Greatest Hits / Final Blog of the Semester

I can’t believe this semester is coming to an end. It’s exciting but sad because I won’t have any more “projects” for my blog.  I wanted to display my best blogs of the semester. I really enjoyed all of my project assignments, so here they are:

 1.        Interactive Feature – Timeline – This timeline was one of my hardest projects; it also was one of the projects that took the most time to do. That is one of the reasons why it is my favorite.  Another reason is because I am truly inspired by the person that this timeline is about.

2.        Preview for Interactive Feature

 3.       Final Project – Profile Story – This project was another hard one that took a lot of time to do. I enjoyed getting to write a profile piece about my pastor because I learned a lot of information that I never knew about him before.

 4.      Preview for Final Project

 5.     Multimedia Interview – This project also took a long time to do. I loved all of my interview assignments. They required more work than all of my other assignments, but it was worth it in the end.

6.     Preview for Multimedia Interview

 7.    Photo Essay – This assignment received the most hits throughout the semester (mostly because it was posted on Facebook so that everyone I interviewed could read what I wrote about them). It was a simple project for my first assignment, but it was fun to do.

 8.    Preview of Photo Essay

9.    Other Interviews – I also enjoyed interviewing people who attend different churches in South Jersey: Cristina and Alison.

I would like to continue to update this blog after my class ends. I’m not sure if I want to change the focus off of being strictly for encouraging Christian college students or not. I will create new posts when I make my decision, so keep checking to see what is to come!

Final Project

On Sunday morning, the Rock of Salvation Church’s congregational prayer and fasting starts at 7:00 a.m., and that is when the pastor’s day starts. Rev. Benjamin Ocasio Sr. kneels at the altar to pray for another busy Sunday. Not only is he praying for that day, but his focus is on the future of Rock of Salvation. Ocasio has been the pastor of “the Rock” for 12 years. Now, he is preparing for the upcoming year and the changes that are in store for the church.

Ocasio, 50, is not an ordinary pastor. In 1998, he decided to quit his job at Ace glass, and focus entirely on his new position as the pastor of “the Rock.” He acknowledges that his upbringing has strongly influenced the way he has raised his kids. Ocasio supports his kids throughout their college experiences, and gives advice for Christian college students. He is encouraged by where his church is now, and looks forward to where the church will be in the upcoming years. 

Rev. Benjamin Ocasio Sr. when he was four years old.

Growing Up in Church

He was born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 14, 1959. Ocasio grew up in church. His father, Rev. Pedro Ocasio Sr., was the pastor of Church of God Mission Board in New York. He came from a big family.  His mother, Maria Ocasio, had four sons and two daughters.  Even as a child, Rev. Benjamin Ocasio Sr. was very involved in church. He was the leader of the kids’ church, cleaned up the church, and played the guitar. He just didn’t realize that he would follow in his father’s footsteps and pastor his own church someday.

His family moved to Vineland, NJ in 1970. Ocasio’s family continued to go to church. However, Ocasio didn’t continue to serve the Lord. In 1981, his father-in-law, Ramon Atiles, founded the Rock of Salvation Church. Ocasio started visiting the church, and his dad, Pedro Ocasio Sr. started coming to “the Rock” to support him. After two years, Atiles stepped down from pastoring “the Rock,” and Pedro Ocasio Sr. became the new pastor.

Rev. Benjamin Ocasio Sr. said he never saw himself as a pastor. He said he could see himself working in an administration level, but not as a pastor. Ocasio said he was called to be a pastor in the early 1980’s. At that time he was involved in the building fund committee.

“I just wanted to give a helping hand,” Ocasio said.

However, Ocasio knew that he was being called for greater things. On January 16, 1993, he became his father’s assistant. He was ordained as a minister by the Jameson Evangelistic Association in 1996. Rev. Benjamin Ocasio Sr. was installed as the pastor of Rock of Salvation on November 8, 1997.

There is someone else who likes “to give a helping hand.” Neyda Nieves, 47, has been working with Rev. Benjamin Ocasio Sr. since 2002. She is the treasurer, and helps with the ushers, missionary department, and decorating the church for special functions.

“I do a little bit of everything,” Nieves said. She has only good things to say about Ocasio.  “He has a compassionate heart,” she said. “He wants to help the community.”  She said he is a spiritual leader. “He leads by example—I’m blessed to work next to him.”

