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Chile Union Mission

By Rubén Salamanca Muñoz

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Rubén Salamanca Muñoz

First Published: July 28, 2021

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The Chile Union Mission (Unión Chilena, UCh) is an administrative unit of the Seventh-day Adventist Church within the territory of the South American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. This institution takes care of Adventist work in the republic of Chile. It is headquartered at 134 Américo Vespucio Avenue, Zip Code: 7550592, commune of Las Condes, province of Santiago, metropolitan region of Santiago, republic of Chile.1

Territory and Statistics

Its area of administrative activity corresponds geographically to the entire territory of Chile, which comprises the area of continental Chile, the islands that are part of the so-called Chile Oceánico (Oceanic Chile or Insular Chile), and the Chilean Antarctic. The Oceanic Chile Islands with a permanent population are Easter Island (with an Adventist presence since 1972) and the islands of the Juan Fernández Archipelago. In total, continental Chile and oceanic Chile comprise a territory of 756,096 square kilometers.2 The estimated population of Chile is 19,107,000.3 UCh manages 164 pastoral districts and 999 congregations (684 organized churches and 315 groups). There are 104,215 Adventist members in Chile, or a ratio of one Adventist per 183 inhabitants.4

Within the UCh territory there are seven administrative units, which are: Central South Chile Conference (Asociación Centro Sur de Chile, ACSCh), headquartered in the city of Concepción, with 31 pastoral districts, 174 congregations, and 20,296 members; Metropolitan Chile Conference (Asociación Metropolitana de Chile, AMCh), headquartered in Santiago, with 29 districts, 117 congregations, and 17,398 members; North Chile Conference (Asociación Norte de Chile, ANCh), headquartered in the city of Antofagasta, with 20 districts, 123 congregations, and 13,445 members; South Austral Chile Conference (Asociación Sur Austral de Chile, ASACh), headquartered in Temuco, with 30 districts, 237 congregations, and 21,967 members; Central Chile Mission (Misión Central de Chile, MCCh), headquartered in Talca, with 14 districts, 99 congregations, and 7,047 members; Pacific Chile Mission (Misión Chilena del Pacífico, MChP), headquartered in the city of Viña del Mar, with 23 districts, 154 congregations, and 13,092 members; and South Metropolitan Chile Mission (Misión Sur Metropolitana de Chile, MSMCh), also headquartered in Santiago, with 17 districts, 95 churches, and 10,970 members.5

Throughout UCh there are 48 elementary and high schools, and the total number of students is 25,109.6 There is also a higher education institution called Chile Adventist University (Universidad Adventista de Chile, UnACh), located on the road to Tanilvoro, Km. 12, Las Mariposas, Chillán, where 2,175 students study.7 As a university, the UnACh offers undergraduate, diploma, master’s and doctorate courses, with four areas of study: health sciences, education and social sciences, engineering and business, and theology.8 The university was accredited for the first time in 2009 in institutional management and undergraduate teaching, by the National Accreditation Commission (Comisión Nacional de Acreditación, CNA), an autonomous state entity in charge of certifying the quality of institutions of higher education.9

There are also medical institutions that receive assistance from UCh, and one of them is the Los Angeles Adventist Clinic (Clínica Adventista Los Ángeles, CLINALA). This institution, which was inaugurated in 1979, is located at 256 Manuel Rodríguez Street, Los Ángeles, Bío Bío, and has 23 patient beds. The clinic has hospitalization services, wards, and diagnostic and therapeutic support. It is also a medical center with several specialties. Another health institution in UCh territory is the dental center which operates in the facilities of Chile Adventist University, in Chillán.10

In the area of communication, UCh maintains Chile New Time Radio and TV Center (the Centro Nuevo Tiempo de Radio y TV Chile). This institution consolidated Adventist communications in the region during the first decade of the 21st century. This was due to a combination of resources and opportunities that allowed it to implement a powerful media network with the acquisition of six open TV concessions and the broadcasting of Nuevo Tiempo (Hope Channel) signal on 31 cable TV channels and 25 Nuevo Tiempo (New Time) radio frequencies. Since then, Nuevo Tiempo Chile has had a potential audience equivalent to 70.4 percent of the national population.11 Nuevo Tiempo Chile is headquartered at 6251 Los Cerezos, Peñalolén, Santiago metropolitan region.12

The SDA institution responsible for providing assistance in the country is the Agencia Adventista de Desarrollo y Recursos Asistenciales (Adventist Development and Relief Agency International, ADRA Chile), established in 1958. It is located at 150 Cruz del Sur, Las Condes, Santiago metropolitan region. ADRA Chile has 28 decentralized offices and 400 professional employees who work in the areas of their expertise.13

In the publishing area, UCh manages the Asociación Casa Editora Sudamericana - Chile (South American Spanish Publishing House - Chile, ACES Chile), established in 1965, and it is located in Santiago. ACES Chile is a branch of the SDA South American Spanish Publishing House, headquartered in Argentina.14

In conclusion, the total number of Adventist employees in the Chile Union Mission, including its institutions and fields, is 3,850, with 3,408 employees and 442 denominational workers. Among the workers, there are 53 with a missionary license, 122 with a missionary credential, 63 with a ministerial license, and 204 with a ministerial credential.15

Union’s Organizational History

“Not much is known about the beginnings of Adventism in Chile, but it is likely that the first Adventists to arrive in South America were Claudio Dessignet and Antonieta S. de Dessignet.”16 This French couple had converted to Adventism while still in France and, according to reports, they arrived in Chile in 1885. By their testimony, other French settlers in the Cautin province accepted the Adventist faith. Years after the arrival of the Dessignets, the first canvassers sent by the General Conference disembarked in the republic of Chile. Clair A. Nowlen was the first to arrive in the country, and he began his work in Punta Arenas in 1893, reaching the port city of Valparaíso. Due to some difficulties, such as mastering Spanish, the predominant language in the country, he was not able to do very much. In December 1894, at the request of the Foreign Mission Board, Frederick W. Bishop and Thomas H. Davis, two young canvassers, went to Valparaíso to work as self-supporting missionaries. With the work of these young people, and under divine providence, the Adventist message spread to several Chilean cities.17

With the coming of more missionaries, many others were converted to Adventism.18 Months after their arrival in Valparaíso, Bishop and Davis decided to go to Santiago, the capital. While there, and with the help of a friend, they rented a small room in the house of a Spanish family. The owner was a Baptist pastor named Enrique Balada who, upon learning that they were Seventh-day Adventists, tried to convince them that Sunday was the Lord’s day. They studied the Bible together for several days, but they were not successful in convincing him. The pastor’s wife, who would listen to the study from another comfortable room in the house, discussed the subject with her husband and told him that the Adventists were right about the Sabbath and that from that day on she would also keep it. Shortly thereafter, Enrique Balada started to keep the Sabbath and resigned as Baptist pastor.19

