“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)
2022 REPORTCONSTITUENCYKYTN
The Kentucky-Tennessee Conference of Seventhday Adventists is one of the eight conferences that comprise the Southern Union. Nine such unions make up the North American Division, which is one of 13 divisions of the global Seventh-day Adventist Church. We are a ministry organization dedicated to the preparation of a people grounded in Scripture and ready for the soon return of Jesus Christ. In this report, you will witness how God has blessed His work in the past five years. By depending on the Holy Spirit, our mission is to live in faithfulness to the Gospel commission and continue advancing the Three Angels’ Messages.
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 4 Letter from the President Steve Haley PAGE 12 Media Ministries Paola Mora Zepeda PAGE 5 VP for Administration Mike Hewitt PAGE Education13 Pegi Flynt, Matt Pacer PAGE 6 VP for Finance George Crumley, Jeff Horn PAGE Highland14Academy Chadd Watkins PAGE Evangelism/8 Ministerial Joel Sutherland PAGE Madison15Academy Kris Fuentes PAGE Publishing20 Rocky Davis PAGE Ministerios9 Hispanos Armando De León PAGE 16 Youth Greg Taylor, Nelson Silva PAGE 21 Trust Services Silke Hubbard PAGE Stewardship10 Marshall Mckenzie PAGE 18 Health Ministries Malinda Haley PAGE Information22 Technology Barrett Mikkelsen PAGE 11 Church Growth Marshall Mckenzie PAGE Women’s19Ministries Gail Mckenzie PAGE Nourish23 Doug Thompson 2022 CONSTITUENCY REPORT
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Steve Haley KYTN President
The last five years have included some of the toughest problems our world, and our conference community, have ever faced. Yet, we can rejoice! Why? Because God is in control! His plans are not thwarted during tough times; oh, no! Instead, when all seems lost, that’s when God delights in showing up. In this past quinquennium, souls have been won to the Kingdom through the ministry of pastors, teachers, conference staff, and, most importantly, through the efforts of many of you! Despite the dark hours of the past and present, the Three Angels’ Messages continues to be preached and lived in our communities from Ashland, Ky., to Memphis, Tenn., and all points in between! What follows in this report is joyful evidence that God is doing a great work that will soon conclude with His promised appearance. Yet, till then, there is more to do. The purpose of our existence is to witness, to love, and to serve, until He comes. NOW is the most momentous of all days to be a part of God’s last work to a planet in desperate need of Jesus. NOW is the time to consecrate ourselves again to Him and to the great Advent message. May our collective prayer be, “Lord, thank you that we live in such an hour as this! Help us to live a life that feels the urgency of the mission that you call us to do, that we may NOW go home!”
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“What folloWs in this report is joyful evidence that God is doinG a Great Work that Will soon conclude With his promised appearance. yet, till then, there is more to do. the purpose of our existence is to Witness, to love, and to serve, until he comes.”
It really should be the lead story on tonight’s evening news. It should be the front page headline of every newspaper in the world. There is nothing on social media that should get more attention than this announcement! Here it is: “The great controversy is nearing its end. Every report of calamity by sea or land is a testimony to the fact that the end of all things is at hand. Wars and rumors of wars declare it. Is there a Christian whose pulse does not beat with quickened action as he anticipates the great events opening before us? The Lord is coming. We hear the footsteps of an approaching God,” Ellen White, Our High Calling, p. 346. In a land that seems preoccupied with business as usual, in a society that seems intent on the prioritization of the worship of self, in a world that seems bent on madness and self-destruction — these solemn words return us to the reality of God’s plan. They reflect the promise of Jesus to heal the pain of loss, and renew this planet scarred by sin. Jesus simply said it like this, “I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place, I WILL come again . . . !” (John 14:2-3). Yet, the promises of Jesus not only include His soon return, but that He is with us now!
The office of the vice president keeps the official records regarding Constituency meetings, Executive Committee meetings, and other boards and committees for which he may serve as secretary. Official minutes, once approved, are kept on file.
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Steady growth continues to occur year after year, even during a worldwide pandemic. Over the last five years, new congregations have been planted throughout much of our conference territory. We celebrate the rapid growth within our Hispanic communities; the recent addition of our Burmese, Zomi, and Karen members; and several new English-speaking churches. We now have 104 churches, 15 companies, and 16 mission groups. While we are excited about these patterns of growth, we believe that Jesus wants to do even more before he returns. It is obvious that the Holy Spirit is on the move within the KentuckyTennessee Conference and we believe that He will do even greater things in the upcoming quinquennium.
