Zumba By Patricia Strutz
in the parking lot. About 60 participants follow Zumba® instructor Gonzalo Hernandez’s lead. Tere are lots of twists, turns, lunges and laughter. It’s just another Turs- day night at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bradenton, Fla. Each week Hernandez (gonazalo_hernandez3@
ANNA HERNANDEZ ®
to be a wonderful community outreach ministry.” Zumba®, a dance-fitness pro-
as evangelism Y
eah, yeah, yeah, que no pare la fiesta! Don’t stop the party!” Pitbull’s rap music blares over the loudspeaker
yahoo.com) lives out his faith in a distinctive way—by volunteering his expertise and seemingly endless energy with fellow members and the community at large. Located in a residential area, many neighbors walk over to the church and join the fun. Others honk their horns and wave as they drive by. “What started out as a response to our church’s mis-
sion to ‘care faithfully for the treasure of our bodies’ has grown into so much more,” said Bobbie Blackburn, pastor. “Stressing scriptural support, such as 1 Corinthi- ans 6:19-20, we are emphasizing a healthy body stew- ardship. Zumba® is great exercise, but it has also proven
Gonzalo Hernandez leads a group of Zumba® partici- pants at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bradenton, Fla.
gram created by Alberto “Beto” Perez in the 1990s, incorporates international and Latin dances, such as salsa and merengue, with aerobic exer- cise. Paired with rhythmic music, it improves muscle strength, posture, mobility and coordination. Trinity’s program has attracted a variety of people.
On any given night, male and female dancers range in age from 4 to 75. Tey come from all facets of life—a mix of different races, cultures and professions. Zumba® provides physical exercise as well as social
interaction for folks who may not normally be together. “Weather permitting, we dance outside,” said Her-
nandez. “It’s a great way to encourage our neighbors to venture over. On inclement days, we move the activi- ties indoors. For many people, this provides their first introduction to our church. Some of them have become Trinity members. Of course, we start each session with a warm welcome and an invitation to our services.” Te class is just one part of Trinity’s commitment
to health stewardship. In addition to other exercise opportuni- ties, Trinity formed a team to address health concerns and offers nutrition seminars.
Author bio: Strutz is a writer in Stuart, Fla.
February 2015 39
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52