Norland SDA Church sits on NW 183rd Street in the Norland neighborhood of Miami, a long-standing Seventh-day Adventist congregation whose motto is "Where everyone is somebody and Christ is Lord." From its building at 1175 NW 183rd Street, the church runs a full weekly rhythm of prayer, study, and worship, alongside a wide slate of ministries that reach from cradle to senior years. It belongs to the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church and works in cooperation with the Florida Conference of SDA and the North American Division.
A Saturday Built on Prayer, Study, and Worship
The Sabbath is the heart of the week at Norland SDA. The day begins quietly at 7:00 a.m. with Early Morning Prayer, a half-hour that meets by Zoom so members can start the day in devotion before leaving home. Sabbath School follows at 9:30 a.m. in the church building, an hour of Bible study organized by age divisions and led by Sabbath School Superintendent Sis Joycelin Thomas and a council of teachers. The Church Service begins at 11:00 a.m. and runs through 1:00 p.m.; it is broadcast live on the Norland SDA Media YouTube channel so members who are traveling, ill, or homebound can join the same sermon and music that the in-person congregation hears. The afternoon closes with Bible Study at 5:00 p.m., a smaller gathering for going deeper into Scripture before the sun goes down.
The Saturday schedule also reserves time for a Bible Class at 4:00 p.m. that prepares adults for the discussion to follow, and an Adventist Youth meeting at 5:00 p.m. for the younger members. Together, these touchpoints give the day a steady cadence from dawn to dusk, with prayer opening the morning, study shaping the middle hours, and worship at the center.
Weekday Mornings on the Zoom Prayer Line
For members who want to begin the day with prayer on weekdays, Early Morning Prayer meets at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Tuesday and Thursday sessions are joined online through the Norland Zoom Line, Meeting ID 227 996 2264 with Password 1844. The Saturday morning prayer uses a different Zoom room, Meeting ID 227 796 2264 with the same Password 1844. The prayer line is organized by the personal ministries team and gives members across the wider Miami area a daily way to pray together before the workday begins.
Pastor Raulford Baptiste and a Forty-Year Pulpit
Norland's pastor is Raulford Baptiste, who has served in Adventist ministry for forty years. He grew up in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where he began his ministry before being called to serve as Family Life Director and Stewardship Director for the East Caribbean Conference of SDA, headquartered in Barbados. He later joined the ministerial team of the Florida Conference of SDA, where he now leads Norland after a productive pastorate at Sunrise SDA Church.
Baptiste studied at Northern Caribbean University (formerly West Indies College), Southern Caribbean University (formerly Caribbean Union College), Andrews University, and Argosy University. He holds a doctoral degree in Education and Developmental Psychology, with a special emphasis in pastoral and community counseling. He is married to Neemintra, of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and they have three adult children: Tricia, Tristan, and Trevaughn. Pastor Baptiste is also the author of the Norland SDA Strategic Plan 2023-2028, which charts the congregation's direction for the rest of the decade, and brings to Norland a wealth of experience in evangelism, Christian stewardship, and family life.
The Board of Elders, Deacons, and Deaconesses
In the Adventist understanding, the pastor serves as chairperson of the Board of Elders, who share pastoral responsibility with him. The elders visit members, minister to the sick, foster prayer, arrange anointing services and child dedications, encourage the disheartened, and assist in other pastoral duties. The Head Elder at Norland is Elder Pusey. The full board includes Elders Barnes, Bailey, Davis, Henry, Rose, and Timothy. The board meets regularly and partners with the pastor, treasurer, and church clerk on the business of the church, and works closely with conference officers and departmental directors in carrying out the work of the church.
The Head Deacon is Bro Bryan Ellis and the Head Deaconess is Sis Raymonde Davis. Together with the elders, they prepare the communion table (laying out unleavened bread and arranging the foot-washing with basins, water, towels, and buckets), assist at baptisms (including preparing robes and caring for candidates), visit members at home, welcome members and visitors, and care for the sick, poor, and unfortunate. Sis Sheroline Eccles serves as Church Clerk, keeping membership records and handling correspondence between members and the conference. Together, the pastor, elders, deacons, and deaconesses form the pastoral team that keeps the church running day to day.
Thirteen Departments at Work
The church maintains thirteen distinct ministry departments, a deliberate structure that lets each age group and interest find a place. Children's Ministry develops the faith of children from birth through age 14. Led by Sis Melonie Henry, it works with the Sabbath School and other departments to provide ministries that are inclusive, service-oriented, leadership-building, safe, and evangelistic. Everyone who works with children meets church and legal standards, including background checks.
Sabbath School is the primary religious education program of the church. Its four purposes are the study of Scripture, fellowship, community outreach, and world mission emphasis. The program uses the General Conference Sabbath School Bible study guide across all age levels and supports Vacation Bible Schools, Decision Days, Community Guest Days, and branch Sabbath Schools. A Sabbath School council, made up of the superintendent, assistant superintendents, division leaders, the personal ministries leader, the children's ministries coordinator, an elder, and the pastor, administers the program. An Investment secretary promotes mission support across all divisions, while the Vacation Bible School director organizes the annual VBS as a community outreach.
Women's Ministry upholds, encourages, and challenges women in their daily walk as disciples of Jesus. Led by Sis Sharon Roberts, the department fosters spiritual growth and renewal, affirms the worth of women, equips them for service, and ministers to the broad spectrum of women's needs. Its work is guided by a clear set of objectives: fostering spiritual growth, affirming the worth of women, equipping them for service, ministering to women's needs, cooperating with other departments, building goodwill among women, mentoring younger members, and challenging each woman to use her gifts to further global mission.
