São Paulo. With a surface area of 8.5 million square kilometres, Brazil is the fifth-largest country on earth. On account of the great distances that need to be covered, Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber ordained another Apostle to help in the work of the District Churches of Brazil and Bolivia. The new Apostle is the hitherto Bishop Geraldino Aires (58), who will in future work in northern Brazil.

Apostle Geraldino Aires comes from Barbalha, a city with around 50,000 inhabitants in the Brazilian federal state of Ceará. He has already been employed for some time in the local church administration in northern Brazil.

The basis of the divine service was a Bible passage from Leviticus 26: 9: “For I will look on you favourably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you.” Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber told the believers: “We need fruitful congregations.” He went on to note that a fruitful congregation is also a loving, humble, peace-loving, joyful, and praying congregation. A fruitful congregation is also prepared to testify of their faith and bring offerings and sacrifices, said the international Church leader.

Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber and a number of District Apostles in his company travelled on from São Paulo to Argentina. There the Chief Apostle conducted a divine service in Buenos Aires on Sunday, 5 November 2006, during which he retired District Apostle Mario Fiore, who had served the Church for many years. Succeeding him as District Apostle is Norberto Rubén Batista (55). Apostle Carlos Roberto Granja (59) was also appointed District Apostle Helper.