After Balada and the Thomann brothers (Eduardo and Víctor) converted, the first Sabbath school that operated in Santiago de Chile took place in Enrique Balada’s house. “Eduardo, a natural leader, soon took over the new group.”20 Then, due to the development and growth of Adventism in the country, the church needed to be organized. For that great work, the General Conference sent Pastor Granville H. Baber, who arrived in Valparaíso in 1895 to supervise the work in Chile.21

As part of his responsibilities, Baber established the Misión Chilena (Chile Mission) in 1895. As the first Adventist minister in Chile, Baber traveled to perform the first baptisms and organize the first congregations. Among them, was the first church in Iquique, in northern Chile, and the churches in San Felipe and Santiago. In the Santiago church he baptized the Thomann brothers in December 1896. The Chile Mission operated in Valparaíso until 1902.22

In 1904, after having worked for several years as president of the Misión de la Costa Oriental (East Coast Mission), Frank H. Westphal accepted the call to direct the Chile Mission, which until that time comprised the countries of Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. And thanks to his efforts and those of the other missionaries, the work of educational institutions, publications, and evangelism were strengthened in Chile.23

Among the institutions that arose with the purpose of training missionaries and evangelizing indigenous peoples in the region, was the Escuela Adventista de Púa (Púa Training School), officially inaugurated on April 15, 1906, by Carlos E. Krieghoff. Although it was the third educational institution established by Adventists in Chile, it was the first founded with the aim of becoming a school of higher education, presently known as Chile Adventist University (UnACh).24

None of the evangelistic efforts and new projects developed by the Chile Mission were enough to serve the entire country. At that time, the mission was also responsible for carrying on the work in Bolivia.25 In order to provide better service to both countries, at a meeting in Santiago on March 29 to April 7, 1907, the delegates decided to divide the mission territory. The Chile Conference (Asociación Chilena, ACh), now known as Metropolitan Chile Conference (Asociación Metropolitana de Chile), was established26 with jurisdiction over the entire national territory which, until 1929, included the city of Tacna in the far north.27 The first president of Chile Conference was Pastor Frank H. Westphal, and there were nine churches and 260 members throughout the country.28

After the establishment of the first conference in Chile, several events took place that led to progress in preaching the gospel. Beyond establishing and consolidating Adventist groups throughout the country, Adventist churches were built and, as a result, the Church’s image was enhanced among the citizens. Due to growth in the number of Adventists, new Adventist schools were established in big cities, such as the Adventist academies in “Santiago (1918), Temuco (1928), Copiapó (1942), Concepción (1942), … among others.” What at first was created with the goal to provide Adventist education to the children of the church members, soon became an effective tool to proclaim the gospel, and the Church continued to grow.29

The Chile Conference included the entire territory of the country until 1950. More than four decades had passed since its organization30 and, during that time, many challenges such as worker shortage, and geographic, climatic, and even financial difficulties, were overcome. Between 1907 and 1949, the Adventist Church in Chile grew from 260 members and nine churches, to having approximately 4,415 Adventists and 45 organized churches, in addition to prayer groups. This growth made it necessary to restructure the Chile mission field. In 1950, the South American Division decided to divide the Chile Conference into Asociación Central Norte de Chile (Central North Chile Conference), now known as Asociación Metropolitana de Chile (Metropolitan Chile Conference) and Asociación Sur de Chile (South Chile Conference), now known as Asociación Centro Sur de Chile (Central South Chile Conference), and this configuration remained for about 16 years.31

In June 1961,32 the Austral Union Conference asked the South American Division to study the possibility of organizing Chile into a union. However, the South American Division found it inconvenient to establish such a union at the time, due to financial considerations and a shortage of workers. The organization in Chilean territory had first been under the Misión Unión Sudamericana (South American Union Mission, 1901-1906), then under the Unión Asociación Sudamericana (South American Union Conference, 1907-1915), and since 1916 under the Unión Austral (Austral Union Conference), headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1961 the Church in Chile comprised two fields: Central North Chile Conference and South Chile Conference, both created in 1950 from the division of the Chile Conference and covering the entire national territory.33

In June 1965, the South American Division requested the General Conference to study the possibility of organizing a union mission in Chile, with the stipulation that its structure contain at least one conference and two missions.34 Finally, the dream of establishing a union in Chile, with the goal of affirming and expanding the work in the territory, came true. In October 1965, the South American Division agreed to create Chile Union Mission, composed of three fields, which would be defined at the time of its organization.35

At the end of November 1965, Chile Union Mission (UCh) was organized with an administrative structure that preserved the national territorial integrity, with three fields: Asociación Sur de Chile (South Chile Conference), Asociación Central de Chile (Central Chile Conference), and Misión Norte de Chile (North Chile Mission). The last two fields resulted from the division of the Central North Chile Conference. North Chile Mission would cover the provinces of Atacama, Antofagasta, and Tarapacá, headquartered in the city of Antofagasta; and Central Chile Conference would cover the provinces of Coquimbo and Ñuble, headquartered in the location of the old Central North Chile Conference, in Santiago.36

In December 1965, UCh’s administrators were appointed to take office immediately: Karl Sullivan, president, and Mario N. Soto, secretary-treasurer and auditor.37 Soto was later ordained as a minister, along with Gilberto Velásquez and Sergio Morales, the first ordained pastors in the Chile Union Mission. A few days later, the first department secretaries and members of the board of directors were appointed. Chile Union Mission operated for a few months in a temporary location and then moved to its current location at 134 Américo Vespucio Norte Avenue.38

In 1986 Eliel Almonte became president of UCh, and the position of secretary-treasurer was separated for the first time by the administration, with Víctor Peto being the first to hold the position of secretary. This innovation was adopted by the South American Division when the new administrators of the union were appointed in 1985.39 Regarding the UCh organizational chart, over time there was a trend towards diversification of ministries and departments, according to the complexities and specialization that demanded attention. These changes have allowed the church to more successfully achieve its mission goals.40

In 1988 the original structure constituted in 1965 was altered for the first time. The Central Chile Conference (now known as Metropolitan Chile Conference) was divided to form a mission that would comprise the northernmost area of the field, the regions of Coquimbo and Valparaíso. The new mission was called Pacific Chile Mission and began operating on January 1, 1989, headquartered in the city of Valparaíso,41 although it was later moved to Quilpué. The Central Conference was limited to the Metropolitan, O’Higgins, and Maule regions. Ten years later, the growth of the church in the center and south of the country suggested a change in the UCh administrative structure. Consequently, Central Chile Conference was divided again, giving rise to two new fields: Metropolitan Chile Conference, with jurisdiction over the entire metropolitan region, and headquartered in Santiago; and Central Chile Mission, with jurisdiction over the O’Higgins and Maule regions, and headquartered in the city of Talca, capital of the Maule region. The new mission was organized in January 1998.42

