Strengthening Churches, Growing Leaders, and Sharing Grace in Brazil
May 31, 2025
Dear Friends and Faithful Partners,
As we step into the cooler months here in Brazil, our hearts are full of gratitude for all the Lord is doing through the Togetherness Network and the local church plants we serve alongside. We are continually reminded that ministry is never a solo endeavor—it’s the work of God’s people through local churches, united in purpose and carried along by your prayers, encouragement, and faithful support.
Together in Ministry: Paraná & São Paulo
This past month, we were blessed to visit pastors and their wives throughout the states of Paraná and São Paulo, encouraging them in their calling and listening to the unique challenges and victories they face. These visits are a vital part of the Togetherness Network, which exists to promote unity, support, and accountability among churches and their leaders.
One highlight was the Pastors’ Breakfast in Lupercio, a sweet time of fellowship, prayer, and vision-casting with faithful shepherds laboring in smaller towns. We also celebrated the anniversary of the church in Duartina—a joyful reminder of God’s sustaining grace in every season.
In Garça, construction continues steadily on the church building—a dream becoming reality. Though the dust is flying and work is ongoing, spirits are high as the congregation sees their prayers materialize in bricks and mortar. Please pray for this church. If you feel led to give toward this project, please designate “Church construction in Garça,”
We also had the privilege of visiting beneficiaries of the “Grace Extended” offering, and witnessing firsthand the impact of your generosity. Lives are being changed, communities strengthened, and the gospel shared in tangible ways. Thank you for giving sacrificially.
One especially encouraging development: a church that has been without a pastor for nearly three years recently reached out. We’ve begun conversations and are walking with them through the process of pastoral search and preparation. Please pray as they seek the Lord’s direction for new leadership.
Church Plants in Marília, Londrina and São Paulo – New Life, New Laborers
God continues to move through the Togetherness Network, and we are excited to share updates from two growing church plants—Marília, Londrina, and São Paulo.
Marília – A Church Rooted in Community
The church plant in Marília is establishing deep roots in a vibrant yet spiritually needy city. This work has steadily grown as the team led by Americo and Ana Paula focused on discipleship, outreach, and intentional community building. Weekly gatherings are filled with genuine fellowship, and several new families have begun attending regularly. There’s a hunger for the Word, and we are seeing steady spiritual growth in the congregation.
We are currently praying and planning for the next phase of development, including Americo’s pastoral ordination, leadership training and future property needs. The Lord is forming a strong core group, and we’re encouraged by the commitment of those serving faithfully each week. Please pray for this church plant. If you feel led to give toward this project, please designate “Church plant in Marilia,”
Londrina – A New Work with Great Potential
In Londrina, located in the state of Paraná, we’re supporting a new and promising church plant led by Sílvio and Kelly. The region has excellent potential for Gospel impact, and a small but passionate team has begun meeting regularly for worship, prayer, and evangelism. The doors are opening for relationships with families and young adults, and we’re starting to see fruit.
One of our goals is to come alongside this young team to offer mentoring and leadership development. Much like Marília, this plant is still in its early stages, but the foundation being laid is strong. Please pray for continued unity, vision, and spiritual maturity among the core leaders there. Please pray for these efforts. If you feel led to give toward this project, please designate “Church plant in Londrina,”
São Paulo – Church Plant Update
Our current church plant continues to grow and mature. Even while away, our ministry team and a sister church from São Paulo (also part of the Togetherness Network) will continue the work. We’re planning a baptismal service soon, weather permitting (our winter chills make outdoor baptisms a bit tricky!).
Praise God, two men have emerged as potential pastors. We’ve begun intentional training, and they are walking alongside us as we prepare to establish a pastoral team. Please pray for wisdom, humility, and unity as we invest in their development.
Raquel’s Foster Care Ministry
Raquel continues to devote herself to her work in foster care, training, and trauma-informed caregiving. As I write, she’s hosting a breakfast meeting with foster families in southern São Paulo, offering encouragement and guidance.
