The anniversary also includes Hope Media Europe’s predecessor organization, Voice of Hope.
On 1 July, the Adventist media ministry Hope Media celebrated its 75th anniversary. This period also includes the existence of the predecessor organisation "Voice of Hope". Under the motto "75 years of hope", around 130 invited guests gathered at the media centre of Hope Media Europe in Alsbach-Hähnlein (near Darmstadt) for a service of thanksgiving, combined with an additional programme of visits and music. The sermon was preached by Guillermo Biaggi, a vice-president of the Adventist world church leadership (General Conference) and chairman of the board of Hope Channel International.
In his opening remarks, Klaus Popa, head of Hope Media Europe, acknowledged the commitment of the founders and subsequent generations in building up the media ministry. In doing so, he also remembered Arno Patzke, who had died shortly before and who led the predecessor organisation "Voice of Hope" from 1978 to 1993. He described the goal of Hope Media's work as follows: "We have always been concerned that people come to know God, decide to believe in Him and have a hopeful life."
Greetings were given by the chief financial officer of the Adventist part-continental church leadership for Central and Southern Europe (Inter-European Division, Bern), Norbert Zens, who is also chairman of the supervisory board of Hope Media Europe, and the mayor of Alsbach-Hähnlein, Sebastian Bubenzer. The latter expressed his great appreciation for the work of Hope Media. He thanked the sponsors and donors as well as the Hope Media team, which "plays in the champions’ league in terms of content and technology".
From ten minutes of radio per week to a full TV programme
Max Busch founded the "Voice of Hope" in Berlin-Wilmersdorf in 1948, which produced radio programmes. In the same year, the Bible Correspondence School, now called "Hope Courses", also started. The weekly radio broadcasting time was ten minutes in the beginning. After a move to Darmstadt in 1959, the work grew even more. In 1968, the Blind Listening Library was added, with Christian listening services for blind and visually impaired people. In 2006, the library moved to its present building in Alsbach-Hähnlein. The construction of the new media centre was made possible by an unexpected donation of one million euros, as Günther Machel, then head of "Voice of Hope", reported at the celebration event. In 2009, the Christian television station "Hope Channel" started, and was renamed "Hope TV" in 2019. Today, Hope Media, as the "Voice of Hope" is now called, employs over 70 people.
Production expansion planned
Reflecting on Hope Media's history, which has been "full of miracles", keynote speaker Guillermo Biaggi spoke about seven miracles mentioned in the Bible: the miracle of creation, redemption, life, mission, faith, hope, and love. A prayer of intercession by Hope Media employees concluded the service.
A tour of the building included a report on the ongoing renovation of the media centre, which should enable it to produce 20 hours of new content per week from the autumn (currently it is about five hours per week).
The day was concluded with a classical concert. Lynn My Lin Trinh (violin), Simon Scheibe (cello) and Eva Paul (piano) performed works by Camille Saint-Saens, Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, and Johan Halvorssen.
About Hope Media
Hope Media Europe operates the Hope TV channel, the Hope Bible Study Institute (Hope Courses) and the Hope Audio Library. The media centre is part of the international Hope Channel family of channels, which was founded in 2003 by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the USA and now consists of over 60 national channels.
Hope TV can be received via satellite, Germany-wide via cable and on the internet.
Hope TV in Switzerland
In Switzerland, Hope TV programmes can be received on Swisscom TV plus or via the ASTRA satellite, as well as on the internet.
The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-European Division website.