Sunday, December 10, 2006
Journey to the UK 8 - 10 Dec 2006
We left Floripa at 3 in the afternoon, with the long flight for the UK only due to leave at 11.45. However, what might have been a purgatorial stop-over turned into a delightful interlude through the kindness and hospitality of Welerson and Débora Duarte and their family, who live in Guarulhos, where Welerson has been pastoring the Third Conservative Presbyterian Church for the last 8 years. He is about to move to São Bernardo do Campo, to be Director of the denominational seminary.
Welerson and Débora Duarte, Vinícius, Virgínia, Vitória and Vitor. We hadn't seen this family for 5 years, which made a few hours in their home between flying in and flying out of São Paulo all the sweeter.
Flying TAM over the Bay of Biscay in an A330: our most uncomfortable ever flight. The red carpet may be magic: the seats certainly aren't. We miss Varig's MD11s! Still, we were only delayed by an hour or two, and we arrived safely.
Welcome party at Heathrow airport: Bec flanked by Aidan (boyfriend) and Naomi (auntie (pregnant)) What a joy to see these faces.
Haywards Heath Evangelical Free Church Sunday morning meeting: Graham Nicholls and Peter Leyshon-Jones on the platform. Our first Sunday back was an excellent day, with fine expositions from Matthew 8 and Job 38-40. Meanwhile, back home in the Peregrinos, Geraldo kicked off the series in James: by all accounts a good start.
Walking home from church on Sunday morning, with Rodrigo and Lívia (from Belo Horizonte - currently doing Cornhill. Photo expertly taken by Thomas King.
Indoor cricket: Tom fielding
We left Floripa at 3 in the afternoon, with the long flight for the UK only due to leave at 11.45. However, what might have been a purgatorial stop-over turned into a delightful interlude through the kindness and hospitality of Welerson and Débora Duarte and their family, who live in Guarulhos, where Welerson has been pastoring the Third Conservative Presbyterian Church for the last 8 years. He is about to move to São Bernardo do Campo, to be Director of the denominational seminary.
Welerson and Débora Duarte, Vinícius, Virgínia, Vitória and Vitor. We hadn't seen this family for 5 years, which made a few hours in their home between flying in and flying out of São Paulo all the sweeter.
Flying TAM over the Bay of Biscay in an A330: our most uncomfortable ever flight. The red carpet may be magic: the seats certainly aren't. We miss Varig's MD11s! Still, we were only delayed by an hour or two, and we arrived safely.
Welcome party at Heathrow airport: Bec flanked by Aidan (boyfriend) and Naomi (auntie (pregnant)) What a joy to see these faces.
Haywards Heath Evangelical Free Church Sunday morning meeting: Graham Nicholls and Peter Leyshon-Jones on the platform. Our first Sunday back was an excellent day, with fine expositions from Matthew 8 and Job 38-40. Meanwhile, back home in the Peregrinos, Geraldo kicked off the series in James: by all accounts a good start.
Walking home from church on Sunday morning, with Rodrigo and Lívia (from Belo Horizonte - currently doing Cornhill. Photo expertly taken by Thomas King.
Indoor cricket: Tom fielding
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Year End
So – we come to the end of another semester. With relief and gratitude. On Sunday we had a church lunch with a discussion in the afternoon, which was in general positive, although rather lacked the kind of concrete conclusions to which the chairman should have guided the members. The evening meeting saw a number of visitors: the largest congregation for some time.
Last night Andrew met with the older men from the church who will teach through James over the next two months. (Older means 27-40!)Perhaps the best “preparation meeting” we have ever had, with lively conversation over the text and its relevance to our lives today. I would have to say that some of the force of James, especially regarding rich and poor, only makes sense once you are in a country like this one. Anna also came to the meeting, as she hopes to do some parallel work with the youngsters while the main teaching is happening.
Tonight is the last class in Biblical Theology. What a good semester: now comes the crunch, receiving work to mark in the holidays. But it has been so encouraging to see people’s thinking shifting each week.
