South Minas Conference

South Minas Conference is an administrative unit of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, situated in the territory of the Southeast Brazil Union (USeB). Its headquarters is located at Barão de Cataguases St., 121, CEP 36015-370, in the Santa Helena neighborhood, in the city of Juiz de Fora, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

The South Minas Conference is part of the Forest Zone and the south of Minas Gerais. The territory is made up of 350 municipalities, with a total population of 6,087,343 inhabitants, spread over a total area of 106,015 square kilometers.¹ The conference is divided into 37 pastoral districts and 309 congregations, with 24,868 members. In the region, the average is one Adventist per 245 inhabitants.² The South Minas Conference has 286 employees and 52 workers, totaling 338 employees. Of the 52 workers, 35 are accredited pastors, nine licensed pastors, four licensed workers, and four accredited workers.³

The South Minas Conference operates four Adventist schools: Juiz de Fora Adventist Academy, with 743 students; Varginha Adventist Academy, with 566 students; the Andradas Adventist School, with 344 students; and Pouso Alegre Adventist Academy, still in the process of enrollment. The conference is also home to Minas Gerais Adventist College (Fadminas), administered by the Southeast Brazil Union, which offers higher courses in Advertising, Administration, Education, and Accounting.⁴

Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is also present in the southern region of Minas Gerais, headquartered in the city of Juiz de Fora. In this location, the humanitarian agency is responsible for 10 projects, serving about 650 people per month.⁵ Hope Channel Brazil broadcasts in Juiz de Fora (channel 48), accessible to 568,873 people;⁶ in Jacutinga (channel 59), reaching 25,979 people;⁷ and in Poços de Caldas (channel 40), reaching 167,397 people.⁸ In this last city, Hope Channel Radio (97.5 FM) reaches 167,397 inhabitants.⁹

Origin of Seventh-day Adventist Work in the Conference Territory

The Adventist message reached the territory of Minas Gerais through the work of canvassers¹⁰ Alberto and Frederico Berger in the region of São Jacinto, in Teófilo Otoni, east of Minas Gerais. The Berger brothers arrived in the region in 1895 from the United States and sold Adventist literature to German settlers. A year later, Pastor Frederico W. Spies baptized 30 people as a direct result of the Bergers’ work, forming the fifth Adventist congregation in Brazil.¹¹

In January 1911 canvassers Germano Conrad and Emílio Froemming, coming from Rio Grande do Sul, started working in Minas Gerais. They first visited Juiz de Fora, finding positive sales results. A man named Antônio Joaquim de Oliveira Pena, a former Methodist, converted to Adventism in the region of Barro Branco, in the city of Tocantins, in the Forest Zone of Minas Gerais. In 1912 he contacted some Sabbath keepers in Juiz de Fora. The fact that there was already a group of Adventist believers there indicates that the church in that city may have started earlier than this date.¹²

In 1913 and 1914, canvassers R. M. Carter and Henrique Simon were sent to Juiz de Fora, where they met some Sabbath keepers, including Henrique Göebel and his family.¹³ In December 1914, the Brazil Union sent Max Rohde to work in the city. When he arrived, there was already a house with “a good meeting room.”¹⁴ Rohde began giving Bible studies,¹⁵ and in May 1915, F.W. Spies baptized nine people, resulting in a congregation of 18 members.¹⁶

In 1916, during the South America Division council in La Plata, Argentina, delegates from all South America missions and unions voted to divide the Brazil Union into two fields: the Brazil Union (present the Central Brazil Union) - UCB), headquartered in São Paulo, covering from São Paulo to Rio Grande do Sul; and União Norte Brasileira (present Southeast Brazil Union - USeB), headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, responsible for the entire Brazilian territory north of São Paulo.¹⁷ In the same year, the Mineira Mission was established, overseen by F. W. Spies, also president of the Brazil Union.¹⁸

In 1917 Gustavo Storch began canvassing in Belo Horizonte, capital of the state, and Clarence E. Rentfro, a newcomer from Portugal, settled in Juiz de Fora, in the south of Minas Gerais. The church of Juiz de Fora received its first property, a lot on 107 Barão de Cataguases Street, the first Adventist congregation in the entire region of Minas Gerais to do so. The property was donated by Henrique Göebel and Antônio Teixeira Marinho, known as Tinô.¹⁹

To assist Clarence Rentfro in his work, the Brazilian Union sent John L. Brown from São Paulo to Juiz de Fora in late 1917.²⁰ Brown arrived in December 1917, and on January 17, 1918, he began a series of meetings in Juiz de Fora. That February 1 Brown baptized two people in the city of Barbacena.²¹

In January 1919 the North Brazil Union at the time was reorganized, with its headquarters moved to the city of Rio de Janeiro, with Henry Meyer as its first president. In its reconfiguration, the following missions were also created: Rio-Espírito Santo Mission, based in Rio de Janeiro; Pernambuco Mission, based in Recife; East-Brazil Mission, based in Salvador, Bahia; and East Minas Mission, based on Mariano Procópio St., 679, in Juiz de Fora.²² In 1920, Clarence Rentfro assumed the presidency of the East Minas Mission,²³ and the next year, the North Union was renamed East Brazil Union (UEB).²⁴

In the 1920s, the Adventist message continued to spread throughout the region. In 1924, there was a group of Adventists in the city of Caparaó, where F. W. Spies held a series of meetings.²⁵ A year later, José Garcia, one of the Caparaó Adventists, donated part of his land in the village of Capim Roxo for the construction of a church. In 1926, Pastor L. G. Jorgensen visited the territory of the East Minas Mission, going through Caparaó. Plans were made to set up a parish school in the region.²⁶

From 1928, with the growth of Adventist work in Minas Gerais, the East Minas Mission was called only Minas Mission.²⁷ Construction began on the Juiz de Fora church, on land donated by Henrique Göebel and Antônio Marinho, with resources from the believers of the city of Minas Gerais, the East Union and the South America Division. Church members inaugurated the new building in January 1929,²⁸ with a dedication made by Pastor Ricardo Wilfart.²⁹ With the departure of John L. Brown for the Lower Amazonas Mission, Pastor E. M. Davis directed, the Minas Mission, which covered the entire state of Minas Gerais, with headquarters at the same address as the Juiz de Fora Church.³⁰

