Michigan—The Paw Paw Church recently decided to adopt the James and Ellen White Home in the Historic Adventist Village in Battle Creek. Sun., Apr. 24, 2005, thirty volunteers from the church gathered to clean, paint, remove shingles, and do needed repairs on this historic home.

Ken Randall, head deacon, said, “Historic Adventist Village relies on volunteers and donations to keep this ministry going. We decided that our church should help to preserve this property for the visitors who come to experience where our church began in the nineteenth century.”

Approximately 10,000 people will visit in 2005 and nearly 2,000 people were scheduled to visit this summer because of the General Conference Session held in St. Louis, Mo. Ron Fleck, Paw Paw Church pastor, commented, “When we heard of the need, our church members responded. We are hopeful that this adoption will become a trend that other churches will follow by adopting other properties within the Historic Adventist Village.”

Paw Paw members intend for this adoption to be long term. In October, they met at the Historic Adventist Village for Sabbath school and church. Possible future plans include improving the landscaping at the White Home.

Opportunities abound for other adoptions. At the Historic Adventist Village site, there is a replica of the church where the Michigan Conference and the General Conference were established. James White’s parents built a small home across the street to be near their son and became Sabbath keepers while living there.

One of the historic homes in the Historic Adventist Village features William J. Hardy. He was one of the most prominent black citizens in Mich. and a faithful Seventh-day Adventist.

Future projects include building replicas of the first Adventist publishing house, which was the motivation for the pioneers to move to Battle Creek, and the Western Health Reform Institute which began in 1866.

If you are interested in volunteering at Historic Adventist Village, please contact Stanley Cottrell at (269) 965-3000.

Chuck Randall, Paw Paw Church head elder