On Sabbath, August 12, 2017, Dr. Merlin Burt, director of the Center for Adventist Research at Andrews University presented a special plaque to the Roosevelt Seventh-day Adventist Church. The black marble plaque with gold etching thanked the members for opening their church and hearts to the students participating in the Adventist History Study Tour, which visits every year from the Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary.

The study tour, which is led by Dr. Burt, has been visiting the Roosevelt Church since 2005 and offers several intensive church history classes to students while on an 8-day bus tour through New York and New England. Each year, the Roosevelt Church worships with the tour participants on Sabbath, teaching them the history of the Church. After the worship service, lunch is provided for the group under a large tent on the lawn and a sack supper is provided for the road.

Dr. Burt called the members of the Church forward for the surprise presentation of the plaque. Elder James R. Nix, director of the Ellen G. White Estate, also said a few words to the Church: “…it’s because of people like you who host those of us who come on tours with tour groups, that lives are being changed and a message is being strengthened around the world as people leave after being on these particular tours.”

As head elder Robert Puttman accepted the plaque he said, “We will treasure through…not all eternity because it isn’t going to make it throughout eternity, but through the rest of the eternity in which this Church will stand.” Pastor John Livergood also spoke about the impact of being able to pastor in the New York Conference and the history that is in the Roosevelt Church and in the state. He also stated that the Church members always look forward to having the Tour and are grateful for the opportunity to minister to and impact a generation of pastors and church leaders. The head deacon, Robert Rosa, mentioned the hard work that goes into welcoming the group, but that the Church considered it a privilege to serve each year.

Left to right: Merlin Burt, Robert Rosa, Robert Puttman, and pastor Livergood. Other members of the Church stand in the background.