To: Ardmore Presbyterian Church
From: Elisa Menocal
September 19, 2011
Evangelical Theological Seminary
Matanzas, Cuba
Dear Church family:
Yesterday I attended my very first Presbyterian service in Cuba, at a church just a few blocks down the steep hill from the Seminary where I am living and teaching English as a Visiting Professor. The church is called IGLESIA PRESBITERIANA REFORMADA, MATANZAS CENTRAL and is called simply “Central” by its members. Its pastor is also a professor at the Seminary. One of my English students is the youth pastor at the church and he invited me to attend. That very evening, both the church and the seminary hosted a group of about 15 Presbyterian pastors and church staff from the Outreach Foundation.
I have in front of me the printout from yesterday’s Sunday worship service. Let me share with you some of the more colorful similarities and differences which I noted. The morning began with a bible study which was led by another professor from the Seminary, a Cuban woman of Asian descent. (The men and youth held similar Sunday school classes in other rooms in the church.) There were about 25 women in attendance, and the verse which was under discussion was written simply on a large sheet of paper on an easel: Philippians 2: 6-11. At the conclusion of the class, a bell was rung and it was time for the Merienda, a special Cuban snack bar with an assortment of sweet pastries, espresso Cuban coffee, and other refreshments, each of which cost maybe a penny or two in the national currency.
Then everyone filed into the sanctuary and the worship service was preceded by announcements and petitions for prayer. The remainder of the Order of Worship is exactly the same as yours, and, luckily for me, almost every single word spoken by the pastor was also written and printed for all to read along.
The first and most stunning difference came in the form of the sound of communal singing: very loud, and without the accompaniment of a choir, and not everyone could carry a tune but every single voice was lifted enthusiastically! I smiled openly imagining what a shock this might be to some of those Ardmore members who, like myself, tend to mutter along the words to hymns which are easily drowned out by the organ and the members of the choir.
Last week I was in Havana, visiting my single aunt who never left Cuba, so I accompanied her to her local parish Catholic mass.
In addition to my teaching duties at the Seminary, I am also translating a daily devotional booklet written by Presbyterian pastors all over the island, and published locally. If you wish to be added to the growing list of readers of Su Voz in translation, send a request to Jack Kern. I will attach today’s translation to this email.
Finally, I wish to thank you for your continued prayer support for me, as this is my first time living for a prolonged period of time in an ecumenical Christian community. I have been keeping something of a journal, tentatively titled “From Cuba, with Love,” which I send via email to those who request it. Let me know if you would like to be added to that mailing list as well.
Yours in Christ,
Elisa Menocal, M.A.
Visiting Professor of English
Evangelical Theological Seminary
Matanzas, Cuba
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