Family Values

Ocasio says his dad knew how to balance his pastoral job with the family. “It showed us the value of family and the Christian family,” he said. He says that it is important to take what one has learned from one’s parents and hope that it is produced in one’s kids. Ocasio says that when he was growing up, he always sat down with his family at the dinner table. This is something that he has continued to do with his kids throughout the years. He has been married to his wife, Naomi Ocasio, for 30 years. His son, Benjamin Ocasio Jr., is 27, and his daughter, Stephanie Ocasio, is 22. The entire family is involved in the ministry.

He supports his kids during their years of college. “We’ve always encouraged them to do better—because of the line of communication we have, they [Ben and Stephanie] share what they want to study.” Ocasio says they discuss how things will work out financially and with transportation. He says he wants them to “make sure that’s the career they want to take.”

Stephanie Ocasio says she never came home to a chaotic household. “Everything was peaceful,” she said. “Church values were incorporated in the house, but when we were at home we would do normal things that normal kids do.”  When Stephanie Ocasio spoke about how she was raised, she mentioned that her family always ate together for dinner.  She says that she liked getting to just talk about the day with everyone.

“You learn to respect your parents in two different ways. You respect them as your parents, but when you’re in church, you respect them as your pastors,” she said.

She is a senior at Rowan University. Stephanie Ocasio says that her parents never forced her to get a full-time job while she was in college; this gave her the opportunity to go to school full-time and work part-time.

“They’re really proud of me,” she said. “They tell me they couldn’t have done what I’m doing now.”

A New Year

After Sunday’s morning prayer is done (around 8:30 a.m.) there is a break.  Sunday School starts at 11:30 a.m.  When Sunday School starts, Ocasio makes copies of his afternoon message, in Spanish and English.  Then, he goes over his notes with his wife, Naomi Ocasio, who is the Spanish interpreter.  Rock of Salvation is a bilingual church.  Every service is interpreted in Spanish.  However, all of that is about to change in the upcoming year.  Instead, there will be two Sunday services:  one in Spanish and one in English.

On Sunday, December 6, 2009, Rev. Benjamin Ocasio Sr. announced that his church would be starting to have two services on Sunday, January 3, 2010. He said that it would require more help from the congregation to make the transition from one service to two services run more smoothly. That Sunday he preached a message called, “The Christmas Gifts.”

“I present to you today the hope of salvation,” Ocasio said.  He offered three Christmas gifts to the congregation: hope, peace, and love.

“Peace offered here today is not the peace that the world offers,” he said. Ocasio says that Christmas is not just another day on the calendar, but it is the day the “King of Kings and the Lord of Lords was born.”

A Church’s Vision

Once he starts having two Sunday services next year, Rev. Benjamin Ocasio Sr. plans on making bigger plans for “the Rock.”  In five years, he hopes to open another congregation and continue ministering overseas.  The church has participated in missionary trips to the Dominican Republic in 2005 and 2006.

Ocasio hopes that the church is “able to send men and women out, and do what God has called them to do.”

He hopes that the youth group members and young adults of the church “will be able to take the ministry to a new dimension as we depart.” He says that Christian college students should “get connected with positive people so you can stay focused on your goals.”

After Sunday school is over and the afternoon service is about to begin, Ocasio leaves the sanctuary at 12:45 a.m. He goes to the prayer room called The Secret Place, which was dedicated to his father, Pedro Ocasio Sr. Here he is away from all the distractions of everyone trying to get ready for the service.  He prays for what is about to take place on that day, and for the future of Rock of Salvation.

Preview for Final Project

Rev. Benjamin Ocasio Sr. after preaching his Sunday message. By: Stephanie Rockliss

My next post will be my final project for the semester, and one of my last blog posts.  I’ve interviewed quite a few people, and I thought my blog wouldn’t be complete unless it included someone who has impacted my life in a powerful way:  my pastor.  Rev. Benjamin Ocasio Sr. is the pastor of Rock of Salvation Church in Vineland, N.J.  I don’t want to reveal too much about him before I share my final project with everyone, but I will share some topics that won’t be in the project. 

