La Grange Hispanic Group Celebrates Official Transition Into Church Status

Church members, friends, and conference administration gathered on Saturday, July 20, 2024, to celebrate the transition of the La Grange Hispanic group into a church.

The La Grange Hispanic Church, planted in 2018 by four families who previously attended church in Indiana, began under the leadership of the then Kentucky-Tennessee Pastor Oswal De Sayas. Josefa Retz, one of the funding members, recalls when Oswal asked if she’d be willing to help with this project.

"Right away, I told him to count me in," Retz said. "I had planted another church before. I believe everyone should step out of their comfort zones to do something similar at least once. I thank God because He called me to begin this work, and He saw it through."

Though the group initially started as a ministry of the La Grange Church's English congregation, they gained mission-group status and celebrated its first baptism in 2019. Since then, the two congregations have continued to shared space, with the English group meeting at 9:00 a.m. and the Hispanic group at 11:00 a.m.

Six years after its inception, the church welcomes more than 60 attendees each Sabbath, including many consistent visitors. Members attribute their growth to constant prayer, God’s blessings, and the welcoming friendships offered at the church.

“We are a very motivated church,” Retz said. “We are a missionary church. The majority of our members are new and just getting to know the doctrines, but we all have the desire to share God’s love.”

Looking forward, the La Grange Hispanic Church's mission is to start a new church plant in Crestwood, Kentucky.