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The Pecos Valley Hispanic Ministry (PVHM) is kicked off its major new mission initiative in January. Rev. Jorge Alavarado, formerly of the Presbytery of Chihuahua (National Presbyterian Church of Mexico) has been called as Evangelist/Mission Pastor, and began on January 1, 2007.
Jorge moves to Sierra Blanca Presbytery with his wife Socorro, herself a recent graduate of the theological seminary in Monterrey, Mexico, and his daughter, a graduate of Presbyterian Pan-American School in Kingsville, TX, who will be attending Eastern New Mexico University, Roswell campus.
Jorge is an experienced veteran pastor, have served congregations both large and small, with experience at New Church Development. He has been Professor of Pastoral Theology at the seminary in Mexico City, has served on his denomination's Theology Committee, and on its committee to develop a ne3w hymnbook. He was Director of Border Ministries for the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico, and has served on the Board of the Pan-American School.
Rev. Alvarado is excited about the new mission challenge, and has asked all the congregations of Sierra Blanca to support the work with prayer. As the months ticked away toward his start date, he constantly held the Presbytery in prayer. It took some time to get his visa clearance, but all that is in order now (with thanks to the guidance of Julia Thorne, at the General Assembly offices in Louisville!).
The immediate supporting congregations of the PHVM are Dexter, Carlsbad, Artesia, Roswell Westminster and Roswell First, along with continued support from our mission partner Shenango Presbytery, in Pennsylvania. The Dexter congregation has contributed housing, and a member of the Carlsbad congregation has donated a car to the Presbytery for Jorge to use.
Jorge's task will be to start Bible Study groups, fellowship groups, and/or house churches among the immigrant Hispanic population in New Mexico's Pecos Valley. He will be working wherever the Word takes hold, much in the manner of the circuit/riding preachers of old. Funding for the project has come from the Pecos Valley churches, the Presbytery, Shenango Presbytery, the Synod of the Southwest, and a recent grant from General Assembly restricted funds for the work of "Sunday School missionaries" - an old mission term that fairly describes Jorge's work. The GA grant will cover transportation for the evangelist for 2 years, and the procurement of Spanish-language materials for the mission.