May the lord guide us in this journey with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit faithful to the lord Jesus Christ.

Transcription

1 INTRODUCTION TO THE METROPOLITAN CHICAGO SYNOD The mission of Latino/Hispanic ministry in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod is to respond to Our Lord s call to ministry in His Church. This mission in ministry to and among the Latino/Hispanic community is rooted in a faithful response to Christ s teaching and to the very nature of the Church as expressed in Scripture. Theologically, Latino/Hispanic ministry has as its objective in all its mission efforts the bringing of people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and to an intimate relationship with Him. Furthermore, the duty of the Church is to scrutinize the signs of the times, and to draw from the light of the Gospel. The Church must insist on the freedom of all peoples to remain faithful to their cultural heritage, their particular language and their traditions. At the same time, recognizing the reality that culture is ever subject to change, the Church must take into account the diversity within the Church. This goes along with the mission statement of our Synod, "In Jesus' Name Proclaim the Gospel Make Disciples Do Justice." This calls for a multifold mission which incorporates all people into the body of Christ through baptism, equips all people to participate in the life and mission of the Church in all its expressions, and strengthens and nurtures all people through sound theological understanding about the Christian faith. Therefore, the mission of Hispanic ministry is one that directs itself intentionally to bringing all people to Christ, through the vehicle of partnership in the unity of the Spirit. Our nation is confronting the largest human migration in history, and we are called to mobilize resources within the different expressions of the church. For the ELCA, and the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, to be able to reach to all peoples, it will be necessary to re-evaluate and re-think how the gifts and assets will need to be administered to respond to the great need to serve the immigrant community. We need leadership for this ministry that is skilled, experienced, and fully bilingual and bicultural. We need to identify all the necessary resources, which will enable the Church to fulfill its potential. And, we need a strategy with a vision from which we build up a framework to continue our ministry. The Lord speaks to us from the words of the Gospel concerning our neighbor in many passages, but especially in the story of the Good Samaritan. For the Christian there is to be no stranger, no one so different in origin or ways that such a one can be set outside of the true human family. We must accept everyone as they are, i.e. the product of their history and culture. In them and through them, God s grace works among us. And so with resolute heart, and under the guidance of the Spirit, let us turn our face to the work of examination and action that lies before us asking God s blessing and help, but knowing that here on earth God s work must truly be our own. May the lord guide us in this journey with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit faithful to the lord Jesus Christ. hgarfias Page 1 6/1/2010

2 CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) states in its commitment to exclusivity and reaffirms in its Multicultural Mission Strategy that it seeks to reach out to people of color (African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos and Native Americans). In its social statement, Freed in Christ: Race, ethnicity, and Culture the ELCA affirms: We of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, with the whole Church, look forward to the time when people will come from east and west, north and south to eat in the reign of God (Luke 13:29). For the Church catholic, diversity of cultures is both a given and a glimpse of the future. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has roots in church bodies with a strong immigrant history. These churches kept the faith once delivered to the saints in ways appropriate to the cultural background of their membership. Besides preserving the faith, they furthered mission and ministry. The Christ to whom the Church witnesses is the Christ who breaks down walls of cultural exclusivity (Mark 7:24-29; John 4). We of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have recognized ourselves to be in mission and ministry in a multicultural society, and have committed ourselves to welcome cultural diversity. Given our history, the commitment was neither quick nor easy. 1 However, in order to address the changing realities of the diverse society in the US, the ELCA needs new and effective ministry paradigms to meet the goal of becoming a true multicultural church. In Latin America, the Lutheran church is practically new and little is known about it. The Lutheran church in the United States and in Europe trying to share their faith and tradition with in good faith were not able to incorporate the Lutheran theological principles with the cultural and spiritual context of the Latin American people. Therefore, the Latino population does not automatically identify with the European-North American cultural partners and religious practices. According to The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life and the Pew Hispanic Center % Latino/Hispanics in the U.S. identify with the Lutheran church. Although the percentage is low, it needs to be kept in mind that the US Census Bureau projects that by 2020 the Latino/Hispanic population will be around 60 million people. Based on that information the Metropolitan Chicago Synod and the Latino strategy team are committed to develop new paradigms to reach out to the growing Latino population. Today there are over 100 ELCA Latino Lutheran ministries in the United States with approximately 18,350 baptized members. Most of the members are first generation Latino new immigrants. Since the Latino population is rapidly growing the second and third generation Latino population is growing. Many second and third generation Latinos are joining English speaking congregations. Many ELCA Anglo congregations have seen an increase of second and third generation Latino members. According to The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life and the Pew Hispanic Center 1 Adopted by a more than two-thirds majority vote as a social statement of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America by its third Churchwide Assembly on August 31, 1993, in Kansas City, Missouri. 2 hgarfias Page 2 6/1/2010

