Lutheran Latino Ministries: Our History. . .
1980—Polo and Marta Garcia begin ministry outreach among migrant workers in camps around
the Woodburn area as independent missionaries.
1992—A small group of supporters begin meeting with Polo and Marta Garcia, missionaries to
migrant workers in Woodburn, to find ways to support the ministry.
Radio sponsorship of a weekly Gospel broadcast begins.
1999—ESL classes and Rainbow Roundup begin at Ascension, Gresham
2000—A Convocation on Hispanic Ministries at Hope, Woodburn, is attended by 98 people.
Plans are made to expand the work of Lutheran Hispanic Ministries.
ESL classes begin at Trinity, Portland.
Polo Garcia, Jr. begins higher education with the goal of becoming a pastor.
Mission statement, purpose, and position description for a missionary, are created.
Work toward calling a full-time missionary is begun.
2002—Lutheran Hispanic Ministries becomes a non-profit corporation.
2003—Spanish language services begin at Hope, Woodburn.
Benjamin Duarte & Miguel Luna begin Leadership Advancement Process classes
with the goal of colloquy and ordination.
The name is changed to Lutheran Latino Ministries, Inc. and 501(c)(3) status is achieved.
Polo Garcia, Jr. graduates from Concordia, Portland
Miguel and Marta Luna represent the Northwest District at the First National Hispanic
Ministry Convention.
2005—Miguel and Marta Luna are hired to serve as Circuit Rider Missionaries.
Miguel Luna is licensed as Deacon by the Northwest District Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod.
2006—Pr. Luna’s sermons are broadcast on AM970 from Rupert, Idaho.
Pr. Miguel and Marta Luna and LLM President Pam Bridgehouse represent the
Northwest District at the II National Hispanic Ministries Convention.
2007-- Financial responsibility for the Woodburn radio broadcast is handed over to House of
Zion, Woodburn.
2008— Pr. Luna completes colloquy and becomes a certified LCMS pastor. He is jointly called to
serve as Missionary Pastor for Hope-Woodburn, Trinity-Mt. Angel, and Trinity and
Ascension in Portland.
Marta Luna begins training in the Deaconess Formation Program of the Center for
Hispanic Studies at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
2009 - Pr. Miguel and Marta Luna and Pam Bridgehouse represent the Northwest District at the
III National Hispanic Ministries Convention.
2010 — Lutheran Latino Ministries becomes a Recognized Service Organization of the
Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
2011 – Marta Luna completed the Deaconess Formation Program, was called and
commissioned by Lutheran Latino Ministries to continue her evangelism work among
women, families, and youth.
Five Latino people begin theological training with the goal of becoming Lay Assistants or
Deacons
2012 - Pr. Miguel and Deaconess Marta Luna represent the Northwest District at the
IV National Hispanic Ministries Convention. Deaconess Marta is elected to serve on the
Board of Directors for the V National Convention.
2013 - LLM President Pam Bridgehouse participates in the first PALMCON (Partners in Latino
Ministries Conference) presented by Lutheran Hispanic Missionary Institute, El Paso, TX.
2014 - Pastor Miguel resigns his call to Trinity-Mt. Angel because the people previously served
there have chosen to worship with the nearby Woodburn congregation.
2015 – Pastor Miguel and Deaconess Marta Luna and LLM Pres. Pam Bridgehouse represent
the Northwest District at the V National Hispanic Ministries Convention.
Pastor Miguel is disabled by cancer. LLM calls Rev. Dr. Paul Gossman to continue
worship services for the congregations served by Pr. Miguel.
2016 - Three members of Trinity-Portland complete the 10 entry-level classes offered through
the Center for Hispanic Studies of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in order to be better
equipped for service in their congregation and others.
Trinity Lutheran in Portland calls Rev. Dr. Paul Gossman to serve as Associate Pastor for
Mission Development, with the responsibility of training and equipping the members for
mission and ministry, and to serve the Hispanic/Latino members. Ascension contracts a
portion of his time to serve the Hispanic/Latino people in that congregation.
Hope Lutheran in Woodburn calls Rev. Zabdi Lopez to serve as their full-time bilingual
pastor.
Two full-time pastors are now dedicated to the work previously developed by Pastor
Miguel and Deaconess Marta Luna.
2017 - Pastor Miguel is called to glory.