In 2001 there was a restructuring of the South Chile Conference, authorized by the South American Division commission in charge of its evaluation.43 Misión Austral de Chile (Austral Chile Mission), now South Austral Chile Conference, was created, comprising the southernmost regions of the country: the Lagos, Aysén, and Magallanes regions. The South Chile Conference was limited to the territories of the La Araucanía and Bío Bío regions and is headquartered in Temuco. Thus, Chile Union Mission started the 21st century with a structure that included two conferences and four missions.44

Perhaps the most important change in organizational aspects is the one that altered the character of the missionaries’ legal attachment to the church. In 2004, the Seventh-day Adventist Church was registered by the Ministry of Justice as a religious entity under Public Law, dedicated exclusively to religious and missionary activities. That happened within the framework of the new law No. 19,638, also called Ley de Culto (Law on Worship), which regulates the maintenance and creation of churches and religious entities. Thus, in 2009, UCh approved the change of the missionaries’ legal attachment45 from the Church Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists to the new entity, which is called Seventh-day Adventist Church. In addition to the changes in human resources, there have been important developments in the church administrative structures in Chile.46

The evident asymmetry in human, material, financial, and membership resources, which resulted from the restructuring of the South Chile Conference in 2001, led to a new territorial organization a decade later, in 2011. In this new restructuring, the South Chile Conference territory was limited to the Bio Bío Region, and the institution was renamed Central South Chile Conference, moving its headquarters to the city of Concepción. The Austral Chile Mission expanded its territory by annexing the La Araucanía region, and it moved its headquarters from Osorno to the city of Temuco. On January 1, 2012, it acquired the status of a conference and was renamed South Austral Chile Conference.47

The latest reorganization that took place in UCh was the subdivision of Chile Metropolitan Conference to give rise to the South Metropolitan Chile Mission, effective January 1, 2012. Since then, church administration in the metropolitan region has been shared by two entities: Metropolitan Chile Conference and South Metropolitan Chile Mission. The territory was reorganized according to a line that geographically divided the metropolitan region into a central-north and a southern zone, as a strategy that seeks to homogeneously promote the growth of the church in the area that contains more than 40 percent of the population of the country.48

Since June 2016, the union has been made up of seven fields (three conferences and four missions) and five institutions (Chile Adventist University, Los Ángeles Adventist Clinic, Chile New Time Radio and TV Center, ADRA Chile, and ACES Chile).49 All of this structural and institutional expansion increased the number of people reached by the Adventist message.

The creation of UCh was a boost for the growth of the church in Chile. In the first decade of its existence (1966-1975), membership grew from 10,584 to 25,597,50 which more than doubled the previous number. In the next 25 years, the church almost quadrupled its membership, reaching more than 100,000 members by the end of 2000. Behind this growth were the successful evangelism strategies carried out in the country. The first was the “metropolitan campaign,” which focused on major urban centers and brought large audiences to tents, halls, or special auditoriums. These campaigns culminated in the establishment of churches and congregations in many places. Doctrinal and eschatological biblical themes were preceded by public health programs. UCh made its evangelism debut with the largest metropolitan campaign carried out in Chile at that time, the Santiago campaign. Led by the international evangelist Antonio Arteaga, and with the help of a team of 12 workers, 18 theology students, and lay members from Santiago, between 2,000 and 5,000 people attended the meetings daily. Among the great lecturers of the period from 1966 to the 1980s were Pastors Antonio Arteaga, Walter Cámeron, and Amasias Justiniano.51

Around 1980, the “national campaigns” succeeded the “metropolitan campaigns” as the main evangelism strategy. In this model, multiple preaching centers are planned with strong lay participation and with the concept of holding autumn, spring, sowing, harvesting, and conservation campaigns. Chile Union Mission was a pioneer in this type of strategy when, in 1984 and then in 1987, it developed the Chile para Cristo (Chile for Christ) campaign, which was declared a pilot project of the SAD and a model for the preparation of the 1990 Global Strategy of the General Conference.52

Subsequently, the national campaign strategy was enriched with the concept of “Integrated Evangelism.” Introduced by the South American Division in 2001, it was defined as “the church program that promotes harmonious action of all departments and institutions for the fulfillment of Christ’s mission.”53 Since then, this program became the main conceptual support of Global Mission’s evangelization strategy in the fields of the South American Division.

In the five-year periods that followed until the present, evangelism in the Chile Union Mission has been in the context of the vision from the South American Division,54 with the development of several programs characterized by the unifying force of the Christian message: Hope. The diversity of evangelization initiatives and programs is accompanied by free mass distribution of publications: La única Esperanza (The only Hope); Señales de Esperanza (Signs of Hope); Tiempo de Esperanza (Time of Hope); ¿Todavía existe Esperanza? (Is there Still Hope?); La gran Esperanza (The Great Hope); Futuro con Esperanza (Future with Hope), Impacto Esperanza (Hope Impact); Amigos de Esperanza (Friends of Hope); Un día de Esperanza (A Day of Hope); Hogares de Esperanza (Homes of Hope). The purpose of those programs is to meet all spiritual needs of the people under the concept of hope.55

A relevant event due to its symbolism and public impact was La Gran Caravana de la Esperanza (The Great Caravan of Hope), a double march held from November 18 to 26, 2005, which convened the entire Chilean Adventist Church from the southern and northern extremes of Chile, until they converged on the National Stadium in Santiago. The movement included massive meetings in many cities in Santiago, led by the evangelists Alejandro Bullón (from the south) and Guido Quinteros (from the north). In Santiago, about 45,000 people gathered to listen to the message presented by Armando Miranda, vice president of the General Conference, and to witness the massive baptism of more than 600 people.56

Lay mobilization has significantly contributed to the growth of the church over the past 25 years. There were also losses in that period due to natural causes, apostasy, and adjustments in payroll. Church growth reached around 6,000 members by 2015. The following information shows the increase in membership on the Adventist Church in Chile as a whole. The comparison was made every five years, beginning in 1990: at the beginning of that period, there were 95,281 members, and at the end, 87,890 members; in 1995, there were 83,992 at the beginning, and 85,761 at the end; in 2000, there were 97,763 members at the beginning, and 101,534 at the end; in 2005, there were 117,730 members at the beginning, and 122,469 members at the end; in 2010, there were 119,026 members at the beginning, and 121,548 at the end; finally, at the beginning of 2015, there were 101,624 Adventist members in Chile, and at the end, there were 99,938 members.57

A proportionately similar growth occurred in the area of Adventist education in Chile. In 1966, when UCh had just been organized, Chile had 20 elementary schools, two high schools, and a total of 2,505 students. Fourteen years later, in 1980, it had 28 elementary schools and four high schools, of which one was a boarding school, Centro Educacional Adventista de Los Ángeles (Los Ángeles Adventist Academy, CEALA), founded in 1979 with a total of 6,399 students.58 As of this last date, enrollment in Adventist educational establishments, from preschool education to high schools, experienced expansive growth. This was largely due to the decision to assign the Adventist school system to the voucher program, or state subsidy for school education, a policy implemented by the state of Chile in 1980.59 Statistics from the Annual Statistical Report of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, report that in the 1980s, enrollment at the primary level alone grew from 5,732 to 12,577. In other words, in ten years, the demand for Adventist Education60 increased by more than 100 percent in Chile.

