Some of HISTORY.

In the year 1890 a Cuban named Evaristo Collazo wrote a letter to the Mission Board of the Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee telling them he had initiated worship centers in different places in Cuba, following the order of the Presbyterian Church.  He requested that a missionary be sent.

A short time later the Board sent the Rev. Anthony Graybill who was living in México and who spoke Spanish. During the month of June of 1890 Graybill visited the preaching centers established by Collazo.  He organized the First Presbyterian Church of Havana on June 26, 1890. Some years later due to the Independence War in Cuba against Spain and the participation of Rev. Collazo as a nurse in the Cuban army, the Presbyterian Church in Cuba was closed.  It was reopened in 1900 during the Spanish American War.

The Sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church in Havana was constructed in the year 1906 as an initiative of the pastor, Dr. Joseph Milton Greene.  It was the first Protestant Sanctuary built in the city.  This year marks its centennial.

About the MUSIC.

Our church has tried to keep a balance of traditional and new music with two choirs and a youth group. Thirty-four people form the church’s primary choir; the smaller choir includes nine people. The youth musical group of eight members  sings and combines music with movement.

In recent years, we have combined the best of traditional hymns with Cuban rhythms and instruments such as claves and maracas. The congregation has accepted this effort with a lot of enthusiasm, thanks in great part to the energetic young Sandra Santos (at the picture), that is the Choir Director. She studies music in the School of Arts in Cuba.