Monday, July 25, 2011

Meet Katie Wineland -- Our Summer Intern

Voices of Maumee Watershed: The “God Story” of Our Summer Intern
Growing up in rural Northwest Ohio, Katie Wineland began building relationships with the Hispanic community early in life. Her first experience in Hispanic ministry came at age 12, when she volunteered for six weeks during the summer at a school for the children of migrant workers. As Katie spent the next four summers volunteering at the school, God planted the seeds of her calling to Hispanic ministry and the ministry of teaching. In high school, she began taking Spanish classes at her high school during the week and at a nearby college on the weekends.
With a growing love for the Spanish language and the Mexican culture, Katie traveled to Piedras Negras, Mexico on her first mission trip at age 17. She served at the Casa de Misericordia United Methodist Orphanage, a ministry of the Oriental Conference, a partner conference of West Ohio. Katie has returned to Piedras Negras twice since her initial trip, and these experiences have fueled her passion for Hispanic ministry in Mexico, the United States, and beyond.
Now a junior Biblical Studies major at Bluffton University, Katie is serving this summer as the Hispanic Ministry Intern for the Maumee Watershed District. The internship is an opportunity for her to immerse herself in the diverse and exciting Hispanic ministries of the Maumee Watershed District. Katie travels across the district, visiting and supporting the six Hispanic ministry sites in Maumee Watershed. In any given week, her travels take her to ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, mobile health clinics at migrant camps, bilingual prayer and worship services, and various churches to discuss Hispanic ministry.
Katie is grateful for the opportunity to continue her journey of discernment this summer as she serves alongside the people of Maumee Watershed and West Ohio, meeting the needs of the Hispanic community and sharing the love of Christ. And Katie hopes to serve alongside the people of West Ohio Conference far beyond this summer, as she follows God’s call and begins candidacy for ordination as a deacon.
From: West Ohio School of Christian Mission Daily Newsletter

New Hope UMC Our Newest Partner

New Hope UMC: A New Partner in Hispanic Ministry
New Hope United Methodist Church in Toledo, OH is a small church with a big heart for missions. New to Hispanic ministry, they began a mission project called “Mission Mexico.” As part of this mission project, they collected clothes to be distributed at migrant camps as part of the Many Might Know Hispanic Ministry and mobile health clinic. The congregation collected several large boxes of clothing to be distributed. New Hope will also partner with Church of the Cross and Maumee United Methodist churches to provide VBS programs in the migrant camps after the mobile health clinics.
On June 12, New Hope celebrated their new commitment to Hispanic ministry with a fiesta event including worship, a potluck, and a Hispanic ministry workshop. Rev. Lupina Stewart, Hispanic Ministry Coordinator of West Ohio Conference, preached the sermon and invited members of the congregation to be commissioned for the mission of Hispanic ministry. All those in attendance chose to commit to this mission, and Lupina had the honor of commissioning the entire congregation for the work of Hispanic ministry. 
During the service, New Hope also presented Lupina with a $300 check for Maumee Watershed District’s scholarship program in partnership with the Oriental Conference in Mexico. These funds will provide a semester of schooling for a Mexican pastor’s kid. Following worship, New Hope provided a taco bar and potluck for those in attendance as well as community members. This time of fellowship included a piñata contest featuring piñatas made by members of New Hope’s youth group. Following the potluck, Rev. Lupina Stewart led a short workshop on Hispanic ministry.
New Hope UMC is proof that small congregations can come together to make a big difference. Although the congregation is new to Hispanic ministry, they are an example of what is possible if we are willing to be in partnership—with God, with other churches, and with one another. God calls us to work together and be in ministry with all our neighbors; New Hope has answered that call—will you?
By: Katie Wineland
Hispanic Ministry Intern
Maumee Watershed District
winkma@bluffton.edu


Puente de Esperanza Fiesta Great Success

On July 17, nearly 400 people attended Fiesta, an outreach event of the Puente de Esperanza (Bridge of Hope) Hispanic ministry partnership. Puente de Esperanza is a partnership of Fremont Hayes Memorial, Gibsonburg Faith, Gibsonburg Trinity, and Fremont Trinity, Lindsey Trinity, and Woodville United Methodist churches. Based at Hayes Memorial and with a satellite site at Gibsonburg Faith, Puente de Esperanza serves the Hispanic community of greater Sandusky County.
Lay Missioner Alamar Arriaga has been organizing Fiesta for the past six years, and this year the event was greatly expanded. New additions in 2011 included a bilingual worship experience and collaboration with various agencies for Farmworkers’ Appreciation Day. Pastor Guadalupe Rios of the Torre Fuerte faith community at Unity UMC in East Toledo preached the sermon at the bilingual worship service, with his son Jose Rios providing translation.
In keeping with past years, Fiesta also featured a homemade meal, bouncy houses and games for children, a live band and DJ, many booths to visit, and prizes for attendees of all ages. In addition to providing a day of entertainment for the migrant workers of greater Sandusky County, the incorporation of a worship service this year provided a spiritual foundation for the event. Puente de Esperanza is also launching a weekly bilingual Bible study and worship experience beginning on July 30 at 6pm, which will be held at the YMCA in Fremont. With worship as the foundation of the ministry, the churches of Puente de Esperanza are eager to follow the Spirit and build bridges of hope in Sandusky County and beyond!
By: Katie Wineland
Hispanic Ministry Intern
Maumee Watershed District
winkma@bluffton.edu

