SHORT HISTORY OF THE IPJG ORIGIN

The Jardim Guanabara Presbyterian Church (IPJG) began informally as a Sunday School program around 1950 under the direction of Rev. Philipe Landes, the first of our pastors. The program was held on Sunday afternoons, 3 PM, in the Presbyterian Seminary of the South, in Campinas, Brazil, where Rev. Landes worked as a professor.

In 1952, Rev. Júlio Andrade Ferreira moved to the Seminary neighborhood and started substituting Rev. Landes who could not dedicate full time to the program due to other commitments.

In 1956 the Sunday School moved from 3 o'clock to Sunday mornings. Worship services were begun on Sunday evenings, with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, also in the Seminary.

And the new church was born...

On February 22nd, 1959, at 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon, the first elders and deacons were elected in a Congregational Meeting, with Rev. Júlio responsible for the congregation, until a full-time pastor could be found.

The seminarian Joás Dias de Araújo was invited to be responsible for the church bulletin and other tasks.

On May 17th, with the by-laws approved, there was already talk of the purchase of a plot of land!

So, composed of several founding families, the Presbyterian Church of Jardim Guanabara was born.

The first minister after the approval of the by-laws was Rev. Ari Barbosa Martins (1959 - 1963).

In 1962 the land on Barbosa da Cunha street, where the temple would be constructed, was acquired.

In 1963 we were already 200 members.

In 1964, the manse on Clóvis Beviláqua street was bought.

Still in 1964, the Presbitery of Campinas designated Rev. Armando Amorin to shepherd this church and to provide for the election of an official pastor. (1964 -1965).

The church elected on 11/14/1965 Rev. Joás Dias de Araujo, who, arriving from Venezuela was surprised with the news.

With gifts and loans from the members and from the Community Church, the temple was built. On September 29th, 1968, Rev. Joás lead a large group of members and visitors, walking from the Seminary to 562 Barbosa da Cunha street, the place where the new temple was being built.

This day became traditional in our church, known as the "Passage Day", when we left the seminary as our host place, and went to the still unfinished but our own temple.

From this day on, the IPJG, with missionary spirit, founded various congregations and preaching points. That necessitated from 1979 on, that every senior pastor had to count upon the help of auxiliary pastors. And up to today, the church has not stopped growing, for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Bibliographic reference:

FERREIRA, Júlio Andrade. Uma Igreja nascente e crescente. Campinas : IPJG, [1979]

( Work available in the library of IPJG. Language: Portuguese )

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Pastors of IPJG throughout its history:

• Rev. Philipe Landes ( in the embryonic phase of IPJG ).

• Rev. Júlio Andrade Ferreira

• Rev. Ari Barbosa Martins

• Rev. Armando Amorin.

• Rev. Joás Dias de Araujo assisted by Rev. Júlio Andrade Ferreira and by Rev. Lysias Garcia da Costa Jr.

• Rev. Lysias Garcia da Costa Jr assisted by Rev. Naor Villasboas

• Rev. Naor Villasboas assisted by Rev. Nodan Emerick Lourenço.

• Rev. Nodan Emerick Lourenço assisted by Rev. Jupiaci Carneiro Gomes and Rev. Donald B. Monteiro. After the departure of Rev. Jupiaci and Rev. Donaldo, the assistant became Rev. Edson Elias de Oliveira. After his departure, the assistant pastor became Rev. Geziel Antônio dos Santos.

• Rev. Fernando Teixeira Arantes (current) assisted by the pastors: Rev. Geziel Antônio dos Santos e Rev. Besaliel Fausto Botelho.

• Obs: Since his retirement, Rev. Júlio Andrade Ferreira has been Pastor Emeritus at IPJG.

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The first elders of IPJG: (1959)

Dr. Gastão Homem de Mello, Dr.Neander de Campos Kerr, Sr. Hélio Ferreira and Sr. Oscar Grum dos Santos.

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The first deacons of IPJG: (1959)

Sr. Adonias Fernandes de Souza, Sr. José Ovídio de Almeida, and Sr. Avelar Boaventura.

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Founding families (among others):

The families of: Sr. Gastão Homem de Mello (No.1 member in the minutes), Sr.Neander Kerr, Sr. John Sydenstricker, Sr. Adonias Fernandes de Souza, Sr. Hélio Alves Ferreira, Sr. Avelar Boaventura, Dr. Waldyr Luz, D. Enydia Moinhos, Sr. Joaquim Vinagre, Sr. Messias Cruz, Sr. Apolônio Cavalcanti, Sr. Geraldino Pontes, Sr. Luiz Benatti, Sr. José Ovídio de Almeida, D. Jacy Sbraggia Muniz, Sr. Oscar Grum dos Santos, Sr. Abílio Coelho, Sr. Ângelo Alegretti, D. Benedita Marques, D. Leda Macedo Silva, Sr. João Fernandes, Dr. Antônio Mendes de Carvalho, besides D.Alzira Ferreira, D. Aurora Kerr, D.Isabel da Dores de Jesus, D. Georgina Richter Hoffman, D. Ignez Goulart and Srta Alice Miranda.

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