In June 1930, the Parochial School of Juiz de Fora, as it was called, began operation under the leadership of Renato Bivar.³¹ By December, Bivar was already teaching 23 students, in a room on the first floor of the church. At the time, this Adventist school stood out across the East Brazil Union for having “appropriate blackboards.”³²

In 1931, East Brazil Union reconfigured its working fields to better manage the work in its territory. Thus, where previously there were three separate labor camps in three different states (Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Espírito Santo),³³ there were only two: Rio-Minas Gerais Mission, based in the city of Rio de Janeiro, covering the state of Minas Gerais, the Federal District, and the south of the state of Rio de Janeiro;³⁴ and the Rio-Espírito Santo Mission, based in Vitória, covering the state of Espírito Santo and the north of Rio de Janeiro.³⁵ The administrative reorganization was initially planned by the administration of the South America Division. Studies carried out by the South American Division and East Brazil Union concluded that the reorganization would decrease administrative expenses, enabling them to employ two more evangelists. E. M. Davis, the former president of the Minas Mission, was chosen to head the newly created Rio-Minas Mission.³⁶

Six years later, in 1937, on land donated by José Garcia in the Capim Roxo region, in Caparaó, where the region’s church operated, Minas Adventist School was finally established. Initially, a dormitory for students and a school building were built. Its first director was the teacher Ernesto Eclache, and in 1939, Ervino Braun was sent to manage the school, which already had 47 students enrolled.³⁷

From the 1940s onwards, the work of publications developed strongly in Minas Gerais, particularly through magazine subscriptions. In 1940, for example, the church of Juiz de Fora, with only 52 members, managed to carry out 132 subscriptions to the Youth Magazine from January to July of that same year.³⁸ In September, the entire Rio-Minas Mission obtained 164 subscriptions to the magazine O Auxiliar da Escola Sabatina [The Sabbath School Handbook], exceeding the target of 110.³⁹

In other regions of the countryside, evangelistic work was also advancing. In August 1940, Josué de Oliveira conducted a series of conferences in the city of Ubá, in Minas Gerais Forest Zone, baptizing nine people. In the cities of Ubá and Caratinga, 70 were baptized as a result of the work directed by Josué de Oliveira and Manuel Ost.⁴⁰ In the following year, the city of Poços de Caldas established a Sabbath School with 45 people enrolled.⁴¹

Little by little, the Adventist message reached more cities and rural regions. In 1942, a group of Adventists formed in the city of Pouso Alegre, in the south of Minas Gerais, and another in what is now Senador José Bento. A third group, with 15 interested, was established in Ouro Fino, also in the southern region of the state.⁴² Minas Adventist School, in Capim Roxo, increased its number of students, and in December 1942 had 70 students attending.⁴³ In 1945, records of Sabbath keepers appeared in the city of Itajubá, also in the south of Minas. These families were reached through the radio program The Voice of Prophecy⁴⁴ and by canvassers. The evangelistic effort resulted in about 50 families listening to the program, with the majority of them enrolled at Escola Radiopostal [Radiopostal School].⁴⁵

At the end of 1945, Pastors John Boehm and Emmanuel Zorub traveled to familiarize themselves with the territory of the South of Minas and Forest Zone. That year, 220 people were baptized in the Rio-Minas Mission. Of those, Boem baptized 59 in the Forest Zone, in regions such as Pedra Dourada, Capim Roxo, and Patrocínio, and Zorub baptized 15 in the south of Minas. Many of these baptisms took place at Escola Mineira Adventista, in Capim Roxo, with 22 people as a result of the academy’s work, and 17 from the surrounding area.⁴⁶ At year’s end, the Rio-Minas Mission numbered 14 organized churches and 1,979 members.⁴⁷

In 1946, the Adventist Church of Juiz de Fora renovated and reinaugurated its church building. The structure was already suffering from weather conditions and deteriorated wood. Through a joint effort between church members and the administration of the East Brazil Union, the new building opened in April 1946.⁴⁸ At Minas Adventist School, the year ended with 64 students.⁴⁹

In 1948, new evangelistic initiatives were put into practice in Minas Gerais. Under the leadership of Pastor José Baracat, the Juiz de Fora church started a series of evangelistic conferences. About 500 people attended the daily lectures, and the evangelism team visited those interested in learning more.⁵⁰ The Rio-Minas Mission ended 1949 with 2,645 members.⁵¹ In 1950, Minas Adventist School closed, and East Brazil Academy (now Instituto Petropolis Adventist Academy), in the city of Petrópolis, in Rio de Janeiro, became the theological seminary of the Rio-Minas Mission .⁵² The Rio-Minas Mission became Rio-Minas Conference in 1951.⁵³ Years later, Minas Adventist School was transformed into an orphanage: Lar dos Meninos [Home of Boys].⁵⁴

In 1955, members established an Adventist church in the city of Poços de Caldas.⁵⁵ In Itajubá in 1958, Pastor Modesto Marques directed an evangelistic series, with the help of Pastors Luiz Gianini and Horne Silva. In the same period, another series was directed by Pastor Waldemar Gröschel in the city of Lavras, also in the south of Minas. The series, continued by Raul Cordeiro, resulted in the establishment of an Adventist Church in the city.⁵⁶ In December 1959, Rio-Minas Conference had 3,228 members.⁵⁷

The 1960s began with the organization of new congregations. In 1961, Pastor José Bellesi conducted a series of meetings in the city of Andradas, in the south of Minas Gerais. The meeting is considered the first in the city. There is not an exact record of the number baptized, but on March 31, 1962, the city’s Adventist church was inaugurated.⁵⁸ Also in 1962, a new church in Muzambinho was inaugurated, with the baptism of nine people.⁵⁹ In June 1964, as a result of the A Voz da Profecia [The Voice of Prophecy] radio program, eleven people received the diploma of the Escola Radiopostal [Radiopostal School] program in Alfenas. The day after the ceremony, Rio-Minas Conference launched the Luminar IV motorboat to carry out medical and social assistance work in the region of Furnas dam, in Minas Gerais.⁶⁰

