José Carlos Pezini – October 2022 Update
Brazil
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and because you are in him, who is the Head of all power and authority, you have received a fullness.” Colossians 2:9-10
Brothers and sisters, may the grace and power of God be upon each one of you. I praise God for your faithfulness and generosity and pray that God in His grace will bless you abundantly. Despite the effects of the pandemic, our ministry continues to grow because people like you continue to believe that God rules over everything and everyone.
It’s hard to believe that the end of the year is approaching, time goes by so quickly. The Lord has blessed us tremendously and used us mightily in His work. Looking back, we can see that the Lord guided us in the decisions and choices we made and led us along the paths we have taken. We are immensely grateful for His kindness to us.
The past three months have been filled with hard work. In June we received a group of pastors from ECO, most of them from the Florida Presbytery. They came guided by the Holy Spirit to explore the possibility of partnership in mission. I accompanied them during their 12-day stay visiting new church developments, work that our partner, the Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil (IPIB), is committed to carrying out. They returned home motivated by what God has done in our midst.
In July I spoke to several churches about the work of church transformation and had the privilege of participating in the IPIB General Assembly. It was a time of connection with many pastors. I had the opportunity to serve as an intermediary for the partnership that was made official between ECO and IPIB.
August was very busy since we moved at the beginning of the month. But as always, we had the help of friends. I was able to get together with four mentoring groups, and we realized how pastors are still suffering from the effects of the pandemic. Many feel frustrated, some feel discouraged, and a few feel tired, but the Lord strengthens them through fellowship with one another. Encounters provide a safe environment for them to open their hearts and share their struggles and trials.
On August 6 at the invitation of the Presbytery Sul do Paraná, I had the privilege of preaching the word in Curitiba to celebrate the 119th anniversary of our beloved church, IPIB. It was a blessing to see the people singing and praising the Lord, grateful for God's blessing on their church.
From August 12-15, Rev. Mario de Góis and I spoke at the Presbytery of Litoral Sul of São Paulo about church transformation. Then I had the privilege of sharing the word of God with the brothers and sisters of the Independent Presbyterian Church in Santos São Paulo. It was a wonderful experience. On August 28 I taught the Sunday School class and preached the service for the brothers and sisters of the Chinese Presbyterian Church in Curitiba.
The work of church transformation is growing rapidly. Many local congregations and presbyteries have invited us to present our plan for church revitalization. This work takes an average of two years to obtain results. We have made commitments to help more than 12 churches so far. All these churches belong to IPIB.
Nothing gives us more pleasure than to be involved with the expansion of the Kingdom of God and see how God is doing with His church. The Lord is good, and His mercy lasts forever.
I would like to thank all those who have believed in our ministry and made the effort to contribute financially so that we can accomplish what God has called us to do. May the Lord bless you indeed.
In the love of Christ,
Pezini and Odete
Read more about Pezini’s ministry HERE.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Outreach Foundation is seeking gifts to support the mission and ministry of Pezini. All gifts of any size are welcomed to help with scholarships for church leaders and support for pastors and their families. You may make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.