Gathering Place 2 (Glory Sports Complex)

We have broken ground on phase 1 of the new sports complex and things are speeding along.

There is a matching fund up to $20,000 until the end of 2014 please consider donating at: https://www.egsnetwork.com/gift2?giftid=004F126CFDD5478

Day One Church: US Missions Team

We continue our series titled Day One Church, following the church plant in Desterro from the first day it started.

Living Stones & Church Planting:

For the past year, Living Stones has had an outreach in Belem, the name of one of the three communities that are along the two mile stretch of road called Desterro. It was logical that the Living Stones outreach would partner with the new church plant so close by. A short-term missions team from the Shelbyville Community Church provided a great opportunity to start the partnership.  The team provided the resources for a party with the Desterro church last week.

The Living Stones and the church plant had an interesting start together when they brought all the kids from Living Stones to the church only to discover that it was locked! The new Pastor Marco was running late from work and arrived 45 minutes late.

So, what should you do in this case? Throw a party in the street! So, what happens when you throw a party in the street? Well, it turns out a party in the street is a great way to attract attention! God seemed to ordain the lateness this time! By the time they moved into the church they had a very nice crowd that followed!

Near the end of the party Pastor Flavio (the Director of Living Stones) was testing kids to see if they could read, if they could then they were given an Action Bible and encouraged to read to a friend who couldn't read every day!

Day One Church

In the middle of a community of 3,000 people sat an abandoned church building empty, that is, until this last Friday (10/10/14). 

The church sits on a road called Desterro, just outside of Pauldalho. The area has three different names for each "neighborhood," even though the whole community barely spans a city block. 

There was no other active church in this community until World Renewal Brazil opened those dusty doors last week. The new Evangelical Friends church started in partnership with the Community church of Pauldalho and the Community Church of Lagoa de Itaenga.

On the WRI blog we are going to be following this church to give our US partner churches a unique look at how a church in Brazil reaches the community. Friday was the first launch service at the church. Christians came from three sister community churches to help out with the service. The band was a mixture of Pauldalho's and Acacias' community church. Pastor Marco Migarro gave short introductory message explaining why the church is there and what God says about reaching others for Christ. 

Praying for the Pastor

There was a special moment after the service where Caid Ferguson (a US missionary who along with his wife Rachel help raise awareness and fund for the social outreach / church planting program Living Stones) got up and started singing with the band because he recognized the song and knew the words in English.

The Evangelical Friends Church on Desterro road was purchased on faith. The second payment is due at the end of October. It is for $7,000. Please prayerful consider giving toward the payments of this Day One Church.

To support this Day One Church please go to: http://goo.gl/ss39gW

The total for the church is $26,000. We have $11,000 raised so far.

New Evangelical Friend's church near Paudalho

This is the road called Desterro. It is a small community outside of Paudalho.

This area has no evangelical church near it. The church building that World Renewal Brazil just purchased had been boarded up for 9 years. Now is the time to revitalize the area and show God's love once more to this gospel needy community.

The church building is under some general maintenance and upkeep right now. Pastors from WRB are helping in all sorts of ways, to get the church ready to start receiving people. It has been amazing to see everyone come together to help out this latest church plant. 

The building was purchased for R$65,000(USD$29,000) with the down payment of R$22,000(USD$10,000)  paid for from the Evangelical Friend's churches in the US.

Pastor Marco (Word of Life background) will be the pastor of this Evangelical Friend's church on Desterro road. The full name of the church is undecided.
Marco wanted to have a prayer and vision meeting inside the church this last weekend but while they were cleaning the roof tiles they found and killed 35 bats. It was not safe to hold the prayer meeting since bats carry lots of decease and even their poop causes allergies.

A few of the bats killed: 35 in all with one big ring leader bat.

Pastor Marco and his Family

Please be praying for this new church plant on Desterro's road. They will be having their first meeting very soon. World Renewal Brazil also needs to raise the rest of the money to finish paying for the building. This month we will need R$14,000 (USD$6,500) total more needed to pay off the church building is: R$43,000 (USD$19,000).

Glory Sports Complex (Gathering Place 2) is delayed

Tele Moraes (WRB President) went to what he thought was the last meeting with the architect, before breaking ground on the new sports complex. He received bad news. The Brazil government may or may not be taking more land from the property to put in a bypass.

There are three routes being considered for the bypass but near our property is the route that would cost the government the least amount of money. When will they decide? There is no way to tell how long that will take.

What does this mean for the sports complex?
We go back to the drawing board and come up with some new plans. We also pray, A LOT.

Below is a video of Tele explaining some of the new possibilities for the sports complex.

Please pray with us that we will be able to come up with a good plan and God is at work through this whole process.

20 Years of World Renewal Brazil

It was an amazing time of celebration and an outpouring of love to those that helped start the ministry.

Words of appreciation and plaques of recognition were given to those that have been involved since 1993.

Testimonies, worship and tears of joy all wrapped up with a message by the founder of the first community church in the US Dr. Charles Lake.

Praise God for 20 years of Brazil ministry!