THE Blog of the Rev. Bien Acosta: THE BLOG OF THE REV. BIEN ACOSTA

Hispanic Ministries organized a giveaway on Saturday June 28. many Hispanic families came in and benefited from donations given by FPCHURCH in Fort Dodge.

My wife Marianella and other women in congregation getting ready for a giveaway.

THE ARTICLE OF THE MONTH.
Setting the captive free...

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;”
Isaiah 61:1

I never realized how these words, written by the prophet Isaiah thousand of years ago would be so real and vivid today as we do Hispanic Ministry.
As you surely will know, this is a messianic prophecy pointing to the works of Jesus in Israel and from there, to the whole world.
We know that in the spiritual sense it is referring to those who are captives of sin, those who have been caught in the tempter’s snare. Those who are “slaves to sin” (according to the gospel of John 8:34)

Christian life is not as comfortable as many have thought. It is not a matter of merely to attend Sunday morning service, to enjoy good music performance, then, to drink a cup of coffee eat some goodies and greet your friends at the fellowship hall, and hurry back home to watch the rugby match on your fancy flat screen equipped with surround system. It is not only to serve in any church committee. It is a life of covenant with God. It is an agreement. When you received Jesus, you did not only receive forgiveness, you did receive the apostolate, and you have been commissioned and sent to work for God, helping other. You do not need to be a minister to do that, all what you need is to be sincere with God, to love Him with all your heart, soul and mind and be willing to break the bondage of sin on others and bring them back to the light of God.
Doing that is to be:

“…, the repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in.
(Isaiah 58:12b)
This reality is pictures in the calling to Saul. Let’s take a look to the book of Acts chapter 26: verses 15 to 18

“15: And I said, who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16: But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17: Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
And then, the Lord continues telling him what mission is all about:
“18: To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
How many people are at this very moment prisoners of lust, vanity and pride? How much spiritual blindness has come upon the eyes of the people of this great nation?
How many young people are already sunk in the dark dungeons of Satan’s prison?
When every local church member becomes conscious of what we were called for and what is the meaning of being a true believer within the challenge of being
“Salt of the earth and light of the world” then, we as a church won’t have to worry about church membership growing if everybody assumes his or her evangelizing task.
We as a church already have a mission given by Christ, to realize it, takes to have a particular vision and then the subsequent dynamic to develop it.
That’s why we are doing Hispanic Ministry. During the past month of June I have seen a literal accomplishment of the words of Isaiah on the many times that we have been called to help Hispanic people in public jails in this area,
Let me share with you one of the stories:
Four young Mexicans arrived in Fort Dodge on Saturday June 21
They were coming from Virginia were they had been working for a period of time.
That night, they decided to go out for fun and they went to a certain disco in town. After some drinks and dancing they were soon engaged on a fight
and consequently taken to public jail.
On Sunday morning their relatives came to the service in the chapel of Fort Dodge First Presbyterian Church, they had heard that we could help them, they were not allowed to see the young people in prison, and they did not have a clue of what to do because they did not speak English or have knowledge of the legal system.
We decided to help and immediately I started making some phone calls, we found out about their legal situation, they were charged and we were told that they may be released if they pay a nine hundred dollars bond. (According to a very recent legislation)
Next day I met with them at public jail, I asked relatives for the money to pay the bonds and they told me that they had money with them when they were arrested enough to pay the bond.
I took the elevator to the third floor where I told the officer who I was and that I wanted to pay the bond at the court house therefore I need their money released. The officer told me that due to inner regulations he could not give me the money and they my alternative was to go and pay in full and when they were released they could pay me. I went back and told relatives about that and I went with them around the city looking for somebody willing to lend the money. We found somebody who gave us the money and we were able to pay at the courthouse and this young people went back home. I asked them:
-What did you learn?
They answered:

“You can be in trouble in places like this even if you are not looking for it”
Then I told them:
I you would have been in church that would have not happen to you.
they all agreed to that.
Pray for the conversion of this young people.

Hispanic Ministries helps to build bridges of communication between Anglo and Hispanic culture in church's life. Here, a member of FTDODGEFPCHURCH is sharing with a Hispanic during the giveaway last saturday. They were speaking in Spanish.

HISPANIC MINISTRIES WORK PLAN:
(From July to December 2008)
2OO8

July: Start studies about Reformed faith with 5 people members of the Hispanic congregation and who have the potential to become Elders in the future.
They are:
Marianela Acosta, Brenda Vásquez, Lyda Bachman, Lupe García, Wendy Ortiz, Tomás Martines, and Horacio Velásquez.
The study will be based on material supplied on line by PCUSA.

August:

Sunday school teacher’s training workshop. We will make plan to get books and material for children‘s Sunday school. We will need space to start some classes for kids on Sundays morning. We as a church will provide safe transportation to bring Hispanic children to church on Sundays. Mitchell and Lyda Bachman are in charge of contacting Hispanic families living in Fort Dodge.
We plan to take children out to Kennedy Park for fun and playing at least once at month during the rest of the summer.

September:

Giveaway: School supplies for Hispanic kids.
The emphasis during this month will be on Christian Stewardship, I will be preaching and teaching about it. We will start fund raising activities for the purchasing of some equipments needed for printing flyers and advertising in general.
On Sunday 17 we will have a special celebration for Mexico Independence Day.
October:

Start collecting winter clothes for a giveaway.

Sunday 12th Special celebration “Race’s day” (*)
November:
Month of “thanksgiving special offering”
Start promotion on Sunday the 2nd. (Special envelope)
He offering will be collected on Sunday the 30th and a thanksgiving lunch will be served
after the religious service.
The emphasis on this Sunday will be on thankfulness.

December:

During Christmas Eve the Hispanic congregation will join with the church in general
To attend to one of the night services.

My Weekly Routine:
Tuesday:

At church office. On call in town. I may go to the court, the police station, the Hospital or elsewhere Iam required. I start Checking on the lectionary for Sunday.

Wednesday:

I usually go to Clarion in the afternoon to visit door to door to the people involved in church activity there and to contact new people.

Thursday:

Morning: I work on sermon and bulletin design for Sunday.
Afternoon: Visit with people in Fort Dodge and Humboldt.

Friday:

Morning: Finishing and printing bulletin and Sermon.
Afternoon: Visiting with people in Webster City and Eagle Grove.

Some Saturdays are reserved for special activities.

Sunday:

Morning Service in Fort Dodge 10:30 A: M
Service in Clarion church. 7:00 P: M.
* This is a Holyday observed by all nations around Latin America.

IF you wish to cooperate with this project send a love offering to:
Rev. Bienvenido de Js. Acosta R. Hispanic Ministries
First Presbyterian Church. 1111 5th Avenue North
Fort Dodge, Iowa, 50501.

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES TAKEN AFTER SERVICE ON SUNDAY MORNING AT FORT DODGE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

After service we ussually have fellowship where children and adults may participate.