Iceland Conference

The Iceland Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (Kirkja Sjounda Dags Adventista) covers the territory of Iceland, an island nation in the North Atlantic Ocean with a population of 380,000 (June 2023).¹ The conference office has always been located in the capital city of Reykjavík, where many of the members also live. The registered address was P.O. Box 262, 121 Reykjavik, for many years (1923-1989). Before that, the mission office’s registered address was Hverfisgötu 4B (1915-1917) followed by Ingolfstraeti 10 (1917-1923). Since 1990 the Iceland Conference office's address has been Sudurhlid 36, 105 Reykjavík.² There are six churches in the conference and a membership of 470.³

Development

Iceland was entered in 1897 with the Adventist message and organized as a mission in 1914.⁴ In 1930 the church in Iceland first gained conference status as the Iceland-Faroes Conference, being part of the West Nordic Union in the Northern European Division (NED). In 1946, after Iceland had gained complete independence from Denmark, the church in Iceland was separated from the church in the Faroe Islands and became an attached mission to the NED. In 1954 it regained its conference status as the Iceland Conference in the NED and continues in what is now the Trans-European Division.⁵

As of 2022, there was one Adventist for every 834 population, which is a good ratio in Europe. Compared with neighboring countries, the figures are Norway (1,204), Finland (1,248), Great Britain (1,816), Denmark (2,487), and Sweden (3,579).⁶ Literature sales, education, personal visitation, and Bible studies have been significant methods for the progress of the work. Over the years, the conference leadership has developed good relations with both the government and other denominations. From its comparatively small but well-educated membership, the church in Iceland has sent missionaries to Africa and lecturers to higher educational institutions in the Seventh-day Adventist network.

With the increasing secularization of society, and competition from the media, the Iceland Conference, like other Western European church organizations, is facing the challenge of renewing its aging church population and inspiring its youth for the mission work. New plans and materials in tune with time are being developed to fulfill the task at hand.

Mission and Conference officers⁷

Directors, Superintendents, and Presidents: Olaf J. Olsen (1911-1947), O. Frenning (Vice-President 1933-1936), Johannes Jensen (1947-1949), Julius Gudmundsson (1949-1968), Svein B. Johansen (1968-1973), Sigurdur Bjarnason (1973-1979), Erling B. Snorrason (1979-1988), Eric Gudmundsson (1988-1996), Derek Beardsell (1996-1997), Finn Eckhoff (1997-1998), Gavin Anthony (2000-2006), Eric Gudmundsson (2006-2014), Erling B. Snorrason (2014-2016), Gavin Anthony (2016- ).

Secretary-treasurers: J. Jönsson (1923-1930), Magnus Helgason (1930-1938), S. Heidar (1938-1947), Magnus Helgason (1949-1952), Theodor Gudjonsson (1952-1953), Magnus Helgason (1953-1968), Olafor Kristinsson (1968-1978), Johann E. Johansson (1980-1985), Gudni Kristijansson (1985-1986), Johann E. Johansson (1987-1991), Kristinn Olafsson (1991-1996), Harpa Theodorsdottir (1996-2005), Sandra M. Huldudottir (2005-2015), Johann E. Johansson (2015-2016), Björgvin Ibsen Helgason (2016-2018), Judal Oriel Ditta (2018-2019).

Secretaries: S. Heidar (1947-1948), Erling B. Snorrason (1979-1980), Thora Sigridur Jonsdottir (2019- ).

Treasurers: Magnus Helgason (1947-1948), Jonathan A.R. Dibble (1979-1980), Judel Oriel Ditta (2019- ).

Sources

Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, various years. https://www.adventistyearbook.org/.

Notes

1. “Iceland Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (2023), accessed June 20, 2023, https://www.adventistyearbook.org/entity?EntityID=12886.↩

2. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (1915-2022).↩

3. “Iceland Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (2023), accessed June 20, 2023, https://www.adventistyearbook.org/entity?EntityID=12886.↩

4. Ibid.↩

5. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbooks (1906-2022).↩

6. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press, 2022), 438-449.↩

7. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbooks (1912-2022).↩