By Rev. Cruz Edwin Santos, MDiv, ICF, CDC
Director of Hispanic/Latinx Ministries, Pacific Northwest Conference
Editor’s note: Links to several resources mentioned in this article are listed toward the end of this article.
Each year, from September 15 through October 15, we celebrate Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month. For the Church, this celebration is more than recognizing a month on the calendar. It is an opportunity to celebrate the gifts, faith, history, leadership, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic/Latinx people—and to ask how we can continue becoming a Church where everyone has a place at the table.
One of the first things we must recognize is that the Hispanic/Latinx community is multicultural. We are different, and at the same time, we share many common experiences and values.
We come from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Spain, and many other places. We have different foods, music, traditions, histories, accents, and ways of celebrating. Even our Spanish is different from country to country and community to community. Some of us speak primarily Spanish, others are bilingual, and many younger Hispanic/Latinx generations prefer English as their primary language.
There is no single Hispanic/Latinx experience.
Yet across our diversity, we bring important values to our communities and churches: faith, family, hospitality, community, resilience, celebration, generosity, hard work, and a deep commitment to acompañamiento—walking alongside one another.
Heritage is more than a celebration
Celebrating our heritage means recognizing what Hispanic/Latinx people bring to the life of the United States and to the mission of The United Methodist Church.
It also means moving beyond seeing Hispanic/Latinx ministry simply as a “mission opportunity.” Hispanic/Latinx congregations and leaders are not outside the Church waiting to be invited in. We are the Church.
Our ministries must be part of the whole structure, leadership, vision, budget, and strategy of The United Methodist Church.
We need spaces where Hispanic/Latinx people have the same opportunities to lead, serve, participate, make decisions, and have a place at the table.
This is particularly important as we think about younger generations. In the Pacific Northwest Conference, we must continue recruiting and developing Spanish-speaking pastors and leaders, while also intentionally developing leaders who are bilingual, multicultural, and prepared to minister across cultures and generations.
Our churches need to become places where people feel connected, respected, valued, and genuinely welcomed.
Celebrate through worship
Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month provides congregations with a wonderful opportunity to incorporate Hispanic/Latinx traditions into Sunday worship—not as entertainment or cultural decoration, but as expressions of Christian faith arising from the lived experiences of our communities.
Congregations might incorporate Spanish-language or bilingual music, prayers, Scripture readings, testimonies, and stories about Hispanic/Latinx leaders and their contributions to the Church and society.
One particularly meaningful resource is the Hispanic Creed (Credo Hispano) by Justo González, found in the United Methodist Spanish hymnal Mil Voces para Celebrar. It proclaims God as Creator of “all peoples and all cultures” and “all tongues and races,” and beautifully describes the Church as a place where many colors create one landscape and many languages offer one praise. Resources such as Mil Voces para Celebrar, Fiesta Cristiana, and Fiesta Jubilosa can help congregations incorporate Hispanic/Latinx music and liturgical traditions thoughtfully.
GCORR’s Hispanic Heritage Month resource also encourages congregations to invest in Hispanic/Latino musicians, composers, and arrangers and to help worshipers understand the stories and contexts behind the music and liturgy being used.
And don’t be afraid to begin small. A call to worship, an affirmation of faith containing Spanish, or a bilingual song can be an excellent beginning.
Celebrate beyond Sunday morning
Our celebration should move beyond the sanctuary and into our communities.
I encourage churches to intentionally develop relationships with schools, community organizations, immigrant-serving agencies, Hispanic/Latinx businesses, and organizations already working alongside immigrant families.
Invite community leaders to your church—not simply because you want them to attend worship, but because you want to listen to them. Ask:
What is happening in our community? What are families experiencing? What resources are needed? How can our congregation walk alongside you?
Small groups can also create spaces for church members and Hispanic/Latinx neighbors to share meals, tell stories, listen to one another, and develop relationships. Genuine multicultural ministry begins with relationships, respect, listening, and trust.
Heritage month can also be a month of generosity
I invite PNW congregations to consider collecting a special offering for Hispanic/Latinx Ministry during Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month.
Congregations can also support organizations working directly with immigrant communities. One organization I particularly recommend is Central Washington Justice for Our Neighbors, which provides free immigration legal services in Central and Eastern Washington.
Another important community partner is La Resistencia, an immigrant-led grassroots organization in Washington State.
Financial support for organizations serving immigrant communities can make a tremendous difference for families.
A time for Acompañamiento
This year’s celebration comes at a particularly important time for immigrant communities.
Our churches have an opportunity to practice acompañamiento: walking with immigrant families, connecting them with trustworthy resources, helping families prepare for emergencies, and developing relationships with community organizations.
The immigrant safety resources available to our communities emphasize the importance of creating a family plan, identifying trusted adults, gathering important documents, seeking appropriate legal counsel, connecting with community organizations, and knowing one’s rights.
