wfn.org | Coverage Request - Cuban Evangelical (Protestant) Celebration

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA 
Contacts:  Cuban Council of Churches, Havana
  (537) 241788 or (537) 241792
  Fax (537) 240454

  (U.S.) National Council of Churches, New York
  NCC News: (212) 870-2227; Fax (212) 870-2030
    Email: news@ncccusa.org  Web:  www.ncccusa.org

COVERAGE REQUEST - CUBAN EVANGELICAL (PROTESTANT) CELEBRATION
June 20 Beginning at 10 a.m., Plaza de la Revoluci˘n Jos‚ Marti,
Havana, Cuba

We encourage media to take advantage of this opportunity to get
the story of the exponential growth of Cuba's Protestant
churches.  According to the Cuban Council of Churches Studies
Center, 300,000 Protestants and 280,000 Roman Catholics worship
regularly in Cuba (1998).  The Cuban Council of Churches' member
churches, some of which are more than 100 years old, are deeply
rooted in Cuban society.  The Methodist Church in Cuba has
tripled its membership in the past five years, the Presbyterian
Church in Cuba is among the fastest growing Presbyterian churches
in the world.

The Havana event - with many guests expected from abroad
(including more than 20 from the U.S. National Council of
Churches) marks the conclusion of a month-long celebration that
has included dozens of national, provincial, municipal and local
church activities across Cuba.  It is expected to include an
opening procession (with cross), a Celebration Choir, hymns,
prayers, Scripture readings, testimonies and a sermon.

"The evangelical churches in Cuba have, for a long time,
nourished the dream of celebrating a great Evangelical event in
which all Evangelical churches could come together," according to
a statement from the Cuban Council of Churches.  "Never before
had they the conditions and the possibilities to make this dream
to become true.  It is, precisely, now when they feel themselves
capable to undertake this adventure of faith.  Not with the
purpose of proselytism, but with the aim of promoting Love, Peace
and Unity among the Evangelicals in Cuba and among the while
Cuban people ..  (T)he events will be open to the general
audience, to all persons which will be interested to listen the
preaching of the Gospel, belonging or not to any religious
denomination."

The (U.S.) National Council of Churches delegation will be led by
the Rev. Dr. Joan B. Campbell, General Secretary, and will
include delegates from the United Methodist Church, Church of the
Brethren, African Methodist Episcopal Church, United Church of
Christ/Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America and Progressive National Baptist
Convention, and from the Christian Council of Metropolitan
Atlanta.  Delegates' "hometowns" include New York City;
Washington, D.C.; Manchester, Ind.; Atlanta; Bethany, Okla.; Las
Vegas, Nev.; Estancia, N.M.; Southfield, Mich.; Corpus Christi,
Texas; Beverly, Ky.; Aloha, Ore.; Van Nuys, Calif.; Bozeman, Mt.;
and Indianapolis, Ind.
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