President of the Bahamian Senate Reflects on General Conference Session

The Honorable J. Lashell Adderley, president of the senate of The Bahamas, joined thousands of Seventh-day Adventist members and leaders at the sixty-second General Conference (GC) Session in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. During her visit she reflected on the theme of the session: “Jesus Is Coming. I Will Go.”

“This is a fundamental and core belief of the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” Adderley said. “It means that I must be ready. It means that I must spread His word. It means that I must be true to who I am as a Christian.”

Adderley emphasized the urgency of proclaiming the gospel in today’s world. “Each and every one of us should be out there furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ, because, yes, He is coming,” she said.

Raised in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Adderley is a member of the Johnson Park Seventh-day Adventist Church in New Providence, The Bahamas.

Representation on a Global Stage

Appointed president of the senate in 2021, Adderley is the fifth woman to serve in this national role. As both a national leader and church member, she praised the international scope of the GC Session and the importance of representation in church decision-making.

“When you look at the total composition of the global church, there are more than 23 million church members in 215 countries,” she noted.

“[It] should reflect our diversity. There should be a balance—giving representation to the global church, so that when policies, practices, and procedures are implemented, they reflect the full culture of the worldwide body.”

The Role of Delegates

GC Session delegates are responsible for decisions that shape the direction of the global church, including the election of leadership, constitutional changes, and updates to church policy.

Adderley’s presence underscored both civic and spiritual commitment to advancing the mission of the church and championing its values on a global level.

As a national leader and lifelong Adventist, Adderley underscored the importance of representation—not just across nations but also across generations. That spirit of inclusivity was evident throughout the GC Session, where youth and young adult delegates played a visible role in shaping church policy and discussions.

Youth Delegates Bring New Perspective

This year’s GC Session welcomed more than 150 youth and young adult delegates from around the world—a move that leaders say is vital for the future of the church.

Among them was Scharlee Swain of the South Bahamas Conference, the youngest delegate representing the Atlantic Caribbean Union Mission.

“I am very honored to have been chosen, and I’m grateful that the conference and the union saw the need to have a youth’s perspective at this stage,” Swain said. “A lot of times we as young people are exposed only to our conference or our union, and we’re not really exposed to what’s happening at the world church level.”

Swain said it was an honor to be part of the Inter-American Division caucus during GC Session. “I was able to witness and contribute to decisions that impact the church globally,” she said.

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division news site.