North Pará Conference Headquarters Facade in 2019

North Pará Conference headquarters facade in 2019. Photo courtesy of North Pará Conference Archives.

North Pará Conference

DANIEL OSCAR PLENC, JOSAFÁ OLIVEIRA, AND LUCAS VÍTOR ALVES RODRIGUES SENA

Daniel Oscar Plenc, Th.D. (River Plate Adventist University, Entre Ríos, Argentina), currently works as a theology professor and director of the White Research Center at the River Plate Adventist University. He worked as a district pastor for twelve years. He is married to Lissie Ziegler and has three children.

Josafá Oliveira

Lucas Vítor Alves Rodrigues Sena

The North Pará Conference (Associação Norte do Pará or ANPa) is an administrative unit of the Seventh-day Adventist Church located in the territory of the North Brazil Union Mission (União Norte Brasileira or UNB). ANPa is headquartered at Highway BR-316, km 11, no. 3528, at Zip Code 67200-000 in the São João neighborhood in the city of Marituba in the state of Pará, Brazil. The North Pará Conference serves a total of 34,677 Adventists who are distributed in 41 pastoral districts, nine sub- districts, and 241 congregations. With an estimated population of 2,868,841 people in the covered region, the average is one Adventist per 82 inhabitants. The ANPa manages six school units of the Adventist Educational Network with a total of 2,695 students. The schools located in the city of Belém are: Grão Pará Adventist Academy (Instituto Adventista Grão-Pará or IAGP) with 1,262 students; Japanese Adventist Academy (Centro Nipônico Adventista) with 375 students; Pedreira Adventist Academy (Escola Adventista da Pedreira) with 270 students; São Brás Altamir de Paiva Adventist Academy (Escola Adventista de São Brás Altamir de Paiva) with 261 students. In the city of Tomé-Açu there is Tomé-Açu Adventist Academy (Escola Adventista de Tomé-Açu ) with 290 students, and in the city of Castanhal, Castanhal Adventist Academy (Escola Adventista de Castanhal) with 237 students. The Amazônia Adventist College (Faculdade Adventista da Amazônia or FAAMA) also operates in this missionary field and is located at Augusto Meira Filho highway, km 1 in the Paricatuba neighborhood in the city of Benevides. FAAMA offers courses in Pedagogy and Theology and is the headquarters of the Latin-American Adventist Theological Seminary (Seminário Adventista Latino-Americano de Teologia or SALT) for the northern region of Brazil.1 Regarding communication, in the ANPa territory there is a Hope Channel Brazil Radio station (Rádio Novo Tempo) in the city of Belém at the 1080 AM frequency. Belém Hope Channel Brazil Radio has a potential reach of about 2,845,258 people distributed in the cities of Abaetetuba, Ananindeua, Benevides, Marituba, Barcarena, Castanhal, Curuçá, Aurora do Pará, Cametá, São Miguel do Guamá, Moju, São Sebastião da Boa Vista, Santa Izabel do Pará, and Salvaterra. Also, Hope Channel Brazil (TV Novo Tempo) is openly broadcast in Belém through channel 54.1 and has a potential reach of 1,485,732 people both in the capital and in the metropolitan region.2 In the area of health care, there is the Belém Adventist Hospital Hospital Adventista de Belém (HAB) in the territory of ANPa, and it is located at 1758 Almirante Barroso Avenue in the Marco neighborhood in the city of Belém, and it operates under the administration of the North Brazil Union Mission (UNB). The institution has a Surgical Center, Rehabilitation Center, Clinical Analysis Laboratory, Emergency Room, Diagnostic Imaging Center, Child Treatment Center, and Intensive Care Center. Currently, HAB has 1,600 employees and is considered one of the most respected hospitals in the region.3 To achieve its missionary goals, North Pará Conference has 133 workers who perform necessary administrative and ecclesiastical activities. Of these, 62 are considered employees, 38 are credentialed workers, and 33 are licensed workers. In addition, there are 51 pastors (37 are credentialed/ordained and are 14 licensed), and there are also five credentialed missionaries.4 The Origin of the Work in the Conference Territory Adventism arrived in the state of Pará in August 1914 when the Rohde brothers left the city of Salvador, Bahia, for Belém intending to work in the state of Pará.5 Along with Max Rohde, who was one of the brothers, there were canvassers6 Pedro Rodrigues and Napoleão Germano de Azevedo.7 In 1916, the SAD heard about the preaching of the Adventist message in the northern part of the country through these evangelists. Two years later, the SAD was informed that there was a group reading Adventist literature in Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas. This group was interested in learning more about the SDA Church.8 In 1919, North Brazil Union Mission (UNB, presently the Southeast Brazil Union Conference [União Sudeste Brasileira or USeB]) was created. At that time, the UNB covered a territorial range that went from São Paulo, advanced through the center of the country, and reached the entire northern region of Brazil.9 Due to this great territorial expanse, in the following year (1920), the SAD president and secretary at the time, pastors Oliver Montgomery and W. H. Williams respectively, traveled by ship from the Andes in Peru to Manaus in order to evaluate the possibility of establishing an SDA administrative unit in the northern area of the country.10 In 1921, the North Brazil Union Mission had its status changed to East Brazil Union Conference (União Sudeste Brasileira or UEB). In August 1922, W. E. Murray, who was then the leader of the Education and Youth Missionary Volunteer departments of South Brazil Union Conference (presently the Central Brazil Union Conference), appealed for Ingathering11 resources to be used to preach the Gospel. The appeal indicated the urgency to meet these needs because, through these offerings, it was believed that it would be possible to evangelize several cities including Manaus and Belém.12 However, the dream to establish an Adventist mission in the Amazon only came true in 1927 after the arrival of John L. Brown and canvassers André Gedrath (1875-1963), and Hans Mayr (1905-2004) in Belém. 13 Hans Mayr, André Gedrath, and John Brown left the city of Rio de Janeiro for the capital of Pará, and they arrived there on May 29, 1927. They immediately began missionary work in that city. In addition to Belém, they also preached the Gospel in Fortaleza in the state of Ceará; São Luís in Maranhão; and Manaus in Amazonas. They also visited cities in the countryside of Amazonas including Maués, where John Brown began to present Adventist literature and its principles of life to local civil authorities. Longing to advance to the western territory of Brazil, the canvassers built the first missionary vessels in the region in order to work with the riverside community.14 Mayr’s vessel was called “Ulm an der Donau” (“on the Danube banks” in German) in honor of the river and of the name of his hometown, Ulm, in southern Germany. However, Gedrath’s launch did not work and was replaced by the “Mensageiro” [“Messenger”] launch that was built by Leo B. Halliwell. During that period, their evangelism strategy consisted of distributing Adventist Church publications through personal contacts and Bible studies. After Bible studies were completed, the first baptisms were performed. This was followed by Sabbath Schools and small groups that were organized in places like São Luís in the state of Maranhão; Maués in Amazonas; and Belém in Pará. In Maués, the Centennary (Centenário) farm that was owned by José Batista Michiles’ family was the actual birthplace of Adventism in the state of Amazonas.15 The Conference Organizational History Still in 1927, the UEB leadership approved the creation of Lower Amazon Mission (Missão Brazil Adventista or MBA) that was headquartered in Belém with John Brown as its first president. The Mission was established at 784 Arcipreste Manoel Teodoro Stree in downtown Belém. The MBA was created to establish an Adventist presence in the states of Pará, Amazonas, Ceará, Maranhão, Piauí, Amapá, Acre, Rondônia, and Roraima. This entire territory of continental dimensions, with a total area of 4,273,689 km2, had only one organized church with 18 members.16 Today, this region is served by threeunions: North Brazil Union Mission (União Norte Brasileira or UNB), Northwest Brazil Union Mission (União Noroeste Brasileira or UNoB), and Northeast Brazil Union Mission (União Nordeste Brasileira or UNeB).17 Pastor John L. Brown was the president of MBA from May 1927 to June 1928 when he had to leave for health reasons. Leo Blair Halliwell (1891-1967) and his wife Jessie (1894-1962) arrived at Lower Amazon Mission in 1929 with their children Jack and Marian.18 Halliwell, who was from Nebraska, United States, was an electrical engineer and had served as president of Bahia-Sergipe Mission (presently the Bahia Conference) since 1921. The following year (1930), he received a donation of US$ 5.4 million from the Missionary Volunteer Society19 of the United States to build the “Luzeiro” [“Light Bearer”] medical missionary launch20 that was inaugurated on July 4, 1931.21 Light Bearer I remained active for 67 years, from 1931 to 1998, and is currently on display at the FAAMA Museum.22 On December 8, 1936, during a council of the SAD, the delegates present decided to reorganize the missionary field of the East Brazil Union Conference, separating from it the territory of the new North Brazil Union Mission, and they elected Leo Halliwell as its president.23 In 1937, when the Union was organized and the territory was divided, the MBA was assigned the states of Pará, Amazonas, and the territory of Acre, and the newly founded North Coast Mission (Missão Costa Norte or MCN, presently the Ceará Conference) received the missionary territory of the states of Maranhão, Piauí, and Ceará.24 Besides being the president of UNB and leading the MBA, Halliwell continued the missionary work he had started. He performed baptisms, organized congregations, and primary schools in addition to carrying out evangelism campaigns in Manaus, Belém, and other cities in the Union. From 1931 to 1954, Leo and Jessie worked six months each year on the launches Light Bearer I and II, serving people affected by malaria, worms, ulcers, intestinal infections, and dental problems among other conditions. During that same period, they performed educational, assistance, and evangelistic tasks.25 In 1938, due to the size of the territory being administered, the North Brazil Union Mission proposed to the SAD the creation of a Mission in Amazonas with its headquarters in Manaus, “having as its territory the entire state of Amazonas, starting from Itacoatiara, and bordering the Madeira River on one side, and the Negro River on the other, as well as the entire territory of Acre.” At the time, the state of Amazonas comprised its present territory plus the states of Rondônia and Roraima, which were separated later. After some deliberation, in 1940, Central Amazon Mission (Missão Central da Amazônia or MCA, presently the Central Amazon Conference) was established.26 While this was happening, the Light Bearer’s work continued. Until 1940, the Launch travelled a total of 200,000 km on the Manaus-Belém route.27 The first congregations of Lower Amazon Mission were established in Belém, Pará; in São Luís in the state of Maranhão; and in Maués in Amazonas. The first churches in the city of Belém were: Belém Central Church,28 São Brás, Pedreira, Correios, Telégrafo, and Jurunas. In 1940, Pastor Gustavo Storch was sent to serve as a worker at the UNB. As soon as he arrived in Belém, he held a series of meetings in Pinheiro in the suburb of the capital of Pará. 29 Two years later, he held a series of meetings at Rex Cinema in the neighborhood of Pedreira, also in Belém. As a result, a church was organized in that locality. The following year, after the visit of Leo Halliwell and Bruno W. Steinweg, another church was founded, this one in Cumaré in Pará.30 In 1942, Adventist physician Antônio Miranda moved from São Paulo to Belém. Upon arriving in the capital of Pará, he established the Belém Clinic (Clínica Bom Samaritano). Three years later, however, Pastor W. E. Nelson, a representative of the General Conference, classified the clinic's facilities as inadequate “for the work they were proposing to do” and encouraged the Union leadership to find new land. From 1943 to 1944, H. M. Walton, also from the General Conference, visited Antônio Miranda’s clinic and noted that the hydrotherapeutic treatments were having a great impact in Belém.31 Thus, on March 2, 1944, R. R. Figuhr, then the president of the SAD, announced that the North Brazil Union Mission had purchased new land for the construction of a hospital in Belém. In 1947 and 1949, the thirteenth Sabbath offerings from around the world helped to collect resources to build the hospital in Belém as part of the appeal of the physician Galdino Nunes Vieira, one of the directors of São Paulo Clinic (Casa de Saúde Liberdade, presently São Paulo Adventist Hospital).32 The last offering was of US$48,000. This fund helped the construction of the hospital to begin.33 In 1949, physician T. R. Flaiz, a representative of the General Conference, visited the construction site. It was two hectares and was accessible by bus, tram, and train. The planned facilities were modest in style with a capacity for 30 beds.34 Four years after his visit, in 1953, Belém Hospital (now Belém Adventist Hospital) was inaugurated, but it had already treated some patients even before its official opening.35 In February 1955, in order to better serve the patients, North Brazil Union Mission held its first Training Course for Corpsman,36 under the coordination of Pastor Domingos Peixoto da Silva, who was then director of the Department of Civic Duties of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and Pastor H. E. Walker.37 In January 1950, MBA had five organized churches and 862 members.38 Two years later (1952), the Mission promoted the first Adventist Launches Convention. The report presented by the commanders andamong them were pastors Leo Halliwell and Walter Streithorst, who showed that in 20 years, launches in the North Union had served “more than 100,000 people.”39 When Leo Halliwell left the Amazon in 1956, MBA’s president was Gustavo Storch, with Claudomiro F. Fonseca as secretary-treasurer. At that time, the Mission consisted of approximately 1,000 members, two ordained ministers, one hospital, five medical missionary launches, many Sabbath schools in the capital and in the countryside in addition to seven organized churches and many groups distributed in its missionary field.40 At the end of 1957, another 54 people were baptized in Belém as part of the evangelistic work carried out in the city. That year, the capital of Pará already had seven organized churches.41 In September 1958, another congregation was organized in Belém, and that was the church of Marambaia.42 Little by little, the Mission continued to grow. In 1960, the North Brazil Union Mission built the first Adventist school in Belém: Pará Academy, a