Welcoming the Stranger through The National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry |
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by Mary Beth Coudal |
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New World Outlook, September/October 2007 "The English-speaking people have missed the boat," said Rev. Emilio E. Müller, facilitator of the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry in the Pacific Northwest. "But lately, they want to get involved. They realize, 'Wow. Why didn't we pay attention to this before?'" Church and conference leaders are finding new ways to make United Methodist churches notice the gifts of Latinos, and vice versa. For Donna Veatch, getting involved was a no brainer. "Number one reason? Welcome the stranger. Number two? The Hispanic and Latino population is growing. Three? The fastest growing parts of The United Methodist Church are not Anglo." Veatch became involved in the ministry with Spanish-speaking people through playing music. "Music is a big part of the ministry and the culture," said Ms. Veatch. One Hispanic and Latino congregation shared a worship space with a large United Methodist church in Madison, Wisconsin. At first the community felt welcome. Veatch reports: "Then, some people complained, 'They don't put the chairs back. The kids are running.' We have different styles, different cultures. Pretty soon they (the Hispanic/ Latino community) didn't feel so welcome. So they landed at another church, a smaller United Methodist church. It's been a good marriage. That (Hispanic/Latino) congregation added new life to the Anglo church, Trinity UMC." People involved in the National Plan say the plan is intended for the whole church, not for one single language group. Small Anglo churches like Trinity UMC can renew their vitality by embracing Latino and Hispanic people through the National Plan. A first step for churchgoers who want to get involved is to recognize the diversity within the Latino/Hispanic communities. In the Pacific Northwest Conference, people who attend United Methodist churches come from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Peru, and from throughout Central and South America or the Caribbean. Why Get Involved Ms. Herrera-Pÿramo said: "The church needs to be involved in Hispanic/Latino ministries because we cannot pass by the wounded on the side of the road who are, in reality, many of us and our families….We have to be the good Samaritan who stops and does what is right—against oppression, discrimination, pain, and injustice." "We have to work hard in confronting our own prejudices and find freedom from them. We have to keep in mind that more than 48 million Hispanics are in this country (not counting 12 million undocumented) and we, as individuals, as members of the church and society, and as disciples of Christ, have the responsibility to be a voice for fair treatment for the Hispanic community." Herrera-Pÿramo also works with the training center for the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry in the Pacific Northwest Conference. Müller said: "When immigrants cross the border, they are leaving behind their families, jobs, money, professions, and health care. The only thing they have is faith. They are trying to use faith to recreate the community they left behind, and it takes a while. It doesn't happen overnight. If church members are not there to respond, it's their loss." Laura López, a recent recipient of the National Crusade Scholarship, said: "I believe we need to put our heads together and figure out ways to reach out and welcome the Hispanic community to our churches, or maybe the churches need to change their way of thinking about evangelism or reaching out to the Hispanic community. Maybe the Methodist Church needs to allow itself to be welcomed into the Hispanic community and its culture to build new and lasting relationships rather than the other way around." Scholarships Another churchwide effort to support Latino youth is HYLA, Hispanic Youth Leadership Academy, in connection with Creative Expressions of Faith, a part of the Mexican American Program at Perkins School of Theology/Southern Methodist University. "HYLA offers…a place and time dedicated to nurture and walks with United Methodist Latino youth as they begin their journey to become empowered leaders," wrote Erica Granados-de la Rosa, a 16-year-old 2006 graduate from HYLA. She plans to attend Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois, in the fall. The HYLA academy is open to high school and college students who have served or want to serve in the UMC. In the summer of 2007, over 50 students attended the academy. United Methodist scholarship programs answer a need; while 98 percent of Hispanic high school students report that they want to go to college, only 25 percent enroll. There is concern that not enough potential Hispanic leaders are enrolled in graduate or undergraduate programs for the number of Hispanic and Latino ministries that are currently emerging. The Missionaries A strong family connection is important culturally for Latinos and Hispanics. "To disassociate ourselves from our parents would be to turn our backs on them," Rodríguez said. Rodríguez finds that those who have been on mission trips outside the United States can relate to the feelings of recent immigrants who want to learn the culture and language and are separated