3 the around 65% of Latinos who are born in the U.S. lean toward attending mainline protestant churches. This new dynamic in the Latino population posts a new challenge and a new opportunity which will be addressed by the strategy. Most of the Latino congregations in the ELCA can be described as vulnerable, some of them at risk due to the nature of the population they serve. The future of over half of these congregations, if something is not done and done intentionally and quickly, is bleak. They are at risk of closing. In the Metropolitan Chicago Synod there are 10 Latino ministries in the communities with the highest concentration of Latino/Hispanic population. They reflect the conditions presented above. hgarfias Page 3 6/1/2010

4 According to the information provided by the ELCA Research and Evaluation unit, the Latino Lutheran baptized population in the Chicago metropolitan area is 2,757 people. There is not doubt that the field for mission is great. The strategy contained here is an urgent call to the ELCA, the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, and the congregations to do an aggressive, intentional, and faithful outreach ministry to the unchurched. And for that outreach effort to Latino/Hispanic to be effective, it must be relevant to the Latino/Hispanic socio-historical changing conditions. Outreach needs to be in the context of the Latino/Hispanic experience in the U.S.; namely; taking into account that the spiritual and social needs of the Latino/Hispanic population. In view of the imminent growth of the Latino/Hispanic population and the fact that by 2020 almost 18% of the U.S. population will be Latino/Hispanic, we have a golden opportunity for evangelism and social ministry in the community, for the harvest is great and will be even greater. CONG. LOCATION PASTOR LANG. BAPT. Parroquia Luterana Sagrado Corazón Iglesia San Esteban Mártir, ELCA Iglesia Luterana San Jose Parroquia Luterana San Francisco de Asis Trinidad Iglesia de la Santa Cruz Zion Cristo Rey Esperanza de Santa Maria (St Mary's Hope) Iglesia Luterana San Jose St. Andrew s/ San Andres Parroquia Luterana Sagrado Corazón Iglesia San Esteban Mártir, ELCA Iglesia Luterana San Jose Parroquia Luterana San Francisco de Asis Trinidad Iglesia de la Santa Cruz Zion Cristo Rey Esperanza de Santa Maria (St Mary's Hope) Iglesia Luterana San Jose 658 Grand Ave Waukegan IL Kennedy Memorial Dr Resurrection Lutheran Church9920 W Grand Ave Luth Church of the Good Shepherd115 Oak St 2921 W Division St 6545 S Springfield 2255 N Lawndale Ave 1700 N Central Park Ave Interim José Lebron Carpentersville IL Antonio J Cabello AVG. ATTEN. LATINO MEM. SP SP & EN Franklin Park IL Carlos Ortiz SP North Aurora IL Chicago IL Luz Myrta Vera Robles SP & EN SP Chicago IL Miguel Rodriguez SP Chicago IL Chicago IL Jose Cortes (supply pastor) Interim Lydia Kalb SP & EN SP & EN S 50th Ave Cicero IL José Cortes SP N. Prince Crossing Rd. West Chicago IL Jaime Dubon SP & EN hgarfias Page 4 6/1/2010

5 THE NEED OF A STRATEGY Latinos/Hispanics are transforming the nation s religious, social, economic, and historical landscape of the U.S., not only because their growing numbers but also because they are incorporating their cultural background (depending the country of origin) to the daily life of the social structures in the U.S. As they immigrate to the U.S. they are exposed to new experiences in all areas of daily life. Among the new experiences is the search for a support community where they can find a safe place and a place to express and nurture their spiritual life and faith. In their searching they encounter an array of Christian churches and groups that in many cases become the beginning of a spiritual journey in a new community of faith where they can experience a more direct, personal, experience of God. The reasons for this strategy are: 1) Because the ELCA and the metropolitan Chicago Synod are committed to reaching out to all people with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2) Because there are congregations in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod that are Latino/Hispanic and Anglo congregations that are transitioning to bilingual ministries. 3) Because there are communities that are primarily Latino/Hispanic where the congregation is not serving the community or reaching out to the community 4) The Metropolitan Chicago Synod has one of the largest Latino/Hispanic populations in the U.S. (1,623,673 people) 5) Because the Latino/Hispanic community of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod believes that in order to attend the needs and changing dynamics of the community in a faithful way and as good stewards there must be a plan and a set of guiding principles that will help the community to act in the light of the call to mission and in the light of the human experience, as God continues working through and within the community. The Metro-Chicago has follow for years a model of independent communities for every ethnic group, based on the model of ministry as one pastor, one building, and a group of people. This follows the lines of racial and socio-economic status. A shift in the paradigm is necessary for this reason. The Hispanic strategy is looking to establish deep relationship with other churches in the metropolitan Chicago synod to do Hispanic ministry. The vision will be that with a large support base a more profound transformation of the mission of the church could be obtain. We believe our larger asset is the gift already given by God to us, the leaders and members of our parishes. Our life in Christ together has been bless with believer who are full of creativity, we want to be bless as we cultivate that life together.we will like to hear from you, not only your opinions but the missing opportunities which you believe we need to committed as a church in the Hispanic strategy. We are doing outreach on behalf of you and as expression of the whole church, your opinion is desire and needful for the success of this. hgarfias Page 5 6/1/2010

