AJAX SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST COMMUNITY CHURCH
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Ajax SDA Community Church
Membership Blog

Ajax Community Church Pathfinders

2/2/2019

 
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Picture of  Ajax Lightbearers after their first place win in the Pathfinder Bible experience!

The Pathfinder Club, is a church based Christ-centered recreational and spiritual program that is designed for both boys and girls, grades 5 through 10.  The program offers adventure, challenge, action, and group activities that produce team spirit and loyalty to the Lord and the church. It is a worldwide organization and the ministry has a positive spiritual impact on the lives of our young people.

In September 2007, seeing the value of this ministry, interest to start a local club in the Ajax SDA Community Church was evident. The discussions to start a club began with lay members under the guidance of experienced Pathfinder Specialists.

On October 13, 2007 the Ajax Lightbearers Pathfinder Club was officially organized and the first ‘Induction Ceremony’ was held, and officiated by the then Executive Coordinator, Alex Rowe.  The club experienced growth over the years under the directorship of the first elected Director, Pansie Gray, the late Cornelius McIntyre and current Director, Yolanda Williams.  The current membership consists of 17 registered Pathfinders and 7 Staff.

The aim of the Pathfinder Ministry is to guide our young people into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and thus provides a key step in the educational program of the church.  It helps the Pathfinders to understand that God has a plan for their lives.  It teaches them that witnessing about God is a daily way of life and trains them for missionary service.

All young people are welcomed into the Ajax Lightbearers Pathfinder Club as they don’t have to be members of the church to join.  We encourage members to invite their non-Adventist friends and families to be a part of our club as well. The club not only cares for the spiritual but also for their physical well-being.  It provides opportunities to take them out of the classroom, since much of the program is physical action, and into outdoor adventures.

In order for the club to meet its objectives, it requires a commitment from the Pathfinder leaders.  These leaders help the Pathfinders to understand that the church loves, cares for, appreciates them and needs them in all areas of the church.

by Yolanda Williams
Pathfinder Director

The Formation of Ajax SDA Community Church

2/2/2019

 
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Introduction
In mother Africa, the ancestors verbally passed down historical information to the succeeding generations.  In Ajax Seventh-day Adventist Community Church (Ajax SDACC), we try to blend the verbal and digital information so that the younger generations will know and understand their roots.  January 1, 2019 marked 14 years since we began to worship in Ajax as a separate church group.  Would you like to know who the earliest key individuals involved in planting this church are? The following is a quick summary about who, when and how we developed as a community church in the town of Ajax.

The Vision
Early in 2004, I got the vision to start a church in Ajax but I was reluctant, primarily because of the amount of work involved.  I told my wife, Bernie Marcellin (now deceased) who helped me begin the ground work of influencing our circle of friends such as, Lance and Candy Flash, Wendell and Judy Boyce, Cornelius and Angela McIntyre, Matthew and Lydia Francis, Genifer Husbands, Ivanette Gregory and Bernice Wilson my present wife.  Later on other members were added to the group.

Facts Used to Implement the Vision
I was an Elder for many years and was successful with supervising the  ‘Lost Sheep Ministry’ at the Apple Creek SDA church. Those who decided to join the group to start a church in the town of Ajax had talents to cover all the key ministries of the church.  For example, we began with 3 elders, 1 treasurer, 2 deacons, 4 deaconesses, family life, youth, sabbath school and personal ministry. Laymen joined us as back-up preachers, while Pastor Coleman gave technical support in the beginning and later his full support.

Opposition to Implement the Vision 
Reluctantly we received the go-ahead to leave and form an assembly closer to our homes in the town of Ajax. However, nearby churches, fearing membership lost ask the Ontario Conference to stop the attempt to plant a new church in the town of Ajax. Many pastors had refused to preach at our church fearing we were a break-away group.
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Determination
The General Conference (GC) policy states that for every 20,000 people there should be at least one Seventh-day Adventist church.  Both Pickering and Ajax could accommodate five churches each.  This gave us the momentum to proceed and we worked with pastors Hibbert and Garnett from the Ontario Conference who supported our church planting effort. We then had a meeting with then president, Pastor Nichols, who gave us permission to start the church, after he was convinced by our 20 minute video presentation.
​Additional Facts for Successful Beginning
1.  We prayerfully involved God in all our plans.
2.  We had a common bond among members such as:
  • The spirit of Evangelism,
  • Travelling from the town of Ajax to Apple Creek for almost 20 years,
  • We calculated the collective expenses of travelling to Apple Creek Church in Markham and found it would cost less to pay for church rental and would diminish stress,
  • We had the willingness to accept the guidance of Pastor Coleman, who was retired at that time and gave his services for free. We earnestly followed his directions to implement solutions to any problems we encountered.
  • We formed a spiritual and social support unit which helped us deal with personal problems, such as, car-pooling.

Securing A Place of Worship
Securing a place of worship to rent was one of our most challenging task.  However, the ‘Search Committee’ finally agreed to accept an offer to worship at Refuge City Pentecostal church on January 1, 2005.  Ninety-seven (97) worshippers attended our first service. 

Conclusion
I am glad I obeyed the heavenly vision and I am honoured to have served as head-elder for the first ten (10) years. When I say Happy Anniversary Ajax SDACC, I mean that! At Ajax SDACC, we have vision and faith that God can make what seems impossible to man possible. That with the right attitude, unity and love, we can and will continue to illuminate our community. Happy 14th Anniversary Ajax! Please continue to plug into Jesus. To God be the glory!

​by Francis Marcellin
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Hours
N.B. Service times may change. Please check our weekly Church Bulletins for updates.

Ajax SDA Community church welcomes you starting Sabbath, Oct.14th, 2023 to  our Evangelistic series which will be held Saturdays ,Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:30pm (no meetings on Thursdays) 
At CLC Sanctuary and On Zoom 
ID:669 751 4479
​Password: 208612
Youtube: https://youtu.be/6ipB-1ue8QE
Hours
Please check our weekly Church Bulletins for updates.
Prayer and Praise:                    1st Sat. from 5pm
Sabbath School:                      10:00 A.M.   Saturday
Divine Worship:                        11:00 A.M.  Saturday
Bible Class:                                  4:00 P.M.   Saturday
Adventist Youth(A.Y):                5:00 P.M.   Saturday
Prayer Meeting:                             7:30 P.M.   Monday
Adventurers and Pathfinders meet the 2nd & 4th Sunday of the month at 2:00pm  on Zoom
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Telephone

905-231-9859

Email

info@ajaxsda.com

Address

​Ajax SDA Community Church
C/O Christian Life Centre
1030 Ravenscroft Rd, Ajax, Ontario, L1T 4R9
( Ravenscroft & Rossland )
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