Mujeres Hispanas Latinas Presbiterianas
WHO WE ARE
ABOUT US
HLPW is made up of women with origins in different countries and diverse backgrounds. Some of us are immigrants to United State of America from Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Many live outside the continent United State, in Puerto Rico. The bond that unites us in song and prayer is our love of God, our church, our Hispanic Latin people, and the Spanish and Portuguese language, our common Latin roots.
Every Spanish-speaking congregation has an active, organized HLPW group. This is the foundation of our national structure. Not all regions and synods have identical structures, however; in the United States, HLPW works primarily at presbytery levels, forming clusters that are part of PW in particular presbyteries.
Hispanic women’s connection with Presbyterian Women continues to be firm through the annual Horizons Spanish-language Bible study and an at-large position on the Churchwide Coordinating Team. We also have representatives on the Racial Ethnic Dialog team.
We continue to develop strategies to address the economic, social and justice needs of women and to implant the Hispanic Strategy we have adopted to expand and nurture the HLPW network.
Our organization has been the place and the opportunity for our sisters to come together and share the dreams and sorrows. And we are still singing our "canto de esperanza", our song of hope for women in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
MEMBERSHIP
Membership in HLPW shall be open to all Spanish, Portuguese speaking women, and women with Latin roots that speak English; lay and ordained, within the PC(USA) who choose to participate in or be supportive of HLPW.
Hispanic Latin Presbyterian Women from all Presbyterian churches in the United State of America are eligible for membership and can be involved in HLPW through.
* meetings at the local church, presbytery, synod, national Encuentros
and regional Encuentros,
* sharing in a support system,
* training and fellowship,
* retreats for spiritual renewal, and
* networking and communication.
MINISTRY
Each year, our song of hope grows stronger. HLPW has organized groups within the following synods: Northeast, Lincoln Trails, South Atlantic, Sun, Pacific, California & Hawaii, Living Waters, Mid America, Mid-Atlantic, Covenant, Rocky Mountains and Trinity.
Almost each Spanish speaking church has an active organized MHLP group. This is the foundation of our national structure. Not all the regions and synods have similar structure. For example; The Synod of Puerto Rico follows the traditional PW model and the organization of Portuguese speaking women works as a national language group affiliated with our organization. New Jersey has over 15 organized Spanish speaking women groups under the umbrella of HLPW in five presbyteries. They meet twice a year for a Retreat and a leadership event, and their CT linked to the National Coordinating Team of the HLPW.
HLPW in the USA works more at Presbytery levels, forming clusters which are part of PW in the particular Presbyteries, and groups of women at local churches. HLPW has an excellent communicating system within the USA and Puerto Rico, and is connected to PW through the HLPW member at Large position on PWCCT and representatives at Racial Ethnic Dialog.
MISSION
As HLPW who share the beliefs of Reformed theology subscribed to by our denomination, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and who are an integral part of Presbyterian Women, we have particular responsibilities:
* to discover and affirm the gifts and the skills of all leaders,
* to empower the HLPW with necessary training and resources in Spanish
and Portuguese, and
* to enhance unity in diversity in order to fully participate in the life and
mission of the PC (USA) and the society at large.
NATIONAL ENCUENTROS
National Encuentros are carried out each three years in the Spanish language with translation to the Portuguese and to the English. In each Encuentro a theme is selected text or biblical texts and they develop the goals and objective, according to the needs of the moment. They have been an inspiration not only to challenge to the Hispanic Latin Presbyterian Women but for all the Hispanic church.
Biblical studies they are offered, reflections, sermons, forums and workshops; all this to promote the spiritual growth and the development of the leadership of the HLPW.
A business meeting is carried out, where the Hispanic women raises her their voices to share forms to work, to educate and to prepare better leaders at all levels within local churches and the community.
REGIONAL ENCUENTROS
The Regional Encentros are carried out to the following year of the National Gathering. The objective is to reach to a greater number of women inside the National territory and Puerto Rico, especially for those that cannot attend the National Gathering. Each synod or area reproduces the theme and some workshops that were carried out in the National Gathering. The objective is to develop and to qualify leaders and to prepare the women to be better each day and thus to be able to face the challenges not only inside the church, but also in the environment of their family and in the communities to which they belong.
BYLAWS
FORMS & DOCUMENTS
Annual Offering Form
EVENTS
PW PURPOSE
We as HLPW affirm Presbyterian Women's Purpose as our Purpose
Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves,
* to nurture our faith through prayer and Bible study,
* to support the mission of the church worldwide,
* to work for justice and peace,
* and to build an inclusive, caring community of women that strengthens the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and witnesses to the promise of God's kingdom.
GOALS 2007-2010
Empower HLPW to fully participate in the life and mission of the PC(USA) and society by:
* facilitating leadership development,
* developing strategies to address the economic, social and justice needs of women,
* to adopting and to implanting the Hispanic Strategy, empathizing in women’s need, and
* expanding and nurturing the network of HLPW.