In Chile the date of February 8, 1984, is very significant for the Adventist Church’s educational system. Through an official decree published that day, the Ministry of Education authorized Adventist religion programs for the entire Chilean school system, being the only non-Catholic Christian religion program authorized in the country. Once again, the government trusted in Adventist education.61

At the end of 1997, 13 years after the recognition of the Adventist educational program, the law that created the full school day system was promulgated in Chile, a circumstance that favored the church’s schools, since most of them opted for it. The implementation of the full school day plan was financially supported by the state to fund the consequent need to expand the infrastructure of the schools that entered the system. In that same regard, the development strategy of the education department of the Chile Union Mission considered adding high school education to 15 elementary schools, between 2000 and 2015. Whether with their own or mixed (their own and state aid) funding, Adventist schools renovated and modernized their facilities and nearly doubled their building capacity between 2000 and 2016. The Antofagasta and Talcahuano Academies were the last educational establishments to be renovated (2015-2016), and they did so, following the architectural and aesthetic lines similar to the network of Adventist schools in the Brazilian southeast.

From 1980 onwards, 14 new educational establishments were built, and 15 elementary schools increased their rate of enrollment by incorporating high school education. Furthermore, in the period after 1980, there was a great growth of Adventist elementary schools. The church now supports 28 high schools in the country. Nonetheless, the need to comply with the requirement established by the General Education Law forced the creation of seven new legal entities (foundations) under the John Andrews Foundation to serve as supporters of the educational establishments in each field of the Chile Union Mission.62 The transfer of educational establishments from the Seventh-day Adventist Church Corporation to the new foundations became effective in the next two years. Since June 2016, the Adventist school system has supported 48 educational establishments, with a total enrollment of 24,001 students, and is the largest private education system managed by a Protestant Christian denomination in Chile.63

Regarding higher education, in 1979 Colegio Adventista de Chile (Chile Adventist University Academy), formerly Colegio Adventista de Púa (Púa Training School) extended the agreement that it had signed with Concepción University (UdeC) in 1963, which sought to guarantee the academic excellence of the faculty program. Thus, the extension of this agreement allowed the institution to create programs and offer degrees in early childhood education, pedagogy in music, and pedagogy in history and geography. Finally, due to this agreement, the academy was able to take the first steps to become a university. In this way, and thanks to the DFL (Decree with Force of Law) No. 5 of 1981, issued by the Ministry of Public Education in 1982, the Instituto Profesional Adventista (Adventist Professional Institute, IPA) was established with the purpose of teaching professional careers in the areas of education and theology. The IPA was created as an institution linked to Centro Educacional Adventista (Adventist Educational Center, CEACH) and was initially supervised by UdeC until it was granted full autonomy from the Ministry of Education, in 1994.64

Eight years after the creation of the IPA, the Universidad Adventista de Chile (Chile Adventist University) was established. The new institution began its activities in 1990 on the same campus and in coexistence with the IPA. The creation of UnACh is linked to the expectation of the need for Adventist university training of young people from the Chilean Adventist community and the population from local communities and surrounding provinces. The university adopts the Adventist educational model, is open to students of different creeds and cultures, and has a worldwide mission that is identified with the Christian educational values reflected in its motto: Propter Deum et Humanitatem” (At the service of God and humanity). UnACh received full autonomy in 2002, thus being able to open new undergraduate and graduate courses. In June 2016, the university had a total of 1,853 undergraduate students, 23 undergraduate courses, and three graduate courses. Furthermore, it had 12 undergraduate programs accredited, including the total number of initial teacher training courses, and it had an academic staff of 201 professors, 62 percent of them with postgraduate degrees.65

As it could be seen, the school infrastructure grew as a result of an increase in enrollment, followed by other support measures, some of which were provided by the state. Whether with their own or mixed (self-funding and state aid) funding, Adventist schools renovated their facilities and nearly doubled their building capacity between 2000 and 2016. Chile Adventist University, for example, between 2011 and 2013, modernized and improved its functional and service infrastructure: the streets of the campus were paved, a new library was built, and the campus church, one of the largest in the Chile Union Mission, was renovated. However, the growth of the infrastructure was not limited to the educational area, but was expanded to the construction of churches and chapels. Shortly after Chile Union Mission began to operate in the 1970s, the church purchased properties and built churches in almost every major city in Chile.66

In the first 15 years of the new century, the following additional achievements are relevant: construction of about 80 chapels and churches in partnership with Maranatha International from 2003 to 2007; and the expansion of assets resulting from entry into fund operations for large churches, which allowed the initiation of a remodeling program and purchase of new properties for central churches in the major cities, including buildings such as the Concepción Temple, damaged by an earthquake in February 2010. In 2012, the Capillas de Esperanza (Chapels of Hope) fund was created to foster the renovation and construction of new churches, previously subsidized as small chapels. Since then, the plan which includes standardized design and management parameters, has made possible the improvement of infrastructure on an average of seven chapels per year.67

Regarding church administrative headquarters and institutional buildings, in 2011,68 important decisions were made concerning the renovation and construction of buildings, including: the new administrative building of UCh; the administrative headquarters of the South Metropolitan Chile Mission (a field that began operating in 2012);69 the CLINALA medical building;70 and the construction of the administrative headquarters of the South Metropolitan Chile Mission and Pacific Chile Mission, inaugurated in 2016 and 2018, respectively. Most of them were finished by June 2016.71

With the arrival of a new century, UCh found it necessary to renovate and expand the headquarters building, making it more functional and better able to meet the administrative and technological demands of a modern operation. They first sought to develop a new project in a sector of the city of Santiago that specialized in corporate and business offices. However, the 2010 earthquake forced the administration to adjust its plans, so it was finally decided to construct the new building in the place where the headquarters had always operated. After the old building was demolished, the current three-story office building, with a modern glass facade, was inaugurated in February 2013.72 In order to finance the renovation and construction of administrative headquarters in the fields, in 2012 a fund was established with contributions equivalent to three percent of the tithe of each field, to be invested annually in projects planned by any of the requesting fields.73