from their families. "The big challenge is the immigration population. How do we create a place where they feel comfortable coming to church? The first thing is to offer a service in their language." English Classes Giving spiritual nourishment is what the Central Texas Conference sought by offering an ESL class that used The Upper Room resource as a guide. Rodríguez said: "At Aldersgate UMC in Arlington, Texas, three years ago we started an ESL program on a curriculum based on the Pentecost Journey. We thought ESL would be a good way to bring people into the church building." The church didn't expect 80 students to attend the first class. "Some Asians, not all Hispanics, came to learn English. ESL is one of the best ways to empower people who are new to this country. Parents were better able to understand what was going on with their children's school after the classes." "It's really all about relationships," said Sarah Harkness, a young missionary who recently completed her assignment with the National Plan in the Oregon-Idaho Conference. "When I volunteered one night in the ESL class, because of a comment made and a conversation that followed, there was someone who then came to a Bible class I'm co-leading." Ten years ago, only one missionary was assigned to the National Plan for Hispanic Ministry; today there are 23 missionaries serving throughout the United States. Global Ministries supports missionaries from Brazil, Mexico, and Puerto Rico who serve in the United States as conference/regional coordinators, community developers, faith-community developers, and pastors. Spanish Classes Spanishtown is the program the Rev. Kirk Reed of Trinity United Methodist Church in Wilmette, Illinois, adapted to help intermediate-Spanish students, most of whom are church leaders, gain fluency. By immersing themselves in Spanish for a week in Rockford, Illinois, English speakers converse one-on-one with Spanish speakers. "We were literally blown away" by the language skills people gained, reported Rev. Reed. Spanishtown "allows Latinos to get closer to non-Spanish-speaking people," said Delia Ramírez, a 24-year-old director of mission outreach at Humboldt United Methodist Church and advisory-board member of Spanishtown. "We're all Methodists but we feel like we're on totally different pages. Spanishtown reiterates the fact that we're one body in Christ. Maybe our colors are different, and maybe we come from different countries. But when we start talking, we realize that we share the same experiences, the same drive, and the same God. Learning the language is one of the crucial things for pastors who want to take a mission trip. But understanding one another's culture is even greater." Ramírez claimed that if non-Spanish speakers don't immerse themselves in Latino culture, as well as language, it's impossible to connect. In Spanishtown, "we have Spanish speakers from United Methodist churches," said Rev. Reed, who also chairs the National Plan in the Northern Illinois Conference. They were delighted to come. They gave up their vacation time to be there. They were in positions of leadership. They knew what was going on. It was a role reversal for many." The program is being replicated in the Florida Conference and possibly other conferences. Ms. Ramírez thinks it should be done throughout the United States. "We talk about the need to go beyond the walls of our church, to be the voice in the community, but you need to speak the language to do that," she said. "All of us, no matter where we are, have Spanish-speaking neighbors nearby," said Rev. Reed. Revival "It is a well-organized way of building involvement with and among the Hispanic and Latino communities," Veatch said. She claimed that mainline, educated, affluent United Methodist churches may be pleasantly surprised by the style, vitality, and theology of the Hispanic/Latino communities. "This tradition is, if not catholic, evangelical," said Donna Veatch. The United Methodist Church may adopt "a more relevant worship style," said John Southwick, of the Research Office at Global Ministries. "We aren't evangelizing as we used to.…To keep things alive, we are focusing a lot of our new starts on racial and ethnic churches. We're way behind….But we're making an excellent effort to remedy that," Southwick said. Müller said: "[Churchgoers] were used to Hispanics as transient farm workers. That is not so….There are Hispanic owners of orchards….The scenario is changing and will continue to change for 20 years….We have missed the boat so many times; we can't miss it again. Here's where the connection needs to come together." Ms. López prays for a "revival" for The United Methodist Church. "I pray for a church where miracles happen and are commonplace, where the priest and the prostitute sit together at the dinner table, and where people are transformed by the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit." The National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry was funded with $3.8 million for four years at the 2004 General Conference. Mary Beth Coudal is the staff writer for the General Board of Global Ministries. To learn more about the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry in The United Methodist Church, go to: http://gbgm-umc.org/nphm/.
Date posted: Sep 01, 2007 |
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The Mission Magazine of the United Methodist Church
