In 1866, church leaders James and Ellen White, along with other dedicated church members, opened the Western Health Reform Institute, later named the Battle Creek Sanitarium. The sick and the needy, as well as the rich and famous, came to the sanitarium to experience a different kind of health care and learn a new perspective on wholeness.
This was just three years after the church was formed on the belief in the advent, or second coming of Jesus Christ. Because the message of Jesus’ soon return was the focus of our faith, we became known as the Advent Movement. Now the term “Advent Movement” has greater meaning, describing the rise and expansion of the global Seventh-day Adventist Church.
We operate today with the same purpose defined in the biblical accounts of creation and the earthly ministry of Christ. It is from this sacred place that our mission and commitment to providing whole-person care (mind, body and spirit) began. We believe in the wholeness our Creator intended for His creation and that Christ’s healing ministry is about restoring wholeness to people. Christ gives salvation and will return someday to fully restore us into whole beings.
On January 2, 2019, all Adventist Health System wholly owned and managed care facilities will be known as AdventHealth. For the first time in our history, all facilities will align under one name that captures the core message of our mission, Christ’s healing ministry and salvation.
The new name of AdventHealth does not reflect a merger, acquisition or change in ownership but is a way of unifying all of our care facilities. All AdventHealth care facilities will continue to be Seventh-day Adventist Institutions. Our leadership—both at the hospital and board level—are Seventh-day Adventists, guided by the same commitment to mission as first established in 1866.
Our Seventh-day Adventist legacy is a vital part of our story, which will be told in numerous ways to patients, employees and our communities.
CREATION Life is a whole person lifestyle program, created and owned by Adventist Health System. We invite you to continue engaging in CREATION Life principles. We thank you for your continued support as we become AdventHealth.
Learn more at: https://www.adventhealthtransition.com