While the union was dealing with the upgrading of the physical structure of its institutions and churches, UCh maintained its missionary focus on evangelistic actions as a priority, including programs for young people. In 1979 the South Chile Conference had already purchased land in the country for camps and spiritual retreats for young people. The land was adjacent to Lake Caburgua (Araucanía region) and, in 1983, construction and equipping of the facilities was begun. Also, in 1983, la Revista Adventista (ARH) reported that Orval Scully and Jaime Plaza had secured a building on loan to be used by leadership, training, and service activities carried out by Adventist youth in the city of Santiago. The MV (Missionary Volunteers) House, as it was known, became an important center for promoting missionary activity by the youth in Santiago.74

With the goal of promoting the integral and harmonious development of Chilean youth, in February 1988, the First National Pathfinder Camporee75 was held in the Valparaíso region. At that time there were 119 clubs, with 2,575 members. Twenty years later, at the end of 2007, there were 298 clubs and 11,400 members.76 At the end of 2012, Chile Union Mission served 352 Pathfinder clubs and 242 Adventurer clubs.77 In addition, a record attendance of 4,500 people at the Fourth National Pathfinder Camporee, held in Picarquín, was reported.78 Currently, there are 9,211 Pathfinders who participate in activities in 399 clubs. Furthermore, 5,639 Adventurers are members in 332 clubs.79

The ministries associated with the young people were diversified, so the church accompanied and stimulated their development through meetings and congresses such as the First National Congress of Adventist Youth (Santiago, October 1981); South American Youth Congress (Picarquín, 2002); First Meeting of Adventist University Youth (Santiago, 2004); First National Camporee of Senior Guides (Picarquín, 2004); and the First National Meeting of Christian Musicians (Chile Adventist University, 2007).

Historically, Youth Ministry has been responsible for promoting the temperance and service agenda in the form of programs through which the church keeps in touch with the community. The last two decades of the 20th century included programs such as: Día sin beber alcohol (Day without drinking alcohol), Día sin fumar (Day without smoking)—later on called Día Mundial sin Tabaco (The International Day without Tobacco), Operación Bálsamo (Balm Operation—a consolation ministry for bereaved people), Día de la Madre (Mother’s Day), and community service projects.

Beginning in 2000, programs emerged such as Vida por vidas (Life for lives) project, a program very well received by the country’s health authorities, which promotes the donation of blood; the Caleb project, through which youth donate vacation time to get involved in volunteer social service and witness programs; and the project Un año en misión (OYIM, One Year in Mission), which requires the volunteer service of young people for a period of one year, in places defined by the church, in order to develop evangelism and community service projects.

From 2001 to 2005, a social and community aid initiative called OPSO (Operativo Médico Social or Social Medical Operative) was promoted by a group of young members of the church, Fe y Esperanza (Faith and Hope), from Santiago. Then it was extended to many regions of the country, convening Adventist youth and professionals in social aid campaigns in remote places of Chile, under a highly organized format of assistance and service. These projects allowed the Adventist Church to reach communities that would not likely be evangelized in the traditional way alone.80

A significant fact in the evangelization by the Chile Union Mission is the work among the gypsies. Francisco Milanovic, a member of a Gypsy tribe, converted to the gospel in 1978. At the end of 1982, an evangelistic campaign was carried out among the Gypsies living in the city of Santiago. As a result, the first Gypsy Adventist Church, with 40 members, was established in South America. At first the congregation met every Sabbath under a tent, and in this way the gospel became well known by many Gypsies. Finally, after purchasing land, the Adventist Gypsy community built its own church, inaugurated in 1989. At first, the church commissioned Gilberto Sepúlveda to work among them. Later, Pastor Antonio Tizavari served for several years as the minister in charge of the work in the midst of this particular people.81

In June 1984, when Pastor Neal Wilson, president of the General Conference, visited the Gypsy church in La Cisterna, there were 35 members and 200 interested people.82 At the end of 1989, two Gypsy women were baptized in Iquique and later, more people were baptized, resulting in the establishment of groups of Adventist Gypsies in Rancagua, Antofagasta, La Serena, and other cities. Once the work among the Gypsies was consolidated, the church appointed the missionary Juan Nicolich, one of the first converts from the Gypsy people, to shepherd this ethnic group throughout the country. Later, in 2014, the church took several actions to grow and organize the Gypsy congregations. It decided that the Gypsy churches or groups, constituted as such, should be under the responsibility and administration of the local pastor, district, and field, without affecting the special pastoral work performed by the Gypsy missionary commissioned by the church.83

Finally, in December 1992, Arab and Jewish Christians met in Santiago to worship the Messiah who had come and will return, with the participation of representatives of both Adventist communities. The message was given by Pastor Isaac Poseck, minister of Jewish descent, commissioned by the church to develop a special strategy of evangelism oriented to both groups. In 1997 Poseck was appointed by the General Conference as director of the World Center of the Jewish Brotherhood. The center, headquartered in Santiago, Chile, was conceived as a Global Mission strategy to reach the Jewish people with the Adventist message. At that time, 40 believers gathered weekly to worship the God of Abraham and the Messiah with liturgical instruments typical of the synagogue, in a context of Christian worship.84 In 1999 the center organized and convened the First World Seminar for leaders of Jewish Adventist Communities, a meeting that was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and was attended by 48 representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, the United States, and Israel.85

The history of the Chile Union Mission confirms that Adventists in this country have been faithful in their mission to proclaim the everlasting gospel of God’s love to all people, in the context of the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14:6-12, as it stands revealed in the life, death, resurrection, and high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ, inviting them to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, to join His remnant church, and to nurture and educate believers as disciples, in preparation for His soon return.” Looking to the future, the leaders and members of the Chile Union Mission intend to continue concentrating their efforts so that, under God’s guidance, more and more people are reached by the eternal gospel.86

Chronology of Administrative Leaders87

Presidents: Karl Sullivan (1966-1968); Juan Gastón Clouzet Jenkins (1969-1971); Glen Maxon (1972-1976); Werner Mayr (1977-1984); Eliel Almonte Vyhmaister (1985-2000); Guido Quinteros Rocha (2001-2007); Eber Liessi (2008-2013); Stanley Edilson Arco (2014-2019); Aldo Muñoz (2019-present).

