First United Methodist Church Welcomes New Pastor My name is Iraida Ruiz de Porras and was born in Brooklyn, New York on July 1, 1965 to Irma Rodríguez and Nestor Ruiz de Porras, in a Methodist based home. I have two sisters and one brother, all active in the Methodist Church as well and of strong faith. Lisa Pagan is in charge of the Children’s Ministry in South Jersey, Rebecca Diaz is the Worship Leader in Hispanic UMC in Dover, and Rev. Daniel Martinez is the pastor at First United Methodist Church in Dover for both First and the Hispanic UMC congregation. My mom, Irma, has always been a great leader in Church and her faith in God has been one of our greatest lessons learned. She taught us how to sing, dramatize, pray, and believe: a true inspiration to us all. I have a twelve year old daughter, Alexandra, who has been a true blessing in my life. She is healthy emotionally, physically, and spiritually and she most certainly lives for the Lord. Alexandra is very active in the Church and shares her many gifts and talents with passion and joy. I completed my bachelor’s degree in Office Administration in 1991, Magna Cum Laude, at the University of Puerto Rico. I have held many jobs in the administrative area in different types of industries in the private sector and manufacturing. I have also had the opportunity to teach English for students from Kindergarten through Third Grade and Seventh and Eighth Grades. I guess this is where I get my passion for children and youth. I also opened a security business in Puerto Rico and opened a bilingual Christian based school. Both businesses are still operating. In January 2006, I started my Master’s in Divinity in the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico and, at the present time, I continue my studies at the Theological School of Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. I have been preaching since I was twenty years old, but officially became a Candidate to the Ordained Ministry to a Methodist Church in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico in January of 2005. In June of the same year, I was appointed “lay minister,” under a special assignment to the same Church. In the Church Conference of February 2006, I was certified local pastor and re-appointed as local pastor for two years in the General Conference in June 2006. In this church I learned how God really yearns to work with those who hunger and thirst for God. Fidelity is what God wants most from us. In less than two weeks, we had from eight children to 28 children and youth actively participating in Church activities. We had a choreography liturgical dance group and ministered throughout Puerto Rico, wherever we were invited to go. These were no ordinary children. They were society outcasts, literally. They were children everyone had given up on. The majority from low income families, some had ADD, ADHD; others were aggressive. We planted, God nurtured and cared for, and the end result? We harvested true sons and daughters of God. My daughter and I are not there anymore, but they still are. And they are growing strong. This is God’s work in action and in complete control. In this Church I also learned that I was called not only to work with children, but with battered men and women as well. To mend broken families is a priority. I enjoy seeing God at work in these matters. God has plans for us that never fail and always work out for our best interest and well-being. That is why I am in New Jersey today. My daughter and I moved from Puerto Rico to Dover to live with my brother (Pastor Danny) in August of 2006 after receiving a full scholarship to Drew University, starting the spring term. When God is in control, everything works well. My concerns were my daughter and schooling and, of course, change. As a proud and grateful mother I say that she has excelled academically at East Dover Elementary and has received a Presidential Award for High Honor and Honor Students and a nomination to the Junior National Young Leaders Conference this fall in Washington, D. C. I started out as part of the Clerical Support Team at Target Rockaway in the Human Resources Department and moved on to administrate a home improvement contracting company in Dover, New Jersey, C & D Maintenance. Today, I have been blessed by being appointed to serve two beautiful congregations: First United Methodist Church in Hasbrouck Heights and Trinity United Methodist Hispanic Church in Paterson, New Jersey. My daughter and I have relocated to the parsonage in Hasbrouck Heights, where we pray we can serve the Lord and the community faithfully and unconditionally by following Jesus’ example. I am currently engaged to Ramon Sanchez and we believe that the Lord wants us to journey together. My life has been a wonderful journey where I have learned that all things ARE possible through Jesus Christ and that God welcomes and enjoys healing our brokenness to bring out the best in us. God uses the less wise to bring down the kingdoms of the wise, the weak to show God’s strength, and the humble to bring out God’s glory. God needs children to make a difference in this world and bring smiles upon all who have lost the purpose in life, one day at a time. There is hope where there is faith. We can succeed and excel in everything we do if we feel passion for Christ and his works. We must let the Holy Spirit lead the way and we must learn to follow, no questions asked. It’s all about letting go of our comfort zone and trusting that God is our sole provider. We must surrender our strong-willed hearts, forgive, forget, love, serve, pray, and believe. It’s too easy. It takes a lot of practice, but then again, isn’t one day for God like a million years? We have our lifetime to practice with more than a million chances to succeed and get really good at it! That’s what discipleship is all about. ###

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