Ana Cristina Gerhard from the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil . Photo: C. Kästner-Meyer
Ana Cristina Gerhard, lay leader from the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil
(LWI) - A math's teacher by profession, Ana Cristina Gerhard works at a Lutheran high school and a Jesuit university in the city of São Leopoldo in Brazil’s southern Rio Grande do Sul state. She also serves as first secretary for the managing board of her local community in the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil (IECLB), which last year celebrated 200 years since the establishment of the first Lutheran presence in the country.
Gerhard recently attended a lay leaders seminar, organized by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Geneva and Wittenberg to sharpen her leadership skills, as well as deepening her understanding of global communion, solidarity and service. During the seminar, she took time to talk about her church and about the daily challenges she faces as a lay leader in her Latin American context.
Tell us something about your family background?
I was born into a Brazilian family that did not go to church. My father was Catholic and my mother was a Lutheran. As I grew up and met my husband, we decided to attend the Lutheran church for worship and then, little by little, we decided we wanted to become members and take a more active role, becoming more involved.
Now, alongside my educational work, I serve as secretary for our church, attending meetings, writing up the meeting topics and supporting the pastors in many different aspects of their ministry.
Can you briefly describe your church?
It is an inclusive church where everyone is made to feel welcome. It is a place where you can bring your worries, as well as your joy and happiness. We offer a warm embrace and accept people as they are, trying to provide a sense of peace by sharing the word of God with them.
What are the main challenges you face?
I am grateful to be able to help and support people in whatever way I can. However, my main challenge is having enough time to dedicate to my community. I have two jobs as a teacher, which requires a lot of work. I also have a husband and two kids to raise, and I love to be with my family. Besides that, I feel that they need and deserve my time, so finding time to do everything I need, plus everything I want is quite a challenge. It is complicated, but I love what I am doing, and I am trying my best.
After participating in this seminar, I know that I am a significant part of this bigger puzzle and that my role is, in some ways, important for the whole picture.
Ana Cristina Gerhard, Brazil
How would you describe relations with the majority Roman Catholic Church?
Our ecumenical relations with the Catholics are good. Nowadays our main challenge is more about bringing people to take an active part in the community life of the church. Often people are searching for instant solutions, which we cannot always offer, but the goal is to encourage deeper engagement and more effective participation in church life.
What does it mean for you to be a part of the wider LWF communion of churches?
I am really grateful for this feeling of being a part of something bigger than myself and my church. After participating in this seminar, I know that I am a significant part of this bigger puzzle and that my role is, in some ways, important for the whole picture.
