Timeline

1907

  • Missionary Volunteer Society was founded

1908

  • Junior Reading Course
  • First Missionary Volunteer Day January 26, 1908

1909

  • Junior Missionary Volunteer Societies organized  (JMV)

1911

  • MV Leaflet Series began

1913

  • First Spanish Reading Course Books

1914

  • Junior Manual by Ella Iden-Edwards published

1917

  • Junior Bible Year begun

1920

  • Harriet Maxson Holt becomes the 1st Junior Secretary (1920-1928)

1922

  • JMV (now AJY) Progressive Classes introduced Friend and Companion classes, MV classes (now AY Classes) Comrade and Master Comrade (now Guide and Master Guide — 1951)
  • A. W. Spalding and Harriet Hold advocate basic idea of Pathfinder Clubs

1924

  • Junior Manual authored by Harriet Maxson Holt

1926

  • The first junior camp was held in USA (Town Line Lake, Michigan)

1927

  • The first Conference Sponsored Pathfinder Club – Anaheim/Fullerton Churches begum”    John McKim  –   director, Willa Steen Girls director.  Guy Mann Southeastern California Conference Youth Director and Laurence A. Skinner associate youth director

1927/1928

  • At some point the term “pathfinder” was first used — early notable was John McKim in Southeastern California Conference.

1928

  • Southern California’s first youth camp, San Gabriel Canyon
  • First 16 Vocational Merits (now AY Honors) were introduced

1930

  • Pre-JMV Classes, Busy Bee, Sun Beam, Builder and Helping Hand developed

1931

  • Early Master Comrade Investiture held at GC to highlight / encourage program (first Investiture of Master Comrades occurred earlier)

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

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

1956

    • Explorer class added

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, Morrison, Colorado, Red Rocks. 12,200 participants. Ron Whitehead, director; Guest Speaker, Leclaire Litchfield.

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 Oshkosh, WI (USA) August ?-?, Ron Whitehead, director. 23,000 participants.

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

  • ” Faith on Fire” International Pathfinder Camporee in Oshkosh, WI (USA) August 9–14. Ron Whitehead, director. 32,000 participants

2009

  • “Courage to Stand” International Pathfinder Camporee in Oshkosh, WI (USA), August 10–15. Ron Whitehead, director. 39,000 participants

2014

  • “Forever Faithful” International Pathfinder Camporee in Oshkosh, WI (USA), August 11–16, Ron Whitehead, director. 40,000 participants