European Adventist Laymen’s Organization Elects Leaders, Shares Vision

With the theme “Forward with Christ,” the Adventist-Laymen’s Services and Industries Europe Convention welcomed attendees from 24 countries to Sofia, Bulgaria. The event inspired a renewed commitment to sharing Christ and marked the election of a new ASi Europe Executive Committee, organizers said.

A New Leadership Team Elected

A highlight was the election of a new ASi Europe Executive Committee, guided by Trans-European Division (TED) field secretary Ian Sweeney in a spirit of prayer and unity. Stepping into leadership roles are president Carlos Dias (Portugal), secretary Daniel Klop (United Kingdom), treasurer Dominik Ritler (Switzerland), and general vice president Michael Garkov (United Kingdom). The new roster also includes vice presidents for evangelism, Kris Lennart (Austria); marketing and communication, Daniel Pedley (Sweden); membership growth and development, Casiana Fometescu (Romania); logistics, Malin Valchinov (Bulgaria); and youth, Joakim Hjortland (Sweden).

Carlos Dias, the newly elected president, expressed gratitude to outgoing president Christiane Theiss for her seven years of leadership and 25 years of service to ASi Europe. “Her enthusiasm, energy, and commitment to chapter growth and fostering unity across divisions have left a lasting impact,” Dias said.

Dias shared his vision for the future, stating: “The new leadership team is focused on supporting evangelistic projects led by laypeople across all ASi chapters in Europe while fostering growth in many aspects of Seventh-day Adventist spiritual life. Sharing Christ in the marketplace is our 24/7 challenge. As missionaries in daily activities — from interactions with customers to colleagues — every stakeholder has an opportunity to share Christ.”

Highlights of the Convention

The convention reached its peak on Saturday (Sabbath), October 26, with 900 attendees participating in worship. Robert Folkenberg Jr., president of the Adventist Church’s Southern New England Conference in the United States, called attendees for courage to sharing the gospel. His messages throughout the event inspired attendees to deepen their spiritual walk and embrace their roles in God’s mission.

The presence of leaders, including North American Division (NAD) ASi president Andi Hunsaker, TED president Daniel Duda, and Inter-European Division (EUD) president Mario Brito, reinforced the unity and purpose characterizing the gathering.

A special Sabbath offering raised more than €230,000 (about US$242,000) in pledges to support 41 projects across 16 countries in Europe, reflecting the attendees’ shared commitment to the mission.

Music played a significant role, with Bulgarian artists, including a local bagpipe player, uniting the audience in heartfelt praise. An Adventist choir led an evangelistic concert in the evening, receiving a standing ovation.

The event also featured an evangelism expo and 13 seminars led by international leaders, offering practical tools for outreach. These sessions reflected ASi’s dedication to empowering professionals and laypeople to integrate their faith into daily life and mission.

About ASi Europe

Adventist-Laymen’s Services & Industries (ASi) Europe is a supporting organization established to strengthen the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church within the EUD and TED. Through collaboration with members from diverse professional backgrounds, ASi Europe promotes outreach programs aligned with the Church’s principles and values.

The original version of this story was posted on the Trans-European Division news site. ASi Europe is a nonprofit supporting ministry and is not operated by the corporate Seventh-day Adventist Church.