Churches Here Embrace Immigrants and Their Languages

Madison.com ^ | December 25, 2007 | Katie Dean

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Moving to a new country and trying to fit in with the community can be difficult, and for some immigrant families in Madison, it's a church that can provide a sense of home.

That's been the experience of Sy Inthachak, who attends Bethany Evangelical Free Church on the city's east side. Inthachak grew up in Laos but fled the country in the aftermath of the Vietnam War and spent 10 years in a Thai refugee camp before coming to the United States.

Along with another family of five, Inthachak and his family started attending Bethany Evangelical Free Church 10 years ago, and through word of mouth, the Lao Fellowship there has now blossomed to about 50 people.

"It's our home church. It's kind of our foundation," Inthachak said. "We feel like family and we're so happy to be a part of Bethany."

While some alternate language churches in Madison have congregations large enough to support their own free-standing church, others are smaller offshoots that share space with English-speaking congregations. Services in Spanish are widespread, but French, Chinese, Korean, Lao and Hmong are among the other languages that are represented. Though many of the alternate language churchgoers speak English, participating in a religious service in their native language can feel more personal. Some churches plan special events around the Christmas holiday that incorporate elements of other cultures and traditions.

"People just generally seek out a congregation that has some kind of comfort level," said Gordon Govier, editor of AllGodsPeople.com, a Christian community Internet portal based in Madison. "It could be ethnicity, it could be multi-ethnicity, it could be doctrine -- people have a lot of choices.

"We have kind of a smorgasbord environment in terms of religion these days," he said.

The diverse array of churches mirrors the changing immigrant populations in the area, Govier said. A century ago, there were quite a few German-speaking congregations around the state, and some services in Norwegian, for instance.

Place to fit in

"When you're trying to adapt to a different culture, it's hard," said Wang Mua Xiong, pastor of Victory Hmong Alliance, an evangelical Protestant church on Acewood Boulevard. "I've always found it hard to fit in at other churches and organizations because of our background, because of the way we speak and look."

The church offers a place where Hmong Americans can connect with one another, Xiong said. Still, he works to find a balance of services that will interest several different generations of people.

Services are offered in Hmong, which "folks from the old country" appreciate, Xiong said. For the benefit of children, there is a youth group in English and a rock band that plays contemporary Christian music during worship.

There's no organ at the church, just an electric piano, Xiong said. "We'll throw in a hymn once in awhile."

For some of the churches, finding a minister who can speak the language can be a challenge. With such a large group of native Lao speakers, Bethany Evangelical Free Church eventually brought in religious leaders from a church in Rockford, Ill., who take turns running the service in Lao.

"It's a lot easier for us to understand the teaching in our own language," Inthachak said. "It goes deep in your heart."

Once a month, for communion, the Lao Fellowship joins the English-speaking congregation for a combined translated service.

Emma Wawa, a native of Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) leads the French-speaking worship services at Evangel Life Center on Femrite Drive. The small congregation of about 20 to 30 people is made up mainly of native French speakers from countries like Rwanda and Cameroon. The group has attracted some native English speakers, too, who "come because they like the way we worship and because they like the language. They want to learn," Wawa said.

Her late husband, Victoren Wawa, ran the services until his death two months ago. Emma has been leading services since, but she does not give the sermon. The church has invited other pastors to fill in and preach the sermon, but some only speak English.

"We are praying for a French-speaking pastor," she said. "I know the Lord is going to provide."

Worship songs are from the Assembly of God denomination of churches, with some songs from Africa.

"Our goal is to do everything in French," she said. "When it's preached in French, that's your native language and you understand very well. When I pray in French I am very comfortable."

Building a community

The Rev. Pat Size runs the Spanish-speaking service at Grace Episcopal Church on West Washington Avenue. Size is not a native speaker, but studied the language in high school and college and taught in Bolivia.

Although it's a small congregation of 100 or so with about 30 regulars, she said the group is very active and community-oriented.

Unlike the large choir and Bach anthems of the high Anglican, English-speaking services, the Spanish service is more of a "folk mass," with singing and guitar playing, Size said. The group uses a hymnal from Latin American countries.

Many of the people who attend are native Spanish speakers, and most are bilingual. Some participants are married or are partners of native speakers, and some are learning Spanish.

"They're there because it's a service that gives them a sense of home," Size said.

Each Sunday after church, the group eats lunch together. Everyone takes a turn bringing food. During the week the church also offers a food pantry with traditional foods and provides English lessons.

