“Neutrality is never neutral. It always favors the oppressor.”
In this moving address delivered on April 15, 2026, at the South Carolina Synod Rostered Leaders Luncheon, Pastor Jorge Leone shares his “exodus” story—from fleeing Argentina’s Dirty War to becoming the first ordained Latino pastor in the South Carolina Synod.
Drawing a “red thread” from the 1702 Huguenot resistance in France to the 1940s refuge of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, Pastor Leone challenges the Church to awaken its conscience. He addresses the pressing moral wounds of 2026, including the tragic deaths of Renée Nicole Good and Alex Jeffrey Pretti, the suffering of immigrants in the U.S., and the global cries for peace in Palestine, Ukraine, and the Middle East.
In this video, Pastor Leone discusses:
✝ The growth and vibrant life of Cristo Rey and Sagrada Familia Lutheran Churches.
✝ His family’s history of faith and resistance against dictatorships.
✝ The theological mandate to protect the immigrant and the vulnerable.
✝ A call for pastors and deacons to be “storytellers” who protect the sheep when the wolves come.
Visit Cristo Rey: Join Pastor Leone and Pastor Mark Buchan for worship on Sundays at 5:00 p.m. Bulletins and sermons are provided in both English and Spanish. Come experience what it means to be “Latin American at heart.”
Download speech text: https://scsynod.com/wp-content/uploads/documents/pastorjorgeleoneatretiredleaderslunch.pdf
