Rakhilya Askarova stood among first-time delegates at the General Conference (GC) headquarters, far from her home in Kazakhstan. In a country where public evangelism is restricted and the Adventist Church is comparatively small, open street preaching is not an option. This week, at her first Annual Council, she is looking to learn from leaders serving in very different realities.

“I’m excited to learn about the initiatives that will help us inspire local members for spiritual revival and mission,” she said.

It's been nearly 100 days since the GC Session. Many global delegates in attendance at Annual Council in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, are new in their roles or recently relocated. Leaders say that for many, the first months have been marked by transition and, at times, isolation. 

Recognizing the shared needs for connection and mentorship among leaders across a worldwide church of over 24 million members, Annual Council opened on October 8, 2025, with an evening networking reception before formal proceedings. This gave leaders time to connect across regions and access ministry resources.

Inside the plan: Why Annual Council Began Differently

Event organizers noted the reception format brings delegates in before business, prioritizing early registration, orientation, and worship.

“In past years, leaders arrived in the morning, queued for registration, and sometimes missed the worship and early mission priorities,” said Sabrina DeSouza, GC associate treasurer, who serves as Annual Council manager. “By moving registration and hosting a welcome program the night before, delegates could network, pick up resources, and enter tomorrow’s agenda aligned to the mission.”

To support that goal, departments prepared a compact version of their GC Session exhibits so leaders who spent July in business meetings could also access practical leadership materials. 

“This brings those resources within reach again,” DeSouza said. The opening format, planners added, also creates space for informal mentoring as new and returning delegates meet before sessions begin.

She added that the hospitality was also intentional. 

“You will notice that we're trying to address and represent every culture during this week’s meetings as the different meals will feature different cultures,” DeSouza said.

“We want this entire experience to say, ‘Welcome to your home’. This is the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This is their home, and we want to make sure they are taken care of,” added Silvia Sicalo, Annual Council management associate manager.

Unequal Realities, Shared Mission

Conversations at the opening reception emphasized a common theme: diverse challenges and contexts, but a unified commitment to advance the mission around the globe.

From India, Daniel Mohanraj, president of the South-Central India Union Section, said he is visiting the GC headquarters and serving as an Executive Committee delegate for the first time. 

“I was really amazed to see this beautiful office, and I’m proud that I belong to this world church,” he said. 

From the South Pacific, Danny Philip, president of the Papua New Guinea Union Mission, said his first experience at the world church’s annual meetings highlighted the value of hearing reports and exchanging approaches with counterparts from other regions. 

“You realize this is not an isolated church operating in one place,” he said. “Connecting with leaders and hearing what they are doing is amazing. It shows how the work is progressing in places we’ve never even heard of.”

Connecting for Local Impact

Beyond networking, Annual Council sessions inform local church work and inspire individual members. For Mohanraj, carrying GC initiatives “to the grassroots in India and [to] local churches is essential.” 

One GC initiative that has impacted church growth and mission involvement in India is Global Total Member Involvement. This Adventist Church initiative is a biblical strategy for disciple-making evangelism that was presented during the 2023 Annual Council. He noted that hosting public church-related meetings outside of church settings can be difficult in parts of his territory.

However, he affirmed that local Adventists have become increasingly involved in disciple-making and evangelism since the introduction of this initiative in the region. 

“It is tough,” he said, “But we continue the mission.”

In Kazakhstan, Askarova referenced Back to the Altar, an Adventist Church initiative that calls for a return to daily family worship, prayer, and Bible study, first presented to the global church body in 2022. 

Askarova said, “We can’t preach publicly on the streets,” she said. “But ‘Back to the Altar’ small groups are bringing spiritual revival. By participating, many have been challenged to lead and start other groups by themselves.” 

At her first Annual Council this week, she and others hope to learn from leaders facing different realities and return with practical ways to strengthen mission and discipleship at home.

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