By Nancy C. Nicolas
The Rev. Enrico R. Esguerra’s call to pastoral ministry came quite unexpectedly after a near-fatal vehicular accident on October 15, 1994. He was a manager in a McDonald’s fast-food chain at the time.
Driving at 70 miles per hour, the six-wheeler truck In front of his vehicle stopped suddenly. The witnesses feared the worst. Miraculously, Esguerra emerged unharmed.
“God saved me!” was all he could proclaim. Two months later, he resigned from his managerial position and entered the ministry.
Now at 56, he has since been ordained as an elder of the United Methodist Church, For the past seven years, he has been a pastor in the United States of America. The decision to move to another country was not an easy decision. He spent a year in prayer before accepting the call.
He started serving at Goreville United Methodist Church and Creal Springs United Methodist Church in December 2018 and stayed there until July 2023. Currently, he ministers at Wesley and Saint Mark United Methodist Churches.
“I thank God’s grace, the support of church members, and guidance from Bishop Frank Beard, Rev. Janice Griffith, Rev. Steve Granadosin, and District Superintendent Rev. Stan Irvin the IGRC Family, and the NAFAUM community for my family’s smooth transition to the U.S.,” he remarked.
He viewed serving in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference as an opportunity to make a meaningful impact. He also committed to enhancing his knowledge of church administration through his studies at Garrett Seminary, which he believes will empower him to serve more effectively in his ministry.
Esguerra’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Commerce with a major in Accounting from San Sebastian College in Manila, followed by a Master of Business Administration from Philippine Christian University and a Master of Educational Management from the Philippine Normal University.
Esguerra completed his theological studies and earned a Master of Divinity with High Honors in 2001. He furthered his education at Union Theological Seminary in the Philippines, earning a Doctor of Ministry in 2014, and serving as both the UTSSA Student Council President and UTS Alumni President.
He is currently pursuing an online Juris Doctor degree at Adamson University in Manila. At the same time, he is studying Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles at Harvard University.
He is married to Myra D. Esguerra, a kindergarten teacher and deaconess, who joined the Illinois Great Rivers Conference in 2020. Together, they have three musically gifted children: Henrick August, Enrico Micah, and Marie Adelaine.
His ministry journey has been both fruitful and challenging, beginning with church planting in rural areas, and then progressing to roles as an associate pastor and administrative pastor in urban settings.
By 2013, he became the administrative assistant to Bishop Rodolfo A. Juan, and in 2014, was appointed District Superintendent of the Northwest Metro Manila District of the Philippines Annual Conference. He organized community medical missions, distributed relief goods to disaster victims, and initiated feeding programs for the homeless.
He also played a key role in establishing Barsha United Methodist Church in Dubai, UAE, and is an active member of the Asian Methodist Council, which has taken him on mission trips to Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Abu Dhabi.
For the past three years, Esguerra has been part of the Volunteers in Mission Philippines, traveling to assist churches affected by calamities such as typhoons and volcanic eruptions.
His faith journey is anchored in the verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13, KJV).
Guided by the Holy Spirit, Esguerra strives to fulfill God’s will for His glory and is deeply thankful for a transformative relationship with the Lord that continually calls him to serve faithfully.
