Felicitaciones a:

• La Conferencia Eastern Pennsylvania por organizar una nueva iglesia Latina. "El Buen Samaritano," en West Chester. La Rda. Evodia Villalva, nativa de México, trabajará con el pastor John Schol, quien dirige la iglesia Anglo con quien estarán compartiendo facilidades.

• Esa misma conferencia por haber aprobado en la sesión anual el establecimiento de un "endowment fund" para ministerios Hispanos.

• Las Conferencias de Florida y de Norte de Nueva Jersey por haber aprobado en la sesión anual resoluciones pidiendo la continuación del Plan Nacional de Ministerio Hispano.

• Las siguientes Conferencias no-Hispanas por haber elegido delegados Latinos a la Conferencia General de 2000:

  Eastern Pa. Rdo. Philip Ponce
  Florida Rdos. Aldo Martín y Jorge Acevedo
  Minnesota Rda.E. Lopez-Spence
  New England Rdo. Ulises Torres
  New York Rda.Magali Beltré y la Sra. Maria Maine
  Northern Illinois Sra.Rosa Arroyo
  

• La Conferencia Rio Grande por la elección del Dr.Roberto Gómez y el Sr.Daniel Solíz como delegados a la Conferencia General de 2000.

• La Iglesia Metodista de Puerto Rico por celebrar en su conferencia anual 100 años de Metodismo en Puerto Rico y por cuatro nuevas congregaciones establecidas durante éste último año conferencial.

• La Conferencia Kansas West por celebrar en su sesión anual el 25vo Aniversario de United Methodist Western Kansas Mexican-American Ministries.

Congratulations to:

• Bethel UMC in Pueblo, Colorado, for holding a successful workshop last April 23-24, led by Rev. Velma Esqueda and Mr./Mrs. Jerry and Becky Valenzuela. Pactos ministries (similar to faith communities) and Street Ministries were the focus of the workshop. Actual visitation was done, and response was immediate.

• Section of Deacons and Diaconal Ministers of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for holding a Diakonia consultation with representatives from the United States, Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. A Latin American network of Hispanic persons working in ministries of Diakonia was formed at the May 27-30 gathering in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Hispanic physicians, social workers, teachers, community developers, nurses, and clergy agreed that at least until 2004, the new network will work on the development of a vision of diakonia within the Latin American context. The network will seek a relationship with the Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches in Latin America (CIEMAL) and the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. Methodist churches in Latin America do not presently have deaconess, permanent deacons, or diaconal ministers.

• A medical team from La Clínica, a basic part of the ministry of Acción Social Comunitaria of the Missouri East Conference in St. Louis, for going to the Hispanic ministry in Monett, Missouri, to provide basic health care to the sick and those in need in that community. Two missionaries, Mr./Mrs.Alma and Fausto Villagrana, are currently serving in Monet in The Missouri West Conference. Three doctors, three nurses, and a medical student made up the medical team. La Clinica is directed by Dr.William Chignoli, who also serves as pastor of "The New Community Church" in St. Louis.