Secretaries: M. N. Soto (1966-1968); Héctor Pontigo (1969-1978); Robert E. Northrop (1980); Paul J. Sánchez (1981-1983); René Pérez (1985); Víctor Peto (1986-1992); Nabuzardan Wegner (1993-1995); Eleodoro Castillo (1996-2000); Bolívar Alaña (2001-2003); Daniel Brieva (2004-2007); José Luis Ojeda (2008); Bolívar Alaña (2009-2015); Israel Jaramillo (2016-2019); Hernán Sanzana (2019-present).

Treasurers: M. N. Soto (1966-1967); W. H. Olson (1968); Héctor Pontigo (1969-1978); Robert E. Northrop (1980); Paul J. Sánchez (1981-1983); René Pérez (1985-1992); Marcelo Fucks (1993-1996); Herzon Castillo (1997-2005); Samuel Rojo (2006-2010); Uziel Alvarado (2011-2014); Ricardo Cortés (2014-2019); Claudio Pardo (2019-present).

More information about Chile Union Mission can be found on the website: http://uch.adventistas.org/, or on social networks – Facebook: @iasdchile, Instagram: @iasdchile, Twitter: @iasdchile and YouTube: IASD Chile.

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Nigri, Moisés S. “Chile Union Mission Organized.” South American Bulletin 42, no. 1-2 (January-June 1966).

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Pinchera, Joaquín. “Se inauguró nueva sede de la Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día en Chile” [New headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Chile was inaugurated]. Noticias Adventistas [Adventist News] (Online), February 5, 2013.

Plenc, Daniel Oscar. Misioneros en Sudamérica: Pioneros del Adventismo en Latinoamérica [Missionaries in South America: Pioneers of Adventism in Latin America]. Florida Oeste, Buenos Aires: South American Spanish Publishing House, 2013.

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Silva, Emilly. “Chile: Operativo Médico Social completa 25 años llevando esperanza” [Chile: Social Medical Operative completes 25 years carrying hope]. Noticias Adventistas [Adventist News] (Online), February 27, 2020.

Staff RA. “Una Semilla de Esperanza” [A Seed of Hope]. La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review] (Online), February 1, 2016.

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Torres, Juan Pereira. Los gitanos adventistas en Chile [The Adventist Gypsies in Chile]. Santiago, Chile: Crisek Publisher, 2016.

“Unión Chilena” [Chile Union Mission]. Informe IX Congreso: Unidos en Comunión y Misión [IX Congress Report: United in Communion and Mission], 2003-2007.

“Unión Chilena” [Chile Union Mission]. Informe Quinto Congreso: ¡Sí!, ven Señor Jesús [Fifth Congress report: Yes! Come Lord Jesus], 1983-1987.

“Unión Chilena” [Chile Union Mission]. Informe IX Congreso: Conquistas de Esperanza [IX Congress Report: Hope Achievements], 2008-2012.

Wearner, Robert G. “Journey to Truth, Two Swiss Families Find New Life in the New World.” ARH, September 21, 1989.

Westphal, F. H. “The Chile-Bolivian Mission Field.” ARH, June 20, 1907.

Westphal, Francisco. Hasta el fin del mundo: liderando la Misión en Sudamérica [Until the end of the world: leading the mission in South America]. Libertador San Martín, Entre Ríos: River Plate Adventist University Editorial, 2017.

Westphal, J. W. “The Austral Union Conference.” General Conference Bulletin 8, no. 6 (April 7, 1918).

Westphal, J. W. “The Organization of the Chile Conference.” ARH, July 4, 1907.

Notes

  1. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, “Chile Union Mission,” accessed on April 16, 2020, https://bit.ly/3dw2JLp.↩

  2. Instituto Geográfico Militar [Geographic Military Institute], Atlas Geográfico para la Educación [Geographic Atlas for Education] (Santiago, Chile: Geographic Military Institute, 2018), 80-81.↩

  3. Seventh-day Adventist Online Yearbook, “Chile Union Mission,” accessed on June 24, 2020, https://bit.ly/3dw2JLp.↩

  4. “South American Division: Chile Union Mission,” 2020 Annual Statistical Report, Volume 2 (Silver Spring, MD.: Seventh-day Adventist Church, 2020), 10.↩

  5. Ibid.↩

  6. “South American Division,” 2019 Annual Statistical Report: New Series, Volume 1 (Silver Spring, MD.: General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists, 2019), 79-80.↩

  7. “South American Division: Chile Union Mission, Chile Adventist University,” 2019 Annual Statistical Report: New Series, Volume 1 (Silver Spring, MD.: General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists, 2019 ), 77.↩

  8. Portal de la Universidad Adventista de Chile [Chile Adventist University website], “Facultades” [Faculties], accessed on July 13, 2020, https://bit.ly/3gZM98Z.↩

  9. Portal de la Universidad Adventista de Chile [Chile Adventist University website], “Acreditación Institucional” [Institutional Accreditation], accessed on April 29, 2020, https://bit.ly/2YkTHNh.↩

  10. Seventh-day Adventist Online Yearbook, “Los Angeles Adventist Clinic,” accessed on June 25, 2020, https://bit.ly/3dz1ATt; “South American Division: Chile Union Mission, Los Angeles Adventist Clinic,” 2019 Annual Statistical Report: New Series, Volume 1 (Silver Spring, MD.: General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists, 2019), 83.↩

  11. “Unión Chilena” [Chile Union Mission], Informe IX Congreso: Unidos en Comunión y Misión [IX Congress Report: United in Communion and Mission], 2003-2007, 182; Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, April 26, 2016, vote no. 2016-129.↩

  12. Seventh-day Adventist Online Yearbook, “Chile New Time Radio and TV Center,” accessed on June 25, 2020, https://bit.ly/3bUDZvR.↩

  13. ADRA Chile, “Conócenos” [About us], accessed on May 21, 2020, https://bit.ly/2ZwsK9Q.↩

  14. “South American Spanish Publishing House: Chile Branch,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Nampa, ID.: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2018), 654.↩

  15. “South American Division: Chile Union Mission,” 2019 Annual Statistical Report: New Series, Volume 1 (Silver Spring, MD.: General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists, 2019), 62.↩

  16. Daniel Oscar Plenc, Misioneros en Sudamérica: Pioneros del Adventismo en Latinoamérica [Missionaries in South America: Pioneers of Adventism in Latin America] (Buenos Aires: South American Spanish Publishing House, 2013), 65.↩

  17. Staff RA, “Una Semilla de Esperanza” [A Seed of Hope], La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1, 2016, accessed on June 29, 2020, https://bit.ly/31oieCN.↩

  18. Ibid.↩

  19. Francisco Westphal, Hasta el fin del mundo: liderando la Misión en Sudamérica [Until the end of the world: leading the mission in South America] (Libertador San Martín, Entre Ríos: River Plate Adventist University Editorial, 2017), Kindle edition.↩

