Thread: Enlish classes offered by local churches

I was driving home from work and noticed two different churches in my community that had posted large banners that stated "Learn English Free" and the other said "Free English Classes". Both churches were Baptist and this community is increasing rapidly in illegal aliens. I looked up their websites, and yes they are offering them to adults. I emailed both churches and asked if they require proof of legal status to attend these classes. They don't know what my motive is in asking the question. I'll post the response here if I receive any response from the emails.

Has anyone else noticed this in your community? We know the United Methodist churches are harboring illegals, but I'm curious what other denominations are cashing in on this for whatever reason.

I've seen it alot. Most I am famaliar with were trying to simply teach them English. To get them to assimilate into this culture. To be able to have them be more involved in their kids school. I don't think they were concerned about their legal status but didn't support amnesty. They weren't charging them or getting any pay for teaching the class. Just trying to do their part on the assimilation to American culture.

http://www.fayettevillenc.com/story.php?

Churches serve region's growing Hispanic and Latino population
Aug 9, 2005
By Venita Jenkins
Photo
Maria Juarez prays during a Sunday service at Bet-El Baptist Church, Robeson County’s first Hispanic Baptist church. Founded in 1992, the church serves about 65 people from four countries.

LUMBERTON - Karla Hernandez decided to break from Catholic tradition and join a nondenominational church.

It was there, the 19-year-old said, she found peace and faith.

Hernandez, a member of the Light of the World Church, had been a Catholic most of her life. Most of her family members are Catholic.

"I wasn't into it,'' she said. "I didn't believe.''

Hernandez is among a growing number of Hispanics who are leaving the Catholic church and seeking salvation within other denominations. As a result, churches within those denominations are seeing an increase in their memberships.

There are 130 Hispanic Baptist churches in North Carolina compared with 88 in 2000. The Pentecostal Holiness church has 40 Hispanic congregations in eastern North Carolina. The United Methodist church has 16 churches and missions catering to Hispanics and is planning more.

"The Catholic religion, I would say, is not the dominant denomination any more,'' said Marcos Garcia, pastor of the Light of the World Church in Lumberton. "From the beginning of the 1980s, other denominations have grown in Mexico such as the Light of the World. I believe they will continue to grow.''

The Light of the World Church follows the Christian doctrine and has churches in the United States and 21 Spanish-speaking countries. The church has 1.5 million members in Mexico and about 4 million worldwide, Garcia said.

The Lumberton church is an offspring of a mission started four years ago by the Light of the World Church in Lexington. The members saved money to buy a building on Carthage Road. The Lumberton church opened nearly a year ago. Its congregation consists of 35 people from Robeson, Bladen and Cumberland counties and Florence, S.C. Most members say they once attended Catholic churches in Mexico.

"Some of the reasons why they switched were basically the doctrine and the problems that have been coming up with the Catholic priests and abuse of children,'' Garcia said. "The priests were not able to set a good example as leaders of the church.''

Cervando Prieto of Fayetteville said he left his Catholic church in Mexico when he learned his priest did not live by the church's doctrine.

"He preached to me about the preservation of my soul,'' said Prieto, who has been a Light of the World member for 15 years. "How is it possible the priest that teaches this can do the complete opposite. It was a mockery.

"Because of this reason, God led me to this place,'' he said. "In this place, I found what I needed.''


Evangelical movement

Since the 1960s, there has been an evangelical movement in Latin America, said David D'Amico, senior professor of evangelism and missions at Campbell University Divinity School.

"The Pentecostal movement of indigenous churches being formed in Chile, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Brazil has been equated by sociologists as 'popular religion,''' D'Amico said. "This type of Christianity allows the poor to identify with Christ's teachings, and in some countries, like Chile, it became a source for democracy.''

Denominations such as Southern Baptists, American Baptists, Assemblies of God, Church of God, Methodist, Nazarenes and Presbyterians have been ministering to the Hispanic population in the United States since the 1950s, D'Amico said. Those churches have taken the evangelistic approach to reaching Hispanics.

"Thus, evangelicals in the U.S. have taken the lead in providing outreach programs and providing resources for Hispanic churches,'' he said.

"The church people of North Carolina have been very welcoming to Hispanics and are compassionate to meet the needs - spiritual, economic and social,'' he said. "Churches of all denominations can be a source of compassion, mercy and love to help Hispanics to adapt to a new culture.''