We must maintain our focus on Jesus and His mission to reach the lost.
Statistical information is shared with the General Conference for its archives on a quarterly and annual basis.
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In addition, records are kept of church membership for all churches, companies, and groups in the conference. Service records are also maintained for all active employees.
HOW WE SERVE VP FOR ADMINISTRATION
LOOKING AHEAD
The vice president for administration works closely with the president and the treasurer to move the mission of Jesus forward within our territory. It is the purpose of this office to ensure that the work of the conference is accomplished and that the Three Angels’ Messages are actively proclaimed within our territory. The vice president serves as a member of the Administrative Committee, Executive Committee, and other boards around the conference. mike heWitt vp for administration GROWTH
“We celebrate the rapid GroWth Within our hispanic communities; the recent addition of our burmese, Zomi, and karen members; and several neW enGlishspeakinG churches.”
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HOW WE SERVE TREASURY
Treasury exists to support the mission of the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference and the world-wide Church. Because the advancement of that mission involves resources, treasury is involved in most every facet of the local church work. This involvement includes receipting and distributing funds in accordance with donor restrictions, accounting standards, and church policy.
OUR GROWTH In the Treasury Department, an outside audit is conducted yearly to determine the quality of the financial statements, to achieve transparency in operations, and to verify that we have met legal, regulatory, and compliance requirements over the past year. To help create financial stability throughout the fiscal year, we are guided by a budget that has been voted by the Conference Executive Committee. Additionally, we make sure that conference owned properties are insured, workers are remunerated, and local church and school financial records are reviewed. Looking at the included graphics, there is an upward movement in both Tithe and Working Capital. This is a direct result of God’s blessing, members’ faithfulness, and careful resource management at all levels within the conference. matt pacer associate superintendent
When trying to plan for the future of finance, there is uncertainty in every direction. But looking through the lens of Revelation, our vision focuses more steadily on His soon return and the reality that business will not always continue as usual. Our constituency theme, “Now is the Time,” is a call to give largely while there is still time. Now is the time to open the floodgates of the Gospel’s power and let it inundate the world. We can know for certain that when these times of financial exigency break upon us and cause the dollar to weaken or cease, the Truth will only strengthen and triumph at last.
TREASURY
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(CONT.)
LOOKING AHEAD Tithe is our primary source of funding. On the pie chart, you can see the big picture on how tithe is utilized. Working Capital, per North American Division policy, needs to be at or above 100% for us to be in compliance with Church policy. As you can see above, we are well above the 100% benchmark. From an offering perspective, our Conference Advance offering has weakened during this five-year period, but it is good to see a rebound in this important offering during 2021.
GeorGe crumley vp for finance jeff associatehorn treasurer
Our present membership in the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference is at 16,142 with 119 churches and companies. The Ministerial Department serves by providing pastors with a support system. We work with pastors on strategic plans, supply continuing education, seek pastoral replacements, facilitate pastors’ communication, seek Bible workers, provide pastoral care, and lead local church development. We are excited about what the future holds for the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference. We are planning for more layperson training, giving deeper Biblical approaches for how pastors and members can partner in church growth and outreach as we strive for Total Member Involvement. “truly, the time is noW to invest in ministries.”andevanGelismpastoral
Truly, the time is now to invest in evangelism and pastoral ministries. We can no longer stay in our cocoons because of COVID-19. We must move forward in faith. The years 2020 and 2021 were very challenging for outreach with churches constantly closing and opening. However, we still saw God’s wonderful blessing of souls for the Kingdom. Despite the challenges with COVID-19, over the past five years, we have funded 367 evangelistic reaping series and community outreach events at the local church level. This includes seminars, public meetings, and training schools. During this past quinquennium, 2,200 decisions were made for baptism. That is an average of 440 per year.
OUR GROWTH
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The mission of the Ministerial Department is to serve as an advocate and resource for the pastors in the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference. Some of the services provided are continuing education, retreats, pastoral support groups, pastoral family care, and evangelistic resources. joel ministerialsutherlanddirector
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HOW WE SERVE EVANGELISM/ MINISTERIAL LOOKING AHEAD
MIRANDO HACIA EL FUTURO
Alabamos el buen nombre de nuestro Dios y Padre pues Él prometió que en los últimos días derramará su Espíritu Santo sobre su pueblo, y nosotros lo hemos visto palpablemente.
