1955 ArticleThe Puerto Rico Mennonite Church (MC), the result of mission work by the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, was the outgrowth of the work of the Civilian Public Service unit at La Plata
1955 ArticleThe Puerto Rico Mennonite Church (MC), the result of mission work by the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, was the outgrowth of the work of the Civilian Public Service unit at La Plata near the center of the island, which was sponsored by the Mennonite Central Committee during World War II. The first Mennonite meetinghouse on the island was built at La Plata by MCC and was dedicated on 18 March 1945. The congregation was organized in 1947. A second center was opened and a congregation organized at Pulguillas, 20 km (12 mi.) from La Plata, in 1947. In 1948 the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities purchased from the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration the entire La Plata Unit, consisting of the hospital, community center, store, dwelling houses, and other buildings, and operated the work jointly with MCC, for the benefit of the community, until 1953. In 1957 the hospital at La Plata was discontinued and was then operated as a clinic. In the same year a new 32-bed hospital of fire- and hurricane-proof construction (Mennonite General Hospital) was opened at Aibonito, where a new nurses' home was erected. In addition to the hospital in 1958 there were four medical clinics and one dental clinic, staffed by three doctors and one dentist. There was also on the field a language school, a Bible school, an elementary and junior high school, and a broadcasting station, Luz y Verdad, which reached 21 stations scattered throughout the Latin countries of the world. There were eight organized congregations, three mission stations with a membership of 339 in charge of 7 ordained and 3 licensed ministers. In 1955 the churches of Puerto Rico were organized into a conference which was admitted to membership of the Mennonite General Conference in that same year. In addition there was also maintained under private management a farm project, store, and related interests for the benefit of the people of the community. -- SCY
1990 UpdateThe Convención de las Iglesias Evangélicas Menonitas de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Mennonite Conference) organized in 1988 as an autonomous Latin American conference, a member of the Mennonite World Conference in the Central and South American region. By 1988 there were 15 congregations affiliated with the conference, with a total membership of about 900, led by 9 ordained ministers and one licensed minister, plus other local leaders. In 2003 there were