Plenary in Budapest
Press release, Hope for Europe
Against a background of crisis and scandal embroiling European institutions, some 500 leaders returned home from the HOPE•II congress in Budapest buoyed with fresh perspectives of hope for Europe.
Gathered from 40 European nations, congress participants heard over twenty short talks from speakers including globally-known authors such as Os Guinness, Vishal Mangalwadi, Thomas Schirrmacher and Philip Jenkins addressed plenary sessions at the Budapest Congress Centre on the first two days, May 9 & 10.
Over the remaining two days, participants were spread across the city in nine hotels, engaged in network consultations ranging from church planting and urban missions to children’s and disability ministries. Politicians and artists, health workers and women in leadership, theologians and evangelists, intercessors and migrant pastors were among professions and callings building relational links across the continent and strategising for the future.
Schirrmacher moderating The State of Europe Forum, left: Os Guiness, right: Vishal Magalwadi; middle with tie Jeff Fountain
Open evening sessions, when participants could visit other hotels, gave opportunity for various networks to interface in sessions of prayer, worship, dialogue or simply relaxed fellowship.
HOPE•II is the second pan-European congress held by Hope for Europe, following HOPE•21 also held in Budapest in 2002. Hope for Europe is a relational movement networking Christians in many fields across the continent, with close ties to the European Evangelical Alliance. Greetings from the World Evangelical Alliance were conveyed on the opening session by Dr Schirrmacher, chairman of the theological commission of the WEA.
Further reports:
- http://www.hfe.org/Hope-II-congress/press-release.asp
- http://theundergroundsite.com
- http://www.hfe.org/Hope-II-congress/Speakers/Thomas-Schirmacher.aspx
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