In the first week of January 2004 the Seventh-day Adventist Church launched its new 24/7 satellite channel for Europe. The "Hope Channel" began test transmissions from the powerful Hotbird 6 satellite on December 18, 2003, and right from the start the signal was clear and stable. Up to thirty million homes across Europe now have the potential to receive the channel, with receiving dishes as small as 60 cm in diameter in the South-East of England.

At present the programmes being broadcast on the Hope Channel are mainly traditional Adventist programmes such as Amazing Facts, It Is Written, Breath of Life, and Faith Alive. These are familiar to thousands of Adventist members who have bought the videotapes in the past. However there are also programmes dealing with creationism such as Fingerprints of Creation, and the Young Age of the Earth, and programmes which have become familiar to Adventist Television Network viewers over the last couple of years, such as Bible/Sabbath School University.

Future programming is still being planned but it is hoped that it will include new titles such as 'Freedom in Focus' which will challenge viewers who are pondering the issues of Church and state. There will also be fast-moving mission documentaries to inspire the young and adventurous; personal stories of faith depicted in a realty TV series called 'Escape' aimed at secular people searching for meaning and purpose; travel programmes that will take viewers to ancient Bible lands; and professional health presentations which will open the minds and hearts of viewers to listen to the spiritual messages from the preaching ministries of the Adventist Church.

Although there are already a handful of religious channels being transmitted to the UK and Ireland by satellite, it is unusual for a channel to be operated by a single Christian denomination. However, the worldwide structure and organisation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, coupled with a great deal of faith and work by a large number of people, has enabled this to become a reality for us. "This is a great day for us in that we have finally combined our efforts and our resources to bring Adventist programmes into the homes of the public," says BUC President Pastor Cecil Perry.

"It was back in 1844 that our Church had its beginnings and it was also in 1844 that Samuel F B Morse invented the telegraph. The Church and communications have both come a long way since then and we must thank God for opening this door of opportunity for us."

A new page has been set up on the Church website www.adventist.org.uk to provide more information and to allow members to contact people who can install suitable satellite receiver equipment in their homes. The Hope Channel itself has a website at www.hopetv.org though at the moment this is just displaying a title page. [Editor: John Surridge for APD]