Hispanic/Latinos make up the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, and the United Methodist Church, through its National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministries, is studying ways to expand its ministries in response. – United Methodist News Service

Today, more than 40 million people of Hispanic and Latino ancestry reside in the United States, making them the largest ethnic minority in the country and the fifth-largest population among the 19 Spanish-speaking countries of the world. According to the 2000 census, 67 percent of the Hispanic and Latino population of the United States trace their origins to Mexico, 14 percent to Central and South America, 9 percent to Puerto Rico, 4 percent to Cuba, and 7 percent to other Hispanic origins. – Data from University of Arkansas

There are many vibrant places for Latino/Hispanic and cross-racial ministry in the Northern Illinois Conference. We honor all of those ministries and those congregations. There is an intentional effort to build new faith communities among Latino/Latina brothers and sisters. Here is a one example of the vision, effort and sacrifice it takes to build new ministry.

Mendota, Illinois is a town which reported slightly fewer than 7,300 residents in the 2000 U.S. census (out of 12.5 million residents of the state of Illinois). This is a small town, but Mendota is home to fourteen churches, including two United Methodist Churches. Pastor Gale Brandner has served Zion UMC in Mendota for eight years. Prior to her appointment in Mendota, she lived in other communities with significant Latino/Hispanic populations. The opportunity to share the gospel with Hispanic neighbors has been on her mind for quite some time.

Rev. Brander did some research in her community and learned that nearly one-third of the Mendota population is Hispanic. Forty percent of that population is active in the Roman Catholic Church, but sixty of the Latinos in the Mendota community are un-churched. None of the other Protestant Churches in Mendota were addressing this issue. Zion UMC is a downtown church. Rev. Brander says, “We should be addressing ways to be involved in ministry with our Hispanic neighbors, they live all around us.” Brander developed an ecumenical, multi-cultural vacation Bible School while continuing to think about others ways to build ministry in Mendota’s Latino/Latina community.

Lino Aragon has been a religious man all of his life. Growing up in Nicaragua, he was a committed member of the Catholic Church. He came to the United States in the 1980’s during the years of political strife that pitted Contras against Sandinistas and drove many Nicaraguans to seek a safer place to live. Aragon was directing a Nicaraguan Folklore Group (dance troupe) which was invited to perform Nuevo Amancer United Methodist Church in Des Plaines. The Pastor later invited Aragon to his home for a barbeque, but on condition that he come to church first. Aragon liked the United Methodist Church right away because he was made to feel very welcome, and was encouraged to get involved. He was happy to have found a place to actively work for God. He served in many volunteer capacities, including Lay Leader of the Nuevo Amancer congregation. “The United Methodist Church filled an empty place inside of me,” says Aragon.

While working full time, Aragon participated in a two year intensive program – the Latino/Hispanic Academy sponsored by the Northern Illinois Conference and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Institute. Aragon graduated from this academy in May, 2008 - commissioned, equipped and trained to take a leadership role in growing ministry and faith communities among Latino/Hispanic peoples. Aragon was invited to go to Zion UMC in Mendota to help establish a Latino/Hispanic Ministry in that community, the first academy graduate to provide this kind of congregational leadership.

“In the academy,” says Aragon, “we were given tools for leadership. We concentrated on how to develop, plan, reach people in a neighborhood where our people live. We learned how to develop a ministerial plan based on Natural Church Development.”

Beginning on July 1, 2008, Aragon started his work in Mendota. He travels to Mendota every Saturday from his home in the Northwest suburbs and returns home on Sunday. It is a two hour drive one-way for him. He is often joined by his wife, Xiomara, his six year old daughter and occasionally his mother. In the past several months, Aragon has been making connections in Mendota – at a health clinic that serves a lot of migrant workers that come for work in seasonal, agricultural jobs; meeting mothers and children in a Head Start program; as well as officials in the police department and at city hall. He has passed out flyers throughout the community, and visited Hispanic businesses. Aragon and his wife went through the Mendota phone book – calling everyone in the book with a Hispanic surname. They also went door-to-door inviting people to church. Aragon planned an event at Zion UMC for Hispanic children, on a day when it rained nine inches. Basements were flooded and the event was washed out.

“This is hard work,” says Aragon, “It is much harder working outside in the community than working inside the church.” One of the barriers is language. Aragon noted that Holy Cross Catholic Church in Mendota has three masses on Sunday in Spanish. Particularly for new immigrants, hearing their language is a comfort. Aragon is planning a worship service in Spanish at Zion UMC. He has been offered help for leading the worship, providing music, etc. from two other Hispanic congregations in the Northern Illinois Conference – San Pablo UMC in Waukegan and Nueva Vida UMC in Aurora.

Lino has had an opportunity to preach at Zion UMC, something he is proud to do. The church welcomed their new Latino ministers with a celebration. They were treated to a cultural exchange of Nicaraguan dancing and music. Aragon brought flags from many Central American countries to the celebration and explained the many different and similar kinds of Hispanic/Latino culture.

Pastor Brandner says that Lino and Xiomara’s presence, along with their daughter and mother have “been very beneficial to the Zion congregation. They are integrating themselves beautifully into our church,” says Brandner. “There are roadblocks,” she says, indicating the difficulty of the new ministry that Aragon is trying to establish, “but we are not discouraged.” Aragon says is grateful because “Zion is very supportive.”

“Some people hang up on me when I say church,” says Aragon, “others listen politely and say I already have a church. We are trying to find those who don’t have a church,” he says. “I work hard and pray to God. I know that as Christians, we have principles that can help people in their lives,” says Aragon, “This is what keeps me encouraged.”