ARTICLE

Ontario Conference Board of Directors Approves Recommendations for 2026

December 4, 2025 | Edwin Martin | Ontario Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church

At its regular meeting on November 30, 2025, in Oshawa, the Ontario Conference Board of Directors (BOD) received an encouraging progress report from Pastor Jakov Bibulović, president of the Ontario Conference. He shared the latest outcomes of the Pentecost 2025 & Beyond initiative, highlighting significant engagement across the Conference:

• All nine Adventist schools participated, resulting in 35 baptisms.
• 90% of churches (157 of 171 approved) took part in the initiative.
• More than 120 proclamation events were conducted, leading to 859 baptisms and professions of faith (721 baptisms and 138 professions of faith).
• The Ontario Conference Prison Ministry reported an additional 25 baptisms.

Pastor Bibulović also reaffirmed the conference’s mission and vision:

Mission Statement:
To reach Ontario and the world with the distinctive, Christ-centred Seventh-day Adventist message of hope and wholeness.

Vision Statement:
Connecting Like Jesus

Emphasising the essential role of unity in receiving the Holy Spirit, Pastor Bibulović referenced Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 246:

“When we bring our hearts into unity with Christ, and our lives into harmony with His work, the Spirit that fell on the disciples on the day of Pentecost will fall on us.”

The BOD then approved the 2026 mission emphasis and growth direction, as recommended by the Church Growth Committee:

• Mission Emphasis: Pentecost and Beyond
• Growth Direction: Disciple-making/ Discipleship

In alignment with this direction, all churches are urged to develop an active Discipleship Plan, approved by the church board or school, and submit it along with the Proposed Evangelism Subsidy Request Form by February 9, 2026.

Pastor Bibulović also introduced the 2027 mission emphasis as follows: “OneVoice27: Mission for All.” This initiative was first presented at the General Conference Session in July 2025, adopted by the North American Division on November 2, and affirmed by the Ontario Conference Board of Directors on November 30.

Adventist Branding Implementation

The BOD received and approved a recommendation from the Communications and Media Department regarding Adventist branding and identity.

A brief online search for “Adventist church logos in Ontario” reveals a wide range of logo variations currently in use—many of which fall outside official Adventist branding standards. In addition, several churches continue to use “SDA” rather than “Adventist” in their website domains and social media handles.

To address these inconsistencies, the Ontario Conference will implement a unified domain structure for all church websites, using the format:

www.churchnameAdventist.ca

Free websites will be made available through AdventistConnect.org. Churches are strongly encouraged to update their social media handles and online presence to align with official Adventist identity guidelines, ensuring consistency, clarity, and strong public recognition across the province.

Church Signage

The Ontario Conference has adopted the official North American Division (NAD) design standard—including the NAD denim colour—for all church signage. Whether a local church uses changeable-letter, monument, or digital signage, the design must follow NAD branding guidelines and receive approval from the Ontario Conference to ensure consistency across the province.

As a general rule, the name of the local church should appear beneath the words “Seventh-day Adventist Church.” Alterations to, or replacements of, the trademarked Adventist logo and name are not permitted. Unity is expressed through the proper use of the official visual identity approved by the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church.

For more details, please visit https://www.adventistontario.org/services/communication/.

Preparing for Major Evangelistic Initiatives

In preparation for large-scale digital ministry initiatives—including the 2026 Pentecost and Beyond evangelistic effort and OneVoice27: Mission for All—all churches and entities within the Ontario Conference are encouraged to fully comply with the branding guidelines according to the following BOD-approved timeline:

• By January 2026: Update all websites, social media handles, bulletins, and print media
• By September 2027: Install all standardised, Conference-approved indoor and outdoor church signs (including podium signs)

Further information will be sent to all church boards to assist with implementation.

For assistance, please contact the Ontario Conference Communications and Media Department at communications@adventistontario.org.

Pastor Edwin Martin
Communications and Media Ministry Director,
Ontario Conference