January 6, 2008 – Miami, Florida, United States…[Libna Stevens/IAD]

Seventh-day Adventist leaders and employees of the Inter-American Division (IAD) headquarters welcomed 2009 on a spiritual note during a special worship service in Miami, Florida, on January 5. More than 50 church leaders and employees worshiped and prayed together as they reflected on the blessings of the previous year and the hope and faith of furthering the gospel throughout the territory.

The speaker of the hour was Enrique Marshall, a member of the staff at the IAD, who reminded co-workers of the need for God’s servants to leave behind some things of the past.

“We need to leave behind some things which have hindered us from growing spiritually, we must make wise decisions and depend on God’s promises to face the new year,” said Marshall.

Marshall reminded leaders and workers of the freshness of God’s opportunities and objectives to be reached as they face the new year with God’s grace and assistance.

The program also featured a concert by violinist Nestor D. Aponte, who traveled from Venezuela. Aponte, an 18-year-old student at the Music Studies Institute in Venezuela (Instituto Universitario de Estudios Musicales) shared his love of music and expressed his commitment to praising God.

Church leaders also boasted of the financial stability the IAD has enjoyed during the past year in the midst of the economic crisis affecting the world today.

Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America, praised God’s blessing on the church in Inter-America. “God has been good and we trust in your prayers and your commitment to working together as we do our part in furthering His work,” said Pastor Leito.

During a brief report, Filiberto Verduzco, treasurer of the church in Inter-America, spoke of the financial stability the church in Inter-America has been enjoying. “We know that the financial problem of the United States is affecting our countries,” said Filiberto Verduzco, treasurer of the church in Inter-America. “But God has been so good to us that we must look forward knowing that He will continue blessing His church.”

“Although the behavior of tithes in the territory continues to grow, this is a time to be cautious because we are not out of the economic turmoil, but we are assured that God is with us as we are cautious and careful in taking care of the resources God has entrusted us to manage,” said Verduzco.

The Inter-American Division Headquarters oversees the work of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the 17 regions of the territory which boasts more than 3 million members worshiping in more than 9,700 churches.

Image by Image by ANN. Libna Stevens/IAD
Image by Image by ANN Libna Stevens/IAD

Top news

Students from University in Argentina Serve Communities along the Amazon
Loma Linda University Health’s Cell Therapy Division Receives Accreditation
ADRA Improves Children’s Lives One Water Basin and Latrine at a Time