In 1990, I relocated to Buffalo, NY, with my spouse and our 6-month-old daughter. It was my first time serving a church outside my native Puerto Rico. I was assigned to a Latinx congregation that shared a building with a white congregation. For the first time, I experienced the unsettling reality of needing permission for nearly everything.

Very quickly I noticed that our congregation was blamed for anything that went wrong in the building. The white pastor was neither welcoming nor collaborative, and tensions only grew. At that time, I was one of only two Hispanic clergy in the entire conference. A colleague encouraged me to speak with our District Superintendent, and eventually I filed charges. When the news spread, I received a letter from an MFSA leader offering support and reminding me that I was not alone. That encouragement meant a great deal, even as I moved on to a new appointment in Northern Illinois in 1992.

In our current times, I often say community is resistance. Being together in a community with fellow justice-seekers from MFSA gives me hope. As people of faith, we can be counter-cultural to the narrative that often hijacks Christianity and the real message of Jesus.

As an MFSA community, we come together both in-person and virtually to take a stand against injustice, to learn together, and to be agents of change, doing our best to be bearers of God’s peace and justice to the world around us.

I’m still here—to continue that love, to help change the church, our state, the nation, and the world. MFSA gives me hope. It connects me to a long and proud history of faithful justice-seekers. It lifts up spiritual leaders who challenge injustice, promote inclusive theology, and offer educational opportunities for all. MFSA advocates for civil rights, addresses inequality in healthcare and poverty, and continues to push our church and world toward justice.

Being part of MFSA means I’m not standing alone. Together, we raise our voices, challenge injustice, and live out our faith with courage. I’m proud to be part of this community.