Peten, Guatemala…[Libna Stevens/IAD Staff]
The fast growth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the north region of Central America has forced church officials to expand into a new headquarter office in that territory. The newly elected officers and new building were inaugurated on September 24.
The new North Guatemala Mission is one of two regional offices which split out of the Northeast Mission. The new mission is now the seventh church regional office in the North Central American Union.
Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America, was present at the inauguration. He says that with a workforce of 15 ministers and office staff, better attention and care will be given to the more than 23,000 members worshiping in 73 churches there.
“The North Guatemala Mission is born in an extremely healthy condition,” says Pastor Leito. “The financial situation of this new field is very good with an operating capital of 131 % and a liquidity of 246%, and the church members of this remote area are very mature and supportive of the church's program and objectives.”
The exceptional financial health of the mission does not come as a surprise because “the growth of the church in Guatemala is phenomenal,” according to Pastor Leito. “Just seven years ago there was only one mission in Guatemala, where today there are six.”
He explains that the church throughout Guatemala has an aggressive plan to foster church growth.
“Guatemala was slow growing field, but with the new initiative of small groups, it has seen an explosion during the last years, adding new congregations nearly every week,” Pastor Leito explains.
Because of this rapid growth, church leaders needed to reorganize the territory and supervise it closely, he says.
Today, Guatemala has three times the membership of the former Central American Union which covered seven countries.
The new North Mission had been functioning as an experimental field for approximately two years. When it reached 100% of operating capital and liquidity, it was surveyed by the Division Committee for evaluation. As approval was given for mission status earlier this year, plans were drawn for the construction of new office building.
Heading the church region in the new mission is Pastor Roman Monroy as president, and Mr. Himer Galicia as executive secretary and treasurer.
There are plans to expand the new mission soon into obtaining conference status, according to Pastor Mario Calderon, president of the church in the North Central American Union.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the North Central American Union covers Guatemala and Belize. There are more than 210,000 church members worshiping in 622 churches.
