I. THE PLANA. Vision--Mission II. RECOMMENDATIONS |
The National Plan for Hispanic Ministry represents the first coordinated, comprehensive effort of The United Methodist Church to focus on the development and strengthening of Hispanic Ministries.(1) The General Conference was moved to enthusiastic endorsement of the National Plan because it proposed a well-coordinated response to an undeniable challenge. The Plan grew out of our denomination's long experience in Hispanic ministry and was based on a vision of the future to which God is calling United Methodists.
Ours is a vision of a church [in] which, as in the first Pentecost, all can hear the mighty works of God in their own tongue (Acts 2.8) -which is not merely a matter of language, but also of cultural identity, family traditions, etc. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit did not destroy or ignore the cultural identity of those present, but rather made the Gospel available to them in whatever language they spoke. This led the early church to new life and new growth. Likewise, in the church today, we must find ways to affirm the various cultural identities of those among whom we witness. And they in turn must be encouraged to speak of the mighty works of God "in their own tongue." As in that first Pentecost, some will not understand; some may even accuse the Church of being "filled with new wine" (Acts 2:13). In such a case, our task, like Peter's, will be to rise up and proclaim that what the world is witnessing is none other than the action of God (Acts 2:16: "this is what was spoken through the prophet..."). [Daily Christian Advocate (DCA): 1992 Vol. 1, p. 716]
To begin movement toward this vision, the 1992 General Conference apportioned a total of $2.7 million from World Service and Mission Initiatives funds and approved a General Advance Special, the Challenge Fund, with a goal of $4 million for the quadrennium.
As we report to the General Conference, we are again drawn to Acts 2. What now stands out in the text is not only that the people all heard "each in their own tongue," but that they also heard of "the mighty deeds of God." That is what we have seen and heard during this quadrennium: God has done and is doing mighty deeds among us.
At a time when we often hear negative and dispirited comments about the church and its mission, we must
proclaim to the General Conference, to the Church at large and to the world, that we have seen the Spirit of God
working among us. Four years ago, the National Plan for Hispanic Ministry was but a tiny mustard seed. Now it
is becoming a tall plant, inviting others to come and build their nests amid its branches. (Matthew 13:31-32) This
growth bears witness to the faithfulness of many to the Great Commission where our Lord mandates us to "Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20).
Preliminary reports of the first two and a half years of the quadrennium show:(2)
It is estimated that by the end of the 1992-1996 quadrennium, with plans already in place and others in process, there will be at least an additional 450 lay missioners, 200 pastor/mentors, and 95 facilitator/trainers who will have been trained and will be at work. We are indeed witnessing "the mighty deeds of God!"
Much in this vision was new and needed definition. Such was the case, for instance, with the concepts of "faith communities" and "lay missioners." These ideas required time to be properly developed. A number of consultations on community ministries, on revitalization of churches, on women and families, on town and country ministries, as well as with seminary representatives have provided insights and learning needed to develop training modules, resources and programs for the development of Hispanic ministries. These have given voice and participation to countless numbers of Hispanics, Anglos and non-Hispanics who are claiming a more active role in the mission of the Church. Mighty deeds of God!
Perhaps the most impressive achievement this quadrennium is that the Committee on Hispanic Ministries, in collaboration with the four general program agencies, has designed three modules for the training of lay missioner/pastor-mentor teams. The first two modules constitute the basic curriculum for training lay missioner/pastor-mentor teams and the third module offers continuing formation. All three modules incorporate the basic action/reflection, transforming action methodology.
Since, according to the Plan approved by General Conference, lay missioners will be the primary vehicle for creating faith communities, the entire curriculum is based on a methodology which ties together the action and practice of life with reflection. Action must be borne out of a biblical and theological reflection which in turn must lead to action and so on. Three simple verbs undergird this dynamic: to See (where we are now; our reality), to Judge (to let our reality be judged by the Word of God), to Act (to be moved to action by the Holy Spirit who has enabled us to see with different eyes).
Resources for the first two modules are available from the General Board of Discipleship. All four general program agencies are developing continuing education events and resources for lay missioners and pastor-mentors. This is a remarkable achievement that the Committee celebrates, not only because so much has been accomplished where nothing existed before, but also because of the exemplary cooperative manner in which this work was done by the four program agencies - a model of inter-agency collaboration about which we rejoice. Again, mighty deeds of God!
The National Plan called for a Committee on Hispanic Ministries to oversee the implementation of the Plan and called also for a high degree of collaboration and joint planning by the general program agencies. Once organized, the Committee collaborated with the General Board of Global Ministries in selecting the Rev. José L. Palos to serve as Coordinator for the Plan.
These agencies, under the guidance of the Committee, have worked:
The Coordinator, along with the general program agency's staff and Committee members, provided resourcing to many annual conferences and regional groups. This was done by sharing the vision and the basic concepts of the Plan and by providing interpretation and training. The Coordinator, along with some trained consultants, has been involved in many of the training events taking place across the nation and Puerto Rico. This resourcing has enabled the movement of the Plan's implementation in annual conferences and jurisdictions. Here, too, we have seen the mighty deeds of God!
The Spirit is leading our denomination to respond in various ways to God's call to Hispanic ministries. Some of the evidence is tangible and expected, resulting from the initiatives of the Plan. Other signs indicate that the seeds of the Spirit's sowing are sprouting throughout the Church. For example, bilingual curriculum for children is available for the first time. With the whole Church, we rejoice in the publication of the new Spanish language hymnal, Mil Voces para Celebrar: Himnario Metodista. Featuring original works by several Hispanic United Methodists, this hymnal allows the Church to hear the voices and join the song of Hispanic Christians. Together, we sing the mighty acts of God!
