Brief History
The roots of the Costa Rican Presbyterian Church
are founded in the missionary work of Scottish
missionaries Susana and Enrique Strachan. This
dynamic and creative couple's zeal for spreading
the Word from the time of their arrival to Costa
Rica in 1921 resulted in the creation of the
Association of Costa Rican Bible Churches (AIBC).
From within this association of congregations,
there arose a group of churches that were
interested in an alternative outreach approach,
which had as priorities: a focus on marginal sectors of society; and open dialogue with other Christian denominations. After leaving the AIBC fold, driven by the winds of renewal, a group of 7 churches met in the sanctuary of the church in Santa Barbara, Heredia on the 12th of January 1985, to officially form the Fraternity of Costa Rican Evangelical Churches (FIEC).
Among the founding members and signers of FIEC's constitution we find such well-known people as Bill Cook (who died in 1999), writers and Bible scholars Irene & Dick Foulkes, historian Arturo Piedra, educator Gilberto Bernal, sociologist Alvaro Vega and pastor Rodrigo Cascante.
From its initial formation, FIEC has gained an important place in the Costa Rican evangelical community. After consolidating churches in the central valley of Costa Rica, according to a 5 year plan, the denomination has expanded its mission to other provinces, integrating into the family other missions and churches. Today, FIEC is made up of 19 congregations located in the provinces of San Jose, Guanacaste, Guapiles, Alajuela and Puntarenas. Since its foundation, FIEC has maintained close ties of ecumenical cooperation with different churches and denominations in the Central American region and throughout the world.
In 2003, the FIEC voted to become the Costa Rican Presbyterian Church (IEPC).
US Contact: Stan de Voogd • 319 Camden Street • San Antonio, Texas • 78215
Phone/Fax 210-299-5011• Email: devoogd@swbell.net
Costa Rica Contact: Rev. Elizabeth Delgado • Apartado 1473-1002, Paseo de los Estudiantes • San Jose, Costa Rica
Tel: 011-506-225-0442
Fax:011-506-
225-4058 Email: fiecos@racsa.co.cr |
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ECO # 048001
© Costa Rican Presbyterian Church (IEPC), 2005
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