Caribbean

Young people in Jamaica

Grouped together with Africa for committee purposes, our Caribbean partners are distinct and have a different set of challenges and aspirations to our African partners.

The Church of Scotland has partners in Cuba, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Cuba

Flag of Cuba

Partner Church

  • Presbyterian Reformed Church in Cuba (PRCC)

Partnership History

  • PRCC began in 1890 when a small group of Presbyterians began to meet in Havana
  • They asked PCUSA to send them a missionary, and the First Presbyterian Church in Havana was established that year with the first ordained Cuban Presbyterian pastor
  • In 1895 the church had to close because of the Cuban War of Independence against Spain
  • In 1900 Protestant missionaries arrived in Cuba, at the time of US intervention in the war, and re-initiated the work of the Presbyterian Church
  • After the Cuban Revolution (1959), the church lost its schools and membership diminished
  • It became an independent church in 1967 while maintaining a relationship with PCUSA
  • It has 15,000 members, organised into three presbyteries and a synod

Twinnings and Partners

In 2014, The Moderator of the Church of Scotland wrote to William Haig, following the adoption of a WCC resolution, asking for his support for improved US-Cuba relations and lifting of sanctions.

Photos: Flickr account

Jamaica and the Cayman Islands

Flag of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands

Partner Church

  • United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands

Partnership History

  • The Scottish Missionary Society first established a presence on Jamaica in 1800 (by 1840 the work had been taken over by the United Secession Church)
  • In 1846 the Church in Jamaica undertook an independent mission to Calabar, Nigeria. On root, Hope Waddell, was stranded on the island of Grand Cayman, which prompted him to suggest a missionary was sent from Jamaica
  • In 1849, the church was reconstituted as the Presbyterian Church of Jamaica and Grand Cayman in federal relation with the Scottish Church
  • The Church became independent in 1954 and united with the Congregational Church in 1965 to form the United Church of Jamaica and Grand Cayman
  • In 1992 the Disciples of Christ in Jamaica joined the union to create the church as presently constituted, with a small name change – the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands
  • It currently has over 10,000 members and over 200 congregations

Twinnings and Partners

We have one twinning between congregations in Jamaica and Scotland.

Trinidad and Tobago

Flag of Trinidad and Tobago

Partner Church

  • Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago

Partnership History

  • PCTT traces its roots back to the work of Canadian and American Presbyterian missionaries in the late nineteenth century
  • In 1868 John Morton arrived to renovate and expand a declining American mission
  • The first church was built in San Fernando in 1972
  • Today, PCTT is an indigenous, self-supporting church, under complete control of the Trinidadians

Twinnings and Partners

  • Congregational twinning between Trinidad and Scotland.

Photos: Flickr account