DOR Welcomes Brazilian Community
The Diocese of the Restoration is excited to welcome The Evangelical Episcopal Church of the Way in Palmares, PE – Brazil into our diocese! The community is led by husband and wife pastors Revd. Armando Cruz & Revd. Cleonice Gonçalves.
According to Revd. Cruz and Revd. Gonçalves, “The Evangelical Episcopal Church of the Way is a Christian community that integrates apostolic faith with Hebrew spirituality and charismatic renewal, rooted in the Scriptures and guided by the Holy Spirit. We seek to live and proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom with faithfulness, holiness, and depth, promoting unity between Jews and Gentiles in the Body of Christ. Our identity is grounded in the historical Church tradition, enriched by the restoration of the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith and the active work of the Holy Spirit in the contemporary life of the Church. We believe in a living, sacramental, biblical, and transformative faith that forms mature disciples committed to God's mission in the world”.
“We follow the Book of Common Prayer, widely recognized in the Anglican and Episcopal tradition, adapted with elements of the Hebrew rite, honoring the biblical roots of our faith. Our liturgical celebration is reverent, participatory, and deeply symbolic, combining traditional prayers with contemporary spiritual expressions.
Among the incorporated elements are:
The Shema Israel as a declaration of faith.
The use of the Kiddush in Eucharistic celebrations.
The Priestly Blessings (Birkat Kohanim) at the end of services.
The Kaddish and other Hebrew prayers during intercessions.
The celebration of biblical feasts such as Passover (Pesach), Pentecost (Shavuot), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot),
in harmony with the Christian liturgical calendar.
Each service is carefully crafted to express God's glory, form the character of Christ in His people, and serve as a space of authentic communion. For us, liturgy is not mere form—it is a means of grace, teaching, and spiritual transformation”.
“The Evangelical Episcopal Church of the Way invites all who seek a biblical, sacramental, Spirit-filled faith, rooted in the Jewish-Christian heritage, to join us on this journey of restoration. We are a people in motion, centered on the Word, the mission, and the real presence of the living God among us”.
You can connect with them on Instagram: @diocesedocaminho or email them at diocesedocaminho@gmail.com.
Please join us in welcoming them to our diocese!
Revd. Armando Cruz & Revd. Cleonice Gonçalves