"Time to wake up, Europe!"

Oporto, Portugal [V.Annunziata; CD EUDNews]. This is the title of the ASI convention in Europe which took place in Porto, Portugal, July 3-6, 2013. Porto, also known as Oporto in English, is the second-largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon, and one of the major urban areas in Southern Europe and the capital of the second major great urban area in Portugal. Its administrative limits (an area of 41.66 km²/16 sq.mi) include a population of 237,584 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes. The urban area of Porto, which extends beyond the administrative limits of the city, has a population of 1.3 million in an area of 389 km2 (150 sq mi), making it the second-largest urban area in Portugal. The Porto Metropolitan Area includes approximately 1.7 million people,. It is recognized as a Gamma- level global city by the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) Study Group, being one of five cities on the Iberian Peninsula with global city status, (the others being Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon and Valencia). Located along the Douro river estuary in northern Portugal, Porto is one of the oldest European centres, and registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. Its settlement dates back many centuries, when it was an outpost of the Roman Empire. Its Latin name, Portus Cale, has been referred to as the origin for the name "Portugal", based on transliteration and oral evolution from Latin. In Portuguese the name of the city is spelled with a definite article as "o Porto" (English: the port). Consequently, its English name evolved from a misinterpretation of the oral pronunciation and referred to as "Oporto" in modern literature and by many speakers. ASI Europe Adventist Laymen's Services and Industries - ASI - is an organization of Seventh-day Adventist church members who work in private businesses, as self-employed, executives and in self-supporting ministries. ASI Europe is committed to support the Seventh-day Adventist Church and its various outreach programs which include Health, Education, Evangelism, Community Services, Family and other special projects. ASI has thousands of members around the world, men and women from nearly every walk of life. They represent all the diversity that is found within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The ASI philosophy promotes a Christ-centered lifestyle, manifested by a commitment to be in daily partnership with God. Members seek to live out God’s love in their own lives and share that love with the millions of people they encounter in their businesses and professional activities each year. ASI Europe is currently present in several European countries and has developed 24 projects in the last two years (2011/12) with a total budget of € 122,750. It distributes Bibles, books, CDs, DVDs and leaflets. Many young people are involved with the ASI projects resulting in baptisms and preparation for baptism: totalling 66,647 in Europe and worldwide. One of the programs addressed was 'Priority to Train Young People as Missionaries in Europe', so that they are equipped to form small groups studying the Bible and are able to conduct evangelistic campaigns. Different programs have been scheduled for the next biennium, 2013/14, with the aim of raising € 188,000. Besides being able to visit the beautiful tourist city of Porto, those who came to the ASI convention, had a chance to attend several of the following workshops: Open doors & Open Hearts. The effects of Health Ministries. Share Your Faith through effective Bible Studies. Adventist Identity Today. Happiness and Health. The Sanctuary and the Judgment. Music Evangelism. 'The Answer is Blowing in the Wind', the mass media for the Gospel. "It was a very interesting and thought-provoking meeting! Important issues were addressed and we could understand how brothers and sisters are working together to share the Gospel using various methods and systems, even both old and new”, so Vincenzo Annunziata, Communications Director of the Italian Union. On this occasion the ASI Europe Committee elected a new President, René Metz from the Czech Republic, who is replacing Angel Duo. To learn more about ASI Europe, please visit the following web page: http://www.asi-europe.org/