Leopoldo Sanchez named board chair of Lutherans in Medical Missions

Bobbie Lautenschlager, Executive Director of Lutherans in Medical Missions, announced on June 20 that Rev. Dr. Leopoldo Sánchez has been named Chair of the Board of Directors of Lutherans in Medical Missions (LIMM), effective as of May, 2012.

Deaconess Intern Olga Groh has also been appointed to the Board of Directors to replace retiring Board member and previous Board Chair, John Speckhard.

“John Speckhard served many years with LIMM and has served a full nine years on the Board of Directors. He has been an outstanding co-worker in the Kingdom, and I will miss his counsel and advice,” stated Lautenschlager. “Rev. Sánchez has served on the board since early 2008 and will make a gifted Board Chair to replace John.”

Sánchez, born in Chile and raised in Panama, served as a vicar in Venezuela and later as a pastor in San Jose, California. He received his PhD from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in 2003, and has served there as a professor of systematic theology since 2004. In 2006 he was appointed director of the Seminary’s Center for Hispanic Studies (CHS) and first occupant of the Werner R. H. Krause and Elizabeth Ringer Krause Chair for Hispanic Ministries. He is a recognized leader in issues related to Hispanic/Latino theology. Dr. Sánchez’ other interests are in Spirit-Christology (the role of the Spirit in the life of Christ), pneumatology (Holy Spirit), Trinitarian theology, and sanctification.

Olga Groh, newly of Kansas City, Missouri, will be finishing her deaconess internship serving with LUMA—Lutheran Urban Mission Agency. She is a school teacher and professional Christian counselor and has served in these capacities in Argentina and Canada. She was an LCMS career missionary deployed in Panama City, Panama, 2004-2011. As an Operational Facilitator with LCMS World Mission, she developed partnerships with national Lutheran church bodies and Lutheran institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean for the implementation of deaconess training programs, and she supervised LCMS Deaconess Interns serving in Latin America. She also served as director of project management for LCMS World Relief and Human care and had the oversight of all LCMS-WRHC human care and deaconess projects in the region. At the end of 2012 Olga will complete her Master of Arts in Religion and her Certificate of Deaconess Studies.

“LIMM has been blessed to have these two strong leaders join the Board. Their insights to the needs of Latin America will be a special asset as LIMM determines program and projects for support,” states Lautenschlager.

Lutherans in Medical Missions (www.limm.org) was founded in the mid-1990s when a group of medical professionals recognized a need to emphasize medical care as part of Lutheran Mission Outreach. LIMM is a Registered Service Organization of the LCMS World Relief and Human Care.