STORY
Dayton and Cincinnati Adventist Brazilian Community Holds Inaugural Worship Service at Ohio Conference Integrity Hall
October 5, 2024
Ohio Conference
Today, the Dayton and Cincinnati Adventist Brazilian Community gathered for their first Sabbath worship at the Ohio Conference Integrity Hall. The service, which marked a significant milestone for the group, was led by volunteer pastor Rafael da Veiga Sengik. During his sermon, Sengik shared his experience as an immigrant, highlighting the unique challenges many face in similar situations. Despite these challenges, he encouraged the group, reminding them that each member had a distinct journey to the United States, yet all could serve and bring light to their local community.
In a brief interview after the service, Pastor Sengik shared the group’s vision for outreach to the Portuguese-speaking community in the Dayton-Cincinnati area. He expressed the desire to develop evangelistic programs aimed at Brazilian families and announced plans to launch Pathfinder and Adventurer clubs for youth. “Our plan is to develop evangelism programs for Brazilian families in our community. We also want to start Pathfinder and Adventurer clubs to engage our young people,” Sengik said.
The maiden service drew a group of 22 participants, including 16 adults and 6 children. The group’s mother church is Kettering Adventist Church, which has supported the formation and growth of the new congregation.
Ohio Conference President Bob Cundiff affirmed the group’s presence, stating that the Integrity Hall would serve as their worship space until they transition to a permanent location. “The conference hall is meant to help new groups and church plants that don’t have a place to worship. When the Brazilian group moves to a permanent building, we plan to offer the space to other new groups in the area,” Cundiff said.
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