ONE ARMY Speak Your Heart Friday 12 October 7pm ONE MISSION Celebrate what God is doing Saturday 13 October 5.30pm ONE MESSAGE Forward in Faith Sunday 14 October 10.30am Featuring The Europe Choir Led by Commissioner Dick Krommenhoek http://www.kcp.cz/an http://sar.my/forwardeurope The Salvation Army International Headquarters 101 QUEEN VICTORIA STREET LONDON EC4V 4EH Main Switchboard: +44 (0) 20-7332 0101 Europe Department: +44 (0) 20-7332 8200 Fax: +44 (0) 20-7332 8209 E-mail: [email protected] 'A Christian church and registered charity' To all European Salvationists and friends Thank you for requesting information about the Europe Congress in Prague. We are glad to have the leadership of the General for this unique event, at which Salvationists from the 32 countries of the zone will meet in worship, fellowship and the kind of unity that inspires and strengthens us. There will be input from every territory and it will be particularly significant to thank God for the exciting progress made in former Communist countries over the past 20 years. The Europe zone is rich in diverse cultures, languages and expressions of the gospel – and all within a unity of purpose that truly demonstrates One Army with One Mission, centring on One Message that speaks of God’s unqualified love for everyone in every nation. You will have many questions and we hope that the information pack will go some way in helping to answer them. Practical information about hotels and transport is included alongside details of meetings. Each of the three meetings has its own special emphasis and we have been careful also to allocate time in the weekend for you to enjoy the beautiful city of Prague. Although English will be the main language, some translation services are being arranged and we plan to use songs that are known and used in countries through the continent. Singing in your own language will be positively encouraged as we lift our hearts in a glorious cacophony of praise to the God who calls, blesses and unites us. If you would like to take part in the Europe Choir please ensure you say so. I very much hope you – and your friends – are able to come and share in what will be a truly unique and inspiring event. Please pray for these important days – from 12 to 14 October – and may we know the blessing of God among and upon us. God bless Europe! Robert Street, Commissioner International Secretary for Europe, International Headquarters, London. January 2012 WILLIAM BOOTH, Founder LINDA BOND, General CONGRESS INFORMATION Venue: Prague Congress Centre, 5. května 65, 140 21 Prague 4 Congress Centre website: http://www.kcp.cz/an Congress webpage: http://sar.my/forwardeurope Facebook: http://sar.my/fwdfb Twitter: @ForwardEurope (http://twitter.com/forwardeurope) Meetings: Under the General's leadership the themes of the three meetings will follow the General's Vision Plan: ONE ARMY: Speak Your Heart Friday 12 October, 7pm - Visions and hopes will be shared as to how the Army can best make its impact in an increasingly secularised society. The meeting will be in a ‘café church’ style with the opportunity for anyone to speak from their heart. ONE MISSION: Celebrate what God is doing Saturday 13 October, 5.30pm - This Celebration event – involving as many countries as possible – will give clear and positive indication of what the Lord is doing through his people in Europe. ONE MESSAGE: Forward in Faith Sunday 13 October, 10.30am - This will be a Holiness and Dedication Meeting. The General will send Salvationists out to play their part with renewed confidence, wherever in the continent God has placed them. Open-Air Meeting: It is possible that there will be a march and open-air meeting in Wenceslas Square on the Saturday afternoon. This is still to be confirmed and details will be put on the webpage in due course. Entry: When you arrive at the Congress Centre you (or your group leader) should go to the reception desk and present your booking reference number. You will be given a welcome pack which includes a Congress Programme and a wrist band. Every person will need a wrist for entry to all the meetings. Entry to the Congress Centre will be through entrance 4 (see map, page 7) Children: Children/youth of school age can enter free of charge. Wristbands will also be provided for them. Europe Choir: Commissioner Dick Krommenhoek will be leading a Europe Choir for the Saturday and Sunday meetings. There will be a rehearsal n the Saturday afternoon. If you would like to be part of this please return the form at the end of this pack to your national headquarters. Supporting others:There are some Salvationists in other parts of Europe who may not be able to afford