Novo Tempo, the Portuguese Christian TV channel and radio station for Brazil, will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024. To celebrate, it held a meeting of singers in July 2024. Around 75 participants gathered at the Novo Tempo Network headquarters from the 8th to the 11th. Singers from different parts of Brazil and even from abroad were present. 

Throughout the week, the singers enjoyed lectures and training sessions. During the breaks, rehearsals were held for the songs that were recorded on the last night of the meeting.

Cíntia Alves, who was an Axé singer for 10 years. Afterward, she met Jesus, dedicated her gifts and talents to praising God, and has been with Novo Tempo for 11 years. “The meeting was a blessing! I believe the highlight was the services that strengthened us spiritually, uniting us in one purpose: to speak and sing about the saving love of a Christ who died, rose again, and will soon return to seek us,” she says.

Isaias Bueno, Marketing and Record Label manager, says, “It is a privilege to know that Novo Tempo has been producing music that touches the heart for 30 years. In celebration of this anniversary, which involves many projects that have already been released and others that are yet to come, we dedicated ourselves to bringing the group together to awaken a spiritual commitment. And we realized that a musical would not be enough to tell this story. That is why we came up with the idea of ​​also making a documentary with songs."

Documentary

According to Bueno, the product will recall stories of singers who built their ministries alongside Novo Tempo's musical arm, who will tell about Novo Tempo's history, their story, and their music.

Pedro Caron, coordinator of the Novo Tempo, explains that the intention is for the documentary to not only record this week but also tell a bit of the history of the recording studio, with the participation of former directors and music producers. “In the documentary, a good part [of those who attended the meeting] participated, some singing and telling their stories, others backstage, arriving at the airport or packing their bags to come. We tried to include as many people as possible. The recording of the 30th-anniversary musical, in which we adopted songs from projects such as Duetos, Adoradores, Acústico with several medleys and duets, sought to bring people together and make everyone participate,” he says.

In one of the services, Bueno emphasized the importance of the relationship with God, which all music ministers need to have. He invited everyone to reaffirm their commitment to base their musical ministry on the Bible.

“The biggest challenge was to make all of the 75+ singers feel valued and to ensure that they all participated in the entire program. We started with the recording of Novo Tempo’s end-of-year music video, and most of them were able to participate, some with solo appearances. Later, this part will be added to the recording made with the network’s team of collaborators, as is the case every year,” says Caron.

Cozy Music

The musical program’s setting was designed with a homey feel in mind, with plenty of sofas so that everyone would feel comfortable singing together. Ana Beatriz has been a singer for the Novo Tempo label for 20 years and emphasizes that her heart is filled with gratitude for participating in this 30th-anniversary celebration. “The professionalism and affection of each person has only grown over the years. I was delighted with the current team, bringing together the old and the new. Everything was incredible: from the moment I arrived until the last minute of recording, I felt loved, welcomed, and very blessed by God for this opportunity and by the entire team, who were His instruments,” she shares.

The product features 25 songs. These songs recall moments of praise and bring a sense of nostalgia since they were hymns often sung in churches and programs throughout Brazil. The documentary will have 11 songs in addition to the historical part.

Williams Costa Júnior, former conductor, participated in the recordings from the Adventist Church’s world headquarters, where he serves as director of the Communications department. “I praise God for this extraordinary development of the musical ministry in Brazil and for the contribution of Novo Tempo to disseminating music that inspires and motivates people on their journey to their Heavenly Home,” he emphasizes.

Keli Torquato, the department's secretary, was responsible for transporting all the guests. “It was hard work to organize all the logistics for the singers, who are from different places, but it was worth it to see how this integration between them makes a difference and reaffirms the Christian atmosphere of joining forces to preach the Word of God through music,” she says.

The original article was published on the South American Division Portuguese website.