Volume LX MARCH 2016 No. 3 GNJ Opens Doors With Cuba Trip By Jeff Wolfe
[email protected] Manny Sardinas was glad to learn last summer that Cuba and the United States had reached an agreement to fully open diplomatic relations. The Cuban native and Superintendent of the Gateway North District in The United Methodist Church of Greater New Jersey knew that restoring diplomatic relations would allow the church to rebuild relationships with sister churches in Cuba. The Methodist Church of Cuba had been a part of what is The United Meth- odist Church today up until 1968. At that time, because of the challenges of travel between the U.S. and Cuba, it became its own denomination, The Methodist Church of Cuba. Sardinas, Bishop John Schol and 13 others were part of the GNJ contingent to visit Cuba in February. The team wit- nessed how a partnership could benefi t both The Methodist Church of Cuba and GNJ. The reasons for the trip were to explore experiences with protestant churches in Cuba and identify connec- tions for future missional possibilities, identify the missional component of the Photo provided Cuban church in the community and A meeting between GNJ Bishop John Schol (right) and Cuba Methodist Bishop Ricardo Pereira led to a commitment to social structure and to learn about the explore partnerships between the two groups. expansion of Cuban churches. “It was a very productive trip,” Sardi- The GNJ team visited retirement site where a Cuban church needs to be Church of Cuba and GNJ. New Jersey nas said.