Ministry Highlight

Loan Recipient: Fairfield Brazilian Free Methodist Church
Location: Bridgeport, Connecticut
Loan Purpose: Purchase Church Building
Year of Loan: 2019

The Free Methodist Church of Bridgeport is a multi-cultural congregation, composed mostly of immigrants from Brazil, India, Congo and several Central and South American countries, who reside in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The church has been serving in this region since the summer of 1996. Since then, the church has grown exponentially, from its original 28 to its present 300 plus members. During that time, however, the FMC of Bridgeport has rented spaces from churches and schools, as a constant move in search of a long term place for worshiping God and serving the needy and disenfranchised in its community. Just recently, the church’s prayers for a place of its own were finally answered! In the beginning of 2019, the congregation was able to acquire a large, functional, well-located, well-structured and beautiful church building, with funds provided by the Free Methodist Investment & Loan Fund.

As a result, the church is now able to improve and expand its several ministries to the community. With the new building structure, at least fifteen extra offices and classrooms were added and can now accommodate the children and teen programs the church offers on a weekly basis: Bible classes, music classes, Christian choreography, youth services and so on. Practically every day, several unchurched children and youth from the church´s neighborhoods come to the church property, to play basketball, ride their bikes and interact with church members in the 130-space, large parking lot. It is a remarkable, preventive ministry opportunity for the church; especially considering the high drug abuse rate among teens and youth in the city of Bridgeport. It is now able to expand its ministry to adults who struggle with substance abuse – people who come to the church building twice a week to receive love, food, spiritual and emotional support, free of cost.

“Words are not enough to express our gratitude to God first of all; but also to The Free Methodist Investment & Loan Fund, for its remarkable Kingdom vision as well as its renowned willingness to fund and support churches and ministries as they strive to accomplish their God-given Great Commission!” – Rev. Sergio Faria