March 10, 2010 – Panama City, Panama…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America honored the first group among hundreds of its most outstanding laypeople during day two of the church’s Festival of the Laity Congress being held in Panama City, Panama. They were recognized for their dedicated work during their five to nine years of service to the church.
“We are here to honor those who have been working hard alongside Jesus,” said Pastor Mirto Presentacion, publishing ministries director for the church in Inter-America as church leaders prepared to distribute special medals.
Seventy-five laypersons, who served the church in four categories in lay preaching, Lay Bible instruction, Sabbath School leadership and community service leaders, received a special medal as a token of appreciation for the arduous work they do in teaching the gospel.
Among those awarded were:
Awarded in Lay Preaching for 5-9 years: Kenisha McKenzie of Belize Union of Churches; Leon Sanassie of Caribbean Union, Isaac Collie of West Indies Union; Clodine Florent of French Antilles Guiana Union; Arturo Moran of Central Mexican Union; Damarys Suarez O. of Cuba Union; Ismael Martinez of Dominican Union; Rosendo Rojas M. of East Venezuela Union; Byron Ivan Diaz of Guatemala Union; Eleuterio b. Garcia of the Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union; Evelio Calix of the Mid Central American Union; Norbey Quinceno of North Colombia; David Torres of North Mexico; David Chavez O. of South Central American Union; Santos Urrutia of the South Colombia Union; Alejandro Tamay of South Mexico; and Fanny Ochoa of Venezuela Antilles Union.
Awarded in Lay Bible Instruction for 5-9 years: Rommel Toussaint of Caribbean Union; Faudel Mesmamou of West Indies Union; Marie Line Cesar of French Antilles Guiana Union; Alejandro Ovalle of Central Mexican Union; Raul Romero A. of Cuba Union; Odalys Rodriguez of Dominican Union; Hermes Pastrana of East Venezuela; Lesbia Bereganza of Guatemala Union; Zenaido Garcia S. of Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union; Antonio Acevedo of Mid Central American Union; Luis D. Suarez of North Colombia; Ricardo Saturno of North Mexican Union; Hector Sanchez of Puerto Rican Union; Arthur Plummer of South Central American Union; Beatriz Marulanda of South Colombian Union; Oscar Artemio Garcia of South Mexican Union; Roel Ignacio of Venezuelan Antilles Union.
Awarded in Sabbath School Leadership for 5-9 years: Clara Heskey of Caribbean Union; Patricia Cleare of West Indies Union; Elvia Arce Ortiz of Central Mexican Union; Lidia Defaus M. of Cuba Union; Nelly Cordero of Dominican Union; Roberto Marcano of East Venezuela Union; Humberto Sanchez of Guatemala Union; Victor V. Joaquin of Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union; Francis J. Alfaro of Mid-Central American Union; Saul Jay of North Colombia Union; Miguel Vargas of North Mexican Union; Marisol de Blake of South Central American Union; Nohora I. Parrado of South Colombia Union; Gustavo J. Rodas of South Mexican Union; and Harol Arrieta of Venezuela Antilles Union.
Awarded in Community Service for 5-9 years: Almartha Thomas of West Indies Union; Simone Mormin of French Antilles Guiana Union; Clemencia Soto of Central Mexican Union; Loida Savon of Cuba Union; Santos Alcantara of Dominican Union; Isaul Lugo of East Venezuela Union; Pablo A. Lopez of Guatemala Union; Gloria Dominguez of Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union; Ana Mugia of Mid Central American Union; Isabel Archbold of North Colombia; Macario Vergara of North Mexican Union
Day Two of Inter-America’s Festival of the Laity also included spiritual messages, dozens of seminars, progress reports of the work of laypeople and cultural presentations from several church unions.
To download seminars and presentations held during the Festival of the Laity, visit http://www.panama2010.interamerica.org/
Inter-America’s Festival of the Laity will continue through Saturday, Mar. 13. To watch daily programs of the event, click here
Schedule of online events:
Daily devotionals and general assembly, Mar. 10-12, at 8:00 a.m. Panama Time or Eastern Standard Time.
Evening spiritual messages, general assembly and cultural presentations begin at 7:00 p.m. EST
To view daily photo gallery, visit www.flickr.com/photos/interamerica
