Closing Worship

Because tomorrow is the first of May and many roads in Havana will be closed, with five hours notice, the closing act of worship was moved to an earlier time. The church was still full to overflowing. There was a palpable sense of the presence of God's joy, peace and power. Thanks be to God for the witness of the MC Cuba to the living power of God's Holy Spirit. Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

Statistics

I don't think I have enjoyed a statistics session as much as the one in here today. Eight years have seen the MC Cuba cover nearly 90 per cent of the country. But this is not just about figures, it is about changed lives and faith that believes the impossible is possible. Whatever happens in the future here, the Methodist Church in Britain has worked with the MC Cuba to change lives and fill them with hope. Take a look at this map... There are gaps... I am confident they will be filled. I asked what the expectation was for the next four years? The reply was... We expect to grow to 70 thousand members. The statistician then reminded the church that if that was the case, then the MC Cuba would face a problem - where to put the new members, considering that there can be no NEW church building in Cuba!

Take a hard look at the second photo. This is a Methodist salad created by people glad to be part of the world wide Methodist family. Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

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Bishop's Report

The following has just been received as part of Bishop Ricardo Pereira's report. "We have a pastoral body united and committed to God's mission. It gives joy to report that the number of pastors seeking to move to improve their personal circumstances has diminished. The number seeking to stay with high expectations of their church growing is increasing. I asked a pastor how many years he had been in the same place. When he said nine, I said that maybe it was time for him to move to a better station. 'Bishop', he told me,' as much as your words assure me of your love, don't move me now. The leaders of the town are being converted, the neighbours are being reached and God is meeting our needs"
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The vision starts here

Today we were taken on a short visit to a piece of land that the Methodist Church in Cuba was purchasing from the state. The vision is to build six blocks, two with two bedroom apartments and four with three bedroom apartments for seminary professors to live in. We all gathered we firmly planted our feet on the ground and in a chain of prayer the ground we stood on was claimed for the glory of God. A first time for everything.

Theological formation of every member of the Church is a key priority for the MC Cuba, pray that God will more and more realise this vision. Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

Rebuilding

From premises that were returned to them three years ago, the MC Cuba has created a seminary that provides 500 students and staff per year, quality theological development. The Methodist Church in old Habana.
Church and state have been busy building relationships of respect despite having a different view point on many issues. Government Ministers share a meal after a time of questions by international visitors to the General Conference Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

 

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Please Pray

Pray for those training and offering theological education in Cuba.

Thank God for the on going development of State and Church relationships in Cuba

Cuban Government Minister asks that we pray that the drought currently affecting Cuba may cease.
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Easter Sunday

Not a normal Easter Sunday but very special. No hymns, no music, no enthusiastic, charismatic group of young people leading the praise band. Just people walking quietly into church, refreshed by the nights cool. As they wandered in they sat silently, prayed and opened their bibles. I sat for a while and prayed as the trickle became a flowing stream. I had to leave, breakfast was ready, this was an hour and a half before worship was due to start. The rest of the day was a journey of 600 miles from Guantanamo to Habana, passing close to the Bay of Pigs and the Santa Clara Mountains. My companions on the journey were the DS Juan Carlos, his wife Joeli and their nephew Sandie - the pastor at Guantanamo.

Please pray for those that have only the basic to meet the large basket of needs in Cuba.

Please thank God for the faith of people like Juan Carlos and Joeli, whose confidence in God is a vital part of the growth taking place.

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While it was still dark

While it was still dark I woke up this morning and felt quite alone. Thousands of miles from close family I looked for a way of getting close to them. The text message I sent as I thought about them, read Happy Easter and ended with love. Within a few moments a reassuring reply came back and after I had spoken to my family, heard a familiar voice, the world did not seem so big and I did not feel so alone. Was this something of what Mary Magdalene felt?

Yesterday, Saturday I visited three "small" churches whose memberships had been built up from scratch in a few years. The smallest has 105 members and they all have three or four mission stations that are not yet able to support themselves and the Minister. I was struck by many things.

As I ask colleagues for their thoughts on why many churches in Cuba are growing, there seems to be a sense of why not? - it feels like a community of mostly early believers that have not known any other way. Was this what Mary and the other disciples of Jesus must have felt?

I am humbled by my Cuban colleagues in ministry for most of whom their home almost every day is a thoroughfare for church life. They welcome me as they welcome everyone else in the church, with an open door and heart. You rest when you need to with no sense of need for, or discomfort, at the absence of private space. Is this something like Mary's place must have felt like to visit?

In every church we visited, there was a board with members record of their tithes - they were almost all up to date with their offering. This is a church that takes so much of the Bible literally. Something that at times makes me feel quite uncomfortable.

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Good Friday

I started my journey today going to one place (Santiago de Cuba) and ended up in Guantanamo! Not to be detained but to worship with the Methodist Church here. Six year ago it had a membership of 700 now it is close to 1400. In greeting the congregation. Without thinking I announced "Cristo Vive" - Christ is alive. The response was one of the loudest hallelujah's I have ever heard. This was followed by what seemed an eternity of applause. Like Calvary this place has become well known for cruelty done in the name of the people. The place of cruelty Calvary was outside a city, as it is here. In Guantanamo, as in Jerusalem " Cristo Vive".

PS. Today is a normal working day in Guantanamo, Cuba, there were no empty seats in the church " Cristo Vive".
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Holy Thursday

We gathered, we celebrated, the word was proclaimed, feet were washed and we ate and drank. An hour later we had just finished sharing with those in the church and those outside. Thank God for the life and joy of the MC Cuba.
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Cameos of the first day

Wednesday April 20.

Arrived well and safely after 17 hours en route in time to enjoy the warm evening breeze. As I enjoyed the fortifiying drink, the smell of a cigar wafted in my direction. A brilliant pianist played a wonderful classic. Internet access?? - that's going to be difficult. Blackberry to the rescue though. Very tired and time for rest.

Thursday 21st. Getting ready for meeting with Bishop. Have breakfast. Another brilliant pianist starts with "when you wish upon a star" As a waiter distributes a note about NOT taking food away with you (see picture) the tune changes. "Amazing grace..." This evening, the celebration of the Last Supper.
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Off to Cuba

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