Faithfulness and Fundraising Success Lead to New Building for the Owensboro Hispanic Church

The Owensboro Hispanic Church celebrated the dedication of their newly purchased building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and special church service on the Sabbath morning of July 6. Over 150 church members and friends gathered for the event, where Mike Hewitt, vice president for administration, delivered a special sermon and three people got baptized.

The Owensboro, Ky., Hispanic Church was founded by Nayra Serrano in 2003. Serrano, who initially attended the English-speaking Owensboro Church, noticed the lack of a Hispanic ministry in the area. So, she began inviting members of the community and translating the sermons for them. By 2004, the small group had held their first evangelistic campaign, resulting in six baptisms. This growing community eventually combined with a small Hispanic group in Beaver Dam, Ky., and by 2005, the church began hosting their own services entirely in Spanish.

In 2021, the church began renting space at a local Baptist temple, with the long-term goal of securing their own building. This goal gained momentum when Pastor Hector Garcia joined the church in March of 2023.

“We always had that desire, to have our own space,” said Lucas Vilorio, church elder. “So, as a church, we were committed to that goal.”

The Owensboro Hispanic Church began their mission with $35,000 in savings. Each family pledged to donate $1,000 within a year, and members actively engaged in various fundraising projects. One such initiative was a meal delivery service where some members donated ingredients, others cooked the meals, and another group delivered the food to customers' homes. By the end of the year, the church had raised an additional $130,000, bringing their total to $165,000.

"I have not witnessed a church as faithful as the Owensboro Church," Pastor Hector Garcia said. "The commitment of our brothers and sisters was impressive. I remember one Saturday, we raised $23,000 because families made commitments to donate. That takes a lot of sacrifice, but the truth is when we are faithful, God is faithful."

During their search for a new church building, the church found many options either too expensive or requiring significant repairs. Ultimately, God led the search and they purchased a Nazarene church building and the adjacent property for $260,000.

The Owensboro Hispanic Church now aims to pay off their mortgage within five years, and they want to eventually build a gym for their youth. However, Vilorio says their biggest desire is to be a light in the community.

"We want the community to see how God sustained us during all this time and how He never left us alone," Vilorio said. "We want people to understand that, whatever they are going through, God is there. Our greatest mission right now is to continue spreading [the Gospel], and continue being the light of Christ."