An Adventist pastor was among 19 people awarded the "Microfono de Oro" (Golden Microphone Award) by Mexico’s National Association of Announcers (NAA) at the Center of Performing Arts Polanco, in Mexico City, Mexico, on January 25.

Pastor Baruc Lagos, who is the communication director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union, received the award for his contribution in organizing the First International Summit of Leaders and Communicators, which took place in November 2003. The summit drew over 800 church leaders from various denominations, journalists, media professionals and students to attend workshops which promoted spiritual and moral values in communication.

Over 2,000 people attended the NAA awards ceremony, which was televised nation-wide as part of a larger event honouring contributors to the development and improvement of the nation in different areas such as in health, sports, government, artists and communicators.

No Seventh-day Adventist pastor in Mexico has ever received an award as high as this.

"I am not worthy of receiving this award, but I receive it with joy and above all with total gratitude to God," says Lagos. "We shouldn’t doubt that our Church continues to be in a good standing".

Lagos, who is originally from Chile, adds that he is grateful to work in the territory of the Church’s Inter-American Division (IAD) and that this award will be dedicated to the Division headquarters, based in Miami, Florida (USA). He was accompanied to the ceremony by Adventist Church Union officials and staff members.

Lagos, has been working for the church in Mexico since 2001, and has vast experience in radio and television work.

The Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union has 787 local Adventist congregation with more than 150,500 adult baptized Adventist Christians. [Editors: Libna Stevens and Christian B. Schaeffler for ANN/APD]