GURROLA BAPTIST FOUNDATION (GBF) FUNDACIÓN BAUTISTA GURROLA (FBG) AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES U.S.A. pin #190510 REV. DR. BEN F. GARC Í A – CHAIRMAN OF THE BOAR D REV. DR. MARIO -SETH MORALES - SEGU R A – CO-CHAIRMAN PROUD SPONSOR AND PROMOTER OF THE AMERICAN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL CENTER (ABTC), PASADENA, CA Date: November/December 2019 Editor: Hno./Brother Joseph Gurrola 2019 GURROLA HONOREES CONGRATULATIONS! Rev. Carlos M. Gurrola Recognition Award Hno. Héctor M. González Hna. Guadalupe G. Gurrola Recognition Award Hna. Argentina O. González Sunday, “Fue un Dec. 1, buen 2019 momento de mucha Presented bendición at the para la Iglesia congre- Bautista gación.” Hispana -Pastor Glendale, Miguel Arizona Altamirano L/R: Rev. Dr. Mario-Seth Morales-Segura, Hna. Argentina O. González, Hno. Héctor M. González and Rev. Dr. Miguel Altamirano 1 A word from the Co-Chairman of the Board~ HNO. HÉCTOR M. GONZÁLEZ – Rev. Carlos M. Gurrola Recognition Award On behalf of the Executive Board of the Gurrola Baptist Foundation in which, you played a key role in its gestation, we present to you the 2019 Gurrola Award for your outstanding service to our Lord Jesus Christ. Hno. González we recognize your exemplary leadership as president of the American Baptist Churches USA, President of the Hispanic Caucus - ABCUSA and even after your hard work in such roles, you continue to serve in many leadership positions over the years particularly promoting mission work both nationally and internationally. I will never forget your words of fun encouragement when my family and I served as missionaries in South America. HNA. ARGENTINA GONZÁLEZ – Hna. Guadalupe Gurrola Recognition Award Rev. Dr. Mario-Seth On behalf of the Executive Board of the Gurrola Baptist Foundation we Morales-Segura (714) 858-2814 present to you the 2019 Gurrola Award for your outstanding ministry [email protected] among the American Baptist Churches USA. Thank you for your active ministry in the Northern California area of ABC churches for many years, for your commitment to the National Hispanic Caucus as well as your services with an open heart among the Women’s Convention of No. California. Dear Hnos. Héctor and Argentina, thank you for all your deeds of love and commitment to God and the community and particularly to the Hispanic Community of our Baptist churches, they are like gold-nuts of inspiration to our faith in the American Baptist Family, both here and abroad. Merry Christmas to all! Pastor Mario-Seth Morales-Segura “It is a better life because of Jesus!” 2 Thanksgiving Blessings from the Gurrola Baptist Foundation! THE MINISTRY OF REV. ROBERTO & Please give with an HNA. ROSARIO PORRAS P.O. Box 431566 OPEN heart this San Ysidro, CA 92143 Email: [email protected] CHRISTMAS! (619) 751-6246 Deborah’s House Money may be directly deposited: Bank of America Account #0021 8457 7484 Hogar de Refugio Debora Name: ROBERTO PORRAS MAYNES The Ministry of Rev. Roberto & Items needed: Hna. Rosario Porras Toys, games, stickers, baby & children’s clothing, adult clothing (sweaters/warm Vision-4-Eternity clothing) and love donations. DEBORAH’S HOUSE ~ HOGAR DE REFUGIO DEBORA R ev. Deliris Carrión Items needed: 2380 Servando Ave., #124 Toys, games, stickers, San Diego, CA 92154 baby & children’s clothing, (787) 910-3485 women’s clothing and love donations. VISION -4-ETERNITY Post Office Box 10311 Glendale, AZ 85318 Office: (623) 266-9082 Cell: (602) 565-3816 Items needed: Eyeglasses, sunglasses Email: [email protected] and love donations. 3 How effective is the American Baptist HISPANIC National Caucus – ABCUSA? American Baptist Caucuses (Info. from ABCUSA website www.ABC-USA.org) American Baptist Caucuses (Info. from ABCUSA website www.ABC-USA.org) AA Caucus,Caucus, withinwithin ABCUSA, ABCUSA, is isany any group group of personsof persons joined joined with onewith another one in recognition of a common cause and shared characteristic, which meets another in recognition of a common cause and shared characteristic, criteria (See Rule 14.4.2 in Standing Rules), and is recognized by the whichBoard meetsof General criteria Ministries (See Ruleon recommendation 14.4.2 in Standing of the Rules), Credentials and andis recognized by the Board of General Ministries on recommendation of Caucus Committee. the Credentials and Caucus Committee. For confidentiality reasons, names have been left out. The Gurrola Baptist Foundation (GBF) asked pastors, leaders, brothers and sisters the following question: What issues, concerns or questions do you have for the American Baptist Hispanic National Caucus – ABCUSA? —How strong is the A.B. Hispanic National Caucus on MEDIATION and ADVOCACY? Our ABCOFLASH region representative does not give us a report on the meetings, so can you tell us how we can access information on issues the Caucus is dealing with, and decisions it has made? —What is the Hispanic Caucus’ stand on Immigration