Sixth Business Meeting

Sixty-First General Conference Session, June 7, 2022, 7:00 p.m.
  • Proceedings
  • Actions
  • Nominating Committee Report

Transcript Coming Soon

BOARD OF ELDERS - CHURCH MANUAL ADDITION

RATIONALE: The Church Manual references a board of elders, but there has been no additional information or definition. This new section explains the organization and purpose of this board.

VOTED, To add a new section, Board of Elders, to the Church Manual, Chapter 8, Local Church Officers and Organizations, following Religious Leaders of the Church, on page 73, to read as follows:

Board of Elders—Where a church has a number of elders, it should organize a board of elders chaired by the pastor or his/her designee and with the first elder or another elder serving as secretary. Such a body provides a way to distribute responsibility and coordinate their contributions for the well-being of the congregation. It also provides a training ground where elders are instructed in their duties. The board of elders is accountable to the church board.

BOARD OF ELDERS - CHURCH MANUAL ADDITION

VOTED, To call for the vote on the item, Board of Elders - Church Manual Addition.

PASTOR AND OTHER CHURCH EMPLOYEES - CHURCH MANUAL AMENDMENT

VOTED,  To cease debate on the motion.

RELATIONSHIP TO THE PASTOR (ELDERS) - CHURCH MANUAL AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: This amendment clarifies the process by which an elder can chair the church board.

VOTED,  To amend the Church Manual, Chapter 8, Local Church Officers and Organizations, pages 73 and 74, Relationship to the Pastor (Elders), to read as follows:

Relationship to the Pastor—If the conference committee assigns a pastor or pastors to the congregation, the pastor, or senior pastor if more than one, should be considered the ranking officer and the local elders as assistants. Since their work is closely related, they should work together harmoniously. The pastor should not assume all lines of responsibility, responsibility but should share these with the elders and other officers. The pastor regularly serving the church acts as the chairperson of the board. (See pp. 32, 131.) There may be circumstances, however, when it would be advisable for an elder to act as chairperson, with the approval of the pastor or, if the church is without a pastor, the conference president. chairperson. The pastoral work of the church should be shared by the pastor and the elders. In counsel with the pastor, the elders should visit members, minister to the sick, foster prayer ministries, arrange or lead out in anointing services and child dedications, encourage the disheartened, and assist in other pastoral responsibilities. As undershepherds, elders should exercise constant vigilance over the flock.

If the pastor is a licensed minister, the church or churches served should elect the pastor as an elder. (See p. 33.)

Because the pastor is appointed to the position in the church by the conference, the pastor serves the church as a conference employee, is responsible to the conference committee, and maintains a sympathetic and cooperative relation to and works in harmony with all the plans and policies of the local church. Elders, who are elected by the church, are responsible to that body and to its board. (See below.)

TO FOSTER BIBLE STUDY, PRAYER, AND A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS (ELDERS) - CHURCH MANUAL AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: This amendment encourages elders to focus on the nurture and spiritual growth of members.

VOTED,  To amend the Church Manual, Chapter 8, Local Church Officers and Organizations, page 75, To Foster Bible Study, Prayer, and a Relationship with Jesus (Elders), to read as follows:

To Foster Bible Study, Prayer, Nurture, and Spiritual Growth of Members—As and a Relationship With Jesus—As spiritual leaders, elders are responsible for encouraging members to develop a personal relationship with Jesus by strengthening their habits of personal Bible study and prayer. Elders should model a commitment to Bible study and prayer and should support all ministries and promote programs of the local church and the local conference. They should also be committed to nurture and to inspire the spiritual growth of church members. prayer. An effective personal prayer life of every member, supporting all ministries and programs of the local church, and the local conference, will enhance the church’s mission. Elders may ask the board to appoint a council to assist in this role of development and encouragement.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT #5

VOTED, To approve the following partial report of the Nominating Committee:

General Conference

Undersecretary:

  • Hensley M Moorooven

Associate Secretaries:

  • Gary D Krause
  • Elbert Kuhn
  • Karen J Porter
  • Claude J Richli
  • Saw Samuel
  • Gerson P Santos

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT #6

VOTED, To approve the following partial report of the Nominating Committee:

General Conference

Undertreasurer:
  • J Raymond Wahlen II
  Associate Treasurers:
  • Timothy H Aka
  • George O Egwakhe
  • German A Lust
  • Daisy J F Orion
  • Josue Pierre
  • Richard Stephenson

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT #7

VOTED,  To approve the following partial report of the Nominating Committee:

General Conference

General Conference Auditing Service Board
Lay Members:
  • Anette Barlow South Pacific Division
  • Ventsislav Bosev Inter-European Division
  • Kwaku Danso-Abeam West-Central Africa Division
  • Ailton Dorl South American Division
  • Jeffrey Eman Southern Asia-Pacific Division
  • Hyden Gittens Inter-American Division
  • Philip Ndlovu Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division
  • Patrick Bob Ojera East-Central Africa Division
  • Frensly Panneflek Trans-European Division
  • John Satelmajer North American Division
  • Victor Singh Southern Asia Division
  • Masao Yanaga Northern Asia-Pacific Division
  • To be named Euro-Asia Division
Ex-Officio Members:
  • Ted N C Wilson President, General Conference
  • Erton C Köhler Secretary, General Conference
  • Paul H Douglas Treasurer, General Conference
  • Thomas L Lemon Vice President, General Conference
  • Robyn W Kajiura Director, GCAS
General Conference Auditing Service
Director:
  • Robyn W Kajiura
Associate Directors:
  • JoJean Birth 
  • Gary Blood
  • Boris Cardenas
  • Rogelio Cortez 
  • Daniel E Herzel
  • Guillermo Leal
  • Furaha Mpozembizi
  • Jeremy Smith
  • C Maurine Wahlen
  • Sandra Grice

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT #8

VOTED,  To approve the following partial report of the Nominating Committee:

General Conference

Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries
Director:
  • Ivan H Omana
Children’s Ministries
Director:
  • Orathai Chureson
Communication
Director:
  • Williams S Costa, Jr
Education
Director:
  • Lisa M Beardsley-Hardy
Family Ministries
Director:
  • Willie Oliver
Associate Director:
  • Elaine Oliver
Health Ministries
Director:
  • Peter N Landless
Ministerial Association
Secretary: 
  • Ramon J Canals
Associate Secretary: 
  • Aurora Canals
Planned Giving and Trust Services
Director:
  • Dennis R Carlson
Public Affairs and Religious Liberty
Director:
  • Ganoune H Diop
Publishing Ministries
Director:
  • Almir M Marroni
Sabbath School and Personal Ministries
Director:
  • James M Howard
Stewardship Ministries
Director:
  • Marcos F Bomfim
Women’s Ministries
Director:
  • Heather-Dawn K Small
Youth Ministries
Director:
  • Busi Khumalo

Secretariat

Hensley M Moorooven, Chair
Erton C Köhler, Chair
Elbert Kuhn, Secretary
Hensley M Moorooven, Actions Editor
Tamara K Boward, Recording Secretary