Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada |
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SDACC Headquarters in Oshawa, Ontario
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| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Adventist |
| Polity | Modified presbyterian polity |
| President | Paul Llewellyn |
| Region | Canada |
| Branched from | Millerites |
| Aid organization | Adventist Development and Relief Agency |
| Tertiary institutions | Burman University |
| Other name(s) | Adventist church, SDA (informal), SDACC, Canadian Union |
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada (SDACC) is a part of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. It covers all of Canada and the French islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. As of 2022, the SDACC had seven local groups, 388 churches, and 74,191 members.
Contents
History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada
How the Church Started
The Seventh-day Adventist Church grew from a religious movement called the Millerite movement in the 1830s and 1840s. A preacher named William Miller traveled and shared his ideas. He visited places like the Eastern Townships of Quebec. Other leaders, Joshua Himes and Josiah Litch, also came to Canada. Miller's sister lived in Quebec, and Josiah Litch helped lead Millerite activities there. Canada was an important part of their work. Many people in Canada and the Maritimes were interested in Miller's teachings. The first Millerite camp meeting in Canada happened in Hatley, Quebec, led by Josiah Litch.
After October 22, 1844, which was a time of disappointment for the Millerites, the movement split into different groups. One group, called the Sabbatarian Adventists, believed in keeping the Sabbath (Saturday) as a day of rest. Leaders like Joseph Bates and Hiram Edson traveled around Lake Ontario in the early 1850s, even in deep snow, to find other Millerites and share their belief about the Sabbath.
The first Seventh-day Adventist church in Canada was formed in South Stukely, Quebec. This happened on September 30, 1877, with 16 members.
How the Church Organized in Canada
Early Canadian Union Conference
In 1901, the Seventh-day Adventist Church created new administrative groups called union conferences. These groups helped manage the local churches. One of these was the Eastern Union Conference, which included churches in the eastern United States and Canada. In 1902, they decided to create a Canadian Union Conference. This new group included churches in Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes, and Newfoundland. It was known as the Canadian Union Conference until 1914.
Meanwhile, Adventist churches in western Canada were managed by union conferences in the western United States. For example, in 1902, churches in British Columbia were asked to form their own local group within the Pacific Union.
Western Canadian Union Conference
In 1907, the president of the General Conference, A. G. Daniells, visited western Canada. He encouraged Adventists there to start a "western Canadian Union Conference," which soon became a reality.
Eastern Canadian Union Conference
In 1914, the church in eastern Canada officially became the Eastern Canadian Union Conference. The next year, W. C. White, son of Ellen G. White, visited and encouraged the church to expand its outreach in the region.
Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada Today
To help the church financially during the Great Depression, the two Canadian union conferences merged in 1932. This new combined group would serve all of Canada and Newfoundland. The headquarters for this new union conference were in Winnipeg.
In 1986, this combined group officially became the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada. It is a non-profit religious organization.
Social and Community Involvement
The SDACC has always been involved in helping communities and speaking up on important issues.
Helping Communities
Like Adventists around the world, the SDACC and its members have worked to promote healthy living. They have also run healthcare facilities. These efforts included the former Branson Hospital in Toronto and centers for seniors in many provinces like New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.
Since 1990, the SDACC has been a member of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. This organization works with many faith groups to help feed people in need.
Speaking Up on Issues
In 1906, Adventists in Canada spoke out against a bill that wanted to enforce Sunday observance. Adventist leaders met with Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier and his Minister of Justice to discuss their concerns.
Canadian Adventists were sometimes arrested for working on Sunday. They supported the efforts of people like John G. Diefenbaker who pushed for a Canadian Bill of Rights. This bill helps protect people's freedoms, including religious freedom.
Membership Statistics
Leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada
Canadian Union Conference Presidents (Early Years)
- W. H. Thurston, 1901–1909
- William Guthrie, 1909–1912
- M. N. Campbell, 1912–1914
Western Canadian Union Conference Presidents
- E. L. Stewart, 1907-1909
- H. S. Shaw, 1910-1916
- C. F. McVagh, 1916-1919
- A. C. Gilbert, 1920-1924
- S. A. Ruskjer, 1925-1932
Eastern Canadian Union Conference Presidents
- M. N. Campbell, 1914-1917
- A. V. Olson, 1917–1920
- F. W. Stray, 1920–1923
- Charles F. McVagh, 1923–1928
- W. C. Moffett, 1928–1932
Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada Presidents (Since 1932)
The Eastern and Western Canadian Union Conferences joined together in 1932. In 1986, this group officially became the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada.
- M. N. Campbell, 1932–1936
- W. B. Ochs, 1936–1943
- H. L. Rudy, 1943–1950
- W. A. Nelson, 1950–1962
- J. William Bothe, 1962–1973
- L. L. Reile, 1973–1981
- James W. Wilson, 1981–1989
- Douglas D. Devnich, 1989–1993
- Orville Parchment, 1994–2001
- Daniel R. Jackson, 2002–2010
- Mark A. Johnson, 2010–2022
- Paul Llewellyn, 2022–present
Related Organizations in Canada
- Canadian Adventist Messenger
- Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)
- Burman University
- Kingsway College
- VOAR - Voice of Adventist Radio
- Christian Record Services for the Blind
- It Is Written Canada
- Voice of Prophecy
Local Church Groups (Conferences)
The SDACC has seven smaller groups called "local conferences." These groups help organize churches in different parts of Canada.
Alberta Conference
The Alberta Conference started in 1906. It has sixty-eight churches and 12,338 members. It serves people in Alberta and part of the Northwest Territories. This conference runs four schools: Chinook Winds Adventist Academy, Coralwood Academy, Mamawi Atosketan Native School, and Prairie Adventist Christian eSchool. It also has Foothills Seventh-day Adventist Camp for meetings and youth camps.
British Columbia Conference
The British Columbia Conference also started in 1906. It has eighty-one churches and 10,793 members. It serves British Columbia, the Yukon Territory, and part of the Northwest Territories. This conference runs six schools: Cariboo Adventist Academy, Deer Lake Seventh-day Adventist School, Fraser Valley Adventist Academy, Okanagan Christian School, Peace Christian School, and West Coast Adventist Christian School. It also has Camp Hope and Mountain View Summer Camp for youth.
Manitoba-Saskatchewan Conference
The Manitoba-Saskatchewan Conference began in 1903. It has thirty-five churches and 4,074 members. It serves Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the Nunavut Territory. This conference runs Camp Whitesand for meetings and youth camps.
Maritime Conference
The Maritime Conference started in 1902. It has twenty-seven churches and 1,795 members. It serves New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. This conference runs one school, Sandy Lake Academy, and Camp Pugwash for meetings and youth camps.
Seventh-day Adventist Church in Newfoundland and Labrador
The SDA Church in Newfoundland and Labrador started in 1895. It has eight churches and 503 members. It serves Newfoundland and Labrador. This conference runs a radio station called Lighthouse FM (VOAR-FM 96.7) and Woody Acres Camp for meetings and youth camps.
Ontario Conference
The Ontario Conference began in 1899. It has 133 churches and 35,517 members. It serves Ontario. This conference runs one school, Crawford Adventist Academy, and Camp Frenda for youth camps.
Quebec Conference
The Quebec Conference started in 1880. It has forty-two churches and 9,171 members. It serves Quebec and the French islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. This conference runs a media center called Il Est Ecrit (It Is Written).
See also
- Seventh-day Adventist Church
- North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists
- It Is Written
