Pastor Mauro Freitas, wife Clarice, sons Pedro (L) & Lucas (R) & daughter Elisa.

On January 8th 2012, Pastor Mauro Freitas was installed as the new senior pastor of the Good News Bible Church at Jambeiro Park neighborhood Campinas São Paulo.  Pr. Mauro also works full time as a safety coordinator at the local public bus company and his wife Clarice is a homemaker.  They have three children.  Interestingly, the Freitas family are neighbors and live just a few houses down from the church, so no need to even get the car out to go to church! I have know pastor Mauro for several years and was taken aback when he called me and offered his resume after finding out that the former pastor was leaving. We held several interviews and he was given our doctrinal statement We Believe and the conference by-laws.  Pr. Mauro is presently in his last year at the local Nazarene Seminary and has been active in his church as associate pastor and leader of the church choir and praise group. He brings a wealth of experience in church growth having helped several declining churches re-launch and develop into thriving ministries today.

We are very thankful to have Pr. Mauro and family become a part of the Good News family. Please pray for God´s blessing and fruitfulness upon this servant family and ministry.

Missionary Gordon Avey prayer of consecration and installation of new pastor

Leading Worship

Pr. Mauro Freitas

God´s People Praising

Isaac, Dini, Bryan, Ellen, Roberto, Annie & Gordon Avey

The Avey family would like  to wish everyone a very blessed and meaningful Christmas as we celebrate God´s great and indescribable gift, His only son, Jesus Christ.  Thanks to each of you for your prayers and support.  You are our support team making it possible to reach Brazil with the Good News of Jesus Christ; The One who seeks to be born in the hearts of men and women, for that is where He desires to make His dwelling!  We are co-laborer’s together in His harvest, so thank you so much for your faithful prayers and financial support.

May you and your family be blessed during this special time of year, we are thankful for technology so that at least we can Skype our loved ones on Christmas day. I have included a photo taken last September while we were in the States for our grandson Isaac´s 2nd birthday.

Yours because of God´s gift,

Gordon & Annie

The Good News Church in Santo Antonio de Jesus-Bahia is offering an accredited bachelor’s degree program. The church has been approved as a branch of the University of Theology and Culture of Bahia.

There is being offered a three year degree in Bible, theology and culture that is accredited by the board of higher education in Brazil. It is an intensive course that began in July and is held once a month all day Sunday with professors lecturing and giving assignments to be done at home. This is a great opportunity for those who could not relocate due to work and family to earn a degree.  Thirty-five students are attending class at this time. There is also a one year basic Bible Institute offered as well during the week for those seeking to grow in their faith and knowledge of God’s Word. This is a very exciting time for the church! Please keep these important training opportunities and students in your prayers, who knows, perhaps some of our future pastors and leaders are being prepared even now!

Professor giving lecture

35 Students Enrolled

Children’s Day Program

In Brazil the first week of October is Children’s Day. Here in Campinas the Good News Church in Campo Grande held a special Saturday event for the children of the neighborhood. This is the second such evangelism project since moving into the new facility. Over 75 children and adults attended and participated in activities and Bible lessons. It was good to see so many of the new members willing to help out. One couple sold 150 pizzas to provide funds for the decorations and food for the day!

Baptism Campo Grande – Campinas

Six new disciples were baptized in October. A small camp was rented and it was a weekend event with lots of games, soccer, swimming and spiritual growth.

Footwashing Service

What a wonderful opportunity to bless this young church! Please pray about how you, your SS class or church could help cover this deficit. Any amount will be appreciated, thanks in advance for your kindness and concern.

Alex preaching first sermon

When I moved to Campinas, I never dreamed I would become a Christian. To the contrary, I liked to make fun of the evangelicals, I would mock them, and I could care less about them. I loved hard rock that would talk about satanic things, and music that would praise Satan. I would go to cemeteries and drink, smoke and use drugs, to me that that was what life was all about, live to party hard.  I ran with the wrong crowd and started to sell drugs. Then one day I was hard up for money and stole some stuff, since I got away with it, I got up the courage to try it again, easy money.  A friend of mine and I were downtown Campinas close to a hospital around midnight, there were not even any buses running at that time. We saw this man walking and so we decided to attack him. We grabbed his backpack and everything he had and were dragging him down the street. Just at this moment a police car came by and saw us dragging the guy and taking his stuff. The policemen jumped out and caught us and took us to jail that night. I was in jail 6 months and 15 days at that time. I only thought about getting out and doing more evil, I could have cared less what was happening to me. After this time, I was released to await my sentencing in liberty. When the sentence came down I was given 5 years and 6 months in prison by the judge. That is when I got really scared, and decided I would not go back to jail, and so I ran and hid, going back to the life of drugs, drinking and smoking with my buddies.