day school that later came to be called Grão-Pará Adventist Academy (Instituto Adventista Grão Pará or IAGP). When the building was established, it had five classrooms, an administrative room, and a library, and it was under the direction of Gerson Pires de Araújo, a teacher. The new school was successful, and by the end of 1962, 700 students had enrolled43 in the three shifts – morning, afternoon, and evening.44 In addition to the regular curriculum, Grão-Pará Academy also offered its students The Voice of Prophecy (A Voz da Profecia) as a Bible Correspondence School course. The result was that, at the end of 1962, 243 students with the Institute graduated from the Bible Correspondence School Youth Course.45 Still in 1962, 35 years after its organization, Lower Amazon Mission already had 11 organized churches and 1,678 members with an estimated population of 1,622,496 people who were distributed in the states of Pará and Amapá.46 In 1972, MBA began to develop an evangelistic work with the Japanese community in Pará. To that end, in October of the same year, Pastor Kojiro Matsunami from the Japan Union Mission was called to work in the city of Belém. In the capital of Pará, Matsunami founded a boarding school, the Japanese Adventist Academy, along with a church.47 The Japanese Academy was officially inaugurated in 1977 and was located in a building that had previously been a warehouse for the Adventist Welfare Service of North Brazil Union Mission.48 During that period of time, it served 70 students, some of them boarders, in addition to 60 people who were enrolled in the church’s Sabbath School, all from the Japanese community in Pará.49 Two years later, in April 1979, a new church at the Japanese Adventist Academy was inaugurated with services operating on the top floor of the building and the school classrooms on the ground floor.50 During that inauguration year, out of the 114 students enrolled in the school, 26 were boarders, and there were 66 students in the Sabbath School.51 A year later (1980), more achievements were made: The male dormitory and the pastoral house were built, and the elementary school was established. In 1979, the Adventist Church in Marco neighborhood was also inaugurated in the central region of Belém. This congregation started its activities in 1973 when a group of 15 Adventists met weekly in the chapel of Belém Adventist Hospital. The group’s growth prompted the congregation to relocate. Thus, they began to meet in one of the IAGP classrooms to form an organized church. At the time, MBA appointed a pastor to take care of this congregation, and it grew into an organized church. On October 24, 1976, the cornerstone of the construction of the new temple was finally laid, and in April 1979, the temple was inaugurated.52 The 1970s and 1980s marked a new growth phase for Lower Amazon Mission. In addition to the establishment of schools and churches, Adventism in the region flourished. When the MBA celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1977, it already had more than 11,000 members and 10 ordained pastors.53 Five years later, the number of members had already increased to 17,214.54 In January 1987, when it celebrated its 60th anniversary, MBA registered 60 organized churches and 30,662 Adventist members, a significant growth.55 Success in this period is attributed to the work of God through His Spirit in the lives of all preachers of the Gospel in the MBA missionary field. In 1991, the Mission’s headquarters changed its address to 2478 Enéas Pinheiro Street in the Marco neighborhood that was also in Belém. The Lower Amazon Mission remained in its Mission status until December 1996 when it moved to its present address. In 1997, the field was renamed Lower Amazon Conference. At the time, it served 118 organized churches and 66,611 Seventh-day Adventists.56 In 2001, the territory of the Lower Amazon Conference was divided again with the creation of South Pará Mission (now the South Pará Conference [Associação Sul do Pará or ASPa]) that is headquartered in Marabá to serve the southern region of the state.57 In 2009, in a new reconfiguration, several districts of Lower Amazon Conference became part of the West Pará Mission (Missão Oeste do Pará or MOPa) that is headquartered in Santarém. This new Mission began to cover the entire western region of the state.58 The Lower Amazon Conference remained with that name until 2014. That year, the Conference had part of its territory separated in order to form Pará-Amapá Mission (Missão Pará Amapá or MPA). 59 This new Mission began to serve part of the metropolitan region of Belém including the districts in the region of Marajó Island in Pará and the entire state of Amapá.60 In view of the change in 2014, the Lower Amazon Conference came to be called North Pará Conference, and it served the other half of the metropolitan region of Belém and the whole of northern Pará.61 Among the outstanding projects carried out by the institution in recent years, the following are mentioned: a permanent program of personal public evangelization; a network administration model under the Small Groups (Pequenos Grupos or PG’s) platform;62 the Spiritual Enrichment Seminar;63 the Discipleship Cycle;64 missionary congresses; the project “Messenger of Hope Bringing Light “ (“Mensageira da Esperança Levando Luz” or MEL) that aims to involve women in social and missionary actions; the “Caleb Mission” (“Missão Calebe”;65 the “Spring Baptism;” 66 and campaigns to sell publications with the participation of canvassers and student-canvassers.67 ANPa has also been directly engaged in the missionary initiatives promoted by the SAD, such as “Hope Impact” (“Impacto Esperança”).68 In 2019, both office employees and the SDA Church members in the region were directly involved in delivering the missionary book “Hope for the Family” (“Esperança Para a Família”). In Belém, the delivery reached even the governor of Pará as well as the vice-governor and parliamentarians. On this occasion, about 2,000,000 books were distributed throughout the area of the North Brazil Union Mission.69 Students from Grão-Pará Adventist Academy also took part in the project, and they distributed around 700 copies to parliamentarians and officials of the State Legislature from the Legislative Assembly of the state of Pará (Assembleia Legislativa do Estado do Pará or Alepa).70 From its history that started in 1927 with the former Lower Amazon Mission, the North Pará Conference continues the lessons learned from its pioneers. These early representatives of the Adventist movement in the Amazon did not have the technological resources or means of transport available today. However, they were endowed with faith, courage, and selflessness. The engagement of these men and women in planting churches and missions is an invaluable legacy in the history of this field. Since the Adventist message reached the region, the work of members on several missionary fronts, such as missionary pairs, Bible classes, and public evangelism, has been a determining factor in the expansion of the work. Furthermore, with the dedication of administrators, department leaders, district pastors, leaders, and members working in public evangelization, churches, districts, missions, conferences, and unions have multiplied.71 The medical missionary, educational, and publishing works were and continue to be essential factors in spreading the Gospel in the region. Adventism arrived in northern Brazil through the publishing work. Books, magazines, textbooks, and other support materials were