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Reverend Daniel Medina announced early in September that Brunswick First will be the site for the South Georgia Annual Hispanic Rally that draws in excess of 400 active Hispanic members from across South Georgia.
The Rally will take place in our sanctuary at 1:30 P.M. on the Saturday afternoon prior to Palm Sunday. The attendance is expected to be as great, or greater, than that experienced this year when it was held in Columbus.
Reverend Isaac Salgado, the Hispanic pastor from Lake Park United Hispanic Methodist Church in Valdosta, will be the principal speaker.
Brother Daniel will be in charge of the music for the occasion. There will be a time of worship and a time for fellowship.
God is truly blessing the work of our Hispanic pastor, Reverend Medina! His ministry and leadership is making a big difference all over South Georgia.
Our own Reverend Daniel Medina was in Chicago during the latter part of August attending MARCHA, a national organization that was celebrating its 38th Annual Convention.
This growing movement began in back in 1971 and has grown steadily. Its official name is the “Methodist Associated Representing The Hispanic - American Cause.” Its purpose is to have its membership be faithful witnesses to the demands of the Gospel and to challenge our church and society to address the spiritual and social needs of the Hispanic/Latino people in the United States and Puerto Rico.
MARCHA associates are also involved with many boards and agencies of the General United Methodist Church , such as: The General Board of Global Ministries, The General Board of Discipleship, The General Board of Higher Education, The Commission on Religion and Race, The United Methodist Communications, and The United Methodist Publishing House.
The four-day conference was filled with helpful addresses on pertinent subjects plus workshops for those in attendance. The areas on Continuing Education and Missions were of special interest to Brother Medina.
He also had an opportunity to sit down and talk to a Hispanic pastor from Los Angeles about the possibility of his coming to the South Georgia Conference in the near future as the pastor and leader of a new Hispanic Church in Tifton, Georgia.
The First United Methodist Church in Tifton has been wanting to start a Hispanic congregation in that city for some time, and the time is drawing closer when it will come to pass.
Alexandra Viches is the young ordained Hispanic pastor who has been asked to come, and if he and the several Bishops who are making the arrangements work everything out, he and his family will be moving across the country to make Tift County their home.
August, 2009 Update
Rev. Daniel Medina continues to find fertile fields of mission everywhere he turns these days and nights. Preach-ing and leading his congregation in worship each Sunday is a small part of his extremely busy schedule every week.
He mentioned in a recent interview that his congregation has changed somewhat over the past months. He has taken into its membership families from Caribbean Countries other than Mexico. With folks from Puerto Rico, Cuba and Dominican Republic, the church family has become stronger and more active than ever before.
These families have been in this area for a longer time and have a passion to provide Christian love and support to many who are in need. Brother Daniel has found them willing and anxious to respond when he asks for assistance.
While there is a little language difference between peoples from different countries, their love for God and desire to serve Jesus Christ is identical, and God is blessing the work of our Hispanic Ministry every day!
One of Brother Daniel’s current projects is training Hispanic men to become Certified Lay Speakers. Once trained they will help lead services and teach to give assistance in Hispanic churches in the South Georgia Conference. One such lay person is Fidel Duran who is in our local congregation.
March, 2009 Update
The Hispanic Outreach Center, including the Food Pantry and Clothes Closet, continues to be a blessing to the many needy Hispanic families. The Center has been lovingly supported by donations from the church family as well as support from the City of Brunswick and the Department of Justice.
Since the fall of 2008, over 42 boxes of food have been distributed to needy families. The City and Department of Justice have aided 10 more boxes each month. The Weed and Seed Program have given five "Brown Bags" of food also. Brother Daniel continues to share clothes from the Clothes Closet to supply families with wearing apparel.
He also assists as he can to pay utility and medical bills. Eleven bicycles have been given to youth and adults to provide transportation to school and work. Furniture is also obtained and given to those who have great need and little resources. Brother Daniel continues to minister in hospitals, doctors offices, court, jail, police stations, Habitat for Humanity and other agencies. He is on call as Chaplain every 5th week with the City of Brunswick Police Department. The Los Posadas Celebration in December was a blessing to all who attended. Over 20 food baskets of food were presented to the Hispanic Congregation in celebration of Christ’s birth. Brother Daniel has a strong pastorial precence in the Hispanic Community.
Needed items for the Food Pantry include Instant Coffee, chocolate mix, vegetable oil, rice, pasta, cookies, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, maseca, deodorant, canned fruit, cereal and canned meats.
Claudia Theise
A HUGE CROWD PLEASER - WORSHIP FIESTA.
Not to be outdone by the week of festivities in San Antonio, Texas, when they celebrated their Fiesta San Antonio, Brother Daniel Medina and his Fiesta Band presented Worship Fiesta to a large gathering on April 30, 2008, in the fellowship hall.
