Although the Seventh-day Adventist Church has had at least one church group in Nicosia operating for many years, three language groups meet separately to worship each week in the Cypriot capital despite there being no building in which to meet.
On the members’ behalf, reported ANN, the Trans-European Division (TED) received the 13th Sabbath overflow offering in 2020. However, because the COVID pandemic forced the closure of churches in many countries, the amount received was not enough to build an already planned purpose-built church.
They hope to purchase part of a building in which at least one language group will be able to worship soon.
On Sabbath, February 18 (The Saturday of Souls for Orthodox Cypriots), Adventist members across the island met in Nicosia to celebrate the birth of a new church: Εκκλησίας Αντβεντιστών Έβδομης Ημέρας στη Λευκωσία (“Seventh-day Adventist Church in Nicosia”).
Pastor Robert Csizmadia, secretary for the TED, joined the members to inaugurate this new church. He shared a message about taking potentially risky actions in order to follow God’s will and enter the Promised Land.
Pastor Kim Papaioannou, the pastor of the Greek-speaking church, ensured that all members were aware of the solemn charge of commitment at the beginning of their journey as a fully-fledged church.
Nineteen members signed to commit to serving the church faithfully.
The Sabbath day, wrote ANN, was one of praise, joy, and thankfulness for His leading in the lives of many people to enable this first primarily Greek-speaking Adventist church in Cyprus.
This is “one small step for man, but a giant leap” for the potential to reach out to the majority population in Nicosia, Cyprus.
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