Wisconsin Conference PBE/Pathfinder Sabbath 2026

This past Sabbath was an especially uplifting one at Wisconsin Academy. The church and school welcomed hundreds of Pathfinders, club leaders, and family members for the Wisconsin Conference's annual Pathfinder Bible Experience (PBE) event. But the day held even more significance: in addition to the afternoon competition, we transformed the morning into a Conference-wide Pathfinder Sabbath worship service. The entire day centered on our young people—their diligent study, emerging leadership, and God-given gifts and talents.

Pathfinder Sabbath Service

The service opened with Pastor Eric Jean-Baptiste leading the Pathfinders in a spirited march into the sanctuary. They sang the Pathfinder Song and recited the Pathfinder Pledge and Law before taking their places in the front pews.

Pastor Zack Payne, joined by several young people, led an energetic song service featuring lively, youth-oriented choruses. Pathfinders took active roles throughout nearly every part of the program: announcing and collecting the offering, reading Scripture, providing piano accompaniment for the Children's Story, performing violin for Special Music, and offering prayers in multiple languages (Congolese, Karen, and English). Jonathan Garrett, one of our Area Coordinators, delivered a heartfelt Children's Story.

A major highlight was the sermon time, fully dedicated to the youth. This year, three young preachers shared powerful messages with a sanctuary of nearly 200 worshippers:

• Viviana Moreno, just eight years old, from the Green Bay Pilgrims

• Arthur Payne, eleven years old, from the Wisconsin Academy Voyageurs

• Esthefania Mazaba, sixteen years old, from the West Milwaukee Serafines

The service concluded with the stirring hymn "Onward, Christian Soldiers," followed by the Pathfinders marching out in formation. Many stayed for a delicious lunch in the Wisconsin Academy cafeteria, enjoying fellowship before preparing for the afternoon's activities.

Pathfinder Bible Experience

This year's PBE teams focused their studies on the Book of Isaiah, chapters 1–33. At 2:00 pm, everyone was asked to be present to start getting ready for the event, putting the room together, and getting their uniforms inspected. 3:00 p.m., qualifying teams put their preparation to the test, competing in a rigorous examination of their own team's knowledge, as well as against fellow teams across Wisconsin.

After several hours of intense competition, the results were announced:

3rd Place

Fox Valley Eagles

Milwaukee Central Navigators

West Milwaukee Corderitos de Jesús

West Milwaukee Los Miguelitos

West Milwaukee Serafines

2nd Place

Waukesha Warriors

Wisconsin Academy Voyageurs

1st Place

Green Bay Pioneers

Watertown Sentinels

We applaud all clubs, teams, and individuals for the effort they put into preparing for this Sabbath's events. What a blessing to see our young people shine so brightly—both in worship and in their commitment to God's Word! All first-place teams have earned qualification to advance to the Union Level PBE, scheduled for March 28 at Camp Wagner in Cassopolis, Michigan. We can't wait to see you there!

In closing, I'd also like to say thank you. Thank you to Wisconsin Academy Church and School for allowing us to use their facilities: it's an excellent space for this event, the food is wonderful, and we're glad to be able to bring families from around the state to enjoy the campus for a day. Thank you to the cafeteria team for all their extra work in accommodating our large group. Thank you to the staff and students who helped in various aspects, like being judges, graders, runners, A/V personnel, and so on. Thank you to our Club Ministry leadership team, who helped make the day run so smoothly. And finally, thank you to the family and church family who came out to support your young people as they tested their knowledge of Scripture! Events like this are so crucial in the formation of our young leaders, and we appreciate all that it takes to create a successful day in which our Pathfinders can be encouraged and empowered.