Before Ocasio became a pastor, he worked at Ace Glass, in Vineland, N.J., for 14 years (from 1984-1998).  After he was installed as the pastor of Rock of Salvation on November 8, 1997, he had a decision to make.  He prayed and spoke with his family about leaving his job, to focus completely on his new position as the pastor of the church.  They agreed, and Ocasio has continued with this decision ever since. 

Ocasio says something to encourage Christian college students:  “Resist the temptations out there that are going to distract you from your Christian walk and from losing your focus.” 

He says that he wants the young people of his church to fulfill whatever dream they possess. Ocasio says the young people are the future of the church.  He says that they should “put God first in their lives.” When talking about his kids being in college, he says it’s important to “encourage them along the way.” He says he wants to be supportive and “always be there for them.” 

Stephanie Ocasio, 22, is Rev. Benjamin Ocasio Sr.’s daughter, and she is active in the ministries of Rock of Salvation.  These ministries include: the worship team “Chosen Nation”, the mime ministry “Faces of Glory, the choir “Divine Melodies”, doing PowerPoints for services (computer technician), the youth group “Rock Youth on a Mission”, and the young adults group. 

“Growing up was unique; even before my dad was a pastor, my grandparents were pastors,” Stephanie Ocasio said. “I was kind of always in the lime light.” She says that this caused her to mature quickly. “Being pastor’s kids, you have to mature quicker than normal. You see a lot of things, and you see what your parents go through. You need to have an understanding of things.” 

She has many good things to say about her father and pastor. “He’s a man of integrity,” Stephanie Ocasio said. “He doesn’t give up easily—he’s really good at multi-tasking. He just has a heart to help people.”  She says that he is good at talking with people. “Some people think you can’t talk to a pastor, but he’s really down-to-earth.” 

Stephanie Ocasio says she wants other people to know that he is human like everyone else. “Some people don’t realize he hurts just how we hurt—some people don’t consider how he will feel,” she said. Still, she knows that “he’s a man of prayer—he’s always looking for ways to give God the best at what he does.” 

Neyda Nieves, 47, has been going to the Rock since 2002. She says she has been working with the pastor ever since she first started attending the church. “He really cares about your spiritual growth,” Nieves said. “If you come to the church he wants you to grow in the Lord. He’s genuinely a good person.” 

Her mom has been at the Rock for over 25 years. Neyda Nieves says that when her mom was sick with liver disease, Rev. Benjamin Ocasio Sr. always used to visit her at the hospital.  She said he would go and pray for her, even if it was two in the morning.  She recalls him visiting the hospital one time on a Sunday.  It was an hour before the church service started, and he didn’t rush his visit.  He said everyone at church would be fine until he got there. 

“He’s committed to what he does.” 

If anyone is interested in visiting Rock of Salvation, one can visit 513 Grape St. Vineland, N.J. Here’s the weekly schedule: 

Tuesday’s: Kids Church – 7:30 p.m. 

Thursday’s:  first two of every month—Worship Service – 7:30 p.m. 

                     last two of every month—Youth Service – 7:30 p.m. 

Sunday’s:  Prayer – 7:00 a.m. 

                  Sunday School – 11:30 a.m. 

                  Explosive Service – 1:00 p.m. 

 Note:  This schedule will be changing in 2010.  This list will be updated when these changes are made. Also, the web site is under construction.

Interactive Feature

 

By: Melanie Guadalupe

 My interactive feature is a timeline about the life of Daisy Guadalupe.  The timeline shows a few of the significant points in Guadalupe’s life that have contributed to the person who she is today.  The focus of my blog this semester is to encourage Christian college students.  This assignment can relate to my blog easily.  I can’t see how anyone cannot be inspired by her.  She is truly an amazing person. 

Guadalupe has been through many hard times, but she is pressing forward because of God.  “I’ve had some tough times with health and my marriage, but the only reason I’ve been able to make it is because of my faith in God.  That’s the only way I’m here today and still standing,” she said. 

 In 2001, she was diagnosed with Scleroderma, an incurable skin disease.  This is the reason that Guadalupe stopped working as a licensed practical nurse.  “My doctor always says that I amaze her.  I amaze her because I’ve been through so much (with complications with the disease).  I’m doing so well now,” Guadalupe said.  She tells her nurse that it’s because of her (her nurse’s work and the medicine) and because of God that she is doing so well now.     

 I hope that any Christian college students (or anyone who reads this blog) will be encouarged as they read this timeline. 

