Reported by Rev. Timothy Sims, Pastor at Oklahoma Avenue Lutheran Church, Milwaukee

On Dec.11, 2011, a bilingual worship service was held at Oklahoma Ave. Lutheran Church (OALC). It was a multi-congregational worship service organized by OALC and Primera Iglesia of Racine, also known as Santa Cruz Lutheran Church (SCLC). The service was designed to celebrate the true unity of two different languages and cultures as made possible only by the common miracle of salvation as it arrived in the Christ child so long ago. Elements of the worship service alternated in English and Spanish. The gifts of Christ’s forgiveness, as given in Word and Sacrament, were the focus in this bilingual Divine Service. A meal was shared after the service.

It was the first time in OALC’s 76 plus years of existence that a bilingual service was held. Pastors Tim Sims (OALC) and Germán Novelli (SCLC) lead the service and each gave a short meditation. Sims proclaimed the message that God’s mercy is for all people

Rev. G. Novelli (left) and Rev. T. Sims (center) officiate at the Confirmation of Bartelome Caceres in the bilingual service Dec. 11 at Oklahoma Ave. Lutheran Church.

who fear him, regardless of race or language, and that this mercy was arriving with the Christ child as he preached on the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). Novelli shared the beauty of Christ’s birth as it is still the miraculous “sign” that God is with us as prophesied by Isaiah (Isaiah 7:10-14). The service also included the Rite of Confirmation as OALC’s first Spanish-instructed confirmand was welcomed in as a member. Bartolome Caceres was thrilled to join in fellowship with the people of OALC and plans to be active in welcoming other Hispanics.

While held at OALC and led by Sims and Novelli, the level of cooperation was even greater than this indicates. The people of SCLC cancelled their regularly scheduled worship service held in Racine in order to drive to Milwaukee to be with their partners in the gospel at OALC. Further, an instrumentalist from Grace, Milwaukee, helped with songs and liturgy, Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones–Wisconsin (CPTLN–WI) helped in promoting and organizing the event, and families from St. Martini Lutheran School were in attendance. This event epitomized the facilitating being done by CPTLN–WI in the South Wisconsin District as different churches worked in coordination to invite Hispanics to hear the gospel of Jesus and welcome them into LCMS sanctuaries.

The result surpassed everyone’s expectations. “We had ninety bulletins and it wasn’t enough. We ended up having to run to the copy machine and make more,” said Bessie Fick of CPTLN–WI. The attendance for the “Unity in the Nativity” celebration was estimated at 130 people. Many in attendance are not yet affiliated with an LCMS congregation and this was their first taste of worship and life in our Lutheran community. All those involved praised God for this celebration and are already looking forward to working together in the future.