Mario Samaniego has served as part-time Interim Associate for Pastoral Ministries for the last two semesters at Calvary. During this time Mario developed a bereavement ministry consisting of helpful correspondence to those who had close relatives pass away, assisted me (pastor Julio) with hospital visitation and pastoral counseling, and taught a pastoral care course on Wednesday nights. Several of our deacons and other Calvary members took this course which included the guest participation of various hospital chaplains in the area.
Mario's ministry has touched many lives and has been a blessing. We will be unable to extend this ministry agreement and so tomorrow (June 30) is Mario’s last day in this capacity. We thank him for his service and pray God will lead him in his future ministry.
There are two recent ministry developments in the life of Mario for which we are praising God and for which we need to pray. He has recently been asked to supply the pulpit on a regular basis at First Baptist Church, Port Isabel. He also has been accepted into the CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) residency program of the Valley Baptist Medical Center in Brownsville. This one-year residency will open up the opportunity for Mario to serve as a hospital chaplain. We are very excited about this opportunity for which we had been praying and are convinced that God will use it to bless Mario and Viola and to bless the people to whom he will be ministering.
While Mario and Viola remain members of Calvary, we may not see them very often after tomorrow since he will be preaching in Port Isabel on Sundays and ministering in Brownsville during the week. So if you happen to see him at church tomorrow, make sure you give him your blessing.
Once again, thank you Mario for your ministry through our staff during the last two semesters. May God bless you and prosper you!
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