Aug 13, 2024 | Sarah Borgstrom Lee

On Sunday August 11th El Buen Samaritano UMC hosted their annual outreach event.

Rev. Evodia Villalva welcomes everyone in Spanish while Oscar Lopez translated into English

El Buen Samaritano regularly hosts community events in the park to create opportunities for new connections. People don’t have to step through the door of a church they’ve never visited before but can instead join a worship service that’s happening right in the neighborhood park. This congregation who worships 30-40 on a Sunday drew a large crowd of friends and family, including many young adults and children. “This event is for the community, and also for us to enjoy time together like a family.”  shared Felicitas Flores.

Ms. Flores was excited about how the ministry of El Buen Samaritano is growing “We are growing, we are a young church, we have lots of kids. We have a Sunday school… We are not professionally teachers, but God has shown us how to teach the kids.”

As friends old and new connected in the shade of the pavilion, Rev. Evodia Villalva, rose to welcome everyone to this time of praise and worship.

While El Buen Samaritano will often host gatherings in the park, this one took on a new flavor as the final event in the Connecting Our Cultures in Christ Initiative of EPA’s Economic Justice Council. This initiative aims to dismantle racial economic disparity by building relationships between suburban congregations with congregations of color in urban settings.

Pastors from the South-East Region came to support the event and build relationships. Rev. Gabe Lopez, Associate Superintendent for the South-East Region, Rev.  David Eckert co-chair of EPA’s Urban Commission, Rev. Jacqueline Tilford of Havertown UMC, Rev. Efrain Cotto of El Mesias and St. Philip’s UMC, and Rev. Cyndi Stouffer of West Chester UMC, were all in attendance.

Rev. Gabe Lopez, Rev. Efrain Cotto, Rev. Lisa DePaz, Rev. David Eckert, Rev. Cyndi Stouffer, and Rev. Jacqueline Tilford & her husband join in the call to worship.

The Servicio de Adoracion truly connected cultures in Christ. The call to worship was printed in both Spanish and English. Prayers were offered in Spanish, with Oscar Lopez translating.  

Hermano Marcos Rios brought the message “Compartamos/ Let’s Share” inviting all those present to share the gifts of Jesus, living water, the bread of life, and grace and mercy with all that they encounter. He ended his message with an invitation to share tacos, maybe two, or maybe ten.

A spirit of joyfulness bubbled about the park as people ate and chatted together and the children ran and played on the playground. It was a moment that felt saturated with the presence of the Holy Spirit, a taste of the heavenly kingdom here on earth.