In Puerto Rico, hundreds of communicators challenged to become creative disciples in their communities
Over 350 Adventist communicators from East Puerto Rico and the rest of the island gathered at the Eliezer Melendez Youth Auditorium for the church’s Communication Summit, held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 1-3, 2015. Images by East Puerto Rico Conference
May 6, 2015 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Libna Stevens/IAD
More than 350 communicators from throughout the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Puerto Rico gathered last weekend to broaden their knowledge in communication and technology.
The event was the third annual territory-wide certification program organized by the church in East Puerto Rico to equip communicators with 30 hours of training. Next year the annual event will complete the 120 hours for the certification program, said Pastor David Sebastian, communication director for the church in East Puerto Rico and main organizer.
“Our aim with this program continues to highlight networking among communicators across the island to continue as creative disciples united to present a favorable image of the church sharing the hope that we believe in,” said Sebastian.
“The community is our client and we want to ensure that there is a flow of care, of Christian love to be effective as communicators,” he added.
Brent Hardinge, web manager at the Adventist World Church, holds a seminar on digital communication.
Keynote speaker Brent Hardinge, web manager of the Adventist World Church based in Maryland, United States, challenged communicators to be intentional in everything they speak and type as they communicate digitally.
“We live in an image-rich society so as we communicate the message of the Bible, share its full beauty in a visual way,” said Hardinge. Hardinge encouraged communicators to adopt new technology and that every member has the responsibility of communicating the gospel.
“If you can speak, or write, or type, you’re a communicator,” he said.
Fostering a network of communicators has been an initiative for years where church administrators and leaders have understood its importance, said Pastor Julio Javier, communication director for the church in Puerto Rico.
Javier featured an interactive exercise where communicators intertwined their ideas and initiatives to share the gospel throwing several rolls of yarn that were passed throughout the auditorium. He also spoke on the activities and initiatives the church will be involved as they begin organizing to produce television programs for Hope Channel Inter-America.
Pastor Oreste Natera (center) presents an award to outstanding journalist in Puerto Rico Charito Fraticelli (right) for her positive contribution to society, while Pastor David Sebastian (left) communication director in East Puerto Rico looks on.
Organizers awarded Charito Fraticelli, a nationally recognized outstanding journalist, for her contribution to the country in her many years as a trusted journalist reporting positive issues to benefit society including community initiatives organized by the church.
Pastor Jose Alberto Rodriguez, president of the church in Puerto Rico, thanked Fraticelli, prayed for her, her work and her family.
Pastor Rodriguez delivered the spiritual message on May. 2.
“The gospel has power,” affirmed Rodriguez. “Let God touch your lives, your computers, so you can be instruments of peace.”
Nancy Gonzalez of La Ceiba Adventist Church is among the communicators who came for the third year in a row to get training in the summit. As a professional working in the chamber of commerce, she is passionate about connecting with the community and coordinates events in the community in her church.
Gonzalez organized a star-gazing event in her community and presented the Creation series produced by the Adventist Church. The series featured an astronomer who led the gazing event. She has also organized a health fair with an emergency care emphasis with her church, an event which was carried in the regional newspaper in east Puerto Rico.
“It’s all about focusing our energies as creative disciples to communicate the message of Christ, something that really resonated this weekend and what I’m taking with me,” said Gonzalez, who joined the Adventist Church just three years ago.
Criseida Contreras, a teacher at the Adventist Metropolitan Academy in San Juan, feels the same passion as Gonzalez. She is the communication director at the Sabana Llana Adventist Church nearby and is committed to sharing more of the activities that take place in her church and community.
Pastor Julio Javier, communication director for the church in Puerto Rico, has communicators participate in coming up with creative ways of connecting with the community.
“We have so many tools available and it is important to share the creative ways of sharing the gospel, so that others can be inspired to produce a positive impact in their communities,” said Contreras, who realized the impact sharing news articles of church activities and initiatives can have in the community after attending a news writing seminar.
The summit included training in new media development, blogging, social media, video editing, news writing, graphic arts, media relations, radio broadcasting, organizing creative events, and more.
The event also served as one endorsed by the Society of Adventist Communicators Interamérica, motivating attendees to join the professional network of communicators.
For more information on East Puerto Rico’s Communication Summit, click HERE
To view photos of the event, click HERE