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 June - 2011 |
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June - 2011 |
 Greetings
from CHM Director David Byrne!
It is people who make up ministry. All of the programs and strategies in the world cannot raise up a new church or ministry unless an individual is touched by and used of God, and that requires a certain courage and, of course, faith. Since last August, it has been my privilege to have ongoing fellowship with a good friend, pastor and church leader from Northern Mexico as he has been recovering in and out of local hospitals and extended care facilities in Houston. He and his wife are two of those people of courage and faith who shape the lives of those who cross their path.  Felipe Vásquez and his wife Susie are extraordinary people. Felipe found the Lord at about 20 years old when he had traveled to a small town in south Texas to work the fields. Before long he was helping as an associate pastor. His girlfriend’s family didn’t want her to marry him because he was Mexican, but Susie (who was born in the U.S.) recognized her companion in ministry and they now share over 57 years together serving God in ministry in many towns across Mexico. In one of their more difficult assignments, in southern Mexico, the town actively resisted both them and the Gospel. The people would not sell food or other goods to them and put continued pressure on them to leave the area. After a year or so, with things still in crisis, a newborn baby was left on the steps of their home. Felipe and Susie took her in to care for her. People in the town reacted with accusations that it must be Felipe’s own child from one of the local girls and things got even worse. After several weeks it was discovered who the girl was and the circumstances of the birth so that it was very clear not only that Felipe had not been involved, but also that Felipe and Susie had acted in sacrificial love in taking in the infant girl. That was the beginning of years of fruitful ministry. Hispanic ministry, like any ministry, relies on God’s people stepping up and doing their part. CHM cannot do the local ministry that needs to be done in the many communities around the country, but working together to encourage, equip, and facilitate ministry we are seeing ongoing fruit. Hospital visitation is not CHM’s primary focus, but what a privilege it is to walk with people of courage and faith through life’s path! Sincerely, David C. Byrne Director: CHM (--See a previous newsletter--) (Read a Special Appeal letter from our CHM Board Chairman - Tom Hoke) (For an easier to print & share "Acrobat Reader" Version of this Newsletter click HERE) |
CHM Board: Thomas Hoke Michal Alexander Rev. Craig Davis Paul Feaster Jacob Estrada Kay Griffin Dora Gutierrez Kerr Dr. Chuck Mylander Dr. Karl Newman Dr. Jack Rea William Roeh |
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 Instituto ALMA NewsRon
Stansell Teaches for the Instituto ALMA
At the beginning of the year the ALMA leadership training institute for Hispanic pastors and church leaders celebrated the filming of a new class in Portland, Oregon. We are thankful to the Reedwood Friends Church and its 
staff that opened its facilities and to Dr. Ron Stansell – recently retired
from George Fox University – who brought an
outstanding class on the Old Testament that will help as we fill in the
Biblical Studies curriculum. It was impressive to see Pastor Ken Comfort, who is fully bilingual and bicultural, leading that church toward cross-cultural ministry in urban Portland. The Hispanic ministry pastor, Mario Macias is doing good work in leading the entire church toward the outreach that God has put before it. Instituto ALMA director Jerry Clarkson is working hard to complete the production of the web-page based video class by the end of June. Other Instituto ALMA news:  Jerry Clarkson has been an integral part of CHM over the last three years, working primarily in the development of our web-based leadership training as the Instituto ALMA director. We praise God for his work with us and for Jerry and Kerri’s giftedness and resourcefulness. We had originally budgeted for a two-year term for Jerry and are thankful that we were able to stretch that into three. Although we would have loved to continue our partnership with Jerry, the needed funding has not come in. We trust that the Lord will open up just the right doors for the Clarkson family in their future ministry service. They are actively looking for a pastoral position that we hope will allow him some time to continue consulting with the Institute.  We ask you to pray for God’s guidance for the Clarksons and for the Institute as I try to maintain some of the improvements that Jerry has made to InstitutoALMA.org. |
Indiana
Hispanic Church Planting
Some may think that the farmlands of the central U.S. would be a  strange
place for Hispanic ministry, but the churches of Indiana Yearly Meeting
have had a vision for Hispanic ministry for decades now. Over the
last year and a half, two new works have begun, one in Indianapolis
with Carlos Moran and his family and the second, just in the last
couple of months, is getting started out in the country near Marion
under the leadership of Uziel Isaias
Gutierrez. Both men are
experienced church-planters and have the support of English-speaking
Christians and of their families. We are praying that the
churches will be just the start of what will be many Hispanic (and
other ethnic) churches planted in the area. We celebrate both the
Hispanic leaders and the faithful people who were used of God to invite
and support them and who will be their partners in planting. Starting a
Church in San Antonio
 News & Prayer
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