to attend the Congress. If you feel able to sponsor another Salvationist please return the form at the end of this pack to your national headquarters. Thank you. THE CZECH REPUBLIC The Czech Republic has a population of 10.3 million and the capital is Prague. It shares a common border with four countries: Germany, Austria, Poland and Slovakia. The Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy. The head of state is the President of the Republic who is elected by parliament for a 5-year term. On 1st May 2004 the Czech Republic became a member of the European Union. Climate The Czech Republic has a moderate continental climate with relatively warm summers and cold winters. The coldest month is January, followed by February and December. Autumn begins in September, which is still relatively warm and dry. In October temperatures usually drop below 15 or 10 degrees. At the end of November temperatures reach freezing point. Currency The unit of currency is the Czech crown (1 crown = 100 hellers). Safety Prague is one of the most visited cities in the world. Statistics show that in comparison with other large European cities (Paris, Rome, Madrid) there is a lower level of crime in Prague. A walk through Prague at night is relatively safe. Of course, as in all large cities where lots of people congregate, we recommend that you make sure your personal possessions are safe. Time zone Central European Time (CET = GMT+1) is used in the Czech Republic. From the last Sunday in March until the end of October summer time is used. Prague Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic and also the largest city in the country. As the historic capital of Bohemia it was the royal seat of Czech princes, kings, and Holy Roman Emperors, and later the capital city of Czechoslovakia. It is a cultural crossroads and a textbook of architecture admired across the world. Prague is considered one of the most beautiful and also most visited cities in Europe. Each year it is visited by several million tourists from all over the world. The most important historic sites in Prague are connected by the Royal Way. This leads from the Municipal House up to Prague Castle. Along the route you can admire, for example, the Old Town Square with the Old Town Hall and the world-famous astronomical clock, or Charles Bridge, built in the middle of the 14th century. On the other bank of the Vltava River you can stop on Malostranské náměstí (Lesser Quarter Square) and marvel at the Baroque Church of Saint Nicholas. Prague Castle is dominated by Saint Vitus’s Cathedral where the Czech crown jewels are kept. Prague is also a place that offers a wide variety of cultural activities. For its inhabitants and visitors there are almost 300 galleries and exhibition halls, many museums, numerous theatres and concert halls. http://www.praha.eu/jnp/en/home/index.html PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN PRAGUE Passengers need a valid ticket to travel on the city public transport system. The ticket must be stamped as soon as you get on a bus or tram, or enter the transport area (in the case of a metro station). We will have free public transport passes for all Congress delegates. Those of you who are flying to Prague can get it from our people right at the airport, making your travel around Prague easier (and free). Those of you who will travel another way will receive it at the registration desk in the Congress centre before the Friday meeting. You can find public city transport routes, ticket prices and timetables at: http://www.dpp.cz (Czech) http://www.dpp.cz/de/ (German) http://www.dpp.cz/en/ (English) Please take good care of your belongings on the trams and metro. Prague public transport is reliable, well organised and in fact very safe, but there can be pick-pockets taking advantage of the crowd. It would be sad to have your stay spoiled because of a stolen wallet, phone or camera. If you wish to take a taxi in Prague, we recommend agreeing a price with the driver before you get in the car. There are some taxi drivers with rigged meters who will charge you excessively more than a fair price. If you wish to call a taxi or order one online (e.g. for your journey from or to the airport), we can recommend a reliable company http://www.top-transport-service.eu/ . Their website is also in English, German, Russian and Spanish. They will give you a price quote beforehand so you don't need to worry about them overcharging. Their drivers speak English. Getting to the Congress Centre (Enter the address – 5. května 65, 140 21 Prague 4 – into the Google maps website) By metro Prague Congress Centre is right next to Vyšehrad metro station (red line C).