History of the Latino Church
Chicago, Illinois
Author, Pastor Tomas Sanabria, was a member of La Iglesia de La Logan (AIC), Maranatha Church (Worldwide Ministries), Bethesda Church and Aposento Alto Church (MI) before receiving his pastoral credentials with the Assemblies of God (MLADC). As an Associate Pastor, he served with Iglesia Peniel (MB) and serves now at Abrigo del Altismo (Independent). While earning his Masters of Divinity Degree at McCormick Theological Seminary, he founded and still serves as pastor of Ekklesia Ministry of Helps. As the sole publisher of the well received pastoral letters series, Testimonies that Nurture Faith, his stories are celebrations of God’s expressions as lived out by a Latino Pentecostal pastor ministering in the barrios of Chicago.
How much is your faith in God worth?_________________________________
* The wake of Reverend Roberto Rosario / El velorio del Pastor Roberto Rosario
3/ Sunday 20 - Monday 21/11...1710 N. California Avenue; 4 pm+; Asambleas de Iglesias Cristianas; Rev. Loida Torres. A servant of God goes home!
Rev Roberto Rosario was buried on Tuesday 3/22/11. At Monday night's wake service in a local church, Joel, his son, played a videotape in which he had recorded his dad lying on his death bed. He taped it to see if his father still believed as strongly in his last hours as he did when he first started out in his ministry.
Joel, "Dad, in who do you believe"
With air tube in his noese, eyes closed and facing directly into the camera his Dad said,
"!Dios (God)!"
Joel, "Who does God love"
Dad..."La iglesia. (The Church)"
Joel, "Why did you preach in the park"
Dad..."Para salvar las almas. (To save the souls)".
In a recent interview, I asked similar questions to another pastor who even as I write this piece is facing death in the face.
Pastor Tomas: "Pastor, ?tienes miedo? (Pastor, are you afraid?)"
Pastor Jacobo Tohme: "No. No tengo miedo. (No. I am not afraid.)"
Pastor Tomas: Ahora que la muerte se aproxima, valio la pena en sacrificar todo por la fe y el ministerio? (And now that death is near, was it worth it to sacrifice everything for faith and ministry?).
Pastor Jacobo Tohme: !Si, porque yo se en quien yo confio! Mi Dios.
(Yes, because I know in whom I believe. My God!)"
People, this is faith! How do you find such a faith? By believing with all of your heart, mind and soul. Trusting in God and believing that you can do all things through Christ Jesus who fortifies you. These two men, like many women and men before them, stepped due diligence into their conversions and convictions and never looked back. May you also achieve similar faith.
* The Reverend Roberto Rosario _________________________March 18, 2011
The passing of Rev. Roberto Rosario is a hallmark event in our Latino church community because Reverend Rosario was one of the few Puerto Rican pentecostal pastors in Chicago who was black. His mentor Hermana Herminia Rivera was the first female Puerto Rican pentecostal pastor, also black, whose ministry from the late 1940's was instrumental in establishing the church council of las Asambleas de Iglesias Cristianas in Chicago. She pre-dates the famous Rosa Parks who as a modest seamstress on her way home from work refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. That single act of defiance on December 1, 1955 is remembered as the start of the civil rights movement in the USA (biography.com).
Rosario pastored the storfront AIC church @ 908 N. California Avenue for years. Medium built, a broad man, his trademark "tik" when feeling the Holy Spirit was a rapid shaking of his head side to side. This earned him the nick name "el pastor electrico" and "el pastor del Espiritu Santo".
Our condolences to his family and wife, Maria Salas - Rosario.
Do you know of Bro. Cristino Cotto? __________________
This is why I ask: Cristino was "un hermano en Cristo" who knew practically every Latino pentecostal pastor in the city by name. He would visit many churches and their services whenever had either by day, afternoon or night. He would attend many of the district councils (gatherings) and even travel to many cities and countries in order to participate within "las asambleas" from the various Latino councils. Once there, Cristino would not vote nor participate within the proceedings because he was just an observer who enjoyed getting around among the pentecostal believers.
