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Note #7480 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

Hispanic/Latino Presbyterian men organize national association
02409
October 18, 2002

Hispanic/Latino Presbyterian men organize national association

More than 400 attend inaugural assembly

by Jerry L. Van Marter

LAS VEGAS - After two regional gatherings in 2001 that attracted a total of
300 people, 430 Hispanic/Latino Presbyterian men attended the national
constituent assembly here Sept. 27-29 that gave birth to the National
Association of Hispanos/Latinos Presbyterian Men.
	
Those in attendance represented all Presbyterian Church (USA) synods and 20
Latin American countries. Also present were Bob Wilson, moderator of
Presbyterian Men, and a representative of the Latin American Council of
Churches, the regional branch of the World Council of Churches with offices
in Quito, Ecuador. 
	
A broad cross-section of national Hispanic Presbyterian leadership was
present, including keynote speaker Lloyda Puig-Aja, a Cuban American who is
associate stated clerk and director of the Office of the Stated Clerk in
Louisville.
	
The theme of the Assembly was "I have come that they may have life and have
it to the full," taken from John 10:10. Worship and workshops focused on
revitalization - of Hispanic ministry, of ministry with Hispanic men, of
Hispanic congregations and of the entire PC(USA).
	
Ten of the 14 workshops were offered in Spanish and four in English. All
worship services and plenary presentations were simultaneously translated in
both languages.
	
Though the Assembly was entirely self-supporting, participants suggested that
the investment of mission budget dollars in the National Association might go
a long way toward achieving the denomination's goal of greatly increasing
racial ethnic membership in the PC(USA).
	
The Assembly approved bylaws for the National Association of Hispanos/Latinos
Presbyterian Men and elected officers for a three-year term, 2002-2005. They
are the Rev. Jose Luis Casal (Cuban, Synod of Lincoln Trails), moderator;
Jose R. Torres (Puerto Rican, Synod of South Atlantic), vice-moderator; Pablo
Mercado (Puerto Rican, Synod of Puerto Rico), secretary; the Rev. Luis R.
Quinones (Puerto Rican, Synod of the Trinity), treasurer; the Rev. Ernesto
Hernandez (El Salvadorian, Synod of Southern California and Hawaii),
historian and communicator; Leocadio Perez (Mexican, Synod of the Sun),
director of evangelism and spiritual growth; Alejandro Paez (Ecuadorian,
Synod of the Pacific), director of education and congregational development;
the Rev. Milton Nunez-Coba (Colombian, Synod of the Northeast), director of
social and community work; and the Rev. Wesley Porto (Brazil),
Portuguese-speaking representative.
	
For more information about the National Association of Hispanos/Latinos
Presbyterian Men, contact the Rev. Jose Luis Casal at 708-484-7485 or Carl
Horton in the Church Leader Support office of the Congregational Ministries
Division at 888-728-7228, ext. 5453.

(The Presbyterian News Service was unable to cover this event because it
occurred on the same weekend as the General Assembly Council meeting. PNS is
grateful to Jose Luis Casal and Carl Horton for furnishing information for
this story.)

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