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The following highlights summarize the history of the organized cooperative structure and efforts of the Cuba Partners Network after 1985.  We also give thanks for the efforts of individual presbyteries and congregations from the mid-1980s and individual presbytery, and local congregational /organizational relationships within the Network which are beyond the scope of this timeline.

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1985

Presbyterian Church (USA) representatives and officials, led by Rev. Dean H. Lewis, met with representatives and officials of the Presbyterian Reformed Church in Cuba , the Iglesia Presbiteriana-Reformada en Cuba  (IPRC). They drafted a mutual mission agreement, which the General Assemblies of both churches subsequently approved.
 

• ​The agreement provided for partner relationships between presbyteries of the two denominations and development guidelines.
   

• The first partnership agreements were established between the Presbytery of South Louisiana with Matanzas Presbytery, the Presbytery of Long Island with Havana Presbytery, the Presbytery of Transylvania with el Centro Presbytery, and the Presbytery of Santa Fe with the Synod.
   

• Initial relations and activities were bilateral. There was no formal overall network to link the partners.
   

1995
For the first time, a June meeting in Havana brought together Cuban church leaders with representatives of the four PC(USA) initial partner Presbyteries to form a network of partners.

 

1996
Rev. Dean Lewis brought participants together from the first four PC(USA) presbyteries to organize and charter the Presbyterian Cuba Connection in June as a not-for-profit charitable corporation in New Mexico.

The new entity was established to:
 

• Maintain communication and cooperation among partners;
   

• Raise awareness in the PC(USA) of the life and mission of the IPRC; and
   

• Gather contributions to support the mission and ministry of the IPRC.
   

Eventually, more than 400 individuals, presbyteries, and congregations became members of the Presbyterian Cuba Connection.

 

1998
An August partnership consultation in Louisville, Kentucky, reviewed progress toward the goals of the 1985 mutual mission agreement. With the growing number of relationships between congregations of the two denominations, officials agreed that the agreement would recognize those partnerships.
 
 

1999
As an implicit recognition of a “Network” in March, the PC(USA) Worldwide Ministries Division in Louisville, Kentucky,  hosted representatives from Cascades, Chicago, Monmouth, Santa Fe, South Louisiana, and Southwest Presbyteries, and the Synod of Puerto Rico. Discussions centered on Cuba visit planning and experiences in Cuba.

 

2000

The Celebration of Mission Partnership for the New Millennium was held in Cuba in November and covered by the Presbyterian News Service. A cross-section of 28 representatives of PC(USA) partner presbyteries and denominational offices attended, joined by an equal number of Cuban participants. They met at the Synod camp, CANIP, and then separated to visit their partner Cuban presbyteries. The concept of “a partnership of partners” was articulated to describe the emerging reality of a more purposeful, truly cooperative entity and the need for financial accountability.
 

2002
In September, the first US-based gathering for PC(USA) Cuba partners in Washington, DC, focused on public policy. Various religious organizations briefed the group on policy education and advocacy. Also, the gathering emphasized the importance of Biblical grounding for partnerships and the practical implications of “mutuality in mission.”
 

2003
The PC(USA) Cuba partners met in Chicago in September, with a mix of experienced and new partners present. Rev. Dean Lewis shared a partnership resource packet that he prepared with PC(USA) Mission Coworker Tricia Lloyd-Sidle.
 

2004
In January, the IRPC hosted PC(USA) partners in Havana at a symposium on the biblical-theological-pastoral bases of partnership. The program was conducted entirely in Spanish, without translation. Materials were later published in the original Spanish and the English translation, highlighting the importance of bilingual resources.
 
A partnership gathering at the Evangelical Theological Seminary (SET) in Matanzas in October brought together PC(USA) partners and IPRC members. Attendees tackled issues of equity, with some Cuban congregations being overwhelmed and others getting few if any US partnership commitments or visits.

ther issues of mutuality include the importance of transparency and trust, the danger of missionary paternalism, and the risk of a new Cuban dependency on the United States.
 

2006
PC(USA) Cuba partners gathered in Louisville, Kentucky, in October with three Cuban representatives who later visited their US partner churches. The presence of IPRC officials from each of the three Cuban presbyteries was important, although the increasing restrictions on visas for Cuban visitors made such representation difficult to secure.

 

An official of the PC(USA) Worldwide Ministries Division declared that “mission networks are the new face of world mission for the Presbyterian Church,” prompting the gathering to put forth a new vision: “A healthy, wholistic and coherent system; an integrated partnership of partners in connectional relationship to the Presbyterian Church (USA).” Also, the meeting highlighted the special need to support the overarching work of IRPC Synod.  

 

2008
Twenty-seven representatives of PC(USA) partners met 31 representatives of IPRC partners at the SET in Matanzas to celebrate and review partnership relations. IPRC Moderator Rev. Daniel Izquierdo made provocative points about the realities and challenges of the PC(USA)–IPRC partnership:
 

• In America, the word “partners” is associated with business purposes; in Cuba, we use the term “sister churches” to describe our filial relationship. Our partnership has moved toward a family relationship, although some in Cuba see the relationship more from a monetary point of view. This is the result of our difficult economic situation. We must avert these tendencies.
   

• We should plan longer-term strategies and try new ways and forms of relationships. That means we must listen to and get to know one another more deeply to achieve greater trust and commitment.
   

• We should see mission in an integrated way. For example, our vision to expand the Synod’s CANIP facilities will demand a joint effort of many friendly hands committed to giving financial help.
   

