Hispanic Heritage Month a time to celebrate culture, diversity of United Methodist Church BY CALEB HENNINGTON Digital Content Editor
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ach year – from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 – people from all different backgrounds and nationalities come together to celebrate their Hispanic-Latino heritage during Hispanic Heritage Month. According to HispanicHeritageMonth. gov, Hispanic Heritage Month is a celebration of “the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.” Hispanic Heritage Month can trace its history all the way back to 1968 – a year that should be very familiar to those in the United Methodist Church – when President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed that Sept. 15 would be the beginning date of Hispanic Heritage Week. President Johnson – through the signing of Proclamation 3869 on Sept. 17, 1968 – brought attention to the many outstanding improvements that people of Hispanic descent have contributed to the United States national heritage, through areas such as our national culture, business, science, and military service. Later, in 1988, President Ronald Reagan expanded Hispanic Heritage Week to encompass a 30-day period, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, inaugurating the official celebration of Hispanic Heritage 17
Month. Sept. 15 is not an insignificant date for those of Hispanic descent – it is the anniversary of independence for many Latin American countries including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile also celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively. In the United Methodist Church, the contributions and importance of Hispanic church members also cannot be ignored. In an article written for the Discipleship Ministries website, the Rev. Liana Perex-Felix of the Memphis Conference urges church members to avoid falling behind in Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, noting again the astounding contributions that they have made to this nation. She also lays out some ways that churches can participate in the month-long celebration, including: • a formal dinner with traditional cuisine and music from Hispanic-Latino countries that are represented in your congregation • special worship services where elements of Hispanic-Latino culture are included • guest speakers who focus on issues that Hispanics/Latinos are facing • independence celebrations for the various Hispanic and Latino countries represented in your congregation • sermons and Sunday school classes with Hispanic Heritage
ARKANSAS UNITED METHODIST
