Nearly a decade after a landmark apology was issued at the Lake Region Conference (LRC) camp meeting, former and current Lake Union Conference (LUC) leaders gathered at the union headquarters in Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States, on February 26 to reflect on its significance, impact, and the ongoing journey toward racial reconciliation within the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The panel discussion, moderated by Lake Union Communication director Debbie Michel and LUC Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director Jennifer Woods, brought together key leaders involved in the 2015 apology: Don Livesay, former LUC president; Gary Thurber, former LUC executive secretary; Carmelo Mercado, LUC vice president for multicultural ministries; and Ken Denslow, current LUC president.
On June 20, 2015, Livesay publicly apologized for the church’s history of racial discrimination and segregation, a statement that resonated deeply with those present and sparked broader conversations across the denomination. The statement addressed long-standing injustices, including segregation in cafeterias and the exclusion of Black members from leadership roles, which culminated in the formation of regional conferences in the United States in the 1940s.
Speaking before LUC staff nearly 10 years after that historic apology, Livesay said it was “really moving to hear the members of the Lake Region Conference who were there that day. The look in their eyes, the reality that there was actually some recognition of what has been and what is, was deeply moving.” He recalled, in particular, “One former pastor of Lake Region, who had since moved to another conference, emailed me later that day and said, ‘I wish my father could have been alive to hear that.’ That really struck me. It wasn’t just about a statement that day—it was about the generations who had lived through this reality and never heard words of recognition or regret.”
A Defining Moment in Church History
The apology was delivered during the divine worship service at the annual LRC camp meeting in front of approximately 1,500 attendees. Many in the congregation had had firsthand experience with racial exclusion within the Adventist Church.
“That day, healing took place,” said Thurber, who now serves as president of the Mid-America Union Conference. “I saw people wiping tears from their eyes. And you think, Why didn’t this happen years ago? Why did it take so long for something this simple—an acknowledgment of wrongdoing—to be said?”
Church leaders, including then-LRC president Clifford Jones and Charles Bradford, former North American Division president, were in attendance, along with the preacher for the worship service, Carlton Byrd, then speaker/director of Breath of Life ministries and pastor of the Oakwood University Church.
Mercado acknowledged the significance of the moment.
“It was long needed,” he said. “As far as I could tell, it had never been done before like that. I looked at the older members of Lake Region, those who had been there from the early days, and I could see the emotions on their faces. They were hearing something they had never expected to hear in their lifetime. It was a moment of release, of recognition.”
What Led to the Apology?
Livesay’s journey toward making the apology was shaped by key experiences and mentors who helped him see the racial disparities in the Adventist Church in North America. One of the earliest influences was Don Schneider, a former Lake Union Conference as well as North American Division president, who set an example of acknowledging past wrongs.
“I saw Don Schneider actually say to people, ‘I want to apologize for what happened to you in the church,’ ” Livesay recalled. “I recognized, when he did that, that there was a power in apology—that leaders wear a mantle that amplifies whatever they do. If we make mistakes, those mistakes are amplified. But if we do the right thing, that impact is also amplified. That stayed with me.”
Schneider’s example was particularly moving when he learned of a former nursing student who had been expelled from an Adventist school decades earlier for attending a movie on Sabbath and purchasing the ticket. Schneider had written her a letter apologizing for how she had been treated, and soon after receiving it, the woman returned to the church.
“Two weeks later she died,” Livesay said. “Think of what that apology meant to her eternity.”
As Livesay settled into his role at LUC, his interactions with LRC deepened his understanding of the Black Adventist experience. He credited colleagues and church members for broadening his perspective.
“[Retired Pioneer Memorial Church pastor] Dwight Nelson was a factor,” he said. “Dwight said, ‘You know, now we have things to apologize for.’ And because of my background, that kind of lit up in my heart.”
Reading history books, such as Delbert Baker’s writings on Lucy Byard and the early struggles of Black Adventists, further shaped Livesay’s conviction. The seventieth anniversary of LRC provided the perfect opportunity to acknowledge these past injustices.
“The thought was that, as leaders, we needed to acknowledge what had been wrong,” Livesay explained. “Because when our kids acknowledge that they are wrong, then there’s hope that they can correct. That same principle applies to our church. If we can’t recognize the mistakes of the past, how can we grow?”
