Seventh-day Adventist Church administrators, pastors and laypeople from around the world will soon begin arriving at the church headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, for one of two annual meetings of the church’s top leadership. Annual Council, which will run from October 7 to 10, brings together the more than 250 members of the church’s international executive committee to hear reports, discuss challenges and vote new initiatives and actions.

Church administrators say that strategic planning will be one of the items that top the week’s agenda. Growth, unity and quality of life were named by the executive committee last year as issues of strategic importance for the church, not just for leaders, but for all church members as well.

In presenting the concept last year, Mike Ryan, special assistant to the Adventist Church president for strategic planning, and director of the church’s Global Mission initiative, emphasized the dramatic growth of the church in recent years. “We have doubled in size over the past decade,” he said. “But with growth come challenges. We must plan ahead to ensure that we move into the new century as a church united in faith and purpose. And we need to allocate resources in ways that maximize our ability to both nurture church members and to reach out to those who have not yet heard the Adventist message of hope.”

Members of the executive committee will also vote on new administrative officers for Africa’s three new regions, or Divisions. This follows a decision at Spring Meeting earlier this year to approve major changes to the church’s administrative structure in Africa—moving from two to three divisions on the continent. Other positions that will be filled at Annual Council include a vice president for the Adventist world church, an undersecretary, and an education director.

Adventist News Network will provide regular coverage of the discussions, reports, and decisions of Annual Council. View news stories, photos, and video clips at www.adventist.org.