At the March 25 extraordinary meeting of the Danish Union of Churches Conference (DUChC) Executive Committee, Bjørn Ottesen was elected president, following the departure of former president Thomas Müller to serve as school headteacher at Vejlefjordskolen, Daugård.

With 40 years of experience, Ottesen is well-prepared for this responsibility of once again leading the church in Denmark. He has previously served as president in both Denmark and Sweden, as well as a local pastor, Bible teacher, and head of Theological Studies and Senior Lecturer at Newbold College of Higher Education in Bracknell, England.

Ottesen holds a Master of Divinity degree from Andrews University and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in the United States. Married to Maj-Britt since 1980, he and his wife have four adult daughters.

“I would like to extend a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to our outgoing president, Thomas Müller, who has served with dedication, and who has given tremendous effort over the past 12 years,” Otteson said on his appointment. “At present,” he continued, “the Adventist Church in Denmark is experiencing a particularly exciting period of development, of which I am eager to make a contribution.”

“We welcome Bjørn Ottesen to his new role as the Danish Union of Churches Conference president,” said Daniel Duda, Trans-European Division president. “Bjørn is a capable and experienced church administrator. After his return to Denmark from Newbold College, he served as Ministerial Association secretary and departmental director for evangelism and mission. I am looking forward to a good collaboration and exciting future for our church in Denmark,” Duda said.

Ottesen will continue in his role of president until the church’s General Conference Session in 2025, when elections of all union officers will take place.

The original version of this article was posted by the Danish Union. The original version of this adaptation was posted by tedNews.