006, the Congregation received Meredith Johnson as a volunteer to collaborate in various Church projects.

In December 2006, the Congregation celebrated Christmas with children’s pageants, both in the Mission San Juan and in “Nuestro Salvador.”

In February 2007, the first meeting of sister Churches “Nuestro Salvador” and Good Shepherd took place in Montevideo.

At this time, there are about 80 people who participate in the life of the Church, including worship services, activities in Jaureguiberry, and activities in Mission San Juan.