"It needs to be about the children now...our youth must be empowered for the future..."
Cookie Santiago, Director of Hispanic/Latino Ministries - NC Conference
Trinity Retreat Center at Salter Path, North Carolina will be remembered as the special place where almost forty of the conferences Hispanic/Latino leadership gathered to join hearts and minds and prepared for Kingdom Work in 2008. They arrived on November 7, 2007 for three days of renewal, physical and spiritual. They finished the week with one great vision and plan, determined and postured for bold and passionate ministry in the new year.
It was exciting to recognize that a total of four participants and one guest speaker/ musician were actually non-Hispanic/Latinos. This emphasizes the intention of The National Plan for Hispanic Latino Ministry to be a “whole church” plan which includes all United Methodists.
The larger part of the energy and resources spent on our ministries in 2008 will a have consistent agenda of reaching
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out to our children and youth like never before.
Cookie Santiago states that “So much of our energy has been spent trying to be heard and seen. We can no longer be called the “invisible” people or the people with “no voice. It’s time now to take care of our children and youth.” She believes that we have been heard and that our ministries have become visible and very appreciated by those who understand that the Hispanic/Latino people come to us bringing gifts that brings spiritual blessing and enhancement to our conference.
Reverend Rosanna Panizo of Cristo Vive in Durham has made an observation that must be acknowledged by every United Methodist that believes in the mission of our conference. “We are not your diversity. We are here because we are the church. We are United Methodists.”Reverend Panizo led a session of reflection and discernment at the retirement. She helped us to recognize that the cross of In the North we tend to embrace a cross that is empty. We relate this to the victory of the resurrection and as Christians we enjoy “Victory in Jesus.”
In the humility of a crucified Christ and in
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tradition of a resurrected Christ on an empty cross, we declare that we will not ask for anything we have not earned. But, we go to God with the confidence of children approaching a good Father when asking for help. We will go to him with our petitions, but we also go to Him with tremendous celebration of our victories and successes! As we move through 2008, will come to our brothers and sisters in the North Carolina Conference in that same Spirit. Please, be in prayer about how we might continue to work together.
You can contact Cookie via email:
csantiago@nccumc.org
or by phone: 1-800-849-4433
Cristo me ama
- La Biblica dice asi
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Yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so |
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