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Brazil
The Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil (IPIB) was born in 1903 as a result of debates over Freemasonry, Brazilian theological education, and a plan for missions that depended on Brazilian resources. In 1984, the IPIB began a new chapter in its history and received PC(USA) mission workers to work with it. This step toward a partnership of interdependence and integration with a church founded to be independent of missionary influence was a sign of maturity and change in both denominations.
Today the IPIB is one of PC(USA)’s strongest partners in Latin America. It has approximately 100,000 members in 500 congregations with 832 ordained pastors (men and women) and sixty missionaries (national and international).
The IPIB moderator, the Rev. Assir Pereira, writes, “Our partnership with the PC(USA) has served as a model for developing more international partnerships.” The IPIB has entered into formal partnerships with three PC(USA) global partners and is engaged in conversations with another one, the Independent Presbyterian Church in Bolivia.
Another exciting development in the partnership between the IPIB and the PC(USA) is their cooperation in sharing human and financial resources in sending mission workers to other countries with great needs. In collaboration with the PC(USA), mission workers from the IPIB have gone to Portugal, Chile, Bolivia, and Venezuela. The IPIB is exploring with the Waldensian Evangelical Church of the River Plate the possibility of sending IPIB missionaries to Argentina.
PC(USA) People in Mission
Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil: The Rev. Dr. Timothy Carriker, curriculum, theology education, Marta Carriker, delegations coordinator, Linnis Cook, legal intern, Farris Goodrum, seminary music professor, Thelma Goodrum, evangelism, The Rev. Dr. Archibald Woodruff, professor of biblical and Greek studies
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Allyn Schadt, GAMC
Deborah Schenck, BOP
Elder Karen Schmidt, GAMC
Gracious missionary God, who is at work throughout the world empowering your people for mission, we offer thanks for the courage of the Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil, and pray that our mission partnership will continue to be a blessing for many. May we experience renewal and unity as we participate in God’s mission together. Amen.
Ps. 57, 145 Ps. 85, 47
Jer. 44:1–14 or Jer. 29:1, 4–14
1 Cor. 15:30–41; Matt. 11:16–24
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