Les da la bienvenido a la congregacion Hispana de la Iglesia Santificada.
On January 1, 2016, eight U.S. Hispanic congregations were transferred from the Sanctified Church denomination to The Churches of Christ in Christian Union. These congregations have been placed under our care with the full blessing of their mother church.
In 2007 that General Superintendent Dr. Tom Hermiz started having conversations with Rev. Sherman Stoess, the General Superintendent of the Sanctified Church denomination about affiliating with us. Dr. Hermiz was acquainted with Rev. Stoess because he was formerly a World Gospel Mission missionary in Honduras. He and Mrs. Stoess were great friends with our own Dr. and Mrs. Burnis Bushong.
When Rev. and Mrs. Stoess had to return to the States due to health problems, he started establishing Hispanic churches for the Sanctified Church. Most of these Hispanic pastors have their roots in Honduras and the WGM Honduran Holiness Church. All of the Hispanic pastors who are now CCCU pastors are in this country legally. Rev. Stoess has worked long and hard and at great expense to make sure these men and their families have some kind of a legal status in this country. Rev. and Mrs. Stoess are Godly people who are passionate about scriptural holiness.
Previous conversations between Dr. Hermiz and Rev. Stoess centered on the CCCU invitation to the entire Sanctified denomination to join with us. It was just several months ago that Rev. Stoess discussed with me the possibility of just their Hispanic churches coming into CCCU while their remaining churches would remain with the denomination. It is possible that their Anglo churches might choose to join with us sometime in the future.
On August 28, 2015 CCCU leaders hosted these Hispanic pastors and Rev. Stoess at the Global Ministry Center. Leaders spent several hours discussing our theological commitments and structure. Following that meeting the Hispanic pastors and their congregations voted to join CCCU. In November the Sanctified Church General Council voted unanimously to transfer their Hispanic churches into our care and trust. The congregations joining CCCU are listed below:
| Church | Location | Pastor |
| Amistad y Vida CCCU | Atlantic City, NJ | Rev. Rosa Moya |
| Amistad y Vida CCCU | Columbus, GA | Rev. German Lainez |
| Amistad y Vida CCCU | Louisville, KY | Rev. Jorge Pacheco |
| Amistad y Vida CCCU | Metairie, LA | Pastor Marcos Rivera |
| Amistad y Vida CCCU | Park City, IL | Rev. David Castro |
| Amistad y Vida CCCU Dios Con Nosotros CCCU | Waukegan, IL | Pastor Pedro Zelaya |
| Amistad y Vida CCCU de Dios CCCU | Harrisonburg, VA | Pastor Fortunato Correa |
| Amistad y Vida CCCU Monte de Sion CCCU | Harrisonburg, VA | Pastor Luis Rivera |
This was not an easy decision for General Superintendent Stoess who had been so instrumental in birthing these wonderful congregations. However, Rev Stoess shared with me that he was so convinced that this was the right decision that, if he could have done so, he would have made the motion himself.
On April 23, 2016 Dr. Hermiz, our stateside District Superintendents, General Secretary, and General Treasurer, along with their spouses, will be going to Louisville, Kentucky, for a formal service of transfer. These churches will be introduced at our General Council in June. Their pastors who are ordained will be prayed over during our ordination service the last Sunday of Mount of Praise Camp Meeting.
To facilitate full integration into General and District Councils and the annual Ministers' Conference events and proceedings, translation will be provided via earphones and a translator. A Hispanic camp meeting will be held on our Nipgen campgrounds, July 1-3, 2016. Dr. Louie Bustle, fluent in Spanish, will be the evangelist for this special event.
With a rapidly growing Hispanic population in the United States I am pleased that we can expand our ministries into the Hispanic population of these United States. It is my prayer that this transfer will enable us to greatly expand our ministries into the Hispanic community.
To all of our new Hispanic friends and churches, the CCCU people join with me in saying to you, "Beinvenido!" (Welcome!)