She is also busy preparing for the second National TBRI Conference in 2026, and regularly trains social workers, educators, caregivers, and judges across the city. In addition, she serves as the coordinator of a foster care center, providing daily leadership and oversight. God is using her in powerful ways.
Equipping the Next Generation: Master’s in Youth Ministry
I’m excited to share a new opportunity the Lord has opened and has been in the making for the last 5 years: I am assisting in the implementation of a Master’s degree in Youth Ministry at Word of Life Bible Seminary in São Paulo. I am assisting in this effort in partnership with Randy Smith and Dave Adams of Great Commission Youth Ministry.
The goal of this program is to train and equip youth leaders with a solid theological foundation and practical ministry tools to reach and disciple the next generation of Brazilians. The need is great, and we are praying that this initiative will raise up a new wave of passionate, grounded, and effective youth ministers across the country.
The first module launches in August, and we are already seeing strong interest from current youth leaders, seminary graduates, and church workers from various regions. Please pray for the instructors, the students, and the long-term fruit of this program.
This is another powerful reminder that training leaders is not just about the present—it’s an investment in the future of local churches in Brazil.
Looking Ahead: Home Visit, Missions Conference, and Liberty University
Our family is preparing for a short visit to the States from June through August. We’ll be visiting family, friends, and supporting churches across Florida, Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois, and Kentucky. A special invitation: we’ll be attending the Missions Conference at New Life Baptist Church in Lexington, KY, July 28–30, and would love to see you there!
We’ll also be helping Laura move into Liberty University, where she’ll begin her first year this fall. It’s a big step for her and for us—please pray for a smooth transition and a strong start to this exciting new season.
Prayer Requests
Please join us in prayer for the following:
- Property for the church plant in São Paulo – wisdom as we search for a permanent space to buy and build.
- Church planting teams in Marilia and Londrina – strategic ministry opportunities, evangelism, and discipleship.
- Pastors and churches of the Togetherness Network – for unity, encouragement, and spiritual vitality.
- Monthly finances and ministry wisdom – for both personal and ministry needs.
- Laura’s first year of college – peace, growth, and confidence as she adjusts to life away from home.
- Paul Hatcher’s health – strength, peace, and comfort for my father.
- Raquel’s leadership in foster care – for wisdom and endurance as she trains caregivers and influences systems nationwide.
- Master’s degree in Youth Ministry – translation of textbooks and the successful implementation of the program in Brazil.
Thank you for walking with us. Your prayers and support make all of this possible. We serve as your hands and feet here in Brazil, and we never take that privilege lightly. May the Lord bless you richly as you continue to live on mission—wherever He has placed you.
Serving together,
Jud and Raquel Hatcher
JUD & RAQUEL HATCHER
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
(872) 400-6522
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
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Missionary Update: Jud & Raquel Hatcher [October 2012]
Jud and Raquel Hatcher serve the Lord in Manaus, Brazil. They are part of the “SeedFactory” church planting initiative, which is a movement to plant churches in all 26 Brazilian capitals. Since 2006, 43 churches have been started in 5 states.
October 5, 2012
THANKFUL HEART
Thank you for your faithful prayers and investing in missions.
Thank you Bro. David Pitman & Addyston Baptist Church, Addyston, OH for
taking us on for support. Thank you also to Atlantic Shores Baptist Church,
Virginia Beach, VA; Friendship Baptist Church, Bristol, VA; New Hope Baptist
Church, Dearborn Heights, MI; Darwin & Cathy Smith, Lexington, KY; and Ron
& Judy Logan, Lexington, KY. WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL!! Now, let me tell you about family news and some exciting moments of our latest church plant.
FAMILY DETAILS
Everyone is doing well. Sarah is 7 years old and studies hard on her math. Laura is 6 years old and is reading and writing amazingly. Benjamin is 4 years old, is learning to read and knows all of his numbers. Melissa is 11 months old and has 4 little teeth. At times, Raquel and I feel overwhelmed with family and ministry, but wouldn’t change a single moment of God’s plan for us.
