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Ingles Quick Connect - Covenant Church Chicago Illinois USA
Pastor
Aristides Mendez, first showed an interest in music when he was seven
years old.
Living with his grandparents in his native Guatemala, he
pulled the elastic bands from the under layer of his grandmother's skirt
and fashioned them like guitar strings by attaching them to a hanger.
This was both his first instrument and the cause for punishment when his
grandmother realized what young Aristides had done. By the time he was
twelve years old, he had his first real guitar and was singing at Middle
School. By the age of nineteen he was playing in night clubs.
That
same year Aristides came to know Christ in a personal relationship.
Looking back, the night club musician turned pastor sums up the
transformation by saying, "He changed my song and put a new song in my
mouth!"
Seven years later Aristides came to the U.S. to serve as
the worship lider at Elim Los Angeles, a Latino church in the Los
Angeles Area with about 2000 people attendance. It was there that he
began to write worship songs and released a number of CD's.
In
2003 he traveled to Italy, Sweden, and Spain and discovered that songs
he'd written had been translated into Italian.
In August, 2008 he
traveled with Pastor Walter, Director of Outreach and Hispanic Church
Planting, to Argentina. Together they journeyed to multiple churches to
minister through special services and workshops, and also be encouraged
by the churches' ministries. Once again, Pastor Aristides had the
experience of being surprised that so many he visited recognized both
him and his music. Pastor Walter reports, "Aristides was used by God in a
very unique way on this trip; he had no sense that his songs had
reached so far south.. His call to music and ministry has been confirmed
in a land where many people have been blessed by his music. In
Argentina Christians called him 'El Salmista' (Psalmist)."
One of
the better known songs Pastor Aristides has written is titled "Toda La
Noche Sin Parar" which translated to English means: Praise Him All Night
Without Stopping. Another famous song is titled "El Tabernaculo de
David", or The Tabernacle of David. As known and gifted as Pastor
Aristides is as a musician, it is clear in speaking with him that the
prayer of his heart is simply, "Lord, make me a vessel". It is in this
reality of serving God, and being a vessel that allows the Lord's
blessings to flow through him to others, that he finds his greatest joy.
To hear a cut of Pastor Aristides' worship music go to
www.elsalmista.com.  
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