6 PURPOSE The purpose of the strategy is to offer through the synod, the conferences, and the congregation s information, data, and understanding of Latino/Hispanic culture and a program for reaching in to the Latino/Hispanic community. With this strategy, it is hoped that effective outreach will take place throughout the synod, and the current Hispanic ministries will be strengthened and consolidated it. MISSION STATEMENT Hemos sido llamados a través de nuestro bautismo para ser fieles servidores en la proclamación del evangelio de Jesucristo haciendo discípulos de todas las razas por medio de la enseñanza y el servicio de la Iglesia, abogando por la justicia. -Mateo 28:18 al 20. We have been called through our baptism to be faithful servants through the proclamation of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, making disciples of all races through the teaching and the service of the church, advocating for justice - Matthew 28:18-20 The Mission statement was adopted on July 3, Who we are IDENTITY DISCIPLES MISSIONARIES LEADERS GENEROUS STEWARDS WORSHIPERS FELLOW CHRISTIANS IN THE ONE BODY hgarfias Page 6 6/1/2010

7 GUIDING PRINCIPLES / VALUES What we believe in Being called and gathered by God to be partners in the work of God s kingdom Being sent to share the good news through the gifts of culture and diversity with every race Being called to multiply leaders Being entrusted with everything we have to be used for mission and ministry The worship experience, word and sacraments, as the source of faith Being Christ s body formed by many different members How we will act a) Understanding that we have been called by God in our baptism. b) Intentionally working for justice, peace, and joy in the Spirit. c) Taking the message of the gospel to every race and culture honoring and lifting up their context d) Promoting and encouraging congregations to co-participate in the mission e) Identifying, preparing, and affirming leaders in the MCS Latino congregations f) Making Christian education and the administration of the sacraments the foundation of discipleship g) Promoting discipleship through administration of time, talents, and wealth (money and possessions as a response to God s love for mission and ministry h) Making worship a living experience that celebrates and embraces all races as we gather around Word and Sacrament i) Making a priority that Latino/Hispanic congregations become one of the expressions of the Church along with the national church and the synod. hgarfias Page 7 6/1/2010

8 VISION What we want to be A) A community that forms disciples of Christ who are committed to serve and proclaim B) A community that reaches out to all people to lead them to a relationship with Jesus C) A community that develops lay leadership who work with pastors D) A community of faith stewards who give to God as an act of worship an expression of our faith a discipline for spiritual growth E) A community that worships in body and spirit hgarfias Page 8 6/1/2010

