Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 brings a month long celebration of people in the United States who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking countries of Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Worship and other events provide settings for Hispanic/Latino United Methodists to celebrate their heritage and cultures and for others to learn more about them.

Worship resources suggested by the General Board of Discipleship are listed at www.gbod.org/worship/church-civic-holidays/hispanic-heritage-month. The website includes the history of some of the songs in the collections. Among the resources are:

Mil Voces Para Celebrar, a complete hymnal and worship book, contains liturgy, services, resources, indexes, hymns and songs in Spanish, including some Spanish translations of well-known English-language hymns, modern-day Spanish-language hymns in a variety of styles, as well as contemporary praise and worship choruses known as coritos.
“Pues Si Vivimos” (“When We Are Living”), The United Methodist Hymnal, 356.
“Amarte sólo a ti Señor” (“To Love Only You, O Lord”.
“Cuando El Pobre” (“When the Poor Ones”), The United Methodist Hymnal, 434.
“Padre Nuestro/The Lord’s Prayer,” Worship & Song, 3069, and Upper Room Worshipbook, 456.

Here are some other ways to learn more or launch new ministries with Hispanic/Latino neighbors:

If you speak Spanish — or even if you do not — sign up to teach English Language Learners, formerly called English as a Second Language, classes at a church, community center or school.
Invite someone to tell the congregation or a Sunday school class about famous Hispanic Americans or well-known Hispanic United Methodists. The website of MARCHA (United Methodists Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans), www.marcha.umc.org, is a great place to start.
Organize an outing to an area Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. Learn about the culture, sample traditional foods and meet your neighbors.

Barbara Dunlap-Berg, associate editor, Interpreter and general church content editor, United Methodist Communications.