In the world you will have tribulation,

1. Pioneering ministries:Immanuel-first Spanish umc, Brooklynand first Spanish umc, Manhattan In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world – John 16:33

2. Ministering to the Hispanic community in new York city for more than 90 years First Spanish, Manhattan Immanuel-First Spanish, Brooklyn

3. The Hispanic community in new york The Hispanic community in the New York area grew by leaps and bounds from 1920 onward Puerto Ricans were granted citizenship in 1917 and began migrating to New York in large numbers, especially after World War II. 1920: 7000 Puerto Ricans; 1970: more than 800,000 The migrants and immigrants of the early to mid 20th century settled in clusters around the city, including Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan, especially East Harlem, also known as El Barrio. Immigrants from Spain, Cuba, the West Indies, Central and South America, and Mexico made up about 2/3 of the Hispanic community in 1940 and by the 1990s Latin American immigrants began to outnumber Puerto Ricans, who began to migrate out of the city.

4. Immanuel First Spanish The story of First Spanish Methodist Church in Brooklyn begins in 1917, with the arrival in New York of Rev. Alberto Baez and his wife Thalia, who had emigrated from Mexico There was no organized church for Spanish speaking people at that time, but Rev. Baez was invited to preach to a small group of Latin Americans at First ME Church in Brooklyn, and a Spanish congregation was organized in 1920. He became their pastor in 1922, serving them for 44 years. He and his wife were known as Father B. and Mother B. by the congregation.

5. Father B. and Mother B., and the plaques the congregation placed in the church in their honor.

6. PRESIDENT STREET After moving from place to place in Brooklyn for many years, the congregation settled in a small building in President Street, where they converted an apartment to a small sanctuary.

7. In 1966, the congregation moved from President Street to merge with Immanuel Methodist Church, the mother church of Swedish Methodism, which had originated on the Bethel Ship in the 1840s.

8. The Church Is Its People: First Spanish Activities Through the Years

9. The Church Is Its People: First Spanish Activities Through the Years Bible Study, 1998 Preparatory class for membership Men’s Bible class

10. Pastors of Immanuel-First Spanish UMC • Rev. Albert Baez, 1920-1959 • Rev. Ernesto Vasseur, 1960-1967 • Rev. Jorge Cortizo, 1968-1990 • Rev. Enrique LeBron, 1991-1997 • Rev. Alicia Fils-AimeWentler, 1998-2006 • Rev. Sara Giron-Ortiz, 2007-2009 • Rev. Elisa Vicioso, 2010-present

11. Thank you for sharing your memories! Edna Rodriguez, Regalada (Reggis) Costello, and Juan Jorgensen

12. First Spanish, Manhattan In the early 1920s Spanish work was also beginning in Manhattan. In May of 1922 three men had the idea to begin Methodist work in lower Manhattan. This began at Metropolitan Temple on 7th Avenue between 13th and 14thstreets. The work was led for the first 15 years by Rev. Juan Jimenez and then by Rev. Ferdinand Aparicio. In 1935 Rev. Aparicio left the church and Diego Flores, the lay leader, was placed in charge. He became the pastor in 1945 and led the congregation for a total of 30 years.

13. First Spanish had many different homes in Manhattan, settling twice at Church of Our Saviour on Lexington and 111th St., shown above. They returned there permanently in 1945. The church burned in 1964 and the current church was rebuilt in the same location.

14. The Church Is Its People: First Spanish Activities Through the Years

15. The Young Lords: Challenges for First Spanish and the Puerto Rican Community In December 1969, The Young Lords, a political party advocating for improvements in living conditions for Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics in El Barrio, demanded to use the church to provide various programs for the community. They were refused, and a confrontation with police took place in the church, which led to the Young Lords occupying First Spanish for 11 days, calling it the First People’s Church. A second occupation, from October to December 1970, was undertaken to protest the death of Julio Roldan, a member of the Young Lords, in a city jail. In both cases, damage was done to the church and the congregation was forced to worship elsewhere temporarily. While the Young Lords’ methods caused much hardship for the congregation, the community needs were real. While in the intervening years many needs have been met, many still remain, and the church continues its work in the community. The poet PiedroPietri, who famously read his poem “Puerto Rican Obituary” on the steps of First Spanish in 1969 when the Young Lords occupied the church, attended First Spanish as a young man in the 1950s, participating in theatrical productions put on by his aunt. His funeral was held there in 2004, at right.

16. The Church Is Its People: First Spanish Activities in Recent Years

17. Church Flag

18. Pastors of First Spanish UMC, Manhattan • Rev. Pedro Piron, 1971-1975 • Rev. Felix M. Thomas, 1976-1980 • Rev. Homero Ernesto Vallejo, 1981-1993 • Rev. Angel Arus, 1994-1996 • Rev. Raymond Santos, 1997-2010 • Rev. Luisa Martinez, 2011 - present • Rev. Juan Jimenez, 1922-1925 • Rev. Fernando Aparicio, 1925-1935 • Rev. Diego Flores, 1935-1965 • Rev. Ezra Rodriguez, 1965-1967 • Rev. HumbertoCarrazana, 1968-1969 • Rev. Juan Antonio Velazquez, 1970

19. Thank you for sharing your memories! Pastor Louisa Martinez, Benita Rodriguez, Lydia Echevarria,FidelinaSeda, and Nancy Ayala.