Inter-America: ASI Convention challenges for greater partnership to serve

Inter-America’s 13th annual Adventist-layment’s Services and Industries Convention was held and broadcast through Esperanza TV Costa Rica in San Jose, Costa Rica, Aug. 14-17, 2013. More than 200 Adventist professionals and church leaders gathered to celebrate their passion in sharing Christ through their businesses. Images by Abel Marquez/IAD

August 22, 2013 – San Jose, Costa Rica…Libna Stevens/IAD

Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America and Sabbath speaker at the ASI Convention, encouraged Adventist professionals to continue to  care for others through their businesses and industries.

Seventh-day Adventist professionals from throughout the Inter-American Division territory gathered for the church’s 13th annual Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries (ASI) Convention in San Jose, Costa Rica, Aug. 14-17, 2013. The event brought more than 200 professionals and church leaders to Barcelo San Jose Palacio Hotel to celebrate their passion in sharing Christ through their businesses, network together and renew their Christian passion in fulfilling the mission of the church.

The annual conference, themed “Blessed to Serve”, offered seminars on professional development and business management, exhibitions, prayer and worship sessions.

Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America and keynote speaker during the Sabbath worship on Aug. 17, encouraged ASI members to tighten their muscles as runners to the finish line to fulfill the mission of the church.

“You are the business and industries arm of the church and we need you,” said Pastor Leito. “God is blessing you. You are experienced and gifted in business and I challenge you to continue to be faithful, to reach a higher level as Christians to look out and care for others until Jesus comes.”

Pastor Leito thanked Adventist professionals for their contributions to mission projects throughout the IAD and appealed for their continued support.

Dr. Marston Thomas, re-elected president of ASI Inter-America during the convention for another two-year term, challenged everyone during the convention to partner with ASI.

“Join the army of men and women who have dedicated themselves to help spread the gospel and to help humanity through the work of ASI,” said Dr. Thomas.

Dr. Marston Thomas of Jamaica was re-elected as president of ASI Inter-America for a second two-year term.

ASI leaders granted a special medal of recognition to Marvalee Franklyn, of the Barbados ASI Chapter, for her outstanding leadership in mission projects since 2000. Franklyn and a group of 100 children and young people from the “ASI Mission 2000 and Beyond” participated in a first cross-cultural mission church planting project in Port Limon, Costa Rica, earlier this month.

Part of the special offering collected this year will go towards the evangelistic efforts of Barbados’ ASI Mission 2000 and Beyond, and for the church’s Esperanza TV Costa Rica channel.

ASIers witnessed the official launch of Esperanza TV Costa Rica during a special ceremony on day two of the convention. Esperanza TV Costa Rica is run by the three local church conferences in Costa Rica and a group of lay Adventist professionals and broadcasts 24/7 through some 22 cable companies in the country. Hope Channel and IAD communication leaders congratulated leaders and professionals for their evangelistic efforts in producing local programs and expanding their viewership.

Portions of the convention meetings were transmitted via Esperanza TV Costa Rica.

ASI officers were happy about the decision to hold the convention in Costa Rica.

Marvalee Franklyn of the  of the Barbados ASI Chapter, is awarded  a special ASI medal by Pastor Leon B. Wellington, ASI Inter-America secretary,  for recognition for her outstanding leadership in mission projects since 2000.

“We are pleased to see the growth of conference chapters in Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua,” said Pastor Leon B. Wellington, secretary of ASI Inter-America. “Our purpose is to bring the convention to support the local chapters, help them grow and inspire the international body of ASI to grow in numbers.”

The vision to organize new chapters in the 22 major church regions in IAD territory continues to be in motion. So far there are dozens of local ASI chapters comprised in some 12 major ASI chapters established in the IAD.

Next year’s ASI Inter-America Convention is schedule to be held in Puebla, Mexico, Aug. 13-16, 2014.

Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries is an organization of the 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 on Inter-America’s ASI Convention and information visit asi.interamerica.org

To view a photo gallery of the Inter-America’s 13th ASI Convention, click here