More than 140 Adventists, eligible to vote, participated in the online General Assembly of the Swiss-German Conference (DSV) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As delegates of their local churches in German-speaking Switzerland, the participants re-elected Pastor Stephan Sigg (55) as DSV president, on June 20, with 115 votes in favor, 20 against and four abstentions. At the same time, the delegates approved a structural reform with 95 votes in favor, 39 against and eight abstentions. The structural reform is intended to promote cooperation between the department heads at the level of church management by introducing a divisional model and, thus, at the same time, relieve the church management. A first reading was given to a new set of arbitration regulations to be introduced, which will be revised and presented for resolution at the next General Assembly in the fall.
Background and career
Stephan Sigg completed an apprenticeship as a carpenter and later began theological studies at the Bogenhofen Seminary, in Upper Austria. After attending the theological seminary at Marienhöhe, near Darmstadt, Germany for another year, he graduated with a master's degree from Newbold College, in Bracknell, England. From 1997 to 2007, he worked as DSV youth department leader. In 2007, he was appointed as a lecturer in practical theology at the Adventist Theological College in Friedensau, Germany and taught at both the bachelor's and master's levels. This was followed by further studies at Andrews University, in Berrien Springs, Michigan, USA, from which he graduated with a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in 2013. From 2010, Sigg served as youth department leader for the Inter-European Division, until he was elected as president in Swiss-German Conference in 2017.
Adventists in Switzerland
At the end of December 2020, 2,556 Adventists lived in the territory of German-speaking Switzerland and 2,213 in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino. Accordingly, there are 4,769 adult baptized Seventh-day Adventists living in Switzerland. In 57 congregations and four groups, Adventists in Switzerland worship on Sabbath.
Swiss Adventists organized as a Union
Swiss Adventists are organized under the law of Conferences and are divided into two church regions: the German-Swiss Conference (DSV), with headquarters in Zurich, and the Fédération des Eglises Adventistes du 7e jour de la Suisse romande et du Tessin (FSRT), with headquarters in Renens, VD. Both administrative regions, together, form the Swiss church leadership (Swiss Union) with headquarters in Zurich.
Institutions and ministries in the language regions
The Adventists in Switzerland run the "Private School A to Z" in Zurich, two youth houses, in St. Stephan, BE and Les Diablerets, VD; three old people's and nursing homes in Krattigen, BE, Oron-la-Ville and Epalinges near Lausanne; the Advent publishing house in Krattigen, BE; as well as a mail order house for French books in Renens, VD. Furthermore, they maintain the Hope Bible Study Institute (HBI) and the Religious Education Institute (RPI) in Zurich as well as the Institut d'Etude de la Bible par Correspondance (IEBC) in Renens. In Gland, VD, there is the clinic, La Lignière, which specializes in rehabilitation for cardiovascular diseases, neurological, orthopedic, and rheumatic diseases as well as in aftercare for cancer.
Adventist institutions throughout Switzerland
Among the all-Swiss works is the Switzerland-based Adventist Development and Disaster Relief Agency (ADRA Switzerland), located in Zurich. The relief organization is active in Switzerland’s social sector with about 30 local groups and abroad with disaster and development aid projects. The Adventist Press Service (APD Switzerland), in Basel, directs its services primarily to secular and church media. The Swiss League Life and Health LLG, in Zurich, offers holistic health promotion with its seminars in about 40 local groups, covering four areas: physical, mental, spiritual and social.
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