Evangelical Presbyterian Church of East Timor

Last updated

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church of East Timor (Igreja Evangelica Presbyteriana iha Timor Leste in Tetun) is a Reformed Presbyterian denomination in East Timor with 14 churches and 3 chapels. It has 3,500 members and 9 pastors - 6 full-time 3 part- time pastors and 6 evangelists. [1] The church is supported by the Presbyterian Church of Australia, and sister church relationship was also formed between these denominations. [2] [3] It held the foundational Synod in 2011. [4] [5] Contacts with the Christian Presbyterian Church in Portugal was also established and mission trip was made in East Timor in August 2012. [6] [7]

History

Evangelical Presbyterian Church (Igreja Ebenezer), district of Caicoli, Dili DiliIgrEvPresb.jpg
Evangelical Presbyterian Church (Igreja Ebenezer), district of Caicolí, Díli

In 2000 the Presbyterian Church of Australia, the Australian Presbyterian World Mission (APWM) begun to form relationship with the Protestant Church in East Timor. It was started in the 1960s and grew rapidly. Indonesians gave them a confession, structure and credence to the young church. In 1999 the East Timorese voted to integrate into Indonesia or become a free state. East Timor become a young independent country. As a result, the Protestant church grew smaller, because the members was Indonesians. APWM found cooperation with the Protestant Church in East Timor difficult and discontinued all relations. The East Timor church had difficult times. They decided that the old church should minister in the "Eastern Kingdom", and the new church would minister in the "Southern and Western Kingdoms". This new church is the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Timor Leste (East Timor) in 2008. The first moderator was Rev. Arlino Marcal, who ask the Australian Presbyterian Church for help. [8] 17 congregation become part of the EPC. [9] [10] The new church building of Igreja Evangélica Presbiteriana Ebenezer de Dili, the headquarters of the Church in Timor Leste, was inaugurated in the district of Caicolí in the southern part of Dili on 28 March 2015. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presbyterianism</span> Branch of Protestant Christianity in which the church is governed by presbyters (elders)

Presbyterianism is a Reformed (Calvinist) Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders. Though there are other Reformed churches that are structurally similar, the word Presbyterian is applied to churches that trace their roots to the Church of Scotland or to English Dissenter groups that formed during the English Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presbyterian Church in America</span> Conservative Reformed Christian denomination in the United States and Canada

The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the second-largest Presbyterian church body, behind the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the largest conservative Calvinist denomination in the United States. The PCA is Reformed in theology and presbyterian in government.

Christianity is the largest religion in Mozambique, with 62% of the population in 2023. More than half of these are evangelical and Pentecostal Christians.

Igreja Presbiteriana de Moçambique is one of the largest Protestant denominations of Mozambique.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Communion of Reformed Churches</span> International Christian organization

The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) is the largest association of Reformed (Calvinist) churches in the world. It has 230 member denominations in 108 countries, together claiming an estimated 80 million people, thus being the fourth-largest Christian communion in the world after the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion. This ecumenical Christian body was formed in June 2010 by the union of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presbyterian Church of Brazil</span> Evangelical Protestant Christian denomination in Brazil

The Presbyterian Church of Brazil is an Evangelical Protestant Christian denomination in Brazil. It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the country, having an estimate 702,949 members, 4,915 ordained ministers and 5,420 churches and parishes. It is also the only Presbyterian denomination in Brazil present in all 26 States and the Federal District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil</span>

The Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil is a Mainline Protestant Christian denomination in Brazil. Part of the Reformed family of Protestantism, it is the second oldest Presbyterian denomination in the country, had an estimated 74.224 members, 693 ordained ministers and 510 churches in 2009. In 2012 the church had more than 85,000 members and 546 congregations. It was founded by Brazilian minister Rev. Eduardo Carlos Pereira and a group of six other ministers and their churches, who split from the Presbyterian Church of Brazil over a number of political and ecclesiastical controversies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Presbyterian Church in Mexico</span> Protestant denomination in Mexico

The National Presbyterian Church in Mexico is the second-largest Protestant church, and the largest Reformed denomination in Mexico. It is present throughout the country, and is particularly strong in the states of Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan, Nuevo León, Aguascalientes and Mexico City.

The Presbyterian Church in Sudan or also the Presbyterian Church in South Sudan is a major Reformed denomination in South Sudan, when it become independent from Sudan.

