Amigos,

Estamos escribiendo hoy con una solicitud. Lilly Endowment acaba de anunciar su nueva Iniciativa de Congregaciones Prósperas. Esta iniciativa busca ayudar a las congregaciones a comprender y adaptar sus ministerios a los contextos sociales y culturales que cambian rápidamente. Una discusión más completa de la iniciativa está abajo

Compartiría este anuncio con líderes y organizaciones religiosas en su red?

Algunos detalles más: a través de la Iniciativa de Congregaciones Prósperas, The Endowment está invitando a organizaciones benéficas ubicadas en los Estados Unidos a presentar propuestas por hasta $ 1 millón que pueden usarse durante un período de hasta cinco años para desarrollar nuevos programas o fortalecerlos. trabajar directamente con las congregaciones y ayudarlas: 1) explorar y comprender sus contextos sociales y culturales que cambian rápidamente; 2) obtener mayor claridad sobre sus valores y misión; y 3) recurrir a las prácticas cristianas de sus tradiciones teológicas y eclesiales para adaptar sus ministerios a las demandas de sus contextos cambiantes. El objetivo final es ayudar a las congregaciones a prosperar mediante el fortalecimiento de los ministerios que ayudan a las personas a profundizar sus relaciones con Dios, mejorar sus conexiones entre sí y contribuir al florecimiento de sus comunidades y el mundo.

En esta iniciativa de subsidios abierta y competitiva, la Fundación prevé otorgar aproximadamente 50 subsidios a organizaciones que presenten propuestas excepcionalmente prometedoras y convincentes que promuevan el objetivo de la iniciativa y demuestren la capacidad de la organización para diseñar, implementar y mantener un programa de alta calidad.

Se pueden encontrar pautas y formularios completos en el sitio web de Endowment en: lillyendowment.org/thrivingcongregations

Como leerá, solicitamos que las organizaciones interesadas envíen un Formulario de interés a través del sitio web de Endowment antes del 17 de abril de 2020. Las propuestas completas deben enviarse a través del sitio web de Endowment antes del 1 de junio de 2020.

Chanon Ross es la persona clave de Endowment para esta nueva iniciativa y con gusto responderá cualquier pregunta.

Tenga en cuenta que valoramos mucho nuestra asociación y estamos agradecidos por sus esfuerzos para compartir información sobre la nueva iniciativa con otros.

Con muchas GRACIAS,

Chris Coble

Chanon Ross

Lilly Endowment Inc.

(Chris Coble es Vicepresidente para Religion en Lilly Endowment Inc.)

Below, we share this statement received from Lilly Endowment Inc.

We are writing today with a request. Lilly Endowment just announced its new Thriving Congregations Initiative. This initiative seeks to help congregations understand and adapt their ministries to their rapidly changing social and cultural contexts. A fuller discussion of the initiative is below.

Would you share this announcement with religious leaders and organizations in your network?

Some more details – Through the Thriving Congregations Initiative, the Endowment is inviting charitable organizations located in the United States to submit proposals for up to $1 million that may be used for up to a five-year period to develop new or strengthen existing programs that will work directly with congregations and help them: 1) explore and understand their rapidly changing social and cultural contexts; 2) gain greater clarity about their values and mission, and 3) draw on Christian practices from their theological and ecclesial traditions to adapt their ministries to the demands of their changing contexts. The ultimate aim is to help congregations thrive by strengthening ministries that help people deepen their relationships with God, enhance their connections with each other, and contribute to the flourishing of their communities and the world.

In this open and competitive grants initiative, the Endowment anticipates awarding approximately 50 grants to organizations that submit exceptionally promising and compelling proposals that advance the aim of the initiative and demonstrate the capacity of the organization to design, implement and sustain a high-quality program.

Comprehensive guidelines and forms may be found on the Endowment’s website at: lillyendowment.org/thrivingcongregations

As you will read, we ask that interested organizations submit an Interest Form through the Endowment’s website by April 17, 2020. Complete proposals should be submitted via the Endowment’s website by June 1, 2020.

Chanon Ross is the Endowment’s point person for this new initiative and would be pleased to answer any questions.

Please know that we highly value our partnership and are grateful for your efforts to share information about the new initiative with others.

