A two-day event in late April 2022 in Blancarena, Uruguay, offered training to more than 60 Seventh-day Adventist women who already have leadership roles in their local congregations. 

South American Division (SAD) president Stanley Arco opened the event, held under the theme, “A Faithful Woman.” Its goal, he said, was to train and prepare women to support their congregations as active members and leaders by promoting women’s evangelism, training of other women, and visitation, among other activities.

The training would focus on four areas, Arco explained. “Our first emphasis area is Sabbath School and small groups; our second is Bible studies,” he said. “Third is new generations, and fourth is seniors.”

According to Arco, meetings like these that prepare women for leadership are extremely important. In Uruguay, 65 percent of church members are women, he reminded attendees. “Women’s leadership in the church is essential,” Arco said. “We appreciate this move and encourage Uruguay to keep supporting the formation of leaders in all areas.”

Focus on Mission

At the end of the event, Dagmar Wiebusch, women’s ministries director of the Adventist Church in Uruguay, commented that leaders feel they reached their stated goals. One of them was to offer the training and engage with women serving local congregations across the country. But the event is just the beginning, she emphasized. “Now our desire, our prayer, is that these women, in their communities and churches, may put what they learned into practice,” Wiebusch said. “The event does not end here, because leadership demands an ongoing learning process and, with the spirit of God, I believe that we will achieve what God wants.”

Jorge Wiebusch, president of the Adventist Church in Uruguay, said that regional leaders are convinced a solid church needs solid leadership. It is the reason training events such as the one for women leaders and other leadership initiatives across the country are important, he added. “These are empowering training moments, where our vows and our commitment to serve God are renewed,” he said. “We are happy to have a more prepared, more committed leadership, and we hope it will become a multiplier and a watershed in the history of the Adventist Church in Uruguay.”

Arco’s visit to the women’s training event was part of a multi-day tour of church entities in Uruguay. Together with SAD treasurer Marlon Lopes, he listened to briefings from local leaders on the progress of the Adventist Church in Uruguay. The two men also toured several church facilities and schools.

“I saw a church that is alive, with committed and engaged pastors,” Arco said at the end of his visit. “I am happy and grateful to God for the work being done. As leaders, we want to give our maximum support to the goal of the regional church, which is none other than preparing a people for the second coming of Jesus,” he said.

The original version of this story was posted on the South American Division Spanish-language new site.