Elizeu returning to Brazil

It is with great sadness I announce that Elizeu Gomes and his family are returning to Brazil after being denied a Green Card. Elizeu and Linnea have done great work at Danbury, CT. When they went to this church about seven years ago it was a struggling church plant with fewer than 10 people. Today it is a church that has about 300 on Sunday and has helped to plant eight other churches.

This has been a very painful time for Elizeu and his family, and for the Logos Communidade church family. It is very difficult to replace a pastor who has built the church up from very little to become an organization that is thriving.

We have taken several steps to deal with this transition. We are hoping and praying that Elizeu will be able to begin the process over again of obtaining an R-1 visa when he goes to Brazil. If that happens it is possible that Elizeu may be able to return, perhaps even within a year. Because of that possibility we are leaving Elizeu as senior pastor of the church. Janine Ventura (daughter of Jessie and Leda Carvalho) has been named interim pastor to direct the ministry and do the preaching. Alberto Oliveira, who pastors one of Communidade Logos' daughter churches in Waterbury, CT, has been given the oversight role of leading the board of Communidade Logos.

Elizeu will continue his music and crusade ministry in Brazil as he waits to see if he can return. We will miss him greatly.