News, October 2010

News from the Churches

Betel association and Madrid City Mission celebrate 25th anniversaries. Micah Challenge comes to Spain. Memorial March in Valladolid recalls 1559 Auto de Fe. Hospital Chaplains official in Madrid. European preachers' conference in Madrid drew 100. OM ship Logos Hope visited the Canaries. New Bible now available. Holy Land Theme Park coming to Mallorca! This and more... Read on!

Now on or coming soon!

Betel, the rehabilitation association which grew out of WEC is to celebrate its 25th anniversary on 12th November. In a weekend of activities, the association will celebrate the multitude of lives turned around from drugs to Christ by God's power. Founded by WEC missionary Elliot Tepper, Betel has grown to be a multi-national rehabilitation ministry. 30 years ago Spain was in the grip of a devastating epidemic of drug-taking, with many young people losing their lives through heroin, AIDS and associated illnesses. The combined ministry of Betel, Remar and Reto, the three major evangelical organisations dedicated to rescuing these people is a testimony of God's love for the unlovable. 120,000 have been through Betel's centres.
Cape Town 2010, the 3rd round of the Lausanne movement, is being relayed to 14 Globalink locations across Spain between 16th and 25th October. Some 25 Spanish representatives are there. More from Protestante Digital.
Protestante Digital is to get a major overhaul and update. The news service of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance had almost 2 million visits in 2009 and during late 2010 will become a daily updated medium. We wish them well. Get a preview here! (To read the latest from PD scroll down.)
Meanwhile, our P4S renewal continues gradually as decisions are taken about the new look on the one hand and the underlying 'engine' continues to develop on the other. From May 1st the same engine (but not content!) is being used at St. Pixels, the online church.
A new Theme park is coming to Mallorca: THE HOLY LAND! News reports, such as this one in the Guardian, inform us that it will soon be here. The local church in Capdepera has not yet been informed by the developers, but also heard through the press! What we know is that the developers have handed in a four page proposal to the local council, which will undoubtedly be followed up by more detail if council members show interest.

Recent news and events

On 22nd October the Madrid City Mission celebrated its 25th anniversary. Madrid was the first city in Spain to have a City Mission, closely modelled (although much smaller) on those in Britain, particularly Birmingham, where one of the first team of workers did her training. The early years of the Mission included traditional activities, such as food and clothing handout service, plus open air evangelism in the city's Puerta del Sol. Very soon it also opened a Pro-Life office, which rapidly came to help pregnant immigrant women who had not contemplated abortion, but were greatly in need of practical help... including help in the early months and years after birth. The ministry continues to be widely supported by churches and individuals from Madrid and further afield. There are now related missions in Seville, Malaga, Valencia and Zaragoza.

Micah Challenge has been promoted by the Spanish Evangelical Alliance. On 10/10/10 many church members were challenged to make small commitments to supporting this world-wide anti-poverty campaign. For most churches it was on 10/10/10... at 11.00! A letter has also been sent to all parliamentary 'deputies'.

On 2nd October, the churches of Valladolid made a memorial march along the route taken by Protestant martyrs to their death during the renowned Auto de Fe in the presence of Philip II on 8th October 1559. A manifesto was read half way along the route. This time the march ended in a celebration and lots of fun!

On 1st October the Madrid churches' regional council signed a deal with the local health authority to provide protestant chaplains to the region's hospitals. This is the first such official agreement, although there are recognised hospital chaplains or at least pastors who regularly visit hospitals in all regions of Spain. The signing was part of the inauguration of the first regional -and national- conference for hospital chaplains.

On 23rd September On the Red Box brought us their first European Open Air Preachers' Conference. The Madrid based ministry, which under the local name Kilometre Zero reaches out daily at the city centre Puerta del Sol, is spreading its wings to bring back open air preaching to the centres of Europe's major cities. One hundred people from all over Europe gathered at the conference, which included a large element of on-street action! The conference lasted until 26th.

The OM ship Logos Hope has visited the Canary islands during September. between the 2nd and 21st the ship visited Las Palmas and Santa Cruz, the islands' provincial capitals. The world's largest floating book exhibition came to bring hope to the 'fortunate islands' before heading on towards Malta. Ken Barrett was among those welcoming the ship to Spain. More from OM Ships.

