Sonido de Alabanza (Cicero, Illinois, USA)
The Iglesia Menonita Hispana on 19th Street in Chicago, Illinois, began in 1977 as an outreach of the Mennonite Board of Missions, under the leadership of Guillermo and Lilia Espinoza, two Bolivians who had earlier begun the Iglesia Menonita Evangélica in Chicago in 1972. In 1981, Juan B. Ferraras, a Mennonite minister in Coamo, Puerto Rico, and his family moved to the mission.
In 1984, the Iglesia Menonita Hispana came into contact with the Maranatha Ministry, headed by Apostle Nahúm Rosario in Chicago. This profoundly impacted the life of the church and the Ferreras family. Juan Ferreras was baptized in the Holy Spirit, and everything changed, including the name of the Church, which became Sonido de Alabanza (Sound of Praise). Its worship turned in a charismatic direction.
In April 1991, the congregation moved from West 51st Street in Chicago to Cicero, a nearby suburb, where it purchased the former First Baptist Church of Cicero. In 1996, it moved to a former American Legion Hall. Many of the congregation's members had moved to Cicero as their economic situation improved. It moved to a larger facility in 2014 after a legal battle with the Town of Cicero.
In 1999, the congregation established the Ministerio Internacional Sonido De Alabanza under Juan Ferreras' leadership as Apostle. This included outreach in the United States, Guatemala, and Colombia. His son, Esdras, became pastor of the Central Church in Cicero.
In 2014, a youth pastor at the congregation, Juan David Ferreras, was charged with child sexual abuse. He was turned in to authorities by his brother, the lead pastor.
By 2018, the church had satellite congregations in Addison, Joliet, and Chicago, Illinois. It oversaw Ministerio Internacional Sonido de Alabanza, which had locations in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Guatemala.
Bibliography
ABC7. "Cicero youth minister Juan Ferreras accused of child sex abuse." 9 April 2014. Web. 28 February 2024. https://abc7chicago.com/archive/9497632/.
"Apostol Juan B. Ferreras." Iglesia Central Sonido De Alabanza. 2022. Web. 28 February 2024. http://www.sonidodealabanza.com/misda.html.
"Historia De Sonido De Alabanza." Iglesia Central Sonido De Alabanza. 2022. Web. 28 February 2024. http://www.sonidodealabanza.com/central.html.
"Mennonites say town holding up construction." theMennonite 12, no. 6 (17 March 2009): 6.
Miller, Jim. "Vibrant church near Chicago launches growth plan." Everence. 20 December 2018. Web. 28 February 2024. https://www.everence.com/everence-articles/everyday-stewardship/your-stories/2018-fall-sonido-de-alabanza-is-making-a-move.
Smith, Willard H. Mennonites in Illinois. Studies in Anabaptist and Mennonite History, 24. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1983: 426, 453, 546.Smith, Willard H. Mennonites in Illinois. Studies in Anabaptist and Mennonite History, 24. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1983: 426, 453, 546.
"Sonido de Alabanza, Cicero, Ill." Gospel Herald 84, no. 28 (9 July 1991): 15.
"Sonido V Cicero 2 09" Scribd. 19 February 2009. Web. 28 February 2024. https://www.scribd.com/document/12644373/Sonido-v-Cicero-2-09.
Additional Information
Address: 5540 West 25th Street, Cicero, Illinois 60804
Phone: 708-780-1170
Website: http://www.sonidodealabanza.com/index.html
Denominational Affiliations: Illinois Mennonite Conference
Pastoral Leaders at Sonido De Alabanza
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Guillermo Espinoza | 1977-1981 |
| Lilia Espinoza | 1977-1981 |
| Juan B. Ferraras (Apostle) |
1981-1999 1999- |
| Maritza Ferras (Associate) | 1999-2008? |
| Esdras E. Ferraras (Associate) (Lead) |
1999-2004 2004- |
| Alejandra Mendoza (Associate) | 2002?-2008? |
| Sergio Nava (Associate) | 2008?- |
Sonido De Alabanza Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 60 |
| 1990 | 56 |
| 2000 | 300 |
| 2009 | 800 |
| 2020 | 1200 |
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | February 2024 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Sonido de Alabanza (Cicero, Illinois, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. February 2024. Web. 27 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Sonido_de_Alabanza_(Cicero,_Illinois,_USA)&oldid=178374.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (February 2024). Sonido de Alabanza (Cicero, Illinois, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 27 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Sonido_de_Alabanza_(Cicero,_Illinois,_USA)&oldid=178374.
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