Mennonite Weekly Review

WINNIPEG, Man. — When the Mennonite Church in Cuba was born last August, it was, in some ways, an unexpected birth.

These children may one day be drawn to the Anabaptist vision of the new Mennonite Church in Cuba. — Photo by Linda Shelly/For MC Canada

Mennonites from Canada first began walking with Cubans through various types of ministry about 20 years ago but did not intend to create a new church. Cuba already had numerous denominations.

“We knew there was a lot of interest in Cuba for the Anabaptist vision, and our strategy was to nurture that interest,” said Mennonite Church Canada general secretary Robert J. Suderman. “It was clear to us that we were not there to start another church.”

But a strong desire for peace theology enhanced the appeal of an Anabaptist vision. With the conviction of Pastor Alexander Reyna — whom Suderman describes as “the motor behind the movement” — and Pastor Eugenio, the new church’s treasurer, Iglesia Menonita en Cuba has grown to include 10 cell groups with a total of about 120 people.

Last November, a delegation from North America met with leaders of Iglesia Menonita en Cuba to determine how other Mennonite organizations can support them. The delegation also met with a number of potential partners in Cuba.

Delegation members were Suderman; Janet Plenert, executive secretary of MC Canada Witness; Don Peters of Mennonite Central Committee; Linda Shelly, Mennonite Mission Network director for Latin America; Paul Kroeker, Outtatown director at Canadian Mennonite University; and Katrina Plenert, youth representative daughter of Janet Plenert.

“Our vision has been to start groups with a Mennonite identity and this can have a bigger impact in society,” Reyna said. “God doesn’t need reformers, but people who will practice a living faith that isn’t just theoretical.

“I think that the Mennonite Church, from what I have been able to see, is able to do this. I have had a new birth, a new baptism, in a sense.”

Struggles in Cuba

The wider church has had its share of struggles in Cuba. Before the revolution of 1959, there were 54 registered denominations.