In the fall of 1988, The Rev. Dr. Pedro Bravo-Guzmán, The Rev. Dr. Peter Paul Brennan, and The Rev. Dr. Francis C. Spataro—each with a background in the Apostolic Episcopal Church—came together in Astoria, New York, to address the growing need for affiliation among independent missions and churches. Many of these communities, particularly within the Latino population in the United States and abroad, were deeply committed to the study and proclamation of Lutheran doctrine and theology. From this gathering, the Association of Independent Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AIELC) was founded and officially incorporated in the State of New York on May 8, 2001.

 

The Association’s first Presiding Bishop was The Rev. Peter Paul Brennan, who later passed the mantle of leadership to The Rev. Dr. Pedro Bravo-Guzmán. Under their guidance, the AIELC experienced significant expansion, ultimately serving an estimated 35,000 believers worldwide. Congregations were planted across the United States, as well as in Scotland, the Channel Islands, India, South Africa, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Chile, and Venezuela.

 

However, the Association’s mission began to waver following a prolonged illness affecting Bishop Bravo-Guzmán—a condition that remained undisclosed to the broader membership. His death on October 15, 2018, marked a turning point. In the aftermath, The Rev. Dr. James Walter Clifton, a member of the AIELC clergy, was asked to assume the role of Presiding Bishop on October 20, 2019.

 

Dr. Clifton served until May 4, 2020, when The Most Rev. Rogério Sidaoui was elected Supervising Bishop and became the titular head of the AIELC. During his tenure, the Association’s headquarters was moved from New York to São Paulo, Brazil. Following Bishop Bravo-Guzmán’s passing, internal divisions surfaced, with multiple bishops attempting to assert control. In response, all standing bishops were removed from office, and amid the resulting upheaval, Bishop Sidaoui chose to resign. Leadership of the AIELC was then entrusted to a collective leadership team.

 

After several years of dormancy, Dr. Clifton was invited by Bishop Sidaoui and members of the leadership team to return to active leadership. He was formally reappointed as Presiding Bishop on April 6, 2025. The Association’s headquarters has since been relocated to Millersburg, IN.