REGIONAL CONFERENCE LEADERS, INTERAMERICAN DIVISION LEADERS ENGAGE IN HISTORIC SUMMIT

BY DANA C. EDMOND

Leaders of Regional Conferences and the leaders of the Inter-America Division (IAD) met in historic sessions to discuss ways and means for the two groups to collaborate in mission and ministry. These meetings are a part of the Regional Conferences’ continuing initiative to collaborate with those with whom we have cultural ties and to connect with the major entities and leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Some of the entities and/or leaders with whom the Regional Conferences have met are the African leadership in the historic 2019 African and African American Leaders Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2019; the Pacific Press President via Zoom during the pandemic; and several meetings with General Conference President, Dr. Ted Wilson, and the North American Division President, Dr. G. Alexander Bryant, and his administrative team.

The Regional Conference leaders met with the IAD administrative team at the IAD headquarters in Miami, Florida. The day began with Dr. William T. Cox, Executive Director of the Regional Conference Retirement Plan, delivering the devotional message to the IAD staff that morning.

The day-long meeting then began with personal introductions. The IAD team was led by President, Dr. Elie Henry; Executive Secretary, Dr. Leonard Johnson; General Vice President and summit facilitator, Dr. Balvin Braham and Treasurer, Ivelisse Herrera, who made history a few months earlier by becoming the first female to serve as Treasurer of a world division in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The Regional Conference delegation consisted of the following leaders in addition to the aforementioned Dr. Cox: Elder Roger Bernard, President, Central States/Chairman, Regional Conference Presidents Council; Dr. Carlton P. Byrd, President, Southwest Region/Vice Chairman; Dr. Abraham Jules, President, Northeastern Conference; Elder Calvin B. Preston, President, South Atlantic Conference; Dr. Michael Owusu, President, Southeastern Conference; Elder Benjamin Jones, Jr., President, South Central Conference and Elder Dana C. Edmond, Executive Director, Office for

Regional Conference Ministries (ORCM). For Elder Edmond—who began his ministry in an area within the IAD as a young Pastor 45 years ago—the summit was something of a homecoming.

Also, a part of the delegation was Dr. Everton Ennis, General Vice President, South Atlantic Conference. His familiarity with the IAD leadership came from his upbringing in that territory. He made the connections to make the summit possible. ORCM/RCRP Communications Director, Elder Gerson Pancorbo, coordinated media coverage.

After the introductions and opening remarks by President Henry and Elder Edmond, Power Point presentations were delivered by Elder Edmond and Dr. Cox. Elder Edmond presented on “The History of and Continuing Need for Regional Conferences.”

The IAD leadership was unfamiliar with Regional Conferences and asked many questions—something that continued in the next presentation from Dr. Cox on the Regional Conference Retirement Plan.

The division, which operates a retirement program that covers thousands of retirees sprawled over more than 40 countries, was very interested in how the Regional Conference plan worked. The Regional Conference leaders then viewed a brief Power Point production on the IAD retirement plan by Treasurer Herrera. They were fascinated by the logistics of operating a retirement plan with thousands of employees in multiple countries while complying with the different laws and regulations of each one.

The mutual curiosity caused the morning session to spill over into the time allotted for lunch before Vice President Braham reminded everyone of the need to adhere to the schedule.

After a tasty lunch that included native dishes from around the division (Dr. Ennis served as the culinary guide for the Regional leadership, identifying some foods that they had never seen before), the group assembled outside for a photograph and then took a tour of the large IAD office.

The leaders re-assembled for the final two sessions of the day. One of those sessions was led by IAD Executive Secretary, Dr. Leonard Johnson, on its history and growth. The Regional Conference leadership was fascinated by the explosive growth of the division that has propelled it to become the third largest division in the world church. They took note of the fact that this growth took place after leadership of the IAD was assumed by native leaders—similar to the growth that took place in Africa. The session ended with a discussion on what would/should happen next, i.e., the difficult task of translating a discussion of collaboration for ministry between the two groups into the actual collaboration for ministry between the two groups. Dr. Braham and Elder Edmond, who were tasked with joint planning of the summit, were then tasked with planning the collaboration. After closing remarks and closing prayer, the two groups shook hands and embraced, determined to spearhead a new era of camaraderie and collaboration. t

Dana C. Edmond is Director of the Office for Regional Conference Ministry (ORCM). He is also publisher of Regional Voice magazine, and completed the collaborated planning and coverage of this historic Summit.