Meet The Planters Class of 2025
Neil Anderson Silva Ribeiro
My name is Neil Anderson Silva Ribeiro, I am married to Juliana Sousa Oliveira Ribeiro, and we have two children, Davi, 19 years old, and Tito, 11 years old. We are a Brazilian family, and we moved to the United States four years ago. I come from a Presbyterian background, and during my time in Brazil, I had the privilege of working on several church revitalization projects. When we arrived in the United States in 2020, I started a new church revitalization project, and today, together with my family, we are planting a church in Fort Myers in partnership with Esperança Bible Presbyterian Church. I was called by Pastor Samuel Vitalino to plant this church in Fort Myers. Our deepest desire is that God will use us there to spread the Gospel and that many people will be reached and saved for the glory of the Lord.
Filipe Manoel
My name is Filipe Manoel. I am Brazilian. I have been married for 8 years to Lidiane and we have 2 kids, Tiago (4 years old) and Deborah (2 years old), and another daughter (Rebeca) on the way due in October.
I worked for Cru for 8 years, 5 in Brazil and 3 at the International Headquarters in Ohio. I am studying at RTS Orlando and working on my Master of Divinity, planning to be done by May 2025. I have been a youth leader for a Brazilian church, Esperança Bible Presbyterian Church, since its beginning transitioning to a church plant in Jacksonville, where I currently lead a small group every Friday. I am "under care" of the Central Florida Bible Presbyterian Church Presbytery.
I enjoy playing sports, and hanging out with my family and friends, especially over a nice Brazilian barbecue, and I am excited to be part of OCPN this year.
Cesar Contreras
Cesar was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Soon after coming to saving faith in Jesus, Cesar felt called to church plant. Through a series of events, God brought Cesar to the "City Beautiful" and has been on a journey towards church planting ever since. Starting in 2016, Cesar has attended Mosaic Church and has served the local church in various ministries positions. Over the last 4 years, Cesar had the privilege of serving as the Young Adult’s Pastor at Mosaic Church. He enjoys creating a culture and space that invites people into encountering the loving presence of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. While working at Mosaic, Cesar earned a Master’s in Counseling and is currently working towards finishing his Master’s in Biblical Studies at Reformed Theological Seminary. \
Cesar and his wife Rachel have been married for a little over 3 years and are excited to be part of the change God is bringing to Orlando. They enjoy opening their home so that people could experience joy and a sense of belonging. They’re always down for a game night and if you’re willing to put up with Cesar, you can join them as they watch English Premier League Soccer on Saturday mornings. God has placed a burden on their hearts for the people of Orlando and after much prayer and discernment, God has made it abundantly clear that Orlando is where He’s sending them and that the time to plant is now.
Ryan Simpson
My name is Ryan Simpson. I am married to Kailey Simpson. We have a son named Ignatius (Iggy) who is 4 years old and we have said yes to planting churches in the Central Florida area. I grew up on the mission field and from a young age I was exposed to the church and the gospel. When Kailey and I got married in 2013 we began to pray that the Lord would give us a unified vision for our life that would delight His heart. Over the next 11 years the Lord has been answering that prayer. For most of our ministry we have been serving His church through the context of Worship. In 2019 we felt a prompting from the Lord to create an extra environment in our home where people could encounter His presence in worship, and in prayer with no boundaries around service time. This turned into a community and a conviction. In January of 2023 we planted Loyal Church. We are a community of simple, spirit filled home churches dedicated to delighting the heart of God, becoming like him, and planting more healthy communities in the Orlando area. Our goal through OCPN is to successfully multiply for the first of many times, God willing.
I enjoy writing songs, producing music, making art, and fashion. Also playing soccer, being a husband and dad, and laughing a lot. My wife is my biggest inspiration and my best friend. My favorite book of the Bible is John. I love the narratives of John 1 and John 15, they are poetically beautiful and profound.
Lastly, we believe that the Church is a people to be, and living like this will change the world. We have hope that the Church could be the thriving, inter-connected, and faithful bride that Scripture describes. Jesus left us with a gift: a body of believers so full of power, and hope in Him, that even the gates of hell can’t overcome them. We will follow where hope leads.
Jean St. Jean
My name is Jean, but I also go by the nickname Jeano. I am married to my beautiful wife Ladeen, and we've been happily married for the past 5 years. We have two handsome boys named Kaleb (3) and Kaden (1). I graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BA in Health Services Administration. For some time, I owned my own Companion Care/Staffing agency, which catered to the elderly and disabled population in the Central Florida region. Presently, I serve as a Board of Directors for a non-profit that raises funds for other nonprofits in Central Florida.
I am currently completing my Master of Theological Studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, located in Kansas.
Also, i’m currently in a residency at One Family Church learning and serving under Pastor Melo. I’ve been blessed to be a part of three different church plants.
In my leisure time, I enjoy sports such as basketball, boxing, and fishing.
Avel Rivera
At 17, I was saved by God`s grace at the church my father pastored. In 1989 I moved to Florida, where I met my wife Cyndia, originally from Milwaukee, WI. We were married in 1991 and are the parents of two adult children, Jasmine, and Daniel. We have been members of The Grove Church in Clermont since 2017. For the last three years, I have served as one of the pastors at The Grove Church, dedicating myself to preaching when needed, teaching, discipleship, and leadership. In July 2023, my wife and I temporarily moved to Miami, Florida, to participate in the pastoral residency program offered by NAMB (North American Mission Board) through Send Network en Español, certified by Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Now that the residency in Miami has been completed we have returned home and are ready to plug back into our Clermont community. For the next 8 months, I will attend the Finishing Residency program with OCPN and in the summer of 2025, we will plant a Hispanic (bilingual) church in Clermont, FL.