wfn.org | Ministry Among Latino/Hispanic Youth, Children Discussed

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 29, 1999

MINISTRY AMONG LATINO/HISPANIC YOUTH, CHILDREN DISCUSSED
99-302-MR

     MILWAUKEE (ELCA) -- Adults involved in youth ministries should be
about accompaniment and not control, said Hjamil A. Martinez Vazquez, a
seminary student at the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico, Bayamon.
Vazquez was a keynote speaker here at "Sembrando la Semilla del
Evangelio en Nuestra Juventud y Ninez," (Planting the Seed of the Gospel
in Our Youth and Children), Nov. 21-23 at the Hotel Hyatt Regency.
     The conference was sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America's (ELCA) Division for Congregational Ministries.  More than 170
lay leaders and clergy learned about the needs and challenges of
ministry with Latino/Hispanic youth and children.
     "It has been said many times that youth and children of today are
the future of the church.  As a result, work with this generation has
been oriented towards an afterwards, a later, rather than a now,"
Vazquez said in his keynote presentation.  "The church does not know the
potential of youth and children because the church does not allow them
to express themselves today."
     Vazquez said most youth ministries have been created to explore
how adult people can influence young people.  "But, I wonder how many of
us consider how young people influence our lives," he said.
     "Sembrando la Semilla del Evangelio" featured Bible study, keynote
presentations, workshops and worship.
     "The church should see itself as the presence of Jesus Christ
among children and youth living in poverty," said Lori Claudio, ELCA
associate director for Latino/Hispanic evangelism and discipleship.
Claudio was conference manager.
     "Social issues that face youth and children today include drug and
alcohol abuse, hunger, pregnancy, AIDS, homelessness, firearms,
violence, child abuse, suicide and depression," said Claudio.
     "Ministry among youth and children should acknowledge the social
realities youth are faced with in this country and the world," Claudio
said in her keynote presentation. "The church is called to help sow the
seeds of the Gospel of Jesus Christ into Latino youth and children.  We
are being called to take part in the spiritual formation of our
Latino/Hispanic youth."
     Workshop topics at the conference ranged from ministry and worship
with youth and children to social issues facing children and youth.
Participants also took part in a "resource fair" to share evangelism and
outreach materials that focus on ministry with children and young
adults.
     Dr. Giacomo Cassese, author of "What Will You do with Your Life?"
led a keynote presentation called, "A New Generation: The Church's
Challenge."
     "The church's history has been about transformation and how the
Holy Spirit rejuvenates the church's mission," said Cassese.  "Today, we
are living in a church that needs new transformation."
     "The Lutheran church is hierarchical, where lay leaders, children
and others have no value," Cassese said. "Most pastors in the church
continue to take control.  As a result, people leave, especially
children, because they have nothing to do.  We have become a church that
does not value the sincerity of its people and context."
     "The good news is that God is more interested in the church than
we are ... the Holy Spirit is more interested in the church than we
are," said Cassese.  "The new vision and mission of the church must be
collective, not just representative of a few.  The vision must be for
all of God's people," he said.
     Bible study was led by the Rev. Margarita Martinez, an ELCA
mission developer in Cayey, Puerto Rico.
     "Jeremiah was only 12 years old when God made him a prophet," said
Martinez.  "God gave Jeremiah voice and vocation, and gave him divine
responsibility.  Jeremiah protested, like all young people do, but God
knew Jeremiah's heart, like God knows all hearts."
     "Jeremiah's story helps lay the foundation for this event,
'Sembrando la Semilla del Evangelio,'" said Martiez.  "Children and
youth have a spiritual agenda."
     Carmelo Santos, a seminary student at Lutheran School of Theology
at Chicago, and the Rev. Ruben Duran, executive for Latino/Hispanic
outreach, ELCA Division for Outreach, preached at worship.

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