like seeds sown to facilitate the understanding and acceptance of Bible truths. At the same time, the medical work carried out in this area expanded evangelization. For 90 years, the Light Bearer launches met the physical, mental, and spiritual needs of riverside dwellers.72 In this context, the educational work also made an important contribution to consolidate the Adventist message in the region. Today, almost a century later, the Adventist Church in the North Pará Conference missionary field, despite new challenges, continues to carry out the evangelistic work initiated by the pioneers. The main challenges to be overcome by ANPa are to: (1) encourage community life in response to cultural individualism; (2) promote actions that strengthen the faith of members, avoid evasion; (3) invest in the training of new leaders and in effective communication with new generations; and (4) seek solutions to minimize the effects of economic instability and its financial and patrimonial impacts. With this scenario in mind, ANPa leadership has defined goals for the field in the coming years. The first is to strengthen spirituality--that is, to lead pastors, leaders and members to have a deeper experience in studying the Bible and the Sabbath School Lesson, in reading the Spirit of Prophecy, in praying, and in a healthy lifestyle. The Conference’s administrators believe that such factors are fundamental to revival and reform.73 The second objective is to promote discipleship, acceptance, and church planting. Biblical discipleship fosters healthy church growth in quality as well as quantity, fulfilling the mission of preparing a people to meet Christ. The third one is aimed at mobilizing members to form new leaders and ministries according to the diversity of gifts and needs of the generations. The fourth goal is to maintain clear awareness of the church’s identity as the remnant of Bible prophecy, encouraging the fulfillment of the Great Commission in the context of the three angel’s message of Revelation 14:6- 12.74 The fifth objective is to nurture newly baptized members so that they develop and become more and more mature in faith. This will be done with the help of members who have been in the church longer than they have and who will be able to follow them closely and personally as their instructors, guiding their participation in dynamic worship services, visitation in Small Groups, Sabbath School, and community services among other missionary activities. The sixth objective is to develop a better financial structure with more effective contemporary methodologies for attracting systematic tithes and offerings donors. For the Conference’s administration, resources are crucial for the further progress of different areas of the church, and this includes the necessity for the physical structure to be appropriate to better serve the community, the various church groups, and people with special needs. Having enough resources is a visible demonstration of the spirituality of the children of God, which can be seen in the faithfulness of members.75 To achieve these goals, ANPa has adopted several missionary plans to be put into practice in the coming years. In the personal scope, it will promote “One by One Discipleship” (“Discipulado Um a Um”) that will seek the engagement of 70 percent of members on missionary fronts such as: missionary pairs, Bible Classes, church planting, public evangelism, district Bible School, Small Groups, and former Adventists rescue and reintegration; spiritual formation for all pastors, leaders and members: making the diagnosis of spiritual disciplines, planning their growth in communion, relationship and mission; and leadership training based on reaching 80 percent of active leaders, encouraging them to present their leadership through the “Apprentice Disciple” (“Discípulo Aprendiz”) project with an emphasis on new generations.76 In the relational sphere, the ANPa administration intends to have 80 percent of the churches practicing the warm welcoming reception of transferred members, visitors, new members, and several church groups (children, adolescents, youth, the elderly, widowers, and people with special needs). Another program, the “Resuce” (“Resgate”) aims to have 100 percent of the congregations carrying out three “Reunion” (“Reencontro”)77 projects with the Youth Ministries and the Women’s Ministries integrated actions. In addition, the Conference also wants to strengthen the “Two Ministers” (“Dois Ministros”) project that aims to reach 100 percent of pastoral districts with a full- time evangelist-canvasser.78 Regarding the structural scope, the leaders of the North Pará Conference plan to reach in the next two years the total of 100 percent of the congregations served with the facades revitalization project as well as the same percentage of churches served with improvements in their physical structure in the next five years. Furthermore, each pastoral district will seek to have planted two new churches by the year 2021, totaling 500 congregations in its field. To assist in the preaching of the Gospel, the Conference plans to create centers of influence79 to serve those interested in the Adventist message through Hope Channel Brazil as well as to modernize 100 percent of the physical structure of Adventist schools and reach the mark of 3,000 students.80 In terms of assets and finances, the Conference intends to update the secretariat in 100 percent of the congregations, to have 100 percent of the churches covered by insurance, and 100 percent of the congregations with a bank account in addition to purchasing a property to build the future training headquarters. The goals are also to: increase 15 percent in the loyalty indexes in tithes and offerings; establish intentional actions to reduce the amount of occasional donors; and work for new baptized people to be systematic donors.81 With regard to evangelism, the goal is to reduce from eight to six the necessary number of members to reach a new convert; revitalize the Sabbath School through the project “ConectedQS1” (“ConectadQS1”) with “Full Members Involvement” (“Total Envolvimento dos Membros” or TEM) in the study of the Bible, relationships, use of gifts, and support for local and world missions. Other plans consist of investing in the discipleship of the different age groups of the church (children, adolescents and young people), as well as strengthening urban evangelism through missionary actions linked to the project “My Talent, My Ministry” (“Meu Talento, Meu Ministério”).82 In the Youth Ministries area, ANPa’s leadership aim is for 100 percent of the organized churches to have Pathfinders83 and Adventurers Clubs.84 Currently, there are 5,372 participants distributed in 213 Pathfinders Clubs and 1,652 children in 95 Adventurer Clubs in the Conference’s missionary field.85 The field intends to hold an annual congress for Young University Students as well as Youth Ministries conventions and retreats. In addition, the Conference wants to encourage each pastoral district to organize and hold a convention for adolescents.86 Through all the actions carried out and future plans, ANPa testifies that, since its establishment, its mission has been “to make disciples of Jesus Christ to live as His witnesses of love and proclaim to all people the eternal gospel of the three angel’s message in preparation for His soon return.”87 Its greatest commitment is to continue fulfilling the evangelical call throughout its missionary territory and thus reach as many people as possible with the message of God’s grace.

