First Sabbath Offering for the General Conference Educational Center

Roanoke is an American city with a population of just over 300,000—including the surrounding area. It is nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains of southwest Virginia. In 1984, the SDA Reform Movement General Conference moved its headquarters from New Jersey to a scenic valley here. In 1995, a modest and attractive office building was constructed on an adjoining parcel. Surely we can heartily declare, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12).

Now it’s time for more significant expansion. The worshippers on Sabbath have outgrown the little office sanctuary, and as our outreach has developed around the world, there is a heightened need to represent more effectively the Lord’s work. As a result, the proposed building plan includes a larger chapel, expanded publication offices to spread light-out-of-darkness worldwide, educational facilities for the presentation of training seminars and eventually a missionary school for higher education, as well as a simple wellness facility to bring health and comfort to the infirm, that the name of the Lord may be glorified.

To rightly represent our denominational work on an international level is indeed a costly undertaking, so your prayers and financial help are greatly needed in order to make this expansion a reality.

“Those who are seeking to advance [God’s] work should give the very best they have, that the work may illustrate the perfection God requires.

“God must be honored by the work that is done for Him at this time. His work must move forward with stability. Faithfulness and fitness must appear in its every line. The buildings that are erected must correspond with the providences of God and with their relation to the work to be done in other places.”—The Review and Herald, June 24, 1902.

The project is great—the time is now. Please do consider how the Lord may be calling you to contribute to this project. Like the widow’s mite, your outstretched hand and generous donation can really go a long way in ministering worldwide through this expanded facility. Thank you in advance, and may God bless you!

Your brethren from the General Conference Council