That Many Might Know

Social Holiness in Action: The “Many Might Know” Hispanic Ministry
“Go therefore and make disciples…” On Tuesday nights in July and early August, members of Church of the Cross United Methodist do exactly what Jesus commands here in Matthew 28—they go into the world, meeting needs and making disciples. The Many Might Know Hispanic Ministry is a partnership between Church of the Cross and the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC). 
Each summer FLOC sponsors mobile health clinics in migrant camps throughout Northwest Ohio. For more than ten years, Church of the Cross has been partnering with FLOC to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the families in local migrant camps. While FLOC provides health services, Church of the Cross provides a meal for the families and Vacation Bible School activities for the children. They also distribute clothing and hygiene items, meeting some of the material needs of the families. 
Most importantly, Church of the Cross adds a spiritual component to FLOC’s mobile health clinics as they teach Bible stories to the children and pass out Spanish Bibles to all in attendance. While meeting physical needs is critical, this strong spiritual component of Many Might Know is what truly makes this a Hispanic ministry, not simply a social service. Church of the Cross is an example to us all of what Wesleyan social holiness looks like— a collision of love of God and neighbor, overflowing into the world as a witness to God’s grace.
By: Katie Wineland
Hispanic Ministry Intern
Maumee Watershed District
winkma@bluffton.edu

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Hispanic Ministries Update

Hi Folks -

Just a quick update on what I know is happening.  If you have info to go on the blog, let me know so we can all be praying for each other.

The Migrant Camp Clinics have begun this month and we're hoping for follow-up in those camps who have asked us to come back on Fridays after the Tuesday Clinics.  Chuck from Church of the Cross will be working with others from Maumee UMC and New Hope UMC to make sure that this happens.  Let us know what's happening, Chuck so we can help if needed.  This program is known as "That All Might Know" as we take the Word into the camps for the children and adults.

IT'S FIESTA TIME at Hayes Memorial UMC in Fremont.  Hosted by the Bridge of Hope/ Puente de Esperanza, it will be held THIS SUNDAY, July 17 from 10:30 am - 6:00 pm and will combine an outdoor worship celebration followed by the fiesta.  Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy food, prizes, a time of fellowship, games for the kids, authentic Mexican Food, bounce houses and DJ Music.  Let's get as many as we can there to support this fun project.

The West Ohio School of Christian Missions begins this weekend and has included this year a section for Spanish speaking people.  There are about 30 folks signed up for the weekend mostly from Southwest Ohio.  Let's begin now to make plans to get some Northwest Ohio representatives to the 2011 WOC School.  Alamar Ariaga and Katie Wineland will be going to the week long school from July 18-21 and will be doing some interpreting of what's happening with the folks who are there.  Pray for them.

Prayer time continues at Torres Fuerte/Unity Church on Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM.  This is an inspirational time to come an pray for the ministry that is taking place on the East side and in other parts of our district.  All are invited.   Worship at Torre Fuerte is on Sunday afternoons at 2:00.

Please send me your information so that I can share it with all.  Dios los bendiga todos for all you are doing for God and God's people.

Karen

Monday, June 27, 2011

What's Happening Now...

Hello Task Force Members and others!

We will be trying this blog space to see if it will help us keep in communication with one another between meetings.  So many things are happening that this may be the best way to share with one another at least until after summer is over.

This is what I know:

  • Lupina and Abel and their family are in San Antonio, settling in.  Already they are missed, but we know that they are praying with and for us.  We wish them abundant blessings in this new phase of their journey.
  • Katie Wineland is our summer intern and has had a busy few weeks with Lupina and since she has been gone.  Katie will be visiting and working with many of our programs this summer and will also be doing some mediation with the Mennonites, School of Christian Mission at Ada, Ohio, and doing a seminary tour of seven seminaries to begin thinking about where she wants to attend.
  • Karen Brantley is moving in to fill Lupina's shoes for us and needs to be kept well informed of what's happening.  Please copy anything to me to her.
  • That All Might Know will be starting the week of July 9 in the migrant camps.  We will need to have an update from Chuck about what's happening there.
  • Puente de Esperanza had VBS last week and had over 100 children from the Gibsonburg community including some hispanic families from the town.
  • All of us are invited to Torre Fuerte for their prayer for ministry on Thursday evenings at 7 and for service on Sunday at 2.  Both take place at Unity Church in Northwood.
  • Karen and Sam were here this past week and weekend talking about work with Camp Sierra Linda to youth at Lakeside and to Sylvania UMC on Sunday.  They'll be back with us in August.  If you would like to meet them they will be at the Maumee UMC.  Details will follow.
This is what I know.  What do you have to add?  Please email me any news and info, questions or concerns so I can get it posted.

Thanks to all of you for all that you are doing.  Let's covenant to pray for each other constantly.

Shalom,
Karen Shepler