At ASi Lake Union, Messages Focus on Urgent Call to Engage the Community

ASi Lake Union, a chapter of Adventist-Laymen’s Services and Industries in the United States, hosted its annual Spring Fellowship at the Metropolitan Seventh-day Adventist Church in Plymouth, Michigan, on April 26 and 27. The fellowship witnessed an unprecedented turnout of more than 250 people, which included registrants, church members, and guests, underscoring the growing enthusiasm for learning how to share Jesus in the marketplace. 

Against the urban backdrop of Detroit, ASi Lake Union focused its call on encouraging, empowering, and engaging with the community. Ivor Myers, pastor of Living Manna, the first official online church of the Northeastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, reminded attendees, “We are the end-time Moses, and we must become more active in our communities by not just preaching the gospel but by demonstrating the love of God.”

This year, ASi Lake Union collected US$17,873 from offerings and pledges. These funds will be instrumental in supporting five ministries: Adelante Radio’s broadcast equipment, AMEN Clinic’s Detroit event, ASAP Ministries refugee evangelism in Milwaukee, Farm Stew’s Zambia outreach, and LFJ Outreach Ministries Guyana missionaries, making a tangible difference in their operations.

Julia O’Carey, chief executive officer of ASAP Ministries, emphasized the critical need to equip refugee missionaries in the field as she shared an update from her ministry. “Jesus is coming soon, and we need to get the gospel to the most difficult parts of the world ASAP,” she said. 

A fellowship meal at the Metropolitan Seventh-day Adventist Church. [Photo: Stanton Witherspoon]

Carmelo Mercado (left), Lake Union Conference vice president and ASi secretary, and Gianluca Bacchiocchi, ASi Lake Union president. [Photo: Stanton Witherspoon]

Philip Baptiste, ASi secretary/treasurer for the North American Division. [Photo: Stanton Witherspoon]

Sabbath School panel (from left to right): Vicki Griffin, Mike Duncan, Michael Clendenning, and Gianluca Bacchiocchi. [Photo: Stanton Witherspoon]

Ivor Myers, pastor of Living Manna, the first official online church of the Northeastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, called Adventist lay people “to become more active in our communities by not just preaching the gospel but by demonstrating the love of God.” [Photo: Stanton Witherspoon]

ASi Lake Union is not only preaching the message of community engagement but has accepted the challenge, according to ASi Lake Union president Gianluca Bacchiocchi. Sharing the vision for what lies ahead, Bacchiocchi said, “We are going to become more focused on engaging with our local churches, Adventist Community [Services] centers, and schools by finding ways of how we can make a difference in the Lake Union.”

The Friday afternoon sessions set the foundation for the weekend, starting with author and health educator Vicki Griffin, who emphasized the importance of finishing strong, and then Claval Hunter, pastor of Berean Transformation Center, who provided a practical guide for discipleship, detailing steps to empower members for active community engagement. 

Attendee Michael Taimi enthusiastically shared his experience. “One of the things I enjoy about the ASi Lake Union Spring Fellowship is that it always aims to engage attendees, reminding us of the core things we need to work on as a body to serve the Lord. This is not just a convention but it’s a movement.” 

The meetings concluded with an exclusive premiere of an audio drama produced by Myers. This immersive experience led attendees through what Seventh-day Adventists call the great controversy, the story of the battle between Christ and Satan, followed by a question-and-answer session. 

ASi Lake Union is a regional chapter of ASi, an international organization of Christian individuals who work in the private sector in business, professional vocations, and non-profit ministries. ASi Lake Union Spring Fellowship 2025 will occur April 25 and 26 in Indiana.

The original version of this story was posted by the Lake Union Herald.