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Sister churches renew relationship
September, 2002
By Tiffany Vail
At an historic gathering in Worcester in August, representatives of the Massachusetts Conference and the Pentecostal Church of Chile voted unanimously to continue for another three years the sister church program, linking 15 churches here with 15 in Chile.
Delegates from the Pentecostal Church of Chile perform traditional Chilean music. The vote was a fitting ending to a week-long visit by 23 delegates from Chile, who visited with their sister churches in the Conference before gathering together at the United Congregational Church in Worcester for a final celebratory dinner and worship service. The trip marked the first time Chilean representatives visited their sister churches; previously, the only visits had been by Massachusetts delegations traveling to South America. The host churches raised the funds for the airfare; the Chilean delegates paid for the other travel costs.
“Both sides have recognized the benefits and commonalities that we share,”said Jill Graham, chair of the Conference’s Mission Partnership Committee. “They have even said they feel they are blessed by us – that Christ has broken down the barriers between us.”
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After the meeting to discuss the program, 90 people from the various sister churches gathered for a fiesta at the Worcester church that included a traditional Chilean meal followed by the performance of Chilean folks songs and an indigenous dance. The evening was topped off by worship led by members of the Iglesia Hispana Unido de Cristo.
