The flag of the Seventh-day Adventist Church now flies from the flagpole of City Hall in Toronto
Toronto mayor Mel Lastman and Adventist leaders, church members and youth celebrated the upcoming Church’s World Session with a flag-raising ceremony on June 26. Eight thousand Adventist pastors are already in the city for the World Ministerial Council, and that number will be swelled by delegates and visitors to reach an expected 60,000 by the Session’s end.
At the ceremony, Church president Jan Paulsen spoke on the importance of flags and symbols in conveying deeper ideas.
“To raise the flag is to raise the values and ideals for which the flag stands,” said Paulsen. “The pomp and ceremony, the respect and colorful traditions that surround such symbols, reflect the appreciation we have for abstract principles of honor, loyalty, justice, truth and right. The flag of any nation is associated with what is valued most–it represents what is aspired to, what is considered of true and lasting value. I salute all that is good and true, and the principles of justice and democracy that are represented here.”
Paulsen then identified the elements of the Adventist flag. “The open Bible at the base of our logo emphasizes the foundation of the Seventh-day Adventist faith—the word of God. The cross at the center points to the source of salvation—the gift of God himself on the cross. The symbolic flames represent the spirit of God and the dynamism of such a spiritual life in Jesus. And the space in the center of the flames is a sphere—planet Earth–symbolizing the mission of the Church to the world.”
“The Seventh-day Adventist Church takes very seriously its commitment to be a relevant and involved part of the community,” Paulsen continued. “That is why we are so active in community health, positive lifestyle seminars, relief and development aid, drug awareness programs, helping the homeless, and many other vital social issues. Such activities, carried on by Adventists around the world, are examples of how actions are more important than words, and that what you believe must make a positive difference to those around you.”
Paulsen concluded with the wish that the Adventist presence in the city will “make a real difference to the life and experience of Torontonians. We truly appreciate the warm welcome of the mayor and the city of Toronto and the privilege of raising this flag to fly through the time of our World Session here. We trust we will be worthy of the values symbolized in our flag—Christian faith, hope and love—and that during our stay here many will come to know us better, and the values to which we are committed.”
