Inter-America Celebrates ‘Creation Sabbath’ with Special Online Program

October 27, 2020 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

Creation was the main focus on Sabbath, Oct. 24, 2020 as the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America transmitted a special online worship service across the vast church membership. The special program, designated as “Creation Sabbath” held on the fourth Saturday in October around the world church, represented the first online worship service organized by the Inter-American Division to highlight the works of creation and the plan of salvation as outlined in the Bible, top church leaders said.

“We as Seventh-day Adventists believe that God is the Creator of all life and that the Bible gives us a reliable account of His creative activity, and that is why we are together to take time to worship, study, and look at what God has done,” said Pastor Elie Henry, president of the church in Inter-America at the start of the online program.

It was an important time to bring about a united focus on creation throughout the more than 23,000 churches and congregations in the territory that for months now are mostly relying on online services due to the coronavirus pandemic, explained Pastor Henry. “We have the urgent message of the Three Angels Message to proclaim and studying about the Creator is crucial for every member to be in readiness for His Second Coming.”

The two-hour service featured presentations and messages by experts at the church’s Geoscience Research Institute (GRI), world church leaders as well as videos, music and available resources for members to engage in and share in their communities.

During his weekly Sabbath address, Adventist World Church President Pastor Ted N.C. Wilson encouraged members to be lights in the world. He motivated leaders and members to learn more about creation. “In order to fully understand the Creator, it is important to be out in nature where we can observe and appreciate His creation,” said Pastor Wilson.

Dr. Ronny Nalin, director of the Geoscience Research Institute, delivered the sermon message.

“From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible reveals to us bad news and good news. The bad news is that we live in the midst of a terrible conflict and the good news that God has won this conflict,” said Nalin. “Every human being benefits from this good framework that God established and in spite of the millennial of evil we will move in this framework that the Lord gave to us.”

He pointed to the fact that part of ravaging disasters like floods, pandemics, earthquakes, and hurricanes may seem to be beyond control. “We must realize how in modern times humanity has reached a point where we are actively aggravating and intensifying the growth of creation through our lifestyle and behavior. What is our message and responsibility as we live in these different times of trouble and corruption of God’s creation?” said Nalin.

The church must have a message of restoration.

Dr. Nalin challenged leaders and members to find practical ways to be bearers of the message of restoration, force at work for goodness, instruments of healing in a broken world, and proclaiming the coming of the victorious Savior.

The Creation Sabbath program marked the first time that a special online worship service from the IAD Headquarters and one that had a large impact throughout the territory, said Dr. Marcos Terreros, academic vice president of the Inter-American Theological Seminary and the IAD representative in the Geoscience Research Institute Board. Although the special day has been celebrated across local churches in the IAD territory since it was established around the world more than 10 years ago, top church leaders wanted ensure the church to join together in worship.

Major church regions in Inter-America linked the online program to their online worship services on Oct. 24, from Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean to Colombia and Venezuela.

In the Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union, the program was shared in the morning worship service as well as in the afternoon through their Facebook page to its more than 203,000 church members. In Venezuela, the church carried the live program through their websites and the 28 church operated radio stations across the country. In the same way, Central and Southeast Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Panama, and Colombia carried the program through their YouTube and Facebook accounts.

“Creation Sabbath is about motivating church leaders and members to celebrate and focus on God’s power and grace as Creator and Redeemer and share bible truths to everyone in their communities,” said Terreros.

Plans are for a special celebration on Creation Sabbath from the IAD Headquarters on Oct. 23, 2021.

To find resources for your church or community for Creation Sabbath and other related activities, visit grisda.org