"I pray that all guests may find welcome here and are well received by this Church," said Pastor Jan Paulsen, president of the Seventh-day Adventist world church, in opening a new visitor's center at the world headquarters.
“I pray that all guests may find welcome here and are well received by this Church,” said Pastor Jan Paulsen, president of the Seventh-day Adventist world church, in opening a new visitor’s center at the world headquarters Sunday, Oct. 12.
The opening ceremony, which occurred during annual business meetings of church leaders, was witnessed by many of the hundreds of delegates and invited guests who attended the annual sessions.
Added Pastor Ted N.C. Wilson, a general vice president of the church, “We want this visitor’s center to be a special place where people understand what the Seventh-day Adventist Church is and who Adventists are.”
Wilson said the displays at the center—which is also used as a production stage for the weekly “Adventist NewsLine” program shown on the Hope Channel and other outlets—will show members they are “part of a world church, a world family.” The center will also be a reception area for protocol visits by dignitaries, leading to dining facilities for such events.
“Including a television recording set in the visitor’s center gives us an opportunity to showcase ‘mission in action’ as programs about the life of our church are recorded for later broadcast. Our visitors will be able to witness firsthand how technology is put to use in the mission of our church,” said Ray Dabrowski, communication director at the church world headquarters.
Reger Smith Jr., an associate director of the church’s communication department, said the center “is a work in progress, a museum of changing exhibits.” He acknowledged the support of Pastors Paulsen and Wilson, as well as of architect Dr. Ed Samuel, an Adventist church member and university professor of architecture, who said “I had a very wonderful client” in the world church, which led to a visitor’s center that is “a progressive place.”
The self-exploring design of the exhibits—a timeline of church history, displays telling stories of church leaders and activities, and interactive computer kiosks—enable visitors to browse at their own pace.
Annually, 7,000 thousand people visit the Seventh-day Adventist Church world headquarters, which is situated near Washington, D.C. Tours of the building are given on business days; information can be found online at
http://www.adventist.org