Family Ministry focuses on marriage and family life. The department facilitates unity and love at home, offers premarital guidance, marriage strengthening programs, and parent education, and gives attention to single parents and stepfamilies. It also fosters reconciliation between generations and extends hope to those who have been hurt by abuse, family dysfunction, or broken relationships.
Music Ministry works closely with the pastor and elders to choose appropriate music for every service. Sacred music is treated as an important part of public worship, and the church takes great care in selecting music leaders and choir members who are thoroughly consecrated and who will rightly represent Church principles. Musical selections are chosen to harmonize with the sermon theme. The Praise Team Leader coordinates the team and musicians (including Bro Daley) for weekly services.
Health and Temperance sees the church's responsibility as including a moral obligation to preserve human dignity through physical, mental, and spiritual health. Led by Health Ministries Elder Caldon Barnes, Health Ministries Leader Sis Audrey Lewin, and Associate Leader Sis Jean Bender, the department runs stop-smoking plans, cooking schools, health classes, and stress-control programs. It encourages members toward a primarily vegetarian diet free of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, and the pastor sits on the department as an ex officio member. The department also maintains a small library of health information handouts on topics ranging from the benefits of breakfast and the role of water to signs of kidney disease and endometriosis.
Community Service operates the Adventist Community Services, also known as the Dorcas Society. It gathers and distributes clothing, food, and other supplies to those in need, identifies community needs, and responds with educational seminars, community development, visiting, and counseling. It works closely with the Adventist Men, deacons, deaconesses, and other departments in community outreach.
Communications, chaired by Sis Iris Errar with Elder Barnes as Communications Elder, manages public relations, social media, and church media. The committee includes Elder Bethune Davis, Rayna Blackwood, Kalphani Campbell, Audrey Hosten, Kadeja Jacquet, Deston Simmons, KerriAnn Talbert, Reggi Thomas, and Kadeen Wright. It promotes the use of contemporary communication techniques and sustainable technologies in spreading the gospel.
Personal Ministry, led by Bro Sam Allyne with Personal Ministries Elder Elder Richard Pusey, coordinates the church's outreach and soul-winning efforts. It organizes small group ministries, the Bible school, Bible correspondence, literature distribution, Ingathering appeals, and member training. The personal ministries council meets at least once a month and includes the pastor, an elder, the treasurer, and leaders of the other departments.
Religious Liberty, led by Elder Caldon Barnes, is the local expression of the Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL) department. It promotes liberty of conscience and represents the church in discussions of religious freedom. Education, led by Elder Anthony Shaw, promotes Adventist Christian education from kindergarten through university. The Treasurer, working with a treasury team, is responsible for tithes, offerings, building funds, and the fund for the poor and needy.
Adventurers, Pathfinders, and the AYM
Norland's youth ministry operates under Adventist Youth Ministries (AYM). The youth leader is Bro. Deston Simmons. The AYM mission is to lead young people into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and help them embrace His call to discipleship. Its motto is "The love of Christ compels us," and its aim is "The Advent Message to all the world in my generation."
The program is divided into Adventurers (ages 6-9), Pathfinders (ages 10-15), Ambassadors (ages 16-21), and Young Adults (ages 22-30+). The Adventurer Club, for parents with 6-to-9-year-olds, includes crafts, recreation, and appreciation of God's creation, all with a spiritual focus that prepares the children for Pathfinder Club. Pathfinder Club, led by Bro Shaw, gives ages 10 to 15 an organized outlet that includes outdoor living, nature exploration, crafts, hobbies, and vocations. The Pathfinder director sits on the church board and on the Adventist Youth Ministries Committee, with additional instructors and counselors assigned to units of six to eight Pathfinders.
Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs
Norland SDA Church is part of the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church, a mainstream Protestant body with about 19 million members worldwide and more than one million members in North America. Adventists believe in a Trinity of three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - who are one God. Salvation was made possible when Jesus, the Son, came to earth as a baby in Bethlehem, lived a sinless life in accordance with the Father's will, was crucified for the sins of the world, and rose again on the third day. After His resurrection, Jesus returned to heaven and left the Holy Spirit to serve as Comforter and Counselor. He promised to return to earth a second time to complete His plan of salvation, and Adventists look forward to that return.
Adventists believe that God is concerned with the quality of human life, and that the way members live, eat, speak, think, treat each other, and care for the world around them is part of His plan. The church encourages a healthful lifestyle free of tobacco, alcohol, and other harmful substances, and gives high priority to Christian education from kindergarten through university. Families, children, jobs, talents, money, and time are all viewed as important to God.
The 2023-2028 Strategic Plan
The Norland SDA Strategic Plan 2023-2028, written by Pastor Baptiste, lays out a five-year direction for the congregation. Its mission is "To glorify God and communicate kingdom values to all people in the Norland SDA Church Community and beyond." Its vision is "To make the Norland SDA Church a model spiritual organization by having every member converted to Christ, committed to Christ." Its value statement is "To lovingly surrender to the Lordship of Jesus, while embracing the Adventist beliefs and lifestyle." The plan charts the congregation's goals for the years ahead and serves as the church's working roadmap.
Giving, Livestreams, and Finding the Church
Members and friends can support the church's local and worldwide efforts through Adventist Giving, the church's online giving platform. Tithes, offerings, and special gifts can all be directed through the secure online portal. The Saturday worship service is broadcast live on the Norland SDA Media YouTube channel, allowing members who cannot attend in person to follow along with the sermon and music.
Norland SDA Church is located at 1175 NW 183rd St, Miami, FL 33169-4257. The phone number is 305-651-7722, and the contact email is destonsimmons@yahoo.com. Visitors are welcomed at any Sabbath service. The site is provided through the North American Division and Adventist Connect platform.