Synod Meeting in Madrid

Every two years, the lay and clergy delegates of the Iglesia Evangélica Española (Spanish Protestant Church) meet to pass legislation, to review the activities of each of the presbyteries and to plan for the next term. For those of us in the United Methodist system, it is our “Annual Conference”. This years’ Synod meeting was held in Madrid and it was a 4-day event that included worship, study, legislative sessions and fellowship. This was my first time attending the Synod and it was a great opportunity to meet colleagues and to assess our church’s place within the structure and the gifts we can offer to the rest of the Spanish Protestant Church. 

With IEE Secretary Rev. Dr. Israel Flores, Teresa Sanchez from the church in Alicante, Jose Raul Cueto, our lay representative and myself, enjoying the fellowship!

Our lay representative is Jose Raul Cueto, who has been a wonderful liaison between the IEE and our church community. Originally from Cuba, Jose speaks fluent Spanish  and is able to help us English-speakers understand what is asked of us, what paperwork we need, how to communicate effectively with our Spanish brothers and sisters. Jose was a great partner for me at the Synod, filling in the gaps in my Spanish language understanding. I also had the assistance of the Google Translate App on my phone which transcribed the speeches and talks of the presenters. But even with the Google Translate App, it is challenging: church-language is difficult enough in one’s own native language; it can be impossible to translate into something understandable. It was a good experience all around.