While there is no doubt that women have contributed greatly to the world and their churches in general, “women feel they are not being heard,” said Heather-Dawn Small, director of Women’s Ministries for the Seventh-day Adventist world church.

“We don’t think change will happen until the leadership at the highest level talks to us,” she added.

On December 14 Pastor Jan Paulsen, president of the Adventist world church, will make time to talk with women about issues that they are dealing with in their personal and church life.

In “Time to Talk,” Pastor Paulsen—who has long supported and encouraged women to play active roles in the church—will take advantage of a live television format to talk specifically to Adventist women. The participants will come from all walks of life and will include pastors, mothers, professionals and others, and will represent the church’s diverse global community.

“I want to know what’s on their minds, understand their concerns, hear their ideas,” said Pastor Paulsen of the upcoming conversation. “The women of our church embrace such a diversity of cultures, backgrounds, education and interests. And yet there are certain significant issues that transcend lines of nationality and language, and these are what I hope we will focus on during our time together.” 

“We see this as an opportunity to ask the questions we want to,” Small explains.

Although the broadcast will be unscripted, Small says she anticipates some of the questions will involve “some very serious issues that women are dealing with: abuse, poverty, health issues, community involvement and leadership opportunities within our own church. These are community issues and they are global issues that impact the church.”

Small says she believes that women are one of the church’s most underutilized resources.

Although the format for this broadcast is similar to the “Let’s Talk” series where the world leader meets with the church’s youth, there will be some differences. In addition to women sitting face-to-face with Pastor Paulsen at the church’s headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, women located in South Africa and England will also be able to ask questions via satellite. Connecting live with three separate studio locations will be a first for the Adventist Television Network production team coordinated by the world church Communication Department.

The broadcast can be viewed on the Hope Channel at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in the United States. For broadcast times in other regions see www.hopetv.org.