ore than 500 people attended the dedication of the new Atlantic Union Adventist Media (AUAM) production truck, held June 11 at the Linden Adventist Church in Laurelton, Queens, New York. The dedication signals the beginning of a ministry geared to reach residents in New York City and other metropolitan areas in the Atlantic Union territory with the gospel message.

The day's activities, which included Sabbath school, worship service, and the official unveiling and dedication of the truck, were transmitted live on Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN). Representatives from the Greater New York and Northeastern conferences, the Atlantic Union, the North American Division, and 3ABN general manager Mollie Steensen, joined musical artists Yolanda Innocent-Palmer, Arnold Edwards, Yvonne Lewis, the Holmes Sisters, and the Men of Israel as participants in the service.

DEDICATORY PRAYER: Church administrators, pastors, and other workers from the Atlantic Union, Greater New York and Northeastern conferences, and 3ABN participated in a prayer of dedication for the new production truck. [Photo credit: George Johnson]

More than two years ago Atlantic Union president Donald King invited 3ABN to partner with the union in outreach ministry in New York through cable television stations. As a result of this partnership the two conferences in the metropolitan New York area, Greater New York and Northeastern, together with a local New York-based coordinating committee headed by Ruben Carr Jr., conducted aggressive letter-writing and telephone campaigns requesting that 3ABN be available on cable in New York. The campaign officially began with a rally held at the Ephesus Adventist Church in Harlem on July 20, 2002. Since that time rallies to create awareness have been held at churches in the New York City area and transmitted live on 3ABN, resulting in some 2.5 million contacts being made with Time Warner and Cablevision.

The project then received a boost when a generous contribution was made to the Atlantic Union to assist with developing a way of reaching the large populations in New York City and other Northeast urban centers. The AUAM Governing Board was subsequently formed to manage the use and disbursement of the donation as well as to determine sources of additional funds for the project. The decision was made to purchase a production truck, rather than utilizing a fixed facility, and have it customized with the necessary equipment to videotape, edit, and produce local programs. Since that time a church organization contributed the additional funds needed to complete the customization of the production truck. In addition, individuals in the Greater New York and Northeastern conferences have also given generously toward this project.

CHECKING IT OUT: (From left) Ted Prouty, a member of the 3ABN road crew and the camera operator, talks with James Gilley, NAD vice president for evangelism, and Bill Bremner, Greater New York Conference community services director, about the new production truck's interior design. [Photo credit: George Johnson]

"What a great story we have to tell the world," said James Gilley, vice president for evangelism of the North American Division, during the service. "There is only one way to get into all these homes and that is through television." Gilley offered the prayer of dedication during the service while administrators, pastors, and other workers from the Atlantic Union, Greater New York and Northeastern conferences, and 3ABN surrounded the truck.

The production truck will travel throughout the Atlantic Union to record major evangelistic and other significant events. Members of the AUAM Governing Board will meet to make plans and set schedules to record programs that will be broadcast on 3ABN.

"We've got to get the light out [there] so people can see it and get to know Jesus," says King. "We've got to populate heaven with people." Describing the production truck as another avenue of fulfilling the mission of the Atlantic Union Conference, King added that the project will "lead all people, through the power of the everlasting gospel, into a growing, balanced, mature Christian experience to develop the church family, to serve the local community, and to prepare every person for the soon coming of Jesus Christ."

--Ednor A. P. Davison, editor of the Atlantic Union Gleaner and assistant communication director for the Atlantic Union Conference/AR.

More Religious News
Adventist News Network
Religion News Service
Religion Today