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Research into the history of the Seventh-day Adventist church on the Isle of Man by Miyanda Siamoongwa has received commendation from the Island's Museum and National Library. The Museum and Library Archivist, Ms Wendy Thirkettle, invited Miyanda and local church minister, Pastor Shasha Gabriel Mugari, to officially present the completed document to the Isle of Man Museum and Library, which was received on Thursday, 3 February 2022. 

Miyanda is an Isle of Man Seventh-day Adventist church member who recently completed his Master Guide training with the South England Conference. He says, to get his Church Heritage honour, he had to, among others, compile a brief history of his local church. It meant he had to obtain information through interviews with long-standing church members, the church clerk, and the pastor. The compilation also needed to include information on the opening of any Adventist church school, academy, medical, or community service building associated with his local church and, where possible, include photographs of facilities, members, and the former and current pastors.

He soon discovered that the Adventist church on the Isle of Man did not have a previously documented history as he began his research project. He also noted that the influence of the Advent movement on the island goes back as far as 1844 when the Millerites arrived to share their belief that Christ would return in October 1844. Miyanda said, "I needed to spend some time in the Isle of Man Museum and Library, collecting data."  

The project attracted the attention and interest of the Isle of Man Museum and Library Archivist, Ms Wendy Thirkettle. The 'national' library did not have a history of the Adventist church on the island, and Ms Thirkettle kindly requested a copy of the document to be included in the 'national' library as their resource for the church's history on the island. 

You will find this comprehensive document a good read.  Miyanda has kindly shared the PDF version with us for you to download below here.

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