Having been born and spent part of my early childhood in Puerto Rico, I recall the joy and celebration of the Day of the Magi, "Dia de los Reyes," those three distinguished travelers of the East who came to visit Jesus and bring gifts. This was the Christmas of my childhood. The Latino churches of our Conference all celebrate and observe this event. They do it in partnership with sister churches, with the broader community, with families and children living on the margin, "the others" not yet in the church and in diverse ethnic, racial settings. After all, the Magi were "the others - those from the East - the Gentiles.

Epiphany is very much about "the other" and about Changing Lives, Extravagant Welcoming, and transformation. When John the Baptizer appears at the Jordan (Mark 1: 4-11), he reminds us that the Jordan is:

• A place of change, repentance, and transformation, about "Changing Lives" and new hope.
• An entering into new situations like Joshua's crossing into the promise land,
• Where the Holy Spirit appears, the voice of God is heard saying: "You are my Son, whom I love and with whom I am well pleased" (Mark 1:11).
• Where something new is being initiated by God, directed to "the others"-- the Gentile world.
• The place where the Holy Spirit at Christ's baptism is promised to come to baptize the disciples and to empower the Christ community to witness.

The promises of God and Jesus; the announcement by John of her coming is fulfilled in Acts at Pentecost. At that gathering, a community of diverse seekers and believers, she came to empower. At that baptism, the Holy Spirit becomes the mark of the Church. At that Epiphany, there is a new beginning:

• There was great diversity: "the others" those previously missing were present. (Parthian, Medes, Asians, Egyptians, Libyans, Cyrene, Romans, Jews, Cretans, Arabs and many others were gathered) (Acts 2:9-11).
• All present were "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:4).
• All were empowered to witness.
• There the Holy Spirit became the mark of the Church in Ephesus. It is the mark of being Church (Acts 19:1). It is the mark of being Church for Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:8). It is true sign of being Church for Peter in Caesarea (Acts 11:15-18).

As our Illinois Conference begins this New Year and plans for an Annual Celebration with the theme Changing Lives and focusing on Extravagant Welcoming, let us discern about:

• The Jordan Rivers that we may need to cross.
• The "other". Ask ourselves who is missing from our communities of faith to strengthen our vitality.
• Being transformed spiritually by our neighbors, by diversity, and by inclusive contexts.
• How the Holy Spirit is the mark of Church in our congregations (Paul found Disciples in Ephesus and asked: "Have you heard of the Holy Spirit?").
• How we might live an Epiphany of Changing Lives and in showing Extravagant Welcoming.

Let us reach across the Jordan Rivers of our time and lives to be transforming agents, empowered by the Holy Spirit for an Epiphany leading to our "2012 Annual Celebration", and in living our call to witness to God's love and grace.

Epiphany blessings to you,

Rev. Dr. Jorge L. Morales

Conference Minister