Our history

Our History

Pathfinder History

The Seventh-day Adventist Church affiliated Pathfinders organization 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.

SDA Pathfinder Historical Timeline

1907 - Missionary Volunteer Societies organized

1908 - Junior Reading Course

          - First MV Day, March 7 1909 Junior MV Societies organized

1911 - MV Leaflet Series began

1922 - JMV (now AJY) Progressive Classes introduced - Friend and Companion

          - A. W. Spalding and Harriet Hold advocate basic idea of Pathfinder Clubs

1926 - First junior camp held in USA (Town Line Lake, Michigan)

1927 - Master Comrade (now Master Guide) 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 is purchased in Idyllwild, California

1938 - Master Comrade Manual published

1946 - First conference-sponsored Pathfinder Club (Riverside, California)

         - Pathfinder Club emblem designed by John H. Hancock

1947 - First North American Division Youth Congress in San Francisco, California

1948 - Helen Hobbs makes the Pathfinder flag

          - First area Pathfinder coordinators appointed (Central California Conference)

1949 - Henry Bergh writes Pathfinder song

1950 - General Conference authorizes JMV Pathfinder clubs for world field

          - Pathfinder Staff Training Course and How to Start a Pathfinder Club booklet

1951 - First Pathfinder Fair, September 23, Dinuba, California

          - Master Comrade changed to Master Guide

          - Pathfinder Staff Manual published

1952 - Pathfinder song copyrighted

1954 - First Pathfinder Camporee, May 7-9, Idyllwild, California

1956 - Explorer class added.

1957 - JMV Pathfinder Day added to church calendar

1960 - First Union Camporee, April 11-14, Lone Pine, California

1962 - MV Pathfinder Field Guide

         - Pathfinder Drill Manual Published

1963 - John Hancock elected World Pathfinder Director

1965 - JMV Handbook combined with Master Guide Manual to be MV Handbook

1966 - Pioneer Class added (later changed to Ranger)

          - First North American MV Camp Directory published

1970 - Pioneer Class name changed to Ranger (8th Grade)

1974 - Pathfinder Staff Manual revised and expanded

1979 - MV changed to AY (Missionary Volunteer --> Adventist Youth)

         - JMV changed to AJY (Junior Missionary Volunteer --> Adventist Junior Youth)

          - Pre-AJY changed to Adventurers (4 yrs. - 4th grade)

1980 - Les Pitton elected NAD Youth Director

         - MV Camp Directory changed to World Adventist Youth Camp Directory

1981 - Pathfinders Sing Songbook published

1982 - New Pathfinder World replaces MV World

         - Voyager Class added

          - NAD Pathfinder uniform revised

1985 - Norm Middag appointed NAD Pathfinder Director

          - First NAD Pathfinder Camporee, Camp Hale, Colorado

1987 - Current NAD Pathfinder emblem designed by Norm Middag

1989 - NAD Pathfinder Honors Manual revised, new honors added

          - Friendship Camporee in Pennsylvania, sponsored by the Columbia Union

          - New AY Classwork Curriculum integrated in Pathfinder curriculum

          - Adventurer Program becomes an independent program from Pathfinders

1993 - Restructuring results 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 becomes 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) with an

            attendance of over 20,000.

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 adds 17 new Honors as well as several International Honors.

2003 - NAD Youth Ministries develops Website Community ministering to Youth, Pathfinders,

               Adventurers, and Camping Ministries (YPAC).

2004 - NAD Pathfinder Ministries under the leadership of James Black and Ron Whitehead hosts        

            the Faith on Fire International NAD Pathfinder Camporee in Oshkosh, WI (USA) with over 

            32,000 tickets sold, and close to 200 Pathfinders baptized at the event.