Preview for Multimedia Interview

Nate Peña preaching at The Rock of Salvation Church. By: Cristina Garcia

My next post is going to be a multimedia interview on Nate Peña.  He works full-time as the office manager of an animal hospital, has a wife and newborn daughter, and is the youth minister at Maranatha Revival Church.  Peña is only 24 years old.  The interview is very in-depth so I don’t want to reveal too much, but I will share a couple of things that I wasn’t able to share in the multimedia interview. 

 When speaking about his job, Peña says that God gave him favor.  He was looking for a full-time job, and was called for an interview at Bandfield Animal Hospital.  However, the position he was interviewing for was only part-time.  The person speaking with him said that Peña didn’t qualify for the full-time job because he didn’t have the experience.  Also, there were other people applying for the job, who had the experience.  However when they called him back, Peña was given the full-time position.  When Peña asked why they chose to offer him the job, they told him they liked something about him.  Peña says that God’s favor is the reason why he received this job.

 The interview mentions that Peña is involved in an evangelism team at his church that was developed about a year ago.  He said that a few of his youth and him hold signs at two different locations:  on the street outside of Vineland High School and in downtown Vineland.  The signs have evangelical messages on them.  The young people who are involved in this team are not afraid to stand out.  Click here to see Maranatha’s facebook page.

 “We want our church to reflect that the gospel has no cultural boundaries,” Peña said.  We are not a Spanish church—we’re just a church.”  Peña has been the youth minister at his church for two and a half years.  He says that the youth group will be having their first youth rally in December.  Click here to see various videos of Peña preaching at his church. 

 

God-sent friends

The last post I did, Stand by friends, came from a message out of Our Daily Bread that really encouraged me.  It encouraged me because I’ve been blessed to have really great friends.  Therefore, I wanted to explain why my friends mean so much to me.

 First of all, the reason I have the faith that I have today is because I had friends who decided to reach out to me.  God used these friends to impact my life in a great way.  One friend shared with me how she received Jesus as her personal Savior, and I decided to make that same commitment to God.  Another one of my friends invited me to her church when we were in high school.  She had a passion for God; she wanted to serve Him in every gift and talent that she had.  That is one of the reasons why I wanted to become a member of her church, where I still am a member today.  Now these are two of my best friends.  Throughout the years we have become closer friends, and we trust each other more as our friendship grows.

 Two of my friends that go to my church helped me to grow in my faith.  Again, God used them to minister to my life; they’ve deposited scripture and encouragement into my Spirit that will never be erased.  As I went through different trials in my life, they were always there to speak life to me.  Their positive words rubbed off on me.  Now when situations happen that are discouraging, I’m able to look back on what my friends said to me, and keep moving forward in my walk with God.  I’m very grateful for my friends because they’ve seen me at my lowest points in my life, and God still made a way for them to minister to me.  God also made a way for us to continue to have a friendship.

 It’s really important for college students to have good Christian friends.  These are the kind of friends who should speak encouraging words, help their friends when they need it the most, and just be someone who one can have a good time with without getting involved in sin.  I didn’t find my best friends until I was 16, so if anyone reading this doesn’t have the kinds of friends I’m talking about don’t lose hope.  I believe that God sent these friends into my life for a reason.  If one prays to have true friendships, then one should find them.

Stand by friends

There is a message in Our Daily Bread for Friday, October 30, 2009 that really blessed me, so I thought it would bless other college students.  I enjoy writing about these devotions.  Here are some previous ones about praying for others, speaking the truth, and forgiveness.  The devotion talks about friendship, and how one realizes if they have a true friend.

 The devotion describes two types of friends:  runners and standers.  “At the first sign of trouble, the runner would bolt—abandoning you to whatever peril you were facing.  But a stander would stick with you no matter the circumstances.”  It goes on to say, “Rather than being concerned with what kind of friends we have, however, we ought to consider what kind of friends we are.”  Society says that we need to look out only for ourselves, but Christianity teaches that one should be a servant to others, expecting nothing in return.

 Being a college student can be hard.  One will encounter many different people.  It’s good to take advantage of these opportunities and to make a lot of friends.  However, one should be careful with who they choose to be their closest friends.  Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”  One can only hope that if one is a good friend, their friends will treat them with that same respect and gratitude of their friendship.