9 Hispanic Ministry Models Model #1 TRADITIONAL MODEL This model follows the American pattern of one fulltime Pastor, a building, and council. Usually the goals and objectives for the congregation have been developed by the organization that financially supports it. Its main objective is to become a parish and it is mandated by the general canons of the Church. Its programs follow the same guidelines as any other English-speaking congregation in the United States. Often the membership is low and middle class, and most of the time Pastor is also the founder of the congregation. This model can be found throughout the Church in the United States. Model#2 LANDLORD - TENANT In this model the Hispanic congregation shares the same building with an Englishspeaking congregation. The Hispanic congregation pays rent for the use of the building(s). There are no ties with the English-speaking congregation and the two congregations almost never gather together to conduct joint programs. The level of conflict in this situation is often very high and centers around issues such as use of space, maintenance of space used, altar guilds, and even use of flowers! The time allocated to the Hispanic congregation on Sunday is also often not the best time to attract and increase the attendance. Another issue is that there is almost no time allocated for the development of programs during the week. Model #3 ONE CONGREGATION TO LAUGUAGES This is a relatively new model. It involves an affluent parish who sponsors the development of a Hispanic congregation within itself. Using its own financial resources, the parish nurtures a Hispanic congregation by providing it with a Spanish speaking Pastor who is a full time staff member of the parish. There are two advantages to this model: 1. The Hispanic mission does not have to struggle for lack of financial support. 2. It receives nurture from a spiritually vigorous mother Congregation. Model #4 SECOND GENERATION AND BI-LINGUAL FAMILIES This is an intentional ministry of outreach in English to address the needs of Hispanics and their families, considering and being sensitive of their Hispanic culture. Hispanics are changing in the United States an examples is the knowledge of English as their primary language. Hispanics are getting married to person which primary language is not Spanish. As these new generations of Hispanic become part of the American society their needs expressed a cultural background always changing at their contact with the American culture. A need to provide pastoral care and follow up specially to those part of the Hispanic family which their main language is not longer Spanish, however their culture and heritage are Hispanic. A need to create community will come from a relationship with families and new contacts in the community. This is a unique bi-cultural task with elements of the Hispanic heritage and the integration of the main American culture. hgarfias Page 9 6/1/2010

10 Some important Highlights in addressing this segment of the population are: a. Offer the same liturgy and rituals present in the Spanish culture. b. In special events combines with Spanish speaking, always include sermon and music to honor their needs. c. Include a strong education, using resources which engage their feedback and stories telling. A level of literacy higher than their parents made them a group eager to learn more thought Bible study and self education. d. Provide time apart for private follow up in order to understand their journey. e. The traditional ways of kneeling, sign of the cross, candles and presence of the majestic of God are kept in the language that they are more comfortable, English. More is communicated by non-verbal communication than verbal. Images, Symbols and Gestures are the trademark which crosses the boundaries of languages. f. Times of recollection, contemplation, and silent prayer are tools to engage the spiritual in which they were raised. MODEL # 5 EMERGING PROCLAMATION ACTION (EPA) EPA is a strategy of ethnic ministry for a majority Anglo-Saxon church who posses few human resources who are fully bi-lingual and a large Anglo-Saxon human resources who is mainly monolingual (English only). Philosophy: A church intentionally will meet the needs of an ethnic community if embrace culture and language to a basic level, and an advance level in case of pastoral needs. In communities who are 25 % or more of any ethnic group congregation will train pastors in the sacramental language of the people for two main aspects a: the Liturgy and b: Rites of Baptism. We have observed that congregation which engage the Hispanic at this basic level position themselves as mission front in Hispanic ministry. This is a missional partnership which it will combine resources, experience, and mentoring from other Latino parishes to reach in new English speaking parishes willing to proclaim the gospel to their neighborhoods. A. PHASE A: IDENTIFY CLERGY AND PARISHES. We will enquire about clergy and congregation with gifts of pastors willing to learn the liturgy in Spanish, and congregation in context with growing Hispanic demography. Pastor who are already bilingual are encourage to join as a third language will be easy for a person with two languages already. B. PHASE B: TRAIN CLERGY AND PARISHES. We will train the pastor to do the rites necessaries, and congregation with opportunities to serve the main needs of the Hispanic community. A 40 Hrs. part-time two weeks Spanish immersion in a Spanish parish, 20 hrs per week. Parishes will be advised about opportunities to serve Hispanic ministries. (Quinceañera Halls used, ESL classes, Sunday School Internet Base- First Communion and Confirmation). A presentation to council of the needs and opportunities of Hispanic ministry. An opportunity to show examples of outreach and missing opportunities. hgarfias Page 10 6/1/2010

