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A NEW START IN MISSIONS

In August 2003, the Rev. Enrique Alcantara was commissioned as Director of Latino Ministries Education and Development, working under the guidance of the Board of Evangelism and Home Missions. This ministry includes organizing a “prototype” Spanish-speaking congregation in Forsyth County, NC which has an increasing Hispanic presence. (In 2002-2003, nearly one in five births at the public hospital were to Hispanic families. Latinos are estimated at 6% of the county’s population.)

            The vision is to work in partnership with exiting Moravian churches to develop weekly neighborhood “cell groups” for Bible study, prayer and discipleship. This network of small groups then gathers into a regional congregation for Sunday worship and other total group activities at a convenient location. Would it work? Would churches become partners? Where would we find resources? Where could the new congregation call home?

            Members at Ardmore church came to know and work with Enrique prior to his official commissioning. The neighborhood group there is flourishing. Both Latinos and “Anglos” have enjoyed bi-lingual worship and fellowship time together prior to Wednesday night Bible studies. A highlight was having twenty members of the emerging church experience their first Candle Tea in translation, learning first-hand about the rich Moravian customs of Christmas. Bethabara Church (celebrating its 250^th birthday year!) is hosting an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) course on Tuesday nights. Members are providing child-care while Latino mothers and fathers participate in the class. An impromptu Christmas program, complete with nativity, involved over 50 participants. Five parents came to know Christ as Savior through that experience. A Bible-study /discipleship group is now meeting. Clemmons church (some 12 miles from downtown Winston-Salem) also is reaching out to their Spanish-speaking neighbors. On Super Bowl Sunday (!) they hosted a fellowship dinner as a follow-up to visits in the community they day before. Brothers and sisters at Konnoak Hills congregation invited Br. Enrique and his team to make door-to-door contacts in their community and form a cell group there. In the first four months, four partner churches came forward to join in this exciting new outreach.

One hundred copies of the Lecturas Diarias (Spanish Daily Texts) were secured. A call to the Department of Publications in PA revealed that the Ground of the Unity and Moravian Covenant for Christian Living were already being translated. We wondered about the demand for translation, both printed and verbal. Then Suzi Laventure, a member at Bethabara (who just happens to be a Spanish professor and certified translator!) volunteered to be part of the Latino Ministries Committee. The New Philadelphia congre- gation provided a computer. A car was donated for Enrique’s use. Members at Ardmore assisted in gathering household items for the family.

            The biggest gift came in November 2003. The Immanuel-New Eden congregation had successfully merged and gained new vitality, but no longer needed two meeting places. The Immanuel church facility is located in an area of the city becoming a center for Latino community. The members at Immanuel-New Eden placed this property under the control of the Salem Congregation, which in turn allowed use of it for a two-year period as the new focal point of Latino outreach for the Province. Who would help manage this facility? Bill Wheeler, newly returned with his family from mission work among the Mixtec in Mexico volunteered in December to be our bi-lingual handyman.

            In nine short months this new ministry has moved from an idea to a vibrant reality. At every turn the Lord is providing. Doors are opening. Resources are lowing. People are responding. Hearts are being transformed. We are running to catch up.

            EXTRA The developing congregation has taken the name, “La Iglesia Morava Cordero de Dios” (Lamb of God Moravian Church). Sunday, May 2 at 4:00 pm the emerging congregation held its first worship service at the former Immanuel Church.