Mission Partners
In The World
“Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.”
Matthew 28:18-20
Serving the World
At Cross Lutheran, we are dedicated to serving all of God’s children, both locally and internationally. Through our efforts, we ensure the Holy Spirit is with those who are less fortunate, lost or have not discovered the Word of the Lord, no matter where they are located.
Through The Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, Cross supports the Lord’s mission in over 60 countries worldwide. This helps us serve the Lord at every corner of the world, touch countless cultures and spread the love of Christ with others. How do we reach so many lives throughout the world? A minimum of one tenth of our income goes towards missions or ministries outside Cross itself.
Deaconess Caitlin Ramirez
Deaconess Caitlin Ramírez serves the Lord through The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) as a career missionary in Latin America. In this role, she serves as a teacher and mentor for the formation of women as deaconesses around Latin America through the seminary in the Dominican Republic. Caitlin is instrumental in teaching these women so that they may spread the Gospel through Christian education, spiritual care and acts of mercy — both within their congregations and the greater community.
Caitlin also works with the VDMA project. This project facilitates the Spanish translation and distribution of Lutheran resources to Spanish-speaking pastors and deaconesses of our LCMS mission churches and partner churches in this region. The Lord uses Caitlin to support Latin American pastors and deaconesses so that they may faithfully proclaim God’s Word and Christ’s mercy to the lost and broken-hearted in their own contexts.
Rev. Jonathan and Anita Clausing
Rev. Jonathan and Anita Clausing serve the Lord as missionaries through The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in Eastern Africa, based in Tanzania. Jonathan serves as a theological educator at St. Peter Theological Seminary in Himo, Tanzania, teaching a variety of courses in multiple departments.
Rev. Chuck and Karen Tessaro
Rev. Chuck and Karen Tessaro first set foot in Nigeria, where there are over 500 different language groups, in 1985. They serve with multiple local translation teams including the Old Testament teams for the Ikwerre, Yala, Kukele, and Gokana languages. These teams also promote literacy and serve in their local community as teachers and helpers.
Groundwork Guatemala
We continually describe our mission with one short phrase: “Seeking the Lost; Equipping the Found.” Our mission is to take the Living Word, Jesus Christ, to the lost of Guatemala and equip the found for a life of service to their Savior. The poor… the lonely… the hurting… the disconnected… the sick… the lost… Groundwork Guatemala exists to assist the least of these spiritually, emotionally and physically. Our Guatemalan missionaries have a deep desire to grow in faith through the study of God’s Word. As we share Jesus with adults, teens and children in Guatemala City and the surrounding villages and communities a strong spiritual foundation is laid. Through caring relationships, people come face to face with Christ and His love as we visit and pray with them in their homes and neighborhoods. Medical care and increased awareness provide a healthier environment for those we serve, allowing them, in turn, to better serve their Savior.
LINC Chicago
(No Leader Walks Alone)
LINC is the local church’s trusted partner in bringing the Gospel to every corner of our cities in a personal and impactful way. It develops grassroots local leaders who are positioned to make the biggest Gospel impact in their own communities and delivers high quality training/ resources/mentoring to people who typically don’t have access. LINC walks the long road with local leaders in developing their God-given dreams into impactful ventures (churches, nonprofits and ministries), and this opens the door for established churches to make a difference in their own metros by connecting them to local leaders serving communities of great need AND great potential for change.
The Lutheran Church of Norway
Bishop Torkild Masvie has worked to start a confessional Lutheran church body in Norway. They are part of the Lutheran Church in Norway, registered with the Norwegian authorities as a church in 2006. Bishop Masvie has a heart for reaching those far from Jesus, making international mission work a part of this new church body.
Mission India
The goal of Mission India is to equip India’s Christians to plant reproducing churches. They come alongside indigenous worshiping groups and missions throughout India, equipping them to do the work God has called them to do. They provide the training, resources, and accountability to help them be self-sustaining and successful. Through Mission India, Cross supports one church planter and one adult literacy teacher each year.