Synod gathering celebrates 180 years of Protestantism in Portugal
Report by PC(USA) partner highlights struggles and signs of hope
The 79th Synod of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Portugal (IEPP) celebrated 180 years of Protestant presence in Portugal this year. A recent report from its annual gathering, held May 23–25 at the Cova Gala Social Center in Portugal, offered a poignant reflection on the denomination’s challenges and its enduring commitment to mission, renewal and ecumenical partnership. The report written in Portuguese was shared by Luciano Kovacs, a global ecumenical liaison, and translated through PC(USA)'s Global Language Resources for the Presbyterian News Service.
At its 79th gathering, the synod celebrated the legacy of Protestant faith in Portugal with the release of a new edition of "O Apóstolo da Madeira" (The Apostle of Madeira), commemorating Dr. Robert Reid Kelley’s medical mission and evangelism on the island of Madeira. The publication was described as “a grateful remembrance of the faith that sustains us and the legacy that inspires us.”
Delegates also acknowledged pressing concerns: a shrinking pastoral workforce, financial constraints and the difficulty of church growth in an increasingly secular society. Despite these hurdles, signs of hope were present. The synod highlighted vibrant outreach initiatives, particularly Projeto Esperança (Project Hope) and Mulheres que fazem a diferença (Women Making a Difference), which embody the IEPP’s mission to serve, heal and empower.
Launched in 2018, Projeto Esperança continues to flourish as a synodal initiative for children and youth. It fosters spiritual formation through Bible camps, regional gatherings, and the Routes of Faith program, which encourages young people to lead worship and engage in intergenerational ministry across congregations. The project also includes service opportunities like the ABC Kids program — offering school support, therapy and food baskets — and the Euro-Orphans initiative, which supports children of migrants facing emotional and social vulnerabilities.
Meanwhile, Mulheres que fazem a diferença has become a prophetic force within the IEPP. Through retreats, prayer vigils and service like the Heart in Bloom pillow project for breast cancer patients and the Just Like Me therapeutic dolls for children in Angola and Mozambique, Presbyterian women in Portugal are weaving threads of healing and hope. Their gatherings emphasize spiritual depth, leadership development, and ecumenical solidarity, with participation from Catholic, Methodist, Lusitanian and Salvation Army communities.
The synod also emphasized the vital role of young people and cross-cultural, ecumenical experiences in the church’s renewal. Youth-led worship services, ecumenical forums and international exchanges demonstrated that young Presbyterians are not absent but actively shaping the future. From July 25–29, IEPP youth were invited by the United Protestant Church of France to participate in Le Grand Kiff, an event that brought together young Christians from all over Europe around the theme: “Breathe, Hope.” Portuguese youth attended this event for five days of music, worship and sharing, expanding their understanding of the global body of Christ.
According to the Rev. Maria Eduarda Titosse, who was elected the general secretary of IEPP at the May synod gathering, Portugal will host a youth camp this month with participants from Portuguese Presbyterian churches, the Reformed and Episcopal churches in Spain, and a Baptist church in Rome. The gathering will invite young people to consider their role as peacemakers and stewards of Creation.
Ecumenical support remains a cornerstone of IEPP’s resilience. The synod welcomed international guests, including the Rev. Rita Famos of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe, Kovacs and Professor Douglass Sullivan-González of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and representatives from Germany’s Gustav-Adolf-Werk (a Protestant aid organization that does diaspora work for the Evangelical Church in Germany) and the Spanish Evangelical Church. Their presence affirmed the IEPP’s place within a global communion committed to justice, inclusion and shared witness.
“Welcoming brothers and sisters from different churches and organizations to the Synod was a clear sign of communion. Their presence reminds us that we are not walking alone, but that we are part of the body of Christ in the world,” stated the synod report. “Brothers and sisters who travel from afar to be with us are living witnesses of God’s care and support. There is a larger family praying for us and listening to us.”
The Rev. Sandra Reis, newly elected president of the IEPP, closed the synod with a call to action: “Let us be a community that rises up in the power of the Spirit, with our feet on the ground and our hearts on fire.”
In a time of uncertainty, the IEPP’s synod offered a compelling vision of a church that, though small in number, is rich in faith, creativity and compassion. Through its children, women and ecumenical partners, the church continues to sow seeds of hope — trusting that the harvest will come.
Read the report here.
You may freely reuse and distribute this article in its entirety for non-commercial purposes in any medium. Please include author attribution, photography credits, and a link to the original article. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDeratives 4.0 International License.
