Igreja do Nazareno

Clutching your hymnals, imagine yourselves back in 1966. The Igreja do Nazareno in Rio de Janeiro was just taking root, not in a grand edifice, but in a borrowed room. American missionaries, Jaime and Carolina Kratz, had just arrived in Nilópolis. They found kindred spirits in José and Damaris, a Presbyterian couple who ran the Colégio Filgueiras. Touched by the Kratzs’ mission, they offered a space within their institute. The first service at the Igreja do Nazareno in Nilópolis took place on September 7, 1966. Picture the scene: around 100 people gathered in that room, their voices rising in song led by the Kratzs. This humble space, loaned by the Filgueiras family, became the first sanctuary of the Igreja do Nazareno in Nilópolis. The church blossomed under their care. The Kratzs had a way of connecting with people. Jaime, especially, had a knack for engaging the youth. He kept them involved in church activities. There were impromptu camps, games, and a sense of community that kept them off the streets. A young pastor, Lázaro Aguiar Valvassoura, arrived from the Seminário Nazareno de Campinas. He was only about 20 years old. He took the helm of the Igreja do Nazareno. The Kratzs remained for a time, supporting him. The church continued to grow, eventually outgrowing the borrowed room. Reverend Valvassoura secured the property where the Igreja do Nazareno in Nilópolis stands today. By 2019, four districts of the Church of the Nazarene had been established in the state of Rio de Janeiro. They included the Rio de Janeiro Grande Rio District, the Rio de Janeiro Baixada 1 District, the Rio de Janeiro Baixada 2 District, and the Metropolitan District. The Igreja do Nazareno’s journey in Rio de Janeiro is a testament to the power of faith. It’s a story that began in a borrowed room and grew into a vibrant community.