A new Seventh-day Adventist Church building was dedicated late May in the Croatian city of Lipik, which sustained extensive damage during the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s. The newly erected church building stands as an “example of how the destroyed city of Lipik should be rebuilt—working together in spite of differences,” said Josip Horvat, mayor of the city, who spoke at the dedication service. 

“I see this church building as a common good for the whole community,” said Josip First, a representative of the Catholic Bishop.

The building was funded by local and international donations, as well as financial support from city authorities.  “A lot of volunteers, even other Protestant church members, worked on the building,” says Stanisa Margaric, the church’s pastor.  This spirit of cooperation is an example of how the ruins of Lipik can be restored, adds Margaric. He says local Baptist members let Adventists use their church hall during the building period, demonstrating how “spirituality and Christianity can gather people even in areas destroyed by war and hate.”

Bertil Wiklander, president of the Adventist Church in the Trans-European region, which includes Croatia, led out in the dedication service for the new church.