Brother Daniel, his son Danny, his daughter Rachel, and Cherri Lee entertained the appreciative after-dinner folks with a variety of Hispanic songs from many countries. Most were from Mexico, but they played and sang some from Cuba, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Panama.
Brother Daniel played the PSR Keyboard, the Digital Piano, and the Korg Workstation; Danny played the Spanish Guitar; Cherri played the flute and the guitar; and Rachel did a remarkable job at the drums and other percussion instruments.
A spirit of celebration always prevails in Hispanic worship. It is diverse, going from the most solemn and liturgical to the most casual and spontaneous with a charismatic influence. Spiritual songs and hymns are influenced by secular rhythms and styles. The instruments chosen are the favorites of the Hispanic community. It was a memorable experience for the Brunswick First folks! - - - - (from the church newsletter)
Sometimes, members of the Fiesta Band join the Steadfast Praise Band in the FUMC Contemporary Service.
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Our Hispanic Ministry continues to expand! God is truly blessing the Hispanic Ministry of First UMC. Under the able leadership of Rev. Daniel Medina, attendance at worship each Sunday has increased.... In a recent interview, Brother Daniel expressed his deep appreciation to the entire membership of Brunswick First for the splendid support that has been given to our Hispanic Ministry. He said the progress so far is beyond his initial expectations and he is confident that it will continue. He said he was especially pleased with the faithful support of the teachers who work with the children and youth each week. He mentioned Tammy Ramsey, Megan Good, Susan Lee, and Julieta Medina as those doing outstanding jobs in this area. Others who assist greatly include Charlie and Nancy Ratcliffe (sound equipment), Daniel and Rachel Medina (music), and Claudia Theise (Outreach Ministry). "The rigid formality of the church in their former country does not prepare these Spanish speaking persons for easy entrance into the UMC in America," Rev. Medina explained. "They are not accustomed to reading the Bible and hearing sermons about God's Grace and love for every single person." Knowing this from his own past experience, Brother Daniel has become a teacher as he reveals to his eager congregation the good news that God wants a personal relationship with each person, and that his son, Jesus, came to show how man can live in harmony with God and each other in love: void of fear or damnation from any source on earth. This is news to many from other cultures and it takes time for such a change to be grasped. Brother Daniel continues to spend much of his time ministering to individual needs of our Spanish speaking community.... It was a good day in the life of this church when our Hispanic Ministry was begun. As the days go by it is getting better and better! Thanks be Brother Daniel has initiated a new Outreach Ministry to meet some of the emergency needs of members of the Spanish speaking community in Brunswick. |
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2007 Our Hispanic Ministry is steadily growing under the leadership of Rev. Daniel Medina, Associate Minister of Brunswick First United Methodist Church! The appointment of Rev. Daniel Medina as Associate Pastor to Brunswick FUMC in June, 2006, was the result of God’s blessings, much prayer, and excellent planning by our leaders in the conference and here at home. Having spent the previous 11 years in Bainbridge, Georgia, starting up and leading a new church for Spanish speaking folks, he has unique talents for reaching and ministering to a people struggling to become a part of a new culture. During the first 15 months of his ministry here, Brother Daniel has made good progress attracting Spanish speaking persons with his warm heart and Christian love. He says it is so important to first gain the respect and trust of others if a strong relationship leading to church attendance and activities is to come about. He spends a lot of time assisting those with language problems when they find themselves facing day-to-day or legal difficulties. Sometimes his ministry of presence is all that is needed, and he’s always there as a friend and/or a pastor. On some Sunday evenings he will have 50 persons in his congregation. The Spanish Methodist Hymnal and another book with favorite Spanish hymns are used in worship. The children and youth have Sunday school at the same time and are led by Tammy Ramsey and Susan Lee who are doing marvelous work. Brother Daniel was born in Mexico City. His great, great grandparents were a part of the first Methodist Church in Mexico in 1873. Some of his relatives are still active there in the Methodist Church today. He grew up in a Methodist pastor’s home as his father was a Methodist minister who became a District Superintendent in the North Central Conference in Mexico before retiring and moving to North Carolina where he is presently living and still serving a Methodist Church. Before studying for the ministry, Brother Daniel attended a Methodist College in Chihuahua, Mexico, and earned his degree in architecture in 1984. He continued with his activities in the church as lay leader and doing extensive mission work. His efforts took him into the mountains to work with and minister to the Indian natives there. He and his wife, Julieta were married in 1986 and he started up a new graphic design business in 1991 that grew rapidly. But he was feeling a strong urge from God to go into the ministry. He prayed that God would open doors for him in America and close doors in Mexico. God answered his prayer. He began losing business to competitors and his father was strongly urging him to come to America. It is obvious to this man of many gifts that God has a plan for him and he intends to spend his life working that plan. Praise be to God! |