Chronology of Administrative Leaders88 Presidents: John L. Brown (1927-1928); Leo B. Halliwell (1929-1955); Gustavo S. Storch (1956-1958); Walter J. Streithorst (1959); Aldo Carvalho (1959-1963); Walter Streithorst (1964-1966); Orlando S. Barreto (1967-1969); W. Lee Grady (1969-1970); Altamir de Paiva (1970-1972); José Orlando Correia (1973-1976); Luís L. Fuckner (1977- 1979); Adamôr Lopes Pimenta (1979-1982); Terso de Oliveira Duarte (1983-1988); Valdomiro Reis (1988-1989); Kleber Pereira Reis (1989-1990); Wilmar Hirle (1991-1995); Moisés Batista de Souza (1995-2002); Jairo Emerick Torres (2002-2003); Roberval Moura Marinho (2004-2008); Wagner Augusto Vieira Aragão (2009-2011); Geison Arley Pinto Florêncio (2012-2016); Paulo Silva Godinho (2017-Present). Secretaries: Ulrich Wissner (1929-1936); Jorge Pereira Lobo (1937-1942); Bruno W. Steinweg (1943-1947); Benito C. Kalbermatter (1948-1950); Manoel Banque (1951-1956); Claudomiro F. Fonseca (1957-1960); Pedro Gonzales (1960-1962); Eclayr Gonzales (1964-1966); Isaías B. Andrade (1967-1968); Jurandir Oliveira (1969-1971); Otiniel S. Muniz (1971-1974); C.L. Thomas III (1975-1976); Elias Kurall (1976-1977); Vilson Keller (1977); Oleval Aniceto de Souza (1978-1983); Omar Berger (1983-1984); Rui Linhares de Freitas (1984-1986); João Varonil Kuntze (1986- 1987); Josias de Souza Fragoso (1987-1988); Salon Fernandes da Costa (1988-1992); Davi Pereira Tavares (1992- 1995); Roberval Moura Marinho (1995-2004); Fausto Rocha Farias (2004-2007); Renato Pereira da Costa (2007- 2008); Josafá da Silva Oliveira (2008-2009); Williams Moreira César (2009-2011); Fernando P. de Lima (2012-2014); Renato Corrêa Seixas (2015-2017); Francisco Wellington Oliveira de Almeida (2017-Present). Treasurers: Ulrich Wissner (1929-1936); Jorge Pereira Lobo (1937-1942); Bruno W. Steinweg (1942-1947); Benito C. Kalbermatter (1947-1950); Manoel Banque (1950-1956); Claudomiro F. Fonseca (1957-1960); Pedro Gonzales (1960- 1962); Eclayr Gonzales (1964-1966); Isaías B. Andrade (1967-1968); Jurandir Oliveira (1969-1971); Otiniel S. Muniz (1971-1974); C. L. Thomas III (1975-1976); Elias Kurall (1976-1977); Vilson Keller (1977); Oleval Aniceto de Souza (1978-1983); Omar Berger (1983-1984); Rui Linhares de Freitas (1984-1986); Josias de Souza Fragoso (1986-1988); Walkírio Dolzanes Kettle (1988-1991); Jairo Pereira (1991-1993); Saul Pereira Baía (1993-1997); José Mauro de Assis (1997-2003); Alexandre da Silva Lopes (2003-2008); Demir Dener di Berardino (2008-2011); Adimilson Vieira Duarte (2012-2014); Dario Daniel Reis (2015-2019); Paulo Coelho (2019-Present).89

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Olhando para trás, nos movemos para frente: 100 anos de história da União Sudeste Brasileira [Looking Back, We Move Forward: 100 years of history of the Southeast Brazil Union Conference]. Maringá, PR: Massoni Printing Office and Publishing House, 2019. Halliwell, L. B. Light Bearer to the Amazon. Nashville, TN: The Southern Publishing Association, 1945. Halliwell, L. B. Light in the Jungle: The Thirty Years Mission of Leo and Jessie Halliwell along the Amazon. New York, NY: David Mckay Company, 1959. Hospital Adventista de Belém [Belém Adventist Hospital]. http://hab.org.br/. Jesus, Céciah de. “Faculdade Adventista da Amazônia é aprovada na avaliação do MEC” [“Amazônia Adventist College is approved in the evaluation of Brazil Ministry of Education (MEC) assessment”]. Notícias Adventistas [Adventist News] (Online), March 6, 2015. Johnson, J. B. “Abrindo Novos Territórios no Norte” [“Opening New Territories in the North”]. Revista Mensal [Monthly Review] 22, no. 9 (September 1927). 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Buenos Aires: Buenos Aires Publishing House, 2004. Ministério de Desbravadores e Aventureiros DSA [SAD Pathfinders and Adventurers Ministries]. https://clubes.ad ventistas.org/br/. Missão Urbana [Urban Mission]. https://missaourbana.org/. Murray, W. E. “A mocidade na recolta de donativos” [“Youth in the collection of donations”].Revista Mensal [Monthly Review] 17, no. 8 (August 1922). Nigri, Moisés S. “1ª Convenção das Lanchas Adventistas” [“1st Adventist Launches Convention”].Revista Adventista 47, no. 11 (November 1952). North Brazil Union Mission Minutes, October 2001, vote no. 2001-129. Notícias Adventistas [Adventist News]. https://noticias.adventistas.org/pt/. Oliveira, Edielmo. Um Legado de Esperança: a fé e a coragem dos pioneiros [A Legacy of Hope: the faith and courage of the pioneers]. Feira de Santana, BA: 2010. Ramos, A. P. Desafio nas Águas: um resgate da história das lanchas médico-missionárias da Amazônia [Challenge in the waters: a recovery of the history of medical missionary launches in the Amazon]. Tatuí, SP: Brazil Publishing House, 2009. Reencontro [Reunion], information on the Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/. Santana, Laís. “Estudantes levam projeto Impacto Esperança à Assembleia Legislativa do Pará” [“Students take the Hope Impact project to the Legislative Assembly of Pará”]. Notícias Adventistas [Adventist News] (Online), May 23, 2019. Santana, Laís. “Igreja Adventista do Marco comemora 40 anos” [“Marco Adventist Church celebrates its 40th anniversary”]. Notícias Adventistas [Adventist News] (Online), April 16, 2019. Seixas, Anne, Suyane Scansette, Nicolas Cardoso, Laís Santana, Carolina Nogueira, Leonardo Leite and Juliano Santos. “Pará, Amapá e Maranhão recebem dois milhões de livros neste fim de semana” [“Pará, Amapá and Maranhão receive two million books this weekend”]. Notícias Adventistas [Adventist News] (Online), May 25, 2019. Seventh-day Adventist Church (Brazil) website. http://www.adventistas.org/pt/. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association. Various years. https://www.adventistyearbook.org/. Silveira, Levy Folha. “Inaugurado Centro Nipônico Adventista em Belém” [“Japanese Adventist Academy inaugurated in Belém”]. Revista Adventista 72, no. 8 (August 1977). Storch, Gustavo. “O Evangelismo no Extremo Norte” [“Evangelism in the Extreme North”]. Revista Adventista 35, no. 5 (May 1940). Storch, Gustavo. “Progresso no Norte do Brasil” [“Progress in northern Brazil”]. Revista Adventista 37, no. 3 (March 1942). Streithorst, O. S. Leo Halliwell na Amazônia [Leo Halliwell in the Amazon]. Santo André, SP: Brazilian Publishing House, 1979. Thomas, Samuel. “Dias Agradáveis na Missão Baixo-Amazonas” [“Pleasant Days at Lower Amazon Mission”]. Revista Adventista 31, no. 4 (April 1936). Vieira, Galdino Nunes. “A Obra Médica – o Braço Direito da Mensagem” [“The Medical Work – the Right Arm of the Message”]. Revista Adventista 44, no. 11 (November 1949).

