In 2023, the Oregon Conference established the ministry of Volunteer Lay Pastors (VLP) to encourage the growth and development of both congregations and men and women who feel the call to this type of volunteer pastoral ministry. Since then, the Oregon Conference Latino-Hispanic Department has launched this ministry in the Hispanic congregations of Canby, Newberg, Independence, Kelso-Longview, and The Dalles, with five extraordinary men who have accepted the call to serve these churches.

Each of these five congregations and each of these five men have a wonderful story to tell about how God has blessed them abundantly. Here’s the story of the Hispanic congregation of The Dalles.

For years, The Dalles had been the smallest congregation of the Hispanic district of Hood River. In 2020, due to the pandemic, and later the lack of a suitable and consistent place to worship, attendance decreased considerably, to the point that it was thought the best option might be to merge its few attendees with the Hispanic church in Hood River.

However, the Lord had a better plan—to call a volunteer lay pastor to take care of that small group of believers. This is how the ministry of Miguel García began as a VLP. He had previously served as an elder at the Hispanic church in Hood River. The leadership and the hard, constant work of Miguel and his family, along with the tremendous support of Pastor Nick Gosney and his leaders of the English-speaking church in The Dalles, have been blessed by God. Today, where it once seemed a small group of Adventists might disappear, we now see a group of more than 50 people who gather every Sabbath afternoon in the beautiful church of The Dalles, enjoying the amazing views of Mount Hood and the Columbia River at the same time they worship the Lord!

Thank you, Miguel García and family! Thank you, Pastor Nick Gosney and leaders of the church in The Dalles! Thank you, Lord, for manifesting your glory in this beautiful part of the Oregon Conference!