JMN IPB

The beginning of our story is dated, September 10, 1940, local United Presbyterian Church of St. Paul (which was the organization of Neves). In the "Bulletin of the Board of Missions National Christian Presbyterian Church of Brazil - Year I - a. 1 - May 1946", we find the following information "Statistical below, referring to last year (1945), shall, in numbers a idea of ​​progress: 10 fields, 9 ministers, including the Executive Secretary (Rev. José Carlos Nogueira); 1 Church Congregations Presbiteriais 2, 104 preaching points; 678 Members Communicants; 639 No Communicants; 33 E. Sunday, with 1529 students; 13 Women Societies, with 185 members; 4 Unions of Youth, with 79 members; 4 Youth Leagues, with 92 members; ... " A witness to sending the first missionary of Neves is the sister Leonilda Olivetti Steffen (widow of the Rev. Walter Steffen 1917-1999). This dear sister was present in worship where the licensee Camilo Fernandes Costa was commissioned to work in Tanabi-SP, she remembers the hymn sung by the church was "I want to be a blessing pot" and, in his opinion, this is the best definition of Neves: "a blessing chosen vessel of God, the new lead to the lost." The work of this blessing vessel is reported in two good books: "History of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil" - Vol II, the Rev. Julio Andrade Ferreira (CEP - SP) and "The Younger Church in Search of Maturity:. Presbyterianism in Brazil from 1910 to 1959 "Paul Everett Pierson (Trinity University pressures - San Antonio 1974). In his book, Pierson reports that in 1957 the Neves had built 27 temples Presbyterians. In the beginning, Neves was maintained by the Presbyterian Church of Brazil, New York Missions and Nashville - USA, but gradually Brazilian Presbyterians began to finance all the work with mission offerings. The missionary offerings campaigns always with the participation of all the Presbyterian Church of Brazil and this can be evidenced by the following excerpt from the aforementioned Neves of Bulletin No 1, referring to the 1945 campaign "... Yes, came the time when the our Master tells us to complete the occupation of our country to his Kingdom. " Today we are all responsible for encouraging and ensuring the resources to carry forward the missionary work in Brazil. We will support this work that is not of men, but of God. The permanent campaigns Neves provide the opportunity to express our love for missions. The Neves enters the "third age" full of hope and motivation; age brings experience and grow the vision of reaching the Brazilian people for Christ. The grace of God and the missionary dedication of consecrated men and women form the energy of our 75 years, says Bruce Barton: "The great achievements were only achieved by those who believed they had within themselves, higher enthusiasm to the circumstances." We thank God for the blessings achieved, congratulations to everyone who made the first 75 years of the Neves and to our God, fervent prayer "Make us vessels of blessing, Lord ..."