• We must increase visits, despite the obstacles, and raise our voices in advocacy aimed at those who can help solve these problems. Nothing can replace first-hand knowledge of the situations we live in. An important part of the exchange is the experience of receiving hospitality.
   

2009
The PC(USA) partners—now known as the Cuba Partners Network (CPN)—met in Cincinnati, Ohio, in October.  There were 24 US participants representing 18 partnerships. IPRC Moderator Rev. Reinerio Arce announced the formation of the La Fernanda church in Havana Presbytery and the extension of mission efforts to Pinar del Rio and Camaguey. He also reflected on the difficulties posed by the departure or removal of young pastors.
 

2010
The CPN met at the Cenacle Retreat Center in Chicago in September. There were 55 US participants representing 31 partnerships. IPRC representatives included the Rev. Izquierdo of Havana Presbytery and the Revs. Miriam Naranjo and Dalia Valdés of Centro Presbytery.

 

Rev. Jo Ella Holman was welcomed as the new Mission Co-worker for Cuba and the Caribbean on October 1, a workshop covered Living Waters for the World water projects in Cuba, and Bible studies centered on the IRPC’s theme for the year, “Practice Justice With Mercy; Trust Always in God.” A fiesta celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 1985 mutual mission agreement and honored partnership pioneers Nell Johnston and Lucy Fetterolf.
 

2012

The Cuba Partners Network met …..

 

Although he was unable to attend, the Rev. Dean Lewis shared his thoughts on the past, present, and future of the partnership. He put forth three suggestions:
 

• Each member of the Cuba Partners Network must consciously think of that membership as being with the IPRC Synod as well as with their particular partner. We are one body, though with many members.
   

• Each partner should devote a portion of its financial support to the ministry and mission of the Cuban Synod and the SET in Matanzas. If we are to act unified to undergird the mission and ministry of the IPRC as a national denomination, we must share resources and support their priority needs.
   

• We should consider an annual “mission planning consultation” between the CPN, the PC(USA) World Mission Division, and the IPRC.
  
  His entire message is posted here.

 

2013

The Cuba Partners Network met in Houston, with  the theme "Toward Becoming a  Community of Mission Practice."

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2016

Cuba and US church partners met in Cuba at SET, with the theme "Sharing a Mutual Mission".
 

2017

The Cuba Partners Network met at the Cenacle in Chicago, after Hurricane Harvey made it necessary to quickly change locations from the Cenacle in Houston. 

 

2018

Cuba Partners Network met at the Lake Yale Conference Center in Leesburg, Florida, with the theme "Exploring Models of Mission for Our Time".

 

2019

Cuba Partners Network gathered at Loyola University in New Orleans in June.

 

2020

With the world locked down during a global pandemic, the partners met virtually with the theme “Celebrating Connections in the Time of COVID” in September. Using Zoom for meetings and tCPN’s YouTube channel to share events with the public, the two-day program covered recent restrictive US policies and their effects on the Cuban people and churches.

Six pastors from all three IPRC presbyteries shared their blessings and challenges. The program also celebrated CPN’s first 20 years of partnership and 130 years of Cuban Presbyterianism. PC(USA) mission leaders and Professor William LeoGrande of American University spoke. The US and Cuban partners were able to meet in virtual breakout rooms.    

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2021

In September, with the world still in the throes of COVID-19, the partners again met virtually under the theme of “Esperanza: Prayer, Patience, and Partnership”. The two-day agenda was similar to that of 2020, with nine representatives from all three IPRC presbyteries and the seminary. Catherine Gordon of the PC(USA) Office of Public Witness led a binational panel discussion of current realities. The program included a tribute to the Rev. Dean Lewis—educator, activist, peacemaker, and driving force for CPN, who had passed away on June 14 at age 94.
 

2022

With pandemic restrictions eased, the annual CPN meeting—the “Encuentro”— brought together attendees from US partner churches and their Cuban siblings in November at the SET in Matanzas (via Havana). For non-attendees, program highlights and the annual meeting were recorded and later shared on Zoom. 

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2023

The CPN “Gathering” returned to the United States in October. Eighty-seven attendees, including six from Cuba, met at the Sandy Cove Conference Center in Maryland. Each day followed a different part of the theme “A Gift of Stories: Faith, Partnership, and Hope.”

 

The Rev. Dr. Hunter Farrell and the Rev. Balajiedlang Khyllep, coauthors of the book Freeing Congregational Mission, led a session promoting a “radical commitment to mutuality.” They stressed the need for a respectful relationship before entering into a mission initiative.

 

Another session focused on advocacy featuring Paul Johnson, chair of the US Agriculture Coalition for Cuba; Javier Levy Hernández, Secretary for Religious Affairs (based at Cuba’s US Embassy in Washington) and Vicki Gass, executive director of the Latin American Working Group. As Levy Hernández stressed: To achieve more positive US–Cuba relations: “Grassroots advocacy is everything.”

 

2024

This year’s Gathering was held at the Carmelite Retreat Center, just outside of Chicago.  We were grateful that nine leaders of the IPRC were able to be present, including IPRC General Secretary and Pastor, Rev. Dora Arce; IPRC Moderator Rev. Izett Samá; and newly-installed Rector of the SET in Matanzas, Rev. Ary Fernandez.   

 

Following the theme of “Reaffirming Hope Together” and with a focus on Jeremiah 29:  11-13, the group’s work, worship and reflections once again gave inspiration to our continued walk together with hope and confidence. 

 

Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, Director of the PC(USA) Office of Public Witness in Washington, DC, was the Gathering’s keynote speaker who shared a message about justice, hope and love and the importance of our work together addressing challenging realities in both the United States and Cuba.

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