Welcome to Iglesia del Gran Pastor

[Church of the Great Shepherd]

Our church is located in one of the poorer areas of Fresnillo and thus we share the multi-purpose building with other CFCI activities such as Bible Club and Youth Group.  Even so, we work hard each Sunday morning to transform the plain space into a sanctuary where the eyes of the worshippers are blessed by our banners, the cross, and the other special accoutrements of the worship service.

Before each service begins, we gather to pray for the congregation, the ministers, and the service in general.  After a time of corporate prayer for the whole church and all who will come, we pray individually for each one who has a formal role in the service or for the care of the children.  Standing in the center of the prayer circle, specific prayers for offered for those who will minister in the name of the Lord.  Often the children and youth join in this prayer time and through it, they are taught the value and importance of prayer. 

Iglesia del Gran Pastor is an Anglican Church that is committed to worshipping God in Spirit, Word and Sacrament.  Thus our goal is to help the congregation understand the importance of good Bible preaching and teaching, the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers and importance of standing in the worship tradition of the early church.

Liturgy, when properly done, combines the best elements of prayer, scripture and worship.  Our entire service is based on those three elements and is very seeker friendly among our Mexican friends.

Most of them have been raised as cultural Catholics and thus they expect to find liturgy as part of their worship experience.  What usually surprises them, when they first start attending Sunday service, is that the liturgy and the people are alive.  

Sunday morning services involve the congregation as active participants in the worship of God.  Each week, we have time for singing, the reading of four parts of Scripture, the Scripture explained in the sermon, and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper in communion.

During the first part of the service, the babies are kept in the nursery where they are loved and cared for so that their parents can fully participate in the opening portions of the service, the reading of Scripture and the sermon, and prayers.

During that same time, the young children are taken to a special children’s church where they learn about God through age-appropriate Bible lessons. 

Over the years, our little church has grown and now Mexicans like Armando are taking over responsibility for the nursery and Sunday School areas.  As they serve the church, they grow in their love for God and His people.

After a time of confession, all of the children are brought to the church so that they will understand that they, too, are part of God’s family.  During the distribution of communion, the children come forward and receive prayer and a blessing.  For most of them, it is a very special moment and before they can even articulate it, their little souls begin a journey toward God. 

Older children and youth are taught that the church is for all of God’s people, not just adults.  They are encouraged to be a part of the entire service and many of them now serve the church as musicians, nursery or children’s workers, or in setup and take down of the facility.

The cross leads us into worship because no Christian has the right to come into God’s presence apart from the work of Jesus done on the cross.  It also leads us out into the world at the end of the service to remind us that we are to share the rich blessing we have received with those who do not yet know Jesus.