James and Heather Cochrane have been serving in Portugal since 2008. Initially they were involved in leadership training, Bible teaching and discipleship (with the Portuguese Bible Institute), but in July 2013 they moved from the Algarve to Porto in northern Portugal to begin a church-planting project in collaboration with the Christian Presbyterian Church of Portugal (ICPP) called ‘Comunidade Pedras Vivas’ (CPV) which translates as “Living Stones’ Community”. CPV is based in Senhora da Hora in Porto and is led by James and Heather. In March 2019 Chris & Rachel Humphries joined the church planting team.
Church planting is a broad term that encompasses many varied tasks: prayer, planning, team building, evangelism, discipling, pastoring, building relationships and training future leaders. The building of relationships is very important to gain the respect of the Portuguese and break down many prejudices and misconceptions about what it means to be a Bible-based church. Together with their colleagues, James and Heather reach out to all age groups (children, young people, men and women) through one to one contact on the streets, formation of small groups to explore faith and Christianity, youth activities and ministry to couples. The shaping of the church to have a missional vision occurs through preaching and teaching and short courses to equip the members to live as disciples and share their faith with others.
They write, “Portugal is a religious nation with symbols of Christianity on every corner. However, only 0.5% of the population would claim to have a personal relationship with Jesus. In this context of religious fervor, the task of church planting is steeped in prayer as we seek to live out our lives before those who do not know Jesus seeking opportunities to explain who Jesus really is, why he came and what this expression of God's love, grace and hope actually means here and now for the people of Portugal.”
During the Covid-19 pandemic, James and Heather have continued to serve in Portugal and adapted their work and witness to comply with local restrictions. At times, when in-person meetings couldn't take place, church services, Bible studies and other church meetings moved online.
From 1996 to 2003 James and Heather served as church planters in north-east Brazil with the Independent Presbyterian Church in Brazil (IPIB). They returned to Ireland and both completed degrees in theology, with James continuing to study as a ministerial student at Union Theological College, Belfast. He was ordained, after two years as assistant minister in Second Comber Presbyterian Church before leaving for Portugal in 2008. James later studied for an MA in Aspects and Implications of Biblical Interpretation with the London School of Theology. James and Heather have two daughters: Alana will complete her Masters degree at QUB in September 2022 and at the same time Lucy will begin her second year at QUB.
Prayer Points
- Pray for the people of Portugal who are surrounded by symbols of Christianity but with little or no knowledge of Jesus.
- Making contacts and building relationships is crucial to the ongoing work of church planting. Give thanks for contacts already made and pray that members of CPV would be good witnesses to their friends and colleagues.
- As CPV prepares to return to normal activities following lockdown, pray that there will be a tangible cohesion and sense of community among the church members and a desire to be actively involved in building relationships with the wider community.
- Continue to pray for the witness of ICPP in Portugal. Pray for the many challenges this small denomination faces (approx. 250 members in Portugal).
James and Heather have recorded a short and long film clip which can be downloaded and used in church services, prayer meetings or events to raise awareness and prayer for what God is doing across the world, as we seek to go deep and wide in global mission involvement.
(For previous Digital Dispatches video clips click here)
Latest Report
April 2024
In February we had the opportunity to return to Porto and visit Pedras Vivas church. We were invited by the church to celebrate their first anniversary (as a constituted church.) It was a joy for us to be part of worship on this Sunday, with James enjoying the opportunity to preach in Portuguese again. We were encouraged to see how the church has continued to thrive and grow to the point that the church will probably have to move to larger premises in the coming months. It was a delight to see how the elders, deacons and other ministry leaders are serving the church with such commitment and dedication and to hear of new ministries that have been introduced. We praise God that, even though Pedras Vivas has been vacant, the church has in no way become stagnant.
As we mentioned in our last bulletin, the leadership of Pedras Vivas identified Pastor Leonardo as a candidate to take on the role of pastor. During an extended period of 6 weeks in Porto in December/January, Leonardo was interviewed by presbytery and received by the denomination (ICPP) to be the pastor of Pedras Vivas. Pastor Leonardo and his wife Daniela are from Brazil but are currently in the US where Leonardo is doing some post graduate study. They plan to arrive in Portugal in June. We ask you to pray for them as they wait for their visas to be issued and as they prepare to come to Portugal, where the culture, life and ministry are very different.
On a personal level, it was lovely for us to catch up with members of the church. We enjoyed many visits in different homes and ate too much good food! It was also a time for us to tie up some practical loose ends, like closing bank accounts and visiting the tax office, given that we will not be returning to live there. This felt very final and was not easy. As we stepped onto the plane in Porto for our return trip to Ireland, we had mixed emotions – we felt happy and blessed, having had the privilege to serve in Portugal for 15 years but, at the same time, we felt sadness as we left behind a city we loved and people who have become like family.
But God is good, and we know that He will be with us as we continue to serve Him in Ireland. Heather will be taking up a part-time job with Latin Link (maternity cover) as Ireland Coordinator. She is excited about this, and we give thanks to God for this opportunity. James is still waiting for clear direction.
Prayer Points
- Give thanks for our recent trip to Porto and for the many encouragements we experienced.
- Give thanks for Pastor Leonardo and his wife Daniela. Pray that they will adapt to life and ministry in Portugal.
- Praise God with us for the privilege of serving Him in Portugal for 15 years.
- Give thanks for Heather’s new job with Latin Link which begins on 15th April.
- Pray that all would become clear for James in the coming weeks.
To download a printable PDF version of this bulletin or for a previous bulletin visit the Mission Reports listing at the top or the Global Mission monthly bulletin archive.