The Youth Department team is focused on spreading the gospel through creative ministry with and through young people, training today’s youth in representing the truths found in the Word of God and teaching them to help their fellow youth in trials they face as young people. In equipping them to honor God in any branch of work where they are called to serve, this ministry hopes to accomplish in the hearts of the young and those young at heart, the desire to reach and prepare others for the Lord’s soon return.
Youth Department Team
Williams Ovalle
Director
Office Ext. 1232
Bio
Williams was born in Guatemala and became a Seventh-day Adventist at the age of 10. His mother managed to send him, and his two brothers, to an Adventist school where his faith started to grow. He later attended seminary at Universidad Adventista del Plata in Argentina and, upon graduation, accepted the invitation to work in Columbus, Ohio for the Allegheny West Conference. In 2013 he and his wife, Tatiana, accepted the invitation to join the Potomac family. Williams loves spending time with his family, traveling, reading and playing soccer.
Sherilyn O'Ffill
Associate
Office Ext. 1233
Bio
Sherilyn O’Fill came to Potomac Conference Corporation in November 2010 to take on responsibilities as Associate Youth Director, leading Summer Camp, Pathfinders, and Adventurers. She moved here from California where she spent over seven years as Pastor for Youth, Children, and Families at the Napa Community SDA Church. Sherilyn’s husband, Mark, is her partner in ministry and life. Their son, Alec, joined the team in 2006.
Nancy Crickenberger
Administrative Assistant
Office Ext. 1232
Bio
Nancy Crickenberger joined the Potomac Conference Corporation in 1997 after working 26 years in the insurance industry. One of her favorite Bible promises is Proverbs 3: 5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”
Adventurers
T
he Adventurer program was created to assist parents in their important responsibilities as a child’s primary teachers and evangelizers. The program aims to strengthen the parent/child relationship and to further the child’s development in spiritual, physical, mental, and social areas.Through the Adventurer Program, the church, home, and school can work together with the parent to develop a mature, happy child.
The church’s greatest resource is our children; therefore, it is imperative that as a church we meet the challenge to provide a program for our children during their early,formative years. We want right habits,thoughts, motives, dispositions, and attitudes to be established. The Wise Man wrote,“Bring up a child in the way he should go,and when he is old he will not turn from it.”Prov. 22:6 (NIV). This is more than acliché—it is a scientific formula.
The Uniqueness of the Adventurer Club
The Adventurer Club was created to give children an opportunity to belong to an organized peer group. To join, children are invited to paticipate in various activities which will improve their social skills. From the time children start school until they reach puberty, their need to be with and be accepted by their peer group is increasingly strong.
The Adventurer Club involves children in grades 1-4 and their parents. One of the Adventurer Club objectives is to provide a meaningful and exciting experience as the children look forward with anticipation to some day being Pathfinders.
Pathfinders
Pathfinders are a worldwide organization of clubs sponsored by local Seventh-day Adventist congregations. Young people from any religious persuasion or walk of life are welcome to join the organization.
Pathfinders is for young people who are in 5th grade (or its equivalent) through 10th grade (or its equivalent). 5th and 6th grade participants are often referred to as junior Pathfinders. 7th through 10th grade participants are teen Pathfinders.
The Teen Leadership Training (TLT) program is an intentional training process for high school students (grades 9th – 12th ) who sense that they are interested in learning leadership skills through a mentorship and training process this walks them through all aspects of Pathfinder leadership.
Adults are welcome to participate in Pathfinders as staff leaders in various areas which enables them to make a difference for young people, develop friendships with fellow staff, learn more about God’s creation through exploring it with the young people and improving their leadership skills through training and use.
For more information on Potomac Pathfinders and how to get involved, click here!