Adventist education also began to take greater steps in Minas Gerais. For example, in 1967 the city of Poços de Caldas already had an Adventist primary school, with 100 students enrolled.⁶¹ In the same year, thanks to the work of the launch Luminar IV at the Furnas dam, Adventist work began to develop in the municipality of Fama and the district of Itaci. In Itaci there was a primary school with about 70 students enrolled. In addition to evangelistic and educational work, Luminar IV distributed, up to August 1967, 15,231 kilos of food, in addition to helping 3,919 people with medical needs.⁶²

The work of Adventist Social Assistance expanded in the 1970s. In the Barro Branco district, in the city of Tocantins, an ASA post was established in the first half of 1970. The building was built thanks to the donation of a man named Roberto Conrado and the help of members of the Barro Branco church.⁶³ In 1973 the Radio Cultura of Poços de Caldas started transmitting the five-minute-long program “Uma Luz no Caminho” [A light on the way].⁶⁴

In January 1979, the Poços de Caldas Adventist School started offering the 5th grade of elementary school, and today, it offers up to the 6th grade.⁶⁵ In August 1979, the Adventist Church of Juiz de Fora, in light of its lack of a school, hosted a congress to raise awareness of the importance of Adventist education.⁶⁶

In 1980, East Brazil Union reconfigured its territories. The Rio-Minas Conference was eliminated, replaced by the Rio de Janeiro Conference, with the entire territory of the state of Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Mission, covering the entire state of Minas Gerais. The Minas Mission began with 22 churches and 22,166 members.⁶⁷ That same year, the Adventist Church acquired a 50-bushel farm in the city of Lavras, with combined resources from Lavras City Hall, the Golden Cross company, and the East Brazil Union. The Minas Gerais Adventist Education Institute (IAEMG) was started there, with Pastor Hermínio Vitorino de Andrade as the first director.⁶⁸ The institution opened in 1981.⁶⁹ In April 1982, the 40 scholarship students enrolled in the supplementary course began to build the first school buildings.⁷⁰ Students worked on the school’s construction during the day, and at night, they were taken to Lavras to take classes at the city’s Adventist school.⁷¹ Four months later, nine people were baptized at the academy, the first baptism at the institution.⁷²

Organizational History of the Conference

In 1982, Minas Mission had 70 organized churches and 23,717 Adventists. Between June 23 and 29, 1982, South America Division leaders met in Brasilia for the Mid-Annual Plenary Board. They decided to divide the territory of Minas Mission into two missions.⁷³ The change was ratified in December 1982, during the 12th Triennial Assembly of the Minas Mission. The mission was divided into Central Minas Mission, based in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais; and South Minas Gerais Mission, based in Juiz de Fora. The South Minas Mission began operating in January 1983, with 7,750 Adventists organized into 131 congregations. At first, it was chaired by Pastor Pável Moura, with Pastor Edir Kern Wolff as secretary-treasurer. The original territory encompassed 52% of the municipalities of Minas Gerais, covering the southern and eastern regions of the state.⁷⁴

The mission’s first headquarters was located on Raulina Magalhães St., 212, Grajaú neighborhood, in Juiz de Fora.⁷⁵ With the new configuration, the Minas Gerais Adventist Education Institute, previously located in the territory of Minas Mission, was in the territory of MMS, although administered directly by East Brazil Union.⁷⁶ According to the first leaders of the field, the South Minas Mission “is born by divine determination and humbly desires to grow with God, solely for the praise and exaltation of His name, and for the propagation of His message of salvation.” This vow of gratitude of the mission also expresses its declared mission.⁷⁷

In 1986, Adventist welfare work was strengthened in the South Minas Mission region. In June, the ASA Outpatient Clinic was inaugurated in the city of Matias Barbosa, 20 kilometers from Juiz de Fora. The outpatient clinic operated on Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to noon, offering free assistance to people in need.⁷⁸ That same year, the leadership decided to build a new building on Street Raulina Magalhães, completed and inaugurated in February 1989.⁷⁹ In relation to evangelistic work, efforts have become more intense. As part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s National 89⁸⁰ campaign, the mission established about 100 preaching points throughout the field to study the book of Revelation. The study series were conducted by pastors, Bible workers, and theology students from Bahia Academy (present-day Bahia Adventist College).⁸¹ In the first quarter of 1989, the number of baptisms was the double that of the same period in 1988.⁸²

At the end of the mission’s first decade, in 1993, the mission had a total of 11,852 members.⁸³ The number of churches had grown by 148%, and the Adventist message had reached 135 new places.⁸⁴ During the 1990s, the mission also invested in the evangelization of cities considered the target of Global Mission. This was the case, for example, in the city of Cambuquira, where Professor Oly Ferreira Pinto directed a series of meetings from December 1993 to January 1994. Until then, the city had only 13 Seventh-day Adventists, most of them retired workers.⁸⁵

With the help of the Golden Cross company, the mission acquired Radio Educadora Rio Doce [Radio Educator Rio Doce] from Governador Valadares, which later became Hope Channel Radio of Governador Valadares. The new station, which operated at the frequency of 1230 kilohertz (KHz), was administered by the Enoch de Oliveira Social Communication Foundation, linked to the South Minas Mission.⁸⁶ The station began operating in early 1995, but was not inaugurated until December of that year.⁸⁷

Also that year, the Adventist school in the city of Poços de Caldas was inaugurated, and the field underwent an administrative change. At that point the mission had 12,528 members,⁸⁸ in 19 pastoral districts and 193 congregations. In November 1995, during its Five-Year Council, the mission became the South Minas Conference.⁸⁹ At the beginning of 1996, the new conference had 11 schools.⁹⁰ In the same year, there was a great evangelistic effort in one of the oldest historical cities in Minas Gerais, São João Del Rei. A series of meetings was held in a neighborhood of the city and in the mobile auditorium of South Minas Conference. After 90 nights of meetings, 151 people were baptized, and began gathering in a church built with the help of the Golden Cross company.⁹¹

