wfn.org | Paiva To Lead ELCA's Latino Association

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

December 16, 1998

PAIVA TO LEAD ELCA'S LATINO ASSOCIATION
98-247-MR

     HOUSTON (ELCA) -- The Rev. Carlos E. Paiva, Iglesia Luterana Angelica
(Angelica Lutheran Church), Los Angeles, Calif., was elected president of
La Asociacion Luterana de Ministerios Hispanos (Lutheran Association of
Hispanic Ministries) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). 
Paiva was elected by the 60 members of the association's 1998 general
assembly.
     The vision set by members of the association is clear, said Paiva. 
"It is to bring together the various Latino communities and ministries of
the church under a unified mission.  Members will work to develop channels
of communication that will connect the ministries of the church, especially
where there is a high concentration of Latinos in the United States."
     Paiva said members of the association "are seeking to strengthen and
expand the missionary field of Latinos in the United States.  The
association should be constituted as a mission agency with an end to
stimulate, coordinate and plant the gospel in communities densely populated
by Latinos in the Unites States."
     "My passion and vision is to help strengthen the voice and presence
of the association in the church," said the Rev. Lydia Villanueva, Iglesia
Luterana La Esperanza de Santa Maria (St. Mary's Hope Lutheran Church),
Chicago.  Villanueva was elected vice president of the association.  
     "I have children in my church who participate in the life of the
congregation.  I do not want to leave my spiritual children a weak
association -- one that will regard them as invisible people without voice
and strength in the church," said Villanueva.
     The theme for the assembly was "United in Christ: A Strong, Faithful
and Prophetic Community Responding to God's Call and to the Needs of the
World."  The assembly featured plenary discussions that addressed the
theme.  
     "To be a strong, faithful and prophetic community will depend on an
intimate relationship with God," said Paiva.  "We need to let ourselves
become obedient to God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  We must go
back to our fundamental roots of dependence, transparency and faithfulness
to God, who has called us in this time of change to bring peace, hope and
good news to all people."
     Dr. Justo Gonzalez, Asociacion para la Educacion Teologica Hispana
(Association for Hispanic Theological Education), Decatur, Ga., said, "For
a community to be loyal and prophetic it must have a vision and be ready to
be weak." 
     "To understand the power of God, one must be weak and suffer,"
Gonzalez said.  "The way in which the world understands strength is
different than the way the church and gospel understand strength.  
     "The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has an obligation to be
with the marginalized.  It is not an option.  The Latino community also has
an obligation, like the church, to be with the marginalized."
     "I define power as the ability to translate intentions into action,"
said the Rev. Rafael Malpica-Padilla, director for Latin America and the
Caribbean ministries in the ELCA's Division for Global Mission.       
     "If we, as individuals or as a community, want to assume that kind of
power, we first need to create opportunities for the translation of those
intentions, desires and dreams into concrete actions for ministry," he
said.  "The association becomes that opportunity for participation."  
     Malpica said, "The association provides space for the gathering of
the community to share common concerns, ideas and exchange resources.  The
association is a place where we can check the progress our communities are
making."
     The assembly also featured workshops, worship and music from "Libro
de Liturgia y Cantico" (Book of Liturgy and Song), the ELCA's Spanish-language
worship resource.
     "Latino Lutherans have an image of God as a provider," said the Rev.
Jose Miguel Diaz-Rodriguez, Iglesia Luterana La Sagrada Familia (Holy
Family Lutheran Church), Chicago.  "This image is the basis of their
spirituality, a highly-valued element in the Latino culture and
personality." 
     Diaz-Rodriguez led a workshop on stewardship among Latino Lutherans. 
He is  manager for "Discovering the Gifts of God Among the Latino People,"
a stewardship project of the ELCA and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.  
     "Stewardship is a strong feature of Latino spirituality, and it is
not measured by dollars and cents," he said.  "Hispanics are very thankful
to God because they truly believe that God is present in daily life.  God
is incarnate in their reality -- in their midst -- and helps them to overcome 
difficulties and troubles.  Because of that, Hispanics know that God is a provider."
     Diaz-Rodriguez added that any stewardship education and training
among Latino Lutherans will do well if it involves the whole family unit.  
     The Rev. Maria Valenzuela, director for Hispanic ministries and
leadership development in the ELCA's Commission for Multicultural
Ministries, said, "The Latino community must unite, be committed to each
other and walk together to make an impact in this church that is ours.  We
are a community in Christ that is powerful, faithful and prophetic." 

For information contact:
Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Director (773) 380-2955 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html