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Portugal
Regional liaisons for Spain and Portugal Bryce and Phyllis Little write that four recent seminary graduates are serving as pastors in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Portugal (IEPP). Three graduated from the United Theological Seminary of the Spanish Evangelical Church near Madrid. The fourth student completed his theological studies at a Catholic seminary in Portugal. He then completed an additional year of Reformed theological training under the direction of senior pastors in the IEPP. Another woman has completed her seminary studies and is awaiting ordination. Their leadership is very much needed in the IEPP from which many pastors are now retiring.
Spain
Since 2007, mission co-worker Osmondo Ponce has been serving in the United Evangelical Theological Seminary, a ministry of the Evangelical Church of Spain. When he arrived, he immediately helped to develop the “Theological Workshop,” a two-year theological education program for lay leaders based in Madrid. One of the key characteristics of this successful program is the flexibility that it gives busy students, many of whom have full-time jobs.
The Theological Workshop is now being used in many other locations in Spain. The IEPP has also expressed an interest in the Theological Workshop. Osmondo writes, “I do not do this alone. We have formed a work team with one person in the north of the country and another in the south, allowing us to incorporate different church traditions. Presently, Methodist, Presbyterian, Anabaptist, and Pentecostal churches are participating.”
PC(USA) People in Mission
Mission Volunteers, regional liaisons, Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar, World Mission (WM)
Rev. Dr. Bryce Little, Jr. and Phyllis Little
Rev. Melanie Mitchell, mission volunteer, multicultural ministries/chaplain, Evangelical Church of Spain (IEE)
Rev. Osmundo Ponce, open learning officer, United Evangelical Theological Seminary (SUET)
Partners/Ministries
Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Portugal
Rev. Jose Salvador, president
Mr. Fernando Matos, vice president
Dr. David Valente, general secretary
Mr. Victor Baptisto, treasurer
Evangelical Church of Spain
Rev. Alfredo Abad, general secretary, Elder Joel Cortés, president
SUET
Rev. Dr. Pedro Zamora, director
Presbytery Partnerships with Spain
Eastminster Presbytery and Presbytery of Wabash Valley
Presbytery Partnerships with Portugal
Cherokee Presbytery and Presbytery of Northern Waters
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Meredith Kemp, GAMC
Gail Kennedy, BOP
Gerald Kern, GAMC
Thank you, God, for the new pastors in the IEPP — Pedro, Maria, Luis, Sandra, and Rute.
We ask that you would give them energy, imagination, wisdom, understanding, and love as they serve your church. We also thank you for the ministry of the lay leaders’ education program and ask that through your blessing it would bear much fruit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Ps. 89:1–18, 147:1–11 Ps. 1, 33
1 Sam. 2:12–26
Acts 2:1–21; Luke 20:27–40
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