A History of the Presbyterian Church of Belize
(This is an adaptation from the original written by Mrs. Helen Lacey in 2002.)
The story begins with the faithfulness of a man named Manuel Beltran, a Mayan Indian, who spoke mostly Mayan, an evangelist sent by the Presbytery of Mayab, of the National Presbyterian Church in Mexico. The Church had heard that there were Mayan speaking peoples in the British Colony, as Belize was called then. Don Manuel, as he was affectionately called by all, walked the dirt roads of British Honduras with a pack on his back and a large box in his hands. That box contained a Coleman lamp, the kind with a mantle and a hand pump. Someone had given him money to buy it. This lamp carried as a treasure, was carefully lit after entering a Mayan home late in the evening. (Most village homes only had little tins of oil with a wick to give light.) That lamp then gave light enough for Don Manuel to give the light of the Gospel in that home, a light for the house, and a light for darkened hearts. The donor of the lamp probably never realized what a gift of, perhaps 30 dollars, achieved for God's kingdom. It was an ordinary gift used in an extraordinary way to give the light of the Gospel here.
After many years of trudging these roads among the Mayan peoples here, small groups of people became believers in the villages of Cristo Rey, Patchakan, San Jose and San Victor, and Concepcion. These believers began to tell the gospel to their relatives in other villages. They were ordinary folk extending God's kingdom.
We, the Lacey family, became aware of this field after returning from a five year term in Bolivia, South America. We were looking for a pioneer Presbyterian work and here it was. Our work was to build on Don Manuel's work, to do church planting, following in his steps. We settled in Cristo Rey where the small group of believers numbered 15, together with their children.
The first church to be built was in Cristo Rey. The dedication of the building and the organization of the first church was in April 1974, with a Commission from the Presbyterian Church of Mexico present. The Patchakan church followed in 1975. Churches in San Jose, San Pablo, San Narciso, Louisville, and Concepcion soon followed, with new buildings or additions to the old, often replacing thatch buildings.
There are now 17 churches and church plants.
The story begins with the faithfulness of a man named Manuel Beltran, a Mayan Indian, who spoke mostly Mayan, an evangelist sent by the Presbytery of Mayab, of the National Presbyterian Church in Mexico. The Church had heard that there were Mayan speaking peoples in the British Colony, as Belize was called then. Don Manuel, as he was affectionately called by all, walked the dirt roads of British Honduras with a pack on his back and a large box in his hands. That box contained a Coleman lamp, the kind with a mantle and a hand pump. Someone had given him money to buy it. This lamp carried as a treasure, was carefully lit after entering a Mayan home late in the evening. (Most village homes only had little tins of oil with a wick to give light.) That lamp then gave light enough for Don Manuel to give the light of the Gospel in that home, a light for the house, and a light for darkened hearts. The donor of the lamp probably never realized what a gift of, perhaps 30 dollars, achieved for God's kingdom. It was an ordinary gift used in an extraordinary way to give the light of the Gospel here.
After many years of trudging these roads among the Mayan peoples here, small groups of people became believers in the villages of Cristo Rey, Patchakan, San Jose and San Victor, and Concepcion. These believers began to tell the gospel to their relatives in other villages. They were ordinary folk extending God's kingdom.
We, the Lacey family, became aware of this field after returning from a five year term in Bolivia, South America. We were looking for a pioneer Presbyterian work and here it was. Our work was to build on Don Manuel's work, to do church planting, following in his steps. We settled in Cristo Rey where the small group of believers numbered 15, together with their children.
The first church to be built was in Cristo Rey. The dedication of the building and the organization of the first church was in April 1974, with a Commission from the Presbyterian Church of Mexico present. The Patchakan church followed in 1975. Churches in San Jose, San Pablo, San Narciso, Louisville, and Concepcion soon followed, with new buildings or additions to the old, often replacing thatch buildings.
There are now 17 churches and church plants.
Belize Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Founded in 2004, Belize Presbyterian Theological Seminary is the educational institution for pastoral students of the Presbyterian Church of Belize. The Presbyterian Church of Belize is composed of 17 churches and church plants, but there are only 4 seminary-trained national pastors. (There is another one currently preparing for examination and ordination.) The goal of BPTS is to train workers for the church, so that it may grow and mature.
The Seminary consists of a president, Rev. Rafael Ku, a board of directors composed of Belizean pastors, church elders and a Mission to the World representative. The seminary, when in session, meets on Saturdays as this schedule allows students to study while maintaining their regular employment and Sunday church activities. The students are involved in a 3 year curriculum of Reformed theology. Instruction is held in Orange Walk Town. Classes are held in English, which is the official language of Belize. Our students are of diverse ethnic backgrounds, including ethnic Chinese, Creoles, and Mayans/Mestizo.
The Seminary consists of a president, Rev. Rafael Ku, a board of directors composed of Belizean pastors, church elders and a Mission to the World representative. The seminary, when in session, meets on Saturdays as this schedule allows students to study while maintaining their regular employment and Sunday church activities. The students are involved in a 3 year curriculum of Reformed theology. Instruction is held in Orange Walk Town. Classes are held in English, which is the official language of Belize. Our students are of diverse ethnic backgrounds, including ethnic Chinese, Creoles, and Mayans/Mestizo.