Impressions from St. Louis(3)

Coming to the second day of the GC session at the America’s Center, the delegates were met by Ukrainian delegates who gave them Ukrainian flags as a sign of gratitude for the support, requesting for the war-torn country to be kept in their prayers.
The morning’s devotional speaker introduced by Merlin Burt, followed by a beautiful rendering of the song Faau’u (commitment). In his worship message called “The Rest of the Story,” Dwain Esmond (Associate Director at Ellen White Estate) challenged the delegates to preach and live the Three Angels Messages, including the “bad news.”
The Prayer time was led by Pavel Goia and his prayer team.
As the morning’s business meeting was opened, Undersecretary Hensley Moorooven once again explained how the Election Buddy works.
The meeting was chaired by Vicepresident Thomas Lemon.
It was time for the Secretary’s report, given by GC Secretary Erton Köhler, accompanied by the whole secretariat team. The report celebrated the mission work executed across the global Adventist Church over the past seven years. Over 1 million were added to the church in 2021. Unfortunately, losses are equal to about half of accessions. Current membership is 21.9 million. There are over 33,000 pastors and over 75,000 teachers serving the world. There are 367 missionary families currently serving, most are from the North American, South American and South Pacific Divisions. There was significant discussion about the need for more missionaries. There were also many questions for clarification on membership losses.
The nominating committee presented another report, presenting the names for Secretary and Treasurer to be voted. Pastor Erton Köhler was elected Secretary of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and Paul Douglas Treasurer. Köhler served as President of the South American Division until he was called to follow in the footsteps of retiring G.T. Ng about a year ago. Paul Douglas was re-elected as the Treasurer of the General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists. Douglas was first elected to the position during the 2021 Spring Meetings, in Silver Spring, Maryland, after Juan Prestol-Puesán retired.
Eight Vice Presidents of the GC were also elected. The reelection of incumbents seems to be the motto of the session. Audrey Andersson, Secretary of the Trans-European Division was elected as the only woman in this group of leaders. Ella Simmons, the first and only woman as GC Vicepresident is retiring. Unfortunately, there is still only one female officer out of the 11 chosen. One delegate expressed her thanks for all that Simmons has done throughout the years, representing women in GC leadership and as a trailblazer for women in the church. Introducing the voted Vicepresidents, Ella Simmons quipped, “Since I have served with these gentlemen, I feel comfortable to see that there is somebody to keep you in order.”
In an interview Audrey Andersson said that she has pledged to go wherever the Lord leads. “Follow your dreams, the Church has a place for you! Follow where He leads, and you will never be disappointed,” said Audrey Andersson, newly elected General Vice-President of General Conference.
The number of women delegates compared to men is 2 to 10. Also, the delegates are mostly older people. The church leadership is doing business as usual.
Catching up with friends: Raquel Arrais is being missed by all who worked under her leadership at the Women’s Ministries Department
Even delegates have to eat. Lunch lines were long, but the food has not yet become a topic of discussion.
Business Session reconvenes after lunch with Guillermo Biaggi as chair and delegates discuss agenda items in the America's Center Convention Complex auditorium. Nominating committee meets privately throughout the open business session and will bring back reports through out the day. The agenda was a continuation of Church Manual changes. Role and work of pastors and church leadership. Most of the afternoon was spent on one item defining the work of a pastor. To many, it seemed like overreach of the GC into the specific work of the pastor. The discussion also went to Conference Presidents required to be ordained. The lengthy proposal was ultimately referred back to the Church Manual Committee to be brought back on Thursday. Other revisions concerning church elders and their work passed.
Henseley Moorooven chaired the night session because all vice Presidents were in caucuses chairing nominating committees. When the nomination committee presented its results to the Secretariat team, Erton Köhler took over while Moorooven stepped aside.
Associate Secretaries of the GC were approved.
GC auditing board auditing services (CAS) were voted.
Then came the report of the nominating committee on the GC Department Directors. Most incumbents being reelected. An attempt was made to refer the Departmental Directors report back to the Nominating Committee because of the few women in these positions, but the motion failed.
The same old department directors were reelected (except where one retired). Many delegates were disappointed. There is not much renewal in the church leadership. It was a brave attempt by two women delegates, Nina Myrdal of Norway and Debbie Jackson, Central States Conference NAD, to ask for qualified females to be put in some of these positions.
Heather-Dawn Small was also returned as Director of Women’s Ministries
The meeting was closed with prayer in groups led by Jerry Page.
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