Empowering Latino Young Adult Leaders Through Ministerial Leadership Formation
2025-26: The primary goal of this project is to create connective space, build capacity, and ultimately empower Latino young adult leaders at El Dios Viviente United Methodist Church. Pastor Gerardo and his wife Adriana are passionate about mentoring the next generation of rising leaders, and they believe that the young leaders they have identified for this project will be able to take on more leadership at their church if they receive the right push and mentorship to be well-equipped and empowered.
Pastor Caleb Encinas Cortés works as the Pastor of Community Engagement at Federal Way United Methodist Church. He is deeply committed to the integration of justice and faith to ministering to those who are vulnerable. Before moving to Washington State eight years ago, Caleb and his family lived in the borderlands between San Diego and Tijuana. He graduated with his Masters of Divinity from Seattle Pacific Seminary in 2022 and currently lives and works in Federal Way, Washington with his wife Madisynn and their bunny Thumper. When Caleb is not working, he and his wife enjoy eating the best vegan food that they can find or make.
The Affinity Working Group initiative aims to provide time and space for HUB learning network members to engage in focused ways with others interested in a similar topic and questions around ministry in the city. We anticipate working group members to explore, deepen, and assess their own vocation, urban context, and church life; gain clarity about vital questions and issues in a particular focus area (eg. youth, arts, etc), and learn from group members’ lived experiences and other sources of knowledge and wisdom.
Lord, I pray that the migrants who come to my city seeking refuge be treated not as strangers but as neighbors. And that we may see them not as problems to be solved but as friends that we want to learn to cherish. Amen.