The Madison Hispanic Church was established on May 4, 2024, with 51 members. We want to especially thank Pastor Evelio Miranda, Hispanic Ministries Coordinator, Asael Sanchez, the district pastor, the previous pastors who served this church, and the local leaders for their hard work and dedication in achieving this significant milestone.
The Lake Union Executive Committee has recently voted to allocate 1 million dollars to support students from its territory that wish to pursue education and theology programs at Andrews University. To qualify for this special financial assistance, students must meet Andrews University’s admission requirements, demonstrate financial need, and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0. Additionally, they must obtain recommendations from their respective conference and commit to working within the Lake Union territory for at least four years upon graduation.
Dr. Stephen Bauer, a professor at Southern University, presented “The Sufficiency of Christ” to our pastors at Camp Wakonda as part of the Ministerial Department’s Continuing Education for fellow ministers.
Dr. Amir Gulazar and I, along with our spouses, attended the Hispanic Brotherhood Day in Milwaukee. The theme of the event was “Fulfill the Mission.” This annual gathering allows all Hispanic members and guests to come together for worship, fellowship, and inspiration for discipleship and mission. This year, the guest speaker was Pastor Raúl González, and the guest singers were Heréndida Montalvo. The event had the highest attendance ever reported.
Dr. Amir Gulzar, Pastor Adam Case, and I attended the Hispanic Advisory meeting. Pastor Evelio Miranda, the Hispanic Coordinator, and Pastors Fredy De Los Santos, Samuel Latouche, Asael Sanchez, and Cristofe Guzman presented reports on their districts, covering areas such as evangelism, training, stewardship, and social activities. It was great to see God’s continued blessings on the Hispanic Ministries.
Pastor Adam Case, Dr. Amir Gulzar, and I hosted another training and informative session for the elders in our conference. We presented updates on conference affairs, seminars on discipleship, and church hospitality. We are grateful for the dedicated ministry of church leaders in Wisconsin. The next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, June 16, at 2:00 p.m. at Camp Wakonda with all local church board members being invited.
The Wisconsin Conference Executive Committee met on Zoom to discuss and vote on the regular secretariat and financial reports related to the Conference and Association. Pastor Zack Payne presented a report about the Youth Department, and new Pathfinder Coordinators were selected. Special thanks to Becky and Becca Ziesmer, Carol, and Steve Mertins for their exceptional involvement in the Pathfinder Ministry for the Wisconsin Conference.
I was invited to deliver the commencement address at Three Angels School in Madison. It was an excellent opportunity to see the former students, to whom I once ministered, become well-educated and devoted followers of Jesus.
Wisconsin Academy hosted its graduation ceremony for the class of 2024, which included 18 graduates. Tyler Cantrell, a former teacher, was the commencement speaker.
The North American Division (NAD) Executive Committee has voted for “The Pentecost 2025” initiative. Over 3,000 churches are invited to hold evangelistic series across the division from September 6-20, 2025. Each proclamation program requires a minimum of 15 sessions, with at least 5 being public preaching meetings. Each church/company/group will be eligible to receive up to $3,000 from the NAD to help sponsor their involvement. More information regarding the registration will be provided very soon.
All the conference teachers gathered for their annual in-service meeting. This year, they received training on addressing active threats in schools. Local sheriff’s department officers provided essential recommendations for preventing and responding to potential threats and conducted a training exercise at Wisconsin Academy.
Since the beginning of the year, I have had the privilege of being invited to the following churches in Wisconsin: Kenosha, Hylandale, Lena, Maranatha Hispanic, Green Bay, Wautoma, Reedsburg, Tomah, Waukesha Hispanic, Sparta, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin Academy, Milwaukee Central, Hudson, Madison Hispanic, Shawano, Durand and Superior. I am pleased to see the dedication of our fellow believers in Christ in terms of church attendance, worship, discipleship, evangelism, and community engagement.
Camp Meeting is approaching. We will celebrate God’s providence, worship together, and form or strengthen friendships. It is an opportunity to learn how to serve the Lord and the people in our communities.
May the Lord continue to bless you and everything you do for Him!
Titus Naftanaila, President