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Rise and Shine
News from
Encuentro IV
by Magdalena I. García
Called to gather under
a double imperative— “Rise and Shine”— Hispanic/Latin
Presbyterian Women celebrated their Encuentro IV, July 9–11, 2004,
in Phoenix. Close to 300 women of all ages, from various states and
Puerto Rico, including eight Brazilian sisters who reside in the United
States and a handful of men, enjoyed a weekend of spiritual renewal
and leadership training, which included worship, Bible study, workshops
and plenary presentations.
“We know that women are almost always the first to rise, and
we do it even before the alarm goes off. We rise to make coffee, to
get the children ready, to serve breakfast to our spouse,” said
Sandra Luciano-Andújar, pastor of El Buen Vecino Presbyterian
Church in Kissimmee, Florida,
during the opening plenary session. “But according to Isaiah 60:1
and Matthew 5:16, the texts that provide the theme for this Encuentro,
it’s not enough to simply rise,” she added, reminding participants
that the prophetic imperative calls for a double action—rise and
shine—and, therefore, one action cannot be separated from the
other.
Magdalena I. Garcia is pastor of Ravenswood Presbyterian
Church in Chicago, and has provided leadership at all four national
Encuentros since 1995.
Hispanic/Latin Presbyterian Women heard new interpretations of what
it means to rise and shine. Read the full text of this article in the
September/October 2004 issue of Horizons. Call 800/524-2612
or click here to 
or click here to 
the September/October 2004 issue (HZN-04-240; $4 plus shipping) now.
For more information about Encuentro IV or about the National Association
of Hispanic/Latin Presbyterian Women contact the national office of
Presbyterian Women, 888/728-7228, ext. 5844, or visit www.pcusa.org/pw. |
