| Hispanic ministries expand By David E. Bohnert UMConnection Correspondent A renewed emphasis on Hispanic Ministries by the Baltimore-Washington Conference is creating excitement among the Hispanic leaders of the conference. The Baltimore-Washington Conference has renewed its emphasis and desire to develop and organize ministry to Hispanics, said the Rev. Willie C. Caraballo-Lopez Jr., an ordained elder from the Central Pennsylvania Conference who was recently assigned to the new position of conference Hispanic ministries coordinator. Conference leaders have recognized that there has been no real strategy on how to work with the burgeoning population of Hispanics. Caraballo-Lopez job is to help equip existing ministries and new ones that may develop, he said.  Caraballo-Lopez says there is an excitement in the air as a connection between the conference and Wesley Theological Seminary is developed. The seminary, in Washington, D.C., is committed to providing full, four-year scholarships to two Hispanic students this year, two next year, and two the following year, he said.
According to Caraballo-Lopez, the seminary is showing renewed commitment to finding ways to integrate academic studies with practical applications for ministry in our conference. The conference share of the partnership, Caraballo-Lopez said, will be to provide stipends and housing for the students receiving the scholarships and assignments to existing congregations with opportunities to develop new Hispanic faith communities. Ministries such as reaching out to the undocumented immigrant population, assisting with health care needs, and education are part of the emphasis, he said. There is a new sense of excitement among the Hispanic pastors with the new commitment that the Baltimore-Washington Conference is demonstrating, a feeling that something wonderful is happening. Its an exciting time to be here right now, Caraballo-Lopez said.  The Rev. Fidel Comprs is pastor of the Hispanic Initiative in Baltimore, which began in 1999 as an outreach program. Worship services began in January 2000, Comprs said, and 18 to 20 worshipers now attend with 45 people on the attendance rolls.
Outreach programs help people with job referrals, transportation needs and tutoring. In addition, for the past three years, with the assistance of a teacher provided by Baltimore City Community College, the Hispanic Initiative has provided space for classes in English as a second language open to all non-English speaking people, he said. The initiative has also provided Saturday orientations for people on legal matters including visas, green cards, applications for citizenship and helping relatives join their families in this country, Comprs said. A volunteer team of eight people, assisted by a lawyer, provides the help. In these times, I feel that our group is growing, and we are planning to continue evangelizing the community. Hispanic people need help, and the United Methodist Church and the Baltimore-Washington Conference have done many things to help our community in spiritual and material ways, Comprs said. Another Hispanic ministry is located in Bethesda. The Rev. Brndice Muoz, pastor of Bethesda Hispanic Mission, said that the mission, which has been in existence for 15 years, has a goal to reach 100 members. It meets for worship and fellowship Sunday afternoons at Bethesda UMC. According to Muoz, the mission has an extensive welcoming ministry patterned after the Igniting Ministry campaign. Its programs include English as a second language and tutoring for children at two locations, Disciple Bible study in Spanish, and pastoral counseling for people in the community.  We, as a mission church, consider the need to reach people for salvation and to participate in the community of faith. We empower Hispanics through English as a second language, tutoring, Bible studies, grief support groups and retreats for families, said Muoz.
The mission received five new people in membership last year, he said. Starting new Hispanic communities of faith in traditionally Anglo churches is also an emphasis of the conference.  Lydia Caraballo-Lopez (wife of the conferences new Hispanic ministries coordinator) is a student pastor assigned to First UMC in Hyattsville. Right now, we have about four families. We have been visiting and having Bible study, she said. It is going to require time. This community is principally first-generation immigrants without documentation.
She envisions an immigration clinic, developing new communities of faith, and conducting Sunday School and Bible studies in Spanish. She also wants to start formal worship in Spanish. | 
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