11 C. PHASE C: CREATE A NET-WORK OF COOPERATION. An important component is to pair the need in the Spanish speaking clergy and Anglo congregation. Create a referral form Internet Base referral for special needs like Evangelism, Referal, and Pastoral Presence or Social Worker Needs. Clergy will be teaching how to create a referral for the ministry. Use resources in the existing congregation to meet the needs. D. PHASE D: ESTABLISH OUTREACH INITIATIVE FOR THE MINISTRY BY CONFERENCES. GIVING CLEAR OPORTUNITIES FOR WOMAN GROUPS, YOUTH GROUPS, AND MENS GROUPS TO SERVE AND SHARE IN EVENTS COORDINATED BY THE CONFERENCE TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF HISPANIC MINISTRY. MONTHLY FOLLOW UP REPORT AND RE-EVALUATION FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE NEEDS AND FOLLOW UPS. A VERY PRECISE PASTORAL LIST WILL DESCRIBE THE NEEDS AND PRODUCTIVITY OF THE PROGRAM. AN ESTABLISHED DONATION FEES FOR PARISHONERS AND RESOURCES UTILIZED. MODEL # 6. CIRCLE RIDER (CORREDOR) This model was developed on the border with Mexico where Lutheran communities are small. Also it was used in some fashion when Lutheran clergy in the west coast was limited. Several parishes, at least two of them sponsor a ministry of Word and Sacrament. They share a pastor who made himself available over the week and weekends at various time. Worship and Christian education was developed in different days and hours in order to avoid conflict. This required efforts in order to schedule the rites and sacraments at different times of the day. Usually, they required support staff in the different sites to provided follow up to those committed to the church. Support staff helps to do referrals as need it. MODEL # 7. WITNESS MINISTRY This expression of the church opens a field of ministry where a clear goal will be a Lutheran witness for social and community presence. A small chaplaincy will be established to support this ministry with the Word of God and in some occasion sacraments will be offered by neighborhood Lutheran established parishes. Not intention of a worshiping community will be established at this point. There is a need for combining a non-for-profit organization and a church in relationship either by the conference or a sister conference. A social ministry, educational ministry, health care ministry may be the outlet of this expression of Witness ministry. A clear presence of God in society and culture will be the emphasis of this ministry. MODEL # 8. COMPANION CONGREGATIONS ANGLO-HISPANIC The Hispanic and Anglo congregation engage in cooperation for proclamation, ministry and mission. They keep their identity, and expand their ministry by participation in joint programs and outreach. hgarfias Page 11 6/1/2010

12 They may engage in financial support, special activities and strategy, social and community presence. A small chaplaincy will be established to support this ministry with the Word of God and in some occasion sacraments will be offered by neighborhood Lutheran established parishes. Not intention of a worshiping co hgarfias Page 12 6/1/2010

13 3 YEAR GOAL AND OUTCOMES ( ) The goals and outcomes of the Latino strategy reflect the intentionality of the missional visions of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod which calls to an ongoing renewal of the congregations and the intentional partnership between the Latino community and the rest of the synod to work together for the sake of the Gospel. Goal #1 Strengthening the existing Latino congregations that are viable in our synod and re-assessing the struggling ones. Strategy Development of viable options for congregation to engage in financial planning that contemplates a) New creative opportunities for financial ventures, b) structural support for congregations, c) partnership with congregation in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, and d) Intentional continuing education for pastors and key lay leaders. Action Plan The Director for Evangelical Mission, the director for Latino Ministries of the Multicultural Ministries unit, an the Latino strategy team will facilitate a) Creating and implementing at least one micro-enterprise (Co-0p) pilot project working with the Multicultural Ministries unit, ELCA. b) Developing and sponsoring three annual seminars on leadership education for parishes leaders and pastors working with the Multicultural Ministries Unit, the Lutheran school of Theology at Chicago (LSTC), and local pastors. The first annual seminar will be sponsored in July Goal #2 Developing leadership (lay and ordained). Strategy Development a leadership school for Latino and non-latino leaders in the Synod. Action Plan a) Development of a proposal for a Latino leadership school by May 1 st, 2010, by Rev. Jaime Dubon b) Develop partnership with the Multicultural Ministries Unit an the Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission, ELCA in creating a regional or inter-synodical pilot project for a leadership school. Conversations are in progress. hgarfias Page 13 6/1/2010

14 Goal #3 Creating (or re-formulating) a path for a sister congregation network, for every Hispanic congregation in the metropolitan Chicago Synod. Strategy Create a network of sister congregation to support the existing ministries. Action Plan a) Ongoing consultations with non-latino congregations which are already sister congregations and with those that interested in becoming sister congregation. An initial conversation is scheduled for the 2010 Synod assembly by the synod s DEM and the Latino strategy. Goal #4 Establish at least one new Latino/Bilingual ministry ion the Metropolitan Chicago Synod. Strategy Conduct a assessment to determine the possible location of a new ministry in the Fox Valley corridor or an urban ministry in Chicago. The ministry will reflect the idiosyncrasy and contextual reality of the Latino cultural identity and changing. Action Plan a) Use the data obtained through consultations with conferences between February and April b) Work with the EOCM Unit, the DEM, synod, Latino strategy team, and the Research and Evaluation unit on determining the form and possible location for the new ministry. c) Present the new ministry proposal by December Goal #5 Establish an evaluation process to determine the progress of the strategy goals annually, and a revision every two years. hgarfias Page 14 6/1/2010