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Nos sentimos honrados de tener un equipo Ministerial comprometido, donde todos concordamos en llevar a nuestra hermandad a entrar en una relación íntima con Jesús. Nuestro departamento llamado EPOCA (Escuela Práctica de Obreros Cristianos Adventistas) sigue instruyendo a nuestros líderes para cumplir con la misión por la cual fuimos llamados a servir.
Venimos bautizando como promedio 225 almas cada año. Por otro lado para este quinquenio Dios ha permitido tener 15 nuevas congregaciones en nuestra asociación y hemos visto que la fidelidad en la mayordomía de nuestra hermandad se ha mantenido en crecimiento y hemos aumentado un 96.45% en relación a los años anteriores. Me emociona leer lo que Elena G. de White dijo tiempo atrás: “No tenemos nada que temer del futuro, a menos que olvidemos la manera en que el Señor nos ha conducido…” (Eventos de los Últimos Días, página 64); Con esta premisa en mente, nos hemos propuesto preparar a nuestros jóvenes para que vayan concientizando de la gran obra que nos depara más adelante; y a nuestros líderes en toda la Asociación equiparlos para cumplir con la misión de la iglesia: ayudando a la comunidad y plantando nuevas iglesias donde pecadores son convertidos en hijos vencedores.
El crecimiento de nuestro Departamento Hispano ha sido extraordinario, y con el compromiso y apoyo de un equipo consagrado de pastores, ancianos y de un ejército de hermanos laicos misioneros el Señor nos ha permitido crecer tanto en ganancia de almas como en el área de mayordomía.
COMO SERVIMOS MINISTERIO HISPANO
armando de león hispanic ministries coordinator NUESTRO CRECIMIENTO
STEWARDSHIP AHEAD director GROWTH WE SERVE Our focus during these last five years has been to inform and help our churches be conduits of blessing to the communities around them through faithful stewardship.
marshall mckenZie steWardship & church GroWth
HOW
LOOKING
We had the privilege of helping several of our English and Spanish churches through Stewardship Education weekends. The emphases of these training weekends have encouraged our members to trust that God has already supplied all our needs, and He is inviting us to partner with Him by allowing His blessings to flow through our lives to those around us. In addition to weekend seminars, the Stewardship Department assisted in redesigning the conference tithe envelope, and continues to provide local churches with materials that promote systematic giving. Stewardship is a lifestyle of blessing, accepting God’s blessings, and sharing them with each person we meet. In the future we plan to continue providing educational weekends to develop a spirit of systematic giving throughout the conference, so that churches, companies, and groups will be able to grow internally through personal commitment and will be able to grow externally because of consistent funding sources. In the coming months, additional stewardship resources provided by the North American Division will be available on our conference website. Materials specific to the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference are in the process of re-design, so that every member will have a clear understanding of the importance of a lifestyle of stewardship and of how their offerings are used to further God’s work in our conference and around the world. “Who then is a faithful and Wise servant, Whom his master made ruler over his household, to Give them food in due season? blessed is that servant Whom his master, When he comes, Will find so doinG assuredly, i say to you that he Will make him ruler over all his Goods.” mattheW 24:45-47
OUR
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“God is WorkinG in each of our communities, and We Want to do our part to cooperate With him in helpinG to make heaven full!” reneW (reflect empoWer nurture evanGeliZe Witness)
LOOKING AHEAD
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Additional tools for connecting local churches with their communities include support for media outreach on the web and through social media and the newly launched online Bible Study site, www.Godled.org. Godled.org offers local church members easy to share advertising cards that allow them to invite their friends and neighbors to study the Bible through the online platform. Each interest is connected to a local church group leader so that each person that connects with the Godled.org site is immediately linked to a church in their local area. replication Thirteen new mission groups across Kentucky and Tennessee benefited from $250,000 provided by Global Mission funding through grants in cooperation with the General Conference, North American Division, and Southern Union Conference. These funds have allowed groups to develop a sustainable presence in new communities and are supporting ongoing evangelistic ministry.
God is working in each of our communities, and we want to do our part to cooperate with Him in helping to make Heaven full!