In the 1990s, the South Minas Conference restored the facilities of the former Minas Adventist School in Capim Roxo and transformed it into a Training Center, inaugurated in August 1996. When it opened, the Training Center had a capacity of 100 people.⁹² In 1997, José Garcia Filho Auditorium was inaugurated, in the Training Center, in memory of the pioneer who donated the property.⁹³

In January 2000 the conference reached the mark of 14,918 Seventh-day Adventists.⁹⁴ In April 2000, the headquarters of South Minas Conference moved to its current address, on Barão de Cataguases Street, 121, Santa Helena neighborhood, in Juiz de Fora.⁹⁵ In November 2000, the board of directors of East Brazil Union (present Southeast Brazil Union) decided to reorganize the South Minas Conference field, creating the East Minas Conference. Headquartered in the city of Governador Valadares, the new field inherited the east region of Minas Gerais.⁹⁶

In 2005, the Government of Brazil donated three medical ambulances to the Central Minas, East Minas and South Minas conferences, worth R$312,000 (US$ 119,000.00).⁹⁷ In 2008, in the first edition of Hope Impact⁹⁸ throughout the South America Division, South Minas Conference joined evangelism via satellite, with 255 churches connected to Hope Channel Brazil. Two hundred people were baptized on September 6, Impact Day in the churches in the countryside.⁹⁹ The interconnection of all the churches in the territory by satellite antennas worked well, and conference leadership decided to continue investing in this initiative, installing antennas in several churches in the countryside.¹⁰⁰

In March 2010, Hope Channel Brazil open channel started operating in the city of Juiz de Fora. That year, the estimate was that 500,000 people in the area could access the Adventist message through television.¹⁰¹ In early 2014, 190 young Adventists did evangelistic and social work in six cities across the territory, through the Caleb Mission.¹⁰² In Bom Jardim de Minas, for example, an anti-smoking course had 40 daily participants.¹⁰³ Young South Minas Conference representatives also participated in the Caleb Mission project outside the country, in Uruguay.

South Minas Conference membership increased from 7,750 members in 1983 to 24,651 as of February 18, 2019. The conference also grew in number of pastoral districts, from 13 to 37. Between 2010 and 2019, it inaugurated 95 congregations in the territory. The organization of the South Minas Mission, and later the South Minas Conference, helped in the growth and expansion of the Adventist Church in Minas Gerais, fulfilling the mission of bringing the gospel of Christ.¹⁰⁴

The conference credits this growth to the use of several missionary fronts, such as Pathfinders¹⁰⁵ and Adventurers clubs.¹⁰⁶ Today, the field has 102 Pathfinder clubs and 56 Adventurer clubs, totaling around 3,300 children and youth. In Juiz de Fora, the regional headquarters of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency is responsible for 10 social projects, serving an average of 650 people daily.

In 2019, the South Minas Conference was highly engaged in the Hope Impact project, with around 500,000 books delivered throughout the conference, including the participation of employees from the administrative headquarters. The workers concentrated their efforts on the Benfica neighborhood, one of the most populous in Juiz de Fora, and distributed a total of two thousand books.¹⁰⁷ South Minas Conference also carries out the project Breaking the Silence.¹⁰⁸ In 2019, the campaign focused on preventing child abuse, distributing around 50,000 educational reviews to raise awareness. In addition, counseling posts were set up, with the presence of psychologists and social workers. In the city of Boa Esperança, for example, volunteers set up a post with games and other playful tools for children in the neighborhood in order to bring awareness of the issue.¹⁰⁹

The leadership of South Minas Conference believes that its growth is the result of God’s direction on the mission field. For leaders, the Adventist Church is God’s, not of human beings. Because He is the leader, He is also the guarantor of the mission’s success.¹¹⁰ Today, the greatest challenge for the countryside is to reach all the inhabitants of its territory. To this end, the South Minas Conference was engaged in the AlcanCEMos project, from the Southeast Brazil Union.¹¹¹ In this project, each congregation is encouraged to study the Bible with 100 people. In the South Minas Conference alone, 874 missionary pairs and 467 Small Groups¹¹² are registered, resulting in 1,747 people studying the Bible.¹¹³

In the area of infrastructure, the field wants to capitalize resources for the purchase of land, where a new administrative headquarters may be built. Another structural project is the renovation of the Central Adventist Church of Juiz de Fora, the main church in the countryside. In education, the Pouso Alegre Adventist Academy was inaugurated, with capacity for 1,000 students. In 2019 the conference acquired land in Juiz de Fora for the construction of a second educational unit. The estimate is that, when ready, it will have the capacity to serve 1,500 students.

The missionary objectives of the South Minas Conference are to reach the territory’s 179 municipalities still without an Adventist presence, as well as working to reach 30,000 members by 2025. These are great challenges to be achieved by the grace of God and the engagement of members, workers, and pastors.¹¹⁴

Chronology of Administrative Officers¹¹⁵

Presidents: Pável Oliveira Moura (1983-1985); Germano Boell (1985); Gerson Fragoso (1985-1988); Nelson O. Duarte (1988-1992); Helmuth Ari Gomes (1993-1997); Kleber Pereira dos Reis (1997-2010); Itamar Lelis Rodrigues (2010-2013); Luís Gustavo Cava de Sá (2013-2019); Eduardo Acencio (2019-present).

Secretaries:Edir Kern Wolff (1983-1984); Zilton Kruger (1984-1985); Walter Zolotujin Mazur (1986-1989); Corino Pires da Silva (1990); Waldomiro Domingos dos Passos (1990-1993); Antônio Oliveira Tostes (1993-1997); Euder de Oliveira Ruela (1997-2000); Hugo Ernesto Quiroga (2000-2001); Leônidas Verneque Guedes (2002-2007); Itamar Lelis Rodrigues (2007-2010); Judson Henriques Lino (2010-2016); Eduardo Acencio (2016-2017); Everson de Carvalho Ferreira (2017-present).

