News, June 2010

News from the Churches

Jimmy Carter to open new church building. Ferede's secretary general speaks on new Religious Freedom law. Services start at Madrid airport. Pentecost silenced in Alcalá. Spring sees Open Air evangelism seminars - September brings Madrid a European preachers' conference. Balearics Churches' Council presented to authorities. New Bible presented. This and more... Read on!

Coming soon!

On 3rd July ex president Jimmy Carter will be the guest of honour at the opening of the new building of the Terrassa United Church, linked to the Spanish Baptist Union. On the same visit Carter will be given the Premi Internacional de Catalunya, awarded by the Catalan government for being 'a man of heart and courage'. The new building is considered the largest evangelical church building in Catalonia.
A new home-grown Spanish Bible translation, La Palabra (The Word), will be with us very soon! The new translation, made by the Spanish Bible Society, claims to use almost twice as many words as most current versions, increasing both accuracy and beauty. La Palabra was presented officially on 17th February at SEUT Bible School, El Escorial, Madrid, although it will not be available in shops until June. Several other pre-showings have already taken place.
Meanwhile, the Gideons have taken delivery of 5.000 copies of the Bible in Catalan. It is hoped this will be particularly welcome in Catalonia, but also in the Balearic Islands and Valencia, where Catalan dialects are also spoken.
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 from late spring 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.
The 'Evangelical Olympics' season has begun, with the XII Madrid Evangelical Olympiad taking place on May 15th. Pocket Testament League is the motor behind this event, which brings children from many of the region's churches for a great day of sport and meeting new friends. Madrid will be followed by other cities, such as La Coruña (Galicia) and Málaga (Andalusia), ending in Barcelona in September.
On 23rd September On the Red Box brings 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. The conference lasts until 26th.
Balearic vice president Moragues with pastor Sintes

Recent news and events

On 9th June Mariano Blazquez, general secretary of the Evangelical federation FEREDE was among the guests on a TVE chat show on the topic the new Religious Liberty bill. The show went out on TVE 1. More (in Spanish): from TVE.

1000 attended the presentation

CEDIB, the Evangelical Council of the churches in the Balearics, was officially presented to society on 6th June. The presentation began with a video presenting the history of protestantism, how it came to the islands in the late 19th century and what evangelicals are doing here today. Key dignitary was the regional vice-president, Albert Moragues, who was presented with a Bible by Menorcan pastor Josue Sintes after his speech - to which he added that, having attended a Catholic seminary before getting married, he was already familiar with the Book and had been given copies by several religious groups. About a thousand local church members attended the event, which closed with two songs given by a united churches' choir, formed for the occasion.

From June there is an evangelical chaplaincy service at Madrid airport's Terminal 4. The inter-confessional oratory in the terminal, which serves One World airlines, has a notice giving the times of pastoral attention and services. Otherwise you can call (+34)-91.381.89.88 for more information.

Reaching North Africans through art in Southern Spain OM reports on the opening of an art studio in Southern Spain. Artists were able to touch deeper areas of the heart and spirit of North Africans through their art. Now based in Southern Spain, these artists saw the potential to reach out to the North African immigrant community with a message of hope in Christ, and thus promote healing between the different cultures. The art studio is open for artists and non-artists alike, a place where true community based on Christian values is built and lived out.
The art centre opened at the end of May. Ideally located in the centre of town, the property has been converted into a fresh, hip and colourful place, full of light and movement. Artists offer affordable creative workshops and cultural events to the community. They can also exhibit their creations, inspired by the Creator.

On Sunday 23rd May the churches of Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, planned an open air celebration of Pentecost. Permission had been requested from the City Hall to use an amphitheatre and while no permission had actually been granted, the authorities did offer a power socket for the sound system. Then, as the system was tested, local police officers arrived asking for the paperwork and ordered the churches to remove the sound equipment. Eventually, the celebration went ahead, although rather drowned out at one point by a Catholic procession nearby. It is clear that the City Hall, particularly the mayor, failed in its duty to authorise or refuse the event - if only due to a possible conflict of use with the Catholic procession. The churches plan a silent demonstration on 19th June.

Recently Luis Amaya became the first member of the gypsy Filadelfia Church to become a Doctor of Theology. He has been involved in ministry since the age of 14 and spent one year early on studying at the Brethren CEEB Bible school in Barcelona. He recalls the 'old days' when none of the pastors in Filadelfia could even read. Now he leads the Filadelfia training school, which is a four year distance course, based around 50 centres. How times have changed for this church which rose amongst one of Spain's most under-privileged groups!

On Thursday, 13th May a Spanish businessman in his 60s was expelled from Morocco, the sole reason appearing to be his evangelical faith. He had lived most of his life in the country, which was still a Spanish dependency at the time of his birth. (Morocco became independent in 1956.) He ran a business installing photovoltaic solar panels. This is the first Spaniard to be affected by this year's wave of persecution. Last year a literacy worker was expelled.

The number of evangelical church buildings in Catalonia has reached 600, according to a survey by the regional government. In 2004 the Generalitat recorded 341 places of worship. A study by the Pocket Testament League in 1997 gave the number as 316, so there has been a doubling in the number of places of worship in the past 15 years, mostly in the past 5.

Chris Mathieson gave a workshop in Open Air evangelism in Terrassa, Barcelona on May 8th. 12 attended the event, which finished with an Open Air on Terrassa's Rambla, a street with wide pavement and cafés, dedicated to strollers. On 14th March, Ken Barrett gave a seminar in Valencia. Ken was also instrumental in organising various open air events in Alcalá de Henares, Madrid over the past couple of months.

Earlier news in bullets:

Spain, we're praying for you' is an annual prayer rally held in Madrid since 2008 and again took place on 6th March
Spanish evangelicals were among many calling recently for amendments to the Sexual Orientation document before the Council of Europe.
Pastor Miguel Rueda, of Málaga, suffered a heart attack while preaching in his church on 14th March. He was a member of the council of the Spanish Evangelists' Conference.

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: (25th June)

Evangelical businessman is first Spaniard to receive expulsion order in Morocco
Evangelicalism is fastest growing religion in Catalonia

(18th)
Efforts to reach poorest children in Peru push resources to the limit
City of David project presented in Madrid

(11th)
Justice Minister new law to regulate the veil
Historians call for non-sectarian teaching of religion
Evangelical Alliance continues campaign against Council of Europe discrimination report
Belonging without belief: 70 % of Spaniards feel linked to some creed

(4th June)
Masses banned from military ceremonies
Basque Protestants say sorry for their lack of support to ETA victims

(28th May)
Government plans to negotiate tax allocation with ´recognised religions´
Forced Deportations in Morocco Worry Native Christians
The City of Madrid Council gives two Evangelical Churches free land
Cape Town 2010 Director visits Madrid
Evangelicals want reciprocity from Morocco on religious freedom
Castile authorities take daughter from parents over Pentecostal exorcism
´Freedom of speech is vital´, says Evangelical leader