Presbyterian outreach embraces Latinos in area

Opening doors

At first, the elder in charge of the Witness Ministry Team at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in West Ashley didn't think it was a good idea.

Joan Pauley wondered whether illegal immigrants should be treated like everyone else.

'It bothered me that people were coming here any way they could,' she said.

She was skeptical about the idea of starting a ministry for Latinos at St. Andrew's, an outreach that could possibly include illegal immigrants.

But the new man in town, the Rev. Eriberto 'Eddie' Soto, recently hired by the Charleston-Atlantic Presbytery as the associate for Latin American ministries, told Pauley that policy issues are for the government to deal with, not churches of God.

'It doesn't make any difference how they got here,' Soto told her. 'They're here. We have a responsibility as Christians to help them.'

Pauley thought about this responsibility. Soto was making sense. It was confirming something she already had begun to realize.

Protestant influx

Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking people make up the fastest-growing segment of the immigrant population in South Carolina, according to Census data. A large number of these immigrants, who typically hold low-wage agriculture, construction and landscaping jobs, are Protestants, or 'evangelicals' as they are called in Latin America.

Because of effective mission and outreach work conducted by Protestant churches, especially since the 1960s, Latinos are increasingly abandoning the Catholic tradition and embracing forms of Protestantism that emphasize a personal relationship with God. This phenomenon, explored in depth in a July 15 Faith & Values story, also can be seen in the United States.

About 15 percent of Hispanics in the U.S. say they are evangelicals; 1 in 20 are part of a mainline Protestant denomination, according to a 2007 survey by the Pew Hispanic Project and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. About 18 percent of Latinos questioned say they have converted from one religion to another or to no religion. Half of Hispanic evangelicals say they are converts, and more than 40 percent of them are former Catholics.

Within the Charleston-Atlantic Presbytery, which serves 48 congregations and more than 18,000 members throughout the Lowcountry, Spanish-speaking worshippers are showing up at church more and more. The presbytery hired Soto to help develop a ministry plan and encourage congregations to open their doors to the growing Latino community.

Nearly four years ago, Park Circle Presbyterian Church in North Charleston encouraged the formation of a Latino congregation. Recently, St. Andrew's has embraced the idea of developing a Spanish-language ministry, and other churches — in Walterboro, Bluffton, Beaufort and Goose Creek — are listening to Soto's message of Christian brotherhood and outreach.

Trilingual and focused

Eddie Soto, 58, is a third-generation Protestant who was born in New York City. His Puerto Rican grandmother converted to Protestantism when she was young, and Soto made a commitment to Christ when he was 15, he said.

He attended college in Costa Rica and then traveled to Guatemala, where he began studying for the ministry. His studies led him to the Princeton Theological Seminary, where he earned a Master of Theology, and to Sioux Falls Seminary, where he received his Master of Divinity. For a while, he was a pastor at bilingual churches in the Northeast.

But Latin America's draw was strong. He went to Colombia and Venezuela, preaching the gospel and helping to strengthen the Presbyterian Church. He spent 10 years in northeastern Brazil, where he met his wife and learned Portuguese.

In 2000, he was called by the Presbyterian Church (USA), based in Louisville, Ky., to be the first trilingual churchwide coordinator for South American ministries and activities.

The spiritual-cultural journey was far from over. He returned to Brazil within two years, the recipient of a Knox Fellowship from a California organization promoting evangelism.

In 2002, he landed in Orlando, Fla., to teach at Florida Christian University. While he was there, Faith Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee, Fla., which had a large Latino membership, invited him to run missions and outreach.

Now, he is finding his footing in the Lowcountry, sharing with others what he perceives to be a huge opportunity.

Protestantism in Latin America is strong and gaining ground every day, he said. The largest private university in Brazil with 45,000 students (and one of the oldest) is Mackenzie Presbyterian University. The chairman and chief executive of the largest private bank in Brazil, Bradesco, are Mackenzie graduates. With 3 million members, the Presbyterian Church in Mexico is nearly a third larger than the Presbyterian Church (USA), Soto said. In the Mexican state of Chiapas, the Presbyterian Church is the most populous denomination.

For many Latinos, Catholicism is part of their cultural identity, but not always a means to express spiritual identity, Soto said. Protestantism has succeeded in Central and South America because it gives individuals dignity, it tells them, 'You are important to God,' Soto said. This is a powerful message, especially among the poor who have little else, he said.

Out and about

Soto said he accepted the position here because it was clear that the Charleston-Atlantic Presbytery was serious about its Latino outreach. Some Presbyteries are 'all talk and no action,' he said.

In just three months, Soto has sat down with pastors, session leaders, ministry directors and members of various congregations to explain who the new immigrants are, why they are here and why it is important to minister to them.

Many have assumptions that are not necessarily correct, Soto said. Not all Hispanics are here illegally. Learning English is a priority for many. Hispanics leave home and risk their lives so they can earn a living. They spend months, even years, away from family and friends, but many plan to return home. And many do.

They work long hours for wages most Americans would consider too low, but are a big improvement over what they would earn back home, Soto said. They often are lonely, in need of activity and fulfillment. They are open to gathering together in worship and fellowship.

Local churches can help by allowing Latinos to use their facilities when the regular congregations are not around, Soto said. Churches can help by organizing Bible studies and Sunday school classes, by opening food pantries and offering legal and logistical support. They can help by offering English as a Second Language courses or continuing education for Latino leaders. They can provide Spanish-language services and arrange activities that bring communities together.

'Look at the example of Jesus,' Soto said. 'He doesn't ask for a Green Card before helping others.'

At Bethel Presbyterian Church in Walterboro, Soto recently met with members of the Discipleship Committee. It was the rapprochement, and it was quick — Soto had to be in Bluffton for another meeting that same evening.

