News of June 2004
A LOOK INSIDE:
Santa Clara celebrates the centennial of
Adventism
Santa Clara Church dedicated a week (June 13 – 19) to celebrate
the hundred years of Adventism in Cuba and the 20th anniversary of the
reconstruction of its temple.
This programming represented in some ways all the departments of our
organization.
The aperture day was made a historical review of Adventism in Cuba,
a musical concert and we had a presence of Pr. Daniel Fontaine, president
of Cuban Union. His speech was based on “100 years fulfilling the
mission”, “We cannot forget the way God has lead us thru theses
100 years”, “the best days of Adventism in Cuba are in the
future”. The invited people the renew dedication to God; to put
our talents to the service of God to hasten Christ’s coming. “Making
our decision now, we won’t have another centennial, next one will
be on heaven”, were his final words. On this week was present our
healthy cuisine, we exposed some dishes proper of our Adventist culture,
for example the popular vegetal steak made of gluten, presenting also
its nutritional values.
Wednesday 16, programming was given to the 20th anniversary of the reconstruction
of our temple, made on June 16, 1984, by the leadership of Pr. José
H. Cortés. History of Santa Clara Church was read, also the letter
by Cortés, congratulating for the celebration. A retired Pastor,
Virgilio Zaldívar Marrero wrote a poem “Santa Clara Church”,
specially to this occasion and Pr. Samuel Díaz read the votes of
consagrations were given 20 years ago, totally in force.
Thursday. Children of this church presented a program specially written
by Carmen María Reyes, leader of Children Ministry on East Delegation
till some months ago, now resident of USA. History of Pathfinders was
exposed also.
Sabbath. Mrs. Rodhe Calvo presented a drama about our history since
the coming of the first missionaries to our country.
We also had some sad moment, a farewell to the family Mesa – Labrador,
for their departure to live abroad. This family made big and value contributions
to the history of our church.
In the name of the church was given to them a diploma of “Beloved
family” as it is usual on this circumstance.
The sermon by Pr. Samuel Díaz reflected the marvelous way God
has lead us through these 100 years.
Sabbath afternoon, we made a visit to the siblings who still live in
Las Antillas, who were students or teachers at the “Colegio Las
Antillas”, till February 8, 1967, date of its closing. One of the
ex-students, Mr. Bernardo Calvo, showed the location of every part of
the institution.
Visiting Irone McZeno, now a retired bible worker and graduated in this
college, she talked about some of her experiences of her life in this
institution, since 1951 – 1967. This activity finished in Pr. Zaldívar’s
house, together with his wife Clara María del Castillo talked about
their experiences at Las Antillas, showing a photograph exposition of
that time. As a symbol of this activity, Pr. Samuel Díaz, representing
young generation and Pr. Zaldívar, who was present in the building
of Colegio Las Antillas, sowed a “Centennial Tree” on the
yard of the house, which will represent a symbol for future generations
before the Christ coming.
Till this moment, only Santa Clara church has dedicated a whole week
to celebrate this hundred years. And we’ll continue doing, for the
next programs of this year will have a flavor of this event, this event
which we know won’t happened again, for our king and Lord of Lord
will come very soon.
Prayer meetings in Camajuaní
June 7 at 3 – 6:00 p.m. were joined together 7 Christian leaders
of the community at the Seventh-day Adventist temple, in order to pray
together and embrace bonds of love.
This is the first meeting of this kind. It will be convoke monthly in
other sees, as a local initiative to strengthen bond of friendship, devotion
and missions of Christian community.
100 years restoring lives (1904 – 2004)
Cuban Adventist Church celebrating its hundred years
It was the title of the celebration for the hundred years of the Adventist
in Cuba held at la Víbora Church, Havana. With the presence of
about 3000 persons.
This event gave information about origins to the new generations as much
as the way God has leaded us in these 100 years.
As special quests we had: Pr. Orville D. Parchment, from the General
Conference, personal assistance of Jan Paulsen; Ray Debrowski, director
ANN. From the IAD, Pr. Israel Leito, president; Leon Wellington and José
Romero. From Maranatha, Don Noble an his wife Laura. Representing ADRA
came Marlisse Boni, as much as seven pastors from the Puerto Rico Union
and four from the Antillan-Venezuela Union; Pastor Omar Velázquez
dean of Theology School of Montemorelos College and Marissa Martínez,
singer and representative of the Voice of Hope Ministry.
From our country we had a representation of our Adventist people and
its leaders, also the presence of personalities of the government and
other denominations, such as: Caridad Diego Bello, from the Religious
Affairs Department of the Estate; Dora Bell, from the Religious Affairs
Department of Havana province; Reverend José López, secretary
of the Cuban Bible Society and Rode González, president of the
Cuban Churches Council.
We also had the presence of Pr. Samuel Ávila, son of one of the
two first Adventist who were baptized in Cuba, as much as some veterans
of Adventist history here: Pablo Priamo, one of the literature evangelists
decades ago; brother Rivas, who used to be treasurer around the beginning
of Cuban Adventism and Mercedes Machado.
The opening message was given by Pr. Daniel Fontaine Márquez,
president of the Cuban Union. The message of the Sabbath service by Pr.
Oville D. Parchment and final preaching by Israel Leito, who gave the
challenge of looking the future with no fear, because God was in the past
with us so will be in the future, expressing also his admiration to the
Cuban Adventist Church, as he said, we have the capacity of adaptation
on the circumstances without looking our own identity.
Pastor Fontaine express his pity about the lost of Pastor Rafael Moreno
Pérez, who died recently at the age of 104 years, with many years
of service on the pastorship.
Not only Havana in celebrating this important date, also other churches
of the island will be celebrating. Santa Clara Church took a whole week
to do it, on June 13 – 19, also celebrating the 20th anniversary
of the temple.
It is no doubt, Adventist Church in Cuba is strong and triumphant, which
knows where to go and appropriating the message of the Lord’s servant:
“We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget
the way the Lord has led us and his teaching in our past history”.
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