Treasurers:Edir Kern Wolff (1983-1984); Zilton Kruger (1984-1987); Ademir Hasse (1988-1989); Waldomiro Domingos dos Passos (1990-1992); Antônio Oliveira Tostes (1993-1997); Hugo Ernesto Quiroga (1997-2002); Daniel Lopes Toledo (2002-2004); Francisco Floriano de Lima (2004-2010); Demir Dener de Berardino (2010-2011); Leonardo Pereira Mendes (2011-2016); Wesley Carvalho Oliveira (2016-present).

More information about South Minas Conference can be found on the website: http://ams.adventistas.org/, or on social networks - Facebook: @advmineirasul; Instagram: @advsuldeminas; Twitter: @advmineirasul; and YouTube: /AMSMidia.

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“Inaugurações movimentam a nova Associação” [Inaugurations move the new Conference]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1996).

“Inaugurada Sede da Nova Missão” [New Mission Inaugurates its Headquarters]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 1983.

Jacutinga. Minas Gerais. Brazil Census 2019. População estimada [Estimated population]. IBGE, accessed January 29, 2019, https://bit.ly/2t5USmw.

Jorgensen, L.G. “Uma Visita Pela União Este Mineira” [A Visit by East Minas Union]. Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], February 1926.

Juiz de Fora. Minas Gerais. Brazil Census 2019. População estimada [Estimated population]. IBGE, accessed January 29, 2019, https://bit.ly/2uIRVbU.

Kaltenhauser, K. “Templo de Juiz de Fora” [Temple of Juiz de Fora]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1946.

Lima, Silas F. “Um Feliz Ano Escolar: Caparaó - Minas Gerais” [A Happy School year: Caparaó - Minas Gerais]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1947.

Lobo, Haroldo P. de Castro. “Mais um Templo” [Another Temple]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1955.

Lobo, Jorge P. “Progresso no Sul de Minas” [Progress on Southern Minas]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1968, 31.

Lobo, Jorge P. “Uma Escola Modêlo” [A Model School]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1943.

Maas, Ellis R. “Um Anno de Progresso Educativo” [An Year of Educational Progress]. Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], December 1930.

“Memória preservada” [Preserved Memory]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1997.

“Mesa Diretiva Plenária Médio-Anual” [Medium-Annual Plenary Board of Directors]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1982.

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“Mineira do Sul adquire emissora” [South Minas purchase TV Station]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1995.

“Mineira do Sul comemorou dez anos” [South Minas celebrated 10 years]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1994.

“Mineira do Sul inaugura obras” [South Minas inaugurates buildings]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 1996.

Minutes of the South America Division, February 1916, vote no. 1916-012.

Minutes of the South Minas Mission, January 1983, vote no. 83-01.

Minutes of East Brazil Union, no. 24835, November 16, 2000.

Moraes, Ildeu Silva. “Ampliando a Obra de Assistência Social Adventista” [Expanding the Adventist Social Assistance Work]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1970, 23.

Novo Tempo [Hope Channel Brazil]. http://novotempo.com.

Oliveira, Josué. “Um Pouco da Zona da Mata” [A Little bit of the Forest Zone]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1941.

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Pinheiro, Paulo. “Missão Mineira do Sul tem nova sede” [South Minas Mission has new headquarters]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 1989.

Pinheiro, Paulo. “Primeira trienal” [Primeira Triennal]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1986.

Poços de Caldas. Minas Gerais. Brazil Census 2019. População estimada [Estimated population]. IBGE, accessed January 29, 2019, https://bit.ly/2RAPFMT .

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Quebrando o Silêncio [Breaking the Silence]. http://quebrandoosilencio.org/.

“Rápidas” [Brief]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1979.

Rentfro, C.E. “Minas Geraes.” Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], October 1917, 10-11.

Ricarte, Rebecca, Tatiane Virmes, Bianca Lorini, Leonardo Leite, Luzia Paula, Andréia Silva, Patrick Rocha, Ionara Wichineski, Vanessa Lemes, Eugênio Saraiva, Gustavo Cidral and Daniel Gonçalves. “Calebes de hoje” [Calebs of today]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 2014.

“Rio-Minas Informa Progresso na Educação” [Rio-Minas Informs Progress on Education]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1979.

Rohde, M. “Pará - Minas.” Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], February 1915.

Santos, Antônio F. “A Mensagem do Advento em Poços de Caldas” [The Advent Message in Poços de Caldas]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 1941.

Seventh-day Adventist Church - Central Caxias do Sul - RS. https://bit.ly/2TuuQUI.

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Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association. Various years.

Silva, Antônio Simão. “A Mensagem Adventista em Poços de Caldas” [The Advent Message in Poços de Caldas]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1967.

Spies, F. W. “Minas Geraes.” Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], July 1915.

Spies, F.W. “Notícias da União Este-Brasileira” [News from East Brazil Union]. Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], July 1924.

“Uma Luz no Caminho [A Light on the Way].” Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1974.

Vallado, José Augusto. “Buscando os Perdidos” [Seeking the Lost]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1945.

Vergílio, Vivian. “De olho no alvo” [Eyes on the target]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 2010.

“Vitória evangelística” [Evangelistic victory]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1997.

Westcott, H. B. “Missão Rio-Minas Geraes” [Rio-Minas Geraes Mission]. Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1931.

Wilcox, E. H. “Dedicação da Egreja de Juiz de Fora” [Dedication of Juiz de Fora Church]. Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], March 1929.

Wilcox, E. H. “Notícias” [News]. Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], June 1930.

Wilcox, E. H. “Notícias da União Este-Brasileira” [News from East Brazil Union]. Revista Mensal [Adventist Review], February 1929.

