The Bible Union and the evangelical churches of the Brethren Assemblies in Portugal and the Spanish region of Galicia held their annual Encontro Luso-Galego (Galician-Portuguese Gathering).

The cultural and linguistic similarity between the Galician and Portuguese languages makes it possible for the gathering to take place in a very natural way, as a space of evangelical communion with strong roots.

This year it was Galicia's turn to host the meeting, which took place in the city of Vilagarcía de Arousa of this northwestern Spanish region.

The municipal auditorium was well attended in the afternoon, for the main activity of the meeting, which included music from bands, choirs, as well as video projections and a Bible exposition.

Strengthening bonds

"It's the first time I've come to the meeting here in Galicia. It is very good to be able to get together, to know what God is doing in each of our places and to leave more encouraged, not only because of the bonds of love that are strengthened, but also because together we can learn more about God and develop our roots", said Pedro Silva, director of the Bible Union of Portugal.

The gathering is a good excuse to remind participants of the importance of the Bible in church and society.

"Although the event does not have a direct evangelistic purpose, the fact of showing our fellowship, and that the Word of God is at the centre of it, is something that conveys a powerful message", pointed out Daniel Valuja, of the Spanish Bible Union and one of the organisers of the gathering.

Training, worship, testimonies and fellowship

In the morning, the organisers convened leaders and pastors for a training program and a fraternal lunch.

Afterwards, in the open program of the evening, music played a prominent role.

Three choirs from the evangelical churches of Marín, Ares and Castiñeiras took part from Galicia. From Portugal, the gospel choir Life Sound brought the auditorium to its feet to celebrate the name of Jesus together.

Furthermore, the group One Soul delighted the audience with their string arrangements, performing several of their own songs.

The worship group from the Evangelical Church of Vilagarcía closed the meeting, playing different musical styles - including rap - to worship God.

Portuguese pastor Paulo Oliveira was in charge of the Bible preaching. He spoke about Psalm 119 and the importance of approaching the Bible in its context. Oliveira encouraged everyone to develop daily reading habits, in order to get to know God better and for the Word to transform lives.

In between each of the performances, short video clips with a message were presented. Those videos can be found on the website Cristosalva.es (in Spanish) and Cristosalva.pt (in Portuguese), an online initiative of the churches of Portugal and Galicia to spread the message of the Gospel through the Internet. The digital platform is also active on social media.

At the end, all the participants shared a snack and continued sharing, whether in Spanish, Portuguese or Galician. A "little bit of heaven", said one of the Galician attendees, underlining the joy of being able to greet their brothers from the other side of the national border.

Next year, the Portuguese-Galician gathering will take place on the third Saturday of October. Many have already booked the date a year in advance.