National Convention Seville, Spain
SPAIN Spain or the Kingdom of Spain is part of the European Union, whose form of government is a parliamentary monarchy. Its territory is divided into 17 autonomous communities and two autonomous cities. Its capital is the city of Madrid. Its population is 47,190,493 inhabitants according to 2011 data. Spain is formed by the majority of the Iberian Peninsula in Western Europe and the Balearic Islands archipelago off the Atlantic coast of Africa, among other territories. It has an area of 504,645 km ², making it the fourth largest country in the continent. It borders France and the Principality of Andorra to the north, Portugal to the west and the British territory of Gibraltar to the south. In its African territories, it shares land and sea borders with Morocco.
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BRIEF HISTORY OF THE APOSTOLIC WORK The apostolic work in Spain began in 1971, missionaries who have supervised here are: Richard Almaraz (two terms), Roberto Navarrete, Rene Gaxiola, Andres Provencio, Gilberto Samano, Sergio Maffey and currently Missionary Supervisor Daniele Fontanarosa, originally from Italy. There is also the Chilean missionary Arthur Pinto, based in the city of Barcelona. Currently, the Apostolic Assembly has presence in five cities: Seville, Barcelona, C贸rdoba, Zaragoza and San Sebastian.
SEVILLE Located in the south region of Spain, Seville is both a city and a Spanish municipality, capital of the homonymous province and of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It has 702,355 inhabitants, making it the fourth most populous city in Spain, after Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. The metropolitan area of Seville has a population of 1,519,639 inhabitants according to 2011 data. The church in this place began in 2005 and is currently pastored by Daniele Fontanarosa, missionary supervisor. Missionary Supervisor Daniele Fontanarosa and Family In 2012 the congregation moved to a spacious (Aaron Marron Photography) building of 15,392 sq. ft., located on Avenida Montes Sierra # 29. It has a main area with a capacity for 400 people. It also has a dining room for 200 people, kitchen, cafeteria, bathrooms with showers, meeting rooms for children of different ages, pastoral office, administrative office, library and a prayer room. The building also has a patio, closed so that children are safe. The cost of renting this place is 1,200 euros per month, and when this church has the opportunity to buy the building, the monthly rent payments will be deducted from the selling price. In the past year, the church in Seville has held several special events: Inauguration of the local church, anniversary of the church, Holy Supper, general vigil, youth camp, Sunday services run by departments, Bible College, general fast, meetings for juniors, youth, ladies, men and children, presentation of children, weddings and others. Lately, the church in Seville has had several special visitors from other cities in Spain and other countries such as Italy, England and the United States. There have been four baptisms of the Holy Spirit and 14 water baptisms in the name of Jesus Christ. The church of Seville also has a program called Asociaci贸n Apost贸lica Esperanza Viva, founded in Seville on January 11, -3-
2013, as a non-profit organization whose primary purpose is to provide assistance and training to groups excluded or at risk of social exclusion (children and youth, women, the elderly, ethnic minorities, immigrants), in order to facilitate their inclusion in society. This association is run by the missionary's wife, Sister Druscilla Guerra Fontanarosa, and with the help of Sister Scarlett (Secretary) and sisters Sonia and Veronica, attorneys. They have dedicated many hours of work to the association, which has also been made available to the pastors of Cordoba and Barcelona. Asociaci贸n Apost贸lica Esperanza Viva performs the following activities: workshops and courses for orientation, education and training for social and labor integration or reintegration of these groups at risk of exclusion or excluded. Legal advice and monitoring of legal problems with this type of issues is provided. The Association has held awareness and
sensitivity campaigns for the general population with regard to human rights of those social sectors excluded or at risk of exclusion. Recreational activities (sports, retreats, crafts, music, singing and language) in order to strengthen and facilitate the process of inclusion in society, and all those activities that can promote the fulfillment of the purposes of the association. The church in Seville also has a Department of Social Welfare or Food Bank, which has been running for several years and has helped about 250 families. Many of these families are visiting the church and Bible studies. Interestingly, most of these are Spanish and many are young couples.