HOW WE SERVE CHURCH GROWTH
The principles outlined in the RENEW acronym are the framework for successful discipleship and evangelistic community outreach. Education, training, and mentoring in these principles has been ongoing through weekend events at local churches, leadership training weekend at ICC, and consistent articles in Connection
Our focus is providing tools and support for churches as they build a vibrant revitalization and replication process based on the biblical principles revealed through God’s foreknowledge. GROWTH
MEDIA MINISTRIES
LOOKING AHEAD
In June of 2021, KYTN hired its first full-time media ministries director. Since then, with God’s help, the department has revamped KYTN’s online presence and overall reach. One of the first projects was the redesign of KYTN’s quarterly magazine, Connection. The new look, which follows NAD’s style guidelines, gives space for more stories while not compromising legibility or aesthetic. The articles and reports on this magazine showcase the faithfulness of God and His church.
With God’s guidance, we want to continue growing and improving KYTN’s mediums of communication. Coming up, we want to have workshops for churches’ communication teams. We will be creating training booklets for news writing, social media management, and graphic design — among others. Thank you for your incredible support and for trusting us with your stories.
The Media Ministries Department constantly reports on conference-wide events, posting pictures in our Flickr account for attendees to access. We also create promotional posters, flyers, and other PR content. In addition, the Media Ministries Department constantly contributes to the Southern Tidings and the Adventist Review
HOW WE SERVE
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The Media Ministries Department strives to proclaim the Gospel by connecting people, churches, and schools across the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference. Our goal is to share the stories of God’s love and mercy through both traditional and digital media. paola mora Zepeda media ministries director OUR GROWTH Connection, KYTN’S quarterly magazine. In October of 2021, we launched our new, redesigned website
Another ongoing project has been the revitalization of KYTN’s social media presence. Recently, the focus has been establishing an online presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Through videos, pictures, and testimonies, KYTN has used social media as another tool for evangelism.InOctober 2021, we also launched our new, redesigned website. Following modern design practices, the current look offers a cleaner and easier-to-navigate platform, as well as a more mobile friendly interface. Our new online home is here to serve you better.
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LOOKING AHEAD
EDUCATION
The Office of Education serves 15 schools with a team committed to educational excellence, instilling leadership qualities, and the development of Christlike character. We view every child as a gift to the world, each with a divine purpose, and possessing God-given abilities. It is our joy to embrace the mission of leading children to accept Jesus and live a life of fulfillment through service. OUR GROWTH
HOW WE SERVE
peGi flynt education superintendent matt pacer associate superintendent During this quinquennium, our department has navigated the COVID pandemic, successfully pivoting to distance education and providing teachers with technical support and training for online learning. While quarantined, schools received financial operating relief, and students from every school participated in a virtual Week of Prayer. As students returned to the classroom, our office worked with principals to prepare safe processes and hybrid learning options in response to ongoing delivery needs. Despite these challenges, we are pleased to report our highest enrollment in nearly 10 years. The Murfreesboro school reopened after 20 years, and several of our smaller schools are experiencing increasing enrollment numbers.
Recent implementations include a new adaptive student growth test, the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP); a new Student Information System; a new math curriculum, Into Math with digital resources; and biannual teacher professional development drive-ins across five geographic areas. Several mental health initiatives are taking place with a goal of providing resources to every school. A number of schools have built outdoor education spaces to connect students to our Creator while developing agricultural skills.
LOOKING AHEAD
chadd
hiGhland
It’s an exciting time to be part of the ministry and experience that is Highland Academy. From steady growth in enrollment and student services to continued improvements with campus grounds and facilities, our staff and faculty continue to seek new and innovative ways to uplift our mission of developing Christ-like characters and lifelong learners in our students.
principal
OUR GROWTH
HIGHLAND ACADEMY Watkins academy
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While we look to what God has in store for the future, we’re reminded of how he’s blessed us in the past. We recognize there is still much to be done. We invite you to seek ways to support the school, whether by participating on the many campus activities, donating to school projects, or choosing to make an impact for a student by giving to the worthy student fund. Regardless of the avenue you choose, I’m sure we can all agree that God is faithful and can be counted on. May the Lord continue to honor and bless our efforts here at HA and may His return be soon.
HOW WE SERVE
Currently, Highland Academy serves 135 students from 14 different states and six countries. Our enrollment has seen steady and significant increases over the last five years. Most excitedly, we are blessed to be the recipient of a $296,000 grant that will allow us to offer Christian counseling services by a licensed school psychologist for both our academy and elementary students. We look forward to opening our new Center for Student Success, which will not only offer counseling services, but testing and tutoring beginning in the Fall of 2022.