CHURCH PLANTING: INITIAL PLANNING
On January 7, 2012 two couples, a lady, Raquel, the children and I went on a
van ride to pray and discuss where the Lord would lead us to start a church in
Manaus. I invited each one to make a personal commitment to join us and plant
a church. Everyone in the van that day committed wholeheartedly to start a
new church. The following weeks were filled with excitement as we visited six
different churches on Sundays and met from 5:00pm until 7:00pm to pray, study,
brainstorm and plan. During this time we also selected our name – Ativa: Uma
Igreja Batista (Active, a Baptist Church).
EVANGELISTIC COOKOUTS
During the weeks to come we organized several cookouts in homes where family
and friends were invited. Our contact list grew tremendously. Our fifth event was
a one-day camp where 95 people participated. Several people heard the Gospel
and made decisions.
MEETING AT HOME
Our first Sunday service was March 18, 2012 and met at our home. We had no
music, but the great food led to tremendous fellowship. A sense of belonging
began to grow amongst the team members, the newly saved and the unsaved
attendees. Excitement grew every week as people asked questions and decisions
were made. By the end of April, we had 30 people attending our home services.
During this period a member of the congregation asked “Where should I give
my tithe?” It is worth noting, we did not have a specific moment for tithes and
offerings during the service. We didn’t have a treasurer either. That week we
selected a treasurer and a vice-treasurer, and a box was placed on a corner table
during Sunday services. Those who attended began to give generously, even
though we never spoke of the matter. Six weeks latter we purchased a simple
sound system, three microphones, an acoustic guitar and a two-tone percussion instrument. With low monthly expenses our new congregation was able to save towards what the Lord was about to do.
BUILDING QUEST
Children singing on Sunday (building still under retrofitting)
In May, we began to search for a building to lease. We wanted a building on an
easy to find street, with good visibility. As we looked around the city we ran into
a serious problem – the outlandish cost of rental property. The reason? Manaus
is a host city for the World Cup 2014 and buildings are now exponentially
expensive to lease and/or purchase. Our small budget only allowed us to commit
to $1,000/mo and we needed a location to accommodate at least 150 people
(projecting growth over the next years). The cheapest we could find was $7,500/mo and with little to no parking. I even found a place that could accommodate 200 people and had six parking spaces for $15,000/mo. That’s right, fifteen thousand per month! And yes, that is the cost in US currency. To put the price absurdity into full perspective: the minimum wage in Brazil is currently at US$297.00/mo. Not encouraging… but we sure prayed and searched.
Despite the challenges, the Lord blessed! He gifted us with a small warehouse
to seat 140 people, with two small rooms, and a bathroom. The location is on
one of the main throughways of the city. Guess how much? Yes, $1,000/mo.
Unfortunately, it only has one parking spot. Yet again, the Lord blessed us.
Around the corner, within a hundred yards we found a walled parking lot for 30
cars! We met with the congregation and agreed to lease the lot at $25/Sunday.
BAPTISMS, ORGANIZATION & RETROFITTING
On August 12, 2012 we baptized 13 people (including our daughters Sarah
and Laura) and were organized with 37 members through Tabernacle Baptist
Church. It was an exciting Sunday for us all. We continued to meet at our home
while retrofitting the warehouse for services. Everyone came to help scrape the
old paint of the walls, repair the roof, clean, paint, and install doors and curtains.
Tabernacle Baptist Church donated the needed metal and the welder to build
and install a sign for on the front of the building.
Church building inauguration night with 102 people (84 adults and 18 children)
BUILDING INAUGURATION
On September 23, 2012 we had our inaugural service and kicked off a six-week Evangelistic message series. That evening we had 102 attend (84 adults
and 18 children). The Lord also gave us two salvation decisions that evening.
On the second week a tropical storm hit hard, and most of our invited guests
stayed at home. Despite the downpour of rain, we still had 63 attend and one
reconciliation. Pray for us this coming Sunday, it’s our third week.
PRAYER
Please, invest time in prayer for all of those who will need discipleship. Also,
pray for each one of us to continue in good health. Consider coming to visit us in
Brazil. And, continue to give generously to missions.
Grateful,
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
judsonhatcher@hotmail.com
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