Then one certain day, I happen to see Pastor Jimenez’s daughter, Caren walking by my house. At that moment I fell in love! It was love at first sight! I know now that it was God that had her walk by because that gave me the courage to go to church just to please her, otherwise I probably would never have entered a church.  My cousin that goes to the church in Campo Grande invited me to go one Sunday. I went but not to worship God but to see Caren, the pastor’s daughter. It was then that God began to speak to me about my life and the love of Jesus for me.  It was not long afterwards that I gave my heart and life to Christ as my savior and Lord. The Holy Spirit touched me in such a way that I wanted to seek to know more and more of this awesome God; I began to have a hunger for the Word of God and thirst for righteousness. With the passing of time, about 4 months, I decided I needed to be baptized and then I began to have an even greater desire to seek God with all my heart. I was confident in my heart that this desire was to surrender everything on the altar of God, and fulfill His will in my life and do His work on earth.

Living Missions – Vivendo Missões

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Thanks to all who pray and give faithfully to Project Good News Brazil. Please continue to partner with Annie and I and Brazil Church Planting by sending your support to PO Box 926 Findlay, Oh 45840. You can now make electronic gifts at the www.pgnbrazil.com or www.cggc.org sites.

Group from Campinas at airport

Theme Banner: Ambassadors of Christ, Living Missions!

2hr flight and 3hr bus ride

Overflow Crowd

Saturday Afternoon Session

Pr. Ernesto & Pr. Don Feetwashing Service

Certificates of Excelence and Ordination

One of many presentations on theme of Missions

You have probably heard of the terrible floods and landslides that have devastated several cities north of Rio de Janeiro. These are mountainous areas and because of the torrential non stop rains, mudslides have wiped away homes, mansions, hotels, rich and poor alike sparing none. Many have lost everything and some their entire families. As of today, 1/18/11, the official death toll is over 700. They say it may go several times that as so many people are unaccounted for and missing.

We do not have any churches in these areas, so none of our churches were affected. A massive effort nationally is now underway for donations and tons of supplies are being rushed to these areas. The Brazilian government has dispatched the army and marines to carry supplies plus help in the search and rescue efforts using helicopters and troops to remove those isolated and stranded. Many local ministries and organizations like the red cross are there as well. The government is going to give each family that lost their homes a subsidy to help on rent. All this may still seem like so little in the face of such an large scale tragedy.

Please pray for those suffering and those ministering to the victims at this most difficult time in Brazil.

The video clip attached is a very graphic image of a heroic rescue that has been seen around the world. Some had just a few seconds to devise a way of escape… so many did not even get a chance.   

Dramatic Brazil Flood Rescue – 1/13/11

Yesterday morning (1/15/11) the cement trucks came and we pumped 11 cubic meters of concrete on the second floor of the building. This upstairs will eventually be classes. Now the walls will go up farther and then roofed. The pictures below are of the work day yesterday and show where we are in the process. Hopefully we can begin meetings in the new facility by March or April, even though it will not be completly finished.

Thanks to all the churches, classes, VBS’s, individuals that have helped so far on this project. What an encouragement you are to this young church!  We still have a ways to go so continue to pray and support Bricks for Brazil. All funds can be sent to CGGC PO Box 926 Findlay, Oh 45840 earmaked,”Bricks for Brazil”.  Thank You!

Isaac, Dini, Bryan, Roberto, Ellen, Annie, Gordon

Annie and I want to wish you and your family a blessed Christmas remembering the birth of our Savior! We echo the Apostle Paul’s sentiment, “Thank God for his unspeakable gift.” 2 Co. 9:15

We also want to take the opportunity to thank each of you for your support and partnership in prayer during 2010. For many, your prayers and support has kept us on the field since 1994.

Through the ministry of our Good News Churches, many people have come to know the reason for the season, and are now following Jesus Christ the Savior of the world!

Thanks for all the beautiful cards sent by so many, MERRY CHRISTMAS.