After years of prayer and planning, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Muscat, Oman, has broken ground on a new worship facility.
By Pr. Marc Coleman
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Muscat officially broke ground on a new large worship facility on Friday, July 17, 2026. The milestone event, attended by local congregation members, regional church leadership, and representatives from the Royal Oman Ministry of Religious Affairs, marks the culmination of years of prayer and planning for a dedicated spiritual home.
The path to the new facility began 14 months prior during a courtesy and protocol visit with His Excellency Dr. Mohammed bin Said bin Khalfan Al Mamari of the Royal Oman Ministry of Religious Affairs. The church delegation included Marc Coleman, President of the Gulf Field of Seventh-day Adventists; Elder Rick McEdward, then-President of the Middle East and North Africa Union (MENAUM); Pastor Ted Wilson, then President of the General Conference (GC); and local pastor Youngsik Ham.
During the visit, President Wilson exchanged words of encouragement and prayed for His Excellency. In turn, Dr. Mamari indicated it was possible for the church to receive a grant of land on which to build.
Fourteen months later, that vision became a reality as attendees gathered under a large, air-conditioned tent to celebrate the first phase of construction. Congregation members noted an additional blessing regarding the day's weather: despite it being the region's hottest season, when temperatures routinely exceed 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit) under a merciless sun, the groundbreaking took place under uncharacteristically steely gray skies. The cloud cover provided a measurably cooler day, which the church celebrated as a direct answer to their prayers.
Through the collaborative financial efforts of the Gulf Field, the MENAUM, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and the MENAUM Oversight Committee, the project broke ground with nearly all of the funds needed already in hand.
Once completed, the large structure will serve as a dedicated church for Sabbath worship. Significantly, this new structure will double the number of church-owned buildings—from one to two—across the seven countries comprising the Gulf Field of Seventh-day Adventists, located on the Arabian Peninsula.
“This is a wonderful beginning, but as Solomon says, in Ecclesiastes 7:8, the end of a matter is better than the beginning,” one speaker noted during the ceremony. “We look forward to the day when this temple will be finished as a testament to God’s glory and power.”
Church leaders and members now await the project's completion with bated breath, looking forward to the day the new sanctuary opens its doors. The church building will serve as a center of blessing for the surrounding community. Please pray for the successful completion of this building.
General Conference President Elder Erton Koeler is scheduled to dedicate the completed church in late 2027.