Captain G.F. Jones sailed into Viru Harbour, New Georgia, on his boat, Advent Herald, 100 years ago.
And to commemorate the arrival of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church in June 1914, the president of the world church, Pr. Ted NC Wilson, from the General Conference in the United States, will arrive in Honiara next week.
Pr. Ted Wilson will be accompanied by Pr. Barry Oliver, president of the South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Solomon Islands Mission (SIM) of the Seventh-day Adventist has prepared programmes to coincide with the visit of the world president of the Church.
After his arrival in the afternoon of Sunday 9th February, Pr. Ted Wilson will make a courtesy call at the Government House to briefly meet His Excellency the Governor General of Solomon Islands, Sir Frank Kabui.
He will then fly down to Gizo where he will meet the Western provincial premier, Hon.Pye Robert Kuve, before going across to Kukudu where he will conduct an evening service with members of the church who will be holding their camp meeting in Kukudu during that time.
President Wilson will spend the night there before returning to Honiara on Monday.
In Honiara President Ted Wilson will make a courtesy call to the Prime Minister Hon. Gordon Darcy Lilo.
He will have a meeting with government dignitaries, church leaders and other civil leaders at the Kitano Medana Hotel and have a lunch thereafter.
Other sites of interest where the President and his delegation will visit on Monday afternoon includes; the USA WWII Memorial at Skyline Drive and the Betikama Cemetery.
At Betikama the President will re-open the school chapel which went through full renovation last year.
The President will also attend a ground breaking ceremony for the Wellness Centre at Burns Creek.
A combined meeting for all the SDA churches in and around Honiara will be held at the Maranatha Centre in the evening.
A final combined meeting will be held at the Maranatha Hall on Tuesday morning at 8am before the President and his delegation leave for Fiji at lunch time.
In preparation for the visit and to mark the church centenary a District Meeting has been organised for Honiara churches with the first programme to be held at the Kukum SDA church this Friday evening.
The rest of the programmes will be held at the Maranatha Hall on Saturday and Sunday in preparation for Monday’s evening programme during which Pr. Ted Wilson will be the speaker.
Since the establishment of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1914 by Capt. Jones, the church grew and increased in membership.
Today baptized members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Solomon Islands is about 47,000.
Membership including non-baptized members is more than 90,000.
The Church has members and established churches in every island in the Solomon Islands.
Seventh-day Adventist Church worldwide with more than 18 million baptized members is one of the fastest growing Christian denominations in the world.
Itinerary
GENERAL CONFERENCE PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO SOLOMON ISLANDS
(February 9 – 11, 2014)
Sunday 9th February 2014
1:20 pm – Arrival at the Henderson International Airport
-Meeting protocol/welcome/refreshment at VIP Lounge
2:15 – 2:45 pm – Courtesy call to His Excellency the Governor-General
3:00 pm – Depart for Nusatupe airport
– To be met by Premier Pye Robert Kuve
5:00 pm – Arrive at Kukudu
7:00 pm – Combined church meeting
Monday 10th February 2014
9:30 am – Arrive at Henderson Airport (Honiara) from Nusatupe
10:30 am – Courtesy call to the Prime Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office
11:30 – 1:30 pm – Meet government’s dignitaries, Civil Leaders and church leaders at Kitano Mendana Hotel, followed by official lunch
3:00 – 3:30 pm – USA WWII Memorial at Skyline Drive
3:45 – 4:45 pm – Visit to Betikama Cemetery
5:00 pm – Wellness Centre Ground Breaking at Burns Creek
7:00 pm – Honiara Combined Meeting – Maranatha Hall
Tuesday 11th February 2014
7:30 am – Visit SIM Office
8:00 am – Honiara Combined Meeting – Maranatha Hall
10:00 am – Depart to Airport for Fiji