NOTES 1. Cláudia Milena Santos (ANPa secretary assistant), email message to Carlos Flavio Teixeira (ESDA associate editor), September 6, 2019.? 2. Ibid.? 3. Hospital Adventista de Belém [Belém Adventist Hospital], “Especialidades” [“Specialties”], accessed April 30, 2020, https://bit.ly/2VPtXXG.? 4. Cláudia Milena Santos (ANPa secretary assistant), email message to Carlos Flavio Teixeira (ESDA associate editor), September 6, 2019.? 5. Manoel Kümpel, “Bahia,” Revista Mensal [Monthly Review] 9, no. 11 (November 1914): 6-7.? 6. An evangelist canvasser of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is the missionary who “develops his ministry by acquiring and selling to the public the publications edited and approved by the Church, to share with his fellow-men the eternal Gospel that brings salvation and physical and spiritual well-being.” Seventh-day Adventist Church (Brazil) website, “Colportagem” [“Canvassing work”], accessed February 4, 2020, http://bit.ly/2J6tY1I. ? 7. R. S. Lessa, Construtores de esperança: na trilha dos pioneiros adventistas da Amazônia [Builders of Hope: on the footsteps of Adventist pioneers in the Amazon] (Tatuí, SP: Brazil Publishing House, 2016), 30.? 8. Floyd Greenleaf, Terra de Esperança: o crescimento da Igreja Adventista na América do Sul [A Land of Hope: the growth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South America] (Tatuí, SP: Brazil Publishing House, 2011), 187.? 9. Leônidas Verneque Guedes, Olhando para trás, nos movemos para frente: 100 anos de história da União Sudeste Brasileira [Looking Back, we move forward: 100 years of history of Southeast Brazil Union Conference] (Maringá, PR: Massoni Printing Office and Publishing House, 2019), 46. ? 10. Lessa, Construtores de esperança: na trilha dos pioneiros adventistas da Amazônia [Builders of Hope: on the footsteps of Adventist pioneers in the Amazon], 29.? 11. Ingathering is a “project [that] aims to collect clothes, food and financial resources to help people in need.” Notícias Adventistas [Adventist News], “Recolta começa na AC” [“Ingathering starts in the AC”], accessed January 22, 2020, https://bit.ly/30O7J9l. ? 12. W. E. Murray, “A mocidade na recolta de donativos” [“Youth in the collection of donations”], Revista Mensal [Monthly Review] 17, no. 8 (August 1922): 10.? 13. J. B. Johnson, “Abrindo Novos Territórios no Norte” [“Opening New Territories in the North”], Revista Mensal [Monthly Review] 22, no. 9 (September 1927): 6; J. L. Brown, “Missão Baixo Amazonas” [Lower Amazon Mission], Revista Mensal [Monthly Review] 22, no. 8 (August 1927): 11.? 14. Lessa, Construtores de esperança: na trilha dos pioneiros adventistas da Amazônia [Builders of Hope: on the footsteps of Adventist pioneers in the Amazon], 44-48; L. B. Halliwell, Light Bearer to the Amazon (Nashville, TN: The Southern Publishing Association, 1945), 106; Hans Mayr, El Abuelito Hans [Grandpa Hans] (Buenos Aires: South American Spanish Publishing House, 2004), 110-140.? 15. Lessa, Construtores de esperança: na trilha dos pioneiros adventistas da Amazônia [Builders of Hope: on the footsteps of Adventist pioneers in the Amazon], 35-38.? 16. “Lower Amazon Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1929), 204.? 17. Lessa, Construtores de esperança: na trilha dos pioneiros adventistas da Amazônia [Builders of Hope: on the footsteps of Adventist pioneers in the Amazon], 28-31; O. S. Streithorst, Leo Halliwell na Amazônia [Leo Halliwell in the Amazon] (Tatuí, SP: Brazil Publishing House, 1979), 6-44.? 18. Edielmo Oliveira, Um Legado de Esperança: a fé e a coragem dos pioneiros [A Legacy of Hope: the faith and courage of the pioneers] (Feira de Santana, BA: 2010), 27.? 19. The Youth Department was created on the General Conference Session of 1907. In the summer of that year, about 200 workers met in a youth convention to choose a name for the department. They decided to call it “Young People’s Missionary Volunteer Department,” or simply “M. V.” Seventh-day Adventist Church (Brazil) website, “História” [“History”], accessed February 4, 2020, https://bit.ly/2K1fnW5.? 20. “The first Light Bearer Missionary vessel was launched in July 1931 by the couple Leo and Jessie Halliwell, aiming to bring health education and free medical and dental assistance to the riverside population in the Amazon. [...] During these 80 years, thousands of people were directly benefited by the support provided by the launches. In many cases, this was the only way for these people to get some medical and dental assistance.” Luzeiro [Light-bearer], “História” [“History”], accessed January 22, 2020, https://www.luzeiro.org/.? 21. Francisco Abdoval da Silva Cavalcanti, Luzeiros, Esperança a Bordo [Light Bearers, hope on board] (Niterói, RJ: Ados publisher, 2012), 142; A. P. Ramos, Desafio nas Águas: um resgate da história das lanchas médico-missionárias da Amazônia [Challenge in the waters: a recovery of the history of medical missionary launches in the Amazon] (Tatuí, SP: Brazil Publishing House, 2009).? 22. Céciah de Jesus, “Faculdade Adventista da Amazônia é aprovada na avaliação do MEC” [“Amazônia Adventist College passes Brazil Ministry of Education (MEC) assessment”], Notícias Adventistas [Adventist News], March 6, 2015, accessed October 14, 2019, https://bit.ly/2VFDJKl; Francisco Abdoval da Silva Cavalcanti, Luzeiros: conheça a surpreendente história das lanchas missionárias adventistas no Brasil [Light Bearers: discover the surprising history of Adventist missionary launches in Brazil] (Niterói, RJ: Ados Publisher, 2010), 39? 23. Lessa, Construtores de esperança: na trilha dos pioneiros adventistas da Amazônia [Builders of Hope: on the footsteps of Adventist pioneers in the Amazon], 99-100.? 24. Ibid.? 25. Lessa, Construtores de esperança: na trilha dos pioneiros adventistas da Amazônia [Builders of Hope: on the footsteps of Adventist pioneers in the Amazon], 35-38; L. B. Halliwell, Light Bearer to the Amazon (Nashville, TN: The Southern Publishing Association, 1945); L. B. Halliwell, Light in the Jungle: The Thirty Years Mission of Leo and Jessie Halliwell along the Amazon (New York: David Mckay Company, 1959); O. S. Streithorst, Leo Halliwell na Amazônia [Leo Halliwell in the Amazon] (Tatuí, SP: Brazil Publishing House, 1979), 164.? 26. Lessa, Construtores de esperança: na trilha dos pioneiros adventistas da Amazônia [Builders of Hope: on the footsteps of Adventist pioneers in the Amazon], 136.? 