{"id":341223,"date":"2024-07-09T16:33:41","date_gmt":"2024-07-09T20:33:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/?p=341223"},"modified":"2024-08-21T10:57:44","modified_gmt":"2024-08-21T14:57:44","slug":"the-universal-church-celebrates-its-47th-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/universalchurchusa.org\/en\/post\/the-universal-church-celebrates-its-47th-anniversary\/","title":{"rendered":"The Universal Church Celebrates Its 47th Anniversary"},"content":{"rendered":"

On July 9th, 2024, The Universal Church celebrates its 47th anniversary. <\/span>Let’s<\/span> take a look back at this journey of faith and sacrifice.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How It All Began<\/h4>\n

In 1977, the then pastor\u00a0<\/span>Edir Macedo<\/a>,<\/strong><\/span> filled with faith and the desire to help those in need, resigned from being a treasurer at the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery and dedicated himself exclusively to his calling: winning souls for the Kingdom of God.<\/span><\/p>\n

It all began in a square in Jardim do M\u00e9ier<\/em>, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro, where, on Saturdays,\u00a0<\/span>Edir Macedo<\/a><\/span> would climb the steps of a bandstand with a microphone connected to a speaker. He had the Bible in his hands, which had always been the pillar of his sermons. Among those who stopped to listen to him were some curious people and those who would become the first congregants of The Universal Church.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Soon after, those people joined many others to participate in the first official service in a building that used to be a funeral home in the Aboli\u00e7\u00e3o<\/em> neighborhood on the north side of Rio de Janeiro.<\/span><\/p>\n

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One of the first meetings of The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Aboli\u00e7\u00e3o<\/small><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

In the first volume of his biography Nothing to Lose<\/em><\/strong>,\u00a0Bishop Macedo\u00a0recalls that <\/span>special<\/span> moment:<\/span><\/p>\n

C<\/span>ars were parked<\/span>, pedestrians were coming and going on the sidewalks, buses were dropping people off at nearby stops. It was the first service of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. I woke up early, put on my best suit, organized the Bible, and left for the first meeting of my new ministry. I was euphoric and happy. God had answered my prayers. The service was about deliverance, healing, and preaching of teachings <\/span>for the conquest of<\/span> eternal life<\/span>.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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More Open Doors<\/h4>\n

In these 47 years, The Universal Church has grown and multiplied <\/span>throughout the world<\/span>. Today, there are over 12,000 temples in almost 150 countries, on five continents, where thousands of bishops and pastors bring faith and belief in the living God.<\/span><\/p>\n

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South Korea<\/h5>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

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Sri Lanka<\/strong><\/h5>\n

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Guyana<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

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Surinam<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

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Texas, USA<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

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Millions of People Have Benefited From the Church Projects<\/h4>\n

In addition, The Universal Church has <\/span>been dedicated<\/span> to helping those who need spiritual and physical assistance. In the first half of 2024 alone, the social programs maintained by the church worldwide benefited 6,507,967 people, with 619,361 volunteers, in 120 countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example,\u00a0<\/span>the victims of the floods caused by the rains that hit Rio Grande do Sul<\/em> in May, 2024. The Universal Church, through its volunteers and with the solidarity of the people, sent more than 50 trucks that left the states of S\u00e3o Paulo, Santa Catarina, Paran\u00e1, and Amazonas<\/em>, loaded with food, hygiene kits, clothes, shoes, blankets, and other donations.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"The<\/p>\n

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From a Small Bandstand to the Temple of Solomon<\/h4>\n

Sometime later, with the expansion of the Gospel preached on radio, TV channels, newspapers, and the internet, the bishop <\/span>felt the desire<\/span> to do more for God. So, 33 years after the beginning of everything, the construction of\u00a0<\/span>the Temple of Solomon<\/strong><\/a><\/span>\u00a0began. See below the timeline:<\/span><\/p>\n