wfn.org | Florida Renews Ties To Cuba

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (157
notes).

Note 155 by UMNS on June 13, 1997 at 15:44 Eastern (3961 characters).

 Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency
of the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn.,
New York, and Washington.

CONTACT: Linda Green                              343(10-71B){155}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             June 13, 1997

Florida United Methodists renew 
relationship with Cuban Methodists 

by Tita Parham*

     LAKELAND, Fla. (UMNS) -- The relationship between United
Methodists in Florida and Methodists in Cuba was renewed and
strengthened here May 29 when delegates attending the
denomination's Florida Annual (regional) Conference approved a
covenant to foster cooperative ministries.
     Approximately 2,000 conference clergy and lay members
witnessed Florida Area Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson and Rinaldo
Hernandez Torres, signing the document, making official the
relationship that began 114 years ago. Torres represented Cuba's
Bishop Gustavo Cruz who is recovering from a recent stroke.
     Later this month, Henderson will travel to Cuba to sign the
covenant with Cruz at the Cuba Methodist Annual Conference.
      According to the Rev. Clarke Campbell-Evans, pastor of
Fulford United Methodist Church, North Miami Beach and chairman of
the committee that drafted the document, "the covenant reminds us
that we need to strengthen the bond that's there, that we are
about the common work of God."
     Through the covenant, both churches will work together to
strengthen their ministries. "We don't want to charge in and say
this is our model. It's a collaboration, a mutual exchange of
resources and ministries," Campbell-Evans said.
     The annual conference will send work teams to Cuba to rebuild
churches and parsonages and help build Canaan Camp Assembly, a
retreat area for Cuban Methodists. 
     "We'll be working side by side in labor, love and support,"
Campbell-Evans said, adding the teams already have been sent to
Cuba to learn more about their faith and needs. The two groups
also hope to be involved in shared Bible studies and are planning
to write a series of daily devotionals to be used by both.
     Florida United Methodists will benefit from the Cuba
Methodists' vitality and energy, Campbell-Evans said. "They have a
real compassion for what's going on in their country."
     According to the Rev. Larry Rankin, mission ministry staff
person for the Florida Conference Council on Ministries, the
Methodist Church in Cuba has grown so rapidly it now has 10,000
members. An additional 30,000 people actively participate in the
church's ministry and activities and are waiting to become
members. Today, the Methodist Church in Cuba is second only to the
Catholic Church, the largest denomination in the country.
     Prior to the country's takeover by Fidel Castro, Rankin said
relationships between Methodists in Florida and Cuba were strong.
Between 1902 and 1968, both were under the same bishops. But when
Castro came to power, working together became impossible. Funds
could not be transferred from the United States to Cuba, and
travel was difficult.
     With the Cuban government's recent tolerance of religious
activity, the Cuban Methodist Church and others are growing; and
relationships with groups outside Cuba are possible once again.
     Rankin stressed, however, that "this is not a political
issue. We don't believe in political barriers. All we want is to
work together in ministry."
     Tom Griner, coordinator for the United Methodist Volunteers
in Mission in the Southeast Jurisdiction, said work teams have
been sent to Cuba for the past two years. A team from Lake
Magdalene United Methodist Church, Tampa, is scheduled to depart
for Cuba Aug. 1 for a 10-day construction project at either Camp
Canaan or in Havana. The team also will transport medicines and
vitamins to Cuba.
                              #  #  #

     * Parham is the editor of the Florida United Methodist
Review.
  

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