Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Spring 2014 Issue | Page 6

Where We’ve Been
When it came to the ranking of priorities in the
electronic survey at January’s Annual Council
meeting, Multicultural and Ethnic Ministry
came in last as the priority generating the most
energy, receiving only 2.1 percent of the votes.
But that percentage is hardly representative of
the excitement and energy at work in the field of
Multicultural and Ethnic Ministry in Virginia – not
by a long shot.

Just ask Julio Cuellar, a member of La
Iglesia de Santa Maria, one of the fastest growing
congregations in the Diocese, which also happens
to be Spanish-speaking. Julio and his band joined
Annual Council to lead members in a rousing
original song – “Muchos Pueblos, Una Familia,” or
“Many People, One Family.” In addition, Council
members passed two resolutions regarding
immigration and immigration reform.

Virginia is home to five Spanish-speaking
congregations and two Korean congregations,
while several other churches are developing
worship services for Latino, Sudanese and other
ethnic groups. Other churches have strong
multicultural identities, while still others focus on
building multicultural relationships. Read on for
insight into the diverse landscape.

Staff Q&A with Bishop Goff
The Annual Council survey showed that most folks don’t rank
Multicultural and Ethnic Ministry as the top excitement-generating
priority – but the worship and ministry occurring in multicultural
congregations seem to show a different picture. Why do you think
this is?

I think that what’s really fascinating here is that the priority
that was ranked as receiving the most energy and excitement
was Mission Beyond Ourselves. And when you look at the
mission that a lot of our congregations are doing, it’s directly
relate