Our resource list also identifies organizations such as Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, Central Washington Justice for Our Neighbors, Legal Counsel for Youth and Children, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Colectiva Legal del Pueblo, and others that can help immigrant families access support.
A welcoming church is not simply a church with a sign that says, “All are welcome.” A welcoming church intentionally builds relationships and creates a place where people experience dignity, safety, belonging, and community.
Some things we should not do
As we celebrate, there are also practices we should avoid.
Do not assume all Hispanic/Latinx people are the same. Our community represents many nations, cultures, racial identities, languages, generations, immigration experiences, and theological traditions.
Do not reduce Hispanic/Latinx culture to food, flags, music, and colorful decorations. These can certainly be joyful parts of a celebration, but they should lead us toward deeper relationships and understanding.
Do not treat Hispanic/Latinx ministry only as charity or mission. Hispanic/Latinx people are leaders, theologians, pastors, teachers, professionals, entrepreneurs, organizers, disciples, and members of the Body of Christ.
Do not allow Hispanic Heritage Month to become the only time Hispanic/Latinx voices are present in worship. GCORR’s resource specifically encourages churches to incorporate these liturgical gifts throughout the year rather than limiting them to September and October.
Instead, develop a culture of respect. Challenge prejudice. Listen to people’s stories. Build relationships. Share leadership. Create opportunities. And invite Hispanic/Latinx leaders to the tables where decisions are made.
Make the celebration visible
Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month should also be visible in our church communications.
Use colorful graphics that connect with the diversity of Hispanic/Latinx traditions. Consider flags representing the different countries and communities connected with your congregation. Celebrate music, art, food, storytelling, and cultural traditions.
Canva offers many templates specifically designed for Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month that churches can adapt for social media, newsletters, worship slides, posters, and church bulletins.
But remember: the graphics are an invitation to something deeper. Our goal is not simply representation—it is relationship.
From one month to a year-round commitment
My invitation to our churches across the Pacific Northwest Conference is simple:
Celebrate. Listen. Learn. Connect. Accompany. Advocate. Invite. Share the table.
Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month can be a beginning, but our commitment cannot end on October 15.
Imagine churches where Hispanic/Latinx children see people who look and sound like them in leadership. Imagine young bilingual and bicultural leaders discovering a call to ministry. Imagine immigrant families knowing that a United Methodist congregation will walk beside them during difficult times. Imagine worship where different languages and traditions come together naturally because they are already part of the life of the congregation.
This is the Church we are called to become.
The Hispanic Creed gives us a beautiful image of this hope: a Church in which all the colors paint one landscape, all peoples gather at God’s joyful banquet, and all languages join together in praise.
Somos diferentes, pero somos uno en Cristo.
Let us celebrate our heritage—not only by remembering where we came from, but by recognizing the gifts Hispanic/Latinx people bring to the Church today and creating a future where everyone is welcomed, valued, empowered, and given a place at the table.
Resources & Contact
Below are a number of resources collected to celebrate and support Hispanic/Latinx Ministries.
- Hispanic Heritage Month: Do’s and Don’ts from the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR), with practical ideas for worship and congregational engagement.
- Mil Voces para Celebrar, Fiesta Cristiana, and Fiesta Jubilosa as Hispanic/Latinx worship and music resources.
- The Hispanic Creed / Credo Hispano by Justo González, in English and Spanish, which can be incorporated into worship.
- The Spirit of Acompañamiento, from El Plan for Hispanic/Latine Ministry.
- Immigrant Safety Plan for Youth and Children, in both English and Spanish, to help families prepare for emergencies, including possible detention or deportation. – Checklist for a Family File, in English and Spanish, with important documents families may want to organize in advance.
- Community Resources for Immigrants & Legal Assistance, including organizations that provide legal and community support.
- How to Locate an ICE Detainee, with instructions in English and Spanish.
- Know Your Rights and Immigration Resources, along with information for documenting ICE activity.
- Additional Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month graphics and ideas (Image One, Image Two) that congregations can use to celebrate, educate, advocate, and build relationships with their communities.
For additional ideas, worship resources, accompaniment resources, or support developing Hispanic/Latinx ministry in your congregation, please contact:
Rev. Cruz Edwin Santos, MDiv, ICF, CDC
Director of Hispanic/Latinx Ministries
Office of Connectional Ministries
Pacific Northwest Conference
Mailing Address: PO Box 13650, 816 S 216th St #2, Des Moines, WA 98198
Cell: 206-854-9904
Email: cesantos@pnwumc.org
Facebook: PNW Hispanic/Latinx Ministry
Website: PNW Hispanic/Latinx Ministry
Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month is September 15–October 15, but acompañamiento, inclusion, relationship, and shared ministry are commitments for the entire year.
