The California contingent of the Hispanic Leadership Development Project met December 1-3, 2006.

Inauguration of the Hispanic Leadership Development Project

Hola hermano. Gusto en verlo.” (Hello brother. It’s so good to see you). “Hola hermana. Dios le bendiga.” (Hello sister. God bless you.) These were some of the words heard December 1 and 8, 2006, during the two inaugural events of the “Proyecto de Desarollo de Lideres Hispanos” (Hispanic Leadership Development Project).

This three-year pilot project is actively training 30 Hispanic leaders so they may grow and guide the church in Latino populations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Baja California. The project has recruited students who have emigrated from six countries—all with diverse backgrounds, rich life experiences, and a burning desire to share their testimony of Jesus Christ.

Each leader is paired with a mentor. Based on the successful Co-Missioned Pastor Initiative (www.CofChrist.org/co-missioned/), curriculum and instructional design are supervised by Community of Christ Seminary dean Don Compier. The project’s logistics and delivery of instruction are coordinated by John Glaser, a Latino minister with a commitment to the expansion of the church within the Hispanic community.

As project leader, John said, “This is a paradigm change! This is a project by and for Latinos in which we can ‘live’ the church in the context of our culture. The Community of Christ can walk among and with us.” Apostle David Brock, a longtime supporter of Hispanic ministries, represents the project’s sponsor, the Council of Twelve.

Creating Community
The inaugural events were planned to accommodate travel needs of the emerging leaders. The first event was at the Nueva Esperanza congregation (Los Angeles, California, USA) and the second was at the Weslaco congregation (Weslaco, Texas, USA). Students and their mentors immediately began to form a tight community.
David Brock kicked off the gatherings by delivering the initial challenge to participants. Don Compier encouraged students to develop their talents and celebrate their culture. David Schaal represented the First Presidency in Los Angeles, and Steve Veazey in Weslaco.

Each weekend’s instruction began with a discussion of the walls that divide us and the living Christ who topples them, making peace and uniting us once again. Each Saturday the sharing continued with outstanding messages from the First Presidency about the peace of Jesus Christ and how the call to share it resonates within their (and our) very beings and everyday ministry.

This was followed by a class on mentoring by John Glaser. The Saturday evenings concluded with Communion services where all had the opportunity to share the peace of Christ as they had felt it and the commitment they wanted to make for the future.

The weekends were a success as expressed by Brother Alfredo Zelaya’s (Toronto, Canada): “Although I had never met my fellow Latinos before, I feel that I have known them all of my life.”

As we shared in worship together on Sunday, it was with joyful celebration and eager anticipation of the growth and development of new leaders to carry the Hispanic mission of this church to many generations to come.—Heather Weeks and John Glaser reporting