The challenges and opportunities of the Episcopal Church in Cuba was the focus of the Dec. 11 Mission Thursday sponsored by GEMN. The one-hour webinar was anchored by the Friends of the Episcopal Church in Cuba, led by the Rev. Mark Pendleton and Pat and Jeremy Cage.
It had been hoped that newly consecrated Bishop Angel Rivera would be able to join the gathering, but problems with the electrical grid and communications networks in Cuba prevented his attendance. Rivera was ordained and consecrated bishop of the Diocese of Cuba on Sept. 18 at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Havana. Pendleton was present, as were three representatives of GEMN: treasurer Bill Kunkle, former VP Judy Quick, and executive director Titus Presler. Rivera is a former member of the GEMN Board and played a key role in the Missio GEMN held in Puerto Rico in 2016, which was keynoted by former Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.
Rivera’s ordination as bishop of Cuba marked a significant step a toward self-determination for the Havana-based church in Cuba, which formally reunified with the Episcopal Church in 2020 after five years of efforts that included approval by the 79th General Convention in 2018 in Austin, Texas. The diocese is now part of Province II, which also includes the Spanish-speaking Diocese of Puerto Rico.
In addition to conversations with many Cuban attendees and visitors from abroad at the ordination, GEMN’s representatives had extensive conversations with Bishop Rivera about his vision for the diocese and the possibilities for collaboration with dioceses, agencies and GEMN.
Titus Presler, Bishop Rivera, Judy Quick, Mark Pendleton, and Vicente Peña, missionary from the Diocese of the Dominican Republic to the Diocese of Cuba, who hosted the GEMN representatives