The Christian Fellowship Church of Vietnam began its second congress in HCM City on Oct. 31.
At the three-day session, its executive board was elected with Pastor Dinh Thien Tu being chosen as head.
A report on the church's activities in 2009-11 was discussed, while a charter and working programme for 2011-13 will be adopted.
Morethan 600 pastors, ministers, and faithfuls from 45 provinces and citiesand representatives of some foreign organisations are attending thecongress.
Bui Thanh Ha, Deputy Head of the Government Committeefor Religious Affairs, congratulating the congress, dignitaries, andothers, hoped the church's followers would continue to demonstrate theirpatriotism and make further contributions to the cause of building arich and strong country with an equitable, democratic, and civilisedsociety.
Speeding up the current efforts for national renovation,industrialisation, and modernisation thrust responsibility upon theentire nation, including religious organisations including dignitariesand followers of the Christian Fellowship Church, he said.
TheGovernment's consistent policy is to respect and ensure the freedom ofpeople to follow or not to follow any religion or belief, that allreligions are equal before the law, and there will be no discriminationbased on religion.
This policy together with the aspiration anddetermination of the church would provide the basis for the ChristianFellowship Church to develop its religion in line with the guidelinesand purposes written in the church's charter, he said.
TheChristian Fellowship Church of Vietnam was established in 1962 and has1,954 groups with more than 300,000 followers, including more than159,000 ethnic minority members in 59 provinces and cities.
In October 2007 it received a certificate for religious practice from the Government Committee for Religious Affairs. /.
At the three-day session, its executive board was elected with Pastor Dinh Thien Tu being chosen as head.
A report on the church's activities in 2009-11 was discussed, while a charter and working programme for 2011-13 will be adopted.
Morethan 600 pastors, ministers, and faithfuls from 45 provinces and citiesand representatives of some foreign organisations are attending thecongress.
Bui Thanh Ha, Deputy Head of the Government Committeefor Religious Affairs, congratulating the congress, dignitaries, andothers, hoped the church's followers would continue to demonstrate theirpatriotism and make further contributions to the cause of building arich and strong country with an equitable, democratic, and civilisedsociety.
Speeding up the current efforts for national renovation,industrialisation, and modernisation thrust responsibility upon theentire nation, including religious organisations including dignitariesand followers of the Christian Fellowship Church, he said.
TheGovernment's consistent policy is to respect and ensure the freedom ofpeople to follow or not to follow any religion or belief, that allreligions are equal before the law, and there will be no discriminationbased on religion.
This policy together with the aspiration anddetermination of the church would provide the basis for the ChristianFellowship Church to develop its religion in line with the guidelinesand purposes written in the church's charter, he said.
TheChristian Fellowship Church of Vietnam was established in 1962 and has1,954 groups with more than 300,000 followers, including more than159,000 ethnic minority members in 59 provinces and cities.
In October 2007 it received a certificate for religious practice from the Government Committee for Religious Affairs. /.
