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The Rev. Edgardo Rivera keeps a photo in his Bible. It's of himself - at age 2 in the small town of Vieques, Puerto Rico. As a boy, Rivera would sit on his front porch by the sea and stare out at the horizon.

As a new Adventure Gbwc_superusere in the Baltimore and Washington regions, Rivera still finds meaning in looking out to the horizon. But today his vision often focuses on what's possible for the future of Hispanic ministries.

He recalls the words of United Methodist theologian Justo Gonzalez, that hope is the 'future pulling us forward. We don't fear the future because we've seen the future in the person of Jesus Christ. The hope and future we see should affect our present.'

'Hope is one of my values,' Rivera said. 'I tend to see opportunities.'

This hope was reinforced at a conferencewide Hispanic Month celebration at First UMC in Hyattsville Sept. 23.

Latinos from throughout the Baltimore-Washington Conference gathered to worship and welcome Rivera and the Rev. Milly Rivera, (no relation) who is working with Hispanic ministries in the Frederick area.

In a sermon, the Rev. Eliezer Valentin-Castanon, of the General Board of Religion and Race, brought a word of hope to those gathered, explaining that Hispanics are the largest and fastest growing minority within the United States, constituting 14.8 percent of the total population.

'We are tomorrow,' Valentin-Castanon said. 'We are the future today.'

However, he also offered a word of challenge, explaining that while the Hispanic population is growing, that growth is not represented in The United Methodist Church. In fact, he said, Hispanics make up less than 1 percent of United Methodists in the United States.

'We are not making it,' he said. 'It is up to us.'

Bishop John Schol, who celebrated Communion at the Hispanic Month celebration, rose to that challenge, pledging to support and resource ministries to the Latino community in this region.

Rivera believes the conference's desire to grow disciples dovetails nicely with its Discipleship Adventure ? or Aventura del Discipulado ? which calls for the creation of Acts 2 congregations.

Listen to the Acts 2 story, Rivera said. 'This fits right in. Be conscious of the Holy Spirit. Everyone was able to listen to God in their own language. It's very relevant.'

How the conference will achieve this vision of 'The Grand Fiesta,' in which all are welcome in the Kingdom of God, will require a strategy, some intention, learning, openness, teamwork and financial and human resources, Rivera said.

'The Hispanic community is very diverse. But there are things that unite us,' he explained. Family, relationships and hospitality are essential in the Latino community. 'The church can offer that sense of family to immigrants, to everyone.'

Rivera is looking forward to working with the conference Commission on Hispanic Ministries to develop strategies to make that happen.

'When I sat on the porch of my house, I looked to the horizon,' he said. 'But I never dreamed I'd end up here. Who knows where we'll be next year, or the day after tomorrow.'