For December, we wanted to highlight the wisdom and leadership of partnering pastors in Cuba. For their safety, only initials are used. Each pastor was asked the following questions: 1. How does your church celebrate Christmas together? 2. How do you and your family celebrate Christmas? 3. What would you like people to know about Cuba during Christmas? 4. In what ways do you think the American church and the Cuban church can share in the birth of Christ? 5. Does your church participate in the Advent season instead of just Christmas? When translating, minor edits were made for clarity without changing the original message.
R.
1. How does your church plan to celebrate Christmas together?
Every Sunday emphasizes the advent of our Lord, light the Christmas tree and have a representation of a children's drama. We do a Christmas cantata every Sunday in December. Also, if possible, we hold a Christmas Eve dinner, where we celebrate all the families of the church.
2. How do you and your family celebrate Christmas?
We join the church activities, and we hold the long-awaited Christmas dinners with the family.
3. What would you like people to know about Cuba during Christmas?
That Christ is the true meaning of Christmas, that only in Him is salvation, and that in Him is the hope of the world.
4. In what ways do you think the American church and the Cuban church can share in the birth of Christ?
Being in the same mind, believing the same thing, worshipping the Savior together, and uniting our hearts in the Christmas feeling, shouting to the world that Christ is Christmas!
5. Does your church participate in the Advent season instead of just Christmas?
We participate in all Christmas traditions. We embrace the entire season with Christmas emphasis.
D.
1. How does your church plan to celebrate Christmas together?
The leaders of the church we serve meets and plans every activity to be held throughout the month of December. A topic is selected as a reference, and all activities are focused on that topic. Throughout the month, we try to plan activities that cover several areas, such as prayer, worship, thanksgiving, evangelism, communion, etc., but all revolving around the theme.
2. How do you and your family celebrate Christmas?
As a family we don't do anything specific- only that we participate in church and at the end of the year, we have a special dinner with the family. At home, we have a time of prayer and Bible study all together.
3. What would you like people to know about Cuba during Christmas?
I would like you to know that there are Christians who are fervent and committed to God and who serve with passion.
4. In what ways do you think the American church and the Cuban church can share in the birth of Christ?
Both churches have their strengths, their cultures and practices, which may be different in some ways, but we have the Scriptures and Christ who unites us. I believe that we can collaborate with each other to achieve a good celebration. I believe we can each draw on our strengths to support the other's weaknesses and celebrate the coming of Christ.
5. Does your church participate in the Advent season instead of just Christmas?
Yes
R.
1. How does your church plan to celebrate Christmas together?
As our congregation gathers for discipleship houses, we take a day to share a meal to celebrate Christ as our Christmas theme. We encourage the brethren in each locality to invite a family member, friend, or neighbor to hear about the Savior.
2. How do you and your family celebrate Christmas?
We celebrate together remembering the coming and mission to the world of our good Savior and showing gratitude for a whole year of being able to see His hand with us. We ended the last day of the year saying goodbye to Him with the young people and brothers on the hill of Capiro adoring, bearing witness, and thanking the Lord for all His goodness.
3. What would you like people to know about Cuba during Christmas?
It is a good time and an opportunity to present the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only one who brings salvation, joy, gladness, and peace to the hearts of man.
4. In what ways do you think the American church and the Cuban church can share in the birth of Christ?
Well, I believe that Heaven has the same language for every believer anywhere in the world. Therefore, I declare John 17, and that is that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Jesus said to be one so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
5. Does your church participate in the Advent season instead of just Christmas?
Every nation has its culture, even in Christianity. There are liturgies and customs in each congregation at each stage of the year. I believe that we should always take every opportunity to present Jesus Christ and his crucifixion.
R. and D.
1. How does your church plan to celebrate Christmas together?
Our church plans to celebrate Christmas with an evangelism, nursing home visit, and Christmas Gala Night to praise God and remember His birth. We will also have a Christmas children's program entitled: Christmas is the gift we must share. We would like to share a Christmas dinner with the brothers of the church and a dinner with vulnerable elderly and needy children (all this if God will provide and supply us with a miracle).
2. How do you and your family celebrate Christmas?
In our family that we always set up the tree and try to have a small present to give each other. My wife and I sing and pray and try to make a special dinner with some meat, if we have apples, nougat, etc.
