|
News, April 2009News from the ChurchesEuropean Hope Award presented to Barcelona Evangelical Hospital. Michael W. Smith coming to Spain. Carlos Martínez performed at Mission-net - attended by 100 Spaniards. 1400 more attended the national Mission Possible. Royals attend protestant event for first time ever. This and more... Read on! Michael W. Smith will perform in Spain in June in support of the NGO Compassion. Hope for Europe has awarded the Evangelical Hospital in Barcelona its annual Hope prize. HfE is a project of the European Evangelical Alliance and the Lausanne Movement. The European EA was holding their 2009 assembly in Spain, south of Barcelona, between the 21st and 24th, with the title "Are Evangelicals 'Good News' people?" The Hope Award was officially handed over in a ceremony on St George's Day, 23rd April, which is the 'Saint's Day' for Catalonia, when local people buy and give each other books and roses. Carlos Martínez, one of Europe's top mime artists, performed at Easter's European missions congress Mission-Net. Carlos performed several times on the main stage and also gave a workshop for those eager to mimic him. While Mission-net was on in Germany, 1,400 more young Spaniards (and some foreigners among them) also gathered to learn more about missions, at Mission Possible. Under the motto Emerge!, this 5th Mission Possible conference again raised awareness of the need for mission, both at home and abroad. On this occasion music was a major element, as a group of young Spaniards had been working together for 18 months to produce new worship songs. Established youth bands were also on stage. Meahwhile, in Vigo, Galicia, 300 young people gathered on April 25th for Contracorriente another commitment event. In this case it was one of 3 day events. The others are 16th May in Valencia and 20th June in Madrid. Just before Easter the First International Congress on the Protestant Reformation was held in Seville and would have been opened by Princes Felipe and Letizia. In the end they were unable to make the ceremony, but welcomed the organisers the next week at the Zarzuela palace in Madrid. This was not only the first congress held in Spain on the matter, but the first ever protestant event in Spain planned to be attended by members of the Spanish Royal family - descendants of the rulers who instigated the persecution of protestants by the Spanish Inquisition in the 16th century. We look forward -still- to the day when a Royal finally makes it to such an event! At least ground has been broken. At the congress the speakers were professors from numerous Spanish and European universities. A recent conference on George Borrow's travels in Asturias was given by Ken Barrett. The conference was part of the 130th anniversary celebrations of the oldest evangelical church in the region, but recalling that due to Borrow's visit the evangelical presence is now over 170 years. The Aguaviva National Gospel Choir sang at the 3rd centenary celebration of the Albacete Fair on 21st March. The choir, which links a number of regional choirs and was formed last year to sing at the Zaragoza World Expo on water, now had a new opportunity to present the gospel through song at a major festival. For earlier news from the churches, click here! Finally, more news from the churches is always available at the Protestante Digital site.You can also listen to some reports and comment. This week on Protestante Digital: (24th April)´Idolatry is sin´ statement attacks Catholic processions (Earlier in April) |