Wednesday, June 8th, 2022 marked the third day of the hybrid General Conference (GC) Session in St. Louis, Missouri. The day began with a digital concert featuring linguistically diverse musicians from around the globe. The business session began with a warm welcome from Esther Knott, associate director of the North American Division (NAD) ministerial department. Morning worship included a powerful message by Dr Jongimpi Papu entitled, “What Will You Give Me and How Will I Inherit It?” where he left delegates with the question, “can you hear God’s voice in your busy schedule?.” “Yes we should go beloved, there’s a lot of work we need to do, but if going is going to replace sitting with Jesus and dining with Him, you will not go very far.” He added that those who sit and eat with Jesus will be ready to share with others. Gem Castor, prayer coordinator for the Advocates for Southeast Asians and the Persecuted Ministries (ASAP), led a moving prayer session. 

Morning Business Session:

The morning business meeting was chaired by GC Vice President Ella Simmons. The following agenda items were addressed:

• Undersecretary of the GC Hensley Moorooven reviewed items that have been accomplished. Items 201, 202, 203, 204, and 205 were voted and approved. Item 206 was referred back to the Constitution and Bylaws committee regarding the definition of “frontline” and the voting of an annual council.

Constitution and Bylaw Edits

• Motion to amend the Constitution and Bylaws to allow for removal of the phrase “for cause” while adding its definition which will be applicable for the GC Executive Committee (item 207).

• Motion to divide the question on motion, regarding item 207, into two parts.

• 935 voted yes (57.2%); 699 voted no (42.8%).

• *based on the desire of the delegates, item 207 has been divided into two separate items.

• Due to delegate misunderstanding, Moorooven clarified that the first part of the initial motion being discussed is the phrase “or from membership on the General Conference Executive Committee.”

• Delegate comments expressed an opposition for this motion. Many worry it will provide GC with too much power to remove non-compliant members of the Executive Committee.

• Motion to cease debate and vote.

• 1531 voted yes (91.5%); 143 voted no (8.5%)

• Motion to amend item 207, part 1.

• 1319 voted yes (82%); 289 voted no (18%)

• Motion to approve item 207 part 2 by adding phrase “theft or embezzlement or conviction of or guilty plea for a crime.”

• Motion to cease debate and vote.

• 1539 voted yes (95.2%); 78 voted no (4.8%)

• Motion to amend item 207, part 2.

• 1436 voted yes (90.2%); 156 voted no (9.8%)

• Motion to vote adding the following GC positions in section 4 of item 207: president, secretary, treasurer/chief financial officer, and vice presidents.

• 1365 voted yes (94%); 87 voted no (6%)

• Motion to vote amending section 7 from item 207.

• Motion to cease debate and vote.

• 1452 vote yes (92.2%); 123 voted no (7.8%)

• Motion to accept amendment above.

• 1301 vote yes (81.3%); 300 vote no (18.7%)

• Motion to vote the proposed new section 7 for item 207.

• 1516 vote yes (97.1%); 46 vote no (2.9%).

• Motion to vote to amend section 1 of item 208 allowing only one postponement of GC Session in the future. 

• Delegates requested further clarification on this item. As such, the meeting moved onto the next point. 

• Motion to amend section 5 in item 208 regarding voting practices to ensure the highest integrity.

• 1583 voted yes (97%); 49 voted no (3.0%)

• Motion to amend sections 6 and 14 in item 208 the addition of this section for clarity, defining the parliamentary authority of the GC Sessions.

• 1386 voted yes (87.3%); 201 voted no (12.7%)

• Motion to amend item 209 allowing several GC committees can convene online. 

• 1282 voted yes (96.3%); 49 voted no (3.7%)

Afternoon Business Session:

GC Vice President Artur Stele chaired the afternoon’s business session, where the following agenda items were addressed:

General Conference Corporation Members Meeting 

This meeting was chaired by Vice President of the GC Thomas Lemon. Associate Treasurer of the GC Daisy Orion made the following motions:

• To appoint the 61st GC Session Nominating Committee to nominate the members of the Corporation’s Board of Directors.

• 1106 voted yes (99.2%); 9 voted no (0.8%)

• To adjourn the Members Meeting of the GC Corporation to Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 2:00 pm.

•  Approved by common consent.

