1,300 Missionaries Go Door to Door in Western Pennsylvania

Story by Tamyra Horst

Church members from eastern Pennsylvania drove across the state one Sabbath afternoon, carpooling in vans, cars and buses, to help western Pennsylvania congregations prepare for the Faith for Family evangelistic efforts held this fall. Together these new friends went door to door, distributing literature and invitations to the series.

“I was amazed when I saw the big bus full of people arrive from Hamburg. It gave me goose bumps,” says Debra Bandel, a member of the Washington church, located about 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

Nancy Stump, a member of the Reading Hampden Heights church in Temple, traveled with a group from the Johnstown church. One woman Stump talked to said she’d love to attend the upcoming meetings, but had no way to get there. When asked if a friend or family member could take her, she thought her son might. As they were talking, her son called. The woman began telling him about the meetings, but he didn’t seem happy and asked to talk to one of the visitors. As Stump talked with the son, he asked what church she belonged to. When she told him the Seventh-day Adventist Church, he said, “Wow! I’ve been listening to Hope Channel, and we will be at the meetings!” This is just one of many experiences members enjoyed as they worked together to connect with communities, reports Tim Bailey, director of leadership and spiritual growth.

Members generated 100 new leads from the cooperative door-to-door outreach, adding to more than 400 active Bible studies that are currently being given by Bible workers. Each church participating in the October and November series had a Bible worker laying the groundwork, making connections in local churches and preparing interests.

"Pennsylvania Conference membership is on fire to spread the word that Jesus is coming again. [We’re so excited that] more than 1,300 missionaries participated in the door-to-door ministry event in Western Pennsylvania,” shares Bailey. “Our goal is to have total member involvement all across the conference. Unselfish labor for all our churches is what it will take to reach our territory. Miracles are possible only when we ask for them. And we are praying for God to continue to work His will."