The first Mentoring for Ministry leader training retreat is attended by 26 people from
Woodburn, Portland, Tonasket, Washington, and Jerome, Idaho.
Pastor Gossman leaves Portland to serve as Executive Director of the World Mission
Prayer League.
Lay people assume mission responsibilities under supervision of Rev. Jim Sprengle
(Ascension) and Rev. Terry Merrill (Trinity, Portland)
2018 - Ruberto Ek Yah, member of Trinity, Portland, begins Pastoral Formation studies through
the Center for Hispanic Studies of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
Deaconess Marta Luna and Pres. Pam Bridgehouse represent the Northwest District at
the VI National Hispanic Ministries Convention.
Rev. Zabdi Lopez becomes adjunct instructor with Concordia University, Portland and
begins teaching Mission Training Center classes to Spanish-speaking lay people.
2019 – LLM donates one day a week of Deaconess Marta’s time to serve as a chaplain at Legacy
Silverton Hospital in Silverton, OR.
LLM provides a Spanish-language discipleship workshop/retreat at St. Peter the
Fisherman (Lincoln City, OR) presented by Rev. Dr. David Kim. As a result, Edgar Burgos
(Trinity, Portland) initiates Bibles and Basketball youth program.
Pr. Lopez presents at the NOW Start Network fall workshop.
Trinity, Portland, calls and installs bilingual pastor, Rev. Dr. Eric Moeller.
2020 – Deaconess Marta and Pam Bridgehouse meet with the church council of Redeemer,
Salem, to discuss expanding Marta’s evangelism ministry through their congregation.
Deaconess Marta begins working with Love INC, Woodburn, one day a week. She
connects a number of her clients with Hope, Woodburn.
The pandemic stops Marta’s work at the hospital. She continues working with Love
INC. In cooperation with the Senior Center in Silverton, OR, and local grocery stores and
farms, Deaconess Marta and her crew of volunteers distribute more than 10,000 masks
in the Woodburn area.
Marta and Pam begin working on a bilingual training booklet, Initiating and Maintaining
Relationships for Evangelism.
Rev. Eric Moeller (Trinity, Portland), Rev. Zabdi Lopez (Hope, Woodburn, OR) and Vicar
Ruberto Ek Yah (Trinity, Portland and Ascension, Portland) begin preaching once a
month at Bethlehem Lutheran in Yakima, Washington
2021 - Redeemer, Salem, church council accepts LLM’s proposal to have Deaconess Marta
serve as missionary evangelist through their congregation.
Deaconess Marta begins work with the Salem Free Clinic to become familiar with
helping agencies in the Salem area.
Ruberto Ek Yah completed the Pastoral Formation Program of the Concordia Seminary
Center for Hispanic Studies.
Latina member of Ascension, Portland, Hana Laughton, begins studies in Concordia
Seminary’s Online Deaconess Studies Program. LLM will finance her education with grants from Zion Lutheran Church Endowment Fund, Oregon LWML societies, and donations from LLM supporters.
2022 - Ruberto Ek Yah is ordained and installed as Assistant Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church
in Portland. He is also serving at Ascension, Portland/Gresham.
The Convention of the Northwest District LCMS passes a resolution commending
generous support for LLM by all congregations and members in the District.
Bilingual Pr. Eric Moeller accepts a call and leaves the Northwest District. Pr. Lopez
continues monthly preaching ministry in Yakima.
Lutheran Latino Ministries is planning the next phase of ministry outreach.
2023 - Missionary Deaconess Marta Luna concentrates missionary efforts in Salem.
LLM Vice President begins serving on the All Peoples Commission of the Northwest
District Board of Directors.
2024 – Yakima ministry moves from Bethlehem to Mt. Olive Lutheran. Pr. Peter Knutson and Pr. Zabdi Lopez share preaching duties at the monthly worship services.
Rev. Zabdi Lopez is appointed by the Northwest District Board of Directors to serve as
Oregon Region Vice President.
2026 - Pr. Lopez accepts a call to Concordia Seminary. Pr. Knutson accepts a call to Indianna. Hana Laughton Brandt graduates from Concordia Seminary’s Online Deaconess Formation
Program and accepts LLM’s call to serve as Deaconess for Prayer and Spiritual Support.
We hope you’ll be part of our future!