Nominating Committee Vote for Division Presidents (ECD, ESD, IAD, EUD, NAD, NSD, SAD, SPD, SID, SUD, SSD, TED, WAD)

The Nominating Committee presented the following votes for Division Presidents:

• Vote to approve Blasious Ruguri (ECD), Mikhail Kaminskiy (ESD), Elie Henry (IAD), Mario Brito (EUD), Alexander Bryant (NAD), *Yo Han Kim (NSD), Stanley Edilson Arco (SAD), Glenn Townend (SPD), *Harrington Akombwa (SID), Ezras Lakra (SUD), *Roger Caderma (SSD), *Daniel Duda (TED), and *Robert Osei-Bonsu (WAD) as division presidents for their respective divisions. 

• The Nominating Committee shared a statement with delegates from ESD, requesting an extension of the term for the division’s current officers, including president Mikahil Kaminskiy, until Annual Council 2022 due to circumstances in the division.

• 1489 voted yes (97.1%); 45 voted no (2.9%).

*non-incumbent

Constitution and Bylaws Amendment

• Motion to amend section 5 (item 209) to replace the term “accredited delegates” to “credentialed delegates”.

• 1319 voted yes (99.5%); 7 voted no (0.5%)

• Motion to amend article XII and VII as found in items 210 and 211 to change the name of the Office of Archives, and Statistics to “Archives, Statistics, and Research”.

• 1320 voted yes (99.6%); 5 voted no (0.4%)

• Motion to amend to replace the word “mission” with “section” when referring to “union mission” or “local mission/field” to consider parts of the world where “mission” is a point of sensitivity which could inhibit the work of the church (item 212).

• 1313 voted yes (96.9%); 42 voted no (3.1%) 

Church Manual Amendments - Church Offices and Departments

Yesterday evening, item 412 was presented to delegates regarding the option to have a Standing Nominating Committee to provide leadership opportunities for new members between terms (not just at the end of the year), having proper representation of church population, and the ability for church boards to fill vacancies that occur between elections. Opportunity for discussion was brought up again. 

• Motion to cease discussion and vote

• 1213 voted yes (94.2%); 75 voted yes (5.8%).

• Item 413 was later skipped as it is co-related to the previous motion of item 412. 

• Motion to approve a directive to replace the word “reelect” with “elect to a new term of office” when discussing office nominations (item 414).

• 1315 voted yes (99%); 13 voted no (1%)

• Motion to amend chapter 8 of the Church Manual to include the assistance of members with special needs as part of the role of deacons (item 415).

• Motion to cease discussion and vote.

• 1289 voted yes (96.3%); 49 voted no (3.7%)

• Motion to vote initial item 415

• 1244 voted yes (96.7%); 42 voted no (3.3%)

• Motion to amend chapter 8 of the Church Manual to include the assistance of members with special needs as part of the role of deaconesses (item 416).

• Approved common consent.

• Motion to amend chapter 5 of the Church Manual so that men and women can be voted into the local congregation as “company assistants” (item 417).

• 1271 voted yes (97.9%); 27 voted no (2.1%)

• Motion to add a new section to chapter 8 of the Church Manual regarding the importance of the Spirit of Prophecy and creates the position of a Spirit of Prophecy Writings Coordinator in the church, making clear that the Bible is the foundation and standard by which all writings must be tested (item 418).

• Although there was great support for the motion, many delegates expressed concerns that the position could possibly pose a risk in misunderstanding Ellen White’s writings as superior to Scripture. 

• Motion to cease discussion and vote.

• 1233 voted yes (86.4%); 194 voted no (13.6%)

• Motion to vote item 418.

• 943 voted yes (66.3%); 480 voted no (33.7%)

• Motion to amend chapter 8 of the Church Manual to reword and further define the work of Adventist Youth Ministries (item 419).

• Motion to cease discussion and vote. This item will be taken back to the committee and will not be voted on. 

• 1308 voted yes (97.7%); 31 voted no (2.3%).

• Motion to amend chapter 2 of the Church Manual to add a direct quotation from the Bible (item 423).

• 1268 voted yes (98.7%); 17 voted no (1.3%)

Church Manual Amendments - Church Membership

• Motion to amend chapter 6 in the Church Manual by removing the confusing term “retired membership list” to clarify that there should only be one membership record while highlighting the need for it to be current and regularly updated (item 424). 

• Motion to refer item 424 back to the Church Manual Committee. 

• 602 voted yes (46.3%); 697 voted no (53.7%)

• Motion to approve item 424

• Motion to cease debate

• 1208 voted yes (96.6%); 42 voted no (3.4%)

• Motion to approve item 424

•  1147 voted yes (97.1%); 34 voted no (2.9%)

Evening Business Session:

Due to a change in schedule, the evening session began with worship which included the deeply engaging message entitled “My God Did This!” shared by Chair of Earth and Biological Sciences at Loma Linda University Suzanne Philips where she used biology to reinforce and remind attendees that we serve a great and powerful God who can be trusted. 