Gary Thurber, former Lake Union Conference executive secretary, who now serves as president of the Mid-America Union Conference. [Photo: Katie Fellows] 
Don Livesay, former Lake Union Conference president. [Photo: Katie Fellows] 
Lake Union Conference Education director Ruth Horton. [Photo: Katie Fellows] 
“I think there’s coming a dividing time,” Ken Denslow, Lake Union Conference president, said. “The only way forward is for our hearts to be changed. We need to be Spirit-filled, not just smarter.” [Photo: Katie Fellows]
Gratitude and Skepticism
While many expressed appreciation for the apology, Livesay faced some skepticism.
“I wish it hadn’t been the same year as General Conference [Session],” he admitted. “There were some who interpreted what we did as greasing the skids for political gain. . . . But that became an indicator of how deep the broken trust was.”
However, the overwhelming response from LRC members was one of deep appreciation.
“I remember looking at the older members of the regional conference,” Mercado said. “I could see that they were just enthralled to see what they were seeing. And I couldn’t help thinking that there was a real release—an understanding that someone else understood.”
Ruth Horton, LUC Education director, spoke of the impact it had on her late husband, Michael Horton, a longtime church member who as a relatively new Adventist had once been directed away from a predominantly White Adventist church.
“He could not stop talking about the apology,” she said. “It meant so much to him.”
Andrews University Follows Suit
The apology sparked further dialogue within the church. Shortly after, Andrews University issued its own public apologies for the ways Adventist institutions had contributed to racial division.
The Lake Union Conference also took steps to create ongoing initiatives for reconciliation, including cultural intelligence training for pastors, leadership summits on race relations, and intentional partnerships between regional and state conferences.
“We didn’t want it to be just words,” Mercado emphasized. “We wanted to continue the journey, and that meant bringing pastors and churches together for intentional conversations and prayer.”
One particularly powerful moment came during the 2017 Day of Healing and Understanding at the Berrien Springs Village church. After watching a video about racial profiling, attendees were asked how many of them—or their immediate family members—had experienced similar situations.
“It was one of the most powerful moments of my life,” Livesay recalled. “About 90 to 95 percent of [African Americans] stood up. That was a gut check.”
Navigating a Polarized Climate
As the church moves forward, leaders acknowledge the challenges of fostering a climate of unity in an increasingly polarized world.
“I think there’s coming a dividing time,” Denslow said. “The only way forward is for our hearts to be changed. We need to be Spirit-filled, not just smarter.”
Denslow pointed to Philippians 2:3 as a guiding principle: “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”
Mercado also warned of the dangers of allowing political ideologies to shape church culture.
“Too many of our people are leaning toward the media . . . rather than looking at what Jesus says,” he said. “Let’s go back to Scripture. Let’s follow what the Bible says about loving our neighbor.”
Would the Apology Happen Today?
As the discussion continued, Janet Ledesma, an educator and associate dean at Andrews University, posed a pointed question to the panel:
“Given our current political climate and the direction of our university and local churches, I wonder—being 2025, at camp meeting 2025—would you still have the courage and conviction to share that apology?”
The room fell silent as the panelists reflected on the question.
“I would,” Livesay responded without hesitation. “I’ll be happy to repeat the apology. It would probably be different today than it was 10 years ago because I think I’ve grown in understanding. But yes, any chance we have to bring healing and recognition of what has happened must be taken.”
Denslow acknowledged the shifting social landscape.
“It’s not easier,” he admitted. “If anything, it’s harder to take a stand now than it was 10 years ago. But we’re not called to be comfortable; we’re called to do what’s right.”
Livesay added, “We need to stay focused on biblical issues instead of political issues. That’s what God called us to do.”
A Call for Continued Engagement
As LUC approaches the tenth anniversary of the 2015 apology, church leaders stress the importance of keeping the conversation alive.
“We must be a peculiar people,” Livesay urged. “What is more peculiar than being countercultural? The world is polarized, but we have to be about bringing people together. The church should be a place of healing, not division.”
Thurber echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the power of personal relationships.
If we get to know each other, then you don’t even think about race anymore,” he concluded. “You just know the heart of the person. And if we can understand each other’s experiences—if we can really listen—we can build something better. But that takes work, and it takes commitment.”
While the apology was a milestone, leaders agree that true reconciliation is a continuous process—one that requires ongoing commitment, intentional dialogue, and the courage to address difficult truths.
“If we don’t continue the conversation,” Mercado said, “we risk losing the progress we’ve made. We have to keep talking. We have to keep praying. And we have to keep working together.”
The original version of this story was posted on Lake Union Herald.