Notes

1. Brazil Census 2019, Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais geographic level - 31, estimated population, IBGE, accessed January 29, 2019, https://bit.ly/ 315lbpJ.↩

2. Adventist Church Management System (ACMS).↩

3. Everson de Carvalho Ferreira executive secretary of South Minas Conference), email to Carlos Flavio (Teixeira ESDA associate editor), December 4, 2019.↩

4. South Minas Conference Department of Education, email to Everson de Carvalho Ferreira (South Minas Conference executive secretary), July 21, 2019.↩

5. Laís Ferreira (South Minas Conference secretary), email to Everson de Carvalho Ferreira South Minas Conference executive secretary), July 21, 2019.↩

6. Brazil Census 2019, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, geographical level Juiz de Fora MG) - 3136702, estimated population, IBGE, accessed January 29, 2019, https://bit.ly/2uIRVbU.↩

7. Brazil Census 2019, Jacutinga, Minas Gerais, Jacutinga geographic level - 3134905, estimated population, IBGE, accessed January 29, 2019, https://bit.ly/2t5USmw.↩

8. Brazil Census 2019, Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais, geographical level Poços de Caldas MG) - 3151800, estimated population, IBGE, accessed January 29, 2019, https://bit.ly/2RAPFMT.↩

9. Laís Ferreira South Minas Conference secretary), email to Everson de Carvalho Ferreira South Minas Conference executive secretary), July 21, 2019.↩

10. An evangelist canvasser, or literature evangelist, of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is a missionary who “develops his ministry by acquiring and selling to the public the publications edited and approved by the Church, to transmit to his fellow-men the eternal Gospel that brings salvation and physical and spiritual well-being.” Seventh-day Adventist Church Brazil) website, “Colportagem” [Canvassing], http://bit.ly/2J6tY1I.↩

11. Leônidas Verneque Guedes, Olhando para trás, nos movemos para frente: 100 anos de história da União Sudeste Brasileira [Looking back, we move forward: 100 years of history of the Southeast Brazil Union] Maringá, PR: Massoni Gráfica e Editora, 2019), 41.↩

12. Germano Conrad and Emílio Froemming, “A Colportagem em Minas Gerais” [Canvassing in Minas Gerais], Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], May 1911, 7-8.↩

13. Saturnino Mendes de Oliveira, “Como a Verdade do Advento Entrou em Minas Geraes” [How the Truth of Advent Entered Minas Geraes], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1931, 10.↩

14. M. Rohde, “Pará - Minas,” Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], February 1915, 7-8.↩

15. “Do Estado de Minas ...” [From the state of Minas], Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], May 1915, 4.↩

16. F.W. Spies, “Minas Geraes,” Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], July 1915, 6.↩

17. Minutes of the South America Division, February 1916, vote no. 1916-012.↩

18. “Minas Geraes Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1918, 170.↩

19. C.E. Rentfro, “Minas Geraes,” Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], October 1917, 10-11.↩

20. “Minas Geraes,” Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], February 1918, 12.↩

21. J.E. Brown, “Minas Geraes,” Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], April 1918, 9.↩

22. Leônidas Verneque Guedes, Olhando para trás, nos movemos para frente: 100 anos de história da União Sudeste Brasileira [Looking back, we move forward: 100 years of history of the Southeast Brazil Union] Maringá, PR: Massoni Gráfica e Editora, 2019), 46.↩

23. Idem; “East Minas Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1921), 121.↩

24. Leônidas Verneque Guedes, Olhando para trás, nos movemos para frente: 100 anos de história da União Sudeste Brasileira [Looking back, we move forward: 100 years of history of the Southeast Brazil Union] Maringá, PR: Massoni Gráfica e Editora, 2019), 46.↩

25. F. W. Spies, “Notícias da União Este-Brasileira” [News from East Brazil Union], Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], July 1924, 10.↩

26. L. G. Jorgensen, “Uma Visita Pela Missão Este-Mineira” [A visit by East Minas Mission], Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], February 1926, 8-9.↩

27. “Minas Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1928), 196.↩

28. E. H. Wilcox, “Notícias da União Este-Brasileira” [News from East Brazil Union], Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], February 1929, 12-13.↩

29. E. H. Wilcox, “Dedicação da Egreja de Juiz de Fora” [Dedication of Juiz de Fora Church], Revista Mensal [Monthly Review], March 1929, 14.↩

30. “Minas Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1930), 231-232.↩

31. E. H. Wilcox, “Notícias” [News], Revista Mensal [Monthly Review] 25, no. 6 June 1930, 11.↩

32. Ellis R. Maas, “Um Anno de Progresso Educativo” [An Year of Educational Progress], Revista Mensal [Monthly Review] 25, no. 12 December 1930, 12.↩

33. “East Brazil Union Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1930, 230-232.↩

34. “Rio-Minas Geraes Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1932, 239.↩

35. “Rio-Espírito Santo Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1932, 239.↩

36. H. B. Westcott, “Missão Rio-Minas Geraes” [Rio-Minas Geraes Mission], Revista Adventista [Adventist Revew], July 1931, 13.↩

37. Walton J. The Browns, “Boas Novas de Capim Roxo” [Good News from Capim Roxo Caparaó)], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1939, 13.↩

38. Walton J. Brown, “Juiz de Fóra - Rainha de ‘Juventude’“ [Juiz de Fora - Queen of Youth], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1940, 10.↩

39. “Cresce o entusiasmo de nossos irmãos...” [The enthusiasm of our brothers grows...], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1940, 16.↩

40. Josué de Oliveira, “Um Pouco da Zona da Mata” [A little bit of the Forest Zone], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1941, 14.↩

41. Antônio F. Santos, “A Mensagem do Advento em Poços de Caldas” [The Advent Message in Poços de Caldas], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 1941, 14.↩

42. Maria Antonieta Guimarães, “Notícias do Sul de Minas” [News from Southern Minas], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 1942, 22.↩

43. Jorge P. Lobo, “Uma Escola Modêlo” [A Model School], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1943, 10.↩

44. “A Voz da Profecia [The Voice of Prophecy] is the oldest evangelistic program on Brazilian radio, starting in 1943. Since its beginning it has had the musical participation of the quartet The King’s Heralds. Currently, the program has its version, also, for television, presented by Pastor Gilson Brito, who has been in the pastoral ministry for over 30 years. They are biblical sermons that present the message of hope and salvation”. Novo Tempo [Hope Channel Brazil], “A Voz da Profecia” [The Voice of Profecy], accessed January 28, 2020, https://bit.ly/2RzGrRh.↩