3. What would you like people to know about Cuba during Christmas?
We would like you to know from Cuba that Christmas is a time to remember the birth of Christ and celebrate with the family. Christmas in Cuba was first prohibited for many years, and now, it is a little sad because there are families divided by immigration and a lot of pain and absence. Christmas in Cuba is devoid of the most basic traditions. There are almost no decorations in the streets or carols. There is a lot of need in Cuba, lack of food, and there are hundreds of families, elderly people, and children who do not know what they will eat at Christmas since surviving day to day is already a challenge. Therefore, for a large majority, Christmas will probably be a day like any other with hunger and need, possibly sick and longing for a little joy and peace.
4. In what ways do you think the American church and the Cuban church can share in the birth of Christ?
The U.S. and Cuban churches can celebrate the birth of Christ if they support and unite in visible and tangible projects. We could receive Christmas tracts to evangelize. They can collaborate with some economy for the purchase of food to give bags of food to needier families or help with food or economy so that the Cuban church can prepare Christmas dinner for the elderly and children. It is a dream of mine to have resources to have a great meal with Christmas songs and colored lights, a sermon about the love of God and his incarnation and share in a nursing home or with the neediest in our community.
5. Does your church participate in the Advent season instead of just Christmas?
In our worship liturgy as Pentecostals, we almost never talk about advent so in our church we do not have the tradition of celebrating advent, although as a pastor I have a program to celebrate Christmas from December 1 making sure that the whole month is about Christmas starting with the prophecies of Isaiah until reaching the birth.
R.
1. How does your church celebrate Christmas together?
We do not hold Christmas services. They have meals with families and other activities together but not religious without the purpose of becoming worship for their own sake. Times of communion and thanksgiving to the Lord for the year allow us to live and pray for the coming year-how to live it for his glory.
2. How do you and your family celebrate Christmas?
We use Christmas decorations such as the tree, spend time with their family, read books to their children, meditate on the Word and biblical truths, strengthen family discipleship, and if the economy allows it, give gifts.
3. What would you like people to know about Cuba during Christmas?
I would like people to have a biblical notion of what Christmas means, because Christmas has become a market of buying and selling, even in some churches that celebrate Christmas by tradition. In some, the message has been diluted a lot, and we wait practically until the end of the year to talk about the birth of Jesus. So I want people to be able to see that as church and family, our centrality is in the Lord, and we do not celebrate it as something traditional but instead display gratitude to the Lord as at any other time of the year. May they see above all the values that have been lost in Western society: the family instituted by God, charity among ourselves and with others who do not know the Lord—bringing them the message of the Gospel, not only in word but also in deeds. Strengthen discipleship and teaching so that people can see the Christian values established by God in the family.
4. In what ways do you think the American church and the Cuban church can share in the birth of Christ?
It depends on each tradition to be able to cooperate with each other, giving us exhortations to follow the Lord.
5. Does your church participate in the Advent season instead of just Christmas?
No
B.
1. How does your church plan to celebrate Christmas together?
As a church, our primary focus throughout the year, including the December season, is the worship of Christ and the study of His Word. We do not celebrate Christmas as a specific church holiday, as we do not find a biblical mandate to do so and recognize its roots in traditions outside of Scripture. However, any time is a good time to gather and celebrate. Therefore, during those days we have our regular worship services, where we will no doubt praise God for the Supreme Gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, our eternal salvation. Our celebration is the same as always: fraternal communion.
2. How do you and your family celebrate Christmas?
Personally, our family follows the same as our church. We don't have Christmas traditions like a tree or special dinners like December 24 or 25, as we desire to keep each day equally holy before the Lord (Romans 14:5). For us, it is a common day, and as such, we use it to rest, if possible, and enjoy family time, but without the connotation that others give it. Our greatest gift, Christ, we have already received, and we celebrate that daily.
3. What would you like people to know about Cuba during Christmas?
The Christmas experience in Cuba is very diverse. Although there is a strong cultural and tourist influence that promotes a Christmas similar to that of other countries, with music, family dinners (if resources allow) and certain Christmas decorations. For many believing Cubans, the date has a different meaning. For the local church, as in other congregations in Cuba and on earth, it is not about celebrations but about perseverance and faith in the midst of economic and social difficulties. It is a testimony that our hope is not in one season of the year, but in an eternal Rock, Christ Jesus, who sustains His people in all circumstances.
