Hispanic Ministry begins at All
Saints’,
By The Rev Ed Lovelady, Rector,
All Saints’
It
was an answer to our prayers and three years of trying to figure out how to
begin Hispanic ministry at All Saints’.
When I became rector of All Saints’ three years ago, one of the first
things I discovered about the neighborhood around the parish is that it is a
high percentage Hispanic. The PERCEPT
data reinforced this and the vestry and I have had several conversations about
what to do about it.
I
attended a course at CDSP in July titled “Ministry with our Latino neighbors”
with the idea of learning more about Hispanic ministry. It was an enlightening course, conducted
bi-lingual since one student only spoke Spanish and of the other English speakers,
I was the only one who did not speak Spanish.
On
the first Sunday after I returned from the class, I noticed a couple who were
guests in our worship and that they were Hispanic. In my sermon I talked about my experience in
the course and my dream for this ministry for All Saints’.
God answered our prayers. Bernardo and Dolores Iniesta-Avila decided to
make All Saints’ their parish home. They
come to us from the Roman Catholic Church, where Bernardo was a priest for over
five years, with experience in developing Hispanic ministry in non-Hispanic
congregations. Dolores has been active in parish groups such as Catechism
classes, Eucharistic Ministers, Confirmation Classes, lectors and Youth
ministry. We welcome them and their
individual and combined experience to All Saints’. Bernardo holds a BA degree in Philosophy, a
Masters degree in Theology and is a Board certified Chaplain and works as a
counselor for “Safe Nest” a counseling and referral service for battered
women. Dolores is a nurse with 18 years
experience and is presently working for a cancer center.
Bernardo
and Dolores moved to our part of town and came to All Saints’ because it is
close to their new home. Bernardo said about their experience, “We loved the
Church and its people; it makes us feel welcome and makes us feel part of the
community….After a couple of weeks of coming to church I talked to my wife
Dolores and asked her if she would like to do ministry opening a new Hispanic
community. She responded yes.” Bernardo
met with me and gave me his résumé and described his ministry in the Roman
Catholic Church and his desire to begin a Hispanic ministry here at All Saints’
and to be received as a Priest in the Episcopal Church.
La
Iglesia Episcopál de Todos
los
We look forward to the challenges and opportunities of
this new ministry and hope that it can further develop, not only at All Saints’
but also as a resource for ministry with our Hispanic neighbors throughout our
diocese.