Latin Evangelical Alliance closes assembly in Costa Rica
The AEL's Strategic Plan reaches 80% execution and the next host cities will be Lima, Italy and Honduras.
The Latin Evangelical Alliance (AEL) closed its 13th General Assembly in Costa Rica, according to the alliance itself. Presidents and executive directors of national alliances representing more than 20 countries of the continent attended the meeting.
The alliance described the meeting as the most representative of regional evangelical leadership. Twelve of the coordinators of the 14 working commissions also participated. In addition, 19 entities attended, and five of them requested to affiliate as associates. With those requests, the network grows to 37 associated organizations.
A plan at 80% and services every night
The alliance's advisors delivered the reports of the Strategic Plan, which has been underway for five years. After that time, the reported progress reaches 80%. The afternoons were dedicated to reflection tables on the three axes of the motto: alignment, advance and mission.
«That unity is not administered: it is guarded.»
The nights were for services, with recognized leaders from the continent. Botrus Mansour, secretary general of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), also attended, along with his team. The AEL presented that visit as a reaffirmation of its link with the global evangelical movement.
Costa Rica, host of the meeting
The president of Costa Rica, Laura Fernández, honored the inaugural dinner with her presence, the alliance reported. The delegation also visited the Costa Rican Legislative Assembly during the week. Such meetings reflect the dialogue that the AEL maintains with the authorities of the region, according to the organization.
Future venues, new board and Holy Communion
The Assembly announced the next venues. Lima, Peru, will host the meeting from October 11 to 15, 2027, organized by CONEP and UNICEP. Italy will be the venue from October 9 to 13, 2028, with FEREDE and Ministerio Hombre de Paz as organizers.
Honduras will close the cycle from October 8 to 12, 2029. The Assembly also renewed the positions of its Board of Directors: Jorge Gómez will continue as first vice president and Mariano Blázquez was ratified in the secretariat. The new members are Lyda Arias, from the Evangelical Confederation of Colombia (CEDECOL), and Gerardo Irías, from the Evangelical Confraternity of Honduras.
The AEL closed the meeting with Holy Communion, which it presented as a sign of unity and communion among the leaders of the region. "Determined to move forward and committed to the mission that God has entrusted to the Church in Latin America," said Pastor Juan Cruz Cellammare, president of the AEL.
That unity is not administered: it is guarded. "Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3, ESV).
Costa Rica is now behind us and now come Lima, Italy and Honduras. A concrete step for this week: look on social media for the evangelical alliance of your country, pray for its leaders by name and for the meetings to come. Do you know who represents you in those spaces and what issues they bring to the table?
