The Midyear Meeting of the Inter-European Division, the regular administrative meeting of the Church in this territory of Europe, took place May 21-23 at the premises of the Campus Adventiste du Saléve in Collonges-sous-Saléve, France.
Division Administration, department directors, directors of institutions, union presidents and pastoral and lay representatives from each Union meet to vote on administrative matters, assess the course of the annual plan and discuss the best means to advance the mission in the territory of the Inter-European Division.
Mission had a central focus in the work of the Committee, in particular the focus we must have on each person and their needs: "Let us mingle with people. Let us wish them well. Let us offer them good words and actions. And let us smile! We will only transmit the joy of having Jesus if we really live in Jesus", said Mário Brito, President of the Division.
The Collonges meeting was attended by the President of MENAUM (Middle-East North-Africa Union Mission), Rick McEdward, as a special invitee, who shared with committee members news from that challenging field for the Church's mission. This was also an opportunity to strengthen the bonds of fellowship and cooperation between the two territories of the Church, so close geographically, and, though having profound cultural and religious differences in the societies they address, with an immense affinity of purpose and objectives regarding the advance of the Gospel.
This was an opportunity for the Division Treasurer, Norbert Zens, to share information on the latest financial data, as well as to praise and thank God for the faithfulness of Church members. Tithes saw a 6% growth in 2022 over 2021 and a 26% growth over 2017, while offerings grew by 21% and 26% respectively over the same years. Zens also highlighted the work done to mitigate losses and support the mission in the face of the challenges of inflation and market instability, and that we should be very grateful to God in view of the results obtained, comparing to many other institutions in society, pointing out the need for attention and zeal in management with regard to the future.
Celebrating the 160th anniversary of the official institution of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Executive Secretary Barna Magyarosi pointed out the importance of knowledge about and celebration of the history of the Adventist movement. The project to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Adventist presence in Europe, which will take place in 2024, was also launched, to which the visit of the committee members to the European Adventism Museum on campus contributed.
(For a virtual tour on the museum: https://www.campusadventiste.edu/recherche/musee )
As a final note to the meeting, EUD president Mário Brito thanked all the dedication and involvement of the Unions and their Conferences and Churches for the advancement of the mission in this territory. Recalling Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman, described in the book of John, and Paul's appeal in chapter 12 of Romans, Brito exhorted the leaders to accept the challenge of the missionary movement in this territory. Drawing on Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman described in the book of John and Paul's call in Romans chapter 12, Brito urged the leaders present that together we can be connected to God, pray for the Holy Spirit, engage with people, support them in their needs and openly and happily demonstrate the love of Jesus.
"It pains me so much - and I know it pains you too - to see the suffering of so many people around us. Each of them is a potential container of God's love, symbolized in the Water of Life that Jesus offered to the Samaritan woman. And we are the chosen vessels to place it in their hearts."
