San Andrés Episcopal Church
Manatí, Cuba
Rev. Evelio Enrique Pérez Rubí, Pastor
San Andrés Episcopal Church is located in the town of Manatí, Province of Las Tunas, approximately one hour from the City of Las Tunas, in the Eastern region of Cuba. For decades, Manatí was dedicated to the production of sugar, so when the economic crisis hit, the town was hit hard, losing its sugar mill and associated industries. This had been the center of the economic and social life of the town.
San Andrés was founded on February 10, 1918. Initially, it ministered to the English speaking community (from both the Caribbean and the U.S.). Later, the church community reached out to the Spanish speaking townspeople, and through intense missionary efforts, San Andrés became a multicultural and multilingual community. Over the course of its lifetime, the community had two wooden buildings for worship, both of which were damaged by the effects of time and hurricanes.
Today, the congregation worships in the homes of the members of San Andrés.
Despite a scarcity of resources, the congregation is trying hard to complete construction of a new church that will have space for teaching faith, working with children, holding congregational meetings, and housing a missionary.