The Seventh-day Adventist Church's Pathfinder Club’s work in Sergipe, Brazil, has received official recognition from the state government with the creation of a new annual commemorative date.

In March 2023, the Legislative Assembly of Sergipe (Alese) approved Bill No. 8/2023 establishing the State Day of Pathfinders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The process was later finalized with the date set for September 20, when it will be observed each year.

Authored by then-congressman Samuel Carvalho, the law acknowledges the social, educational, and formative contributions of the Pathfinder ministry. Pathfinders became an official organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1950 and today operates in more than 190 countries, with approximately 95,000 clubs and an estimated 2 million participants worldwide.

The Pathfinder Club serves children and teenagers ages 10 to 15 and emphasizes holistic development: physical, mental, and spiritual. Activities typically include camping programs, progressive classes, specialty training, community service projects, solidarity campaigns, and support during emergencies and natural disasters.

For Zaqueu Sousa, director of the Pathfinder ministry in Sergipe, the establishment of the date represents both recognition and motivation.

“This official recognition values the work that has been developed for decades by Pathfinder clubs in Sergipe,” Sousa said. “It reinforces the importance of our mission in the formation of children and adolescents and motivates us to continue preparing a generation committed to God, the Church, and society.”

Ministry growth in Sergipe

In Sergipe, the first official Pathfinder club, Capitão Atalino Cerqueira, linked to the central Seventh-day Adventist Church in Aracaju, was inaugurated in 1975. Since then, the ministry has expanded, with dozens of clubs now operating in different regions of the state.

Over the years, Pathfinder groups in Sergipe have participated in social projects, fundraising and relief campaigns, environmental initiatives, and activities aimed at strengthening values such as discipline, respect, citizenship, leadership, and service.

With the enactment of the law, Sousa said, the State Day of Pathfinders becomes part of Sergipe’s official calendar, recognizing a ministry that supports youth development and community engagement throughout the state.

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