New Pastor Installed

Last night, October 28, 2017, Pastor Antonio Máximo Neto was installed as the first official Brazilian pastor of the Maranatha Baptist Church of Sobradinho. There were well over 150 people present for the occasion.

It was a joyous day to be able to see the end of a work. Many times missionaries don't get to see the fruit of their labors in a particular place. We have been in Sobradinho since 2004, thirteen years of service and care.

Pastor Máximo and his wife, Lidiane, have two children - Neemias pictured here and Noemi who was sleeping on a pew at the time. They are from the state of Ceará and he is a graduate of the Cariri Bible Seminary.

Deacons of our work's mother church in Casa Nova and area pastors dedicated the new pastor after Pastor Victor Bruno gave a challenge to the pastor with applications for all that were present.

Each deacon from the Casa Nova church prayed a specific prayer for various needs of the new pastor as he starts this immense task. I do believe there were quite a few tears shed by all as the men prayed over Pastor Máximo.

A fine group of our young people gave a loud and well prepared and memorized choral reading about the responsibilities of a new pastor with all the church members standing to their feet to repeat the final lines.

Byron and I are very happy to have lived to see this moment and ask for continued prayer for the work in Sobradinho that it might thrive and grow for God's honor and glory.

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