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Rodriguez to lead Hispanic/Latino New Church Starts Division/Path 1

Samuel Rodriguez

"Sam will be very instrumental in helping achieve the important and significant goals that are set before us," said the Rev. Thomas G. Butcher, executive officer of New Church Starts/Path 1. "We are excited to have him on our team," he said.

Prior to this appointment, Rodriguez was a commissioned missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) of The United Methodist Church.

He was the conference coordinator for Hispanic/Latino Ministries in the Central Texas (regional) Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, for seven years. In this capacity, Rodriguez facilitated training opportunities for the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry Module Trainings, Pentecost Journey: Guide to Hispanic Ministry, Hispanic Culture Training, and Language Immersion weekends.

He also resourced dialogue and reflection with pastors actively involved in or seeking to incorporate Hispanic-Latino ministries. As a staff member of the Office of Church Growth and Development, Rodriguez assisted in creating opportunities for several Hispanic/Latino New Church Starts.

Prior to his current assignment, Sam served four years in the Northwest Texas Conference as director of Hispanic Ministries in the Big Spring District. Two of those years Rodriguez was a GBGM Missionary under the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministries.

New Church Starts/Path 1 owns the goal of recruiting 1,000 pastors to start 650 new United Methodist congregations in the United States by 2013.

A native of El Paso, Texas, Rodriguez holds a BA in English and American Literature from the University of Texas in El Paso and an MA in Christian Service from Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University.

Rodriguez and wife Demetria have two children: Samuel Joseph, 19, and Vanessa Rae, 15. His parents, Luis Armando and Esperanza Rodriguez, reside in El Paso, Texas, where they are members of Wesley United Methodist Church.

The General Board of Discipleship's mission is to support annual conference and local church leaders for their task of equipping world-changing disciples. An agency of The United Methodist Church, GBOD (www.gbod.org) is located at 1908 Grand Ave. in Nashville, Tenn. For more information, call the Media Relations Office toll free at 877-899-2780, ext. 7017.

News Media Contact: Steve Horswill-Johnston , Nashville, Tenn., (615) 340-1726 or shorswill-johnston@gbod.org.