Wireless computer networks, electronic voting systems, barcode scanners and 300 “official” cell phones all form an integral part of the running of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s 58th business meetings in St. Louis, Missouri this week. The 142-year old church has held periodic business meetings since the very first one held under a tent in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1863. 

“Setting up was a huge task,” said audio/visual technical director Warren Judd. “We have been working day and night for a week to get things completed.”

Behind the formalities of business and worship services six wireless computer networks allow a constant flow of information between management teams. A one-terabyte hard drive forms a cornerstone of operations with what Dan Hamstra, associate director of Information System Services at the church’s world headquarters, describes as a “common photo repository” for all images captured during the Session.

Using this technology along with wireless networks and the associated high-speed Internet connection, media outlets from around the world have been given insight into the happenings of the Session.

Internet is the news delivery system of choice for the world Session. Dozens of news stories, images, audio and video downloads are available. All Internet users can have instant access to the Session at www.news.adventist.org.

“Today, we have to use the technology that is most accessible to everyone,” says Ray Dabrowski, director of communication for the world church. “Even a couple of years ago, we couldn’t accomplish what seems to be a real-time demand—instant access to news.”

On the floor of the Edward Jones Dome, where the business meetings take place, nine data projectors ensure that delegates and guests have an unobstructed view of the on-stage action.

The Hope Channel, a service of Adventist Television Network (ATN), broadcasts footage from the meetings daily. With six cameras and two editing suites, Hope Channel produces an hour of news along with a combination of live and pre-recorded material at 5:30 p.m. local time. Hope Channel makes the programs available to other broadcasters such as Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN), an independent Adventist broadcaster.

Often-unreliable pagers were replaced with cell phones for the Toronto, Canada meetings five years ago. More than 300 cell phones have been distributed to staff and many delegates attending the 2005 meetings. 

“It is very useful for contacting people when they are stuck in their own spaces,” said Kathy Pinnick, telecommunications manager for the world church. Sixty-two landline phones have also been installed for use during the meetings.

Church officers will be elected using electronic touch-pads. The nominating committee delegates will take part in a secret ballot that allows automated vote collection and count. Ed Bahr of Pacific Press Publishing Association developed the system to allow accurate and instantaneous display of votes to the nominating committee body.

Barcode scanners have been implemented to ensure that delegates wishing to comment during open-discussion business meetings are dealt with fairly and in a timely fashion. As delegates stand to speak they swipe their delegate badge, which records their names and at which microphone they stand.