The meeting chair for the evening session was GC Vice President Abner De Los Santos. The following motions agenda items were addressed:

Church Manual Amendments - Church Membership Cont.

• Motion to amend chapter 7 of the Church Manual to state the board can only take the final action to remove members from church membership at death or at member’s request (item 425).

• 1267 voted yes (98.4%); 20 voted no (1.6%)

Nominating Committee Vote for Division Secretary, Division Treasurer, and GC Associate Directors

Dr. Lowell Cooper addressed yesterday’s concerns of the Nominating Committee’s consideration for representation when electing individuals for GC positions. 2021 general statistics for representation were also presented highlighting cultural, gender, and age demographics. 

The Nominating Committee presented the following votes for Division Secretaries and Treasurers (ECD, ESD, IAD, EUD, NAD, NSD, SUD, SSD, SID, SPD, TED, WAD):

• Vote to accept *Musa Mitekaro (ECD), Viktor Alyeksyeyenko (ESD), Leonard Johnson (IAD), Eduard Haydinger (SAD), Barna Magyarosi (EUD), Kyoshin Ahn (NAD), *Hiroshi Yamaji (NSD), *Ch. John Victor (SUD), *Wendell Mandolang (SSD), Gideon Reyneke (SID), Michael Sikuri (SPD), *Robert Csizmadia (TED), *Selom Kwasi Sessou (WAD) as Division Secretaries.

• Vote to accept Jerome Habimana (ECD), Vladimir Tkachuk (ESD), Filiberto Verduzco (IAD), Marlon Lopez (SAD), Norbert Zens (EUD), Randy Robinson (NAD), *Joel Tompkins (NSD), *Riches Christian (SUD), *Jacinth Adap (SSD), *Hopekings Ngomba (SID), Francois Keet (SPD), Nenad Jepuranovic (TED), *Markus Mussa Dangana (WAD) as Division Treasurers. 

• Combined vote to accept both proposals

• 1473 voted yes (96.4%); 55 votes (3.6%).

The Nominating Committee presented the following votes for GC Associate Directors (AD) and Associate Secretaries (AS):

• Vote to accept *Samuel Neves (AD of Communication), Hudson Kibuuka, John Taylor, *Julian Melgosa, *Richard Apelles Sabuin (AD of Education), Zeno Charles-Marcel, Katia Reinert, and Torben Berglund (AD of Health Ministries), Pavel Goia and Jeffrey Brown (AS of Editor Ministry), Robert Costa (AS of Evangelism), Anthony Kent (AS of Elder’s Digest), Jennifer Woods (AS of Public Affairs & Religious Liberty), Nelu Burcea (AD of Public Affairs & Religious Liberty), Scot Coppock (AD of Planned Giving & Trust Services), Stephen Apola (AD of Publishing Ministries), *Justin Kim (AD of Sabbath School & Personal Ministries), Eric Barbe (AD of Stewardship Ministries), *Nilde Itin (AD of Women’s Ministries), Pako Mokgwane (AD of PCM and GC Youth Ministries), and Andres Peralta (AD of Pathfinders, Adventurers of Youth Ministries).

• 1471 voted yes (98.3%); 25 voted no (1.7%) 

The Nominating Committee has completed their responsibilities for this 61st GC Session and have filled 140 positions. 

*non-incumbent

Church Manual Amendments Cont. - Church Offices and Departments

• Motion to amend chapter 8 of the Church Manual to establish a new ministry called “Adventist Possibility Ministries” be inclusive for all members to be engaged in ministry (item 419). 

• Motion to cease debate and vote.

• 1141 voted yes (99.1%); 10 voted no (0.9%)

• Motion to accept initial motion,

• 1045 voted yes (99.6%); 4 voted no (0.4%)

• Motion to amend chapter 6 in the Church Manual to add a section on redemptive membership auditing, as recommended by the Nurture and Retention Committee (item 427).

• Chairman agreed to table this motion considering delegate recommendation for the motion to be reviewed by committee.

The recorded livestream of today’s opening remarks, worship, and business meeting can be viewed on Youtube here. You can also access more information regarding GC Session, including the session agenda here. For information on the GC Session 2022 app, go to: https://adventist.news/news/2022-gc-sessions-first-official-app-goes-live.