Celebrating 50 Years of
Mission Work in Brazil
Have you seen the book "God Gave the Growth"?
Want to order a book?
To order a copy, please click this link. You’ll find details about purchase options, prices, how to pay and your shipping address, or give us instructions about arrangements for pickup if you’re local in the Fraser Valley. On the form you can also provide your information if you need a tax receipt for a donation.
We have 2 purchase options:
- a $30 purchase plus $10 shipping within Canada
- a $30 purchase for local pickup
This makes a great gift for Christmas, birthdays, and other occasions!
The Mission Brazil 50th Anniversary book “God Gave the Growth” gives an amazing story of the history and current work in Brazil. Here’s the introduction:
Every story has a context and the work of mission in Brazil is no exception. There are a number of articles here which illustrate the fact that we had a rich heritage of Reformed churches working in Brazil already centuries ago. Please check out the Reformed churches in Brazil to find out more (see the first chapter).
Also, before one missionary set foot in Brazil soil on behalf of the Canadian churches, a lot of committee and council work preceded that. You can read about that in some of the excerpts from work done by Rick Baartman to chronicle the history of the mission work in Western Canada and by Rev. B. J. Berends who dug through the archives and assembled information about early development. Both of these documents can be found in their complete form on the website.
Finally, we also have information about the work done by Apko Nap, a pioneer and educator who worked in Brazil and contributed much, especially in regards to education. Tolle lege (Take and Read)
Archives from the past
If you want to learn more about the history of the work of the Mission Brazil, you’re in the right place. Check the documents below to learn more.
A HISTORY OF THE MISSION WORK SUPPORTED BY THE CANADIAN REFORMED CHURCHES IN WESTERN CANADA 1951 - 2000
In April of 1951, at the second synod of the newly-formed “Canadian Reformed Church” federation, one of the churches raised the question of how we can fulfill our calling in mission. The decision made was that for the near term, support would be given to the Dutch sister churches for their mission work. The intention, however, was clear: eventually, the Canadian Reformed Churches should strike out on their own.
Only four years later, after a meeting of “Classis West” held on Nov. 24 1955 in Edmonton, the churches of Western Canada held an extra meeting to discuss the possibility of starting their own mission work.
All churches voiced their willingness to cooperate in this work. It was decided informally to ask the churches of New Westminster (now Surrey “Maranatha”) and Aldergrove (now Cloverdale) to investigate the possibility of starting either an internal Canadian mission field among the “Indians or Eskimos”, or a foreign field.
In February 1956, the consistory of New Westminster on advice of its Mission Committee, decided that South Africa was the best choice. The reasons for going to a foreign country were that mission in Canada had already been done by Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches, and …
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Timeline of Mission Developments in Western Canada from 1964 - 1972
To learn about the timeline of Mission developments in Western Canada from 1964 – 1972, check out the document below assembled by Rev. B.J. Berends.
TIMELINE OF MISSION DEVELOPMENTS IN WESTERN CANADA FROM 1964 – 1972