The Committee on Hispanic Ministries in its recent annual meeting in Portland, Oregon, received reports that the National Plan on Hispanic Ministry continues to show signs of progress. The Committee also approved three annual conferences' proposals that will enable new ministries with Hispanics to begin and to be strengthened.

Representatives from four west coast conferences share their stories.

Reports from 63.6% (42) of the annual conferences indicate that since the Plan began a total of 223 new Hispanic congregations have been started in 48 annual conferences. Fifty one of these congregations have been organized or chartered as new churches, 148 are considered "missions," and 24 others are called "ministries." Missions are congregations that are not yet large or strong enough to be chartered as a "new church." "Ministries" include what are known as "fellowships" and "faith communities," smaller entities than missions.

The Committee also approved Mission Initiative grants of $50,000 each to three annual conferences' proposals: Central Texas, Desert Southwest, and South Carolina. The multiproject proposals seek to begin and expand the ministries with Hispanics in these conferences. So far the Committee has approved seven annual conference grants that total $350,000. Thirty-four other annual conferences are currently in some stage of the consultation process required for such grants.

The Central Texas and the Desert Southwest conferences have a Hispanic ministries missionary assigned to work in their conference, while South Carolina is seeking one. The Plan set the goal of placing 25 missionaries in Hispanic ministries. The General Board of Global Ministries has placed 11 missionaries (including one on leave), and four others are to be named soon.