The One Project Gathering Begins Today in San Diego
February 24, 2017: The One Project begins a gathering this evening that continues through Monday. The Friday night worship will be led by Pastor Elia King from the Boulder (Colorado) Adventist Church. Pastor Sam Leonor, chaplain at La Sierra University, will be the preacher.
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ” is the theme of the event, a hopeful perspective that seeks to link prophecy with the Gospel. The focus is developing a stronger faith in Jesus through community and conversation.
Throughout Sabbath and Sunday there will be a series of speakers and discussion groups designed to help the participants reflect on their spiritual journeys and share insights, questions and concerns on one of the most central teachings of the Adventist faith; the return of Christ and the prophetic ideas pointing toward it.
More than a thousand people will gather at the Town and Country Resort and Convention Center in San Diego, California. There will be activities for children and teens, and a Saturday night dinner for college students.
Speakers will include Dr. William Johnsson, retired editor of the Adventist Review and New Testament scholar; Dr. Karl Haffner, senior pastor at the Kettering Adventist Church in Dayton, Ohio; Dr. Randy Roberts, senior pastor at the University Church in Loma Linda, California; Pastor Chris Oberg, senior pastor at the La Sierra University Church; Pastor Timothy Nixon, executive secretary of the denomination’s Lake Region Conference with headquarters in Chicago; Dr. Kendra Valentine, New Testament scholar in the H. M. S. Richards Divinity School at La Sierra University in Riverside, California; and Pastor Alex Bryan, senior pastor at the Walla Walla University Church in Washington state.
Other speakers will include Pastor Tim Gillespie from Crosswalk Church, an innovative Adventist congregation near San Bernardino, California; Pastor Damian Chandler, senior pastor of the Capital City Adventist Church in Sacramento, California; Pastor Iki Tami, leader of the Genesis Community Church, an Adventist congregation in Gardena, a suburb of Los Angeles; Pastor Jennifer Ogden, an associate pastor at the Walla Walla University Church; Dr. Laurence Turner, a Bible scholar and retired faculty member from Newbold College in England; Dena King, an entrepreneur and Adventist member; Pastor Mark Witas, senior pastor at the Pacific Union College Church in Angwin, California; and Dr. Steve Case, president of Involve Youth and former professor of youth ministry at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University in Michigan.
From 8 am to 4 pm on Monday, the Create Conference will convene; “a hopeful, faithful, constructive, creative and prophetic conversation about the future of the Adventist Church.” This event is designed for Adventist leaders and will include discussion groups with an introductory presentation for each of three key questions: “What are our lamentations and celebrations over the last six years? What challenges and opportunities does Adventist faith face? What transformations and applications have we seen in our local churches?”
The One Project is a joint initiative of a network of Adventist pastors and youth workers with the purpose of strengthening the spiritual commitment of young adults and professionals in major Adventist communities, especially “second-generation” Adventists born into the faith. It began in 2010.
Future events are scheduled for Brisbane, Australia, June 9-10; Atlanta, Georgia, October 21-22; and Melbourne, Australia, November 10-11. Next year the San Diego event is scheduled for February 11-12 and a event is planned in New York City on October 20-21. Additional information is available on the Web at www.the1project.org .
