| Churches learn to minister to Hispanic communities By John W. Coleman Jr.UMConnection Staff  Leaders of about a dozen Baltimore-Washington Conference congregations interested in starting ministries among Hispanic people received a candid introduction to that mission challenge during a recent workshop for non-Hispanic churches.
Dont even start, warned trainer Marigene Chamberlain, unless youre doing it for the right reasons youre in it for the long haul (and) youre willing to get out of your comfort zone and embrace change. Chamberlain is the Director of Leadership Formation for Hispanic Ministries at the General Board of Discipleship in Nashville. She told the gathering of about 40 laity and clergy that the proper reason to start Hispanic ministries is not because there are Hispanics in your community and you think you should, but because it is a calling from God. During the seven-hour training, April 5, at Ager Road UMC in Hyattsville, participants learned basic insights about Hispanic cultures, histories, customs and beliefs, even as members of a Hispanic Pentecostal congregation were meeting in the upstairs sanctuary. They also heard tips on how to become more aware of and sensitive to Hispanic neighbors in their midst and how to invite and welcome those neighbors into their churches. For example: z Do a community analysis, identifying local needs, assets, leaders, and potential allies. z Eat at a favorite Hispanic restaurant each week and converse with employees and patrons there. You dont have to speak Spanish, although it helps to learn the language. z Dont expect Hispanic people to assimilate into the majority culture, but to learn and express aspects of that culture in their own way. z Avoid ethnocentric thinking and behaviors, and instead learn to value cultural diversity, while still recognizing inherent similarities among people. The dominant culture tends to oppress and exclude anything unlike it, said Chamberlain. You need to find a cultural and community informant you can trust, she advised, so you can ask that person all your questions, even the embarrassing ones. Chamberlain used Bible study, small-group discussions and Partners in the Mighty Works of God, a recommended manual for non-Hispanic churches in ministry with Hispanics, published by Discipleship Resources. She explained the strengths and weaknesses of different models of Hispanic ministry, the principles of the denominations National Plan for Hispanic Ministry, and the process of discerning Gods vision for outreach ministry and mission-focused stewardship. For the Rev. Laura Easto, pastor of University UMC, College Park, the training came along just in time. She attended with two church members, and they discussed what new ministries and worship experiences might serve the needs of the Hispanic community growing around their church. Dispelling a persistent myth, they recalled the churchs Hispanic custodian telling them, Not all Hispanics are Catholic. Our congregation, like others here, has been asking what is God calling us to do, Easto said. How can we use our gifts creatively to reach out to our Hispanic neighbors? Edith Williams, an African-American member of mostly white Millian Memorial UMC in Rockville for 30 years, gave two reasons for coming. I live in a predominately Hispanic community, she said, and Im active in United Methodist Women, where there are no Hispanic women in leadership. Im interested in making our organization more diverse. Willie Caraballo-Lopez, conference coordinator of Hispanic ministries, said one purpose of the training was to raise our consciousness to the fact that what we do in ministry among other racial-ethnic groups must be intentional. We should not take for granted their values, priorities, likes and dislikes. To ignore that fact can actually be harmful, he added. When people take the time and effort to discover whats important to the people they are reaching out to, then their actions will match their words, Caraballo-Lopez said. | 
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