Back in 1939, the General Conference endorsed the idea of the Adventurer program “to help children learn more about the Bible, health, nature, and to help them develop their people skills” (Adventurer Manual, p. XIII). The purpose of the program is to support parents and caregivers in leading and encouraging their children in a growing, joyful, loving relationship with Jesus Christ. It offers an instructional curriculum, family enrichment, supplementary resources, and volunteer training from within the Seventh-day Adventist philosophy.
Seeing the value of this program, conferences in the North American Division started sponsoring a club ministry for children in the 1970s. The Ontario Conference, under the leadership of Pastor Gordon Pifher who served as conference youth director from 1979 to 1985, had caught the vision and implemented the Adventurer program for the benefit of children ages 6-9 years old and their families.
The Adventurer Ministry continued to grow over the years under the leadership of the following youth ministries directors and Adventurer specialists:
1986 – 1988 …………………Mr. Bryan Lee
1988 – 1989 …………………Pastor Jason McCracken
1989 – 1991 …………………Pastor Milton Perkins / Pastor Frankie Lazarus, Associate Youth Director
1991 – 1994 …………………Pastor Milton Perkins
1994 – 2006 …………………Pastor Frankie Lazarus / Pastor Cyril Millett III, Associate Youth Director
2006 – 2012 …………………Pastor Cyril Millett III
2006 – 2009 …………………Pastor Charles Leader, Associate Youth Director (Adventurer Specialist)
2010 – 2013 ………………….Pastor Edwin Martin, Associate Youth Director (Adventurer Specialist)
August 2013 …………………The Ontario Conference constituency delegates voted Pastor Edwin Martin as Director of Adventurer, Pathfinder and Master Guide Ministries, thus making these three club ministries independent of the Youth Department.
With God’s blessings, the Adventurer Ministry has grown tremendously from 10 clubs in 2006 to a total of 61 in 2018.
Adventurer Ministry Highlights:
- Adventurer Family Camping: In partnership with Camp Ministries, the first ever Adventurer Camp Frenda was held on July 25 -29, 2010. From year to year, the family attendance increased significantly. Fun activities include swimming, canoeing, waterskiing, rock climbing, horseback riding, arts and crafts, biking and many more activities. Worship at Camp Frenda is the place to be for fun-filled family bonding.
- OCAC Terms of Reference: In 2009, the Ontario Conference Adventurer Association was named Ontario Conference Adventurer Council (OCAC). With that change, the OCAC Terms of Reference was put together which was ratified on September 17, 2011 at a duly called annual Adventurere Leaders’ Convention.
- Adventurer Fun Days, Family Rallies, and Fairs: Summer is not complete without the Adventurer Fun Day held every last Sunday of July. Destinations like Paulynn Park in Ajax, Camp Frenda, Bronte Park in Burlington, Toronto Centre Island, Cullen Central Park in Whitby, and Story Book Garden in London have been the venues for the annual fun events. The family rallies and fairs, after holding them for many years in the Crawford Adventist Academy gym in Willowdale, the event had to be relocated to Kingsway College gym in Oshawa due to the growing number of Adventurer families.Other regional Adventurer rallies were also held in spring to showcase the talents of Adventurers and their parents.Other regional Adventurer rallies were also held in spring to showcase the talents of Adventurers and their parents.
- Adventurer Bible Experience: As a way of emphasizing the study of God’s word for Adventurer children ages 6-9, the Ontario Conference Adventurer Council launched in 2012 a Bible-testing program dubbed as Adventurer Bible Experience (ABE). This is an adaptation of the Pathfinder Bible Experience, which the North American Division (NAD) introduced in 2011. In 2017, Little Lambs and Eager Beavers ages 4 and 5, respectively, were also included in the ABE program with questions especially designed for their age level. In 2022, ABE was replaced by the Adventurer Bible Game launched by the North American Division.
- Adventurer Outreach and Evangelism: Young as they are, Adventurers also take an active part in sharing the Gospel to others through preaching, singing, and doing simple acts of kindness. Nursing home visitation, mall ministry, etc. are just a few of the great things they are doing to bless others. In 2022, Adventurers took part in the Walking and Working With Jesus (WWWJ) digital evangelistic efforts of the Ontario Conference.
- Adventurer Spiritual Retreats/Conventions and Training Events: To foster healthy working relationships among Adventurer leaders and coordinators, retreats and/or conventions were held annually. To equip Adventurer leaders, the 10-hour Basic Staff Training and the Adventurer Leadership Growth were conducted regularly.
- Adventurer Master Guide Program: In 2015, a total of 32 Master Guides in the Adventurer track have been invested and approximately 85 were in the process of completing their Master Guide course.
- Adventurer Family Camporees: Nearly 900 Adventurers and their families registered for the 1st ever Ontario Conference Adventurer Family Camporee held on July 22-26, 2015 at Brant Conservation Area, Brantford, ON with the theme, “On Your Mark: Ready for God’s Game Plan.” Around 133 Adventurers, Eager Beavers and Little Lambs were invested on Sabbath morning, including Aundrea Belnavis-Sinclair, club director of the Agape Temple Asteroids, who was invested as an Adventurer Master Guide. The subsequent camporees include the following:
* Mission Possible Camporee – July 26-30, 2017 at Brant Conservation Area
* I AM Camporee (virtual) – August 5-9, 2020
* The Journey Camporee – July 26-30, 2023 at Camp New Lowell, ON
- Adventurer Online Programs: When the COVID-19 global pandemic hit in 2020, ministry continued through the Adventurer Online Family Worship held weekly on Friday nights at 7:30 pm via the Ontario Adventurers’ YouTube Channel and Facebook page. From November 2022 to May 2023, the WWWJ Bible Adventure was held that gave Adventurer preachers the opportunity to share God’s Word virtually.
The Ontario Conference Adventurer Ministry continues to flourish by God’s grace and power. Thanks to all club directors, staff, parents, volunteers for making adventuring a vibrant ministry in their respective local churches to help children grow in Christ.
Office secretaries also play a vital role in providing administrative assistance to the conference director, thus their humble services are also highly appreciated. Below are the individuals who served as secretaries for the Youth/Adventurer Ministries:
1979 – 1987 ………………Ruth Weidner
1988 – 1990 ………………Wendy Bell
1991 …………………………Krise Goss
1992 …………………………Gloria Greer
1993 – 1994 ………………Sherry Lemon
1995 …………………………Lori Lax
1996 – 1997……………….Gloria Greer
1997 – 2005……………… Juvey Puranen
1996 …………………………Lila Oliveira
2010 – 2012 ………………Verna Storaune
2013 – 2016………………..Ruth Weidner
2016-2020………………Edith Missah-Habaradas
2020-2021 ……………..Danielle Rop
2021-Present………….Juvey Puranen
Lastly, special thanks to Velma Morgan and all coordinators for their hard work and dedicated service. Their passion, courage, and undying commitment to the Adventurer Ministry of our Church are truly commendable and appreciated.