27. Floyd Greenleaf, Terra de Esperança: o crescimento da Igreja Adventista na América do Sul [A Land of Hope: the growth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South America] (Tatuí, SP: Brazil Publishing House, 2011): 360.? 28. Samuel Thomas, “Dias Agradáveis na Missão Baixo-Amazonas” [“Pleasant Days at Lower Amazon Mission”], Revista Adventista 31, no. 4 (April 1936): 9-10.? 29. Gustavo Storch, “O Evangelismo no Extremo Norte” [“Evangelism in the Extreme North”], Revista Adventista 35, no. 5 (May 1940): 6-7.? 30. Gustavo Storch, “Progresso no Norte do Brasil” [“Progress in northern Brazil”], Revista Adventista 37, no. 3 (March 1942): 11.? 31. Greenleaf, Terra de Esperança: o crescimento da Igreja Adventista na América do Sul [A Land of Hope: the growth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South America], 460.? 32. Galdino Nunes Vieira, “A Obra Médica – o Braço Direito da Mensagem” [“The Medical Work – the Right Arm of the Message”], Revista Adventista 44, no. 11 (November 1949): 8.? 33. Greenleaf, Terra de Esperança: o crescimento da Igreja Adventista na América do Sul [A Land of Hope: the growth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South America], 461.? 34. T. R. Flaiz, “A Amazônia” [“The Amazon”], Revista Adventista 44, no. 9 (September 1949): 10.? 35. Lessa, Construtores de esperança: na trilha dos pioneiros adventistas da Amazônia [Builders of Hope: on the footsteps of Adventist pioneers in the Amazon], 126.? 36. “Rapazes adventistas recrutados para o serviço militar poderiam atuar como socorristas-padioleiros e assegurar sua posição de não- combatência” [“Adventist boys recruited for military service could work as corpsman-rescuers and secure their non-combat position”], Débora Klein, “Pedagogia Na Colina: A Faculdade Adventista de Educação da Universidade Adventista de São Paulo de 1971 A 1999” [“Pedagogy on the hill: the Education Adventist College of Brazil Adventist University from 1971 to 1999”] (Master’s Thesis, Nove De Julho University – UNINOVE, 2008), 47.? 37. Walkyrio de Souza Lima, “Curso de Formação de Enfermeiro Padioleiro em Belém do Pará” [“Training Course for Corpsman in Belém do Pará”], Revista Adventista 50, no. 8 (August 1955): 31.? 38. “Lower Amazon Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Washington, D.C: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1950), 166.? 39. Moisés S. Nigri, “1ª Convenção das Lanchas Adventistas” [“1st Adventist Launches Convention”], Revista Adventista 47, no. 11 (November 1952): 13-14.? 40. “Lower Amazon Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1957), 150.? 41. Charles C. Case, “A União Norte Avança” [“The North Union Moves Forward”], Revista Adventista 53, no. 6 (June 1958): 28.? 42. Jetro M. Carvalho, “A Igreja da Marambaia” [“Marambaia Church”], Revista Adventista 54, no. 1 (January 1959): 30.? 43. Gerson Pires de Araújo, “A Menina do Grão-Pará” [“The Girl from Grão-Pará”], Revista Adventista 59, no. 2 (February 1964): 16-17.? 44. Jorge Pereira Lobo, “Revendo Belém do Pará” [“Revisiting Belém do Pará”], Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], no. 12, year 58 (December 1963): 22.? 45. Wandyr Araújo, “A Escola Radiopostal no Instituto Grão-Pará” [The Bible Correspondence School at Grão-Pará Academy], Revista Adventista 58, no. 5 (May 1963): 23.? 46. “Lower Amazon Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1962), 172.? 47. Centro Nipônico [Japanese Academy], “História” [“History”], accessed June 22, 2020, https://bit.ly/3hQX85M.? 48. Ibid.? 49. Levy Folha Silveira, “Inaugurado Centro Nipônico Adventista em Belém” [“Japanese Adventist Academy inaugurated in Belém”], Revista Adventista 72, no. 8 (August 1977): 17.? 50. Centro Nipônico [Japanese Academy], “História” [“History”], accessed June 22, 2020, https://bit.ly/3hQX85M.? 51. “Centro Adventista Nipônico é inaugurado em Belém” [“Japanese Adventist Academy inaugurated in Belém”], Revista Adventista 74, no. 6 June 1979, 25.? 52. Laís Santana, “Igreja Adventista do Marco comemora 40 anos” [“Marco Adventist Church celebrates its 40th anniversary”], Notícias Adventistas [Adventist News], April 16, 2019, accessed April 30, 2020, https://bit.ly/3bSx6vy.? 53. Lessa, Construtores de esperança: na trilha dos pioneiros adventistas da Amazônia [Builders of Hope: on the footsteps of Adventist pioneers in the Amazon], 174-176; “Lower Amazon Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1977), 260-261.? 54. “Lower Amazon Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1982), 283-284.? 55. “Lower Amazon Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1987), 288.? 56. “Lower Amazon Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1997), 257.? 57. North Brazil Union Mission Minutes, October 2001, vote no. 2001-129.? 58. “West Pará Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2010), 279.? 59. Equipe de Comunicação da ANPa [ANPa Communication Team], “Crescimento Evidente” [“Evident Growth”], Mais Destaque Norte [More Focus North], (April-June 2014): 10-13; Jackson França (communication advisor for the North Pará Conference), interviewed by the Ellen G. White Research Center (available in local physical archive of the Ellen G. White Research Center, FAAMA); “North Pará Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2018), 242.? 60. “Pará-Amapa Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2017), 314.? 61. “North Pará Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2017), 313.? 62. “A small Group is a weekly gathering of people who, under coordination of a leader, seek spiritual, relational and evangelistic growth, aiming at its multiplication.” Seventh-day Adventist Church (Brazil) website, “Pequenos Grupos” [“Small Groups”], accessed February 4, 2020, https://bit.ly/2NtcXj7.? 63. “The Spiritual Enrichment Seminar is a movement that is repeated every two years with different emphases, aiming to motivate participants to establish communion with God as a lifestyle. The materials used are: seminar (handout), and a face-to-face course of preparation for the journey, lasting one day. The journey is a practical part of the process. During 40 days the person is challenged to seek God in the first hour of each morning as an initial part of the process so that this habit of seeking God in the first hour of each morning becomes a lifestyle.” Seventh-Day Adventist Church (Brazil) website, “Seminário de Enriquecimento Espiritual” [“Spiritual Enrichment Seminar”], accessed June 26, 2020, https://bit.ly/388Csl9.? 