It’s Almost Time for Camp Meeting 2023!

Many are looking forward to renewing friendships and enjoying the privilege of worshipping together since the last in-person camp meeting in 2019.

Camp meeting will again feature worship services reflecting the diversity of Ontario members.  Some of the old favourites such as the Parade of Nations will again feature in Hall 5. What will be new is its format. Organisers have taken steps to celebrate the diversity of God’s creation while eliminating competition between nations.

Compassion and Blood Donation
Meanwhile, the popular marketplace of compassion ministries will again feature in the Youth and Young Adults section.  Among these will be Canadian Blood Service. Located in Room 510, in the connector, nurses will happily receive as many people as possible who would like to help save someone’s life by donating blood.

Friday Evening Worship in Hall 3 with Pastor Ian Sweeney
Camp Meeting 2023 will be bookended by Ontario’s 35th Constituency Meeting.  On Friday and Sunday, close to 800 delegates will meet to conduct the business of the church in Ontario.  However, on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m., there will be a worship service to which everyone may attend.  Pastor Ian Sweeney, scheduled to preach on Sabbath morning, will present the message on Friday evening.  Anyone planning on attending should enter through the Hall 3 entrance.  Hall 3 is best accessed from the conference centre entrance off Airport Road.

Limited access from Hall 5 to Hall 3
For the first time in nearly 18 years, there will be limited direct access between Hall 5 and Hall 3, where the youth and young adults worship will be.  Those intending to worship in Hall 3 may find it far more convenient to use the conference centre entrance on Airport Road to go directly to the Hall 3 entrance.  Entering from the connector will mean first going through Hall 4.

Early Morning Prayer Service
An early morning prayer service will be held in Hall 5 from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. for those who would like to spend time in prayer and praise prior to the start of Sabbath School at 9:15.
Over the years, attendance to this service has been steadily growing as more people are discovering the joy they experience in prayer and praise.  The trend is set to continue in 2023.

For more information about camp meeting, including sign language availability, visit www.adventistontario.org.

Let's Believe in God!

We don’t like saying, “I was wrong” or “I am wrong”.  It’s almost as if admitting a mistake or, worst yet, a wrong behaviour, we have lost something of ourselves.  When faced with acknowledging our wrong action, we quickly resort to childhood when a parent had to insist that we apologise to the other child.   Without a parent, we strongly resist—sometimes to the detriment of relationships.

Admitting that I am wrong is liberating because it paves the way for healing fractured relationships. It is often met by three other words, “I forgive you”. Acknowledging my wrong behaviour also provides me with the freedom to grow, learn from mistakes and from taking ill-advised actions.

Even so, we don’t like to admit anything revealing that we are not as good as we think. Worst yet, we don’t want others to think less of us, especially when we know our ideas are the best ones. When faced with a challenge, our way or, better yet, my way is the best.

Thinking of ourselves as having the best ideas or understanding of a situation can lead us to areas where we don’t even realise that we no longer believe God exists.  It could be a slippery slope into “practical atheism” where, while we profess or even preach about the reality of God and His power, we deny it by how we live.  Outside of engaging in spiritual activities such as family or personal devotions, we exclude God from our thinking and behaviour.  I am only a believer during worship or on Sabbath.

I have had to question my own attitude and behaviour—even in matters of spirituality and in local church leadership whether or not I was acting as a believer or as an atheist.  Early in my pastoral ministry, when at a board meeting some members allowed their personal feelings to govern them, I had to stop the meeting and question if we believed in God.  I included myself in the question because we were operating as if we were not believers.  Our attitudes and behaviour were oblivious to the leading of God.  Sure, we began with a devotional but having done so, we operated like those who did not know God and made no reference to Him.  It was all about our personal interests and our ambition.

Sadly, I sometimes hear of similar situations where God’s people pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit and then turn to their own agendas.  Once the spiritual formality is out of the way, we ignore Him and we behave like unbelievers towards spiritual matters.

Do we ever stop to ask ourselves if we really believe in God?

It’s a question we must constantly ask ourselves because it will help us to be aware of how we must live as God’s children.

Halsey Peat, director
Communications

In Memoriam: George Ralph Thompson Passes Away at the Age of 94

Reflecting on Pastor Thompson, Ted Wilson, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, shared his admiration for the late church administrator. "Pastor Thompson was a mentor and wonderful friend for many years. I had the privilege of working with him when I was a division secretary and as an associate secretary with him at the General Conference. He had a great, positive belief in the Seventh-day Adventist message," Wilson stated.

Born on March 20, 1929, in Connell Town, Saint Lucy, Barbados, George Ralph Thompson was the son of George Gilbert and Edna Thompson. He dedicated his life to the ministry and was ordained as a Seventh-day Adventist pastor in 1959. Pastor Thompson's commitment to his faith was unwavering, and his impact on the lives of those he served was profound.

Pastor Thompson held various significant roles in the Seventh-day Adventist Church throughout his career. He began his journey as an evangelist in the South Caribbean Conference in Trinidad and Tobago from 1950 to 1953. Following this, he served as a teacher, church pastor, and chairman of the Department of Theology at Caribbean Union College in South Caribbean Conference from 1953 to 1954 and from 1959 to 1964. His passion for ministry and leadership skills led him to become the President of the East Caribbean Conference in Barbados from 1964 to 1970, followed by his tenure as the President of the Caribbean Union Conference in Trinidad and Tobago from 1970 to 1975.

During the 1975 General Conference Session in Vienna, Austria, Pastor Thompson’s passion for ministry and leadership skills led to a nomination and election as Vice President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Washington D.C., United States. He served in this role until 1980, when he transitioned to Executive Secretary, one of the three administrative positions in the General Conference. He remained in this position serving the church for four terms, making him the longest-serving person to hold this position in Adventist Church history.

Erton Köhler, current General Conference Executive Secretary, shared, "Pastor Thompson was an example of faith and leadership. His tenure as General Conference Secretary, the longest in Adventist Church history, underscored his unyielding dedication to our mission. He was a deeply spiritual leader who shaped our Church's trajectory. Pr Thompson was a mentor to so many around the world that I am certain his example will continue to inspire future generations of Adventist leadership."

Even after his retirement, Pastor Thompson made valuable contributions as a Field Representative for the Ellen G. White Estate, further exemplifying his lifelong commitment to the Adventist Church.

Pastor Thompson's commitment to his faith was matched only by his devotion to his family. He married Imogene Clotilde Barker on July 19, 1959, and together they raised three children: Carol Jean, Gerald Randolph, and Linda Mae.

Pastor Thompson exemplified love, kindness, and selflessness in his professional life. His powerful sermons, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the Seventh-day Adventist message have left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of those who had the privilege of knowing him and on the church to which he dedicated his professional life. He was also a dedicated father and husband to his wife Imogene and three children who can find solace in knowing they will meet him again in eternity.

In the words of Ted Wilson, "We extend to the entire Thompson family our heartfelt sympathy and Christian love. Certainly, the Holy Spirit will come close to them at this time, bringing encouragement and hope for Christ's soon return."