45. “Escola Radiopostal [Radio Postal School] served to enable the sending of lessons from students of Bible courses and to answer the correspondences of the listeners.” Alexandre Brasil Fonseca, “Muito Além do Sábado: O Pioneirismo Adventista na Mídia Eletrônica Religiosa” [Far Beyond Sabbath: Adventist Pioneering in Religious Electronic Media], Revista de Estudos da Religião - REVER [Religion Studies Review - REVER], September 2008, 96; José Augusto Vallado, “Buscando os Perdidos” [Seeking the Lost], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1945, 24.↩

46. J. H. Boehm, “Zona da Mata” [Forest Zone], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1946, 23-24.↩

47. “Rio-Minas Gerais Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1946, 152.↩

48. K. Kaltenhauser, “Templo de Juiz de Fora” [Temple of Juiz de Fora], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1946, 12-22.↩

49. Silas F. Lima, “Um Feliz Ano Escolar: Caparaó - Minas Gerais” [A Happy School Year: Caparaó - Minas Gerais], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1947, 26.↩

50. Jorge P. Lobo, “Evangelismo na Missão Rio-Minas Gerais” [Evangelism in the Rio-Minas Gerais Mission], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1948, 24.↩

51. “Rio-Minas Gerais Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1950), 161.↩

52. Leônidas Verneque Guedes, Olhando para trás, nos movemos para frente: 100 anos de história da União Sudeste Brasileira [Looking back, we move forward: 100 years of history of the Southeast Brazil Union] Maringá, PR: Massoni Gráfica e Editora, 2019), 81.↩

53. Aurélio Aurita, “Nasce a Nova Associação Rio-Minas” [The New Rio-Minas Conference is Born], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 1951, 9-10.↩

54. Arnaldo B. Christianini, “Você Conhece o Lar dos Meninos?” [Do you know the Home of Boys?], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 1967, 25-26.↩

55. Haroldo P. de Castro Lobo, “Mais um Templo” [Another Temple], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1955, 11-25.↩

56. Rodolpho Belz, “Notinhas do Este” [News from East], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 1958, 35.↩

57. “Rio-Minas Gerais Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1960, 161.↩

58. RS Ferreira, “Evangelismo na Associação Rio-Minas” [Evangelism in the Rio-Minas Conference], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1962, 24-25.↩

59. R.S. Ferreira, “Inauguração e Organização em Muzambinho” [Inauguration and Organization in Muzambinho], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 1963, 20.↩

60. Waldemar Ehlers, “De Mãos Dadas...” [Hands on Hands], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1964, 19-20.↩

61. Antônio Simão da Silva, “A Mensagem Adventista em Poços de Caldas” [The Adventist Message in Poços de Caldas], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 1967, 25.↩

62. Jorge Pereira Lobo, “Progresso no Sul de Minas” [Progress on Southern Minas], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1968, 31.↩

63. Ildeu Silva Moraes, “Ampliando a Obra de Assistência Social Adventista” [Expanding the Adventist Social Assistance Work], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1970, 23.↩

64. “Uma Luz no Caminho” [A Light on the Way], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1974, 18.↩

65. “Rio-Minas Informa Progresso na Educação” [Rio-Minas Informs Progress in Education], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], January 1979, 33.↩

66. “Rápidas” [Brief], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1979, 23.↩

67. “Minas Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1981, 270.↩

68. Leônidas Verneque Guedes, Olhando para trás, nos movemos para frente: 100 anos de história da União Sudeste Brasileira [Looking back, we move forward: 100 years of history of the Southeast Brazil Union] Maringá, PR: Massoni Gráfica e Editora, 2019), 68-69.↩

69. “Primeiros Frutos do IAEMG” [First Rewards of the IAEMG], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1982, 33.↩

70. “Balanço das Atividades” [Balance of Activities], Revista Adventista [Adventist Revew], April 1982, 25-26.↩

71. Leônidas Verneque Guedes, Olhando para trás, nos movemos para frente: 100 anos de história da União Sudeste Brasileira [Looking back, we move forward: 100 years of history of the Southeast Brazil Union] Maringá, PR: Massoni Gráfica e Editora, 2019, 69.↩

72. “Primeiros Frutos do IAEMG” [First Rewards of the IAEMG], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1982, 33.↩

73. “Mesa Diretiva Plenária Médio-Anual” [Medium-Annual Plenary Board of Directors], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1982, 24-27.↩

74. “Dividindo-se para Crescer” [Splitting to Grow], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1983, 18.↩

75. “Inaugurada Sede da Nova Missão” [New Mission Inaugurates its Headquarters], Revista Advenista [Adventist Review], April 1983, 18-19.↩

76. “Dividindo-se para Crescer” [Splitting to Grow], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1983, 18.↩

77. Minutes of the South Minas Mission, January 1983, vote no. 83-01.↩

78. “Assistência Social” [Social Assistance], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1986, 36.↩

79. Paulo Pinheiro, “Missão Mineira do Sul tem nova sede” [South Minas Mission has new headquarters], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 1989, 25.↩

80. “The Nacional 89 was an evangelistic project of South America Division in the 1980s. Launched in 1988, the project aimed to involve the more than 500,000 Adventists in Brazil in evangelistic work during 1989”. Azenilto Brito, “Lançamento da Nacional 89 empolga mineiros” [Launch of Nacional 89 excites miners], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1988, 19.↩

81. “‘Explode a Missão Mineira Sul” [South Minas Mission Smashes], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], August 1989, 24.↩

82. “A Nacional dobra os resultados na MMS” [Nacional doubles the results at MMS], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], September 1989, 27.↩

83. “South Minas Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1994), 269.↩

84. “Mineira Sul comemorou dez anos” [South Minas celebrated 10 years], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1994, 22.↩

85. “Cambuquira começa a ser evangelizada” [Cambuquira begins to be evangelized], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 1994, 23.↩

86. “Mineira do Sul adquire emissora” [South Minas purchase TV Station], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], July 1995, 18.↩

87. “Inaugurações movimentam a nova Associação” [Inaugurations move the new Conference], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1996, 18.↩

88. “South Minas Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1995), 272.↩

89. “Inaugurações movimentam a nova Associação” [Inaugurations move the new Conference], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1996, 18.↩

