HCM City (VNA) – About 100 Baptists pastors and followers from 22 cities and provinces nationwide are gathering in Ho Chi Minh City for the third congress of the Vietnam Grace Evangelical Baptist Church, which kicked off on November 9.
Addressing the event, Deputy Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Tran Tan Hung said that activities of the Baptist Church during the last tenure significantly contributed to the nation’s poverty reduction programmes and charitable and humanitarian works, and the national defence and construction as well.
The Vietnam Grace Evangelical Baptist Church was established in November 1962 in HCM City, and recognised by the Government as a religious organisation in 2008.
During the last tenure, it worked hard to stabilise its organisation structure and direct its believers to abide by laws of the State, becoming an integral part of the great national unity bloc.
The two-day congress will review the church's operations during the 2012-16 period, elect a new Executive Board for the third tenure, and adopt the 2017-2020 working plan.-VNA