For a while, Cristian and Marisa Aleman were trying to see what direction to take in their worship to God. All of a sudden the young couple felt a higher calling. Today Cristian and Marisa are leaders of Live It! Fellowship at Elim Covenant Church, 5201 18th Ave. Moline. Much like other Sunday services, they worship, pray and sing. But the difference to other services they conduct their services in English and Spanish.
“We sing a song in Spanish and then in English,” Marisa explains. “We’re not translating, we are doing both.”
They began their English and Spanish services on September 14th and they have received a very good response. Their fellowship es a diverse group that attracts bilingual people, people who want to better their English as well as people who want to better or learn Spanish.
Marisa, 29, is the daughter of Pastor Felipe Cantú, a very well known local preacher of Templo Alabanza, in Moline. She grew up with religious principles and in college she was involved in many leadership initiatives. She met Cristian, 32, when he participated in a service in Indiana and from there they stayed in contact and eventually their friendship turned more serious when he asked her to marry him and he moved to the Quad Cities to be with her.
“I always knew I would marry a preacher,” Marisa said. They are both currently studying to earn their accreditation as pastors.
Cristian was born in Brownsville, Texas, his parents, from Acapulco, Mexico, were migrant farm workers who moved from place to place searching for work. Finally they settled in Michigan where he attended Southwestern Michigan College. Cristian is a musician with a lot of talent who hasn’t received formal lessons.
“My father was a musician in Mexico, he played in a trio, he played guitar and sang. When I was 7 I learned to play drums, just by watching my oldest brother. When I was 9 I asked my dad to teach me to play guitar. He taught me a lot of chords. Then at 13 I taught myself to play bass, at 16 I taught myself to play the piano. First I would strum a chord on the guitar then I would try to find it on the piano,” affirmed Cristian.
The youngest son of a family of 9, he says his oldest brother has been an inspiration. He asked Cristian to be the Worship Leader at just 16 years of age.
After meeting Marisa and assisting her church for 1 year and a half at Templo Alabanza, Cristian was named Worship Leader and organized the songs, directed the band and directed the music while ministering the worship.
Cristian y Marisa had new ideas to take the word of God to more people and that’s when they received the call.
“A calling is like a spark, so to speak,” Cristian explains, “if you’re going to exercise a calling, you’re born with that spark.”
Marisa says they plans to organize a community service project every month by working with non-profit organizations other community groups. Plans in the future include training with the Red Cross not only for members but for everyone in the community. They also offer children’s ministry, dance ministry for young girls, community resources and more. Cristian y Marisa Aleman gather every Sunday at 5:05 p.m. as leaders of Live it! Fellowship. For more information call (309) 721-7866 or email at [email protected].
Also visit www.myspace.com/liveitfellowship7
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