Hey Friends and Family!

This has been a busy month for us! Now that we have a modicum of language facility we are able to take additional meetings with neighbors, Brazilian church leadership, and discipleship initiatives. This has all been quite fun and invigorating. 

We launched our services in our new location in downtown Macapa! We have a healthy attendance, not just on Sundays but also in our small groups where more focused discipleship takes place. We also have new leaders rising up and new folks being trained for various ministries. 

We also were able to commission a new youth leader at Vineyard Macapa! See this month’s ministry highlight below for more info and please keep Erica in your prayers. 

Additionally we have assumed some new responsibilities within the two churches and launched a monthly outreach to our neighborhood which has been well received. 

This is also our first Carnival season in Brazil. We are excited to participate in some of the festivities even as we discern what it means to be a faithful witness to Jesus and his Kingdom in the midst of this season. 

Overall our family is doing well and we sincerely appreciate your prayers, texts, emails, and generosity. Thank you for all that you do. 

Please also know that we are praying for you. Taking our cues from Jesus and the Apostle Paul we maintain a discipline of praying for you all regularly. Be on the lookout throughout the month as I reach out to you for prayer needs!

Much Love, 

Derek, Amanda, Selah, Amaris, Josiah, and Adalee

In the Vineyard we place a lot of emphasis on proclamation, teaching, and demonstrating the Kingdom of God in both posture and power. The Kingdom of God is essentially every sphere of life in which God’s presence is attended to and where He has the final say-so. It’s available here and now. And it’s also not yet fully realized and will not be fully realized until Christ returns. 

The typical way this passage is taught would have us strive to have a more child-like attitude with regards to trusting in our Father. We are admonished to approach Him with a posture of childlike humility. Yet for all the admonishment – what is typically left out is the practical how-to. 

The word ‘welcome’ in verse 5 is the word dechomai. It means to embrace, pay full attention to, and offer hospitality to someone. Jesus explicitly states here that when we offer welcome – offer dechomai – to a child – we also receive His presence and enter into the Kingdom of God!

If you desire to “become great” as it were in the Kingdom – Jesus offers a practice. Welcome children and fully attend to their presence. Do this communally in the church and see the Kingdom in your midst. 

At Vineyard Macapa we are attempting to do just that. We recently invested in safe and comfortable meeting rooms specifically for the kids in the neighborhood. As we made space to attend to them God raised up a new leader from our midst to help guide, serve, and teach them – with the full support and attention of the church. 

On Sundays the kids stay with us during our time of worship, giving, and the Lord’s Supper and then go their classroom to receive tailored instruction and ministry time. During the week we have small groups specialficlaly for kids and a youth group! The Holy Spirit is inviting Vineyard Macapa to love and serve the kids of this neighborhood and is opening up a door to reach the neighborhood through this ministry. 

Recently Erica felt invited by the Holy Spirit to assume the role of leading the youth group. She has a true heart for them, and this last month the church recognized her commission from Jesus to serve these precious kiddos! 

Please be in prayer for her as she is assuming her new responsibilities and for the church as we follow the teaching of Jesus and the Spirit’s guidance in extending the Kingdom into the neighborhood!

• Recently Amanda and I have assumed the role of coordinating the children’s ministry at Vineyard Viva. Additionally one of us serves weekly in the ministry. This has been a joy and has also helped our kids become more involved in the life of the church. 
• I have also assumed the role of treasurer at Vineyard Viva. Our previous treasurers served faithfully and well, but reached a point where they could not continue. 
• I also serve in the kids ministry on Saturday evenings at Vineyard Macapa. It suits me well because I have the Portuguese proficiency of a young kid. We tend to relate! 
• We are doing well in our physical health and have been making it a priority to eat well and exercise daily. 
• Our kids continue to develop friendships and are coming along in their Portuguese lessons with Teacher Abi!
• We are thoroughly enjoying getting to know our neighbors and are starting to have spiritual conversations with them! Game night is a blast and since they have learned that I am a Texan – they are after me for some Texas-style BBQ. 
• Learning how to keep up with the laundry for 6 people in the wet season with no dryer is a real challenge, but we are learning some of the tricks of the trade.

Prayer Support – I have been working hard on laying the foundation necessary to recruit a robust prayer support network. We need it! The success of our church planting here is very much dependent upon the faithful and fervent prayer of God’s people. If you know someone that might be interested in receiving these updates and praying with us please send this link. They will get an introductory letter about us and the mission when they sign up. Also please share my signup links if you see it on Facebook.

Financial Support – Our family is currently taken care of thanks to your generosity.  There are always needs here in the churches and if you would like to contribute additional resources please use the link below!