He introduced himself: first-generation American, third-generation Protestant. His parents emigrated from Puerto Rico to New York City as teenagers. He became a Presbyterian in Guatemala. He told the committee about Latin American Protestantism. He told them about his own spiritual journeys. He spoke with confidence, sure of his ministry, certain that his audience would understand.

'It is our mission to minister to these people, whether legal or illegal,' he said. 'These people don't have a lot of money, but they are very faithful and very devoted.'

All that's needed is a little space and an open heart, he said, then a fellowship can be started, and that can grow into a congregation, a church, a community.

The church building? Who does that belong to? he asked. 'Is it the Lord's building or is it our building? Are we here to be a social club of our own or are we here to be a light?'

But Soto was not there to force the issue, only to illuminate it.

'You don't have to do anything,' he said. 'If there's no love and compassion, it's not worth a dime.'

And it isn't always easy.

'Are there cultural differences? Yes! But that's part of life, and we have to learn to live together.'

The long view

The Rev. Donnie R. Woods, presbytery executive, said the church is always on the lookout for new church development and ministry opportunities. A church-sponsored survey of South Carolina's demographics 10 years ago helped officials identify growth targets, he said. One of those targets was Latinos.

But the presbytery and its congregations are approaching the ministry with caution and respect. The idea is to build bridges, Woods said. 'It's not so much about making them like we are. That's simply the wrong approach.'

It's about opening doors, providing worship space and nesting Latino congregations, he said.

'I see it not only as an opportunity, but as a call, and an obligation to reach out to all of the people who live within our bounds,' Woods said. Latino worship practices and cultural experiences might differ from those of local congregations, 'but the needs are the same.'

The Rev. Charles Heyward, pastor of St. James Presbyterian Church on James Island, the largest black congregation in the presbytery, served on the pastor search committee that invited Soto to the area.

Heyward said the presbytery was actively looking for ways to acknowledge and serve the growing immigrant population in the Lowcountry, and conceived of its new ministry outreach as a good way to promote diversity.

'How could the presbytery be effective in acknowledging the presence of brown people, not just black and white?' he said.

Some churches, such as Park Circle, already were nesting Latino congregations or contemplating it, so it was time to take action.

The presbytery earmarked $100,000 to cover the salary and start-up costs for the first year, and committed to sustaining the Latin American Ministries program for three years, Heyward said.

There is a lot to learn, and Heyward is advocating a gentle approach: reach out to Latinos, help them find worship homes, lend logistical and administrative support. But the presbytery still has much to learn about the implications of joint congregations and coexistence, he said. And there is a continuing need to fund and support established communities.

Funding was secured for Latino outreach, and that is a good thing, 'but we have needs in our own community going unaddressed,' Heyward said.

St. James, which has more than 1,200 members, is working to plant a new black church, and opportunities could arise to work with members of the Hispanic community in setting common goals and expanding the vision for the new enterprise, Heyward said.

'It has to include our Latino brothers and sisters,' he said. 'But at the same time, we can't neglect home. Home has to be

strong enough to support it.'

Nesting congregations

Francisco Velasquez came to the Charleston area in 2002. Originally from Guatemala, Velasquez attended Bible college in Mexico for four years, then kept busy in Christian ministry. He earns a living as a painter.

The first time he approached Park Circle Presbyterian in 2004 with the idea of establishing a Latino worship community, the members of the church were skeptical, Velasquez said. But after explaining his intentions to the Rev. Tom Harris and inviting the pastor to his home, Velasquez was invited to an elders meeting. (Harris has since left the congregation.)

He told the elders what he wanted — the use of the sanctuary in the evenings — and they agreed.

The Latino worshippers numbered about 15 then. Today, 60 or 70 show up for a typical service, sometimes 100, he said. They meet at 7 p.m. Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The youth group meets Friday evenings. There are church-related activities all week long, Velasquez said.

And the flourishing Latino congregation, grateful to Park Circle members for their hospitality, give something back: They do the landscaping work and painting. Recently, the church had to repair its windows. The casings and sashes were cleaned up and painted by Latino workers.

Eventually, Velasquez hopes the Latino congregation will get its own building. 'The church is praying for that,' he said.

Though it's still early in the process to know how it will play out, the people at St. Andrew's in West Ashley also expect to plant a new church for the Latino community. Soto and Velasquez are working with Pauley and the Rev. Spike Coleman toward that goal.

Coleman said the Presbyterian Church sometimes has adopted a 'build and they will come' approach to planting new churches. Land is purchased and a building constructed, even when membership is slim to none.

Velasquez's philosophy is to find the people first, Coleman said. And that's why it makes sense for existing congregations to open their doors and set up outreach ministries.

The people at St. Andrew's have been talking about starting a Spanish-language ministry for years, Coleman said.

Pauley, who was a special-education teacher for 32 years, was ready to pitch in at St. Andrew's Middle School across the street from her church by starting an English as a Second Language program, but there wasn't enough interest, she said.

Coleman's mother-in-law worked as a substitute Spanish teacher at the school for a while. And the minister is planning a trip to Guatemala next summer to learn Spanish, engage in Christian mission work and 'learn about the place from which many of our neighbors come.'

Developing an awareness of Latinos and their culture makes it easier to welcome them, Coleman said.

Church members take pride in the fact that St. Andrew's always has been a place of hospitality and help, Pauley and Coleman said. Latino outreach is only the latest such effort.

'This is completely new for us,' Coleman said.

Reach Adam Parker at 937-5902 or aparker@postandcourier.com.

---

Notice about comments:
The Post and Courier is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. The Post and Courier does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "suggest removal" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our Web site.
Full terms and conditions can be read here.

---

Comments

This article has  0 comment(s)