SOUTHWESTERN UNION
MULTIPLY CAMERON COUNTY: Cameron County (Brownsville, Harlingen, San Benito), a very poor area at the southern tip of Texas and the Mexico border, has a rapidly growing population (approaching ½ million) yet the Adventist work has been declining over the last few decades. The Adventist work in neighboring counties has experienced rapid growth through soul winning, church planting and a strong Adventist educational presence. This project will use the methods proven in neighboring counties to take the Adventist message to everyone in Cameron County, Texas in a healthy, wholistic way.
The objectives of Multiply Cameron County are to:
- Plant six new churches/Centers of Influence (English, Spanish, Bilingual).
- Start one new Adventist school.
- In each church (current & new) start, strengthen and multiply…
- a. Club ministries (Adventurers, Pathfinders, Master Guides)
- b. Ministry Groups & Events (Health, Family, Finance, Prophecy, Tutoring, ESL, etc.)
- c. Sabbath School groups d. Reaping meetings
- Area Lay Training Events Twice a Year
This is the fourth “Multiply” two-year initiative from the Texas Conference. The other events were: “Multiply” San Antonio 2014-2015; Austin 2016-2017; and Tarrant County 2018-2019. These initiatives resulted in many new churches planted and rapid growth in baptisms and membership in these areas.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN CANADA
MASKWACIS OUTREACH CHURCH & COMMUNITY CENTRE: The building will serve as a base for the reserve congregation to help heal Maskwacis residents spiritually as well as physically. It will be a safe, accessible, permanent place on the Reserve where Adventist principles can be modeled, experienced, learned, and incorporated into the lives of individuals and the Cree community.
The objectives of Maskwacis Outreach Church & Community Centre are to:
- Increase attendance at Sabbath services and prayer meetings by 10 percent each year;
- Offer practical assistance for daily living through seminars on health-related topics, which have proven of great interest when offered—especially those addressing mental health; and
- Increase local church leadership from within the Reserve community. It is time to transition from an off-reserve offering of assistance and services to a Reserve-based program. This will move the group from the “outside” to the hub of Reserve life. As First Nations Adventists are seen regularly participating at the church-community centre, it is anticipated that there will be greater acceptance of the Church as part of the Reserve community.
SQUAMISH CHURCH PLANT: The Sea to Ski Corridor north of Vancouver in British Columbia, including the towns of Squamish, Whistler, and Pemberton, is an area with little Adventist presence. Only one active Adventist member lives full-time in Pemberton and one active family lives part-time in Whistler. Presently, no Adventists live in Squamish. Our aim is to plant a church in Squamish and establish small groups in Whistler and Pemberton. Squamish is a fast-growing city with a working-class population. It attracts people who like the outdoors and want to live close to the ski resort at Whistler for work and play. Pemberton is a bedroom community that mostly supports Whistler. Pemberton also has a sizeable First Nations community. Whistler has a world class ski resort that attracts clientele from throughout the world.
The objectives of Squamish Church Plant are to:
- Place a pastoral family in Squamish in January of 2020. Robert Folkenberg III is uniquely qualified to reach the Sea to Ski Corridor. He is young, an experienced outdoor enthusiast, and has a heart to reach the area.
- Make contacts through socializing in different communities, through outdoor adventures, through socializing with neighbors, and through literature evangelism.
- Begin small group meetings and invite contacts to join them.
- Follow up on the known inactive Adventists living in the area.
- Work with Summer Megabook workers and follow up on the interest generated. This is a dark area. A donor has a burden for the people in the growing town of Squamish and is willing to fund part of the expenses over a four-year period. This project’s success will be measured by the sustainability level of the church in four years (January, 2024). British Columbia Conference AdCom will assess this in coordination with the Ministerial Director.