Creating an awareness that community service is “a way of life”—or should be one for Seventh-day Adventists—is a current goal for church leadership. Traditionally, Adventists have scored low in community involvement.

A 2002 worldwide survey sounded a wake-up call for the church. It revealed Adventists aren’t as active as they should be in witnessing and relating to their communities. Fewer than 30 percent of Adventists surveyed said they are actively involved in community service.

Since the survey was taken, a task force has been established to deal with this area of concern. A committee at the church’s world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, is tasked with finding ways of making church members aware of the problem, and presenting solutions.

“On this committee we’re hoping to create an awareness so it sends out a message, a signal, worldwide that we need to be more connected with our communities, we need to be more involved,” says John Banks, committee member.

“That’s the important thing—to get Adventists to understand that community service is a way of life.”

Committee members say some ways to become more involved in the community range from volunteer firefighting to sitting on the local council to volunteering at the local library.

A conference on Adventists in the community will be held in the fall of 2004 in conjunction with the church’s annual council meetings.