The Iglesia Evangélica Menonita Argentina (Argentina Mennonite Church, IEMA) was the first Mennonite church planted in Latin America. As the IEMA initiated its own mission work, MMN’s role as a partner developed in multiple ways.

IEMA began through the arrival of workers from the former Mennonite Board of Missions in 1917. Due to the size of the country and the spread of the churches, IEMA is organized into four regions. Mission Network supports the IEMA in their leadership development, mission work and camp ministries. From 1998 – 2022, Mission Network also participated together with MC USA congregations in global mission partnerships with three Argentine regional church-planting mission programs: PMP, PROMINOA, and VEMCE.

In a different kind of partnership, the Bragado Mennonite Church together with the Central zone of IEMA supports Alfonsina and José Oyanguren in their Mennonite Team ministry in the Argentine Chaco, along with Ohio and Pennsylvania congregations.

The IEMA churches have developed gifts in listening to a call for mission work in their own country and developing mission programs to carry out that work. Many of the church-planting missionaries sent by Argentine mission partners in earlier years are now pastoring the churches they planted. Congregations also strive to meet needs within their communities, including education and ministries with children and youth.

For more on the IEMA, see: Missio Dei #31 Remembering Forward: Celebrating a century of Mennonite ministry in Argentina