Key points:
- Raquel Martínez is remembered as a faithful servant whose ministry strengthened the spiritual life of generations within and beyond the church.
- Throughout her life, she supported the pastoral ministry of her husband, Bishop Joel Martínez, taking on key responsibilities in music and worship across multiple congregations.
- She saw music as a way communicate the Gospel beyond language barriers.
Friends and colleagues are celebrating the “abundance of gifts” left behind by Raquel Martínez, a leader in sacred music, educator and advocate for bilingual worship in The United Methodist Church. She died April 12 at the age of 86.
“Our beloved sister Raquel was a gift to our community and to the entire Methodist Church,” said the Rev. Lydia Muñoz, director of El Plan for Hispanic/Latine Ministry. “Her contributions to liturgy and worship have made an enormous impact on the life of the church, and her legacy will be felt every time the church sings for many generations.”
For Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey, episcopal leader of the Rio Texas Conference — Martínez’s home conference — she was a welcoming presence.
“Señora Martínez was a gracious and loving soul. She carried a quiet gift offering words of encouragement that made you feel seen, heard and loved, even in a room full of hundreds. She welcomed you in and loved you as her own.”
Born Jan. 17, 1940, in Mexico, Martínez developed a ministry deeply rooted in music as an expression of faith, pastoral care and community formation. Her life and work reflect the essential contributions of Latina women to worship, Christian education and the mission of the church.
From an early age in Saltillo, Coahuila, Martínez showed a clear vocation for music. She began serving in her congregation as a child, first as a piano student and later as an active participant in worship. Her early formation was shaped by her family and congregational life, where singing and music were central.
After emigrating to the United States as a teenager, she continued her active involvement in the church in Brownsville, Texas. There, local leaders recognized her gifts and integrated her into the music ministry, where she served as a pianist, choir accompanist and collaborator in children’s programs.
Martínez furthered her education in Methodist institutions, including Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, and later completed studies in music education at the University of Texas at El Paso. She went on to earn a master’s degree in sacred music at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, strengthening her vocation and contribution to the church.
Jorge Lockward, minister of worship arts at The Church of the Village in New York and former director of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries’ Global Praise program, considered Martínez a mentor.
“(Her) legacy lives on in the many leaders she helped to form and the communities she helped to shape,” he said. “Raquel was a midwife of vocations. She had a remarkable ability to recognize gifts in others — often before they could see those gifts themselves — and to nurture them with intention, clarity and care,” Lockward said.
“Raquel did not simply lead — she multiplied leaders,” he added. “She cultivated spaces where others could grow, step forward and take their place. Like a gardener, she tended carefully; like a strong-winged bird, she created the currents that allowed others to rise.”
Throughout her life, she supported the pastoral ministry of her husband of 65 years, Bishop Joel N. Martínez, taking on key responsibilities in music and worship across multiple congregations. She directed choirs, organized worship music and supported the spiritual life of the communities they served.
Her contribution reached denominational impact when she served on the editorial team for the Spanish-language Methodist hymnal, “Mil Voces Para Celebrar.” The resource was adopted unanimously at the 1996 General Conference in Denver, marking a milestone in providing worship materials for Spanish-speaking communities.
In addition to her editorial work, she developed bilingual liturgical resources, including communion services, litanies and worship materials for multicultural settings, responding to the growing diversity of the church.
“As chief editor of ‘Mil Voces Para Celebrar,’ she ensured that the rich beauty of Hispanic culture was honored and integrated into the song and spirit of The United Methodist Church,” said Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr., who leads the Horizon Texas Conference.
“Raquel’s kindness, warmth and purity of heart reflected the love of Christ in every word and action. Her devotion to her beloved husband, her family and the church was steadfast, joyful and inspiring — a true example of what love is. We will miss her deeply, but her legacy of faith and inclusion will continue to inspire generations to come,” he said.
In recognition of her work, Martínez received an award from the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, highlighting her impact on sacred music and her sustained service.
Throughout her life, she emphasized the importance of music in Christian worship as a way to communicate the Gospel beyond language barriers. Her compositions reflect themes such as God’s mercy, the centrality of Jesus Christ and human suffering.
“Our beloved sister … leaves us with an abundance of gifts: her music in our hearing, her deep wisdom in our spirits, her loving kindness in our hearts,” said retired Bishop Minerva Carcaño. “Patient and persevering, she taught us the depth of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Through her abiding joy in being a faithful follower of Christ our Lord, she helped us see Him in our midst just ahead of us. While we will dearly miss her, we know by faith that she is just ahead of us, walking with Jesus.”
Martínez is remembered as a faithful servant whose ministry strengthened the spiritual life of generations within and beyond the church.
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“Her legacy is not only remembered — it is alive and sounding. We are still singing her songs, and through them, new voices continue to rise,” Lockward said.
Bishop Harvey said Martínez “lived a life that sang the Gospel through every note, every prayer and every act of compassion.”
“I will never open ‘Mil Voces’ without remembering her and giving thanks for her enduring impact on The United Methodist Church. … Her deep commitment to the Kingdom of God and to The United Methodist Church shaped everything she did. Her love of family, her devotion to the church, and her boundless compassion for the world leaves a legacy both tender and strong,” she said.
“Because of Raquel Mora Martínez, we can keep on singing.”
Her family shared in an obituary that Martínez entered hospice at home in early April after receiving a cancer diagnosis in March.
“Raquel’s heart was as big as the sky, and her empathy for the world knew no bounds. Often, after reading a newspaper story about someone in need, she would stop and pray on the spot,” the obituary said. “Despite a rapid decline, her faith never wavered, and in her final days, she often said, ‘I choose the Hand of God.’”
In her final interview with UM News, Martínez shared a phrase that summarizes her life and vocation: “Everything I am and everything I have done is by the grace of God.”
Survivors include Bishop Martínez and children Patricia (Doug), John and Becky (Eric).
Services will be at 1 p.m. U.S. Central time on April 21 at La Trinidad United Methodist Church in San Antonio, with a viewing beginning at noon. Graveside burial will take place at 11 a.m. April 22 at San Geronimo Cemetery in Seguin.
Memorial contributions may be made to Lydia Patterson Institute.
Vasquez is coordinator of Hispanic-Latin Relations at United Methodist Communications. For inquiries to UM News, contact (615) 742-5470, [email protected] or [email protected]. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.
