THE LORD’S DAY IN SINCELEJO

Sincelejo-Sucre Presbyterian Church

Sincelejo-Sucre is a city of 235,000 in north-central Colombia.  The Presbyterian congregation is located in a very poor community of people who work two jobs to feed their families.  Their roads are dusty; their homes are small.  We were welcomed as part of the family.   



Sunday morning in Sincelejo began with breakfast in the home of Pastor Josue Vargas and his wife Andrea.  Andrea sells breakfast items daily to earn some extra money for the household.  She prepared a very welcome Colombian breakfast of arepas and coffee.   Andrea gave up her electric fan in the kitchen that her guests might be cool.  Jairo Barriga, Secretary of the Presbytery (the exec), came to preach and celebrate communion because Josue, has not yet been ordained.  (He has more Presbyterian hoops to jump through.)                                                                                                               



Session meets prior to worship



Following breakfast, we walked the half block to the one-room church for a meeting of the Session.  The pastor, serving as clerk, and the Secretary of the Presbytery serving as moderator along with 2 of the 3 ruling elders met.  This appeared to be the first meeting of session since early November.  One of the elders is newly-elected.  Agenda items included clarification of the pastor’s terms of call and a break-down of the financial responsibilities of the congregation for the pastor’s salary.  A list of goals for the year was presented as was a request for pastoral study leave. The moderator requested reports on their progress by the end of the month. We were impressed with the teaching mode used by Jairo for a new pastor and a new ruling elder.

This was our first Sunday worship in Colombia.  La Iglesia Presbiterana de Sincelejo is a smaller-membership (40-45) congregation.  Worship began with singing and clapping led by three women, including an elder and the pastor’s wife.  The singing was lively and most of the congregation joined in enthusiastically.  Following the invocation, there was more singing, the prayer of confession and more singing!  The youth (ranging in age from sixteen to twenty-six-ish) were the majority of the congregation.

Jairo’s sermon text was Job 7:6, “My days pass by without hope.”  He reminded the congregation that hope is in the children, youth, and young adults, if they have the Son.  This congregation has a young adult group that meets Saturday nights. And they were also in worship on Sunday!

For communion, the children were invited to the table first.  They were given a cracker and a grape.  They were hesitant and then all (about fifteen?) approached.  One little girl, who had been outside, came in late and was invited to the table.  As she turned from the table, her joy—her excitement—left us wishing we all felt the enthusiasm and the hope of this young child when we turn from the Lord’s Table.



Pastor Joshue greets visitor



Then, as communicants, adults were invited to come in pairs to the table; break the bread and feed one another; take the cup and give to the other.  Members of the congregation paired with us and then we shared a hug and God-bless.  There was no suggestion of needing to rush. 

 We were welcomed as part of the family.  We are part of the family.   

























Session meets prior to worship