Fellowship Church

The Beginnings

Fellowship has been the welcome place for English-speaking Christians since 1921. It had its origins in the Protestant nonconformist movement in São Paulo, which began in 1921 when “The Union Church of Sao Paulo” was formed. Worship was held regularly in the Y.M.C.A for several years. The pulpit was filled by visiting or local pastors, missionaries or laypersons. Due to political unrest in the middle twenties, many people left the country, and the organization interrupted its activities in 1925.

The Organization

In late 1927 a Sunday church school was launched, once again at the Y.M.C.A., with Irving Gallyon, the then fraternal secretary as the first superintendent. The adult class members expressed their desire and decided to resume regular corporate worship following the church school sessions. The first worship was held in April 1930.

In 1933 the Sunday program was transferred to Mackenzie College where all continued until 1944.

In 1942 a formal constitution was adopted and officially registered, at which time the name "Igreja Cristã Unida de São Paulo” was chosen. The name in English became "Fellowship Community Church”.

The Site and Building

Once the congregation was officially registered, under the able direction of Dr. Benjamin Hunnicutt (then President of Mackenzie College), the present site was located and purchased (June 1944). The original building on this site was Sao Paulo’s first radio station. Worship was held therein, beginning July 9, 1944, with few alterations required.

In 1953, as a wonderful culmination to a vigorous fundraising campaign, the present sanctuary was dedicated, and in 1960 the present education building was inaugurated.

From 1921 to 2001: Ebenezer!

Over the years Fellowship has been blessed with able leadership, both lay and ordained. Among those who ministered at Fellowship are the following pastors: Revs. T. B. Duncan (1939-51); Kenneth Estey (1951-54); John Hammons (1954-62); Dr. Russel Galloway (1965-71); Ward Williams (1971-76); Dr. Bickford Lang (1976-88); Jaap Wielhouwwer (1989-90); Daniel Dahl (1991-2000).

The decades of 1960 and 1970 were marked by tremendous growth at Fellowship, being the high watermark of membership and attendance. During the late eighties and nineties, with the changes in the makeup of the English-speaking expatriate community in São Paulo (Fellowship’s main focus up to that period) the congregation experienced some decline in membership and attendance, but it remained steady in its purpose and call.

In the end of the year 2000, with the departure of Rev. Daniel Dahl, after eight years of faithful service, the Church Cabinet, through its Pastoral Search Committee, called the reverend Dr. Davi Charles Gomes to lead the congregation. His calling was a conscious and deliberate step to inaugurate a new phase for Fellowship, where, moved by a clear sense of mission and identity, the church could move forward into the new century and fulfill its calling in new, stronger and expanded ways.

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