With many thanks,

Chris Coble

Chanon Ross

Lilly Endowment Inc.

(Chris Coble is Vice President for Religion at Lilly Endowment Inc.)

On January 17, the Universidad Teológica del Caribe (Theological University of the Caribbean) will dedicate a special room to the honor and memory of the Rev. Dr. Roberto Amparo Rivera and his wife Meri, who shared a long and beautiful marriage life and an equally long and beautiful ministry. Dr. Rivera was a founding member of the Association for Hispanic Theological Education (AETH), of which he was later president. His presidency was interrupted by his heart condition, but nevertheless he continued to be always committed to the ministry of AETH - among other things, publishing under the auspices of AETH his masterly book Introduction to Spiritual Disciplines.

Dr. Rivera always stood out for his pastoral passion and for his joyful and contagious faith. In addition to serving as president of the AETH, he was a prominent figure in the formative years of what is now the Universidad Teológica del Caribe (UTC). His friends enjoyed their good humor, their deep roots in Puerto Rican culture and traditions and their excellent knowledge of all kinds of poetry in our mother tongue. He was also an outstanding educator, obtaining a doctorate in the field of education, but above all practicing the educational ministry himself. His interest in literature also led him to run the publishing house of the Church of God in Cleveland, Tennessee. As a pastor, he not only served several congregations but was also pastor of pastors, dedicating himself to the spiritual support of the pastoral body of the Church of God in Puerto Rico.

Those of us who met him at AETH always enjoyed his vision, optimism, wisdom, and good humor. He was not only our friend and mentor but also in the deepest sense of being our brother in Christ. That is why we want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Universidad Teológica del Caribe for the beautiful heritage that Dr. Rivera and his wife have left in that institution, and to - together with the University - celebrate the life and ministry of the Rivera spouses. At the same time, we ask the Lord of the ages to send us brothers and sisters, wise leaders and sincere friends like them.

La Comunidad of Hispanic Scholars of Religion chose Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier as the recipient of the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be presented this Sunday at its session during the AAR / SBL meeting in San Diego, California. With this award, they recognize “her multiple gifts and scholarly contributions in religious education and theology to enrich the Latinx community in the Academy and at a grassroots level… especially acknowledge her tireless efforts on behalf of at-risk innercity youth and for giving voice to the plight of migrant children.” AETH congratulates and prides itself on this deserved recognition to Dr. Conde-Frazier, who serves as the Organization's Theological Entities Relations Coordinator. AETH recognizes Dr. Conde-Frazier as an "organic theological scholar" model, a much-needed type of theologian for the advancement of Latino/a theological education that aims at serving church and society.

Dear AETH,

We want to share a significant accomplishment that would not have been made possible without the contribution of AETH. Since the time that HGCC has held a membership with AETH and has navigated through the certification process, HGCC has made a substantial improvement in all areas from institutional to educational standards to finances.

These improvements have not gone unnoticed by local accredited educational institutions in California. As a result, HGCC was able to secure the first formal undergraduate level articulation agreement with Hope International University, a regionally accredited institution. According to the Pew Research Center, "about six-in-ten U.S. adult Hispanics (62%) speak English or are bilingual."

This opportunity will allow for bilingual Hispanic students to transfer over half their credits to earn regionally accredited bachelor degrees plus provisional acceptance to the master of ministry program for those who decide to receive their bachelor's degree from HGCC.

This accomplishment is unique as it is not just one that allows students to pursue a masters but rather expands to opportunities at the undergraduate level. This is very uncommon for most Bible institutes.

We continue to look forward to working with AETH and in making education accessible to our Latino/Hispanic communities.

Jeffry Caballero, M.R.E., M.L.S.

President, Harbor Genesis Christian College

Our dear friend and brother Jesse Miranda has left to be with the Lord. While his absence causes us pain, we also celebrate his life of faith and action. Dr. Miranda was a distinguished leader both of his own denomination, Assemblies of God, and the Evangelical world in general. He distinguished himself as one of the pioneers who dreamed and labored for better biblical and theological preparation for the leaders of our churches. His work in this regard in Southern California is widely recognized.