4. In what ways do you think the American church and the Cuban church can share in the birth of Christ?
The best way to share the birth of Christ is by going beyond the date and traditions and instead by focusing on the essence of the Gospel (Christ was born, died for our sins, and rose again on the 3rd day from the dead). The Church in Cuba has a deep richness in faith and dependence on God, the fruit of years of trials. The American Church often has an abundance of resources and a missionary zeal. True fellowship would occur when the U.S. Church comes to learn from the proven faith of Cuban believers, and together, in a mutual exchange, they can support each other in the fundamental task: to proclaim to all nations Christ the Savior-born, dead, and risen. We can partner in Bible translation, discipleship, and humanitarian aid projects that testify to Christ's love without anchoring it to a holiday.
5. Does your church participate in the Advent season instead of just Christmas?
No, our church does not participate in the Advent calendar. We understand that Advent is a liturgical tradition of historic Catholic and Protestant origin, but as a nondenominational congregation, we focus on the expectation and hope of Christ's second coming every day, not just in the four weeks leading up to December 25. We believe that every sermon, every Bible study, etc. are themselves an advent or a preparation for our Lord's return. Therefore, we do not have a special program for that season, but we maintain our consistent practice of preaching the entire Word of God throughout the year.
With the Word in mind, it is wise to emphasize that it is not healthy to judge those who celebrate traditions, nor to judge those who do not. It is wise to keep in mind that differences should not separate us if they do not separate us from GOD.
Y.
1. How does your church plan to celebrate Christmas together?
Well, it is my interest as a pastor that this be an experience of reflection, gratitude, worship, and surrender-avoiding as much as possible being involved in too much tradition, or mercantilist practices.
2. How do you and your family celebrate Christmas?
As simply as possible, as I mentioned before, we try to make it a period of reflection, gratitude, adoration, and surrender. We avoid being involved as much as possible by too much tradition, or mercantilist practices.
3. What would you like people to know about Cuba during Christmas?
May they see in Jesus Christ the Savior who has drawn near, for the succor and salvation of all who believe in Him. Despite their stories or backgrounds. May they receive the hope that is in Jesus.
4. In what ways do you think the American church and the Cuban church can share in the birth of Christ?
This is a celebration that Christ's church has in common that transcends geography. We celebrate that the Kingdom of God has drawn near in the person of the Son of God (Jesus). One of the ways we can share this experience is by being faithful and precise with the message we share. Taking care not to damage the celebration with teachings or practices that obscure the true Christmas message, that Christ Jesus came into the world to die for sinners.
5. Does your church participate in the Advent season instead of just Christmas?
We do not celebrate it, as it is not usually part of our liturgy. But I understand that it would be a good opportunity to share and preach Christ. It would be good to take up the practice.
F.
1. How does your church plan to celebrate Christmas together?
As a church we recognize the traditional character of this celebration since we do not find anything about celebrating this date in Scripture, but we see the value of commemorating such a crucial moment in the history of humanity. It is an opportunity to present the Gospel. Then, every time this date arrives, we involve the whole church in participating in a time of communion, adoration, and presentation of the Word, inviting neighbors and family members to share in the different places where we gather. We hold small meetings in the neighborhoods in the homes of brothers. There a dinner is prepared to share between 10 and 50 brothers participating in each meeting, and thus, the whole congregation celebrates with great gratitude the coming of our Lord to this world.
2. How do you and your family celebrate Christmas?
Well, as a family, we get involved in the whole church movement, and we open ourselves up to share that time with other families.
3. What would you like people to know about Cuba during Christmas?
That despite the various difficulties in which we Cubans live, there is a church that awaits its Lord-focused on the mission we have to fill this earth with the Word of God and to make disciples. We recognize how poor we can be like the manger where our Lord was born, but the glory of God is filling this earth.
4. In what ways do you think the American church and the Cuban church can share in the birth of Christ?
The Gospel has no borders, responds to all human needs, and presents to all the same path to redemption. To them and to us, exhorting us to wait for the Lord who will return. That would be a proper approach, God fulfilled all the promises regarding the first agreement of Christ, so He will also be faithful in fulfilling the second coming.
5. Does your church participate in the Advent season instead of just Christmas?
We celebrate only Christmas.
