Regional Adventist Congress Formally Starts at MVC with Parade of Nations

Countries comprising the Seventh-day Adventist Church headquarters in the Southern Asia-Pacific region (SSD) raised the national and territory flags during the SSD-wide Congress for Sabbath School/ Personal Ministries/NDR-IEL/Children’s Ministries at Mountain View College, Valencia City, June 10, with an initial delegates of more than 30,000.

SSD, the headquarters for eleven countries in the Adventist division, gathered delegates from eight nations. Representatives led the procession from the General Conference, the world headquarters, and the SSD, accompanied by guests.

The Malaysia Union Mission was at the forefront, followed by the Myanmar Union Mission and the Southeastern Asia Union Mission, which includes the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The Timor-Leste Mission showed great enthusiasm as a new and developing territory, followed by the East Indonesia Union Conference and West Indonesia Union Mission.

The four union or regional territories of the host country, the Philippines, joyfully waved their balloons and banners. The North Philippine Union Conference, representing the Luzon group of islands, had an impressive number of delegates. The Central Philippine Union Conference, representing the Visayas, also gathered there, and a large number of additional attendees joined the festive crowd.

Mindanao Adventists experienced a split and became two unions, branching out from the South Philippine Union Conference (SPUC). Despite the bifurcation of the two unions, the Southwestern Philippine Union Conference (SwPUC) and the Southeastern Philippine Union Mission (SePUM), remain united with a bond of love. The SwPUC includes delegations from two conferences and three missions. On the other hand, the SePUM, the youngest of the unions, received cheers from believers representing three established and two new missions.

As the heads of the delegations raised their flags with the assistance of expert guides dressed in green and accompanied by the marching tunes performed by the Mountain View College Band and Central Bukidnon Institute Orchestra, the colors and rhythm blended into one grand symphony that reflected God’s immense glory.

While the parade reached its end, delegates from various places shared testimonies live via the Adventist Media outlets and Hope Channel and other media links to showcase their inspiring journey to this gathering.

The Parade Ceremony was hosted by Rhoen Shane Peralta Catolico, SePUM Communication Director, and facilitated by Pastor Junifer Colegado and Pr. Nelo Seda, the SePUM and SWPUC’s youth directors, respectively. Their local missions ably assisted their counterparts.

Yes, Jesus is coming, and “conquerors will march in the victory march and their names indelible in the Book of Life. I will lead them up and present them by name to my Father and His angels. I’ll come right into supper with you. Conquerors will it alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift for the conquerors.” Revelation 3:5, 21

“Let’s accept this gift and become involved; let’s hold the flag as a symbol of being heirs of God and conquerors of the kingdom, uniting people from different nations and languages. Just like this congress gathering the faithful and persevering, believing and waiting for the coming of Jesus.”(SePUM Communication)