I originally wrote this article for the La Trompeta website. La Trompeta, translated as The Trumpet in English, is a publication of the Church of God in Latin America. They share articles and news of the Church of God from across the world but focused primarily on Latin America. The editor, David Luchini, contacted me asking if I could share about any recent church events or anniversaries. Below is what I shared with him. For full disclosure I wrote it in English because I don’t speak Spanish.
The Church of God in Belterra, Pará recently celebrated its fifth anniversary on Sunday, November 29, 2020. The church is pastored by Edney Carlos Pereira Pinto and his wife Maria José Santos Pinto. The work began meeting in the house of one family. Once a house was built for the pastor and his family, services began to be held there. That initial family moved to kilometer 140, but continued to host a service every three months until the pandemic began. Today the Church of God in Belterra has 55 members.
The congregation in Belterra is reaching out into the community in a variety of ways. At the beginning of October, Pastor Edney began a social program called “Primeiras Marteladas” where he can share with members of the community skills he learned from his time in A Mão Cooperadora, which is the name of the social outreach programs of the Church of God in Brazil. Some of the skills being taught include mechanics, electrical work, plumbing, carpentry, and joinery. While Pastor Edney is teaching shop skills, his wife, Pastor Maria is teaching culinary arts to a group of girls. The programs are held every Saturday at 16:00 and include a devotion, preaching, teaching theory behind the skills, practice at those skills, a snack, and recreation.
One project Pastor Edney recently completed was a walker for a three-year-old girl who could not walk. A sister in the church contacted him saying that a psychologist had said the girl needed a walker, but no one would make it. They asked Pastor Edney how much it would cost to make, and he said, “It will cost nothing. A psychologist said she needs to use one because she is special.”
The Todds 