Guest Blogs

By Pastors Jorge and Stephanie Espinoza, Iglesia Luterana Cristo Obrero

This post continues the Mission Table’s “Year of Partnership” highlighting the new and strategic ministries of the Minneapolis Area Synod. Cristo Obrero is one of three new mission development congregations, and accompanies Latino families living in mobile home parks in Chaska and Shakopee. 

Advent, Advent, a little light burns,
first one, then two, then three and four,
then the Christ Child stands at the door.

This Advent, as we light one candle, then two, then three and four, waiting with joy for the Christ Child, we would like to share four joys from this last year of ministry:

Cross of Peace members at Outlaw Ranch

1. Five years ago, we began worship in a tornado shelter in a mobile home park. One of our first services was the Posada, which is a traditional reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem. It was cold and drafty, we all had to wear our coats inside! This fall, we began weekly worship. In two weeks, we will celebrate the Posada again. This time in the warm building that Cross of Peace in Shakopee lends to us.
2. This is the third summer we have taken families to Outlaw Ranch (one of our ELCA camps in Custer, SD) for a week of bilingual family camp. This year adults from Cristo Obrero helped lead sessions in the bilingual study on Food & the Bible. Our leaders taught bilingual cooking classes on food from the Bible. They were amazing!
3. Cristo Obrero is the church home of a growing number of people who identify as LGBTQ. People are finding comfort in our message of God’s love and grace for all.
4. We have generous mission partners, 10 area congregations and numerous individuals, who support our ministry financially. We are also blessed to partner with them in many ministry opportunities. For example, last week we had a tamale fundraiser at Immanuel in Eden Prairie and they are going with us to camp this summer!

This Advent, as we light one candle, then two, then three and four, waiting with hope for the Christ Child, we would like to share four hopes for this next year of ministry:

1. 

   La Posada in 2023

   We are a church of immigrants, and it is difficult for us to financially sustain a pastor and a ministry. Even with our growing stewardship at weekly worship, the generous offerings of our people are around $150 a week. We need additional mission partners and congregations to help us be able to share God’s love with our Latino neighbors. We need an additional $3,000 of mission support for 2024 and $30,000 for 2025. Can you prayerfully consider partnering with us?

2. We are working on financial sustainability. Our congregation members have an idea of purchasing a corn roasting trailer. We can sell corn at events to help contribute to financially supporting our church and have the added benefit of the presence of our church out in the community. Are you interested in helping us with a business plan? Buying a corn roaster? Helping us set up a small non-profit?
3. We are so grateful to have space in a local congregation, but when we were able to be in the mobile home parks, our attendance at worship was double, sometimes triple of our current attendance. Would you want to serve on a team to explore the possibility of a purchasing or renting space in one of the Chaska mobile home parks?
4. Please pray for us. Immigrant families will have additional struggles and challenges in this coming year.

Please join us on December 22 at 4:00 p.m. at Cross of Peace in Shakopee for our Posada. We will walk with Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem as we wait with joy and hope for the Christ Child! There will be worship, food, and of course, pinatas!

Mission support can be given directly to Cristo Obrero through Venmo (@Cristo-Obrero) or by mailing a check to 1506 Wood Duck Trail, Shakopee, MN 55379.