Pathfinders (historical timeline)

The Seventh-day Adventist Church affiliated Pathfinders organisation was created as the Missionary Volunteer Society in 1907. It was known as MV, JMV and AJY over the new few years, before adopting the name Pathfinders for the first time in 1927. Although it may appear to be focused on camps, its history also has the concept of service and self-achievement as features.

Timeline

* 1907
** Missionary Volunteer Society was founded
* 1908
** Junior Reading Course
** First MV Day, March 7 1909 Junior MV Societies were formed
* 1911
** MV Leaflet Series began
* 1922
** JMV (now AJY) Progressive Classes introduced particularly Friend and Companion classes
** A. W. Spalding and Harriet Hold advocate basic idea of Pathfinder Clubs
* 1926
** The first junior camp was held in USA (Town Line Lake, Michigan)
* 1927
** Master Comrade (now Master Guide) was officially approved
* 1928
** Southern California's first youth camp, San Gabriel Canyon
** Vocational honors introduced
* 1929
** "Pathfinder" name first used at a summer camp in Southeastern California
* 1930
** Pre-JMV/AJY classes developed
* 1931
** First Master Comrade Investiture
* 1932
** First JMV Pathfinder Camp, Idyllwild, purchased
* 1938
** Master Comrade Manual published
* 1946
** The first conference-sponsored Pathfinder Club in Riverside, California
** Pathfinder Club emblem designed by John H. Hancock
* 1947
** The first North American Division Youth Congress was held in San Francisco
* 1948
** Helen Hobbs made the Pathfinder flag
** First area Pathfinder coordinators appointed (Central California Conference)
* 1949
** Henry Bergh composed the Pathfinder song
* 1950
** General Conference authorized the JMV Pathfinder clubs for world field
** Pathfinder Staff Training Course and How to Start a Pathfinder Club booklet was published
** Explorer class added
* 1951
** The first Pathfinder Fair was held on September 23 in Dinuba, California
** Master Comrade was changed to Master Guide
** Pathfinder Staff Manual published
* 1952
** Pathfinder song copyrighted
* 1954
** The first Pathfinder Camporee was held on May 7-9 in Idyllwild, California
* 1957
** JMV Pathfinder Day was added to the church calendar
* 1960
** The first Union Camporee was held on April 11-14, Lone Pine, California
* 1962
** MV Pathfinder Field Guide published
** Pathfinder Drill Manual published
* 1963
** John Hancock elected as World Pathfinder Director
* 1965
** JMV Handbook was combined with Master Guide Manual as MV Handbook
* 1966
** Pioneer Class was added
** The first North American MV Camp Directory was published
* 1970
** Pioneer Class name was changed to Ranger Class (8th Grade)
* 1974
** The Pathfinder Staff Manual was revised and expanded
* 1979
** Missionary Volunteer (MV) was changed to Adventist Youth (AY)
** Junior Missionary Volunteer (JMV) was changed to Adventist Junior Youth (AJY)
** The Pre-AJY class was changed to Adventurers Club(4 yrs. - 4th grade)
* 1980
** Les Pitton was elected as North American Division (NAD) Youth Director
** MV Camp Directory was changed to World Adventist Youth Camp Directory
* 1981
** Pathfinders Sing Songbook was published
* 1982
** The New Pathfinder World replaced the MV World
** Voyager Class added
** NAD Pathfinder uniform revised
* 1985
** Norm Middag appointed as NAD Pathfinder Director
** The first NAD Pathfinder Camporee was held in Camp Hale, Colorado, USA
* 1987
** The current NAD Pathfinder emblem was designed by Norm Middag
* 1989
** NAD Pathfinder Honors Manual revised, new were honors added
** Friendship Camporee in Pennsylvania, sponsored by the Columbia Union
** New AY Classwork Curriculum integrated in Pathfinder curriculum
** Adventurer Program became an independent program from Pathfinders
* 1993
** Restructuring resulted in Office of Pathfinder Ministries
* 1994
** "Dare to Care" International Pathfinder Camporee, August 2-6, Denver, Colorado
* 1995
** Teen Leadership Training (TLT) Program established for training High school students (grades 9-12)
** First Pathfinder Web Site established
** First Pathfinder Club web page, Fort Worth Eagles, Fort Worth, Texas
* 1996
** Basic Staff Training, Pathfinder Leadership Award (PLA), & Pathfinder Instructor Award (PIA) curriculum developed
* 1997
** Willie Oliver became a NAD Director of Pathfinder & Camp Ministries
** NAD Pathfinder Honors Manual revised, new honors added
** NAD Pathfinder Staff Manual updated
* 1999 NAD Pathfinder Web Site established
** Discover the Power International Camporee held in Osh kosh WI (USA)
* 2000
** Elder James Black appointed to be NAD Youth Ministries director, overseeing Youth, Pathfinder, Adventurer, and Camp Ministries
** Pathfinder Uniform changed to Black & Tan
* 2001
** AY Honor Handbook added 17 new Honors as well as several International Honors.
* 2003
** NAD Youth Ministries developed a Website Community ministering to Youth, Pathfinders, Adventurers, and Camping Ministries (YPAC).
* 2004
** NAD Pathfinder Ministries (under the leadership of James Black and Ron Whitehead) hosted the "Faith on Fire" International NAD Pathfinder Camporee in Oshkosh, WI (USA) on August 9 - 14, 2004.

2007"called to serve" southern union camporee

References

* [http://www.pathfindersonline.org/pdf/staff_manual/pathfinder_history_brief.pdf Pathfinder History in Brief] from PathfindersOnline.org

ee also

* Pathfinders (Seventh-day Adventist)

External links

* [http://adventist.org Official Seventh-day Adventist Church Website]
* [http://youth.gc.adventist.org General Conference Pathfinders]