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BARCELONA Barcelona is the capital city of the province and of the autonomous community of Catalonia. With a population of 1,615,448 inhabitants in 2011, it is the second largest city in Spain, after Madrid, and the eleventh of the European Union. The Barcelona metropolitan area has 5,029,181 inhabitants (2011), making it the sixth most populated in the European Union. The city is located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, only 120 km to the south of the Purines Mountain range and the French border. The port of Barcelona is among the most Missionary Arturo and Sister Ximena Pinto important on the Mediterranean Sea and is also an important transportation link between Spain and France, due to its vast freeway system and high speed train. The Barcelona airport was used by over 35 million passengers in 2012.
The pastor of the church in Barcelona is Missionary Arturo Pinto Obregon. The Pinto family arrived here in 2004 from Chile. Like the city, the church in Barcelona is very cosmopolitan, which brings together 17 different nationalities. In the last year, this church has baptized seven new souls, including two baptisms in Girona. There have also been weddings, presentations of children, youth camp, ladies retreats, men’s retreats, Holy Supper, Friend’s Day, banquets for couples, youth banquets and on November 2012, the 8th anniversary of the church. Following the Strategy of Jesus they have Friendship Groups in 12 homes. They also have prayer services, Bible study, youth groups and general services. Recently they received a visit from Pastor Andy Provencio and his family (San Jose, CA), Bishop President John Fortino and his family (Miami), sisters Gloribel
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Andrade and Jennifer Lopez (Washington), Jonathan Lopez and his wife (Washington), minister Rodolfo Alva and his wife (San Diego, CA), Israel Morales and his wife (Chicago) as well as brothers from other cities in Spain and Italy. The church in Barcelona has 67 baptized members, 24 children and 65 new souls, for a total of 156 people. Due to the economic crisis in the country, some families have recently returned to their home countries.
CORDOBA Cordoba is a city in Andalusia, relatively close to Seville, located in a depression on the banks of the Guadalquivir River and the foothills of the Sierra Morena. It has 328 841 inhabitants, but according to archaeological evidence, once numbered around one million people during the tenth century, being the largest, educated and affluent city in the world at that time. Cordoba has an old town that has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994. It was nominated for the European Capital of Culture for the year 2016 and was designated Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in December 2012. The pastor of this church is brother Roberto Alanis and his wife Sister Zulma. Recently the church in Cordoba has had ten water baptisms, seven children presentations and a wedding. In the last year the church of Cordoba made the purchase of a van at a cost of 6,700 euros, soon to be paid in full.
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Pastor Roberto & Sister Zulma AlanĂs and Children
The Food Bank of the church in Cordoba, which is overseen by Brother Guillermo Davila, has received in the last year a total of 10.5 tons of food to provide social assistance to more than 600 people, with an approximate value of 16,000 euros. This church celebrates weekly prayer sessions, friendship groups and worship and teaching services, with an attendance of about 50 brethren. They also have preparation meetings for musicians and leaders, and on Sundays they have consecration
activities and an evangelistic service, with an attendance of 80 to 100 people. The church of Cordoba has also had 40 days of fasting and prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, classes for the International Apostolic Bible College, the anniversary of the church, Holy Supper, Pastor’s Day, fellowship of the departments with the church of Seville, among others.
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ZARAGOZA Zaragoza is a Spanish municipality, capital of the region of Zaragoza, of the province of Aragon. It is the fifth largest city in Spain in population with 679,624 inhabitants (2012) and accounts for 50% of the population of the autonomous community of Aragon. The city is situated on the banks of the river Ebro, Huelva and Gallego and the Imperial Canal of Aragon, in the center of a wide valley. Its privileged location makes it an important logistics hub and of communications, it is located about 300 km from Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao and Toulouse. The pastor of the church in Zaragoza is brother Uriel Poveda, accompanied by his wife Rosa Esther. They also pastor the nearby church of San Sebastian. The church in Zaragoza recently had nine water baptisms, six baptisms of the Holy Spirit and five presentations of children. They recently had a thirty-day fast for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, twenty-four days of fasting for deliverance and fifteen days of fasting to take the Holy Supper. They have also held Pastor’s Day, church anniversary and a general camp at the banks of the Gallego River.
Pastor Uriel and Sister Rosa Poveda
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The church of Zaragoza also has an Apostolic Bible School, as well as a Food Bank, which has benefited more than 210 people. The Church of Zaragoza currently has 28 baptized members, 15 of them baptized by the Holy Spirit, 12 children and 28 visitors, for a total of 68 people. This church has also had some achievements in assets, such as the acquisition of chairs, pulpit, curtains, musical instruments and sound equipment, etc... Worth over 2,000 euros.