HOW WE SERVE
LOOKING AHEAD
“fully immersed in the 21st century, We see the neW challenGes devotedsempoinspiredstudentstoWeandtheforasfacinopportunitiesandGourstudentstheyprepareafutureinWorkforcetheirchurch.arecommittedequippinGourtobeseekers,Weredcholars,andservants.”
ACADEMYMADISON kris madisonfuentesacademy
Currently, we are crafting our next vision as we pause to listen to our changing community, understand our collective needs and dreams, and partner intentionally with Madison Campus Elementary. Paul tells us, “Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing [we] do for Him is a waste of time or effort.” (1 Corinthians 15:58 MSG.) Clear evidence of God’s leading inspires us to continue equipping inspired seekers, empowered scholars, and devoted servants.
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The history and purposeful mission from Madison Academy’s inception continue to be our guiding principles. Now, fully immersed in the 21st century, we see the new challenges and opportunities facing our students as they prepare for a future in the workforce and their Church. We are committed to equipping our students to be inspired seekers, empowered scholars, and devoted servants. OUR GROWTH principal
The generosity of alumni, community, and foundations led to nearly $3 million invested in our school for work-matching scholarships, program enrichments, and facility improvements. Our 2017 strategic plan that earned a six-year-clear accreditation has been enacted in every corner of our campus. This includes our ministry and outreach, student support, enhanced programs, renovated facilities, professional growth, and engaging learning experiences despite COVID-19.
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There are many other events that take place annually, such as the POWER mission trip, Club Ministries Leadership Weekend, Global Youth Day, Young Adult Retreat, Madison Academy and Highland Academy Prayer Conference, and much more. It is also our privilege to partner with KYTN’s education department in events such as Outdoor Ed, Acrofest, and Music Fest, and our annual ICC promo tour to all of our schools.
OUR GROWTH HOW WE SERVE
The Youth Department has the privilege of serving a wide and diverse demographic. We serve Adventurers, Pathfinders, TLTs, Children’s Ministries, youth, and young adults, and provide training for leaders of all ages.
Indian Creek Camp (ICC) has seen unparalleled growth in the last few years. In the summer 2021, ICC hosted 1,200 campers despite the challenges presented by COVID-19. By God’s grace, we have funded projects such as a climbing wall, an air conditioning system at the cafeteria, a horse barn arena, new cabin floors and mattresses, and, most recently, an incredible zip line tour. Each summer, ICC receives an average of 450 decisions for Jesus and well over 100 decisions for baptism. Our Pathfinder and Adventurer clubs have also seen amazing growth. Our Adventurer Camporee, led by Heath and Julie Bryant, has expanded to two separate weekends due to its popularity. Recently, Nelson Silva and Greg Taylor have traded some roles. Nelson has now taken over Pathfinders with his detailed leadership and continues to grow this department.
YOUTH GreG youthtaylordirector
YOUTH (CONT.)
Though Pathfinders were severely impacted by COVID-19, particularly those in the urban areas, this ministry was able to return with much enthusiasm last year thanks to our virtual events and the endeavor of the Pathfinder Council. We had record numbers for our combined Adventurers/ Pathfinders training event, the KYTN Camporee, and the 7UP Winter retreat.
Lastly, the Youth Department sponsored an inspiring mission trip to Cuba, and new Adventist Christian Fellowship groups have formed throughout KYTN in the past few years. Although students attending public campuses were severely affected by virtual classes, this did not deter our student leaders from gathering virtually with fellow youth from our conference and beyond. By the time of this writing, students have been gradually meeting in-person and rekindling such a vital ministry for our young adults on public campuses.
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17 the time is noW for the church to come alonGside our visionaries, the younG people, and, toGether, fulfill the prophecy of mattheW 24:14: “and this Gospel of the kinGdom Will be preached… and then the end Will come.”
nelson silva associate youth director ASSOCIATE YOUTH DIRECTOR
The Associate for Youth Ministries oversees Children’s Ministries, Public Campus Ministries, and, more recently, Pathfinders.
