Plenary
Between March 30th and April 2nd, 2023, representatives from over thirty Santo Daime churches in North America convened for a Plenary meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. This meeting was held under the auspices of the Eclectic Center of the Universal Flowing Light-Rita Gregorio Mota (“CEFLURGEM”), a church body consisting of affiliated North American churches. CEFLURGEM was founded in September 2007 and has experienced steady growth throughout the United States and Canada.
Due to the onset of Covid, this was the first time that CEFLURGEM representatives and leaders of affiliated Santo Daime churches in the lineage of Padrinho Sebastião and Madrinha Rita had met since 2019. The meeting was widely regarded as a resounding success. With the blessing of Padrinho Alfredo, Padrinho Paulo Roberto, and Madrinha Nonata, the church of Madrinha Rita convened for three days of meetings, which allowed church leadership from around the country to reconnect with one another, cementing their friendship and reuniting in the mission of Santo Daime and touched by the inspiration of being together.
The meetings covered a variety of topics, such as the growth of CEFLURGEM churches in spirit and numbers in recent years and the organization's plan to meet the increasing demand. The discussions also included international and United States legal news and events, the refinement of ethical and anti-divergent regulations, improved channels of communication, and updated reports on the completion of the impressive new church building in Mapia.
Brother Glauber Assis also represented the executive secretary of the ICEFLU, and Sister Cires Beija Mar represented Céu do Mapiá, strengthening the friendship and bringing the irmandade in Brazil and the USA closer together.
The meetings culminated in a traditional Concentration work, followed by a moving spiritual work, and ended on a positive note with the churches eagerly anticipating the next Plenary. The efforts of all who helped plan and carry out the historic gathering were widely appreciated and expressed with gratitude.
Text: Paul Sulla
