The Lutheran Church
in Lanka
Our History
The Lutheran Church in Lanka was formed as the result of intensive study of God’s Word and the Lutheran Confessions. In 1998, under the leadership of the Rev. Ranjith Fernando (who had studied the Lutheran Confessions with the Rev. John Temple), The Lutheran Mission was established. During the next four years, with the assistance of the Rev. John Fehrmann and the Rev. Dr. Anssi Simojoki, the Revs. Raja Fernando, Mervyn Fernando, Premasiri Perera, Sucil Priyantha, Sinnathamby Puvanendran, and Govasamy Ramalingam received training in the doctrine of the Lutheran Confessions. On 11 June 2002, these men publicly confessed their faith in accord with said Confessions (declaring them to be in complete agreement with the Word of God) and were received as communicant members of the Lutheran Church through the Rite of Confirmation, the Rev. John Fehrmann officiating. On 6 September 2002, having been adjudged well-trained and fit for the Holy Office, they were all Ordained by the Rev. Dr. Anssi Simojoki.
The Lutheran Church in Lanka seeks, by the grace of God, to establish churches and to publish by every means the doctrine of the Lutheran Confessions, so that the Gospel of Christ is always preeminent. In fulfillment of this vision, The Book of Concord was translated into Sinhala by the Rev. Ranjith Fernando and distributed among the people. By 2004, the Lutheran Church in Lanka was seeing great growth as it remained faithful to the Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions.
At the end of 2004, however, many members were lost from the Church on earth—as was the Rev. President Ranjith Fernando, who was on the train to Galle to begin another congregation—when the tsunami struck Sri Lanka on 26 December. We thank our Triune God for having brought these men and women to faith in the work of Christ before this disaster struck and, encouraged by their having thus been spared eternal death, we seek all the more to set forth the Gospel of Christ. As with so many other things in Lanka, the Lutheran Church is now in a time of rebuilding, and we praise God that He is giving us the opportunity to reach more children through our Sunday Schools, to confess the faith for the salvation of both old and young, and to train more men for the office of the Holy Ministry.
The Governing Committee/Board of Trustees of The Lutheran Church in Lanka is as follows:
• President: Rev. M. P. Raja Fernando
• Vice-President: Rev. G. Ramalingam
• Secretary: Rev. Susil Priyantha
• Assistant Secretary: Rev. Premasiri Perera
• Treasurer: Rev. S. Puvanendran
• Assistant Treasurer: Rev. Susil Priyantha
You may reach us electronically using our Contact Page, or by writing to us at the following address:
The Lutheran Church in Lanka
57/B/5 Walawwattha Dolagatha Road
Udugampola, Gampaha, Sri Lanka