The Evangelical Presbyterian and Reformed Church in Peru was established by missionaries from the Free Church of Scotland. In 1915, San Andres College was founded by John A, Mackay. Medical work was centered in Moyobamba and Cajamarca. The first church work was started in 1921. The first church was built in Cajamarca in 1936 with 600 people present. The work spread to Tarapoto and Chachapoyas. But there was shortage of pastors and elders. The first General Assembly was held in 1963 with 5 presbyteries namely the Amazonas, Cajamarca, Lima, Celendin and San Martin, and the church become independent. The name of the denomination was Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Peru. The church had 3,000 members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presbyterian Church of Angola</span>

The Presbyterian Church in Angola is a federation of theologically orthodox Reformed churches, that was founded in the mid-1980s, adopting the Westminster Confession of Faith as the official Standards.

The National Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Guatemala was founded in 1882 by missionaries of the Presbyterian Church United States in Guatemala. The church took root in the urban middle-class people In 1950 the first Synod was organised and become independent in 1962. The church grew in membership rapidly among the indigenous people. The church has one Synod and 6 Spanish-speaking and 11 indigenous language presbyteries. Total membership is 60,000. Over the years the church was active in evangelism in the country of Honduras. The Evangelical Presbyterian Seminary was established in San Felipe. Today the majority of Synod composed by indigenous believers. The impact of Pentecostal movement has grown significantly in the recent years. The church affirms the Apostles Creed and Westminster Confession of Faith.

The Fundamentalist Presbyterian Church in Brazil was founded in 1956 in northeastern part of Brazil under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Israel Gueiros. A schism occurred in the Presbyterian Church of Brazil, because of the inspiration of the Bible and other doctrinal issues. Today the church has 5 presbytery and the denomination are about to form a Synod. Has its own journal and started evangelical projects. The church has 1,800–2,000 members and 27 congregations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reformed Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Colombia</span>

The Reformed Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Colombia, also known as Reformed Church of Latin America, is a Protestant Reformed denomination, founded in Colombia in 1992, by missionaries from the Presbyterian Church in America.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Portugal is a result of evangelistic effort in Madeira between 1838 and 1846 by Robert Kalley, a Scottish minister, the mission continued in the continent in 1966. The first Presbyterian church was founded by Rev. Antonio de Matos, who arrived in Portugal in 1870. Matos was converted by Kalley, and studied in Scotland. Throughout the 19th and 20th century churches were planted in Madeira, Azores, Portugal. In 1926 a Presbytery was formed. In 1944 the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Portugal was formed. In 1946 a Theological Seminary was formed in Carcavelos, but moved to Lisbon in 1970. The denomination is the oldest non-Catholic church in Portugal. It is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the Conference of European Churches and the World Council of Churches.

The Presbyterian Church in Japan is a conservative Reformed denomination in Japan, founded by American missionaries in the mid-1900s.

The Protestant Church in East Timor (IPTL)(Igreja Protestante iha Timor Lorosa'e), former Christian Church of East Timor (GKTT)(Gerja Kristen Timor Timur) is a Reformed Protestant denomination in East Timor.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Spain is a confessional Calvinist and Presbyterian denomination in Spain. It was begun when the Presbyterian Church of Brazil sent missionaries in Huelva. The work spread to various cities of Spain. It has congregations in Don Benito, Sevilla, Getafe, Torrelodones, Madrid, La Coruña and Málaga plus the first work in Huelva.

The National Reformed Presbyterian Church of Bolivia also called from Reformed Presbyterian Church of Bolivia is a reformed denomination in Bolivia, founded in 2006, by pastors Miguel Condoretti and Christian Villa. The denomination spread throughout the country, with churches in La Paz and El Alto. On April 23, 2022, its Presbytery was formally organized, with the help of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America.

References

  1. "APWM: Australian Presbyterian World Mission".
  2. "APWM: Australian Presbyterian World Mission".
  3. "The 2011 Synod (General Meeting) of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Timor Leste (East Timor)". 20 December 2011.
  4. "Grasa Mesak: Igreja Evangelica Presbyteriana iha Timor Leste". 27 November 2011.
  5. "Synod Assembly". 20 December 2011.
  6. "TAIS". presbiteriana.com.sapo.pt. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  7. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-01-27. Retrieved 2013-06-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Video Interview with Daniel Marcal, Current Moderator, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of East Timor". 13 February 2012.
  9. "Visiting the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Timor Leste (East Timor) (Part 1)". 15 April 2009.
  10. http://apwm.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Partnership-Autumn-2012.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  11. "APMT". Archived from the original on 2017-08-27. Retrieved 2017-08-27.