Bern, November 13, 2012. [CD-EUD News]. During the Executive Committee of the Inter-European Region (EUD) all the department directors had the possibility to present projects and programs to improve the mission of the church.
Children’s Ministries - Seven Campaign Elsa Cozzi, EUD Children’s Ministries Director presented a special campaign to strongly reaffirm the position against child abuse. The Seven Campaign, launched last October by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Church, is intended to constantly sensitize the plight of children who are victims and potential victims.
During the meetings the leaders took a vote in favour of the children. This action strengthens the position of the church sending a clear message that Adventists will not tolerate child abuse and at the same time they will not ignore those who are guilty. “The promotion of this campaign should be endorsed by all leaders of the church,” affirmed Elsa Cozzi, “but all church members are also involved to defend and protect the “lambs of God”.
The Executive Committee voted unanimously to accept and support, either individually as cooperatively, the Seven Campaign project as a EUD project and to provide effective actions, at every organizational level, connected to this issue. Commemorating 150th years of the Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church was officially organized on May 21, 1863. After a long time of debate and study, a group of young people decided to give life to a movement that in few years would become one of the largest in the world.
After 150 years, the Adventist Church has more than 17 million members and is presently in more than 200 countries in the world.
The Executive Committee recommends the Adventist churches to celebrate this anniversary organizing programs and material during the whole year, especially on May 18, 2013, the Sabbath chosen to commemorate this milestone.
Family Ministries - Research on Adventist Families The Adventists give a special emphasis to the structure of the family as an important channel of passing on the values and community support. In order to empower this fundamental institution the leadership of the church recommend a research that aims to identify the main specific traits of the European Seventh-day Adventist families and to explore their religion-related habits and attitudes towards education, moral values etc. The study also serves to lay the foundations of Family Ministries in EUD territory, helping to assess the needs and challenges Adventist families face, as well as the potential and possibilities for mission. Youth Ministry - World Youth Service Day 2013 Every year, in the month of March, the Adventist youth in the world schedule a week of reflection and prayers aime d at improving the spirituality of the youngest church members. Next year the Adventist youth will be called to a special challenge. Stephan Sigg, EUD Youth leader, announced the project pointing out the main goal: to invite the youth on Sabbath, March 16, to “be a sermon” instead of hearing a sermon, by serving in the community. Youth leaders estimate there are potentially eight million church members under the age of 30 that during this day will be able to generate a series of activities in favour of the environment, charity projects, service, etc. “The plan is to make the event a springboard for future initiatives to help further connect youth to the world church” youth leaders affirm. Inter-ministries Convention The EUD leadership is organizing an Inter-Ministries Convention as a major step in pursuing and promoting a higher level of unity and convergence among church departments and ministries. This project is aimed at efficiently utilizing the human and material resources for the growth of the Church and the fulfillment of the mission of leading people into a saving relationship with Jesus. This is for church administrators, department directors, pastors, and local church leaders, but active church members are also invited to participate. We are to reflect on the European context and the need to develop culturally sensitive and united approaches to evangelism, to understand the biblical concept of discipleship, from childhood to adulthood, and to discover its implications in personal spirituality, and in the life and mission of the church. We are to encourage and create opportunities for all church members to be involved, as disciples of Christ, in the mission He has entrusted to us individually and collectively.
