Pastor: Carlos Silvéria and his wife Ria Silvéria

We are originally from South Africa. I met Ria in South Africa in 1980 after returning from a vacation in Portugal and some time later we started dating.

Relationship with Jesus Christ: Although a believer from a young age, when I met Ria I did not attend any church. Ria was a believer and frequent church attendee. One of Ria´s requirements for our relationship to have a future was that we started attending church. That we did, and in 1981 we got married. God blessed us with 2 daughters, Tanya and Michelle. We were both baptized in 1985.

Move to Portugal: In December of 1993, we moved to Portugal and for the next 6 years did not attend any church. We now see that God is always at work, and at that time we needed to just wait and see His plan unfold. During this period, God was ALL we had. Our first years were very difficult in Porto. Ria and I made many sacrifices for the sake our family but our hearts longed for South Africa! Our trials and difficulties strengthened us. I realize now that in South Africa, I had become a very comfortable and lukewarm Christian because life was just so much easier there.

Becoming a Pastor: In 1999, we became part of a home group in Porto led by a Scottish pastor and his wife. This later became an official church. We remained with them for a few years until the pastor team returned to the United Kingdom for good and the church closed down a year later.

In 2006, Ria visited Riverside International Church - Porto with a friend, which at that stage was just a home group church, and thoroughly enjoyed the meeting because it was what Ria had always wanted, an English-speaking church. She invited me to check out the church, but to be frank, I did not like it one bit! It was too casual for my liking! I knew though that I wanted us to go to church as a family, so we joined Riverside Porto.

God slowly changed my attitude and I began to see the beauty of this international church and we started serving as we had never done before. Under the leadership of the pastor team, in September 2013, the church moved to new premises just off the Boavista roundabout and became official. 

In early 2014, Ria and I were ordained as the new leaders of the church. In December 2021, Riverside International Church – Porto started holding services at our present premises in Bonfim to accommodate a growing demand for English-speaking community in Porto.

We are humbled and privileged to be a part of this loving community of believers in Porto and can truthfully say as Samuel said: “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

Favorite scriptures: 

Carlos: "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Ria "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5: 6-7. Also Psalm 23.