Minute for Mission — June 1, 2009

New Pastors for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Portugal

Three newly ordained pastors of the IEPP pose with PC (USA) regional liaisons for Spain and Portugal. Photo by Bryce and Phyllis Little.

Four recent seminary graduates are serving as pastors in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Portugal (IEPP). Three are graduates of the United Theological Seminary of the Spanish Evangelical Church near Madrid. The fourth studied at a Catholic Seminary in Portugal and then completed an additional year of Reformed theological training under direction of senior pastors in the IEPP. These four students are now all serving IEPP churches. Another young woman has completed her seminary studies and is awaiting ordination. Their leadership is desperately needed now that many pastors in the IEPP are retiring. These new pastors are facing many adjustments. They have been called to serve in churches that are not accustomed to having younger pastors.

Prayer:
Heavenly God, we pray for these new church leaders in the IEPP — Pedro Brito, Maria (Nini) Eduarda Castaheira, Luis de Matos, Sandra Reis, and Rute Salvador — as they seek to bring understanding of evangelism and social ministry to their congregations.