Those who today are members of AETH are grateful to him for having been a distinguished predecessor, as well as for his role in the very emergence of AETH, which was born in 1990 in the first Encounter of Hispanic Theological Educators. Dr. Miranda was one of five people who helped design that first encounter, of which two have already departed to be with the Lord - Dr. Roberto Amparo Rivera and now the doctor Miranda. In 2011 Jesse was one of the presenters during the inauguration of what we now call the Justo and Catherine González Resource Center.

Jesse is gone, but his work continues. Dr. Miranda is no longer with us, but he is with the Lord whom he served for so many years. The AETH joins today the pain of his relatives, who will miss him the most, and also join in the joy of the many of us who owe him much of what we have come to be.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and all the membership of AETH,

Fernando Cascante

Executive Director

AETH is made up of people and institutions of great diversity and richness who have been providing training and necessary resources to the leadership of the church in its work of being the leaven of the kingdom of God in the world. In order to make room for this great richness to grow and be carried out with greater capacity, in April 2017, as one of its strategic priorities, AETH established the creation of a Network of Theological Entities (ReDET), which includes Biblical Institutes, and other programs of theological formation for Hispanic leadership. The purpose of ReDET is to encourage collaboration in the sharing of best practices and the solution of common problems and work on joint projects to improve the quality of its operation and increase the number of its students and graduates in these theological entities.

That is why, as the leader of a theological and ministerial formation entity, we want to invite you to participate in the survey we have created with the purpose of knowing about the current situation of your programs, and to be able to identify the particular contributions that each one is making, as well as the most urgent common needs and challenges and the type of resources that are most needed at this time.

For participating and in recognition of the time and effort you will devote to completing it, for the rest of the year your Bible Institute will receive 50% in the purchase of books published by AETH and 30% in the purchase of books of any of its Series (Know your Bible, Introductions, Ministries). The survey covers a variety of issues (e.g., origin, organization, programs, student recruitment, instructors, finance, library, etc.) and completing it will take 45 to 60 minutes. Just click on the Fill Survey link and you can start filling it out. Please complete the survey no later than April 12.

I want to express my gratitude in advance for your collaboration in this important effort of AETH to better serve people and entities involved in theological education so that it is of quality and relevance, for the glory of God and for service to the church and the world.

Let's continue towards excellence!

Peace,
Elizabeth Conde-Frazier,

Coordinator of Relations with Theological Entities

Hospedaje / Lodging

¿Estás buscando hospedaje para la Serie de Conferencias del Centro de Recursos Justo y Catherine González? Considera las siguientes opciones.                                                                         Are you looking for lodging during the Justo and Catherine González Resource Center Lecture Series? Consider the following options.

Hotel Miramar
606 Avenida Ponce de León,
San Juan, PR 00907
787-977-1000 * 1-877-MIRAMAR
http://www.hotelmiramarpr.com/

Courtyard by Marriot San Juan-Miramar
801 Ave. Ponce de León,
Miramar, PR 00907
Tel.787-721-7400 * Fax. 787-723-0068
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sjumr-courtyard-san-juan-miramar/

Dreams Hotel Miramar &
Avenida Universidad, Río Piedras
Tel. 787-963-0000 * Tel. 787-688-5818
635 Ave. Fernandez Juncos,
Miramar, PR 00907
https://dreamsmiramar.com/

Sandy Beach Hotel
4 Ave. Condado,
San Juan, 00907
Tel. 787-722-8640 * Fax. 787-725-4921
http://www.sandybeachhotelpr.com/default-en.html

Casa Condado Hotel
60 Ave. Condado,
San Juan, PR Tel. 787-200-8482
http://casacondadohotel.com

The Wave Hotel
76 Ave. Condado,
San Juan, PR
Tel. 787-721-9010 Ext. 1001
http://thewavehotel.com

Best Western Condado Palm Inn
Ave. Condado 55,
San Juan, PR 00908
Tel. 787-721-9501 Ext. 2526
https://www.condadopalm.com

DoubleTree by Hilton
105 Avenida De Diego,
San Juan, PR 00914
Tel. 787-721-1200 * Fax. 787-721-3118
https://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/puerto-rico/doubletree-by-hilton-hotel-san-juan-SJUDTDT/index.html