Less tangible signs reveal the stirring of new enthusiasm among Hispanics, both lay and clergy, and among
non-Hispanics. A new level of interest in the partnership of laity and clergy is evolving from participation in the
Plan's training modules. Hope for strengthened Hispanic ministries in annual conferences is growing as current
leaders find renewal and new leaders emerge. God is preparing us for an abundant harvest of new disciples!
There are some basic elements and concepts in the National Plan for Hispanic Ministry that we affirm and want to continue. Therefore, the Plan envisions that local congregations -- both new and existing-shall organize their lives and programs so as to become training centers for mission, creating faithful disciples who enthusiastically share and witness to their faith in words and deeds.
A key concept of the Plan is the understanding of Christian mission that congregational development and community ministries are inseparable. This concept has been the basis for the development of faith communities and community ministries, for the revitalization of existing congregations and in the training of lay missioners and pastor-mentor teams.
Faith Communities
Establishing and nurturing faith communities will continue as a top priority for Hispanic ministries. The Plan envisions that congregations or community outreach ministries, led by teams of lay missioners and clergy, will form faith communities. These faith communities take the church to the people, meeting informally in homes and other non-church settings. Expectations for faith communities were clearly spelled out in the 1992 Plan and are reaffirmed here.
Faith communities will:
Lay Missioner and Pastor-Mentor Teams
The vision presented in 1992 emphasized the participation of the entire United Methodist Church-laity and clergy, Hispanic and non-Hispanic-in a common ministry.
The vision which informs this Plan requires a close partnership between clergy and laity, and the recruitment of vast numbers of laity committed to the furtherance of Christ's mission among the growing Hispanic population.
Lay missioners are committed lay persons, mostly volunteers, who are willing to be trained and work in Hispanic ministries in a team with a pastor-mentor. While lay missioners are engaged in a variety of ministries, they are not trained to take the place of pastors. Lay missioners and pastor-mentors may be either Hispanic or non-Hispanic. The partnership of laity and clergy envisioned in the Plan is exemplified in the team ministry of lay missioners and pastor-mentors.
The task of lay missioner and pastor-mentor teams is primarily to be engaged in creating and nurturing new faith communities or new congregations, but it also involves revitalizing existing congregations, participating in community or outreach ministries and developing church school extension programs.
The Ordained Clergy
In the National Plan, pastors will be partners with lay missioners. Pastors will principally act as members who identify lay missioners, train them, work with them, encourage them, assign them to specific mission opportunities, support them and exercise mutual accountability in their common ministry. The pastor and the lay missioner(s) together form a partnership dedicated to furthering the Reign of God in the Hispanic context.
In many situations, the pastor of an established Hispanic or non-Hispanic congregation needing revitalization
can give new vision to the church in exploring its immediate context to discover unchurched Hispanics. A
congregation in the process of revitalization would define or redefine its mission contextually. The pastor plays a
key role in encouraging the congregation to consider possible mission opportunities to and with unchurched
Hispanics such as faith communities, community ministries, church school extension programs and outreach
ministries.
God's action requires our response: first in joy and thanksgiving and then in further commitment. Thus, while we celebrate what has been accomplished, we call the entire church to recall and reaffirm the words of the report approved by General Conference in 1992:
"We are aware that such a mission will require a commitment far beyond the upcoming quadrennium. It will require the commitment of an entire generation. Thus, while we present this Plan to General Conference with the request that it [be adopted], as the Discipline allows, for a quadrennium, we also present this vision to The United Methodist Church, with the hope that we shall all grasp it for a lifetime!"[DCA, 1992, Vol 1, P. 716].
Three important reasons that the ministry which has begun must continue are:
In this climate, the mission of the Church, and especially in the United States, is clear. God calls us to proclaim the good news of reconciliation and to model a new humanity united in Christ. We have already begun that ministry. The National Plan has positioned The United Methodist Church to lift up a model of hospitality to the nation (Hebrews 13:12). We must build upon the foundation laid these past four years to fulfill the vision and engage the Church in meeting the challenge to which God calls us.
Given these facts, the Committee on Hispanic Ministries believes that the Lord of history continues to call our denomination to commitment and follow-through in Hispanic ministries. The Committee is deeply convinced that the National Plan for Hispanic Ministry must be continued and strengthened in the 1997-2000 quadrennium, and urgently calls for its continuance as presented in the recommendation which has been forwarded to the 1996 General Conference under separate cover.
To God be all praise and glory!
1. The Puerto Rico Annual Conference decided, with the approval of the 1992 General Conference, to become an Affiliated Autonomous Church on January 1, 1993. However, there exists a lasting bond between the new church in Puerto Rico and The United Methodist Church. Puerto Rico continues to provide significant pastoral leadership for Hispanic ministries in the United Methodist Church. The Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico continues serving as a center for theological education of Hispanic ministers both for Puerto Rico and for the United States. Also, Puerto Rico continues purchasing and employing materials published by the United Methodist Publishing House and other agencies of The United Methodist Church. For all these and many other connections, the church in Puerto Rico continues to participate in the National Plan for Hispanic Ministry, both providing resources fo, and drawing them from The United Methodist Church.
2. Figures based on reports from a September 1995 survey. Upgraded figures are available from the Office of the National Plan.
3. Along these lines, we recommend the document Hispanic Ministries:
Challenge and Opportunity, presented to the General Conference
as a support document in 1992, and currently available through
the Office of the Committee on Hispanic Ministries.
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