August 6, 2012 – Miami, Florida, United States…Libna Stevens/IAD
Inter-America’s 12th Annual Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries (ASI) Convention this year is expected to draw nearly 200 Adventist professionals and church leaders at Hotel Soleil in Antigua, Guatemala, August 15-18, 2012.
The four-day event promises to inspire ASI chapter members to focus on spreading the gospel through project initiatives in the community through their business market ministries, planners say.
This year the convention has been themed after the third phase of revival and reformation initiative promoted throughout Inter-America: “That the World May Know”-an initiative which hits at the heart of ASI and its purpose, says Dr. Marston Thomas, president of ASI Inter-America.
“ASI from its inception has always been about sharing Christ in the market place and we have always partnered with the established church in spreading the gospel,” says Thomas. “Our aim is to motivate ASI-ers at this convention to go back to their world and let them know.”
Participants at this year’s convention will gather to network, sit in on professional development and business management seminars, strengthen on-going projects and new projects to benefit the community, and more.
According to Dr. Thomas, this year’s convention will be unique because it will focus on prayer and testimonial sessions. “We will get to pray extensively for our members and hear from them how God has blessed their business and profession over the year,” says Thomas.
In addition, the convention will feature an extended session on project management which will contribute to continuing education credits, adds Thomas.
Dr. Robert Folkenberg of Share Him Ministries, Dr. Bertram L. Melbourne of the Howard University School of Divinity in Washington D.C. and additional speakers from Guatemala’s Chamber of Commerce will be featured during the convention.
Thomas, who has led ASI -Inter-America as president since last year, says the organization’s vision is to see ASI chapters in all 22 unions in Inter-America.
So far, some 50 percent, or 11 unions in Inter-America, have organized ASI chapters, explains Pastor Leon B. Wellington, vice president for the church in Inter-America and ASI Inter-America secretary since it was organized 13 years ago.
“We hope others will be inspired to start chapters in their own fields, and as they listen to the stories of other chapters in our Marketplace Ministries, they will get ideas of how they may impact their communities through service,” Wellington says.
The convention’s opening program will take place Wednesday, August 15, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. Guatemala Time.
Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries, known as ASI, is an organization of Seventh-day Adventist lay people involved in professions, industry, education, and/or services and exists to challenge, nurture, and provide experience in sharing Christ in the marketplace as well as supporting the global mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
For more information on ASI Inter-America, visit http://asi.interamerica.org/
For updates on this year’s ASI Inter-America Annual Convention, visit us at www.interamerica.org
