Conferences are the pulse of the church, where we’re knit together despite different cultures, languages, and ages. And even though weekends are short, they are neverthless rich in content: They provide opportunities for being reunited with old friends and meeting new friends, and the participants are built up in their faith.
This past weekend the annual brother’s conference took place, in which both youths and grown men from various local churches are the target group. A corresponding conference for women happens every spring. Since neither families nor small children participate, these weekends provide a special opportunity to fully focus on the conference program. Broadcasts also go out to the members of the church all over the world.
The local church in Switzerland has worked together with BCC Event on both planning and fulfilling the event, and BCC Østfold also pitched in with resources, filling over 350 volunteer shifts.
Facts about the conference
- 5000 participants
- 30 countries are represented
- Over 600 volunteer shifts
- Organizer is BCC Event, in cooperation with the local church in Switzerland
See pictures from the weekend:
Voluntary efforts have always been, and will still be, an important cornerstone in BCC, continuing on into the future. In Norway the year 2022 has had an especial focus on volunteerism – but the participants from Switzerland can also speak to the joy it is to contribute to the community:
“To organize a conference makes it even more exciting to be a part of. You get an insight into what goes on behind the scenes and how everything functions together, and just how much energy goes into the individual preparations for the different elements of the program”, says Paul Zürcher. He has headed up the media productions from the local church’s side.
“What motivates me is to make the conference experience a highlight for every individual, by using my time and my abilities to contribute to the community, and to be a support so that the message can be communicated in the best possible way.”
Volunteers of both young and old from the church in Switzerland pitched in. These volunteers contributed in everything from development of conference concepts to hospitality to music and film, just to name a few things.
One of these was Julia Tischhauser, who watched the proceedings on TV back home in Switzerland. She was responsible for music, together with a team from the local church:
“I’ve been cheering on my friends who have worked to carry out everything that we have prepared together. It’s also really fun to follow the broadcasts and see the result”, she says.
And even though she wasn’t part of the target group this time, that didn’t affect her motivation to contribute.
“Quite the opposite – I’m looking forward to the next time it’s our turn to produce the conference”, she says. “Throughout all the years the conferences have been driven by people who have a desire to make it good for others. For my part, I’m going to carry on with the same mindset: To be along in making our conferences highlights for the friends, especially for the coming generations.”