Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela

The Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela began its ministry in 2002 offering an accessible, affordable undergraduate theological education to pastors and lay leaders. This is a six-year degree program requiring a minimum participation of 5 weeks per year.  Most pastors in Venezuela are bi-vocational and attending seminary is a very costly endeavor.  Through the efforts of Venezuelans and folks in the US the cost is kept at a bare minimum.  Typically 50 students attend each class on our newly aquired campus outside Barquisemeto, the ground transportation hub of Venezuela.  The cost per student for this excellent Christian education within the best of the Wesleyan tradition is approximately $2400 per year.  Students pay only a small part of this cost and the rest is paid through the generosity of Christians in the US.  Please pray for this work and help us with a generous gift.  Mail to:  Venezuela Now, Inc. , PO Box 1655, Duluth, GA  30096.

Valle Dorado UMC Gets Started!

Valle Dorado United Methodist Church is one of the 'daughter' churches begun by Carlos and Maria Pirona's church: Iglesia Methodista Restauracion. Pastors Carlos and Maria are both graduates of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. Smith Useche is the pastor of the ministry in this area. Smith attends classes at the Seminary when he can. He also has another job to provide a living for his family. Currently Smith meets on Tuesday and Thursday nights in homes in the area. They call these 'cell groups' (celulas). On Saturday night they have their worship service, meeting outside, under the stars. Usually they have about 50 in attendance. The people in this area would have to take two buses to attend Iglesia Methodista Restauracion and are grateful to have this church beginning in their area of the city which has no other Protestant or Evangelical church..

The area of the city, or you might say the neighborhood, is called Valle Dorado (Valley of Gold). There are four other neighborhoods surrounding it, with a possibility to reach thousands of people. When the city developed this area they set aside land for a catholic church (this is common in Latin America - that the government would set aside a piece of property in a development for the catholic church) but those who were moving into the area demanded that there also be property set aside for an evangelical church (non-catholic). So when you drive into the area off of the main highway you first pass the catholic church, our property is farther in the development, really in the middle of the homes, ie; closer to the people.

The church property is 97.5 feet by 81 feet (30X25 meters). Currently there is a storage room on the property, about 12 feet by 8 feet. It has a toilet in it and is where they store chairs. There is electricity on the property. There is an area of tin supported by poles that provides some shelter. Carlos already has architect plans for the property. A security wall surrounds the property, a must before any other construction could begin. A mission team from the US is already scheduled to go and help build the church as well as conduct Vacation Bible School each evening. More teams are needed. Contact us for more information.