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The Mariachi Bridge - Missionary to America Alex Merlo
- Luke Symmank
- May 12
- 3 min read
“Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, ‘Sir, we want to see Jesus.’” John 12:21
This Is What the Church Looks Like Now
Alex Merlo sits back in his chair and smiles. He is remembering the dedication of the San Pablo building, the beginning of the worship service. The organ cared for so long by the Anglo congregation was in full voice as the congregation sang the theme song of the Reformation, “A Mighty Fortress is our God.” At least that’s the way it went at the beginning.
Suddenly, a transition in the music, a bridge, as the mariachi band picked up the melody and the singing continued, but in Spanish and English, lifting the worshippers to see beyond this world to a multiethnic host surrounding the throne of God, praising Him. But there is more to the story.
From Honduras to Aurora
Alex Merlo began life in Honduras. Like many from Central America, his family, like the Germans before them, were looking for a better life. They are also people of deep faith, although not usually Lutheran Christians.
Pastor Jock Ficken of St. Paul Lutheran in Aurora, Ill., saw the opportunity to partner with Alex and, under Alex’s leadership, St. Paul reached out to its changing neighborhood. As Pr. Ficken looks back, he believes there was too much paternalism in how the Anglos related to the new Spanish-speaking members.
“We Anglos understood we had to work with people of a different culture. What we did not see was we had a culture that the Spanish speakers had to navigate.”
Sin is real, and people are broken. It took patience to navigate the cultural side roads. It took forgiveness to get them back on track. Jesus died for every ethnic group – He is the Bridge that unites us. “By grace we are saved” became not just a Bible verse; this became the guiding star to a successful Hispanic mission.
As more Spanish-speaking immigrants moved close to the old German church, Pastors Merlo and Ficken realized there was an opportunity for both ministries to grow. St. Paul helped San Pablo transition to become the lead mission at the Aurora location. Arrangements were made between the partners for San Pablo to own the building and the Anglos to move elsewhere.
Walls That Learned New Languages
The intention of the Anglo church was to provide a place where Spanish-speaking people could worship. The sanctuary had been built by other immigrants, people of faith from Germany fleeing persecution. The walls of the church in Aurora, Illinois, had absorbed German, but later, as the children of the immigrants adapted English, the walls learned those words. Now, Spanish would grace the walls. That is not the end of the story.
The Spanish mission in Aurora attracted young couples with children. At school, their children spoke English. The Spanish-speaking parents loved the mariachi music, loved their language, but saw the need for their children to grow into Anglo culture. An English worship service was added. The neighborhood and the church are becoming more diverse. The gospel continues to be shared in Spanish and English.
Pr. Merlo credits the Anglo leaders, especially Pr. Ficken, with being good mentors.
“They cared for us, they opened their hearts to know us. They showed us Jesus.”
Check out Alex's full story here!
More Stories Like This One
At Mission Nation Publishing, we inspire and equip churches to reach new ethnic groups in America with the gospel of Jesus. One of the ways that we do this is by publishing the stories of immigrants. If Alex's story inspired you, I would encourage you to check out our book collection and find more stories that show God's unfailing love through His people.
I want to invite YOU to check out our books, where you can learn more about what it means to engage with your community and better serve those around you. Click HERE to see our books. Specifically, I want to point you to Together in Mission. This resource is designed both
for congregations preparing to step into cross-cultural ministry and for those already engaged in it. It serves as an introduction to the vision of Revelation 7:9 and the work we carry out at Mission Nation, helping you move forward grounded in the Word and equipped for the work ahead.
Rev. Dr. Bob Scudieri
Founder of Mission Nation Publishing
Mission Nation Publishing is dedicated to inspiring and equipping churches across America to effectively engage with and minister to new ethnic groups by amplifying the powerful stories of immigrant missionaries and fostering diversity within Christian communities.
Thank you for journeying with me through this exploration of ministry tools. May your efforts bear fruit and your community flourish.
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