"The first step is to build their trust," said the Rev. Justo Andres in describing how to involve Filipino-Americans into the Episcopal Church.

Fr. Andres, a native of the Philippines, served as vicar of Holy Cross Church, a largely Filipino parish in Stockton, Calif, from 1983 until his recent retirement. Prior to that he served in the Diocese of Hawaii and in the Philippine Independent Church.

Building trust among the Filipino community -whom Fr. Andres estimates at 85 percent Roman Catholic by tradition - meant "persistence and being yourself," he said.

He explained that there is a large concentration of Filipinos in the San Joaquin Valley of California and in the San Francisco Bay area. He said many of the Filipinos are employed as agricultural laborers.

Fr. Andres and his wife Raquel visited the agricultural camps where the workers lived.

"It is hard to wait in church for them," said Mrs. Andres. "They work seven days a week."

So Fr. Andres went to them, and celebrated home Masses for them.

"They need to hear the word of the Lord," he said.

For those in Stockton, Fr. Andres and his wife provided counseling and assistance with immigration applications as a qualified amnesty center through Holy Cross Church, as a Jubilee Center.

"We made many citizens. It was a beautiful work of the church," he said.

Filipinos who chose to attend church were made to feel welcome.

"We try to just be friendly, so it's not a cold place," Fr. Andres said.

Many Filipinos "get very sensitive about being looked at up and down" as they enter a church, added Mrs. Andres. "They call it a church family, but it is not a family atmosphere."

The liturgy at Holy Cross was celebrated in English. Fr. Andres noted that there are three very separate dialects of the Filipino language, and use of one of them would mean that the service could not be understood by those who spoke one of the other dialects, or by those who spoke English.

Several programs to develop leadership and teamwork were started at the church.

"And we wanted to help keep the children out of the street and out of trouble," he said.

Mrs. Andres started a dance group among the church youth. The group appeared throughout Province 8 of the Episcopal Church.

Fr. Andres said Filipino people are very religious, and he anticipates continued growth in the mission he started in Stockton. He retired last year, and another Filipino priest is now serving at the church. Mrs. Andres now works at the Filipino Plaza, a residential program in Stockton. He continues to teach citizenship classes and counsel with the residents there.

Mrs. Andres was appointed to the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Committee (JPIC) of the national church by Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning.

"They are crying for people like Justo," said Mrs. Andres. "People who will counsel with them. Many have left their families behind in the Philippines and need someone to talk with."

The key to making Filipinos feel welcome "is to come down and be with them, and hold their hands," said Fr. Andres. "It has been a beautiful ministry."

Dick Snyder is a freelance writer who lives in Carson City, Nev.