CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Spanish-speaking Lutherans across the United States and Puerto Rico are celebrating their God-given gifts and talents, as well as their ability to build and enhance ministries for congregations through "Festival de los Regalos" (A Festival of Gifts).
A weekend "festival" that now serves as the primary stewardship response method for Spanish-speaking congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), Festival de los Regalos introduces "a new way of living," said Evelyn B. Soto, director for multilingual and culture-specific resources, ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries.
"Festival de los Regalos is unique because it focuses on a process for discovering God-given gifts and talents and learning how to use them to turn congregations into strong, self-sustaining places of ministry. It says, 'You are gifted and talented. Use those [gifts and talents] to strengthen church, family and community,'" Soto said.
"Traditional methods for stewardship, such as giving alms and tithing, has not worked well among Latinos. Festival de los Regalos is an innovative approach [to Christian stewardship] because it helps identify the unused talents and resources of Latino Lutherans that can be utilized for ministry, in addition to assisting in the financial support of congregations," she said.
Soto added that Festival de los Regalos will help Lutheran churches understand that its Latino members "are not on the receiving end of church ministry but are life-long contributors to it. Hispanic Lutherans are active leaders in a variety of ministries."
Festival de los Regalos consists of a guidebook for planning a weekend festival that features gift-identification activities, small group discussions on faith, worship and fellowship meals, music and entertainment, and an explanation on the use of stewardship commitment cards. Stewardship is defined as the "completion of God's plans for the world using the talents and gifts given to [people] by God in the best way possible."
According to Hector Hoppe, editor for multi-ethnic resources, Concordia Publishing House, LCMS, St. Louis, some of the gifts of Latinos include a strong commitment to family, community fellowship and deep sense of spirituality.
"These gifts were not being translated effectively among the entire church. Festival de los Regalos serves as a way to secure that the gifts and talents of Latino Lutherans are shared with the entire church," said Hoppe.
A group of clergy and staff of the ELCA and LCMS have spent the last two years asking more than 100 Latino leaders in 11 different locations throughout the United States and Puerto Rico: "What are the stewardship-related assets of Hispanic Lutheran communities?"
Responses to the question are summarized in a report titled, "Discovering the Gifts of God Among Hispanic People." It was funded in part by Aid Association for Lutherans, a fraternal benefits organization based in Appleton, Wis.
"Festival de los Regalos is designed to help Latino Lutherans maximize their gifts for the sake of their congregation and community," said Dr. Robert F. Gonzales, counselor for Hispanic mission field development, LCMS World Mission, St. Louis.
At the heart of the festival is a 47-minute videocassette (with English closed captioning), which features the stories of four Spanish- speaking families and individuals who have overcome some adverse circumstances and, using their God-given talents, have helped their congregations increase church membership, build youth group programs and motivate surrounding neighborhoods to participate in church-related activities.
The video contains three segments: "In search for a life with feeling," 15 minutes; "Uncovering one's God-given gifts," 20 minutes; and "Building for the future," 12 minutes. Each is shown at a particular time during the weekend festival and followed up with personal reflections, small group discussion and inter-generational activities. The video presents two questions for participants to ponder: "What are your God-given talents and gifts?" and "Which of these gifts and talents can you offer to your church, family and community?"
"The stories featured illustrate the notion that new ministries surface because of a God-given talent discovered and utilized," said Robert A. Sitze, director for congregational stewardship development, ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries. "Festival de los Regalos is, in essence, at the front-end of an energetic renewal of Latino stewardship," he said.
Upon request, ELCA synods and LCMS districts will host training events designed to help congregations implement Festival de los Regalos this year. -- -- -- Information on Festival de los Regalos is available at http://www.elca.org/dcm/stewardship/resources/hispanic.html on the ELCA Web site.
For Spanish-language text, visit the
http://www.elca.org/dcm/festivalpreguntas.html page.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