64. “Since we are in the process of building a church that has Small Groups as the basis of its actions, this structure must be one of the fundamental elements for the training of disciples. Therefore, the Discipleship Cycle is a project that adds the strength of Small Groups to the commitment of the church missionaries in the training of disciples.” 2008 SAD Minute (2008-084), Personal Ministries, “Ciclo De Discipulado” [“Discipleship Cycle”], vote 2008-104.? 65. “Caleb Mission project is a volunteer program, social service, and a witnessing that challenges the Adventist youth to dedicate their vacations to evangelism in places where there’s no Adventist presence, to strengthen the small congregations and gain new people for the kingdom of God.” Seventh-day Adventist Church (Brazil) website, “Missão Calebe 2020” [“Caleb Mission 2020”], accessed February 4, 2020, http://bit.ly/2HRpvRi.? 66. “Spring Baptism was created by Pastor Ademar Quint in Rio de Janeiro, and it takes place annually in churches. The aim is to encourage young people to give themselves to Jesus. In 2013, this event celebrated its 50th anniversary, and more than one million people have already been baptized on this special date.” Seventh-Day Adventist Church (Brazil) website, “Batismo da Primavera” [“Spring Baptism”], accessed June 22, 2020, https://bit.ly/37SuTPr. ? 67. Equipe de Comunicação da ANPa [ANPa Communication Team], “Crescimento Evidente” [“Evident Growth”], Mais Destaque Norte [More Focus North], (April-June 2014): 10-13.? 68. The project “Hope Impact is a program that encourages the practice of reading and provides a mass annual distribution of books on the part of the Seventh-day Adventist in the South American territory.” Seventh-day Adventist Church (Brazil) Website, “Impacto Esperança” [“Hope Impact”], accessed February 4, 2020, https://bit.ly/34dZROO. ? 69. Anne Seixas, Suyane Scansette, Nicolas Cardoso, Laís Santana, Carolina Nogueira, Leonardo Leite and Juliano Santos, “Pará, Amapá e Maranhão recebem dois milhões de livros neste fim de semana” [“Pará, Amapá and Maranhão receive two million books this weekend”], Notícias Adventistas [Adventist News], May 25, 2019, accessed April 30, 2020, https://bit.ly/2WhRsHQ.? 70. Laís Santana, “Estudantes levam projeto Impacto Esperança à Assembleia Legislativa do Pará” [“Students take the Hope Impact project to the Legislative Assembly of Pará”], Notícias Adventistas [Adventist News], May 23, 2019, accessed April 30, 2020, https://bit.ly/35loGuk.? 71. Cláudia Milena Santos (ANPa secretary assistant), email message to Carlos Flavio Teixeira (ESDA associate editor), September 6, 2019.? 72. Ibid.? 73. Ibid.? 74. Ibid.? 75. Ibid.? 76. Ibid.? 77. The “Reencontro” [“Reunion”] is a “program carried out by the Seventh-day Adventist Church with the aim of reaching out to its estranged members.” Reencontro [Reunion], information on the Facebook page, accessed June 22, 2020, https://bit.ly/2Z1bg3E.? 78. Cláudia Milena Santos (ANPa secretary assistant), email message to Carlos Flavio Teixeira (ESDA associate editor), September 6, 2019.? 79. “Holistic urban centers that can be used to meet community needs. Ellen G. White encouraged the existence of Urban Centers of Influence that would provide lifestyle instructions, health care, reading rooms, restaurants, canvassing, lectures, instructions on how to prepare healthy food, etc. Currently, Urban Centers of Influence may have different aspects and offer different services and ministries, but the principle is still the same – to be tuned with other people's needs.” Missão Urbana [Urban Mission], “Centros de Influência” [“Urban Centers of Influence”], accessed July 31, 2019, http://bit.ly/38U6V5P.? 80. Ibid.? 81. Ibid.? 82. The project “Meu Talento, Meu Ministério” [“My Talent, My Ministry”] aims to motivate the use of “our talents, skills and Hobbies in a simple and intentional way to save and serve those who are within our reach.” Seventh-Day Adventist Church (Brazil) Website, “Meu Talento Meu Ministério” [“My Talent, My Ministry”], accessed June 24, 2020, https://bit.ly/37VaJV0; Cláudia Milena Santos (ANPa secretary assistant), email message to Carlos Flavio Teixeira (ESDA associate editor), September 6, 2019.? 83. The Pathfinders Club is made up of “boys and girls aged 10 to 15, from different social classes, color, religion. They meet, in general, once a week to learn to develop talents, skills, perceptions and a taste for nature.” These boys and girls “are thrilled with outdoor activities. They like camping, hiking, climbing, exploring the woods and caves. They know how to cook outdoors, making a fire without matches.” Besides, they demonstrate “skill with discipline through drill commands and have their creativity awakened by manual arts. They also fight the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.” Seventh-day Adventist Church (Brazil) Website, “Quem somos” [“Who we are”], accessed February 4, 2020, http://bit.ly/2FDRqTh. ? 84. The Adventurers Club is a program for children from 6 to 9 years old, created by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in 1972. At the meetings, children carry out activities with a focus on physical, mental, and spiritual development. Seventh-Day Adventist Church (Brazil) Website, “Aventureiros” [“Adventurers”], accessed February 4, 2020, https://bit.ly/2NyYUuw.? 85. Ministério de Desbravadores e Aventureiros ANPa [ANPa Pathfinders and Adventurers Ministries], “Estatísticas - Associação Norte do Pará” [“Statistics - North Pará Conference”], accessed June 16, 2020, https://bit.ly/3bgpgMn.? 86. Cláudia Milena Santos (ANPa secretary assistant), email message to Carlos Flavio Teixeira (ESDA associate editor), September 6, 2019.? 87. Equipe de Comunicação da ANPa [ANPa Communication Team], “Crescimento Evidente” [“Evident Growth”], Mais Destaque Norte [More Focus North], (April-June 2014): 10-13.? 88. “Lower Amazonas Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1928), 197; Seventh-day Adventist Online Yearbook, “North Pará Conference,” accessed on April 30, 2020, https://bit.ly/2SpovZo. For more details about all administrative leaders of the North Pará Conference, see the Seventh-day Adventist Yearbooks from 1927 to 2018.? 89. For more information about North Pará Conference, access their website athttp://anpa.adventistas.org/ or their social media at Facebook: @adventistasnortepara; Instagram: @adventistasnortepara; and Twitter: @AdvNortePara.?

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