Presbytery of Florida and the Caribbean celebrates ‘firsts’ at spring meeting
Juan Rivera, Pastor of Iglesia Presbiteriana Westminster in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, leads the 87th stated meeting of the Presbytery of Florida and the Caribbean in prayer.
The EPC’s Presbytery of Florida and the Caribbean held its first-ever meeting in Puerto Rico May 17-18, 2019. The 87th stated meeting of the presbytery was held at Iglesia Presbiteriana Westminster (Westminster Presbyterian Church) in Bayamón, a suburb of San Juan.
In addition to being the first EPC presbytery meeting held in Puerto Rico, attendees celebrated another first. The presbytery received Carlos Sierra Pou as the first Candidate Under Care from one of the EPC’s three Puerto Rican congregations. A member of Westminster Bayamón and a Master of Divinity student at Seminario Teológico de Puerto Rico, he is pursuing ordination as a Teaching Elder.
Carlos Sierra Pou (right) was received by the Presbytery of Florida and Caribbean as the first Candidate Under Care from an EPC congregation in Puerto Rico.
“Our three EPC congregations on the island poured out rich and sincere Puerto Rican hospitality,” said Case Thorp, EPC Moderator-Elect. “We toured Westminster’s recently acquired property that will one day be their new home, and had a prayer of dedication. What a great weekend!”
Thorp is a Teaching Elder in the Presbytery of Florida and the Caribbean, and serves as Senior Associate Pastor for First Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Fla.
Attendees also heard reports from Presbytery Stated Clerk Bob Garment, Ministerial Chair Rick Gerhardt, Treasurer Don Mason, and Church Development Chair Greg Gunn. EPC Assistant Stated Clerk Jerry Iamurri presented a report on church planting efforts in the presbytery.
In addition, Marc de Jeu, a member of the EPC’s Revelation 7:9 Task Force, provided an update on the group’s work. The Task Force will make a full report on the first year of their work at the 39th General Assembly, June 18-21 at Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church in suburban Denver, Colo.