Saturday, June 15
The Presbytery of Whitewater Valley
Indiana
Rev. Fernando Rodriguez of Iglesia Nueva Creacion offers communion to Victor Silva.
Growing Hispanic populations in the two most populous cities within the bounds of the Presbytery of Whitewater Valley encouraged the presbytery to explore together how to minister within that new context.
On the west side of Indianapolis, Iglesia Nueva Creacion, a new church development (NCD), partners with John Knox Presbyterian Church. Together they have participated in some successful outreach programs, such as vacation Bible school, tutoring, and festivals in the fall and at Easter. More recently, Nueva Creacion started Hogares Saludables, a parenting workshop. Through these outreach efforts, the NCD has connected with many families. Opportunities for rich dialogue about faith and following Jesus Christ have begun to emerge. Nueva Creacion’s pastor is the Rev. Fernando Rodriguez. An Administrative Commission of the presbytery is working toward chartering the worshiping community as a congregation.
On the south side of Fort Wayne, Amistad Cristiana grew out of a partnership among local Presbyterian congregations (Calvary Third, First, Grace, Trinity, and United Faith) through the Presbyterian Latino Alliance Northeast (PLAN), with the Rev. Leonel Pech as its planting pastor. The vision of Amistad is “to grow in Fort Wayne, Indiana, a seeker friendly, bilingual, multicultural congregation with a faith-based community center sensitive to our context: welcoming, bilingual, multicultural and service oriented.” Amistad has been worshiping in Calvary Third’s former building. An Administrative Commission is working to move them from a mission of the presbytery to an NCD with an organizing pastor.
The presbytery partners in ministry with the 17,662 members of its 62 congregations and two NCDs.
Let us join in prayer for:
Presbytery Staff
Taylor Alan Thames, executive presbyter
Felipe Martinez, associate executive presbyter
Greg Thomas, stated clerk
Kristy Quinn, executive administrator
Eric Herzog, financial consultant to the presbytery and its congregations
Mike Srbljan, finance manager
Craig Shaw, information technology
Ruth Ann MacPherson, general office administrative assistant
Rich Swartwood, Camp PYOCA director
Harriet O’Connor, Westminster Neighborhood Ministries director
Fernando Rodriguez, NCD organizing pastor
Leonel Pech, NCD organizing pastor
Fabio Socarraz, Hispanic ministries advocate
Barry Sumner, commissioned ruling elder for NCD
PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Pamela Jensen, PMA
Carol Jeon, BOP
Elder Becky Johnson, PMA
Let us pray
Loving God, we are mindful that you have called your people from north and south and east and west to sit together in the kingdom of God. We are thankful for new ministries within our midst that give witness to that calling. Be with the congregations of Amistad Cristiana and Iglesia Nueva Creacion. Amen.
Daily Lectionary
Morning Psalms 63; 149
First Reading Song of Solomon 5:10-16; 7:1-2 (3-5) 6-7a (9); 8:6-7
Second Reading 2 Corinthians 13:1-13
Gospel Reading Luke 20:1-8
Evening Psalms 125; 90
