The early years

In 1990, Rev. Alderi Matos was working on his doctorate and leading a group of Brazilian immigrants in worship. Originally called the Brazilian Presbyterian Church, this congregation grew and Rev. Alderi felt the need to invite someone to pastor the group full-time. 

The church’s prayers were answered by Rev. Osni Ferreira, who led the church during its first years. 

A UNIQUE PROPOSAL

In the fall of 1994, Rev. Terry Gyger came up from Atlanta to start a new Presbyterian church in Greater Boston. His goal was to strengthen local Presbyterian churches and rescue the rich Christian heritage that is part of our nation’s history. 

The following year, Rev. Osni and Rev. Gyger would meet and begin to explore the possibility of a multicultural ministry focused on ethnic diversity. Such a ministry would help those with international backgrounds to understand the rich Christian heritage of Boston, and would help North Americans to understand the vast richness of global Christianity.

After much prayer and guidance from God, Christ the King Presbyterian Church was formed that next year, or Igreja Presbiteriana Cristo Rei in Portuguese.

Blessings and Challenges

In May of 1995, another Brazilian congregation joined CTK as its pastor, Rev. Davi Gomes, enrolled in a PHD program at Westminster Theological Seminary.

At the same time, an abandoned building on Prospect Street, in the heart of Cambridge, became available.

The building was an answer to prayer, but it was also a challenge: its cost was beyond the congregation’s means.  In dealing with the challenge, Rev. Osni and Rev. Gyger remembered a certain man of God's saying that they should "try something so great that it’ll obviously fail unless God is in control."

And God was in control.

After years of prayer, the church building could finally be financed, but the work was just beginning. In the sanctuary alone, walls needed to be painted, ceilings needed to be restored, windows repaired, and the electrical and heating systems had to be fully replaced. 

Years later, the ministry continues to thrive because of the pastors God sent CTK: Rev. Samuel Vieira, Rev. Namaa Mendes, Rev. Bradley Barnes, Rev. Rick Downs, Rev. Leandro Pinheiro and Rev. Pedro Lino.

The ministry has been fruitful and reached people from Korea, China, Brazil, Portugal, USA, Canada, England, Ireland, Italy and other countries; they all helped form Christ the King Presbyterian in Cambridge, which exists today as a testimony of the transforming power of the Gospel. We have already planted Brazilian and American churches in Marlboro, Framingham, East Boston and Boston. We carry out projects in the cities of Newton, Dorchester, Somerville, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, and Roslindale.

HERE IS THE YOUNG STORY OF CHRIST THE KING BUILT IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST INFLUENTIAL CORNERS, BETWEEN HARVARD UNIVERSITY AND MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY.

There are presently around 800 people of different nationalities and ethnicities that seek to exalt God here. Pastors Rick Downs and Leandro de Almeida developed ministries between their English-speaking and Portuguese-speaking majorities, respectively, which consist primarily of students, immigrants and families.

In the city in which our beautiful church building sat closed for around 50 years, Christ the King Presbyterian Church is a witness to the power of the Gospel. The Brazilian members supported and collaborated with their American brothers, and with the passing of time, four other churches were planted in Greater Boston.

We love this city, and we take its issues and problems seriously, as we work to spread the values of the Kingdom of God in this cultural and technological global hub. 

AS WELL AS OUR LOCATION IN CAMBRIDGE WAS PLANNED, THE BRAZILIAN COMMUNITY OF CTK CAMBRIDGE DECIDED TO JOIN A SISTER CHURCH, CTK EAST BOSTON, AND FOUND CHRIST THE KING UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

CTK UNITED

This planning started in 2019 reached its climax in the extraordinary assembly of the two churches on January 19, 2020, when the name of the new church was chosen. Seeking to minister in the suburbs and stay downtown, we want to be the church that supports the church planting movement throughout the Boston area. At the moment, while our worship space is being refurbished to meet the needs of the new church, we have gathered in the spacious lounge of the Embassy Hilton Hotel Logan Airport (270 Porter Street, Boston). The recommended parking is at Memorial Park, close to the Hotel, safe and free. Pay us a visit and participate in that restart.