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CHURCH DEVELOPMENT
A First For The Florida Conference
By Charles W. Courtoy
Executive Director of Church Development
Orlando
District Superintendent Rev. Bob Bruce welcomed the first Portuguese-speaking faith
community into the Florida Conference, under the sponsorship of First United Methodist
Church, Kissimmee, Aug. 16 at the Kissimmee church.
The Portuguese-speaking congregation began meeting in 1997 as a mission of The Brazilian
Methodist Church. Because of severe financial reverses in Brazil, The Brazilian Methodist
Church was unable to continue financial support, so the new congregation petitioned to
become a mission (a faith community) of the Florida Conference. The congregation of First
United Methodist Church, Kissimmee, agreed to be its Mother Church to provide meeting
space.
First, Kissimmee, under the leadership of the Rev. John Willis, is already the Mother
Church for an Hispanic congregation. At the church’s three morning worship services
Aug. 16, pastors and congregation members from the Anglo, Hispanic and Brazilian
congregations participated in singing, speaking and praying in all three languages. Most
of the new Brazilians received into membership were received on profession of faith. The
Brazilian Faith Community is being served by Pastor Alexandre Oberlaender.
Not only is this the first Portuguese-speaking congregation in the Florida Conference, but
First, Kissimmee, is the first church to be the Mother Church of two unchartered faith
communities (missions) at the same time.
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