Connecting Globally

The flight from London Heathrow to São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport takes around 11 and a half hours, covering nearly 6,000 miles. On 10 March, I made this journey to visit churches and friends in Brazil - my first trip there since 2020.

This wasn’t just a personal visit. The churches I spent time with are part of New Ground, the wider family of churches to which we belong. As a global network, New Ground connects churches across nations to support one another, share leadership, strengthen local mission and help more people come to know Jesus. Being part of this family means we’re not isolated - we learn from each other, stand together through challenges and invest in what God is doing beyond our community.

Brazil is vast – almost like its own continent. São Paulo state alone is larger than the UK, so this trip gave only a small glimpse of this remarkable country. Travelling with my friend Danny, a Brazilian pastor and friend I’ve come to know in recent years, we drove three hours to Iracemápolis, which became my base for the week.

While there, I stayed with Biro and Patricia, an incredible couple who lead Agape Church and run an organisation serving children and young people locally. They oversee 18 social projects, supporting around 230 young people through sport, education, mental health awareness and creative arts. Time with them is always inspiring.

From Iracemápolis, I also visited Robert, Grassy and their family in nearby Americana. Robert leads Ebenezer Evangelical Church and combines a strong teaching gift with a real pastoral heart. Alongside meaningful conversations about the future, it was a privilege to preach there on Sunday and share lunch with the church family afterwards.

We also travelled to Piracicaba to spend time with Carlos and Cinda, who lead a beautiful church in a city of around 600,000 people. Despite significant challenges, they continue to faithfully pastor this church and help others encounter Jesus.

It was a full, intense and tiring trip, but deeply encouraging to see God at work. Being part of a global family of churches is a joy and a reminder that He is moving beyond our local church, reaching across cultures, communities and circumstances. Please consider praying for these friends and their churches - they would greatly value your support.

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