Cristino was not "un pastor, diacono, evangelista, missionero, lider dentro una iglesia ni un titulado" in any church or denomination. Yet, practically, every pastor and church within the Chicago latino pentecostal community knew him! He practically knew of everybody also. Ask him for a telephone number or and address and he would pull out his pocket-sized black telephone directory and tell you even how to get to where you wanted to go - though he didn't drive a vehicle. CTA baby was his mode of transportation or hitching a ride with someone in their car.
Simply a believer, Cristino would just appear at a church or at the home of a pastor morning, noon or night. Wherever there was food being served either at a pastors meeting or at "un almuerzo" or "una recaudacion de fondo" Cristino would arrive carrying several "aguacates pero de los grandes". Once there and accommodated in his chari, he would pull out an avocado. For those that did not want to sit near him originally, they would find themselves scrambling, looking for a space on the table close to him. His avocados were always a hit, especially, if he shared a piece with you.
About 5'-9", Cristino was overweight but not fat. Fair skinned with wavy black hair, his speech was slow and clear; monotone and low. His lips portrubed a bit and because he would always carry a handkerchief he would sometimes he could be found holding it to his mouth as he spoke close to you. Conscious of his breath and any odor, he would always carry mints.
For Cristino eating was a ritual. After serving himself two plates - one for the salad and the other for the food - he would always place a napkin under his chin before delighting himself with his gourmet meal. For those of us who had the priviledge to go to a restaurant with him, while eating, Cristino would hardly say anything so as to not break his concentration on the food. And because he was a good eater, Smorgasbords where his favorite places. Once there a meal wasn't complete until he would get his fair share of a desert - or several. It was only afterwards, when he tried to say something witty it is when one would regret ever going with him.
He would often ask me, "Hermano Tomas, cuando te vas a casar?" And then follow it up with, "Si no te cases, te vas a quedar como 'jamon.'" He would laugh at his own jokes. etc., etc,.
I'm sorry, I just got into this story as I was writing this memo. But this is the reason why I wrote this....
There are two versions floating around within the community of believers regarding his death. No one really knows the truth.
Version one
While at the Burger King on the Sout side of the city while eating at a Burger King or McDonald's, sometime in the afternoon (I believe) after church, Cristino went to the washroom. There he suffered a massive heart attack (or he choked on his food), collapsed and then died.
Version two
Cristino was accosted in the washroom, beaten, robbed and left for dead by a toilet bowl.
I plan to include something about Crisitino Cotto within the book because he was such a figure, though not at all important. Though nobody knows where he came from, where he was going or, if he had family here in Chicago. The fact is, a lot of people knew him.
He lived in the front basement of a large building on Kedzie and Cortez.
If you can help provide information on Cristino it would help in putting his bio together for a community of faith who knew him.
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An excerpt from the forthcoming book Por La Senda Antigua / Along the Ancient Path: 100 years of Latino Chicago Pentecostalism.
Within the church you will find scoundrels, liars, adulterers and murderers. Like us, hey have come to experience God. Expecting a sense of peace and of salvation or the actual seeing of a miracle, all are dependent on the genuineness of faith and the spiritual discernment of their religious leaders.
Within this book you will read about these pioneering men and women whose ministry of service inspired faith among 1st generation Mexican, Caribbean, South and Central American migrants as well as in their 2nd generation children. During the 20th century these inner-city apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers taught and preached to thousands of individuals and families in Spanish.
In rough neighborhoods they evangelized: on the streets and on the corners of Humboldt Park, Logan Square, Pilsen and South Chicago they handed out “tratados”, in the parks used “megafonos”, in living rooms conducted “servicios”, in rented store fronts made “llamados”, around wooden altars held “vigilias”, in jalopies transported people, in “las sociedades (societies)” integrated seekers, played “la pandereta” and “guiro” while singing “himnos” and “coros”, etc. Pentecostals, Bible thumpers, fanatics of the faith, believers in “La Senda Antigua”, though lacking finances, adequate formal education or proper living conditions, they sacrificed themselves, spouses and children for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ; “Rey de Reyes”, “Salvador, “Hijo de Dios”.
