History
In 1907, several groups of italian evangelicals were brought together in Chicago.[1] Initially, they began to gather in their homes, devoid of any denomination and without any propaganda or a particular form of communication.[2] Followed, encouraging pioneers like Louis Francescon, Rosina Balzano, Pietro Ottolini, Giacomo Lombardi, Lucia de Francesco Menna,[4] Luigi Terragnoli, Umberto Garrazzi, Agostino Lencioni, Pietro Menconi, Giovanni Perrou and many others, to evangelize in the United States.[1][2] Also abroad as in Canada, Italy, Argentina and Brazil. Consequently, many churches were founded in those places.[1][2]
In September 1908 Giacomo Lombardi went on a mission to Italy, where he started the movement over there.[2] In 1909 Lombardi, Lucia Menna and Louis Francescon departed for Buenos Aires, evangelizing Michelangelo Menna and family in the countryside of that province. March 8, 1910, Louis Francescon and Giacomo Lombardi left Buenos Aires and went to São Paulo, Brazil. On April 18 Francescon left for Santo Antônio da Platina city and Lombardi returned to Buenos Aires.[2]
In order to keep fellowship and maintain an orderly progress, in April 1927, a convention of various congregations was held in Niagara Falls and the 12 Articles of Faith were adopted.[1]
Currently, the Christian Congregation is a multiethnic body, with the preaching of biblical christianity, sharing communion with churches of like doctrine around the globe and having sister churches in all continents.[1] In 2003, the International Convention of Christian Congregations was celebrated, establishing common principles of ecclesiastical management, however, with no national organization prevailing over the other.[5]
