Latino Heritage Month
Each year, at New City East Lake, we take time to celebrate Latino Heritage or National Hispanic Heritage Month by honoring the histories, cultures and contributions of those whose ancestors are from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. For us, this is much more than just a celebration of culture. We desire to use our worship services, events and activities during Latino Heritage Month to give glory to God for the beauty of his people, for the unity that Christ brings to us and to learn from the stories of the Lord’s faithfulness in lives of our Latino brothers and sisters.
This year we will be starting on September 8th with a guest preacher, Reverend Axel Sotelo and will continue our celebration through October 15th. Information about all that Eunice Mendoza Jones and her leaders have planned for Latino Heritage Month can be found on the website, newsletter, bulletin, and church gallery.
Guest Speaker - Rev. Axel Sotelo
Reverend Axel Sotelo is originally from Acapulco, Mexico. He graduated with his Bachelor’s in Communications from Universidad del Valley de Mexico in Mexico City. He received his MDiv from Reformed Theological Seminary. He is currently Assistant Pastor of Community Outreach at Christ Presbyterian Church in Houston. He’s been married to Janine for 22 years, and they have 3 sons.
You can find more information regarding Christ Pres. Church by visiting their website here.
Cross installation for Latino Heritage Month
The Cross
The inspiration for the art installation on the cross, “Clay In The Hands Of The Potter”, comes from Jeremiah 18 which tells of a vision given by God to Jeremiah about His creative and transformative power over His people. The central metaphor of this passage is that of a potter who molds a clay vessel with his hands until he has created a work of art that fulfills his vision and purpose. However, if the vessel does not meet the potter’s expectations, he will then rework the material into a new vessel.
Our hope is that the various shapes, sizes and colors of the vessels on the cross will be a reminder to all who see it that we are like clay in the hands of the potter where on God’s divine potter’s wheel we are transformed into vessels according to his will and design. This process is not always easy but as Jeremiah 18:6 points out just as the clay is in the hands of the potter so are we in the loving hands of God. As the metaphor plays out in Jeremiah 18 we begin to understand that this process of molding new vessels is a call for God’s people to repent, leave their sins behind and begin to live in the safety and love of being new vessels.
“Clay In The Hands Of The Potter” is intended to cause moments of reflection on one’s relationship with God. Despite our sin, rebellion, fragility and limitations, the metaphor of the potter shows us that God is always at work in us, around us and through us. Given that each of us have places in our lives that need to be broken apart and reshaped then perhaps a good question to ask each time you see the cross during Latino Heritage Month is “what is God molding me into today?”
Each vessel is different, showing the marks of the potter. Each vessel is deemed beautiful and worthy by the potter. Even as our colors fade and life brings “chips, nicks and cracks” to our “clay”, God’s divine design for us continues on. So, as you reflect on what God is molding you into, it is possible that you will be more aware of your need for repentance in some area of your life or you may sense that God is calling you to do something or you may have moments of gratitude for the way the clay molding process of the potter has healed wounds in your life and restored your soul.
Finally, we would like to invite you to join us in praying that not only this art installation but that all of Latino Heritage Month will help our congregation to see the beauty of God’s handiwork in each of us. May we be surprised at the work of art our potter creates at New City East Lake from the clay of our prayer!
La cruz
El propósito de la instalación artística en la cruz, “El Barro en las manos del alfarero”, proviene de Jeremías 18, que narra una visión que Dios le dio a Jeremías sobre su poder creativo y transformador sobre su pueblo. La metáfora central de este pasaje es la de un alfarero que moldea una vasija de barro con sus manos hasta que crea una obra de arte que cumple con su visión y propósito. Sin embargo, si la vasija no cumple con las expectativas del alfarero, entonces volverá a trabajar el material para crear una nueva vasija.
Nuestra esperanza es que las diversas formas, tamaños y colores de los vasos en la cruz sean un recordatorio para todos los que la vean de que somos como barro en las manos del alfarero, donde en la divina rueda del alfarero de Dios somos transformados en vasos según su voluntad y diseño. Este proceso no siempre es fácil, pero como señala Jeremías 18:6, así como el barro está en las manos del alfarero, también nosotros estamos en las amorosas manos de Dios. A medida que se desarrolla la metáfora en Jeremías 18, comenzamos a entender que este proceso de moldear nuevos vasos es un llamado al pueblo de Dios a arrepentirse, dejar atrás sus pecados y comenzar a vivir en la seguridad y el amor de ser nuevos vasos.
“El barro en las manos del alfarero” tiene como objetivo motivar momentos de reflexión sobre nuestra relación con Dios. A pesar de nuestro pecado, rebeldía, fragilidad y limitaciones, la metáfora del alfarero nos muestra que Dios siempre está trabajando en nosotros, a nuestro alrededor y a través de nosotros. Dado que cada uno de nosotros tiene aspectos que necesitan ser destruidos, corregidos o cambiados, tal vez una buena pregunta al ver la cruz durante el Mes de la Herencia Latina sea “¿en qué me está moldeando Dios hoy? ¿Qué necesita ser cambiado en mi vida?
Cada vasija es diferente y muestra las marcas del alfarero. El alfarero considera que cada vasija es hermosa y digna de su trabajo. Aunque nuestros colores se desvanezcan y la vida “nos fracture, nos rompa o haga fisuras” a nuestra “barro”, el trabajo divino de Dios para nosotros continúa. Así que, al reflexionar sobre lo que Dios está moldeando en usted, es posible que sea más consciente de su necesidad de arrepentimiento en algún área de su vida o que sienta que Dios lo está llamando a hacer algo o que tenga gratitud por la forma en que el proceso del trabajo del Alfarero ha sanado heridas en su vida y restaurado su alma.
Finalmente, nos gustaría invitarlos a unirse a nosotros en oración para que todo “El Mes de la Herencia Latina” ayude a nuestra congregación a ver la belleza de la obra de Dios en cada uno de nosotros. ¡Qué podamos sorprendernos con la obra de arte que nuestro alfarero crea en New City East Lake con el barro de nuestra oración!