Associação das Igrejas Irmãos Menonitas do Brasil

Associação das Igrejas Irmãos Menonitas do Brasil (AIIMB; Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches in Brazil) was founded in 1960 with the union of seven German-speaking Mennonite Brethren congregations in Curitiba, Witmarsum, Lapa, Sao Paulo, and Colonia Nova-Bage. Through missionary work begun in 1963 among German-speaking Brazilians, an additional 10 congregations had been added to the AIIMB by 1987. The purpose of the conference is to promote fellowship, unity of doctrine, and Christian service. Conference sessions are held annually. Membership in 1987 was 1,954, with 49 ministers, 49 deacons, 71 youth workers, 154 Sunday school teachers, and 364 choir members. Mission outreach became the most important branch of conference work.

The official conference organ is the Informationsblatt, published monthly in Curitiba since 1967. It offers articles in both German and Portuguese. For a number of years the paper had an insert Licht auf dem Wege, which served as a theological help to ministers and church workers. Another paper, Bausteine, was published from 1973 to 1983, providing encouragement and useful materials for German-speaking Sunday school teachers, youth workers, and others. AIIMB also supports Bethel, near Curitiba, a center used for retreats, seminars, and summer Bible courses. A theological program of study for the preparation of ministers and other workers is maintained in the Instituto Seminario Bíblico Irmãos Menonitas (Mennonite Brethren Bible Institute and Seminary), likewise located in Curitiba. The Bible institute also coordinates and carries on Bible studies in the congregations. The Colégio Erasto Gartner in Curitiba is supported jointly with the Associaçao das Igrejas Menonitas do Brasil (AIMB, Conference of the Mennonite Churches [GCM] in Brazil), as is the retirement center Lar Betesda. Other projects such as historical research, evangelism, and service are coordinated between the two conferences by a joint committee.

Women 's church activities in the AIIMB were formally organized in 1971. They have various branches and projects within the congregations. A love treasury gives help in emergency situations.

The AIIMB works closely with the South American Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Church of North America. The AIIMB is not to be confused with the Convenção das Igrejas Irmãos Menonitas do Brasil (CIIMB, Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches in Brazil) which is the conference of the Portuguese-speaking mission congregations.

See also Brazil

Bibliography

Kraybill, Paul N., ed. Mennonite World Handbook. Lombard, IL: Mennonite World Conference, 1978: 196-200.

Additional Information

Conference website: Igreja Evangélica Irmãos Menonitas

Author(s)	Peter Pauls, Jr.
	Henrique Ens
Date Published	1987

Cite This Article

MLA style

Pauls, Jr., Peter and Henrique Ens. "Associação das Igrejas Irmãos Menonitas do Brasil." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1987. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Associa%C3%A7%C3%A3o_das_Igrejas_Irm%C3%A3os_Menonitas_do_Brasil&oldid=128400.

APA style

Pauls, Jr., Peter and Henrique Ens. (1987). Associação das Igrejas Irmãos Menonitas do Brasil. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Associa%C3%A7%C3%A3o_das_Igrejas_Irm%C3%A3os_Menonitas_do_Brasil&oldid=128400.

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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, pp. 39-40. All rights reserved.

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