The One Project Gathers Again and AT Plans a Gathering Next Year
27 November 2018 | Another gathering of The One Project, “a surprise the Spirit sprung on us,” say the six Adventist pastors who announced the event, is planned for February 17 and 18, 2019, in Redlands, California. This comes after an announcement in August 2017 that the February 2018 gathering would be the last one.
The focus of The One Project for nearly a decade has been to lift up Jesus Christ, “the One to Whom Scripture gives testimony, the One Who is Before All Things.” It has attracted Adventists from around the world who seek a Christ-centered faith, and it has been criticized by some traditionalist Adventists, especially some ultra-conservative independent ministries.
The February gathering will focus on the Paul’s New Testament letter to the Colossians with the theme “Before All Things,” on a Sunday and Monday at Crosswalk Church, an Adventist congregation located at 10421 Corporate Drive, Redlands, California. Details regarding the event are here.
The announcement was signed by six Adventist pastors who have long been a part of the leadership of The One Project; Alex Bryan, who was senior pastor of the Walla Walla University Church until he recently took an administrative position with Adventist Health, the denomination’s health care organization for the two union conferences on the U.S. west coast; Japhet de Oliveira, pastor of the Boulder, Colorado, Church; Tim Gillespie, lead pastor at Crosswalk Church; Paddy McCoy, associate pastor for young adult ministries at Kettering Church in Dayton, Ohio; Sam Leonor, campus chaplain for La Sierra University in Riverside, California; and Rodney Long, who was a pastor for many years in Canada and the denomination’s Kansas-Nebraska Conference.
Adventist Today Event in October
Before the surprise announcement of the February event, Adventist Today (AT) had begun planning a gathering next year in response to many readers who expressed disappointment at the close of The One Project. The AT team has prayerfully decided to move ahead.
The weekend of October 4-6, 2019, in Portland, Oregon, you are invited. “It is a call to be one body in Christ regardless of whether you are an active, happy Adventist, a lifelong Adventist disappointed in recent decisions by the General Conference or a former Adventist with family ties and some interest in where things may be going with the denomination.”
“Imagine a beautiful Fall weekend for a whole new kind of camp meeting … a generous gathering that reimagines the Adventist narrative to fully embrace the reassuring, present truth of God’s love and grace … a conversation that isn’t a time to argue and debate or talk insider baseball about church policy … a fresh kind of fellowship where we are encouraged by uplifting music, presentations and art blending beautifully as we worship and spend time getting to know each other … a reminder that there is reconciliation in Jesus,” says the announcement.
The gathering will use the facilities of the Embassy Suites Washington Square in Portland. The theme for 2019 will be “Christ Challenges Culture.” Several speakers well known to readers have been invited. Speakers that have been confirmed include Alex Bryan, former pastor of Walla Walla University Church who recently moved to Adventist Health; Karl Haffner, senior pastor of Kettering Church in Dayton, Ohio; John McLarty, a former editor of AT and senior pastor of Green Lake Church in Seattle; and John Brunt, the retired theologian and pastor.
Others are also being invited, and readers who have a suggestion should email it to atoday@atoday.org and include “Planning Committee Suggestion” in the subject line.
“We are talking about an intergenerational celebration of grace in Jesus, inclusive and accepting of all, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, income, gender, background or persuasion,” a member of the planning team stated. One that “supports a Christ-centered, grace-oriented, compassionate and hopeful vision for our faith community. We stand for a generous, progressive next chapter in the Adventist story.”
If you want to get on the early list for information about reservations at the Adventist Today event, send an email to atoday@atoday.org and put “October List” in the subject line. Be sure to include contact information so that details can be mailed to you.