Report from Rev. Liudmila Hernandez

Vice Moderator and Chair of Council

Central Presbytery of Cuba

September 2017

The Central Presbytery, which belongs to the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Cuba, has 13 churches and 8 missions in 3 provinces in central Cuba:

  1. Villa Clara.
  2. Sancti Spíritus.
  3. Camaguey.

We are 7 pastors (3 women and 4 men).

Currently the Presbytery owns 2 buses to perform all the work they do and 5 of the pastors have cars which facilitates transportation to the churches they attend to.

The minimum distance between each place we attend is 40-50 Kilometers.

Most of our churches in the Presbytery were founded more than 90 years ago and even though the Presbyterian identity is very strong and our churches never closed, there is a great need to continue developing leaders among not only the new members but also those who returned to the church in the 1990’s.

Education in Cuba is controlled by the government. That is why churches in Cuba are not allowed to have schools, as they were before 1959. However, still the churches have found other ways to serve and share the good news through teaching projects such as:

Language learning.

Music (they participate in choirs, learn to play instruments such as guitar and piano).

Ecology.

Forming of values.

Crafts and sewing.

Sports.

Programs of healthy recreation.

Of course, at all churches we have classes on Sunday and during the week according to the different ages, especially to learn Bible; with youth other topics are covered such as Presbyterian identity, history of the church, Liturgy, etc.

In our churches, we have projects or social work with families, couples and especially with elders (the most vulnerable social group in Cuba).

Basically, all churches have:

Feeding programs (breakfasts or lunches are offered to retired or needy people, regardless as to whether or not they are members of the church).

Laundry.

Recreation programs to raise the expectancy of life.

Support to persons with Cancer.

Central Presbytery and Central Florida Presbytery signed a partnership agreement in September 2013. From then on, mutual visits and exchange started as the greater example of how the unity in Christ overcomes all barriers and social differences, economic or political.

Central Florida Presbytery has been helping Cuban Churches in many different ways. Mission trips are very important for the two groups getting to know each other face to face and to break down barriers. During these times we are able to identify and plan which mission areas need more assistance.

From many years Cuba has been suffering from a lack of medications. Most regular medications that you have in the United States are not available in drugstores in Cuba. Central Florida Presbytery has been of great assistance in this matter, providing medications for children and adults.

In the last few years our Presbytery was able to improve the situation with transportation for both our pastors and with the buses for activities for our congregations.

The two buses are used for the Programs and activities of the Presbytery and the churches:

Transportation to formation activities at a Presbytery level.

Transportation to Assembles of women or youth.

Transportation to summer camps.

Buses are rented to groups that visit us and the funds are used for the work of the Presbytery.

As I said before, there are 5 cars assigned to pastors that need to assist other churches. One pastor uses a motorcycle to assist his churches.

The Cuban church is alive, even after all the rough stages our society has lived through. We continue to be a church that celebrates faith intensely. As we speak, there is a bit more open dialogue with our government.

Churches in Cuba have the mission to serve and live for people in need and the ones who are alone and abandoned. For that we must prepare because it is necessary to learn how to educate a child that´s coming to the church alone (without any family) in the true values of the kingdom. We´re a church seeking better ways to serve and live with the community; that’s why it is so important for us to find ways to educate the people and develop leaders.

The ministry of education and formation of leaders has been enriched in the past year. Our Presbytery was able to perform programs and develop leaders in our local churches so that our churches can try and find the support our churches need.

Many of the people that collaborate with churches in Cuba, they do it out of a sense of joy because the church offers hope, and an opportunity for a sense of purpose to their lives.

Thanks to the support of Central Florida Presbytery, our Presbytery has developed programs for leaders of different ages and in different subjects.

Our Presbytery is located 300 Km from the only seminary where Theology is taught, or any other matters related to the church. That is why it is so valuable for pastors and other leaders in the church to be able to share through these lay leadership programs of formation in Bible, Liturgy, Christian Education, and Vocation.

As in every exchange, I think that Central Florida Presbytery has grown with our partnership as well. To be able to visit and accompany us is always an opportunity for friendship, for relationships, to pray together, to share the richness of our music, our food, our hospitality, and to preserve the values that we consider a treasure in Cuba today.

I thank our God for this opportunity to make the unity of the body of Christ grow between two countries that have many differences but in Church find a bridge to reconciliation.