Title: Latino Lutherans Develop an Innovative Approach to Stewardship
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

May 15, 2001

LATINO LUTHERANS DEVELOP AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO STEWARDSHIP
01-121-MR

     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 [log in to unmask]
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html