The Expo-Centro in Pombal was once again the stage for the annual meeting of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Portugal. On Saturday, May 17, 2025, almost 4,000 people, the largest assembly ever held in the country, gathered in a spiritual and intercultural environment. On this Sabbath, attendees celebrated the 120th anniversary of the Adventist Church in Portugal.
A Celebration With Memory
The highlight of the morning program was a tribute to local churches. Onstage, 72 representatives from the 114 Adventist churches in Portugal received a gift that reflected the start of the Adventist Church in Portugal 120 years ago. Each local church chose a person who would represent them.
Next to the stage, a 10-meter chronological timeline with images and dates highlighted major milestones of the church in Portugal, including the date that each local church was established, its location, and a photograph of every church building.
“Each representative was invited to take a photograph next to the name of their church, reinforcing the feeling of identity and belonging to the global mission through local action,” event organizers said.
Eating to Unite Cultures
In a relaxed atmosphere, behind the stage, a multicultural lunch brought together about 600 people. In addition to the Portuguese Union food stand, 14 churches also registered and participated, encouraging their members to prepare and bring typical dishes from their countries of origin.
Behind this initiative was ADRA Portugal. This allowed attendees to enjoy a banquet of international flavors.
“This moment proved to be one of the most symbolic of the day, reflecting the diversity, the spirit of cooperation, and a sense of unity that was the dominant mark of this spiritual assembly,” organizers said.
Emiliana Malaquias, from Caldas da Rainha, shared, “It was a wonderful experience. We made new friends, and for me this meeting was a small glimpse of what it will be like to be all together at the Lord’s table when Jesus comes for His people. I felt so happy, as if we were anticipating eternity.”
Testimonies That Drive Members to Do Mission
The keynote speaker for the day was Erton Köhler, secretary of the General Conference. Köhler challenged the Adventist Church to remain united in mission.
During the afternoon the program continued with testimonies from Bragança, Pedrógão Grande, Funchal, and Cascais highlighted the growth of the church in different regions, even among people of various cultures.
Throughout the day, music created a special atmosphere. Performances included a 20-member orchestra, an African church choir from Lisbon, Hungarian soloist Erzsébet Hillenkoetter, and a few other choirs. There was a special moment during the program when close to 150 children took the stage to sing “My Little Light.”
United in Mission
One of the most emotional moments of the day was a tribute to António Tostes. The special tribute highlighted the key role that the current director of the Novo Tempo Network in the South American Division played in the implementation of TV Novo Tempo in Portugal. From the very beginning, Tostes believed in the expansion of Novo Tempo to Portugal, recognizing the potential of the common language.
Pedro Esteves, who led the tribute to Tostes, made an appeal to all attendees, encouraging them to take with them the new magazine of TV Novo Tempo, The Great Controversy. The special edition magazine includes a series of Bible studies associated with the homonymous program of TV Novo Tempo.
“The appeal had an immediate impact, because hundreds of copies were sold in a few minutes,” event organizers said.
The original article was published on the Portuguese Union of Churches Conference news site. Join the ANN WhatsApp Channel for the latest Adventist news.
