Recently, I had the pleasure of participating in the ordination service of Reverend J. Refugio Moya Garcia, who we simply call Cuco. I am so honored to be able to call him Reverend. Cuco joined World Impact over ten years ago when he married his wife Robyn, who herself has been with World Impact for over 20 years.
Cuco graduated from The Urban Ministry Institute in 2013 and labored for over four years to receive his ordination. He had to go through the process twice. He started the process with another denomination which, by no fault of his own, didn’t work out and then again with us. The whole process has revealed a strong godly character in Cuco.
Iglesia Puente de Vida, which Cuco has been pastoring for three years, was so proud to see their pastor honored through the celebration service. Godly leaders are such a gift to the church, and I believe the service inspired some in attendance to pursue this high calling of being a church leader.
Puente de Vida is a growing church which recently conducted a baptism at Tidelands Park on Coronado Island just across the bay from San Diego. The service, baptism and picnic caught the attention of many in the park with several stopping to watch and cheer. New life in Christ involves being baptized but hopefully continues for many into servant leadership in the church and our city.
Our focus at World Impact is to empower urban Christian leaders for churches, church planting and church planting movements among the poor in the city. Reverend J. Refugio Moya Garcia embodies this focus. Our prayer is that many more leaders, who the world overlooks, will continue to be empowered for leadership in the church and the city in the years to come.