| Bishop's CornerThe Cuban Covenant
By Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker
 In 1997 the Florida Conference signed a Covenant with
The Methodist Church of Cuba. This Covenant is being implemented as districts in our
annual conference are related to districts in the Cuban Annual Conference. General
oversight of the Covenant is being given by the Cuba/Florida Covenant Task Force under the
leadership of the Rev. Jacquie Leveron.
Last June I attended the Annual Conference of The Methodist Church
of Cuba at the campground called Caanan near the city of Santa Clara. I had the privilege
of being the preacher for the Appointment Service, when the appointments of pastors are
announced, and a participant in the Ordination Service.
Being there listening to the sessions of the Annual Conference and
eating, talking and worshipping with the people enabled me to grasp more fully how
important the Covenant is to The Methodist Church of Cuba. Because of this Covenant The
Methodist Church of Cuba receives resources to fulfill its mission to evangelize the
country that otherwise it would not have. The Covenant also connects this autonomous
Methodist Church on an island with those of us in The United Methodist Church in The
United States, thus providing the Methodists in Cuba with a sense of being a part of a
larger community of faith. I was happy to learn that the Methodist Church of Cuba also has
a covenant with The Methodist Church of Puerto Rico, which sent its bishop and a
delegation to participate in the Annual Conference being held at Caanan.
The Covenant is also a benefit to United Methodists in Florida. We
are privileged to enjoy a close relationship with a community of Wesleyan Christians
living in a completely different political and cultural context. As the Spirit guides the
Cubans in their ministry we are able to learn from them. While we may not always be able
to apply what they have learned to our own situation, their experience will stimulate our
imagination about how we need to fulfill our ministry in our culture. Some of the
characteristics of Cuban Methodism that impress me are the strong emphasis upon
evangelization as the priority of congregations; the employment of lay spiritual leaders
to start new missions; the requirement that persons who accept Jesus Christ as Sovereign
and Savior will go through a lengthy process of formation before being baptized; and the
expectation that Christians will have a lifestyle distinctive from others in their
society. I was also impressed by worship in the Cuban churches, which includes the energy
of indigenous music with the silence of liturgical dance and the integrity of Biblical and
theological preaching.
Our involvement with the Methodists in Cuba should also cause us as
Christian citizens to reflect upon the policies of our own government toward Cuba. Let us
pray for President George Bush and the United States Congress to re-examine our
nation’s policies in the interest of encouraging liberalization of a Communist system
and improving the quality of life of the Cuban people. It was disturbing to learn how many
Cubans exist on one main meal a day. Were it not for the black market where American
dollars constitute the currency there would be much more distress in the lives of the
Cuban people than there is now.
At least The Methodist Church of Cuba is offering people the
spiritual sustenance they need to live in difficult circumstances. While I was in Cuba I
had the opportunity to preach at a church in Havana on a Wednesday night. The building was
packed with mostly young adults for the three-hour service from eight o’clock until
11 o’clock. In the middle of the service there was an electrifying moment when the
liturgist asked the people to exclaim together, “I am free!” The whole
neighborhood reverberated with this exclamation from the hearts of the people.
I am grateful for the generosity of the United Methodists in Florida
who are sending money and supplies to our friends in Cuba. Having been at the Annual
Conference I can testify to how much this generosity is appreciated by the Christians
there. They have a passion for sharing the truth and joy of the Christian life with
others, and every assistance we provide them is used to advance the kingdom of Christ.
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