Dressed in their uniforms and eager to receive their honour pins, the 37 Pathfinders and Adventurers of Glasgow SDA Church gathered on Saturday 25th November 2023 for their investiture day. As per the theme of the day Finding the Right Path Adventurously, the young people learned ways to avoid taking the wrong path as they ask for wisdom and understanding from God.
The divine service started with the Pathfinders and Adventurers’ procession as they made their way to the church. The Adventurers entered first, followed by the Pathfinders, then the officers and lastly by the flags. Next was the club’s prelude which included the Pathfinder and Adventurer pledges and songs; the youngsters then used their different talents to lead the rest of the service.
“If it costs everything you have, then get wisdom, get understanding,” said Enoch Bamusi, the guest speaker of the day. In his sermon titled Adventurously Pathfinding, he shared some crucial guidelines to having a closer and a consistent relationship with God. The sermon also highlighted the significance of making right decisions, drawing inspiration from the teachings in chapter 4 of Proverbs. Brother Enoch said that good habits, learned in youth, are much easier to maintain than it is to break and replace sinful habits later in life. "Wisdom is a choice; you choose which path you take in life, whether it be obedience leading to life, or temptation leading to sin". Therefore, the Pathfinders and Adventurers are to pay attention in order to understand God’s commands as well as their parents’ guidance. Recounting a story about himself, he recommended the young people to always remember what they’ve been taught as they adventurously find their path in life. To the adults, Brother Enoch advised to take time to reflect on their lives and seek ways to improve it.
The investiture ceremony took place in the afternoon, just after the fellowship lunch. This was under the supervision of Brother Sipho Ncube and Brother Nyasha Chengeta, Pathfinder and Adventurer club Directors, respectively. They were assisted in their roles by Master Guides Samu Ncube and Skha Ndlovu. There were two mini motivational speeches led by Brother Enoch Bamusi and Sister Semone Pollard, special items and class presentations, during which the Adventurers impressed the congregation. For instance, 5-year-old Ailsa Mupedziswa, from the Early Bird class, brightly narrated the creation story with a series of crafts that she had made with the help of her teacher.
The pinnacle of the event was when the children were invested or received their honours, badges and pins for their hard work. The children were beaming with pride as they collected their awards and pins. They couldn’t contain their smiles as they posed with their teachers for photographs. There were 17 invested and 3 graduates in the Adventurer club; the Pathfinder club had 3 invested and 14 graduates. 20 officers served the two clubs this year; amongst them were 4 junior counsellors. The final charge was given by Elder Lawrence Pollard, opening the floor to the Pathfinder Investiture cake-cutting and celebration.
The day was eventful and inspirational. The Glasgow Pathfinder and Adventurer clubs 2023 are now officially on holiday. The PBE and ABE teams are now focused on getting ready for their Bible challenge. A word was given, and a special prayer offered, to the youth, to prepare for the inevitable challenges they will face in this life: “Show me your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths,” Psalms 25:4
