On May 1st and 2nd, 2025, the Central Lisbon Church hosted the Extraordinary General Assembly of Communities, which had a registration total of 252 delegates from 98 local churches across the country. The holiday on Thursday, May 1st—Workers' Day—was marked by the arrival of the delegates, who completed the legal formalities early on: registration, signing of legal documents, and collection of badges and voting devices. The atmosphere in the main room of the Lisbon Central Church was one of silence and a great sense responsibility for the work that would be carried out there.
Spiritual moments took place before each session and were led by Pastor Barna Magyarosi, Executive Secretary of the Inter-European Division (EUD), who also participated as a delegate. The spiritual messages brought reflection, inspiration, and communion to an event that, although full of legal formalities, was guided by a spirit of prayer and service.
Relevant Proposals for the Organizational Future of the Church in Portugal
During the two days, 40 proposals were presented to the assembly. Of these, 7 were rejected and 33 approved, reflecting a strong convergence among the delegates, since, for each proposal to be approved, a qualified majority of three-quarters of the voting delegates was required. The Inter-European Division, represented by Pastor Barna, also presented five specific proposals that aimed to align the statutes of the Portuguese Union of Seventh-day Adventists (UPASD) with the practices of other church unions around the world, all of which were approved by the assembly.
One of the most debated moments occurred around the proposed amendments to article 12, number 7, of the UPASD Bylaws, which stipulates qualified majorities for the reelections of administrators and directors of UPASD departments, two thirds for the first reelection and four fifths for subsequent ones. Three delegates brought separate proposals to revise these majorities, while the Statutes and Regulations Committee itself presented a separate proposal. After intense debate, none of the proposals were approved, keeping the current rule in force.
The proposals presented also resulted in the possibility of expanding the UPASD Board of Directors from 21 to 23 members, allowing that, according to the needs identified in the Portuguese field, two new advisors can join the main decision-making body of UPASD.
Change in UPASD Statutes Guarantees Presence as Delegates to the AGC for All Accredited Ministers of Worship
Another important change in the UPASD Statutes was the approval of the proposal that aims to ensure that all accredited Ministers of Worship will automatically be delegated to the General Assemblies of Communities, thus ensuring that those who are workers are also integrated into the administrative decisions of the Church.
In Portugal, according to the Law of Religious Freedom, all workers receive the legal title of Ministers of Worship, which covers several categories: ordained or accredited pastors, when already subject to the laying-on of hands; authorized pastors, those who have completed the internship but have not yet been ordained; authorized commissioned ministers of worship, typically directors of institutions, institutional or departmental staff, with more than five years of service, or authorized if they have less than five years of service. Also, Ministers of Worship are accredited biblical promoters, that is, workers with pastoral functions but without a degree in theology, or authorized biblical promoters, when they have less than five years of service. Finally, the credentials of Ministers of Worship are held by administrative staff who may be authorized or accredited, depending on their length of service, and who normally perform administrative functions in the UPASD offices.
With this measure, in decision making, the Church reinforces the presence of all those who fully dedicate their professional work time to serving the ministry.
First Extraordinary Assembly Dedicated Exclusively to Statutory Issues
Since 1940, Portugal has hosted 20 General Assemblies of Communities, the last one being in 2022. However, this was the first Extraordinary Assembly, in the history of UPASD, dedicated exclusively to the analysis and review of the UPASD statutes and the Internal Regulations for the Operation of the General Assembly of Communities. It was also the first Assembly that brought together the largest number of delegates of all time. This is because, with the growth of local churches, the representation of delegates also increases, considering that, for every 50 members registered in the local church, one delegate can attend. The church with the most representative delegates was the Church of Central Lisbon.
The next General Assembly of Communities is already scheduled for 2027, when the officers who will lead UPASD for the five-year period from 2027 to 2032 will be elected.
2025, An Important Year for the IASD at European and Worldwide Level
This year, 2025, will be of great importance for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, both at the European and worldwide levels. Between July 3 and 12, the 62nd Session of the General Conference will take place in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States, when the new president of the General Conference will be elected, as well as the new president of the Inter-European Division, a position currently held by the Portuguese pastor, Mário Brito.
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