The General Conference (GC) Department of Family Ministries conferred the Spalding Medallion for Distinguished Service on Pastor Roberto Iannò, Family Ministries director for the Italian Union of Churches Conference (IUCC), during the Pastoral Families' Convention in Lignano Sabbiadoro on September 9, 2023.
“We usually give this award to an individual who has been outstanding—distinguished in his service; not all directors receive it,” said Willie Oliver, GC Family Ministries director, during the ceremony. “Roberto has exemplified what [it] means to be a Family Ministries director of high quality. He has been very methodical in his leadership. Simply outstanding!"
Pastor Iannò has been serving as IUCC Family Ministries director since 2014 and is also pastoring a church. Over the years, he has raised awareness among churches and local family ministries leaders to implement programs aimed at nurturing families. His department translates the annual Resource Book with many resources to use, promotes the Adventist Marriage Encounter Weekends, organizes the Helping Relationship Convention (now in its sixth year) and the Family Camp in the summer, and implements programs for the Third Age Service and other local activities.
It is this consistency in putting into practice many diverse projects addressed to the various segments of the department—families, couples, parents, churches, etc.—that led Family Ministries world leaders to honor Pastor Iannò with the highest award given by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Family Ministries. Iannò received the 49th medal conferred to an individual or couple in four decades. He is also the first Italian to be given this award.
"I thank my wife Anna for her valuable and voluntary support in our common calling to serve families. I also thank the associate director, M. Antonietta Calà, for her professional contribution to the department, also enriched by the help of her husband, Pastor Patrizio Calliari," said Iannò, honored by the award and aware that a department works when it can rely on a well-knit team.
Short Biography
Roberto Iannò was born in Italy and graduated from the University of Florence (BA/MA in Education), Newbold College (MA in Religion), University of Padua (MA in Family Counseling), and Andrews University (DMin in Family Ministry).
Roberto served as the Italian Union executive secretary, Education director, president of the Ethics Commission, adjunct professor of Christian Education at Italian Adventist University. He was also the speaker for the Italian Union Satellite Evangelistic Campaign in 2000.
Pastor Iannò is an ordained minister pastoring in Italy, serves as Family Ministries director, and is also an adjunct professor of Theology of Marriage and Family at Italian Adventist University.
Iannò lectured in the Psychology Department of the University of Padua and published several scholarly articles in the field of family relationships and premarital education (Prepare/Enrich). He also published articles on family topics in the Italian denominational magazine and the General Conference Family Ministries Resource Book.
Iannò is married to Anna (kindergarten teacher), and they have two children: Gianluca (MA in Business Economics), with his wife, Alessia (BA in Education); and Daniele (MA in Law). He is certified with Prepare/Enrich and a trainer in Italy as an International Partner and licensee. He and Anna also started the Adventist Faith Expression of Worldwide Marriage Encounter in Italy, under the mentorship of John and Carolyn Wilt (international executive couple in the US).
The Arthur & Maud Spalding Medallion
Inaugurated in 1990 by Karen and Ron Flowers, then-directors of GC Family Ministries, the Arthur & Maud Spalding Medallion for Distinguished Service was named after the first couple to lead Family Ministries in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
On October 8, 1919, the General Conference Committee created the Home Commission, which became operative in 1922, with Arthur W. Spalding as director, who worked in this capacity with his wife, Maud, until 1941. Spalding created literature for the education of the entire family. A series of leaflets were produced dealing with different phases of home life, titled The Christian Home Series. Arthur wrote the lessons, and Maud graded them.
The Home Commission became part of the GC Department of Education in 1941. During the next 34 years, marriage and family life programs were promoted by Parent and Home Education secretaries: Florence Rebok (1941–1947), Arabella Moore Williams (1947–1954), Archa O. Dart (1954–1970), and W. John Cannon (1970–1975).
In 1975, at the General Conference Session held in Vienna, Austria, Dr. Delmer and Betty Holbrook were elected directors of the Home and Family Service. Delmer, who served as director of Family Ministries (the Home and Family Service) with his wife Betty from 1975–1982, was the first recipient of the Spaulding Medallion.
The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-European Division website.