Spanish-speaking Open & Affirming Ministry
Comunidad Limen is the first Spanish-speaking Open & Affirming Ministry with AllianceQ
Having celebrated its one-year O&A anniversary on April 21, 2021, we invite you to celebrate this ministry and to renew your own commitments to welcome, inclusion and justice.
Rev. Pedro Ramos Goycolea speaks to starting a church, a progressive Latinx movement that lives both in real life and online. Pastor Pedro says, “Transformation is happening in liminal spaces.”
The love of God knows no boundaries and has no walls
Rev. Jay Hartley, Regional Minister of the Christian Church in Arizona, affirms Comunidad Limen: “Comunidad Limen Christian Church began organizing one year ago as the first officially Open & Affirming Spanish-speaking congregation in the Disciples movement. Organizing Pastor Pedro Ramos Goycolea has an inspired vision – to provide a theologically progressive Hispanic community that welcomes and nurtures all of God’s beloved children – ESPECIALLY those who have been rejected and hurt by previous church experiences. If you or anyone you know would benefit from such a community, we invite you to connect with Comunidad Limen Christian Church through their Facebook and web pages. Much of the ministry of Comunidad Limen will take place online, with occasional in-person gatherings in Tucson – or who knows where else.
As Regional Minister, it is my privilege to be able to commit a substantial portion of our New Church ministry funds to support Pastor Pedro’s vision. After starting small a year ago, we are greatly increasing our financial support as Pastor Pedro makes the jump to full-time leadership of Comunidad Limen, beginning May 1. In hopes of making Comunidad Limen a financially sustainable ministry, however, we invite you to partner with us. If you are as excited as I am about the first Hispanic O&A Disciples congregation, a congregation being built on the vision of connecting progressive Spanish-speaking Disciples across regional and national lines, I invite you to become a financial supporter of this new movement.”
Hear this word from Arizona’s Regional Minister, Rev. Jay Hartley. A manuscript in Spanish and English can be found here. Many thanks to RJ Robles for contributing to the translation.
Escuche estas palabras del Ministro Regional de Arizona, Rev. Jay Hartley. Puede encontrar un manuscrito en español e inglés aquí. Muchas gracias a RJ Robles por contribuir con la traducción.
Support. Donate. Participate. Explore questions. Expand and challenge the conversations so we can all grow together.
Be a friend, a partner, praying for this movement, praying for those liminal spaces, for those safe spaces, for those moments of encuentro, of connection and community.
Leaders with Comunidad Limen asked, “Can we create a faith community that is inclusive, that is open and affirming, where everyone feels welcome, where everyone feels loved?”
“We have to,” Pastor Pedro said. “How can the church not be committed to welcoming and affirming those who are LGBTQ?”
We are the c/Church
AllianceQ Executive Director + Minister Rev. Melissa Guthrie Loy writes: “We are at a threshold. Our organization. Our c/Church. We must lean in. In order to ‘be the church we say we are’ — thank you GMP for this call — in order to be the organization, the open & affirming movement we say we are, we must ‘expand and challenge the conversations.’ Join me in celebrating and supporting Comunidad Limen. Renew your own and your ministry’s commitments to welcome, inclusion and justice. Lean in to what I believe will be a most transformative space.”
The conversation continues
Stay tuned for stories from Martha and Tachy, members of Comunidad Limen. Their video stories will premiere in Spanish with English subtitles.
Watch for invitations to conversation about building and sustaining queer and trans Latinx ministries.
On the calendar soon: conversations with Council Members Sergio Centeno and RJ Robles.
Sergio will present “Open House: A plate is ready for you at our table.” “Decolonizing Open & Affirming from the Latinx Hospitality Lens.”
RJ will present “Calling the Twelve: Queerying Discipleship.”
Both sessions were originally offered as part of a Lenten Series, “Radical Inclusion” with the Illinois-Wisconsin Region.
O&A Sunday – June 13, 2021
June is Pride month. Join with Open & Affirming ministries all over in celebration and reaffirmation of your support for the full participation of people of all sexual orientations + gender identities in the life of the church. Worship resources for O&A Sunday coming soon. Save the date!
Comunidad Limen
https://www.comunidadlimen.org/
https://www.facebook.com/limencomun
This news was originally published April 21, 2021.