God's Story Unfolding: Church Planting Journey in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

1. Welcome Rancho Novo, Brazil

2. A Chapter in God’s Story Origins of the Portuguese Mission Church of Christ Newark, NJ

3. The Aunt • Sandra • Was then living in Westfield, NJ

4. The Niece • Marcia • Moved to Elizabeth, NJ, from Brazil in 1991 • Just a few miles from her Aunt

5. The Dream • They began discussing getting a Brazilian congregation started in Newark area • Newark, NJ, had (and has) the highest number of Brazilians outside of Brazil in the world • They had a meeting in the home of Echo Lake members Ricky and Jane Windbush in 1992 to discuss the work

6. God Sends More Help • Ricky Windbush knew Mike Martin • Mike was a student at Princeton • Member of the Princeton church of Christ • Mike had plans to serve in Brazil as a missionary after graduation

7. The Work Begins • Mike, Marcia, and Sandra begin Bible studies at Marcia’s apartment • About 3 months later, they outgrew the apartment with so many attending

8. Fellowship and Friendship • It was at this point the relationship with the Echo Lake Church of Christ really begun. • The congregation had recently hired former Brazilian missionary Ellis Long as its minister. • The Brazilian group merged with the Echo Lake Church of Christ working under the existing eldership in 1995

9. A baptism at the Echo Lake church building

10. Picnic at Echo Lake Church

11. More Growth • After a couple of years, the Portuguese-speaking Brazilian Christians rented a worship facility in the “Ironbound” district of Newark • In 2003, they hired their first full-time minister

12. And More Growth • The Portuguese Mission Church of Christ purchased its own building in Newark in 2006. • Sandra Golson played a major role in fundraising and procuring the property. • She remained an active and faithful member of both congregations until moving to Florida in 2006.

15. Another Church Plant? • After helping to get one congregation started in New Jersey • And another one in Brazil…… • Sandra asked the leaders of the Echo Lake congregation to work with her in beginning yet another work in Rio • Our response……..?

16. Of Course! • Despite our limitations from a human point-of-view (smaller congregation and lack of administration) • We trust in our God and believe in the Great Commission • We know Sandra’s faith, zeal, and hard work

17. Leaders of the Echo Lake church of Christ

18. Getting Serious • After meeting in September of 2010… • The Echo Lake church of Christ opened a separate account for fundraising and are helping locally with fundraising. • We are planning an event in NJ for Sept. • We do plan to visit the work once it is established

19. Go Into All the World…

20. Go into all the world…

21. Rio de Janeiro , Brazil

22. From the top, left to right: Christ the Redeemer, Rio–Niterói bridge, Downtown from the Guanabara Bay, Maracanã Stadium, Sugarloafcable car, the pavement of Copacabana Beach, and panorama of the city taken from Corcovado.

23. Mesias; Full time evangelist and preaching school instructor

24. God is working… • In 2002 Sandra went to Rio to visit her relatives near the town of Rancho Novo. On Sunday Sandra was looking for a church of Christ. She discovered there was no church of Christ there. Since Rancho Novo is located about 45 minutes southeast of Comendador Soares she expressed interest in planting a church there. • However, these brethren already had an interest in starting a new work in a town over one hour northwest called Japeri so they asked Sandra if she would be willing to help them start this church and in the future they would provide the labor to start a new work in Rancho Novo. • In 2004 the church of Christ was established in Japeri by Mesias, Sandra and others. The work is going well.

25. Japeri Japeri Comendador Soares Rio deJaneiro CampoGrande

26. Japeri Population 93,197 • The Japeri church of Christ has 15 active members and they average 25 visitors each Sunday. Average attendance on Sunday is 39. • In May of 2011 a report was received that the congregation in Japeri moved to a larger facility. • They rent a building and two married preacher graduates work there and receive support from Commendador Soares and others. 181,376 Population of Tallahassee in July 2010

27. Remember the agreement? The “future” has arrived… • Church planting efforts have begun for Rancho Novo, Brazil. Japeri Comendador Soares Rancho Novo CampoGrande

28. Our Website • missionranchonovo.wordpress.com Rancho Novo, Brazil 2012! God willing, we can all work together to plant a third church of Christ in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, starting in 2013. The new congregation will meet in a town called Rancho Novo. The Echo Lake congregation has already begun fund raising efforts with initial contributions by setting up a special account for the work.

29. A Five Year Plan • The Comendador Soares leadership plans to have two preachers labor in Rancho Novo. • One from the preaching school in Comendador Soares and the other from Campo Grande Japeri Comendador Soares Rancho Novo Rio deJaneiro CampoGrande

30. So Let’s Plant a Church • Target city: Rancho Novo Rancho Novo Rio deJaneiro

31. Downtown Nova Iguacu (where Rancho Novo town people go to shop)

32. University of Nova Iguacu (only 15 minutes from Rancho Novo)

33. Near Rancho Novo: Real estate 2012: Possible church building

34. The church of Christ Leaders in Comendador Soares Oswaldo Fabio Mesias Wagner Paulo

35. Consider Contributing toward the 5 year plan • $55,000: Short-term Goal • $120,000: Medium Range • $322,000: Long-Term Goal

36. Progress made so far… • $12,000 • You can make a difference! • Pledges accepted.

37. Go into all the world…