On March 1, after a national search, the Rev. Emilio Muller will become the Director of Latino Ministries for the California-Pacific Annual Conference. Muller, a native of Cuba, comes to Southern California from the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church, where he was invited by Bishop Elias G. Galvan to implement the National Hispanic Plan in the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference. Currently, he serves a faith community that has become the first mission church and the mother church of more than seven new missions in the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference.

“It is for me a great privilege and honor to have been selected for the position of Director of Latino Ministries for the Cal-Pac Conference,” said Muller. “Without any doubt the greatest opportunity for Latino Ministry in the Cal-Pac Conference is a double element, on one hand, the continued growth of the Hispanic population in our midst, and on the other hand the commitment of Bishop Swenson and the Conference Staff to make this a priority in the missional future of the California-Pacific Annual Conference,” said Muller. “I hope to accomplish a lot, but I know that only will be possible if the rest of the Annual Conference gets involved in recruitment, training, deployment, and accompaniment of the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministries of the United Methodist Church.”

Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, Resident Bishop of the California-Pacific Conference, visited with Muller on a trip to Seattle. She said, “As we became acquainted, he shared his long history and involvement in United Methodist ministry…I look forward to having him join our Conference team.”

Muller, 62, was born in Cardenas, Matanzas, Cuba. He migrated to the United States as a refugee in 1973 on the last week of the Freedom Flies. Muller has become a United States Citizen by naturalization.

The Rev. Jim Conn, California-Pacific Conference Director of New Ministries, said, “From my interactions with Emilio and from looking at his track record, I think this is going to be one hard-charging guy who will recruit and train effective pastors for on-going and new churches.” Conn added, “He has built some strong congregations and identified people who could start new churches and trained them to do it effectively.” Conn concluded, “In a community like Southern California, where a majority of people come from Spanish-speaking cultures, he will be a dynamic force in shaping the church. Hang on for the ride!”

Muller was ordained deacon in the Florida Conference in 1979 and elder in 1981. He has served the denomination in many capacities. Muller has been a Mission Interpreter for the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM), on the Board of Directors for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) Section on Ordained Ministry, GBGM Hispanic Ministries Consultant, member of the Urban Ministries Network of the Southeastern Jurisdiction; Wisconsin Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, the Hispanic national caucus MARCHA, the Order of Saint Luke, and member of the Board of Ordained Ministry in the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference.

Muller earned a Bachelor of Arts from Jose Smith-Comas College in Cardenas, Matanzas, Cuba, and a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology Emory University in Atlanta, GA. He has also studied psychology at Central University in Santa Clara, Las Villas, Cuba, and theology at Theological Evangelical Seminary in Matanzas, Cuba.

Muller is married to Juana Elina Muller and they are the parents of three adult children and four grandchildren. Muller said, “The greatest challenge will be, in my humble opinion, to make all the parishes in our Conference, as well as the pastors, deacons, local pastors, and consecrated lay leadership to finally understand that the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministries is not a Plan for the Hispanics, but it is a Plan approved since General Conference 1992 for the entire United Methodist Connection.”

He added, “If we are going to be good stewards and if we are gong to be really inclusive and bring to life mottos like: Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors, we need to realize that each and every one of our congregations are surrounded by a multitude of Hispanic people in each of their neighborhoods.”