The Entrepeñas Adventist Center (CAM) hosted the annual pastoral convention for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Spain from April 30 to May 3. Organized by Félix Gutiérrez and his team, the event served as a designated space for administrative collaboration, community building, and spiritual renewal for the pastoral workforce.
Under the official theme "Families Integrated in the Mission," the convention brought together nearly 300 attendees, including pastors of the Spanish Union, department directors, spouses, and children. The overarching focus of the event emphasized that Christian mission extends beyond ecclesiastical responsibilities and traditional pulpit ministry, identifying the household and mutual familial support as essential components of institutional service.
Keynote Presentations
The event featured international guest speakers who provided strategic and practical insights:
Willie and Elaine Oliver, Directors of the Family Ministries Department at the General Conference, addressed the unique dynamics of pastoral households. Drawing from extensive global experience, they discussed the specific challenges and structural opportunities faced by ministerial families, presenting ministry as a collaborative family vocation.
Pastor Abdiel del Toro, Vice President for Hispanic Ministries at the Florida Conference, focused on modern evangelism methodologies. His presentations analyzed the current landscape of global Adventist mission, emphasizing the necessity of adapting community outreach strategies to modern societal shifts while maintaining theological core beliefs.
Institutional Operations and Working Groups
Throughout the four-day event, delegates participated in targeted working groups and strategic discussions to assess the current state and future prospects of evangelistic operations in Spain. In parallel with these administrative sessions, dedicated facilities were established for institutional prayer and reflection.
The event also facilitated institutional development and networking across generations. Children's programming was managed by the MIAF+ Department, ensuring age-appropriate activities throughout the convention. Additionally, Safeliz Publishing House, represented by its new director, Tercio Marques, maintained a resource exhibition to provide ministerial literature and continuing education materials to the attendees.
Institutional Recognition and Legacy
The convention served as an official platform for key personnel transitions within the Spanish Union:
Ministerial Intake: The pastoral body formally welcomed and commissioned the newly entered ministers joining the public service of the Church.
Retirements: Formal recognition and gratitude were extended to Felipe Pancorbo and his wife, Ana Mari, on the occasion of their retirement following years of denominational service.
Leadership Panel: A historical review featured interviews with veteran Union administrators Alberto Guaita, Pedro Villá, and Celestino Muñoz—the former two accompanied by their spouses, Maite and Majbritt. The panel outlined the history, institutional growth, and administrative milestones of the Spanish Union over the past decades.
Strategic Outlook
The final sessions of the convention were dedicated to the presentation of upcoming institutional projects, organizational alignment, and the reaffirmation of shared ministerial goals. Musical worship throughout the event was led by the vocal groups Creo en Ti and Los Heraldos de la Mañana, who traveled from Madrid for the occasion.
The convention concluded with a synchronized objective for the pastoral staff to resume their local administrative and ministerial duties with aligned strategies and a reinforced focus on family-centric mission execution.
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