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Pastor Felipe Soares Ordained at North Shore

Ordination prayer as ordained ministers lay hands on Felipe
ILC Executive Secretary Michael Campos offers the ordination prayer as pastors lay their hands on Felipe and Sarah

Matthew Lucio

ILC Assistant to the President for Communication



Felipe Soares, North Shore Seventh-day Adventist Church's associate pastor, was ordained on June 21 during a special afternoon service. Felipe's wife, Sarah, and family members were able to join members of the North Shore church for this joyous occasion.


Pete Braman, Felipe Soares, and Sarah Soares after the presentation of the ordination certificate and gifts.
Pete Braman, Felipe Soares, and Sarah Soares after the presentation of the ordination certificate and gifts.

THE JOURNEY

Soares was born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, to an Adventist family involved in their local church. Felipe's immediate family moved to Long Island, NY, in 2001, where Felipe began leading a praise team.


Despite being a leader, Felipe ignored the call to pastoral ministry. One day, as he showed up at his office job in a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school, his boss confronted him: "What are you doing wasting your time here when you should be training to be a pastor?"


Felipe was stunned. How had his boss even knew that he was wrestling over his call to ministry? That conversation turned out to be the catalyst Felipe needed to finally decide that he would pursue his calling as a pastor.


Enrolling at Washington Adventist University, he studied Theology and Psychology. He then attended the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University for his Masters of Divinity.


After graduating, Felipe became the associate pastor at North Shore, a position he has held for the past seven years.


North Shore Senior Pastor offering a stirring homily from the life of Abraham.
North Shore Senior Pastor offering a stirring homily from the life of Abraham.

THE ORDINATION SERVICE

After a welcome by Pete Braman (ILC Ministerial Director) in which we were reminded that God is the one who ordains, Douglas Reeves (ILC Treasurer) offered an opening prayer. North Shore's excellent praise team led the assembled congregation in worship.


Rickymae Cabreros and Nathan Tigu officially introduced Felipe as an ordination candidate, which was followed by Jean Ricard Theelemaque's delightful special music, "To God Be the Glory," sung in English and French.


Jonathan Burnett, North Shore's senior pastor, delivered a stirring homily from the life of Abraham, challenging Felipe to remember that the life of ministry is meant to be a blessing.


John Grys (ILC President) offered the charge, followed by Michael Campos' (ILC Executive Secretary ordination prayer. As per tradition, he invited all ordained pastors to come forward and lay hands on Felipe and Sarah.


Felipe took the platform next for his official response. After a final hymn, Pete Braman concluded the service.


Felipe, Sarah, and family.
Felipe, Sarah, and family.

NEXT STEPS

Sadly, June 21 was also Pastor Felipe and Sarah's last Sabbath in the Illinois Conference. The Soares' have accepted a call to be the senior pastor of Boston Temple in Boston, MA.


🎥 View a video of the service (or watch below)




Please send any news items of what God is doing around the Illinois Conference to communication@ilcsda.org.


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Illinois Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

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619 Plainfield Road, Willowbrook, Illinois 60527, USA  |  (630) 716 3560  |  info@ilcsda.org

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