Adventist World Session 2000, Toronto Canada

The finale of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's World Session in Toronto on July 8 brought together the largest and most diverse attendance ever, with the SkyDome filled to capacity and overflow halls needed to seat those wishing to view the concluding events.

One estimate suggests that 80,000 Adventists and their families were in Toronto for the high point of the ten-day Session that began on June 29.

For many this was the first chance to see the newly elected leadership for the Adventist Church around the world and to hear re-elected president Jan Paulsen preach on the Session theme "Almost Home."
Paulsen challenged the church not to be sidetracked, but to concentrate on its primary values of mission, spiritual growth and unity.

"It's late in the day, we're almost home, we cannot become reckless and careless," Paulsen said. "God chose us for a mission. We're not just one more sociological phenomenon-rather God leads this church. Just like our Lord, our business is saving people. So, is your congregation able to communicate the atmosphere of warmth and loving acceptance? Size poses a challenge in terms of unity. We are not a fraternity [of different church organizations], we are one."

In his concluding comments, Paulsen affirmed to his own intentions.

"I pledge to do all I can to make this church a place to be at home, a place to support each other-to carry each other if necessary-and to arrange our values and lives accordingly. Let us press together as we move forward to finish the journey."

In a report to the Session by Don Jacobsen president of Adventist World Radio, he announced that the Italian government had given permission for the church to build its largest radio station in Europe in Argenta, Italy.

"After a myriad of committees, sub-committees, panels, hearings-so many that we thought we would never see the end-this past Wednesday we received government approval for the station to be built," says Jacobsen. "This is truly an historic day for Adventist mission, for this station will focus on the 10/40 window, and those who live there will hear the gospel in their own languages, an additional 60 languages to the 55 in which AWR already broadcasts."

The Church's Global Mission (GM) wants to establish 1040 churches in the 10/40 window over the next five years. GM director Mike Ryan called for a special collection to achieve this and to support the 27,000 GM Pioneers (lay volunteers) currently serving worldwide.

"We are partners with Jesus in bringing hope to the hopeless," said Ryan. "I think of Valerie who is crippled and only able to walk with crutches. It took her two and a half hour to walk to the meeting, and the same time to go home. As we left the meeting it was raining, and we gave her a ride home. Her comment to us as we left: 'When we get to heaven you won't recognize me because I won't have these two worn-out old crutches.' That's our mission-giving hope to people with no hope."

The Session concluded with a spectacular "parade of nations," with Adventists marching through the SkyDome with flags representing the 205 countries in which the church is currently operating.

In his final remarks, Jan Paulsen said that he felt "humbled and honored" to serve as president for the next five years.

President Paulsen challenged all to remain focused on the real mission of the church. "Go forth in the light of that vision that means so much to Adventists, remembering we are almost home. Go forward with God, confident our destiny is secure in Jesus Christ."

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