South American Division

Adventist University Center of São Paulo Marks 110 Years with Novo Tempo Celebration

More than 3,000 people joined a music-filled event honoring the legacy of Adventist education and worship in Brazil.

September 19, 2025

Brazil

Gabriela Frontini, South American Division, and ANN

Singers hold recognition plaques received during the event.

Photo: Disclosure

In celebration of its 110-year history, the Adventist University Center of São Paulo (UNASP), hosted members of the Novo Tempo Recording Company for a music-filled gathering on September 11, 2025. More than 3,000 people attended the two sessions that highlighted the legacy of Adventist music and education.

Novo Tempo, the Portuguese record label responsible for producing and distributing media for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South America, is known for its Adoradores (Worshipers) series, now in its fifth season.

During the program, artists performed some of the most notable songs from the project, including Teu Santo Nome (Your Holy Name), Verei Jesus (I'll See Jesus), and Meu Pastor (My Shepherd).

Singer Weslley Fonseca shared how the initiative shaped his faith.

“I had the experience of Adoradores singing at my church, leading praise—the very thing Adoradores is designed to do,” he said.

Recognition for Musical Legacy

During the event, Novo Tempo received a tribute from One RPM Gospel. Three plaques were awarded for digital platform achievements through the Adoradores and Novo Tempo in Concert projects. Artists who contributed since the first edition were recognized for leaving a legacy that has inspired generations.

Professor Wanderson Paiva, head of UNASP's 110th anniversary committee, highlighted the institution’s central role in the history of Adventist music in Brazil.

"For at least 60 years, everything related to Adventist Church music originated on this campus. The first choirs, the first groups, the first recordings—everything happened here. It's a great joy for us to be able to celebrate where it all began," he explained.

Representatives of UNASP hold a commemorative plaque presented by the Novo Tempo Recording Company in recognition of the institution's great contribution to Adventist music. Photo: Disclosure

Cândido Gomes, Youth Ministries director for the state of São Paulo, shared a devotional message, underscoring the power of music as a means of hope. “Perhaps your praise is the only hope for someone to know about God and learn to dream of heaven,” he said.

The program was also recorded and will be released digitally by Novo Tempo.

Historical Legacy

The farm was located 23 km from the center of São Paulo. Photo: UNASP

UNASP traces its origins to 1915, when Pantaleão and Benedita Teisen sold a 58-acre property in Capão Redondo to establish the College of the Brazilian Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. In 1942, it became the Brazilian Adventist College (CAB), later renamed the Adventist Teaching Institute (IAE) in 1963.

The characteristic gate in the 1950s: entrance to the world of knowledge. Photo: UNASP

In 1983, the Lagoa Bonita farm in Engenheiro Coelho was acquired for a new campus. By 1999, the institution officially became the São Paulo Adventist University Center (UNASP), expanding to multiple campuses. In 2018, it integrated the São Paulo Adventist Institute (IASP) in Hortolândia into its system, further strengthening its reach.

Aerial view of the São Paulo campus. Photo: UNASP

Today, UNASP serves more than 24,000 students, offering over 90 undergraduate and 30 postgraduate programs, including four master’s degrees and one doctoral program.

The original article was published on the South American Division Portuguese news site.