La Sagrada Familia Lutheran Church, Phoenix, Arizona
The Palomino/Campo Bello neighborhoods in Phoenix, which are economically depressed and 80 percent Latino, with Spanish as the primary language, are within three miles of La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church's sanctuary.
For more than seven years, members from La Casa de Cristo consistently served people in these communities. They began hosting ice cream parties and distributing Valentine's and Christmas hygiene baskets for the 500 students at Palomino Elementary School. “La Casa de Cristo developed trust at the school because we stayed consistent as corporations came and went,” explained Garman. “However, there needed to be a congregational presence in the neighborhood to spread the Gospel.”
La Casa de Cristo partnered with the ELCA Churchwide office and the Grand Canyon Synod to find and fund a mission developer, to start the new congregation. The ministry grew quickly and now has more than 1600 baptized members.
Besides laying the foundation, La Casa de Cristo provided office staff to run bulletins. Its members taught Sunday school, participated in congregation activities, and helped pay unbudgeted costs that arose. The congregation bought three acres of land for future expansion, set up a reserve fund, and funded secretarial and bookkeeping support. It also purchased and remodeled a house for offices and a small chapel to solidify the congregation's community presence.
The current pastor—Heriberto Prudencio—maintains a busy congregational schedule of prayer, Holy Communion, and healing services. He also works with a phone tree ministry to mobilize the congregation in support of the community. Messages are sent out to congregation members and the community with announcements; Bible reflections; and prayer chain concerns, including job loss announcements, so people can help each other find work.
La Sagrada Familia continues to worship at the Palomino Elementary School. Perhaps one day, it will even operate out of a new facility! Mission Partners within the sponsoring congregation have raised more than $500,000 for construction. “As soon as other Mission Partners step forward, we can build,” said Garman.