Mourning the loss of Rev. Manny Ortiz

[Matthew Grewe]

Dear friends, greetings from Germantown Hope.

Today we mourn the passing of Rev. Dr. Manny Ortiz, pastor of our parent church, Spirit and Truth Fellowship in the Hunting Park neighborhood of Philadelphia. Manny was a shepherd, mentor, and friend to our church's leaders and a support to our congregation from the beginning. He faithfully led Spirit and Truth as a local church focused on the gospel and the needs of the local community, but also sent out teams of leaders and families to plant churches in 8+ other locations in Philadelphia.We will all miss his warm heart and spirit of wisdom and integrity.

Please pray for his family and for the extended church family now in mourning, and may we honor him by loving God and loving others as he did in living out these verses from 1 Peter 5:
To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.