August 1998, Volume 5 No. 5
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Center Becoming Place of Hope and HealingResponding to the needs of the growing Hispanic population in Mississippi, "the Trinity Mission Center is becoming a place of refuge and a center for hope and healing to its surrounding community" in Scott County. That is how Rev. Sally Del Castillo, a missionary of the National Plan For Hispanic Ministry, describes the work that began three years ago. The Trinity Mission Center, housed in the former church building of a congregation that was closed in 1997, is a facility that offers a variety of outreach programs in the Forest area, an area chosen to begin ministry because there were at least 3000 Hispanics living there. "With the help of local churches and volunteers, we began teaching English as a second language ...and have touched the lives of many students who are mostly workers in the poultry industry," explains Rev. Del Castillo. The Center is also offering citizenship classes, classes to obtain a driver's license and dealing with issues such as immigration, housing and employment. "We have fed the hungry, clothed the poor, and offered hospitality to the stranger." "We are doing what Jesus called the church to do. We begin each class with devotion and prayer time, and many of our students have inquired about worship services and Bible study," she adds. "As physical needs are being met, God is opening the door to spiritual growth opportunities." The Center serves about 50-60 Hispanics weekly in addition to others from the community who come to the center. The Center offers Alcohol Anonymous meetings, a thrift shop, a food pantry and translation services to its community. It will soon be housing other community groups such as Habitat for Humanity and the Boy Scouts. Rev. Del Castillo envisions
for the future that the center will
include congregational development, a summer children's program, after school tutoring,
adult education and GED classes, and immigration services.
They have already begun to
recruit and train Hispanic and
nonHispanic leaders to be voices
of justice and advocacy. The
National Plan for Hispanic Ministry has developed and pointed
to a vision of what God is calling the church to be and do.
Misioneros Laicos participan en Revitalizacion de IglesiasMisioneros laicos, diestrados por el programa de capacitación del Plan Nacional de Ministerio Hispano, han estado participando activamente en la revitalizacion de tres congregaciones en la Conferencia Norte de Nueva Jersey. En Patterson, N.J., la congregación de Iglesia Metodista Unida La Trinidad ha estado transformándose paulatinamente durante los ultimos dos años bajo el liderato de la Rvda. Maria Pilar Lafontaine. Como parte de su su revitalización, se ha formado un grupo musical llamado Mujeres de Dios que cantan y alaban a Dios cada domingo en el culto de adoración. El Centro de Cuidado Diurno tiene una matrícula de 35 niños con una lista de espera y lo dirije Wanda Cruz. Ha contribuido positivamente al alcance de esa iglesia a su comunidad. El Centro ofrece también apoyo y consejería a familias en crisis. El entusiasmo y alegría de esta iglesia ha tocado su comunidad y ha transformado la congregación. La Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida de Dover, una iglesia de habla inglesa, ha sido revitalizada a través del desarrollo de un ministerio con Hispanos. Cuatro misioneros laicos, Daniel Martínez, Melisa Martínez, José Perla, y Gabriela Perla, trabajan como equipo con su pastor, el Dr. Pedro Trinidad en el desarrollo de una misión Hispana. La misión tiene ya un promedio de asistencia de 45 personas por domingo. La pareja Perla dirigen una comunidad de fe compuesta de parejas de la comunidad que se reunen una vez por mes en distintos hogares. Estas parejas han creado un sistema de apoyo y compañerismo que no habían encontrado en otro lugar. En Elizabeth hace seis meses, la Iglesia Metodista Unida El Redentor se emprendió en un estudio de su comunidad para discernir y clarificar su misión por reallizar, como parte de su proceso de renovacion congregacional. Una de sus misioneras laicas, Claire Chichester, dirije una comunidad de fe con niños de la comunidad cuyos padres y madres no están afiliados a ninguna congregacion. Los niños se reunen para jugar y aprender de Dios. María Ivette Rivera, otra misionera laica, dirije el Instituto de Misioneros Laicos, que capacita a misioneros laicos de la Conferencia Norte de Nueva Jersey. |
UPCOMING EVENTSAugust 8-12 Module I in Spanish. Perkins School of Theology, Mexican American Program. Contact: Minerva Carcaño, 214/768-2768. August 14-16 Spanish Course of Study Consultation, Nashville. August 21-23, 28-30 Module I. East/West Ohio Conferences. Contact: Tony Jones, 1-800-831-3972 ext. 116. August 27-29, September 10-12 Module I in English. North Carolina Conference. Contact: Alice Konka, 919/851-5106. August 28-29 Claremont's Course of Study Instructors Training, Claremont, California. September 11-12, 18-19, 25-26 Module I in English/Spanish. Texas Conference. Contact: David Díaz, 281/820-2670. September 17-20 Committee on Hispanic Ministries, Portland, Oregon. September 21-22 Southwest Training Center Board of Directors, San Antonio. October 1-3, & November 12-14 Module II in English. N.C. & W. N.C. Conf. Contact: Alice Konka, 919/851-5106, or E. Coppedge-Henley, 910/889-4429. November 13-15 Exploration '98 for Youth and Young Adults considering the Ordained Ministry, Los Angeles. November 19-22 MARCHA
Convocation, Chicago.
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