Our Pastor

Reverend Jesus De Los Santos

Meet Pastor Jess!

I was born and baptized as a Methodist in the Philippines particularly in Agno Pangasinan. I was named “Jesus” because I was born on the 25^th of December. I grew up in a Christian family with two sisters and three brothers. My parents, Alejandro & Cristalina De Los Santos (+), were both active members of the United Methodist Church in the Philippines. My mother was a Sunday School teacher and a Lay Speaker. She was a prayerful woman of faith. Since childhood, I attended Sunday School and I really loved to listen to Bible stories. Every time we had children’s fellowship in the district (mainland zone), all the contests (Bible quiz, Bible drill, and Bible memory verses) I joined in. I was the champion because my mother trained me well. I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ and asked Him to rule in my heart and be my Lord and Savior when I was in High School. Then God called me to enter the ministry, so I made the decision to serve Him at the age of 20. During my college years, I joined the “Asbury Chimes” choir as well as Union Theological Seminary. Actually, most of the time in my sermon I sing a song, that’s why they label me as a “singing pastor.” I really love music, because Jesus Christ is my MUSIC. 

One of my heart’s desires was to marry a deaconess. I’m so glad God granted my prayer. I got married at the age of 29 to Deaconess Imelda De Guzman, a Kindergarten Teacher. We were both assigned to different churches in the Philippines. Then I was appointed as a District Superintendent. Actually, I was the youngest District Superintendent appointed in our district. I really praise and thank God because He gave me a very supportive wife, my life partner in ministry. My wife has supported me in ministry and has been with me through thick and thin. Praise God, the ministry in our district flourished. Then our Bishop challenged me to apply as a missionary Pastor in Hong Kong. With God’s guidance, I was chosen among the seven applicants. The church is an international church with a British Senior Pastor, it is the Methodist International Church, Hong Kong. It’s composed of at least 25 nationalities but the majority of the church members are Filipinos. Most of them are overseas Filipino workers. With God’s leading and blessing, our ministry in Hong Kong as partners in the ministry, thrived and became significant. God also blessed us with handsome and gifted twin sons. We stayed in Hong Kong for nine (9) years and then moved back to the Philippines to fulfill God’s work in my wife’s home church. I was elected as the clergy delegate to the General Conference 2016 in Portland, Oregon, and the special session General Conference 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. During the 2016 General Conference, I met Bishop Cho through a retired Filipino bishop and it so happened that Resurrection UMC needed a Filipino Pastor at that time. So, Bishop Young Jin Cho interviewed me and decided to send me to Chesapeake, Virginia to meet with their District Superintendent and the SPRC of Resurrection UMC. To be honest, I didn’t expect this great opportunity to be appointed as a Pastor in the United States. My wife serves as partner in ministry by doing volunteer work in Christian Education, Music Ministry and many other involvements. My whole family is involved in the Church, especially, in the music ministry, such as: Praise Band, Choir, Ukulele, and Angklung – a bamboo musical instrument. We had six fruitful years in ministry at Resurrection UMC. Praise God! And thanks be to God for another opportunity of serving in ministry through the First UMC of Rice Lake and Canton UMC. I am praying for a joyful partnership in ministry as church family. It is my prayer that God will bless us more exceedingly and abundantly!