resolution

Annual Conference Strategic, Comprehensive Plans for Hispanic/Latino-Latina Ministries

2016 Book of Resolutions, #3222

Whereas, God calls us to proclaim God’s wonderful acts (1 Peter 2:9) and to be good stewards of God’s manifold grace, serving one another with whatever gift each has received (1 Peter 4:10), and to organize ourselves for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:7-13); and

Whereas, our United Methodist heritage integrates missional action with organizational support; and

Whereas, The Book of Discipline, 2012 declares that “the mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world by proclaiming the good news of God’s grace and by exemplifying Jesus’ command to love God and neighbor, thus seeking the fulfillment of God’s reign and realm in the world” (¶ 121), and that “each annual conference is responsible to focus and guide the mission and ministry of The United Methodist Church within its boundaries by envisioning the ministries necessary to live out the mission of the church in and through the annual conference; … providing encouragement, coordination, and support for the ministries of nurture, outreach, and witness in districts and congregations for the transformation of the world; … developing and strengthening ethnic ministries, including ethnic local churches and concerns… . ” (¶ 608); and

Whereas, according to the 2014 United States census analysis, nearly 64 million people of Hispanic origin (who may be of any race) would be added to the nation’s population between 2014 and 2060. Their numbers are projected to grow from 55.4 million to 114.8 million, an increase of just over 100 percent. Their share of the nation’s population would increase from 17.4 percent to 28.6 percent. The US is the third largest Latino country in the world and Hispanics remain the largest minority group, with 55.4 million on July 1, 2014—17.4 percent of the total population; and

Whereas, these figures represent an undercount and do not reflect accurate information about undocumented persons; and

Whereas, according to the General Board of Global Ministries Office of Research’s analysis of the census data, every annual conference of The United Methodist Church in the United States has within its boundaries a growing Hispanic/Latino-Latina population; and

Whereas, for four quadrennia the General Conference has approved the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino-Latina Ministry as a mission initiative of the whole church, and it is a comprehensive plan of evangelization with Hispanic/Latino-Latina communities by the whole church; and

Whereas, in direct relationship to the implementation of the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino-Latina Ministry, 900 faith communities have been established in 52 conferences; 1,400 lay missioners have been equipped and deployed; 260 pastor mentors; 150 new Hispanic/Latino-Latina congregations have been started in 35 conferences; 160 existing Hispanic/Latino-Latina churches in 35 conferences have been strengthened; and 1,500 outreach ministries have been established in 52 conferences; 53 annual conferences have been developing a comprehensive plan; more than 150 Portuguese-speaking leaders have been trained; 50 consultants already trained; more than 800 non-Hispanic/Latino leaders trained through the convocations; and

Whereas, according to the Office of the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino-Latina Ministry’s estimates, the Hispanic/Latino-Latina membership in The United Methodist Church has increased by 40 percent from 2008 to 2012; and

Whereas, according to the Office of the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino-Latina Ministry’s estimates, Hispanic/Latino-Latina persons represent 0.1 percent of the total membership of The United Methodist Church and Hispanic/Latino-Latina congregations represent approximately 0.1 percent of all United Methodist chartered churches; and

Whereas, these figures represent an undercount due to challenges in reporting the number of Hispanic/Latino-Latina members in multicultural churches and non-Hispanic/Latino-Latina congregations, and the number of Hispanic/Latino-Latina congregations sharing facilities with other ethnic and cultural churches; and due to difficulties in the challenges of reporting and collecting data from some Hispanic/Latino Latina congregations; and

Whereas, in spite of the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino-Latina Ministry and other missional efforts, advances and success in reaching the people group called Hispanic/Latino-Latina and the increased presence of Hispanic/Latino-Latina persons in the United Methodist connectional system, the people group in the United States called Hispanic/Latino-Latina represents a huge mission field;

Therefore, be it resolved, that every annual conference in the United States shall develop and periodically update a strategic, comprehensive plan for Hispanic/Latino-Latina ministries within its boundaries, and this plan will include, but not be limited to, socioeconomic, cultural, and religious analysis of the Hispanic/Latino-Latina communities that will be served; and strategies to strengthen existing Hispanic/Latino-Latina ministries and congregations, to start new ministries and congregations, to identify, equip, and deploy clergy and laity leaders, and to identify and deploy material and financial resources; and

Be it further resolved, that the Council of Bishops, the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino-Latina Ministry, the General Board of Discipleship and the General Board of Global Ministries ensure that the conference comprehensive plans are in place and provide support and consultation in the development of the plans.

Source: Projections of the size and composition of the US Population: 2014–2060
https://www.census.gov/recontent/dam/census/library/publications/2015/demo/p25-1143.pdf

ADOPTED 2004
REVISED AND READOPTED 2008, 2016
RESOLUTION #3222, 2008, 2012 BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTION #29, 2004 BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS

See Social Principles, ¶¶ 161 and 162.

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