Retreat Catering
UNA Caters, a new ministry of Iglesia Aliento UMC, fed Desert Southwest Conference participants at a recent retreat. (Desert Southwest Conference Photo)
Desert Southwest Conference | Sept. 16, 2025 |
Pastor Luis Nazario of Iglesia Aliento UMC has always loved to cook, no matter the amount of people, but he has only recently turned this passion into the catering ministry – UNA Caters, part of Un Nuevo Aliento and Iglesia Aliento UMC.
The idea first took shape last year when his wife, Rev. Flor Granillo of Iglesia Aliento UMC, was looking for a way for members to celebrate Mother’s Day. Luis suggested offering a meal after worship where everyone could share food, fellowship, and community. The meal was a resounding success, with about 75 people gathering to eat together and connect in meaningful ways.
Encouraged by Rev. Rachel Gilmore, Director of New & Vital Faith, Luis began exploring how meals could extend his other food ministry, Yahweh Ice, a food truck. He also saw this as a chance to create more avenues for ministry at Iglesia Aliento. As Luis explains, “it is important for all churches, especially new churches, to have many routes of ministry in order to sustain themselves, so it is time to think outside of the box.”
Since then, UNA Caters has provided meals for a variety of gatherings, including the Desert Southwest Conference’s Co-Creator Retreat and an East & West District luncheon. But the ministry goes beyond serving food. Pastor Luis shares, “At UNA Caters, we believe that food not only satisfies a physical need, but also nourishes the soul and strengthens the spiritual health of those who share it together.”
UNA Caters menu
Menus are thoughtfully created for each event, blending Luis’s knowledge of cooking and the assistance of AI tools to generate menus full of intention and excellence in flavors to make an “atmosphere where people feel celebrated and validated and community naturally flourishes.”
Looking ahead, Pastor Luis dreams of a dedicated gathering space for UNA Caters where folks can gather for community and food – where meals and ministry can happen side by side, youth can find both community and employment opportunities, and profits can help sustain the work of Un Nuevo Aliento and Iglesia Aliento UMC.
For now, UNA Caters is actively seeking a local commercial kitchen space to prepare meals for events while meeting city catering requirements. This opens the door for creative partnerships with local ministries that may already have kitchen facilities available but unused.
This article is republished with permission from the Desert Southwest Conference website.