Living Water and Soaring Spirits as
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Tallahassee Leads Its 27th Cuba Mission Trip
St. John’s Episcopal Church Tallahassee, Florida joined with Christ Church Monticello, Florida for a spirit-filled and highly productive trip to Cuba from February 17 to 26, 2018. The group of 14 included 3 clergy members (one from each church and one from Advent Episcopal Church, Tallahassee). After arriving in Havana, the team traveled via bus to Matanzas where they dined and briefly toured the grounds of the seminary (Episcopal, Presbyterian, Baptist and Quaker). Spending three days in the countryside of Matanzas Province, the team assisted with operator training and maintenance of three church-operated Living Waters for the World systems. They attended meetings with the Vestries of St. John’s companion church, San Pedro Apóstol in Zorrilla, and Christ Church’s sister church, Cristo Rey, in Cuatro Esquinas. The team also visited with the Vestry of La Trinidad, a vibrant church in Los Arabos. The mission team brought medicines and Living Waters supplies to all three of the churches. A highlight of the countryside visit was an evening worship service with an enthusiastic crowd of 110 on the grounds of the church at San Pedro Apόstol.
The next stop was at Ceballos, a town that is home to San Miguel y Todos los Ángeles, the sister parish of Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, Tallahassee. This brief visit involved reviewing the operations of the Living Waters system that St. John’s helped to install in March 2017. After one day in Ceballos, the team returned to Havana, delivered St. John’s contribution toward Cuban priests’ salaries to the Episcopal Diocese, and attended the ordination to the priesthood of three deacons, including especially Juan Carlos Diez Moreira, who will be the rector of San Pedro Apόstol, Cristo Rey, and La Trinidad. The moving ordination service, officiated by Bishop Griselda and attended by clergy from throughout the country, was a poignant reminder of the commitment and promise of a strong future for the Episcopal Church in Cuba.
Laying on hands during ordination service at the Episcopal Cathedral in Havana
Early dawn at the Living Water system of San Pedro Apóstol, Zorrilla (Above)