IGLESIA EVANGELICA LUTERANA DE PANAMA (IELPA)
CALMS works with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Panama (IELPA) to help expand the number of Christ-centered congregations that have sufficient size, maturity, independence and growth to impact the country with the Gospel. Currently, there are six congregations, several preaching stations and three new Sunday schools in new communities. IELPA also works very closely with Lutheran Hour Ministries in Panama to impact the society with the Gospel - especially the large number of young people. They do this by cooperating in Lutheran Hour Ministries' Project Joel that focuses on helping high school youth know and serve Jesus and by following up on those who write to the Lutheran Hour in response to targeted media messages.
IGLESIA LUTERANA EN GUATEMALA (ILG)
CALMS works closely with congregations of the Lutheran Church in Guatemala to strengthen stewardship, congregational life, outreach and human care ministries to help them reach their communities with God's love in Christ. Specifically, in the area of human care, we are focusing on helping Guatemalan congregations provide adequate housing and medical services for their members and those they are serving. CALMS offers many opportunities for North American volunteers and short-term teams to work side-by-side with their Guatemalan counterparts, thereby developing strong and enduring relationships with friends in a different culture.
BELIZEAN PARTNERS
CALMS is currently working closely with Lord's Bank Community Church and their missionaries Jimmi and Sandra-Lee Jones in Belize City and with Octavia Waight Home for the Aged in San Ignacio. We are also working with a wide variety of congregations and institutions through special projects such as our counseling training program which serves leaders from many different denominations. CALMS also works closely with St. John Lutheran Church in Ellisville as they have served the community of Seine Bight in Placencia for the past five years.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC PARTNERS
Lutheran work began about 10 years ago after St. Michaels Lutheran Church in Fort Meyers, Florida began to send short-term teams to work in that country. That work eventually led to a special one-of-a-kind mission partnership that includes Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services, LCMS World Mission, The South Wisconsin District of the LCMS, LCMS World Relief and Human Care, CALMS and St. Michael's Lutheran Church.
Each of the partners provides leadership in specific areas of ministry. For example, CALMS helps design strategic short-term mission projects to assist the missionaries and emerging national church. CALMS also helps with seminars and consults with missionaries and national workers as requested to help move the work toward the agreed goals.
Bethesda provides leadership with the outreach to people with disabilities and their families. LCMS World Relief and Human Care provides development guidance and funding for human care work. LCMS World Mission provides ecclesiastical oversight and counsel regarding church planting and leadership development. St. Michaels Lutheran Church provides funding and encouragement to the school staff at the two schools it supports.
ASSOCIATION OF LUTHERAN MISSION AGENCIES (ALMA)
CALMS is an active member of the Association of Lutheran Mission Agencies - ALMA. ALMA is a professional service organization dedicated to helping link Lutheran mission agencies to each other and to mission-involved Lutheran congregations in order to reach more lost and uncommitted people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. ALMA encourages cooperation in mission efforts in order to advance God's mission.