Let the favor of the Lord be upon us, and establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17
1980—Polo and Marta Garcia begin ministry outreach among migrant workers in camps around
the Woodburn area as independent missionaries.
1992—A small group of supporters begin meeting with Polo and Marta Garcia, missionaries to
migrant workers in Woodburn, to find ways to support the ministry.
Radio sponsorship of a weekly Gospel broadcast begins.
1999—ESL classes and Rainbow Roundup begin at Ascension, Gresham
2000—A Convocation on Hispanic Ministries at Hope, Woodburn, is attended by 98 people.
Plans are made to expand the work of Lutheran Hispanic Ministries.
ESL classes begin at Trinity, Portland.
Polo Garcia, Jr. begins higher education with the goal of becoming a pastor.
Mission statement, purpose, and position description for a missionary, are created.
Work toward calling a full-time missionary is begun.
2002—Lutheran Hispanic Ministries becomes a non-profit corporation.
2003—Spanish language services begin at Hope, Woodburn.
Benjamin Duarte & Miguel Luna begin Leadership Advancement Process classes
with the goal of colloquy and ordination.
The name is changed to Lutheran Latino Ministries, Inc. and 501(c)(3) status is achieved.
Polo Garcia, Jr. graduates from Concordia, Portland
Miguel and Marta Luna represent the Northwest District at the First National Hispanic
Ministry Convention.
2005—Miguel and Marta Luna are hired to serve as Circuit Rider Missionaries.
Miguel Luna is licensed as Deacon by the Northwest District Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod.
2006—Pr. Luna’s sermons are broadcast on AM970 from Rupert, Idaho.
Pr. Miguel and Marta Luna and LLM President Pam Bridgehouse represent the
Northwest District at the II National Hispanic Ministries Convention.
2007-- Financial responsibility for the Woodburn radio broadcast is handed over to House of
Zion, Woodburn.
2008— Pr. Luna completes colloquy and becomes a certified LCMS pastor. He is jointly called to
serve as Missionary Pastor for Hope-Woodburn, Trinity-Mt. Angel, and Trinity and
Ascension in Portland.
Marta Luna begins training in the Deaconess Formation Program of the Center for
Hispanic Studies at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
2009 - Pr. Miguel and Marta Luna and Pam Bridgehouse represent the Northwest District at the
III National Hispanic Ministries Convention.
2010 — Lutheran Latino Ministries becomes a Recognized Service Organization of the
Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
2011 – Marta Luna completed the Deaconess Formation Program, was called and
commissioned by Lutheran Latino Ministries to continue her evangelism work among
women, families, and youth.
Five Latino people begin theological training with the goal of becoming Lay Assistants or
Deacons
2012 - Pr. Miguel and Deaconess Marta Luna represent the Northwest District at the
IV National Hispanic Ministries Convention. Deaconess Marta is elected to serve on the
Board of Directors for the V National Convention.
2013 - LLM President Pam Bridgehouse participates in the first PALMCON (Partners in Latino
Ministries Conference) presented by Lutheran Hispanic Missionary Institute, El Paso, TX.
2014 - Pastor Miguel resigns his call to Trinity-Mt. Angel because the people previously served
there have chosen to worship with the nearby Woodburn congregation.
2015 – Pastor Miguel and Deaconess Marta Luna and LLM Pres. Pam Bridgehouse represent
the Northwest District at the V National Hispanic Ministries Convention.
Pastor Miguel is disabled by cancer. LLM calls Rev. Dr. Paul Gossman to continue
worship services for the congregations served by Pr. Miguel.
2016 - Three members of Trinity-Portland complete the 10 entry-level classes offered through
the Center for Hispanic Studies of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in order to be better
equipped for service in their congregation and others.
Trinity Lutheran in Portland calls Rev. Dr. Paul Gossman to serve as Associate Pastor for
Mission Development, with the responsibility of training and equipping the members for
mission and ministry, and to serve the Hispanic/Latino members. Ascension contracts a
portion of his time to serve the Hispanic/Latino people in that congregation.
Hope Lutheran in Woodburn calls Rev. Zabdi Lopez to serve as their full-time bilingual
pastor.
Two full-time pastors are now dedicated to the work previously developed by Pastor
Miguel and Deaconess Marta Luna.
2017 - Pastor Miguel is called to glory.
