Jesse Ortiz
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Jesse was raised in Anton Chico, New Mexico, thirty miles south of Las Vegas, New Mexico. He married Lorraine in 1971. They were introduced to the Church of Christ in 1975 and were baptized into Christ later that year. At that time, the Church in Anton Chico was served by a roving preacher, Tim Gomez. After a period of time, Tim suggested Jesse be allowed to present the lesson when Tim was out of town. The Church accepted this and Jesse began to preach.
Two years later, the congregations at Cleveland and Ojo Feliz, New Mexico requested for Jessie and Lorraine to assist them, which they did for two years. Then, the Church in Santa Fe asked Jesse to move to Pecos to begin a new work. They provided workers to teach in the initial vacation Bible school and helped in planting the Church. About this time, Harold and Sally Paden moved to Northern New Mexico and started a School of Biblical Studies. Jessie studied there and gained experience. From 1986-1989, he preached at Fort Sumner where Jesse and Lorraine worked in a specific ministry to train people, disciple and evangelize.
After working there 3 years, the Montgomery Church of Christ in Albuquerque supported Jesse and Lorraine to move back to Pecos, where Jesse preached for the next 10 years. During that time, the Church grew, land was purchased and a permanent place of worship was established.
The Church in Albuquerque then sent Jesse and Lorraine to Sante Fe. They worked with the Galisteo Church of Christ for 3 years. Once again, the Church in Albuquerque asked Jesse and Lorraine to move and to minister to a group of small congregations in the mountains of Northern New Mexico. They purchased an RV in which to live and pulled a trailer which was outfitted to serve as a classroom, computer room and library. The Churches in Bernallilo, Las Vegas, Taos and Espanola are some of the places where Jesse and Lorraine lived and worked during the next three years. There Jesse preached, taught at youth meetings, and with Lorraine, held marriage classes, parenting classes, and meetings to enable people to deal with and overcome alcohol addiction.
Jesse and Lorraine are returning to Sante Fe to work with the local Church and in the jail ministry. They have 3 sons and 4 granddaughters. They lost their only daughter when she was 17 at the time they lived in Pecos.
Oversight Congregation: Montgomery Church of Christ in Albuquerque, New Mexico