CONGREGATIONAL CONNECTIONS

 

WE ARE CONNECTIONAL CHRISTIANS

 

Living Our Connectional Faith

As Presbyterians, we believe the Church is bigger than any one congregation. We are connected across neighborhoods, cultures, and borders through shared faith and mission. In Christ, we walk alongside congregations locally and internationally, nurturing friendships, collaborative work, and mutual encouragement.

San Nicolas de Bari, Cuba

Our partnership with the Presbyterian Reformed Church of San Nicolás de Bari spans more than 20 years. Today, the challenges facing the church and community are especially significant, making our shared prayer, presence, and support more important than ever. Despite economic challenges, this congregation bears faithful witness to Christ with resilience and hope—a powerful example of our shared mission in the global Church.

 

Members of our congregation have visited, partnered on projects, and supported campus expansions, helping expand opportunities for worship, education, and outreach. The church offers fellowship for older adults, vibrant programs for children, and has nurtured young leaders who now serve as ordained ministers across Cuba. Their work is a vivid reminder that the Church can flourish even in difficult soil.

Waldensian Church - Milan, Italy

Our longstanding relationship with the Waldensian Church of Milan has brought shared visits, youth exchanges, and pulpit leadership, living out our connectional faith across borders. Dr. Paulson has preached in Milan, and their pastors have proclaimed the Word in our sanctuary.

 

Known as the “Presbyterians of Italy,” the Waldensians combine deep Reformed roots with innovative ministries of justice, welcome, and inclusion. This historic movement stretches back more than 850 years, showing a remarkable continuity of faith and witness.

Hope Presbyterian Church, Chicago

Our connection with Hope Presbyterian Church in West Englewood reflects a shared witness within our own region, reminding us that connectional faith begins close to home. Organized in the late 1890s by African‑American Presbyterians, Hope has been a vital part of Chicago’s Presbyterian witness for more than a century.

 

Over the years, our congregations have shared pulpit exchanges, choirs, youth activities, and outreach efforts, strengthening the bonds of faith and service in our local community.