Courageous Congregation: Cristiana Hispana del Norte Orlando
Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 10:18PM 
Isabel M. Santiago and Rev. Héctor SantiagoWhen Pastor Hector Santiago founded Iglesia Cristiana Hispana del Norte Orlando in Casselberry, FL in 1996, he had vision and hope.
In the 14 years since Iglesia Cristiana Hispana was founded, the church has lived into that vision and exceeded Pastor Santiago’s hopes. More than 400 people with roots in Puerto Rico, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Santo Domingo, Panama, Cuba, Nicaragua, and and Venezuela make up the congregation that strives to be “a Beacon of God for Castleberry.”
Among the many ministries the church offers to the community are a prison ministry that includes visits with inmates, and offering pastoral care and support to families of inmates, as well. They’ve taken on a feeding project for the homeless in partnership with a church in nearby Sanford. They also have worked to develop strong family ministries and mentor youth leadership. They feel truly called to reach out to their community and work to make a difference in the lives of people there.
It was that same sense of call that led them to respond to Week of Compassion’s appeal for Earthquake Relief In Haiti.
“We had Participated in Week of Compassion before, but not regularly. Our congregation, like so many, is not made up of rich people. Many people here in our church are working very hard, more than one job, even, but Many people are still struggling,” Pastor Santiago explained over the phone last week.
“But when we heard about the earthquake, we had to do something. We hadn’t even seen our brothers and sisters in Haiti before, but we gave to help them. It was such a blessing. We took a second offering, and it was an outpouring with love and tears.”
The second offering was indeed a blessing, totaling more than $5000. Through Week of Compassion’s partnerships with ecumenical and denominational partners, this generous gift will go to immediate relief and long term recovery. For their commitment to the people of Haiti, and their willingness to be generous in a time of uncertainty, Week of Compassion is thrilled to recognize Iglesia Cristiana as its first “Courageous Congregation.
“Courageous Congregations are congregations that are not afraid to step out and step up,” says Week of Compassion Executive Director Amy Gopp. “They are churches that see following the path of Jesus as taking a risk so that our brothers and sisters affected by poverty and disaster might thrive.
“Such Churches are examples for us all.”
“I am thankful to be pastor of such a loving and grateful community,” says Pastor Santiago, calling Iglesia Cristiana “a church with a big heart”—a heart that is, by our count, filled with Courageous Compassion.
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