wfn.org | Disciples National Hispanic pastor-elect resigns prior to

["Curt Miller"<wshuffit@oc.disciples.org>]

assuming post
Date: October 2, 1998
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: Curt Miller
Email: CMiller@oc.disciples.org
on the Web: http://www.disciples.org

98a-61

INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- The Rev. David Vargas, confirmed in July as the 
next national Hispanic pastor of the Christian Church (Disciples of 
Christ), has declined that call. He had been  expected to start his 
new ministry, succeeding the Rev. Lucas Torres, Feb. 1, 1999. 

Vargas' call to the post was confirmed in July by the Hispanic Caucus 
at the National Hispanic and Bilingual Assembly in San Antonio. 
Vargas accepted the call in that setting.  

Calling it "one of the most difficult decisions that I have ever 
made," Vargas made his desire to decline the call known in a Sept. 21 
letter to Maria C. Perez, chair of the Pastoral Commission for 
Hispanic Ministries. 

"After long hours of conversations with my God, very intense 
self-analysis and after some initial encounters with leaders of the 
Disciples Hispanic family...I am convinced that I will serve more 
efficiently our beloved Hispanic constituency from my current 
pastoral position in Global Ministries than from the Central Pastoral 
Office for Hispanic Ministries," Vargas said.  

Vargas' ministry with the Disciples Division of Overseas Ministries 
has covered 15 years. Presently he heads the Common Ministry of the 
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of 
Christ in Latin America and the Caribbean. He served as director of 
the Hispanic office, the predecessor to the Central Pastoral Office 
for Hispanic Ministries, and was the interim national Hispanic pastor 
prior to the Rev. Lucas Torres' call to that position.

Torres says the Pastoral Commission will meet in December to plan the 
process of selecting the next national Hispanic pastor. 

Torres, who had planned to start retirement at or near the end of 
1998, will continue to serve during the search and transition to new 
leadership. 

	-- end -- 

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