Growth of Catholicism

PHOTOS

Movement of the spirit


Although some Hispanics are turning to other denominations, the Catholic Church continues to see growth. Catholic churches in North Carolina are overflowing with immigrants, said Frank Morock, a spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh. The Raleigh office oversees churches in eastern North Carolina.

There are about 456,334 Hispanics living in North Carolina, according to recent census information. The Hispanic population is the fastest-growing ethnic group in the state.

The Diocese of Raleigh ranks fourth in the country in Hispanic growth, Morock said.

At least 60 percent of the Catholic churches in eastern North Carolina offer Mass in Spanish, Morock said. Sixty parishes have a large Hispanic membership.

"We can't handle all that we have,'' he said. "We have migrants and immigrants coming in. We are seeing new churches pop up in the Fayetteville area, New Bern and Outer Banks.''

The church closed its small Anglo Catholic church several years ago in Red Springs, about 16 miles west of Lumberton. Within a few months, the Catholic Church bought a former Baptist church to address the growing Hispanic Catholic population in the area, Morock said. It also had to buy a larger building for the Hispanic Catholic church in Stedman.

It is impossible for the Catholic Church to place a church in every Hispanic community to address the need, he said.

"Many of the Hispanics work long hours. The last thing they want to do is get into their car and drive 20 miles or more to the nearest Catholic church,'' Morock said. "In a way, that is understandable.''

The Catholic Church also has a shortage of priests, especially bilingual priests. It takes at least five years to become ordained. The Catholic church is recruiting Latin American priests to fill the void.

"We have several on loan from other countries,'' Morock said. "We are also encouraging our Anglo priests to learn Spanish, and for them to spend at least one summer in a Latin American country for immersion. We are doing all we can with the manpower we have.''

Most of the Hispanics are coming from countries where the Catholic Church is the dominant church. They are exposed to different religions and denominations once they arrive in the United States.

"When they come here, there is a lot more diversity and freedom,'' Morock said.


Breaking stereotypes

There is a misconception that all Hispanics from Latin America are Catholics. Denominations such as Methodist and Presbyterian have had a presence in Latin countries since the 1850s, said the Rev. Jesus Juan Gonzalez, pastor of the Hispanic Presbyterian Mission of Fayetteville.

"Hundreds of thousands of Hispanics who have come to the U.S are coming from evangelical, Protestant or born-again background,'' he said.

Gonzalez, who was a Catholic until the age of 10, said that often Hispanic believers embrace other denominations after reading and learning the truth in the Bible.

"Newcomers discover there is no biblical foundation to worship saints and the Virgin,'' he said. "The other thing is fellowship. When you have a local parish with just one priest serving hundreds you feel small. Suddenly, you are in a smaller church where the pastor can visit with you. You feel more welcomed and accepted. Even those with a strong Roman Catholic background look for that kind of fellowship and support.''

In 1998, the Presbytery of the Coastal Carolina created the Hispanic Ministries to address the growing Hispanic population and the lack of Spanish ministries in the region. The Fayetteville mission began in 2001. There are 75 members, most of them military families.

"The potential is really huge,'' Gonzalez said. "Fort Bragg has a large Latino population to serve. They are really desperate to have worship service in Spanish. To that extent, the market is open to every denomination if it is willing to put in the money and resources for a bilingual pastor or priest.''


Bet-El Baptist

About eight miles northeast of the Light of the World Church is Bet-El Baptist Church, Robeson County's first Hispanic Baptist church. On a recent Sunday, the Rev. Juvenal Gonzalez preached about salvation.

The Hispanic Baptist church began in 1992 in an old building in the Saddletree community, about five miles east of Lumberton. In 2000, a church was built on Rozier Church Road off U.S. 301. About 65 Hispanics from four countries attend the church.

Juvenal Gonzalez and several church members said that before they converted they called themselves Catholics but did not practice Catholicism.

"When I came to the United States in 1988, I accepted Jesus,'' he said. "Before that, I was Catholic by name. Most of the congregation used to be Catholic because they came from a big Catholic tradition.''

Amelia Hernandez of St. Pauls said she went through the motions of worship when she was in the Catholic church. The experience wasn't personal, she said.

"I just went to church and that was it,'' said Hernandez, who became a Baptist two years ago. "I didn't have a close relationship with God until I became Baptist.''

Juvenal Gonzalez said more people are turning to the Baptist faith because they are reading and understanding the Bible.

"We have better education than years before,'' he said. "They know they have choices.''

Bet-El church is part of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. There are about 130 Hispanic Baptist churches in the state. Last year, 13 of the 77 new churches in the state were Hispanic.

