Rev. Dr. José Carlos Pezini

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Peace be with you all in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Odete and I would like to thank each one of you for supporting our ministry by praying for us during this first quarter living in Brazil. God is good and faithful; it is not difficult to see the way he has blessed us. We want to provide a quick update highlighting what has happened in our ministry in Brazil in the past three months.

Odete and I arrived in Brazil in the beginning of May. Our belongings arrived May 12. It took about two weeks of hard work for us to get everything settled in place. On May 25 to 28 I returned to the U.S. to preach at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Wichita, KS. This church has supported our ministry for a while, and it was a blessing to be with them and thank them for their support. Returning to Brazil, I spent two weeks working on our documentation for the Brazilian government and preparing myself for the start of my ministry.

On June 15 we received the Rev. Aureo Oliveira, Moderator of the Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil, and his wife in our home for dinner and conversation about our ministry in partnership with them. The next day I left for Apucarana, in the state of Paraná, to visit our son Reggie, his wife Lucy, and our grandson Nicholas. I also traveled to São José do Rio Preto for a time of mentoring pastors in that city and a consultation with Rev. Mario de Góis, Senior Pastor of the First Independent Presbyterian Church of São José do Rio Preto.

Also in June I went to Campinas to meet with the directors of the Center for Training Church Planters (CTPI) and participate with them during three days of assessment of potential new church development pastors. Twelve couples from the Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil participated in the assessment. The IPIB’s Department of Evangelism and Mission decided that from now on each pastor who serves as a missionary/church planter will be required to go through this assessment process before beginning work as a missionary/church planter. Being part of this ministry was a wonderful experience. The following week I went back to northern Paraná to preach at the Presbyterian Church of Apucarana for its fifty-sixth anniversary. I served this church from 1989 to 1996. I came back to Curitiba on July 2.

The month of July was also busy with ministry work. I traveled to Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul to spend time with the Rev. Fernando Lyra and thirty leaders from his church for three days of training. Pastor Fernando’s ministry is bearing great fruit. The church is growing, and the building is almost ready to be used. I have been mentoring him through Skype for about one year.

I also went to Guarapuava to meet with two different presbyteries and talk about church planting. These two presbyteries have a long history of planting many churches, but in the past ten years they have experienced failure in these efforts. Many questions have been raised, and they are trying to understand what is happening. I spent four hours with them listening and talking about some of the church planting principles. They want to continue this conversation and have invited me to return to Guarapuava again in September.

From July 26 to 29 I went to Sorocaba to give three hours of training for pastors and elders of Sorocaba Presbytery in the IPIB. There were about sixty people in attendance. The experience was good, but it seems to me that the majority of the pastors still do not have much interest in church planting. However, we can see the light on the other side.

After Sorocaba I went to Campinas to meet with directors of Evangelism and Mission Office (SE) of the IPIB and to participate in an equipping conference for church planters sponsored by the above-mentioned Center for Training Church Planters (CTPI). The conference was one of the best that CTPI has done. There were about 400 people there. The church planting movement is growing day by day in Brazil. With my encouragement, the Rev. Casso, the director of the Evangelism Office of the IPIB, urged IPIB pastors to participate in this conference. The result was the presence of 26 IPIB pastors.

Also on August 9 to 11 I went back to Campinas to teach at the Missionary Training Center (CTM). There were 18 pastors registered for this course. The time with them was very inspirational for them and for me. I praise God for his grace and for using me as an instrument in his hand to motivate pastors.

From the above one can see that there is a great opportunity and invitation for my ministry since I returned to Brazil. In addition to all these trips and training opportunities, I continue mentoring pastors through Skype. The numbers of pastors asking me for mentoring is growing day by day. However, I decided not to schedule more than two pastors a day for mentoring through Skype.

I would like to thank each one of you for your friendship and prayer support during these three months of my ministry in Brazil. I give thanks to God for everything he has done in my life and for his provision of everything I need in order to fulfill my calling.

Blessings to you all,

J.C. Pezini

J.C. Pezini

listening and talking about some of the church planting principles. They want to continue this conversation and have invited me to return to Guarapuava again in September.

From July 26 to 29 I went to Sorocaba to give three hours of training for pastors and elders of Sorocaba Presbytery in the IPIB. There were about sixty people in attendance. The experience was good, but it seems to me that the majority of the pastors still do not have much interest in church planting. However, we can see the light on the other side.

After Sorocaba I went to Campinas to meet with directors of Evangelism and Mission Office (SE) of the IPIB and to participate in an equipping conference for church planters sponsored by the above-mentioned Center for Training Church Planters (CTPI). The conference was one of the best that CTPI has done. There were about 400 people there. The church planting movement is growing day by day in Brazil. With my encouragement, the Rev. Casso, the director of the Evangelism Office of the IPIB, urged IPIB pastors to participate in this conference. The result was the presence of 26 IPIB pastors.

Also on August 9 to 11 I went back to Campinas to teach at the Missionary Training Center (CTM). There were 18 pastors registered for this course. The time with them was very inspirational for them and for me. I praise God for his grace and for using me as an instrument in his hand to motivate pastors.

From the above one can see that there is a great opportunity and invitation for my ministry since I returned to Brazil. In addition to all these trips and training opportunities, I continue mentoring pastors through Skype. The numbers of pastors asking me for mentoring is growing day by day. However, I decided not to schedule more than two pastors a day for mentoring through Skype.

I would like to thank each one of you for your friendship and prayer support during these three months of my ministry in Brazil. I give thanks to God for everything he has done in my life and for his provision of everything I need in order to fulfill my calling.

Blessings to you all,