Rocky Creek Español

Ernesto joined as a member at Rocky Creek in 2015 and became the Hispanic Pastor in 2017. Previously, he was ordained in 1979 and found success as the founder and pastor of Canaan Baptist Church in Queens, New York where he served for 33 years. With certification from the Bible Institute in New York and course work through the Seminary External Education Division, Ernesto is an eager student of the Bible.

Joining Ernesto in ministry is his wife, Marcela and their son, Samuel. Ernesto also has 3 older children who live in other states. Ernesto enjoys traveling with his family and is engaged in missions in other countries outside of the US. When traveling or just out eating seafood (which is his favorite food) in the upstate, Ernesto is always looking for opportunities to share the gospel. He desires to both share the gospel and to engage people in conversation to discover and meet the needs of the people he encounters.

When asked about favorite pastimes, Ernesto shares that he enjoys swimming, travel, and camping. On a recent staff retreat, Pastor Ernesto jumped off a dock and could be found swimming in the middle of a lake for an extended period of time. It was evident that he both loved swimming and had built up the endurance to swim for a long distance.

Janet joined as a member at Rocky Creek in 2020 and also started serving as the Español Assistant in 2020. Janet’s role on staff is to assist the Pastor Español in reaching new Spanish-speaking families and in meeting the needs of the Spanish-speaking congregation. Even though this is Janet’s first ministry position, she has a ministry heart that has helped her eagerly adapt to the ministry role she is fulfilling.

Janet, and her husband, Javier, have a daughter named Mia and are expecting another daughter in the near future. As a family, they embrace hospitality and open their homes and hearts to families and friends whether someone is looking for Bible study, a meal, or fellowship.

When asked what she loves doing, Janet responds with, “Spending time at the lake.” Another thing Janet loves is her church family. She equates friends and family with her church family because her church family has become friends and family to her, Javier, and Mia.

If you know of a Spanish-speaking family looking for a church home, let Janet know. She can reach out and make a connection and invite them to be part of our Spanish congregation.