Alaska Conference President Takes a Break to Serve as Chaplain in Kosovo

By: Steve Vistaunet, North Pacific Union Conference

Kevin Miller, president of the Alaska Conference region of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is preparing to begin a nine-month international assignment as a chaplain with the Alaska National Guard from June 2019 through February 2020. It is part of his commitment as a member of the reserves. He plans to return to regular conference duties in March 2020.

During Miller’s absence from the conference, John Loor will help fill in any administrative gaps as a general vice president. He will assist Melvin Santos, vice president for administration, and Jim Jenson, vice president for finance, with responsibilities including secretariat duties and preparation for the conference constituency session in 2020.

Loor is well acquainted with conference administrative work, having served as Montana Conference president and as vice president for administration with the North Pacific Union Conference. Retired in Arizona, Loor plans to spend an average of two weeks each month within the Alaska Conference territory until Miller returns.

Alaska Conference constituents were kept well-informed about Miller’s status as a chaplain with the National Guard. For the past ten years, Miller has provided periodic chaplaincy services for the state National Guard, which typically has meant one weekend per month and a two-week stint each year. During the 2016 conference constituency session, delegates knew that if Miller were voted in as president, there was the potential for a reserve assignment to encroach upon his term with the conference. With this understanding, he was overwhelmingly approved to the post.

It is the first time, as church region president, that he has been called to a more active assignment.

“I am grateful for a great conference team that will continue the mission at home while I am away,” Miller said. “As I minister to and provide spiritual encouragement to those who are maintaining peace and protecting freedoms in a very critical area of the world, I will be praying for God’s presence to attend each of our dedicated Alaska church members.”

Miller is scheduled to be stationed in Kosovo, in Eastern Europe.

According to church statistics, there are around 3,950 baptized church members in Alaska worshipping in 29 churches across the state.

The original version of this story was posted on the North Pacific Union Conference Gleanernews site.