It was with great anticipation that I started my first day at Lititz on June 29. God has stirred up my heart with the many possibilities He has in store for our life together. I am deeply thankful to God for the privilege He’s given me to be able to work with such a great community of faith, and I pray you are also looking forward to what God has prepared for us.

I must tell you that so far I have been highly impressed by your leadership, and by those of you who continue to work with me during this time of transition. I was also glad to participate in the Leadership Rally on Tuesday, May 13; and thank God for your welcoming spirit, and your love for Christ.

As some of you may know, after eight years of ministry working on New Congregational Development, Hispanic/Latino Ministries, Ethnic Ministries work, coaching and evangelism for the Annual Conference, God stirred up my heart to return to the local church. I am pleased that our Bishop Marcus Matthews considered me acceptable to continue the good work that all of you are doing in Lititz, and the awesome responsibility that other pastors have had.

Just a little bit about me: I am a Native of San Salvador, El Salvador. I am married to Wanda, the love of my life and whom I met in my home church in Hempstead, NY; and who presently pastors El Redentor United Methodist Church in the city of Lancaster. We have three amazing kids, Kayla Rebecca (14), Isaiah René (10) and Ezekiel Manasseh (8). In 1995 I graduated from Temple University with a Bachelors degree in Psychology; and in June of 2000 I graduated from Drew Theological seminary in Madison, New Jersey with a Masters of Divinity. In 2003, I was ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church.

In 1993 my wife Wanda and I were appointed to La Resurreccion-Lindley United Methodist Church, in Philadelphia, where we served for six years. In 2000 I was appointed by Bishop Peter D. Weaver as the Executive Director of Latino Plan and Ministries. In 2004 I became the Director of Outreach and Church Multiplication, working with New Congregational Development, church growth and Evangelism. Before we moved to Pennsylvania, my wife and I lived in Brooklyn, New York; and we presently reside in East Hempfield. This year, I was elected a delegate to the United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas; and will also be a delegate to Jurisdictional Conference in Harrisburg, PA.

Above all, I am in love with God; I am committed to my family and love them. I feel that God has placed a “holy discontent” in my heart for justice, for evangelism, for congregational development, and for preaching the Good News. I believe that God has called me to live a transformed and faithful life and to encourage others to live their lives renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit. My present-greatest hope is that my time at Lititz will be surrounded with loving relationships, fulfilling hope, and a fervent desire to follow Jesus Christ to places we’ve never been before.

I know that this new appointment represents a tremendous change for the families of Lititz United Methodist as well as for me and my family. After twelve years of faithful ministry by your pastor Harry Kaufhold, this will be a significant change for this congregation, and I pray that each of us may give God an opportunity to surprise us; and lead us into the future with hope and confidence.

God’s peace,

Pastor René A. Perez