  20. Robert G. Wearner, “Journey to Truth, Two Swiss Families Find New Life in the New World,” ARH, September 21, 1989, 19.↩

  21. Floyd Greenleaf, Terra de Esperança: o crescimento da Igreja Adventista na América do Sul [A Land of Hope: the growth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South America] (Tatuí, SP: Brazil Publishing House, 2011), 37.↩

  22. Daniel Oscar Plenc, Misioneros en Sudamérica: Pioneros del Adventismo en Latinoamérica [Missionaries in South America: Pioneers of Adventism in Latin America] (Buenos Aires: South American Spanish Publishing House, 2013), 66; Staff RA, “Una Semilla de Esperanza” [A Seed of Hope], La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1, 2016, accessed on June 29, 2020, https://bit.ly/31oieCN.↩

  23. Staff RA, “Una Semilla de Esperanza” [A Seed of Hope], La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], February 1, 2016, accessed on June 29, 2020, https://bit.ly/31oieCN.↩

  24. Portal de la Educación Adventista [Adventist Education website], “Nosostros” [About Us], accessed on March 23, 2020, https://bit.ly/33JcKSi.↩

  25. F.H. Westphal, “The Chile-Bolivian Mission Field,” ARH, June 20, 1907, 17.↩

  26. J. W. Westphal, “The Organization of the Chile Conference,” ARH, July 4, 1907, 15-16; “Preface,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1908), 7.↩

  27. It is worth mentioning that the first administrative organizations in the territory, such as Misión Chilena del Pacífico [Pacific Chile Mission] (1898) and Misión de la Costa Occidental [West Coast Mission] (1902), included Chile and the neighboring countries of Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, with some exceptions, such as Misión Chilena [Chile Mission] (1895-1902), Misión de Magallanes [Magallanes Mission] (1914-1942) and the transitory Misión Chilena del Norte [North Chile Mission] (1918-1924).↩

  28. Daniel Oscar Plenc, Misioneros en Sudamérica: Pioneros del Adventismo en Latinoamérica [Missionaries in South America: Pioneers of Adventism in Latin America] (Buenos Aires: South American Spanish Publishing House, 2013), 68.↩

  29. Portal de la Educación Adventista [Adventist Education website], “Chile,” accessed on July 6, 2020, https://bit.ly/2BKRpOx.↩

  30. From 1916, with the creation of the South American Division, the Unión Asociación Sudamericana [South American Union Conference] (1906-1915), responsible for the Hispanic countries since 1910, started to be called Unión Austral [Austral Union Conference], comprising the countries of Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. Thus, Chile was under the jurisdiction of this Union until 1966, when it became Unión Misión Chilena [Chile Union Mission]. J.W. Westphal, “The Austral Union Conference,” General Conference Bulletin 8, no. 6 (April 7, 1918): 91.↩

  31. Santiago Schmidt, “General Conference and Overseas: Spot News-South America,” ARH, May 4, 1950, 19.↩

  32. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Austral Union Conference, June 27, 1927, vote no. 61-259.↩

  33. Minutes of the Board of Directors of the South American Division (SAD), 1961, vote no. 61-599.↩

  34. Minutes of the Board of Directors of the SAD, June 15, 1965, vote no. 65-313.↩

  35. Minutes of the Board of Directors of the SAD, October 6, 1965, vote no. 65-532.↩

  36. Moisés S. Nigri, “Chile Union Mission Organized,” South American Bulletin 42, no. 1-2 (January-June 1966): 8; Floyd Greenleaf, Terra de Esperança: o crescimento da Igreja Adventista na América do Sul [A Land of Hope: the growth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South America] (Tatuí, SP: Brazil Publishing House, 2011), 536.↩

  37. Minutes of the Board of Directors of the SAD, December 1, 1965, vote no. 65-648.↩

  38. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, August 16, 1966, vote no. 66-175.↩

  39. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, December 9, 1985, vote no. 85-248.↩

  40. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, February 5, 1993, vote no. 93-016; Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, December 9 and 10, 2012, vote no. 2012-010.↩

  41. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, June 28, 1988, vote no. 88-224.↩

  42. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, July 1, 1997, vote no. 97-110 that registers vote 97-109 of the SAD.↩

  43. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, November 15, 2000, vote no. 2000-195.↩

  44. “Chile Union Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2003), 252-255.↩

  45. This change was due to the fact that missionaries or “religious people” perform tasks other than those of a common worker, therefore, they are not strictly subject to labor regulations. From then on, missionaries are linked to the SDA church through their “missionary call” and “religious vow,” and the service they provide is regulated by the SDA's own rules.↩

  46. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, September 22, 2009, vote no. 2009-291.↩

  47. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, February 11, 2010, vote no. 2010-377 that registers vote no. 2010-55 about it.↩

  48. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, December 8 and 9, 2010, vote no. 2010-376 that registers vote no. 2010-254 about it.↩

  49. “Chile Union Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2017), 303.↩

  50. “Chile Union Mission,” Annual Statistical Report (Washington, D.C.: General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists, 1966), 16; “Chile Union Mission,” Annual Statistical Report (Washington, D.C.: General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists, 1975), 18.↩

  51. Joel Leiva, “Ecos del campo: Evangelismo en Santiago” [Echoes of the field: Evangelism in Santiago], La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review] 66, no. 7 (July 1966): 15.↩

  52. “Unión Chilena” [Chile Union Mission], Informe Quinto Congreso: ¡Sí!, ven Señor Jesús [Fifth Congress report: Yes! Come Lord Jesus], 1983-1987, 80.↩

  53. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, November 26 and 27, 2001, vote no. 2001-213.↩

  54. Floyd Greenleaf, Tierra de Esperanza: El crecimiento de la Iglesia Adventista Sudamericana [A Land of Hope: the growth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South America] (South American Spanish Publishing House, 2011), 699.↩

  55. Portal de la Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día [Seventh-day Adventist Church website], “Impacto Esperanza 10 Años” [Hope Impact 10 years], accessed on July 6, 2020, https://bit.ly/3e18iBT.↩

  56. Portal de la Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día [Seventh-day Adventist Church website], “Evangelismo en la División Sudamericana-Evangelismo” [Evangelism in the South American Division-Evangelism], accessed on July 6, 2020, https://bit.ly/2O02HRx.↩

  57. Seventh-day Adventist Online Statistics, “Chile Union Mission-Yearly Statistics (1966-2015),” accessed on June 25, 2020, https://bit.ly/2NxJIO9.↩

  58. “South American Division: Chile Union Mission,” 1853-1987 Educational Statistics Report (Department of Education General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1990), 1653.↩