On Friday we will fly TAM to the UK for the first time. We leave Floripa at 3 in the afternoon, with 7 hours to spend in São Paulo airport before getting the midnight plane to Heathrow. It is possible that we may see old friends Welerson and Débora at the airport: we hope so.
In the UK we intend to rest. There will be some work to do, but we are trying not to get too busy. This year has been very draining, and we need to think seriously about the pace of life over the coming twelve months. Andrew has been in 14 Brazilian states in 2006: given that each one is the size of a European country, this gives some impression of the scale of our travels. At the same time we have been trying to conduct a regular seminary teaching ministry, Cora has been in a tough phase of her theology course, and we have been trying to plant a church. How we need strength!
Thank you so much for your prayers and notes of support. The consciousness of the prayers of God’s people spurs us on in what at times seems a very hard battle. I love the fact that, when we pray, we are not “supporting from behind the scenes” but we are struggling right in the front line, side by side, engaged in the conflict. Think about Rom 15:30 for this idea…
So – we come to the end of another semester. With relief and gratitude. On Sunday we had a church lunch with a discussion in the afternoon, which was in general positive, although rather lacked the kind of concrete conclusions to which the chairman should have guided the members. The evening meeting saw a number of visitors: the largest congregation for some time.
Last night Andrew met with the older men from the church who will teach through James over the next two months. (Older means 27-40!)Perhaps the best “preparation meeting” we have ever had, with lively conversation over the text and its relevance to our lives today. I would have to say that some of the force of James, especially regarding rich and poor, only makes sense once you are in a country like this one. Anna also came to the meeting, as she hopes to do some parallel work with the youngsters while the main teaching is happening.
Tonight is the last class in Biblical Theology. What a good semester: now comes the crunch, receiving work to mark in the holidays. But it has been so encouraging to see people’s thinking shifting each week.
On Friday we will fly TAM to the UK for the first time. We leave Floripa at 3 in the afternoon, with 7 hours to spend in São Paulo airport before getting the midnight plane to Heathrow. It is possible that we may see old friends Welerson and Débora at the airport: we hope so.
In the UK we intend to rest. There will be some work to do, but we are trying not to get too busy. This year has been very draining, and we need to think seriously about the pace of life over the coming twelve months. Andrew has been in 14 Brazilian states in 2006: given that each one is the size of a European country, this gives some impression of the scale of our travels. At the same time we have been trying to conduct a regular seminary teaching ministry, Cora has been in a tough phase of her theology course, and we have been trying to plant a church. How we need strength!
Thank you so much for your prayers and notes of support. The consciousness of the prayers of God’s people spurs us on in what at times seems a very hard battle. I love the fact that, when we pray, we are not “supporting from behind the scenes” but we are struggling right in the front line, side by side, engaged in the conflict. Think about Rom 15:30 for this idea…
Friday, December 01, 2006
Encontro da Fé Reformada - Goiânia - 2006
This year's conference was a real party. Perhaps through preaching less and listening more, Andrew got a lot out of it. Hearing Iain Murray four times was the highlight: soft-spoken, balanced, sane, evangelical - it was so good to be with Iain and Jean again. It was also a good conference for the sense of close cooperation and friendship with Mauro and Jôer, for the chance to hear and meet Ricardo Barbosa for the first time, for wonderful fellowship with Débora and Gil, with whom we stayed, for a flight on a light plane, for an excellent meeting of the Council of Colloquium - we are thankful for every bit. Thank you for your prayers.
The journey out was also interesting - striking views flying into São Paulo. Sorry for all the aerial shots, but we know some people like them!
The port of Santos - two cruise ships just visible down below.
The Bandeirantes memorial at the start of the motorway of the same name, São Paulo.
A rain shower falling exactly on the city centre of Goiânia as our plane comes in.
Fine modern architecture in Goiânia. The Cultural Centre. Oscar Niemeyer at his curvy - and spiky - best.
