During its two-day working session, the congress will elect its executive board, adopt its charter and a working programme for the 2009-2011 period.

The organisation of the congress is an important event for the church which is petitioning for the Government’s legal recognition as a religious organisation.

The congress was attended by over 1,000 pastors, ministers and followers of the church from 50 provinces and cities nationwide, half of which are ethnic minority people from the mountain northern provinces of Son La, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Ha Giang, Quang Ninh and Cao Bang. 

The charter of the church will abide by the law, as well as faithfully following the teachings of the Bible, to support the country’s development, Pastor Dinh Thien Tu, head of church, said.

The Government’s policies on religion and spiritual beliefs have become more open, he said, expressing his thanks to authorities at all levels for their support during the past.

Speaking at the congress, Pastor Per Olov Mikael Svensson highly appreciated Vietnam’s open religious policies, adding that it is an important factor in promoting relations between Vietnam and Sweden.

The Deputy Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, Nguyen Thanh Xuan, said he hoped that the church’s followers will make positive contributions to the localities where they live. 

He also affirmed the Government’s responsibility in building a sustainable and fair legal environment for religious development.

The Christian Fellowship Church of Vietnam, formed in 1989, is the seventh Protestant organisation to receive a certificate for religious activities from the Committee.

The church is home to 30,000 believers living in 50 cities and provinces nationwide.