| The Lutheran Church in Chajabal
New Jerusalem Lutheran Church traces its history back to the 1970's. In those years it was an independent protestant congregation loosely affiliated with the Presbyterian church. Its spiritual leader, Martin Chan, knew of the Lutheran church ministry in nearby Quetzaltenango. He invited its pastor to teach in Chajabal and in time, both Chan and the congregation decided they wanted to become official members of the Lutheran church.
In 1980 the congregation began petitioning the Lutheran Church in Guatemala for membership. After several years of demonstrating their commitment to the teachings of the Lutheran church, they were officially recognized as a member of the Lutheran Church in Guatemala.
New Jerusalem was the first Maya Indian congreation to join the Lutheran Church in Guatemala. The people are of the Quiché (key-CHAY) Maya Indian culture. Their first language is Quiché but many also speak Spanish. Worship is in both Spanish and Quiché.
The congregation also has a day school. Martin Luther School first began as a middle school and recently began adding a Pre-Kindergarten and primary grades.
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