News

Hispanic Ministry Information

KNOW YOUR HISPANIC and MULTICULTURAL MINISTRIES

 

Agua Viva United Methodist Mission in Hamilton, Ohio

Worship Sundays in the

AGUA VIVA UNITED METHODIST MISSION, AN OASIS IN HAMILTON 

 

Located in an area of extreme urban poverty in Hamilton, Ohio, Agua Viva Mission is committed to reaching out to the oppressed, the poor, and the powerless with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and welcoming them into the United Methodist community of faith. This ministry serves as an oasis, an example of God’s Kingdom, where people of different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds have the opportunity to share the same table, do devotions together, receive pastoral care and be in fellowship, in an area of political, economic and racial tensions.  Agua Viva is committed to serve the spiritual needs of the Hispanic community and to guide them to embrace Christian values and to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, as well as to reach out to the Caucasian- mostly urban Appalachians- and African American neighbors, as all ethnic groups are living side by side in extreme poverty. This multicultural outreach is under the leadership of Eustaquio and Claudine Recalde, who are also a cross cultural family: Eustaquio was born in Paraguay, with Guaraní as his first language, and Spanish and English the second and third language. Sunday worship and Bible Study are in Spanish, while, in the next room, Claudine Recalde imparts the Sunday School to children of all ages, and whose first language is English (some of the children are now the “translators” for their parents, which do not speak English).  Other activities during the week are the Community Meal (in partnership with HLWI sanctuary and sponsoring churches); and the Monday Youth Group- in Spanish and English. The principal sources of funds for Agua Viva mission are the Ohio River Valley District Mission Foundation and the WOC/ BCCD.  Other funds for programs come from the Hispanic National Plan.

 

Activities of Agua Viva Mission:

 

·         Sunday morning breakfast  and Sunday morning Hispanic worship service

             (“Latin Style” breakfast fellowship)

Providing a breakfast fellowship is an informal and inviting method of introduction to our Spanish language service.  It helps the single mothers with children attending to not have to worry about fixing breakfast at home. This atmosphere is important as many Hispanics are here with little or no family, often isolated and separated from their parents, siblings, spouse and children. 

 

Sunday morning Hispanic worship service- Spanish (in the old L.W. Sanctuary old Sanctuary at 907 Sycamore St).  Pastor Eustaquio sings and plays the guitar for the Hispanic worship service.  Songs are chosen from the Psalms, and known hymns and songs that are sung in nearly every Hispanic country.  Scriptures are taken from the lectionary and the sermon is based on one of the scriptures from that week.  The Bible can be brought to life through the reading of His Word, human interest stories and the relational connections that the Bible holds for our lives today. 

• Sunday morning Sunday School for children

Around 15 children attend our Hispanic service and this covers children from toddler age to high school age youth.  Currently we have no volunteers to assist Claudine. All of the youth are bilingual, so language is not a barrier to working with the Hispanic children.

 

• Sunday morning Hispanic Bible Study

Most of the Hispanic adults have limited or no previous Bible study experience and by reading passages of Scripture, and having informal discussions and open participation helps them to ask questions and clarify confusions.  Others do not know how to read, and for others, Spanish may not be their first language: some speak an indigenous language, if they come from Oaxaca, Mexico, or from some parts of Guatemala. 

 

 

·         Monday evening boys mentoring group “Righteous Warriors” (meeting in the Hamilton First UM Church building.)

This group is serving an un-reached group of young men that attend the local elementary, junior high and high school in the neighborhood.  There is a strong need for positive male role models in the lives of these youth, many coming from single parent families and without a father figure in their lives. It is a multicultural group and we are working to build friendships between the various races and languages that comprise this group of boys. Many are involved in school sports, are working part-time jobs and have a desire to go on to college. Fun team building activities along with service projects to benefit the community.

 

• Wednesday Community Meals in Hamilton Grace UMC

Since September 3, the Recaldes participate in the common evening meal at Hamilton Grace UMC (with lead pastor Bob Ingram), in an effort of HGUMC to reach out to Hispanics families in the area.

 

• Thursday evening Bible Study in Spanish - Before the Meal, a Bible Study is offered in Spanish for anyone arriving early before the dinner.  It is a time of listening, fellowship and sharing from the Bible and a chance to pray for their needs.

 

• Thursday evening Community Meal

      Thursday evening community meal (in partnership with Hamilton Living Waters, Inc. supported by local United Methodist partner churches. The local UMC churches sign up to bring the meal and to serve the families; this keeps our partner churches in touch and in relationship with the multicultural community that Agua Viva Mission is serving.  Average attendance is around 85.The concept behind this ministry was to bring neighborhood families together for a meal so that people could get to know each other and build a relationship with one another. A scripture and devotional are given in Spanish and English and then prayer concerns are shared.  Often one of the youth assist by doing the prayer.  Those attending are predominantly Appalachian, followed by African- Americans. Hispanic presence is increasing, as the majority of the Hispanics coming are school age children and they are bilingual, a few of the Hispanic mothers also attend but they have limited English skills.

 

• Monthly character-building youth activities, working alongside current community based programs under the Dept. of Justice initiative Weed & Seed program.

 

 

Friends and Partners in Mission

 

While Agua Viva Mission is exploring formal partnerships with other UMC churches, we are in friendship and doing some aspects of ministry together with the following Churches or organizations: 

-          Hamilton First UMC helps by providing the facilities for the youth Monday activities.

-           Hamilton Grace UMC- Wednesday community meals, in their effort to reach out to the Hispanics. To initiate relationships, Hamilton Grace UMC had a church fellowship picnic on August 10, 2008 which Agua Viva leaders attended, beginning new  friendships and also meeting several Hispanic families.

-           Park Ave. UMC, First UMC and Agua Viva Mission offered a join Vacation Bible School this Summer. This collaborative event provided the opportunity to introduce Hispanic youth to a VBS experience and strengthen relationships among their leaders and congregants, opening the door to future partnership events. 

-          Agua Viva also maintains a friendship relationship with Lindenwald UMC, Cornerstone UMC, St. Marks UMC, John Wesley, Faith Community UMC and others, who help in different ways during the year.  

-          Agua Viva also works closely with Weed & Seed, a a community based initiative of the Dept. of Justice that works in cooperation with the Hamilton City police department to “Weed” out crime in the neighborhood and to empower the neighborhood community members to “seed” in positive activities; assisting in providing positive, spiritually based activities for the youth of this neighborhood.

 

Opportunity For Mission- An Invitation

 

There is a great need of volunteers to help during the Sunday morning worship service with the children and youth attending (children speak English). This would enable them to offer Sunday school by age levels. We view our ministry as a vitally important beacon of hope for the next generation.  Through Sunday school, youth activities, and mentoring relationships with these children and youth to give them the guidance and a sense of belonging that they so desperately need.  We need sister churches to bring Fun/ Recreational /Christian education events for the children, who gather every Thursday for meals. This magnificent audience of more than 30 children every Thursday can be an excellent opportunity for reaching out our youngsters and children from an early age. Our goal is that sister churches who also sponsor the Thursday meal thru the HLWI partnership, also helps the Agua Viva mission by bringing this kind of event. The increase in the number of committed volunteers would also allow Agua Viva to have a Support Team that will work with us embracing this ministry, implementing “ the dreams of God” for this United Methodist ministry in Hamilton. Partnerships with an existing congregation(s), is also part of this vision and dream, and our specific prayer request for this year. If you feel the Calling to do mission in the city, to serve God and his beloved, then Agua Viva mission offers a wonderful opportunity to do ministry.

 

 

BACK TO GREENHOUSE RECAPS