Under the theme “Bringing Hope into Every Home, I Will Go,” leaders of the Atlantic Caribbean Union (ATCU) along with members and leaders of the South Bahamas Conference (SBC) gathered in Nassau, Bahamas at the Breath of Life Seventh-day Adventist Church on Sabbath, February 25, 2023, to begin the union’s Publishing Ministries advisory and to dedicate and launch the mass distribution of the missionary book of the year.
The distribution of a missionary book of the year is a special annual program of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to give members the opportunity to share a designated book of hope and peace with their family members, friends, and neighbors during these troublesome times.
Every year, before distribution, the missionary book of the year is dedicated as members ask God to bless the book so that it may serve its purpose and create a special place in the hearts of its readers. The Great Controversy by Ellen White is the selected book for 2023 and 2024. The aim is to distribute 11,000 copies of the book throughout ATCU to give countless individuals and families insight into the crisis going on in our world and share the hope in Jesus.
According to a summary of the book on The Great Controversy Project website greatcontroversy.org, “The Great Controversy not only unveils the origin of human degradation, but also discloses the titanic struggle raging below the din of pandemics and peril, corruption and carnage, murder and mayhem. In this astonishing work you will discover that evil has a face, good has a Champion, and sin has an end. If you want to prepare for the end of this world and the glorious world to come, you must read this book.”
Pastor Peter Kerr, president and Publishing Ministries director for ATCU shared that the goal of this book is to bring hope into homes and that people reading this book will be blessed.
Pastor Saul Ortiz, president of the Inter-American Division Publishing Association, was present for the occasion and was the featured speaker for the dedication service. Pastor Ortiz highlighted the importance of the publishing work in spreading the message and challenged members to deliver a book and make a missionary contact in sharing this book with others.
Pastor Kenny Deveaux, president of the SBC brought greetings and encouraged members to be a part of this great witnessing opportunity.
Conferences and churches throughout the ATCU territory will have individual days where they will dedicate the books in preparation for distribution in their communities. Mass distribution of the missionary book of the year will take place on March 18, 2023, when churches and members will take to their communities to share this book of hope. On April 19, 2023, a free digital copy of the book will be made available for download.
With a membership of 28,182, ATCU, which is headquartered in Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas, comprises four fields, namely, the Cayman Islands Conference, the North Bahamas Conference, the South Bahamas Conference, and the Turks and Caicos Islands Conference. In addition, Northern Caribbean University, which is in Mandeville, Jamaica, is jointly owned and operated by ATCU and the Jamaica Union.