The first Mentoring for Ministry leader training retreat is attended by 26 people from
Woodburn, Portland, Tonasket, Washington, and Jerome, Idaho.
Pastor Gossman leaves Portland to serve as Executive Director of the World Mission
Prayer League.
Lay people assume mission responsibilities under supervision of Rev. Jim Sprengle
(Ascension) and Rev. Terry Merrill (Trinity, Portland)
2018 - Ruberto Ek Yah, member of Trinity, Portland, begins Pastoral Formation studies through
the Center for Hispanic Studies of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
Deaconess Marta Luna and Pres. Pam Bridgehouse represent the Northwest District at
the VI National Hispanic Ministries Convention.
Rev. Zabdi Lopez becomes adjunct instructor with Concordia University, Portland and
begins teaching Mission Training Center classes to Spanish-speaking lay people.
2019 – LLM donates one day a week of Deaconess Marta’s time to serve as a chaplain at Legacy
Silverton Hospital in Silverton, OR.
LLM provides a Spanish-language discipleship workshop/retreat at St. Peter the
Fisherman (Lincoln City, OR) presented by Rev. Dr. David Kim. As a result, Edgar Burgos
(Trinity, Portland) initiates Bibles and Basketball youth program.
Pr. Lopez presents at the NOW Start Network fall workshop.
Trinity, Portland, calls and installs bilingual pastor, Rev. Dr. Eric Moeller.
2020 – Deaconess Marta and Pam Bridgehouse meet with the church council of Redeemer,
Salem, to discuss expanding Marta’s evangelism ministry through their congregation.
Deaconess Marta begins working with Love INC, Woodburn, one day a week. She
connects a number of her clients with Hope, Woodburn.
The pandemic stops Marta’s work at the hospital. She continues working with Love
INC. In cooperation with the Senior Center in Silverton, OR, and local grocery stores and
farms, Deaconess Marta and her crew of volunteers distribute more than 10,000 masks
in the Woodburn area.
Marta and Pam begin working on a bilingual training booklet, Initiating and Maintaining
Relationships for Evangelism.
Rev. Eric Moeller (Trinity, Portland), Rev. Zabdi Lopez (Hope, Woodburn, OR) and Vicar
Ruberto Ek Yah (Trinity, Portland and Ascension, Portland) begin preaching once a
month at Bethlehem Lutheran in Yakima, Washington
2021 - Redeemer, Salem, church council accepts LLM’s proposal to have Deaconess Marta
serve as missionary evangelist through their congregation.
Deaconess Marta begins work with the Salem Free Clinic to become familiar with
helping agencies in the Salem area.
Ruberto Ek Yah completed the Pastoral Formation Program of the Concordia Seminary
Center for Hispanic Studies.
Latina member of Ascension, Portland, Hana Laughton, begins studies in Concordia
Seminary’s Online Deaconess Studies Program. LLM will finance her education with grants from Zion Lutheran Church Endowment Fund, Oregon LWML societies, and donations from LLM supporters.
2022 - Ruberto Ek Yah is ordained and installed as Assistant Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church
in Portland. He is also serving at Ascension, Portland/Gresham.
The Convention of the Northwest District LCMS passes a resolution commending
generous support for LLM by all congregations and members in the District.
Bilingual Pr. Eric Moeller accepts a call and leaves the Northwest District. Pr. Lopez
continues monthly preaching ministry in Yakima.
Lutheran Latino Ministries is planning the next phase of ministry outreach.
2023 - Missionary Deaconess Marta Luna concentrates missionary efforts in Salem.
LLM Vice President begins serving on the All Peoples Commission of the Northwest
District Board of Directors.
2024 – Yakima ministry moves from Bethlehem to Mt. Olive Lutheran. Pr. Peter Knutson and Pr. Zabdi Lopez share preaching duties at the monthly worship services.
Rev. Zabdi Lopez is appointed by the Northwest District Board of Directors to serve as
Oregon Region Vice President.
2026 - Pr. Lopez accepts a call to Concordia Seminary. Pr. Knutson accepts a call to Indianna. Hana Laughton Brandt graduates from Concordia Seminary’s Online Deaconess Formation
Program and accepts LLM’s call to serve as Deaconess for Prayer and Spiritual Support.
We hope you’ll be part of our future!
Let the favor of the Lord be upon us, and establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17
