| Postal / Office Address:
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 |
| Organisation: |
Baltic Union Conference |
| Street: |
Baznīcas iela 12a |
| City: |
Rīga |
| Post Code: | LV-1010 |
| Country: | Latvia |
| | | Communications: |
| | Phone: | +371 67289674 | | Fax: | +371 67505044 | | E-mail: | | | Internet: | http://www.adventisti.lv |  | | Literature phone: | +371 67243038 | | Literature e-mail: | |
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| Information about churches: |
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| Churches: |
96 |
Approximate membership
(All Union together): |
6523
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| Administration & Leadership: |
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Zilgalvis, Valdis |
President |
|
Āriņš, Andrejs |
Secretary |
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Laudurgs, Zigurds |
Treasurer |
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Zilgalve, Velta |
Secretary to president |
|
Bukalders, Guntis |
Department director |
|
Nõmmik, David |
Department director |
|
Reķe, Valda |
Department director |
|
Rimša, Giedrius |
Department director |
|
Vilnis, Tālivaldis |
Department director |
|
Zilgalve, Ruta |
Department director |
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Ardzevanidze, Ruta |
Member of Ex. Committee |
|
Beekman, Averonik |
Member of Ex. Committee |
|
Hibner, Bertold Vinston |
Member of Ex. Committee |
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Jugar, Tõnu |
Member of Ex. Committee |
|
Latgalis, Vilnis |
Member of Ex. Committee |
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Pacukēvičs, Leonīds |
Member of Ex. Committee |
|
Reķis, Viesturs |
Member of Ex. Committee |
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Rimšiene, Šarune |
Member of Ex. Committee |
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Vaivods, Dzintars |
Member of Ex. Committee |
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|
 Estonian Conference
Latvian Conference
Lithuanian Mission Field |
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About Baltic Union Conference
Baltic Union Conference is comprised of Estonian Conference, Latvian Conference and Lithuanian Mission Field. Baltic Union Conference co-ordinates church mission in the Baltic countries through the local conferences. Baltic Union Conference is part of the Adventist world-wide Church Trans-European Division.
(Trans-European Division is one of the Adventist Church 12 world divisions, and it unites Adventist Church unions, conferences and mission fields in the Northern Europe, Middle and Eastern Europe, and Middle East.)
History
Adventist believers in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have suffered oppression and war. In the few years of peace and freedom, 1918-1940, and from 1990 to the present, the Advent message was well accepted by large numbers, especially by the Lutherans in Estonia and parts of Latvia. In fact, one of the reasons for rapid church growth seems to have been a remarkable openness for the Adventist ideal of a continuing Reformation.
Beginnings In 1908, when the Russian Union and the Baltic Conference were organized, the Baltic Conference, which included also Estonia, and St. Petersburg and Pskov and their environs, had 383 members in 3 churches. In 1909 a worker went to the city of Libau (now Liepaja), where he found 15 members. Within three years their number had increased to 93 and they were building a chapel of their own. In the same three years there was gathered a group of 100 members in Mitau (now Jelgava), and the Riga group doubled its membership from 150 to 300.
All this occurred under stringent governmental regulations, under which no meetings for the public, only the regular church services, were permitted to the Seventh-day Adventists. Despite the adverse conditions, in 1910 there were 445 baptisms in the Baltic Conference outside the area of Riga, many of them in Latvia.
First Freedom After Latvia became an independent republic, and complete religious freedom prevailed, the church work entered a period of prosperity. Evangelism took different forms. In 1924 Baltic Union Conference was organized, it included Latvian Conference, Estonian Conference and Lithuanian Mission Field. Wide missionary work started. It took different forms. For example, in 1927 the Baltic Union School conducted on its property a vacation Bible school for the children of patrons of the summer resort. Baltic Union became part of the Trans-European Division of the General Conference.
But by 1935 conditions had changed; all public lectures were required to be registered beforehand and the material to be censored. Baltic Union existed until 1936, when under the pressure of the state’s church it was liquidated. Nevertheless the church membership continued to grow. In 1937 it was 3.199 in 60 churches, served by 15 ministers.
Soviet period In this period (1940-1990) Adventist churches in the Baltic states were included in the Euro-Asia Division, with center in Moscow. Communication with churches in the West could not be established. During forty years pastors had to be trained by being "disciples" of an older worker.
New beginnings In 1989, with Perestroika, it was possible again to unite Adventists in the Baltic states. Baltic Union Conference was re-established and in 1994 it could return to its historical "home" — Trans-European Division of Seventh-day Adventist Church. Again we have freedom to preach the Gospel, the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to teach The Holy Scripture. Today -- once more in Riga, -- there is systematic education for pastors. Church has regained Suschenhof (now Suzhi) school campus property. Starting from 1st January 1994, Adventists in the Baltic countries are again part of the Trans-European Division, together with their traditional friends: Scandinavians.
Now Baltic Union Conference unites 88 Adventist churches in the Baltic countries with approximately 6500 membership.
This section prepared by Guntis Bukalders,
Based mainly on Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, Vol. 10, pp.1532-1536.
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