Three Adventurers and one Pathfinder were inducted into the Pathfinder and Adventurer Clubs on Sabbath, September 15, 2018. The young people are members of the community who, after the annual Vacation Bible School (VBS), were invited to join the uniformed arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church on Virgin Gorda.
The success of Vacation Bible School 2018 prompted the Virgin Gorda SDA Church Board to give uniform scholarships to the four (4) non-Seventh-day Adventist VBS 2018 children. The recipients received full uniforms, compliments of the church.
The elated parents of these children attended the Sabbath service with the children to witness the induction ceremony, celebrated on world Pathfinder Day.
The local pastor of the church, Sylvester Williams, commented to the congregation that, “God wants to make faith leaders out of these children. The church is delighted for the commitment of the parents to have them be members of the clubs. God will reward you.”
The church on Virgin Gorda has been engaged in creative ministry in the community. One year ago, after the passage of Hurricane Irma, the church partnered with community and government organizations to rebuild homes for community members. “God had been leading and the Holy Spirit has been speaking,” said Pastor Sylvester Williams.
The church is aware that the best evangelistic strategies are those that promote innovations, foster belonging and ownership, and celebrate community relationships. In all the programming they seek to practice the philosophy.
It is heart-warming for the Women’s Ministries Director of the Conference, “The church is doing the right thing. I am elated that they are following through with those who attended to Vacation Bible School.”
After Hurricane Irma, in 2018, the NCC decided that churches should look for innovative ways to serve communities while intentionally leading evangelistic opportunities. The initiative of the church models the intended ministry.