  59. Víctor Moyano, “Impacto del programa de Voucher en el Sistema Educacional de la Iglesia Adventista en Chile: El caso de la Educación Pre-escolar y Básica [Impact of the Voucher program on the Adventist Church Educational System in Chile: the case of Early Childhood and Elementary School Education] (Master's Thesis in Education, Diego Portales University, Chile, 2002), 12.↩

  60. “Adventist Education is based on biblical principles and enduring values. It is committed not only to the pedagogical quality and academic performance of students, but also to their comprehensive training. […] It is one of the largest confessional networks in the world.” Portal de la Educación Adventista [Adventist Education website], “EA en el mundo” [AE in the world], accessed on July 6, 2020, http://bit.ly/385ggaV.↩

  61. La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], no. 6, year 84, June 1984, 19.↩

  62. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, December 19, 2014, vote no. 2014-485.↩

  63. Statistical records of the Department of Education of Chile Union Mission.↩

  64. Enciclopedia Cubana - EcuRed [Cubana - EcuRed Encyclopedia], “Universidad Adventista de Chile” [Chile Adventist University], accessed on March 10, 2020, http://bit.ly/3cLJT3z.↩

  65. Directorate of Planning and Quality Assurance, ed., Statistical Report 2016 (Chile Adventist University, 2017).↩

  66. Biblioteca “Mariano Renedo Lucero” de la Universidad Adventista de Chile [Library “Mariano Renedo Lucero” of Chile Adventist University], Facebook post, May 25, 2012, accessed on July 7, 2020, https://bit.ly/31Rao4D.↩

  67. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, December 11 and 12, vote no. 2012-407.↩

  68. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, June 15 and 16, 2011, vote no. 2011-170; Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, June 15 and 16, 2011, vote no. 2011-171; Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, June 15 and 16, 2011, vote no. 2011-173; Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, June 15 and 16, 2011, vote no. 2011-178.↩

  69. Joaquín Pinchera, “Moderno edificio alberga a la Misión Sur Metropolitana de Chile” [Modern building houses South Metropolitan Chile Mission], Noticias Adventistas [Adventist News], July 3, 2013, accessed on July 7, 2020, https://bit.ly/2ZjryXy.↩

  70. “Millonaria Inversión Materializa Clínica Adventista Los Ángeles” [Millionaire investment is made in Los Angeles Adventist Clinic], Los Ángeles Adventist Clinic, October 2, 2018, accessed on July 7, 2020, https://bit.ly/3e40uPD.↩

  71. Asociación Sur Austral [South Austral Chile Conference], Facebook post, November 15, 2016 (01:10 p.m.), accessed on July 7, 2020, https://bit.ly/38KXmY9; Esteban Cabrera, “Inauguran nueva sede administrativa de la Misión Chilena del Pacífico” [New administrative headquarters of Pacific Chile Mission is inaugurated], Noticias Adventistas [Adventist News], June 8, 2018, accessed on July 7, 2020, https://bit.ly/2D9yTjd.↩

  72. Joaquín Pinchera, “Se inauguró nueva sede de la Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día en Chile” [New headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Chile was inaugurated], Noticias Adventistas [Adventist News], February 5, 2013, accessed on July 7, 2020, https://bit.ly/2ZK3taW.↩

  73. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, May 7, 2012, vote no. 2012-159.↩

  74. La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], no. 3, year 83, March 1983, 16.↩

  75. The Pathfinders Club is made up of boys and girls aged 10 to 15 years old from different social classes, ethnicity and race, and religión. They meet, in general, once a week to develop their talents, learn new skills, and develop an appreciation for nature. These boys and girls enjoy outdoor activities, including camping, hiking, climbing, and exploring the woods and caves. They learn outdoor survival skills, including cooking outdoors and lighting a fire without matches. They gain discipline through drill commands and have their creativity awakened by manual arts. They also fight the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. Portal de la Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día [Seventh-day Adventist Church website], “¿Quiénes son los Conquistadores?” [Who are the Pathfinders?], accessed on February 20, 2020, http://bit.ly/2TpEBBY.↩

  76. “Unión Chilena” [Chile Union Mission], Informe IX Congreso: Unidos en Comunión y Misión [IX Congress Report: United in Communion and Mission], 2003-2007, 77.↩

  77. “The Adventurer Club is a program [of the SDA church] that started in 1972 for children under 10 years old, in the United States. [...] In 1991, the General Conference authorized it as a worldwide program, establishing its goals.” Portal de la Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día [Seventh-day Adventist Church website], “Historia” [History], accessed on February 27, 2020, http://bit.ly/2PwNatP.↩

  78. “Unión Chilena” [Chile Union Mission], Informe IX Congreso: Conquistas de Esperanza [IX Congress Report: Hope Achievements], 2008-2012.↩

  79. Ministerio de los Conquistadores y Aventureros DSA [SAD Pathfinders and Adventurers Ministry], “Estadísticas - Unión Chilena” [Statistics - Chile Union Mission], accessed on May 28, 2020, https://bit.ly/2Z7w7lW.↩

  80. “Boletín ASN” [ASN Bulletin], La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], no. 2, year 105, February 2005, 18; Emilly Silva, “Chile: Operativo Médico Social completa 25 años llevando esperanza” [Chile: Social Medical Operative completes 25 years carrying hope], Noticias Adventistas [Adventist News], February 27, 2020, accessed on July 7, 2020, https://bit.ly/38ANlg3.↩

  81. Juan Luis Pereira, Los gitanos adventistas en Chile [The Adventist Gypsies in Chile] (Santiago, Chile: Crisek Publisher, 2016), 29.↩

  82. La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], no. 2, year 90, February 1990, 16.↩

  83. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Chile Union Mission, March 13, 2014, vote no. 2014-022.↩

  84. La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], no. 6, year 98, June 1998, 27.↩

  85. La Revista Adventista [Adventist Review], no. 9, year 99, September 1999, 16.↩

  86. “Mission Statement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2018), 11.↩

  87. Seventh-day Adventist Online Yearbook, “Chile Union Mission,” accessed on April 16, 2020, https://bit.ly/3dw2JLp; “Chile Union Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1967), 198; “Chile Union Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2018), 234. For more information about all leaders of Chile Union Mission, see the Seventh-day Adventist Yearbooks from 1967 to 2020.↩

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Muñoz, Rubén Salamanca. "Chile Union Mission." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. July 28, 2021. Accessed October 16, 2026. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=FGQM.

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Muñoz, Rubén Salamanca. "Chile Union Mission." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. July 28, 2021. Date of access October 16, 2026, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=FGQM.

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Muñoz, Rubén Salamanca (2021, July 28). Chile Union Mission. Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved October 16, 2026, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=FGQM.

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