Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont St., now offers Reunion Libertad, the first Spanish-speaking, non-Catholic religious service for residents in Lawrence.

Before Reunion Libertad, meaning Freedom Meeting, began in April, the only Spanish-language service in Lawrence was offered at St. John the Evangelist Church, 1234 Kentucky St.

Sandy Sloop is one of the preachers who leads Reunion Libertad, which features guest speakers each week. Sloop said that when she and her family moved to Lawrence from Mexico City, it was a struggle for them to find somewhere they felt comfortable worshipping in their native language. She said that having this service would benefit a sector of the community, which would ultimately benefit the Lawrence community as a whole.

“There was no place to go where we felt at home,” Sloop said. “If anyone feels more comfortable in a community, it’s good for the whole community.”

Shannon Gorres works part time at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries on campus and is also a pastor at Reunion Libertad. Gorres said Reunion Libertad’s first service featured a cast of volunteers leading a service of Spanish greetings of peace, songs of adoration and prayers for a better world.

Eric Weslander, 1999 graduate, said the idea behind starting Reunion Libertad was to reach out to the growing number of Spanish speakers in Lawrence. He said he volunteered as a musician for Reunion Libertad’s prayer service to help it grow.

“This service sends a message to people who live in Lawrence, but don’t speak English, that their culture is important and that they are welcome and valued here — regardless of their language,” Weslander said. “I felt it was important to be involved in helping send that message.”

Sloop said she thought there were a lot of Spanish-language sections in stores in Lawrence, and no shortage of Mexican food, but when it came to spirituality, there had been limited options for Spanish speakers.

“As we started talking, we realized that Lawrence needed another place where Spanish speakers could feel free in their language to cultivate a deeper knowing of themselves, others and God,” Gorres said. “The movement to make space for the marginalized while teaching the governing people about our shared humanity is called ‘collective liberation’ and this is why our service is called Reunion Libertad.”

Gorres said that there was a vibrant Latin American presence at the University, but that in town many Spanish speaking workers weren’t as acknowledged as part of Lawrence. English speakers could learn about multiculturalism from interaction with Spanish speakers, she said.

“Reunion Libertad is a unique time to reflect on who we are as Spanish speakers, and for those who are not Spanish speakers and come to visit, it is an amazing opportunity to get to know what it feels like to be the ‘other,” Gorres said. “Plymouth Church is an engaging church because it is progressive in welcoming everyone and in asking questions about each person’s life journey, wherever he or she is at.”

Sloop said she saw Reunion Libertad as a way for people to strike a balance between their traditional way of worshipping and the American way.

“It does something to validate you as an immigrant,” Sloop said.

Sloop said the Spanish-language service could give students from Spanish-speaking countries something to identify with. Weslander said it was a diverse crowd that attended the service each Sunday, including people from many different countries and socioeconomic backgrounds.

“I know that everyone has their own personal views about religion, but I’ve found it’s good to take time out once in a while to remember that you’re part of a bigger picture and that life isn’t just one personal drama after another,” Weslander said. “The added bonus of Reunion Libertad is that you get to do that in Spanish.”

Weslander said he thought being bilingual, tri-lingual or more was the norm in most parts of the world. It’s going to be even more important to know Spanish in years ahead as the Hispanic and Latino population in Lawrence and throughout the U.S. keeps growing, he said.

“It’s just one sign of how the cultural makeup of this community is always changing,” Weslander said. “Insisting that people learn ‘our’ language has never struck me as a good answer because learning another language is an enriching experience.”

— — Edited by Steph Schneider