The Cedanos
Archived Newsletters:
August 2003
October 2003
Modesto & Josefina
Rebeca, Raquel, & Josué
My name is Modesto Cedano and my wife's name is Josefina Cedano Langrod. We have three beautiful children - Rebeca (8) , Raquel (5) and Amado Josué (3). I was born and raised in New York City, N.Y. and at the age of fifteen my Dominican parents relocated to their homeland in the Carribean in 1985. Josefina's was also born in New York, and her family moved back to the Dominican Republic when she was 4 years old. I came into a relationship with the Lord while living in New York City and continued to grow and get rooted in my new found faith as we got settled in the city of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
I attended the Iglesia Cristiana congregation (Christian Church) which is pastored by Rafael and Rocio Montalvo. There I rooted myself in the Lord and eventually came into full time ministry as an assistant pastor. The church started with 20 people meeting in a small store front, but has now grown to be a church of some 800-members. Iglesia Cristiana is a cross between a Vineyard church and the Willow Creek Community Church. It has contemporary worship, exercises the gifts of the Spirit, and has a strong personal ministry emphasis. It is also a "seeker" church in the sense that it uses the arts (video, drama, dance, mime, visuals, song, etc) to present the gospel to the unchurched population.
I met my wife while in the DR and we were married in 1994. As full-time assistant pastors we were involved in many areas of ministry. I was a teaching pastor who oversaw a group of 20 home groups and leaders (our church had a total of 65+ cell groups. My strongest gifting is in the area of the teaching so I have a passion for God's word and sharing it with others. I co-produced our church's TV and radio program, and I was also involved with the worship team. Josefina has a strong gifting in the prophetic and she leads worship. She has written many beautiful worship songs and is very gifted in the arts. Josefina was the service program coordinator so she oversaw the presentation and content of our church services. She helped to enrich and compliment the services by presenting different elements that would lead up to the topic of each Sunday's message. The team she led would suggest songs that could be sung as well as other elements that would enhance the peoples experience by using the arts (video, drama, dance, etc.). We have also had the wonderful opportunity to be trained in family counseling which has proved a great resource not only for our own family but many families and individuals we have ministered to.
We have been praying for an opportunity to start a church for many years. Our experience of being involved in the heart of ministry has given us resources and a passion for people. In looking for God's direction we recognize His hand in laying out the next stage of our lives. We have searched our hearts and sought the Lord's face, always wanting to pinpoint what ministry challenge He would lead us into.
When we heard that the Vineyard Churches of Upstate New York had a burden to plant churches in the Dominican Republic we contacted them. A relationship was developed and we found out more about Team Dominican. After praying for some time we communicated that we felt God was leading us to join the team and pastor a La Vina in our families' native land. We plan on moving to the DR by December of 2003 knowing that friends and family are excitedly awaiting our arrival.
Please pray for us as we expect big and great things in the Dominican Republic because we serve a big and great God.
Chosen to bear fruit,
Modesto and Josefina Cedano