The 65th Assembly of Delegates of the Seventh-day Adventists of French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino (Fédération adventiste de Suisse romande et du Ticino - FSRT) was held May 28-29 in Lausanne. The 150 delegates approved the reports of the various departments and elected a new church leadership.
Pastor Olivier Rigaud (current) was elected for a second term as president. The eight years of service of the treasurer, Nathalie Wagnon, who was leaving at her own request, was thanked. Eric Belloy was elected as the new treasurer and Nicolas Walther as the new executive secretary. Raphaël Grin, his predecessor as executive secretary, was thanked for his four years of service.
The Adventist church leadership of French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino includes about 2,200 Adventist Christians who worship in 25 church congregations and groups each Sabbath. They are accompanied by nearly 25 pastors.
Swiss Adventists are organized as an association
Swiss Adventists are organized under the law of associations and are divided into two church regions: the German-Swiss Association of the Seventh-day Adventists Church (DSV), based in Zurich, and the Fédération des Eglises Adventistes du 7e jour de la Suisse romande et du Tessin (FSRT), based in Renens/VD. Both administrative regions together form the Swiss church leadership, the Swiss Union, with headquarters in Zurich.
Adventist institutions and ministries in the language regions
The Adventists in Switzerland run the private schools A to Z in Zurich as well as in Reinach/AG; two youth houses, in St. Stephan/BE and Les Diablerets/VD; three old people's and nursing homes in Krattigen/BE, Oron-la-Ville and Epalinges near Lausanne; the Adventist Publishing House Switzerland in Krattigen/BE; as well as a mail order house for French books in Renens/VD. They also maintain the Hope Bible Study Institute (HBI) and the Religious Education Institute (RPI) in Zurich, as well as the Institut d'Etude de la Bible par Correspondance (IEBC) in Renens.
In Gland/VD is the La Lignière Clinic, which specializes in rehabilitation for cardiovascular, neurological, orthopedic, and rheumatic diseases, as well as follow-up treatment for cancer.
Adventist institutions throughout Switzerland
Among the all-Swiss ministries is the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Switzerland, headquartered in Zurich. The office is located in Aarau. ADRA Switzerland is a ZEWO-certified partner relief organization of Swiss Solidarity. The relief organization is active in Switzerland with about 30 local groups in the social sector and maintains various ADRA stores (Bern, Biel/Bienne, Bürglen, Heiden, Zurich), which distribute goods of daily use to the needy. Abroad, ADRA Switzerland works with local partner organizations, primarily with disaster and development aid projects.
The Adventist Press Service APD Switzerland, in Basel, directs its services primarily to secular and church media.
The Swiss Life and Health League (LLG), Zurich, offers holistic health promotion with its seminars in about 40 local groups: physical, mental, spiritual, and social.
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