The Baptist church is reaching out to other ethnic groups, including Indians, Cambodians, Koreans and Chinese, said Norman Jameson, executive leader of public relations for the Baptist State Convention.

"It's not like we have been a lily-white denomination suddenly addressing Hispanics,'' he said. "We are reaching out to Latinos and other groups of people who are a long way from home and are facing many obstacles. The church wants to provide a fellowship of faith that nurtures and cares for them.''

How will the Baptist State Convention address Latino growth?

"More efforts and more Hispanic churches,'' he said.

One area university is helping produce more Hispanic pastors. Campbell University Divinity School began a program three years ago to provide ministerial training to Hispanics. The class, held each Saturday, averages 50 Hispanic students per semester. Most of the students are Baptist.


Local ties

For some Hispanics, location determines where they worship.

Hispanics have no choice but to go to what is available in their community, said Cookie Santiago. Santiago is director of Hispanic Ministries for the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Eduardo Moreno, director of Hispanic Ministries for the Presbytery of Coastal Carolina, agreed.

"When they arrive, they do not have many places to go,'' said Moreno, who is a fourth-generation Presbyterian from Mexico. "They feel they are alone. When they learn there are Hispanic churches, not necessarily Presbyterian, Baptist or Catholic, they want to go because they want to continue to praise the Lord. They soon become a part of the church.''

The United Methodist conference has 16 Hispanic churches and ministries throughout eastern North Carolina.

"There are constant funding challenges faced by our Hispanic/Latino congregations, but there is a strong spirit of family and a deep faith in God among these congregations and that gives them the ability for unity and endurance,'' Santiago said.

The United Methodist Church hopes to build more Hispanic churches.

"We want to make sure the ministries we do have are strong and effective before starting out beyond what we have now,'' she said. "We are trying to address specific needs. Not go out and rent a building and sing songs on Sunday morning.''

The Presbytery of Coastal Carolina has one organized Hispanic church in Seven Springs and missions in Fayetteville, St. Pauls and Warsaw. The church hopes to have seven more churches within the next five years, Moreno said.

"More evangelical people are coming from Mexico to this country," he said. "They are hungry. They are changing.''

The North Carolina Conference of the Pentecostal Holiness Church has 201 churches. At least 40 are Hispanic, said Luis Avila, supervisor of Hispanic Ministries. Some members are using Anglo churches, he said.

"There are several areas where the Hispanic people don't have a church available to them. If we see there is an area in need, we will work with them,'' he said. "One thing that has helped draw people to the church is outreach.''

Several Pentecostal Holiness churches provide food and clothing, offer English as a second language class or help Hispanics understand laws.

"This builds a relationship between the church and the community,'' said Avila, who is from Costa Rica.

Frank Morock, spokesman for the Catholic Diocese, said he feels missions and ministries started by other denominations are a plus for the Hispanic community.

"We are all doing God's work,'' he said. "Other churches are seeing the need and are addressing the need.''

HISPANIC MINISTRIES

Several denominations in the Cape Fear region have expanded their ministries to include Hispanic churches. Here's a look at what some have done:

The North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church


16 churches and ministries in Hispanic communities in eastern North Carolina. Some of these ministries are conducted in non-Hispanic churches.

The Catholic Diocese of Raleigh


60 parishes have a large Hispanic membership. A majority of the parishes cater to other ethnic groups. A few parishes are completely Hispanic, such as one in Red Springs and Robbins.

Baptist State Convention of North Carolina


130 Hispanic churches.

The Presbytery of Coastal Carolina


One organized Hispanic church and missions in Fayetteville, St. Pauls and Warsaw.

The North Carolina Conference of the Pentecostal Holiness Church


40 Hispanic churches in eastern North Carolina. Some services are held in Anglo Pentecostal churches.

Staff writer Venita Jenkins can be reached at jenkinsv@fayettevillenc.com or (910) 738-9158. (1 image)

I know they had a big Jehovah Witness growing group in Florida. They, at that time, were mostly legal Puertoricans. (sp?)

"There are constant funding challenges faced by our Hispanic/Latino congregations, but there is a strong spirit of family and a deep faith in God among these congregations and that gives them the ability for unity and endurance,'' Santiago said.

Well of course there are funding challenges. Most of their money gets sent home to build their retirement houses, or family support. Why would they contribute to the church when they can take from it for free?

Juvenal Gonzalez said more people are turning to the Baptist faith because they are reading and understanding the Bible.

They obviously skipped the Moses chapter, specifically the 10 commandments.