Reform? —Out of control high educational costs for Hispanics who plan to go into the Ministry. What are you doing to help with this problem? —Do you advocate for bilingual churches: Looking for present working models other churches can adapt. This is necessary for growth for the future Latino churches within ABCUSA. —Our Hispanic American Baptist Churches would very much like to be informed about what our sister churches are doing to keep connected to our ministry across the country. It seems like one of the most practical ways to accomplish this is to have a HISPANIC AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWSLETTER? Is there an office, a ministry, perhaps a group of retired ministers who are able to do this? Are there any funds available for this (America For Christ)? Would the Hispanic Caucus be willing to support and advocate for this project? —I really have never understood the purpose of the Hispanic Caucus. I know they meet several times a year at different locations, but I have never received any reports or updates from them. I also understand they receive approximately $12,000.00 a year from ABCUSA. —Has the Hispanic Caucus influenced any policies? If so, which ones? —What are the latest projects the Hispanic National Caucus is working on? MEDIATION – ADVOCACY – ACTION www.ABCUSA.org 4 —How are the members/representatives chosen? Is there a uniform procedure, or does it vary from region to region? Where can I find the By-Laws? —Where are the meetings of the Caucus published (date and time) so that pastors and all of us can attend? —Can you mention any problems you have helped solved or any project you have carried out recently on behalf of the Hispanic American Baptist churches in the USA? —In addition to planning for the next meeting, hotel, restaurants, car rental, etc., what concrete problems or preoccupations, for example, do you discuss when you meet? On Thursday, October 10, 2019 the Gurrola Baptist Foundation (GBF) reached out to: . Rev. F. Salvador Orellana – American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) . Ms. Leda Carter – American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) . Rev. Abner Cotto-Bonilla (President of the A.B. Hispanic National Caucus – ABCUSA) for the latest HISPANIC CAUCUS MINUTES and the NAMES of the REPRESENTATIVES serving, but our emails were ignored from all 3 individuals. REV. F. SALVADOR ORELLANA AND REV. ABNER COTTO-BONILLA: Is there anything the Hispanic Caucus needs from us, the churches and pastors? How can we support the work, the projects you are working on? We are glad to pray for our Hispanic Caucus, but is there anything more we can do? Please release the latest official MINUTES of your meetings to us. -Hno./Brother Joseph Gurrola – Editor of the GBF Newsletter (626) 500-7802 For more information regarding the A.B. Hispanic National Caucus - ABCUSA, please contact: REV. F. SALVADOR ORELLANA – American Baptist Home Mission Societies - ABHMS (610) 768-2421 Email: [email protected] I served as President of the Hispanic Caucus of the American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA). I also served as the the official representative of the General Secretary for approximately 22 years on the Hispanic Caucus. After reading the above information, I agree 100% with what is stated. I personally asked the former President of the Hispanic Caucus, Dr. Josúe Gómez for copies of the minutes, but I was never given the information from him or the secretary. Rev. Grimaldo Enríquez was the only representative (ABC of the West region) that would give me the dates and times of the meetings. Otherwise, I would not have known when and where the meetings would take place. I never saw any typed reports of the Hispanic Caucus – ABCUSA. It was my understanding that the President was to turn in a detailed report to the treasury office of ABCUSA, outlining where their assisgned budget money was spent. I was never given a copy of this expenditure report. I am not able to tell you where the annual funds were spent, except on travel, hotel, dinners, rental cars of the president & representatives. While I served on the Hispanic Caucus board, there was NO communication from the Hispanic Caucus – ABCUSA to our Hispanic American Baptist Churches. If there is no communciation, you have nothing. It is my belief that the Hispanic Caucus – ABCUSA needs to be more accountable to the churches and to our national office of ABCUSA. –HNO. HÉCTOR M. GONZÁLEZ (480) 231-0212 5 5 Mary Weaver Retires INTERNATIONAL MINIST R I E S ( I M ) ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR IBEROA M E R I C A AND THE CARIBBEAN www.InternationalMinistries.org International Ministries (IM), also known as the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, works cross-culturally to invite people to become disciples of Jesus Christ and to proclaim, through both word and deed, God's reign of justice, peace and abundant life for all creation.