Whereas some leaders wounded believers unintentionally, some evolved in “la congregacion (the congregation)” as well as in “el concilio (the denomination)” as legends. Inspirers of the Latino Pentecostal Chicago revival from 1940 to 2000, many of these spiritual leaders now suffer the ravages of age and the vestiges of their sacrifice – barely surviving with an adequate retirement fund. But, as they fall asleep in the Lord, the congregations they helped established are converting large spaces into temples, modernizing by using computerized technology and even becoming independent or even non-denominational. With a new generation of Latinos uplifting holy hands, speaking in tongues and shouting “Amen!” and “Glory to God!” in English, the legacy of La Senda Antigua preaching pastors seems assured.
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January 2011
It is always sad to hear when someone passes into eternity because they leave behind loved ones. Though as believers in God we rejoice because they in fact have gone to their celestial home, but we lament the passing of a pioneer pastor who gave unselfeshly to the promulgation of the Word of God here within the city of Chicago and its surrounding areas.
Ines Lozada, the wife of Rev. Francisco Lozada married during the late 50's and helped her husband Rev. Francisco Lozada pioneer several churches during the early 60's and 70's. She spoke both English and Spanish during my interview during the month of December 2010. Already she and he were quite sickly. I believe I have the last recording of her voice as she and Rev Francisco spoke to me about their life and ministry together. Ines was the sister-in-law of Rev. Tomas Lozada, brother to her husband. Ines and her husband Francisco had been members of the Assemblies of God during the 60's and I believe with the Church of God, Tennessee therafter. She died on Monday of this week. The wake will be today, Thursday (1/13/11), at Alvarez Funeral Home on Cicero Avenue (north side) begining at 5 pm. For those who want to pay their respects this is the time to do so. But if you can not make it, I am sure the family is very appreciative of your kind words, thoughts and praayers for the family.
"Our history of faith brothers and sisters within the Latino community of believers is passing from among our midst. Help me capture it at least on tape and on paper. Do you know of another pioneer pastor I need to interview?"
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FROM.......
Rev. Junior Pantoja, Church of God NCS, Regional Secretary
I am delighted to see the photo of "Por La Senda Antigua" and among the pastors in the photo I saw my father Rev. Amado Pantoja Sr. alongside Herbet Colon, Rev. Monserate, Rev. Mario Diaz, Rev. Johnny Alvarez and others. My father retired from the Pastorate but at age 81 he has not stop preaching the message of la senda antigua. The Rev. Pantoja started his ministry in this city in 1967 until 2004 when finally retired. Currently he is in living Puerto Rico, but he will be visiting next week here in Chicago for some days.
Sgt. Julio Velgara, 14th District Police
Back in the 50's, I remember attending the church pastored by Rev Matos. Our church was at Madison and Racine. I still could remember the store across the street. As a kid, I used to work there part time. I got paid 75 cents. There was a Bakery nearby where I used to buy a whole apple pie for 25 cents. I was 9 years old. The church started in 1952 - this information is not a maybe but accurate.
I use to run to the restaurant on Loomis and Madison Street. It is still there across from the 911 Center. There I would get a hamburger for 10 cents!
I got confused with the name of Rev Tomas De Jesus, who I also know for many years; good to hear he still alive. As to Rev Matos, who I know passed away, God bless his soul. He had two daughters and a son; one of the daughtersname I believe is Elizabeth. So, when I heard the name Elizabeth (in your history e-mail sent out a bit back), I assumed too fast that it was my little childhood friend. Anyway, it is great to know that your putting all this together.
" WOW " wonderful memories.
TO BE PUBLISHED SOON!
Testimonies That Nurture Faith Series
Pastoral Letters: Division Street Stories: Chronicles of an Inner City Pastor
Vol. - FAITH Vol. 1 - YOUTH Vol. 3- NEIGHBORHOODS WITH HOPE
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(Status: History still being gathered; to share your story, pic, doc contact us)
Heritage Books still being written
- Por Una Senda Antigua: Chicago Latino Pentecostalism
- Midwest Latin American District, AG History
- Margarita, La Negra: Legacies
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Ekklesia Ministry of Helps - writing, teaching and preaching; summer youth programs, advocacy
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pastorsanabria@hotmail.com - pulpit fill, weddings, quinceaneras, etc.
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Web pages: www.ekklesia.bbnow.org and facebook.com/pastorsanabria
Blog: pastorsanabria.wordpress.com