December 2, 2007

Dear Friends and Family,

Thelma at her recent graduation from the seminary of the Independent Presbyterian Church.

Last night Thelma graduated from the seminary of the Independent Presbyterian Church, where I have been a teacher since 1997. It was a very nice ceremony, held in the beautiful First Independent Presbyterian Church of Londrina, and I was pleased and honored that the graduates, who were my students of music and Christian education last year, named their “turma” (class) after me. My bell choir was invited to play during the ceremony, which added a very special touch to the program.

Thelma has worked hard during her four years of course work, and was always at the top of her class. She is pleased that the work has been completed, but will miss her classmates, who have become very good friends during these years together. Family members and many friends were present for the graduation, and the closing activity of the evening was a late dinner at a nice restaurant, with faculty members and their families and visiting guests.

Thelma leading the "Turma Prof. Farris McDaniel Goodrum" in the "Oath of the Graduates" at her graduation, December 2007.

The remaining weeks, until December 19, will involve packing and putting our belongings in storage, as we will be spending the first semester of 2008 on “home assignment” at Mission Haven, in Decatur, Georgia, with plans to return to Londrina in July. We look forward to those months of being with family and friends in the States, and will enjoy seeing many of you as we visit churches to tell about our work here in Brazil. If you would be interested in having us visit your church, please get in touch with us via email, or at Mission Haven. We will be spending Christmas with my father in Houston, Texas, with plans to go to Mission Haven at the end of December.

The church choir and the bell choir are practicing Christmas music for special programs that will be presented during these remaining weeks. Thelma sings in the choir, and there is a special number which includes the children of Joel’s Sunday school class. Michael is a member of the bell choir, and plays electric guitar in the praise band, while Joel plays in the children’s bell choir. So the whole family is involved in the church’s musical activities in one way or another.

In November we enjoyed a visit from Larry Heath, who is minister of music at River Road Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia. His church has a partnership with a church in the state of São Paulo, and on a recent trip to visit that church he made a side trip to visit us here in Londrina and to be involved in the musical activities at our church and seminary. The choirs and bell choirs sang and played very well under his direction, and it was an enjoyable experience for all of us. We are always pleased with the way our church and the seminary welcome visitors from the States and make them feel at home here.

Thelma’s “Projeto Escolar,” which helps underprivileged children who have difficulties with their school work, ended on a positive note with the last session being a Christmas party, where each received clothing, soccer balls, and other gifts that had been donated. These were much appreciated by the children. The volunteer teachers in our church will keep this after-school program going while Thelma is away next year.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and much joy in the New Year, and we look forward to seeing many of you in the months to come.

In Christ’s service,

Farris Goodrum
For the Goodrum family

The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study, p.41