Summer outreach and camps are now at an end! Many churches, denominations and support ministries held outreaches and camps across the country during the months of July and August.
In particular, Decision held a summer campaign in Fuengirola (Costa del Sol and close to the Obamas in Marbella) during the first half of August. 90 volunteers took part, hundreds attended the activities, which included a basketball tournament, 3 concerts, 2 film showings and 2 days of a children's festival. A number of the events took place in the bull ring, while others were held in a park and other open air locations. More from Decision.
Pocket Testament League (LTB) has reported a great outreach in Guadalajara, with some 200 children attending the 'Treasure Island' programmes each afternoon. They also had wonderful opportunities to reach and encourage children at the 'Evangelical Olympics' in Madrid and Galicia. A further 'Olympics' takes place on 2nd October in Barcelona - the 25th anniversary!
The Gideons report that they have almost completed Bible distribution at hostels along the increasingly popular 'Pilgrims' Road to Santiago', on which 1/4 million walkers and bikers were expected to trek this year - up from 5,000 in 1990. The also held a distribution in Lanzarote, the Canary Islands and have one planned for October in Barcelona. More from The Gideons.
OM held a week's outreach in the Madrid area late July, before moving to Galicia for the start of August. In September a further team is in La Vera, Extremadura, while their main focus in on the Logos Hope visit to the Canaries.
The Brethren were on campaign in Moaña, Galicia. A correspondent wrote mid-campaigns that it was going well, with great fellowship and Bible teaching... They also reported that last year's outreach in Murcia led to 7 people converted, most of these now baptised. As you continue praying for this outreach and the results, give thanks for the follow-up from last year and pray ahead to next year in Guadalajara.

A national survey, taken by CIS, shows that since 2000 the number of Spaniards considering themselves Roman Catholics has fallen from 84% to 72%, or some 5 million. Over 56% never attend mass, at least if there isn't a feast (i.e. wedding). Sunday attendance is down to 13% from 21% a decade ago. Meanwhile, affiliation to other religious groups has doubled to 2%, while 25% are 'non-believers' or atheists. From this survey we can deduce that while affiliation to the traditional 'Church' is falling, the evangelicals would be worse than treading water if it were not for the recent influx of immigrants from Latin America, West Africa and Eastern Europe.

From September there is an evangelical chaplaincy service at Madrid airport's Terminal 1. This follows the installation of the first such oratory in T4 during June. The inter-confessional oratory in T4, which serves One World airlines, has a notice giving the times of pastoral attention and services. Generally, attention is from 10 to 12 and 6 to 8, except Tuesdays. A quiet place for meditation, you can also speak with a counsellor or pick up a New Testament or other piece of biblical or evangelical literature, courtesy of the Gideons and other organisations. Staff are being sought to cover the second oratory. For more information you can call (+34)-91.381.89.88.

Earlier news in bullets:

On 20th July the Generalitat of Catalonia published the new rules for establishing 'places of worship'. Existing buildings will have 5 years to comply. The outline law was passed in July 2009.
A new home-grown Spanish Bible translation, La Palabra (The Word), is now on sale! It is available in shops since 15th September.
On 3rd July ex president Jimmy Carter was the guest of honour at the opening of the new building of the Terrassa United Church, the largest evangelical church building in Catalonia. The regional vice-president, Carod-Rovira and the mayor of Terrassa also attended the opening.
The national government has postponed the introduction of a new religious liberty bill. Meanwhile, it has been forced by the financial crisis to merge the office which dealt with religious matters with the Directorate of International Legal Cooperation.

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.

Latest on Protestante Digital: (29th October)

Hawking leaves a void only God can fill
Evangelical chaplains could soon be a reality in Madrid hospitals.

(22nd)
Kaka sings their wedding song on record with his wife
Town in Majorca plans first Holy Land theme park
The Love dare arrives in Spain

(15th)
Newman’s work defends Protestantism, says theologian
Evangelical Alliance condemns Koran burning but asks for “reciprocity” from Islam
Catalan government agrees to help bring places of worship up to standard
Leading sports papers report Kaka’s Evangelical award
World’s largest floating bookshop arrives in Canary Islands
Catholicism lacks standard-bearers in England
Lausanne III is ‘virtually’ in Spain
Defence Minister says faith groups can use military bases

(8th)
Defence Minister says faith groups can use military bases

(1st October)
Anti-semitism - cause for concern in Spain
Airport opens its second Evangelical chapel