Church Revitalization: Middletown-Portland Church Holds First Pathfinder Induction in Decades

Sarah Toolan (front row, fourth from right) leads newly inducted Portland Otters Pathfinder Club with wholehearted support from her family, church members, and members from sister churches.

The Middletown-Portland SDA church celebrated its first Pathfinder induction ceremony in decades with four Pathfinders, one TLT, and seven volunteers and staff members. The newly renamed Portland Otters are led by the youngest Pathfinder director in the Southern New England Conference (SNEC), Master Guide and college freshman, Sarah Toolan.

Area coordinators MacDavid K. Neequaye and Judith and Paul Stanislas officiated with typical Pathfinder readiness and grace.  Church members, Pathfinders, and Pathfinder directors from sister churches also came to support Toolan in this important “first” of her Pathfinder service.

The Middletown-Portland church leadership is grateful for Toolan’s commitment to serve and praises God for this new Pathfinder club, a significant milestone in their church revitalization journey.  Three years ago, with weekly church service attendance at about 12, they enrolled in SNEC’s Church Revitalization Residency. With education, mentoring, much prayer, and subsequent blessings from God, they now have 30 to 40 in attendance most Sabbaths, a pew full of children who come forward for the children’s story, and now a Pathfinder club to serve their young people and the surrounding community.