Latino Bilingual Celebration this Sunday

BY NORA MARTINEZ

It was on Easter Sunday 2002 when the North Georgia Annual Conference celebrated its first annual conference-wide Bilingual Latino Celebration. This was a worship service focused on celebrating what God was doing among the Latino community in our area.

 

We have come so far since that Easter morning. At the end of 2001, the North Georgia Conference had 1,088 Hispanic members. Eight years later, at the end of 2009, our conference had 2,141 Hispanic members. We celebrate a growth of Hispanic membership of almost 100%.

 

We also celebrate the many non-Latino churches and members that have opened their doors and hearts to welcome their Latino neighbors as part of their church family. We celebrate the many who have not only heard but who have also experienced God’s amazing love through the ministry of these churches. 

 

It has been through the faithfulness of Latino and non-Latino United Methodists churches and its members that we are intentionally and effectively sharing God’s love with people from other cultures and people who speak other languages.

 

This year, on September 11th, 2010, we will gather to celebrate again. We will celebrate that more doors are being open, that more hearts are being warmed and, that more Latinos are hearing “the wonders of God in their own language.”

 

Bishop Woodie White will be the preacher this year. Bishop White was elected bishop of the United Methodist Church in 1984 and served as resident Bishop in the Illinois Great Rivers and Indiana Annual Conferences. He is currently bishop-in-residence at Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, and has graciously accepted the invitation to preach and worship with his Latino family.

 

Join your Latino brothers and sisters on Saturday September 11th, 2010 at 5 pm for the Latino bilingual celebration at Northbrook United Methodist Church. For more information, contact Nora Martinez at nmartinez@ngumc.org, or 678-533-1388.