"For 13 years I was looking for a church in Madison where I would feel comfortable," said Sandra Rybachek, who is originally from Guatemala. "One day I read about Grace Episcopal and it said, 'Misa en Espanol' and it said (a) lady offers the service."

Rybachek was curious about the church and it turned out to be a great fit. She likes that the service is led by a female pastor, and enjoys being one of a small group who sing regularly for the service.

"I think Spanish is a beautiful language, and I feel more secure and more happy and I can enjoy everything in the church," she said.

"The people are so friendly and so beautiful and from different countries," she added. "I feel very welcomed to the church. And they let me sing -- that was the best."

Rybachek recently hosted Las Posadas, a tradition in Latin American countries that commemorates the difficulties Joseph and the pregnant Mary had trying to find a place to stay before Jesus' birth. The guests included members of the church as well as their friends and neighbors. They ate traditional foods like tamales and sang Christmas carols in Spanish.

"It's taking the church to the community," Size said.

The congregation also is planning a celebration Jan. 6 on Epiphany, which recalls the visit of the three kings to the baby Jesus, Size said. The day is a major event in Latin American countries, and the local group will have three kings dressed in costume and a pinata for the children.

Adding more cultural diversity to the church has been wonderful for Bethany Evangelical Free Church, said Sharon Sites, a longtime member and church secretary. The church has really enjoyed having the Lao group as part of the congregation.

"The people, the culture, their experiences -- so many of them were in refugee camps before they came here, and some of their experiences are just mind-boggling," Sites said. "I just think they're wonderful people.

"You might throw in that we have the best potlucks," she added.

[frogjerk]

What does this article have to do with crime/corruption?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Nothing. Fat fingers.

[boomop1]

The church should be the exact way they are, He came for all a King can in the lowliest settings and the poor are as He was. Now I am not condoning breaking the law this government doesn't enforce. The border ignored for so many years we got what was expected an open invitation. If your store is left open at night what would do you say the next morning when it is pilfer-aged?

[org.whodat]

The problem is, did they are did they not come legally. Any church that shelters illegals needs to lose their tax exempt status.

[BenLurkin]

Bless them and send them home — or make them learn English.

[rpgdfmx]

Where does it say any of these people are “illegal”... get over it, God understands the language. If you’re so frightened by people speaking different than you, stay home and talk to yourself.

[Carbonado]

Just another Liberal scripted editorial masquerading as “news”.

The total corruption that the NYT, WAPO, Columbia school of, ahem, “journalism” have brought to the (former) profession of journalism is beyond disgraceful.

Those that we used to call journalists are now no more than political pornographers, ever eager to dispense their latest imaginary script to manufacture whatever “news” they think will further their Liberal political agenda and, if they;re lucky, place them in the Liberal Pantheon of false gods.

Liberalism + MSM = filth.

[org.whodat]

If you’re so frightened by people speaking different than you, stay home and talk to yourself.

Spent my whole life watching so called religious people spew hate. You fit the bill. Do you know what the meaning of did they are did they not is?

[glmjr]

I would rather vote for a Democrat than that....more government involvment...amnesty pushing... foreign affairs ignorant...Bush bashing....high taxing....parole giving...credential lying.....preacher hick from Arkansas. That's about it (sure I missed something)

Minute Men of America
 Stand Up

 

I always thought our group stood for stopping illegal immigration.  I also thought  that we, The Minute Me, wanted a permanent security fence along our southern border.  It is now clear to me that our leaders are either asleep or have given up on our cause to save America from becoming a third world nation.

"When I am president, I will build a fence."

 

Did you know .....Fred Thompson in a speech in Iowa on the 21st. of Dec. declared  "When I am president, I will build a fence."  He went further on to say...Amnesty and illegal immigration, he said, are not healthy for the U.S. or Mexico. "We need to be a nation of high fences and wide gates."

Is this not what we want?
Where are our leaders?
Why aren't there Minute Men  TV spots endorsing  Fred Thompson?  

If we fail we may very well have a Democrat or a liberal Republican elected, who will then push an amnesty bill through congress. 

Call your Minute Men Headquarters today and give them your opinion.

 

[WOBBLY BOB]

I’m just here for the potlucks...LOL.

[RightOnline]

Evangelical churches, in my experience, are the ‘best’ about this......welcoming, embracing immigrants and providing ‘feeding’ in their native languages. Our church has several English services...plus a Spanish one......and I believe one in French for a large African contingent (Congo, etc.).