East Venezuela Union Finally Has Its Own Building After 18 Years

June 14, 2023 | Caracas, Venezuela | Steven’s Rosado and Inter-American Division News

Five years after the Seventh-day Adventist Church was officially organized as the East Venezuela Union, one of two major church regions in Venezuela, a newly built headquarter office in Montalban, Caracas, was inaugurated during a special ceremony on May 27, 2023.

The two-story building has 13 offices, a conference room, a 110-seater auditorium, a reception area, kitchen, and a studio for Hope Media Venezuela.

“I was afraid when in 2003, while I was the executive secretary at the then Venezuelan Antilles Union, Pastor Julio Palacios, who was the president at that time, presented the idea of dividing the union into two major territories,” said Pastor Josney Rodriguez, ministerial association secretary of the Inter-American Division (IAD), during the ceremony. He recounted the moment it became official to divide the two unions and organize the East Venezuela Experimental Union in 2005.

There were only three missions and one conference at the time which meant a big challenge, recounted Rodríguez. “That’s how the church headquarters was organized, without an office, resources, and equipment, but we had dedicated men and women full of faith,” added Rodríguez, who served as president of the East Venezuela Union from 2003 to 2021.

“We had a philosophy that it was important that people see us taking care of the church and not constructing a building,” said Rodríguez. But the story of the growth of the church in the region, which covers the capital city of Caracas, is full of miracles, he said. “God guided and sustained us and today after 18 years we can see the inauguration of this new headquarters,” Rodríguez.

Pastor Elie Henry, president of the IAD, via video conference congratulated church leaders and members for their dedication to the mission in expanding the work of the gospel in the territory and for completing the new church headquarters.  “Always remain in communion with God and steadfast in prayer during each spiritual meeting and the start of each workday,” said Pastor Henry.

Pastor Jorge Atalido, who served as president of the East Venezuela Union and recently announced his retirement, recounted the many places the union staff had to move to keep running operations. For a few months in 2005, the office staff worked in the Central Venezuela Conference, then it moved to an office building from 2006 to 2007, to later move to Maracay in the state of Aragua from 2008 to 2019, according to Atalido.

“In 2020, the union personnel returned to Caracas, but finally in 2023, after seven years of great efforts and sacrifice and through the purchase of a property in 2016, we are here enjoying this inauguration of the new headquarters here in Montalban, Caracas,” said Atalido.

Church leaders form the union and the five conferences, and three missions honored Pastor Atalido and his wife Zoila for his more than 40 years of service in the church in Venezuela during a special segment.

Church leaders were briefed on the total member involvement across the territory so far this year, with over 16,000 church members engaged in evangelistic ministries, reported Pastor Ney Devis, personal ministries, and evangelism director for the East Venezuela Union. “Our church members are conducting nearly 30,000 bible studies today and more than 5,000 have made the decision to get baptized so far,” Devis said.

There are over 180,600 Seventh-day Adventists worshipping in 791 churches and congregations in the East Venezuela Union. The church operates 13 primary and secondary schools, a health and wellness center, 15 radio stations and a media production center.  The union also oversees the Venezuela Adventist University located in Nirgua, in collaboration with the West Venezuela Union.