Weekend of Worship brings a rich blend of cultures, praise experiences.
Each year in Mexico, more than 20,000 people gather at a central location to learn about the word of God. They share worship traditions from many Mexican states as well as Central and South America. The evangelical church group, IECE (Iglesia Evangelica Cristiana Espiritual), was so awed by the international experience that they have brought Weekend of Worship to Fair Park each Thanksgiving weekend. Now in its third year, the event—which takes place November 28-30—will attract over 5,000 people. Weekend of Worship is the first such event for the Hispanic community in the United States.
“Dallas and Fair Park are so perfect for WoW,” says Minerva Rodriguez, event coordinator. “Logistically Dallas is centrally located and close to Mexico. Dallas has a large Hispanic population and Fair Park is in ideal proximity to many churches. It also offers the kind of facilities that accommodate our worship needs. Many people are off for Thanksgiving, so they can travel to Dallas.”
Twenty church districts in the United States are expected to participate, each representing hundreds of churches. There will also be many districts from Mexico, Argentina and other nations.
Many different rhythms of praise.
In the Tower Building will be Bible studies for men, women, teens and children. The Embarcadero Building will host church services and dining. Every service centers around a special topic covered in class, such as How to be strong women of God and Raising children in Christ. While the events are of an evangelical nature and predominantly spoken in Spanish, everyone is welcome to worship.
Sunday afternoon concludes with a truly unique praise and worship experience that spans the diverse cultural heritages of those participating. “All the music consists of traditional church hymns,” explains Ms. Rodriguez. “But what’s really interesting is that each will be played and sung differently according to various regions. For instance, worshippers from San Antonio will share a Tejano beat with the congregation, featuring bass guitar with a bit of country/western swing thrown in. Californians will incorporate more of a traditional Mexican sound with an accordion. Other hymns will be sung as ballads. It’s quite amazing to witness and everyone can join in.”
When it first started in Dallas as a tent revival, only a few hundred came to Weekend of Worship. Now that it has outgrown that space and moved to Fair Park, IECE looks forward to staying in Dallas. In fact, it has committed to at least 4 more years at Fair Park.
“Thank you so much, Dallas and Fair Park,” says Ms. Rodriguez. “You have made all our worshippers feel at home. We hope many of you will join us this Thanksgiving.”
For more information about Weekend of Worship, contact Minerva Rodriquez at minerva9@sbcglobal.net.
