The quinquennial Parade of Nations—a tradition that culminates each General Conference (G.C.) Session as the final event of the 10-day program—will demonstrate how global the Seventh-day Adventist Church really is.
Besides the 700 to 800 people who will march representing some 240 countries, other plans for the Parade of Nations include music written for the event, a DVD presentation showcasing what's taking place in the church's world divisions, and live narration.
Three people will represent each country—one to carry the flag, one to carry the placard, and one displaying the native dress of the country. Participants have already been selected and are registered by the division they represent.
Roscoe Howard, associate secretary of the G.C. and secretary of the North American Division, is coordinating the Parade of Nations for 2005 with the help of each world division. With the many languages that will be represented, he says, one person is not sufficient to organize several hundred people to march. Assistants include a stage manager and a music choreographer to ensure everyone comes in on cue. "It's a major production that takes a lot of work," Howard says.
A commemorative DVD, a portion of which will be presented during the Parade of Nations, will be available for sale. Howard says a scriptwriter for the DVD has been assigned to encapsulate the Great Controversy theme and the three angels' messages. The DVD will address the questions of origin, purpose, and destiny: Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going?
Howard says, "[The Parade of Nations] provides an atmosphere for [each member] to realize [the church] is bigger than my small church, my local church—that this work is really a worldwide work, and that God is actually reaching people all over the world and that there's this community that we belong to that is so much bigger than I am."
He adds, "It's a time to celebrate the goodness of God and how He has reached into many, many countries and brought people the light of the gospel [using] individuals—ordinary people like us—to reach and win people to the gospel. I think seeing that is different than hearing about the gospel, or just reading about it in a magazine. I think actually seeing people march [representing] their nation, saying, 'I'm a member of the worldwide church,' does something to the psyche [of] everyone involved. I think it becomes contagious [so] when people leave the General Conference [Session] they say, 'I was really struck by ... this Parade of Nations and it really touched my heart to know that God is calling people from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.'"
The Parade of Nations at G.C. Session has been a major event since 1950.
Adapted from G.C. Session News, December 2004
