Ghent church to have youth conference at Marshall Middle School
GHENT — Youth with vision can produce much good works.
The youth group, Generación Luz (New Light Generation) from Ministerio Reyo de Luz in Ghent will be hosting a youth conference at the Marshall Middle School Saturday.
The youth group musicians will be leading the worship three times throughout the weekend.
Jonathan Monterroso, 19, is the youth worship leader and plays bass with the church band.
“We will be singing in Spanish and English so both communities can come together in worship,” Monterroso said. “We usually only practice once a month, but it’s been pretty solid this last month (in preparation for the conference).”
Hugo Cifuentes, 16, is a singer with the group and is looking forward to leading worship both Saturday and Sunday.
Ezekiel Monzon, 13, and his sister Jacque Monzon, 15, are both in the church band. Ezekiel plays the drums and Jacque is a singer.
“I talk to my friends about coming to the convention,” Monzon said.
Leslie Monterroso, 16, is also a singer.
“We research our songs and choose those that speak to us,” Monterroso said of their music.
“We usually all sing melody,” Monzon said.
Another singer, Nataly Marcialvigil, 13, said she hopes a lot of people show up for the conference.
Xiomara Amya, 12, is also a singer with the group.
Everyone in the band is from Marshall except the Monzons, they said.
These nine are a part of the youth group of 42 students and two instructors who are putting on the conference with the help of the Rev. Pedro Monterroso, minister at Minnesterio Reyo de Luz. Pastor Monterroso will be conducting the youth workshops that follow the worship services.
The youth group will be serving a free breakfast from 9:30-10:30 a.m. for community youth and guests.
“Pastor Pedro Monterroso will be doing a seminar at 11 a.m. for youth, youth leaders, pastors and youth from the community,” Melissa Rodriguez said. “There will be a break from 1-3 p.m. At 3 p.m. will be a general service. Anyone in the community and invited ministries are welcome. This service will be followed by a dinner.”
Rodriguez and her husband Gabriel are youth group instructors.
“Invitations have gone out to sister churches from Minneapolis to Worthington, to Willmar to Dennison, Iowa, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota,” youth group teacher Gabriel Rodriguez said.
“Everything will be free because we want to reach out to youth and families who might not know there is a Latin ministry here in Ghent,” the Rodriguezes said.
“On Sunday at 11:30 a.m., there will be a worship service open to the public,” Melissa Rodriguez said. “Anyone may come to this as well.”
In the eight years, Melissa Rodriguez has been a member of the Ministerio Reyo de Luz, she has never seen the youth have such an event like this, she said.
“I want this next generation to take on roles like Sunday school teacher, pastor, evangelist and prophet — whatever God wants to do with the youth.”
She used Jonathan Monterroso as a good example of youth stepping up to take leadership roles, whereas others turn down opportunities because of fear.
“Fear is one of the hurdles (for our youth),” Melissa Rodriguez said.
“We want to reach out to the youth,” Melissa Rodriguez said. “Some don’t know how to speak Spanish, but we do want to let them know about God.”
One thing they do each month is to ask the youth to take part in the worship services in their church.
“We ask them so that they find themselves and where God is leading them,” she said. “Either to preach, pray for the offering, or open or close the service.”
“We just wanted to make the youth group feel like they’re not forgotten,” Gabriel Rodriguez said, “and let the community know there is a Latin church here and have everybody have fellowship with one another.”
The youth group members have matching conference T-shirts with bar codes on them.
“We want all the youth that are coming to have a ‘take-away,'” Melissa Rodriguez said. “We want them to recognize the price Jesus paid for them.”
“We want to invite everyone to the conference this weekend,” Jonathan Monterroso said. “It’s going to be a good time to get people from the community together and praise God.”