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Spanish sermons and Bible study available on Episcopal Church website

November 16, 2010
Office of Public Affairs

The Episcopal Church offers a series of free, lectionary-based sermons in Spanish, Sermones que Iluminan, along with a weekly online Bible study in Spanish, Estudio Bíblico Semanal del RCL.

Sermones que Iluminan is here: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/es/sermones-que-iluminan/

The Spanish sermon series, Sermones que Iluminan, is designed to support all those who preach in Spanish and to assist small congregations without full-time clergy. It provides new sermons each week for lay readers in congregations that might not have a priest on staff or for clergy who are not fluent in Spanish. Launched in November 2009, its readership has been growing steadily. The Rev. Canon Anthony Guillén, Missioner for Latino/Hispanic Ministries says that he is “delighted with the response that we have received from all across the church since initiating Sermones que Iluminan.”

Guillén explains, “One of the unique features of Latino/Hispanic ministry is the large number of lay persons who preach on Sundays in our congregations due to a lack of clergy who can preach in Spanish. In these cases Sermones que Iluminan serve as the sermon which is read by the lay person or as the framework for preparing their own.”

The first year of Sermones que Iluminan has featured sermon writers from allover the United States and abroad, including Colombia and the Dominican Republic. As the Spanish sermon series continues to grow, the hope is to showcase additional international contributors.

To accompany each week”s sermon, the Episcopal Church website also offers Estudio Bíblico Semanal del RCL, an online Bible study that offers the Revised Common Lectionary readings for the coming Sunday in Spanish and invites readers to send in comments and reflections. Portions of the weekly Spanish sermon, posted in Spanish and also translated into English, are often used to encourage further thought on the week”s Bible study readings on the Bible study”s Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/RCL-Bible-Study/110318355668405.

Both Sermones que Iluminan and Estudio Bíblico Semanal del RCL offer free weekly resources to assist Spanish-speaking congregations meet their needs during these tough economic times. “Clearly it would be optimum to have sufficient clergy who are proficient in Spanish to lead worship, preach and provide pastoral care,” concedes Guillén, “but since we don’t, many lay persons exercise this ministry and Sermones que Iluminan is an invaluable and timely tool.”

RCL Bible Study Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/RCL-Bible-Study/110318355668405

The Episcopal Church: www.episcopalchurch.org

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