 The bible verses that go with this message are:  2 Timothy 4:9-18.  The verses speak about Paul and his one friend, Luke, who chose to stand by Paul’s side when he needed him most.  Luke was a stander; we should all follow his example and stand by our friends.  I encourage my readers to read the verses and the October 30, 2009 message of Our Daily Bread.

Favorite Bible verses

I enjoy posting messages from Our Daily Bread, but today I wanted to write my own small message.  My favorite bible verses are Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

 This verse can be relatable to anyone because everyone has anxieties in life.  However, I believe that college students can experience many different kinds of stress.  As college students, we feel pressured to get good grades so that we can succeed in college and our future careers.  Many college students have jobs, and other important obligations.  Also, we have stress about what our future will be like, and what our lives will become. 

 These verses say that instead of letting stress control our mind, we need to pray.  They say that if we pray, God will take away the worry we feel and give us an unexplainable peace.  God can renew our minds whenever we ask Him too. 

 Also, one must not forget to thank God for everything He has done for us.  Sometimes we go through certain situations in life, and it can seem as if God isn’t there or that he doesn’t hear our prayers.  This is when it’s most important that we praise God for his greatness and continue to thank Him, even when it’s hard for us to do so.  The verses say that our heart will be guarded; God can take any pain we may have experienced in life and He will renew our hearts.  

 Whenever I find myself beginning to worry about anything that is when I realize I need to give that thought over to God.  I do this because I realize that I can’t and shouldn’t handle the situation on my own.  I have to trust in God and surrender everything to Him.

Preview of Photo Essay

The next post I create will be a photo essay.  I asked eight different people the same few questions, and I’m going to post their answers here.  Two of the people I interviewed, Benjamin Ocasio Jr. and Patricia Ocasio, gave me detailed answers.  Therefore, I wanted to share their full responses in a separate post.

 One of the questions that I asked each person was, “What do you like about going to a bilingual church?”

 Benjamin Ocasio Jr. had many thoughts to this question.  “We’re able to still maintain our cultural roots, and still reach out to the English-speaking language,” he said.  “It provides a way for English-speaking folks to learn another language.  Ben Ocasio Jr. says that it’s an educational experience as well as a spiritual one.  “A church that’s bilingual is more open to missions.”  A mission’s trip is when a group from a church goes to another country to help with spiritual and physical needs.  “There’s no room for racism—it promotes diversity.” 

 Another question I asked each person was, “What would you say to encourage Christian college students?”

 Patricia Ocasio has a favorite bible verse that she says helped her through her years away at college.  It’s Isaiah 41:10 and this is the New Living Translation.  “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

 She speaks about balancing one’s time between school work and spiritual needs.  “Be disciplined and balanced.  Make God a priority, not an afterthought.”  She says,  “You have to find time in your schedule to just sit at His [Jesus’] feet—read the Word [the Bible] and pray.”  She said to “live your Christian walk out loud and live it hard.”  Also, she said to be a light that’s contagious and guides people.

Profile on Cristina Garcia

Last week, I wrote about a worship service I attended at another church.  This week I was able to interview Cristina Garcia, the girl I spoke about in my post.  She and I ended up having a really good conversation, and we enjoyed each other’s company.

 Cristina Garcia, 22, is attending Cumberland County College (CCC).  In January, she will be going to Wilmington University through a program at the University Center at CCC.  She will pursue a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science.  Also, Garcia attends Iglesia De Dios, Pentecostal M.I., Vida de fe.  This translates to Pentecostal Church of God, Life of Faith.

 She is the vice-president of the youth ministry at her church, and is involved with the worship team.  Garcia said that worship service was the first time her church had a service like that where only one worship team sang the whole time.  “Each person in the worship team led a song as the others sang background,” Garcia said.

 She had a good experience that night.  “I felt the presence of God.  I enjoyed seeing different churches worship together in unity.”  She said that college students “…need to be balanced in everything you do—with your studies and your walk with God.”  She said that when one does their best at school and takes time to seek God, “It gives you that comfort.”

She is looking forward to going on a youth retreat with her church next month to Camp Andrews in Pennsylvania.  Also, Garcia will be getting married in June.  She hopes to graduate with a master’s degree in social work to become a certified counselor.  Also, within a few years, she desires to record a CD.