Equipo Rio at the Holston Conference of The United Methodist Church: Strengthening Hispanic Communities in Tennessee and Virginia
Why Equipo Río Exists
The absence of communities that watch over and preserve a Christian spiritual foundation is the reason Equipo Río was born. We believe that building such communities restores dignity, strengthens relationships, and builds bridges between cultures.Last week we embarked on our journey to the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church in Tennessee, an organization seeking to reunify and revitalize itself after a long season of disaffiliations by many of its churches.A month earlier, we had begun a weekly Zoom meeting with the only three Hispanic pastors from two different districts of the Conference, and noticed their weak and distant relationships not only with their conference and district leaders but even among themselves. The difficulty in obtaining the information we needed forced us to plan an urgent personal visit to Tennessee.While the logistical details were being coordinated, both Rev. Jorge Ochoa and I managed, with no small effort, to bring them together online once a week. And although we were able to create some expectation, meeting them in person became indispensable.
Meeting with Rev. Leah Burns, Associate Director for Multicultural Ministries
So, we landed in Alcoa, Tennessee, this past Monday at midnight. The following day, Tuesday, we met with Rev. Leah Burns, whose proactive spirit deeply impressed us. She has been tireless in seeking help to open honest dialogues and build bridges between the Anglo and Hispanic communities. A month and a half earlier, she had invited us to join her on this path of connection.
Meeting with the Smoky Mountains District Superintendent, Rev. Angela Hardy Cross
She had now prepared an important first meeting for us with the Smoky Mountains DS, Rev. Angela Hardy Cross, superintendent of two of the pastors we would be visiting. With her, we were able to learn about situations that were impossible for us to fully understand, since the pastors’ ability to express themselves beyond their frustrations—and to sustain a coherent line of discourse without going in circles—was clearly diminished. And if that was the case with us, we could only imagine how much more limited their effectiveness would be in the necessary organizational communications, in every direction.
After a very useful and contextualizing meeting, we drove to Hillsville to personally meet our first pastor, Saúl Huerta. The impact of our presence on their reality was not unique to Saúl, but was shared by every pastor and Hispanic community we visited. The personal encounter continues to give a human touch that online meetings can never achieve.
Pastor Saúl Huerta in Hillsville
Our first stop was Hillsville, to meet Pastor Saúl. Just a few hours with him revealed how isolation can bury incredible potential. As he shared his testimony of conversion and his call to ministry, his heart opened once more, and tears flowed after years of loneliness.
We saw his pastoral heart in action as he introduced us to relatives and neighbors, welcomed us to his family’s restaurant, and cared for people in need who did not leave empty-handed. That same night, as we preached about the newness to which Christ calls us, his heart seemed to overflow through his eyes. The next morning, after inviting us to breakfast, we said goodbye—marked by laughter, tears, and even a curious moment about his well-groomed long beard, which he himself connected to his spiritual life.
Pastor Félix Álvarez in Morristown
From there, with Pastor Daniel driving, we headed to Morristown to meet Pastor Félix. From the moment he came out to greet us in the parking lot, it felt as if we had left Mexico behind and landed in Puerto Rico.
At 70 years old, Félix pastors a young community made up mostly of Guatemalans, with whom he has built great synergy. In just a few hours, we shared his personal, family, and ministerial story, felt part of his church in prayer, and experienced the warmth of his repeated embrace until our farewell.
Hospitality in Alcoa
Our base was Alcoa, where the rain welcomed us upon arrival at the Holiday Inn. But meals were not in restaurants; they were in the hospitable homes of Hispanic families: one Salvadoran, one Mexican-American, and two others from different regions of Mexico. A true feast for body and spirit!
On Thursday, we met again at the conference with Rev. Leah Burns, Associate Director of Multicultural Ministries. Together, we acknowledged barriers, found paths to walk together, and dreamed of a day when many nations, cultures, and languages will live as one people within the ministry of the Holston Conference.
That evening, during the weekly meeting of Hispanic leaders at Roca Eterna Church, with their pastor Rev. Daniel Castillo, a provisional member of the Conference, we shared prayers, biblical reflection, and food, experiencing the great blessing of Christian fellowship.
A Conference of Bridges
On Friday, we had two more conversations with Rev. Susan Arnold, Executive Director of Congregational Development and Connectional Ministries, to explore the cross-cultural potential for the development and expansion of new congregations. Online, we also heard the priorities of the Clinch Mountain District Superintendent in the western part of the Conference, Rev. Jane Taylor, regarding the consolidation and expansion of Hispanic ministry. Both expressed a strong commitment to multiplying the spiritual mosaic to which God has called them.
After thanking Rev. Leah Burns once again, we left greatly encouraged by the potential for growth of Hispanic ministry in Holston. It is worth highlighting the work the Conference has done to ensure that next year, for the first time, a Hispanic pastor will be an official member of the Conference, bringing his voice as inspiration and example for others who share the same calling.
Celebration in Worship
And as Jesus teaches, we concluded with celebration. Weeks earlier, we had planned a united worship service with congregations, Hispanic pastors, and conference leaders—a living snapshot of how the community was functioning. That Friday night, at Pastor Daniel Castillo’s church, Hispanic congregations gathered with all their diversity of countries to give thanks to the God who called us to serve Him.
This service was a true mosaic of the Kingdom: leadership from Mexico, worship from Guatemala, preaching from Cuba, ministry from Peru, baptisms of a father and his daughter, accompaniment from Anglo leadership, and a closing with Latin American food.
Thus our visit as Equipo Río was sealed—marked by unity and joy.
Looking Ahead
On Saturday at noon, as we returned to Texas, we reflected on the enormous ministry potential in Holston. Not only among the multicultural Hispanic churches, but also in the bridges that can be extended toward African American and Anglo communities.
We came back with gratitude, enjoying the deep satisfaction of having served the Father of all creation, who calls us to be one body, one family, one people.
✨ Equipo Río: Elevate your church or community to the level of true interdependence and communion.