The Convenção das Igrejas Irmãos Menonitas do Brasil (CIIMB; Brazilian Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches) is the conference of Portuguese-speaking congregations which have arisen through missionary activity of the German-speaking Associação das Igrejas Irmãos Menonitas do Brasil (Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches in Brazil, AIIManitoba, Canada). Twenty-seven congregations belonged to the Portuguese-speaking conference in 1986. Administrative offices were located in Curitiba. The goal of CIIMB was to reach a membership of 50,000 by the year 2000. The 1987 membership was 1,954. Thirty-one ministers were active in the conference, as were four missionary couples from North America. Theological training for them was available at the Instituto e Seminário Bíblico Irmãos Menonitas (Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary and Institute). Missionary activity was carried on by the CIIMB together with the North American Mennonite Brethren Board of Missions and Service. Congregations were located primarily in the states of Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, and Sao Paulo. A spiritual counseling service by telephone was begun in Curitiba in 1985. Thousands of persons have been helped in this way.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 201-202. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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