Igreja da Paz service

While waiting for our return flight to Miami I have a chance to share some of our experience in the city of santarem before we left on our actual mission project. Igreja da Paz (peace church) is the church that was started in santarem by USA missionaries several years ago. It is the church that is connected to project amazon and our local missionaries Ruth and Nathan Reutter. We were able to attend both a sunday service and disciple building and multiplying "cell group" meeting. These opportunities were with Nathan's parents (also project amazon missionaries and our hosts) Ken and Joanna Reutter.

Igreja da Paz has 14 churches in the 300000 person metropolitan area of the city of santarem. Each week there are 61 separate services and 7000 cell group meetings that serve about 60000 people!

I was especially blessed to see the excitement in the 5:00 pm Sunday service where we were with 1000 other worshipers. Most significant for me was when we sang the revelation song and heard 1000 members singing "holy holy holy is the lord god almighty.... With all creation I sing praise to the king of kings.". We were singing in English and the rest of the congregation was praising in Portuguese. The sermon was on unity and it certainly felt like the spirit had linked us with them through that praise song.