PAIS VASCO (San Sebastian) Pais Vasco, also known as Euskadi, is a Spanish autonomous community located in the northeast of the Gaza coast, bordering the north by the Cantabrian Sea and France, south with La Rioja, west by the region of Cantabria and Burgos and east with Navarra. Its Statute of Autonomy and the Spanish Constitution recognize Pais Vasco as a nationality. Pais Vasco has a total area of 7,234 km ² and a population of 2,155,546 inhabitants (2008). Its capital is Vitoria, home to Parliament and the headquarters of the Vasco Government, while the largest city is Bilbao. San Sebastian is a city and municipality located in the Bay of Biscay coast, just 20 kilometers from the border with France. Its population is 186,122 inhabitants (2011) and its metropolitan area reaches 436,500. The pastor of this church is Brother Uriel Poveda and his wife Sister Rosa Esther. Recently, in the church of San Sebastian they have had: the dedication of the temple, three baptisms in water, two presentations of children, as well as prayer services and Bible studies, evangelistic services, fasting and prayer revivals, Holy Supper and the anniversary of the church. In the last year, six people received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There are 17 baptized members in this church, two children and 27 people visiting, for a total of 56 people. Ten are receiving Bible studies and preparing to be baptized.
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APOSTOLIC ASSEMBLY OF THE FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS - SPAIN
NATIONAL CONVENTION Saturday May 25, 2013
Missionary Supervisor Daniel Fontanarosa Preaching First Message
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Missionary Arturo Pinto
Preaching Second Message
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APOSTOLIC ASSEMBLY OF THE FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS - SPAIN
NATIONAL CONVENTION Sunday May 26, 2013
Bishop Arthur Espinosa Preaching
Missionaries Arturo and Ximena Pinto
PASTORS AND WIVES WITH THE SECRETARY OF FOREIGN MISSIONS AND HIS WIFE Left to Right Sis. Rosa Poveda; Sis. Zulma Alanís; Sis. Ximena Pinto: Sis. Druscilla Fontanarosa, Sis. Ruth Espinosa; Bishop Arthur Espinosa; Missionary Daniel Fontanarosa; Missionary Arturo Pinto: Pastor Roberto Alanís; and Pastor Uriel Poveda
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Above: A panoramic view of the service Left Bro. Jason Fontanarosa directing the Praise Team Right: The congregation worshiping the Lord
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Strategy of Jesus Seminar
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May 24—25, 2013 / Seville, Spain
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NATIONAL ACITIVITIES 2005 - 2013
- Seville CRUSADE 5 G IN L A E / July200 DIVINE H e Prado Bishop Jo
SEMINAR - Mission Statement / Seville - 2005 Bishop Ismael Arellano—Secretary of Foreign Missions
Apostolic Assembly - Barcelona / 2008 Bishop President Daniel Sánchez STRATEGY OF JESUS SEMINAR - Seville / May 2008
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LEADE RSHIP
SEMIN AR
- Mad rid /
Octob er
2008
SEMINAR: “Expand Your Tents” - Toledo / April 2009 Bishop Arthur Espinosa
a / 2009 ra de la Rein
ve ROUP - Tala IENDSHIP G
NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP SERVICE - Córdoba / Junio 2010
FR
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Plaza of Spain - Sevilla
nsuegra Castle of Co
Toledo - Historic Sector Spain 2013
Sunset over the Province of AndalucĂa, Spain - 18 -
do
, Tole - Consuegra
Windm
ills - M
anzan ares de Ciudad Real
The city of Barcelona, Capital of the Province of CataluĂąa, Spain
The City of Seville, Capital of the Province of AndalucĂa, Spain - 19 -
Flor Azul 2013 GOAL
$1,500,000 CONTRIBUTION
$100.00 per year per Dorca “Until the Whole World Hears” INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS UPCOMING ACTIVITIES: July 24 - 30 August 6 - 11
Supervision - Cuba Supervision - Tanzania
La Habana, Cuba Arusha, Tanzania
APOSTOLIC ASSEMBLY OF THE FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS www.aaintlmissions.org - 20 -