Not so fine architecture in Goiânia. How the other half live. There are not many slums in the city, but some are pretty rough. We don't often post this kind of photo - but we need to remember and remind each other of this side of life. Gil and Débora's church, at Jaó, does some work here.
The only caterpillar I have ever seen eating grass. Just didn't know they did. Why aren't there more grass-specific caterpillars? These guys were common round Gil's house.
Some friends of ours live in Goiânia but have a farm in Mato Grosso, 8 hours drive away. A light plane saves much time, and Jacó took Andrew for a quick flight round the city. First time ever in a single engined plane. At bottom right: Jacó and son, Marco Aurélio.
Connecting the First Presbyterian Church to its school, this is possibly the only zebra crossing in Brazil that consistently works. Cars stop. Not quite sure why. Given the general standard of driving in Goiania it is tempting to think that it is miraculous.
Friday Night Conference Congregation
Conference speakers: Andrew, Ricardo Barbosa, Iain Murray, Mauro Meister, Joer Correa Batista
Saturday lunchtime was the first meeting of the Council of Colloquium, of which Andrew is glad to be a member. An excellent lunch at Luciano and Luciene's home, and an excellent round the table conversation led by Luciano. Visit the Colloquium site (in Portuguese) here.
Gil, in one of his less lucid moments. Now everyone will be able to undestand why we have such a good friendship.
Débora and Cora
End of stay: Gil and Débora, Iain and Jean Murray, and Cora, just before the Murrays left for the airport.
This year's conference was a real party. Perhaps through preaching less and listening more, Andrew got a lot out of it. Hearing Iain Murray four times was the highlight: soft-spoken, balanced, sane, evangelical - it was so good to be with Iain and Jean again. It was also a good conference for the sense of close cooperation and friendship with Mauro and Jôer, for the chance to hear and meet Ricardo Barbosa for the first time, for wonderful fellowship with Débora and Gil, with whom we stayed, for a flight on a light plane, for an excellent meeting of the Council of Colloquium - we are thankful for every bit. Thank you for your prayers.
The journey out was also interesting - striking views flying into São Paulo. Sorry for all the aerial shots, but we know some people like them!
The port of Santos - two cruise ships just visible down below.
The Bandeirantes memorial at the start of the motorway of the same name, São Paulo.
A rain shower falling exactly on the city centre of Goiânia as our plane comes in.
Fine modern architecture in Goiânia. The Cultural Centre. Oscar Niemeyer at his curvy - and spiky - best.
Not so fine architecture in Goiânia. How the other half live. There are not many slums in the city, but some are pretty rough. We don't often post this kind of photo - but we need to remember and remind each other of this side of life. Gil and Débora's church, at Jaó, does some work here.
The only caterpillar I have ever seen eating grass. Just didn't know they did. Why aren't there more grass-specific caterpillars? These guys were common round Gil's house.
Some friends of ours live in Goiânia but have a farm in Mato Grosso, 8 hours drive away. A light plane saves much time, and Jacó took Andrew for a quick flight round the city. First time ever in a single engined plane. At bottom right: Jacó and son, Marco Aurélio.
Connecting the First Presbyterian Church to its school, this is possibly the only zebra crossing in Brazil that consistently works. Cars stop. Not quite sure why. Given the general standard of driving in Goiania it is tempting to think that it is miraculous.
Friday Night Conference Congregation
Conference speakers: Andrew, Ricardo Barbosa, Iain Murray, Mauro Meister, Joer Correa Batista
Saturday lunchtime was the first meeting of the Council of Colloquium, of which Andrew is glad to be a member. An excellent lunch at Luciano and Luciene's home, and an excellent round the table conversation led by Luciano. Visit the Colloquium site (in Portuguese) here.
Gil, in one of his less lucid moments. Now everyone will be able to undestand why we have such a good friendship.
Débora and Cora
End of stay: Gil and Débora, Iain and Jean Murray, and Cora, just before the Murrays left for the airport.