90. “Educação progride na Mineira do Sul” [Education progresses in South Minas], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], June 1996, 15.↩

91. “Vitória Evangelística” [Evangelistic Victory], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1997, 16.↩

92. “Mineira do Sul inaugura obras” [South Minas inaugurates buildings], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], December 1996, 28.↩

93. “Memória Preservada” [Preserved memory], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 1997, 27.↩

94. “South Minas Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2000), 265.↩

95. “South Minas Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2001, 265.↩

96. Minutes of East Brazil Union, no. 24835, November 16, 2000.↩

97. Jael Enéas, “Jeito Mineira de servir” [Minas Gerais way of serving], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], November 2005, 27.↩

98. The “Impact Hope" promotes the reading and provides the annual distribution of Adventist books in the territory of South America. Portal da Igreja Adventista do Sétimo Dia [Seventh-day Adventist Church (Brazil) Website], “Impact Hope,” accessed February 4, 2020, https://bit.ly/34dZROO.↩

99. Jael Enéas, Suellen Timm, Ana Paula Ramos, Cristiane Lüscher, Dina Karla Miranda, Felipe Lemos, Sandro Ferreira, Laerte Lanza, Franck Oliveira, Alessandro Simões Souza, Jeanne Moura, Solange Navarro, Elisângela Brunetto, Lisandro Staut, Érica Marinho, Débora Carvalho, Tânia Camilio, Dayse Bezerra and Caroline Ferraz, “O Brasil foi ‘impactado’” [Brazil was ‘impacted’], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], October 2008, 26-30.↩

100. Jael Enéas, “Operação Minas Gerais” [Minas Gerais Operation], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], May 2009, 24.↩

101. Vivian Vergílio, “De olho no alvo” [Eyes on the target], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], April 2010, 32-33.↩

102. “Caleb Mission project is a volunteer program, social service, and a witnessing that challenges Adventist youth to dedicate their vacations to evangelism in places where there’s no Adventist presence, to strengthen the small congregations and gain new people for the kingdom of God.” Seventh-day Adventist Church (Brazil) website, “Missão Calebe 2020” [Caleb Mission 2020], accessed February 4, 2020, http://bit.ly/2HRpvRi http://bit.ly/2HRpvRi.↩

103. Rebbeca Ricarte, Tatiane Virmes, Bianca Lorini, Leonardo Leite. Luzia Paula, Andréia Silva, Patrick Rocha, Ionara Wichinheski, Vanessa Lemes, Eugênio Saraiva, Gustavo Cidral and Daniel Gonçalves, “Calebes de Hoje” [Calebs of today], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], March 2014, 30-31.↩

104. Leônidas Verneque Guedes executive secretary of the Southeast Brazil Union), email to Carlos Flavio Teixeira (ESDA associate editor), October 10, 2019.↩

105. Pathfinder clubs are made up of “boys and girls aged 10 to 15 years old, from different social classes, color, religion. They meet in general once a week to learn how to develop talents, skills, perceptions and a taste for nature.” These boys and girls “vibrate with outdoor activities. They like camps, hiking, climbing, explorations in the woods and caves. They can cook outdoors, making fire without phosphorus.” In addition, they demonstrate “skill with discipline through united order and have creativity awakened by the manual arts. They also combat the use of smoking, alcohol and drugs.” Seventh-day Adventist Church website, “Quem somos nós” [Who we are], accessed February 4, 2020, http://bit.ly/2FDRqTh.↩

106. “The Adventurers Club is a program for children from 6 to 9 years old, created by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1972. [...] In the meetings, children perform activities with a focus on physical, mental and spiritual development.” Seventh-day Adventist Church - Central Caxias do Sul - RS, “Clube de Aventureiros: Duquinhos” [Adventurers Clubs: Duquinhos], accessed February 4, 2020, https://bit.ly/389AQGG.↩

107. Alessandra Guimarães, “Impacto Esperança deste ano foi a maior mobilização evangelística da zona da mata e sul de Minas” [Hope Impact this year was the largest evangelistic mobilization in the Forest Zone and south of Minas], Notícias Adventistas [Adventist News network], May 27, 2019, accessed January 13, 2020, https://bit.ly/3a1V4E2.↩

108. “Breaking the Silence is an educational and prevention project against abuse and domestic violence promoted annually by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in eight countries in South America, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay) since the year 2002.” Seventh-day Adventist Church website, “Quebrando o Silêncio” [Breaking the Silence], accessed February 4, 2020, https://bit.ly/2WoDfIW.↩

109. Alessandra Guimarães, “Sul de Minas e Zona da Mata fazem alerta contra o abuso infantil” [Southern Minas and Forest Zone alert against child abuse], Notícias Adventistas [Adventist News Network], August 27, 2019, accessed January 13, 2020, https://bit.ly/2TuqZHB.↩

110. Everson de Carvalho Ferreira executive secretary of South Minas Conference), email to Carlos Flavio Teixeira ESDA associate editor), December 4, 2019.↩

111. Fernanda Beatriz, “Igreja completa cem anos no Sudeste e lança projeto missionário” [Church celebrates its 100th anniversary in the Southeast and launches a missionary project], Adventist News, November 27, 2018, accessed January 13, 2020, https://bit.ly/35JsHHm.↩

112. “The Small Group is a group of people who meet weekly under the coordination of a leader aiming at spiritual, relational and evangelistic growth, aiming at their multiplication.” Seventh-day Adventist Church website, “Pequenos Grupos” [Small Groups], accessed on February 4, 2020, https://bit.ly/2NtcXj7.↩

113. Everson de Carvalho Ferreira (South Minas Conference executive secretary), email to Carlos Flavio (Teixeira ESDA associate editor), December 4, 2019.↩

114. Ibid.↩

115. Leônidas Verneque Guedes (executive secretary of the Southeast Brazil Union), email to Carlos Flavio Teixeira ESDA associate editor), October 10, 2019; “South Minas Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1984), 299; “South Minas Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2018, 262. For a more detailed listing of administrative officers, consult the Yearbooks from 1984 to 2018.↩