Through the ministries of the KYTN Youth Department, it is our goal to grow leaders and inspire dedicated followers of Jesus who will use their gifts and abilities to further the work of the Lord. It is our desire, with God’s help, to continue expanding the training for Children’s Ministries, clubs ministries, and youth leaders in our conference — so the ministry to, and from, the young generation flourishes in our territory. We want to pour into the lives of our student leaders by equipping, inspiring, and supporting them with leadership opportunities, mentorship and prayer so they become who God called them to be. The time is now for the Church to come alongside our visionaries, the young people, and together, fulfill the prophecy of Matthew 24:14: “And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached… and then the end will come.”
Since our partnership with the NAD in 2018, we have offered three annual bilingual Children’s Ministries certifications and VBS training for nearly 200 leaders per year. Additionally, we have created a Children’s Ministry council and certified 15 presenters to help us expand KYTN’S training efforts.
LOOKING AHEAD
LOOKING AHEAD
God has blessed our ministry and in the past five years we have been able to: HOW WE SERVE Our goal is to help constituents strive towards an abundant and healthy life that conveys a representation of Christ’s character to those with whom our communities are shared. GROWTH MINISTRIES malinda haley health ministries director
For 2022 and beyond, we recognize that health ministries continue to be one of the most effective ways to introduce the Advent message to others. There are many things we have planned for the future, like offering support to our churches as they become centers of health evangelism, expanding the number of resources available to our teams in their outreach ministries, providing a shareable how-to-stay-healthy newsletter, offering a health and fitness retreat weekend with a 5K, organizing a chef-led cooking class, and leading various “how to” seminars that equip teams to better reach their community. We thank you for your continued support and prayers.
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HEALTH
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LOOKING AHEAD As we look in the rear view mirror of Women’s Ministries, we see women of resilience, dedication, and commitment.
Gail mckenZie
I salute the women in the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference. They deserve the tribute for the many hours of volunteer work they put, and the talent they use to advance the mission of the Gospel. I count it a privilege to serve the Women’s Ministry Department. Our goal is to disciple women to know and show Jesus; that’s our mission, vision and essence of who we are!
Women’s Ministries is about women who are called, chosen, and faithful — women who forge ahead despite obstacles that come their way. That includes women who have faced disease, a pandemic, broken marriages, the loss of spouse or child, and women who have carried heavy responsibilities in their work and churches.Thewomen of KYTN work hard, are tenacious, and know that, with God’s help, they can do anything. Our ministries are about women who go where God leads, and lead where God calls! This is their story. They are not looking for gain or accolades. They are mothers leading children, CEOs changing a company, nurses healing in the OR, or Sabbath School teachers sharing the love of Jesus. These are women who know what they do has influence, and their influence is to glorify God.
In the last five years their stories, if printed, would, as John said of Jesus, “not have room in the whole world for the books that would be written!” They do not give up; they fight with faith. They put on the armor of God everyday as they go out to serve. They pray HOW WE SERVE
OUR GROWTH
WOMEN’S MINISTRIES
The goal of the Women’s Ministries Department is to disciple women to know and show Jesus. Our spiritual vision is to lift up Jesus by enabling women to discover and realize their leadership and ministry within the home, the church, and the community.
Women’s ministries director the Women of kytn Work hard, are tenacious, and knoW that, With God’s help, they can do anythinG
You can be proud of our student magabook and Youth Summit canvassers. Each summer we engage 25 to 30 canvassers, and nearly 90% are from our KYTN schools. Our new Youth Summit publishing assistant, Ivan Martinez, has recruited and conducted eight evangelistic canvassing campaigns, including spring, summer, and autumn programs, in less than three years. Our Publishing Department is also working with the Pathfinders to earn their canvassing patch, as well as helping with fundraising school campaigns.Looking ahead in literature evangelism, there have been numerous new people interested in becoming full-time literature evangelists. Pray for us as we are currently engaged in training several new canvassers. In Religious Liberty, we can all be more determined to give the trumpet a certain sound, increasing our subscriptions to the civil leaders of our communities. I’d like to thank you for giving me the honor of serving our conference in these most important roles of evangelism. “the distribution of our literature is one means by Which the messaGe is to be proclaimed. let every believer scatter broadcast tracts leafletsandand books containinG the messaGe for this Watchman,-time.”thesouthernjan.
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HOW WE SERVE PUBLISHING
rocky publishindavisGdirector
OUR GROWTH
Since my father, a newly baptized Adventist at the time, became a literature evangelist when I was just a young boy, I have been immersed in the world of literature evangelism. A lot of things have changed in our world since then, but more people than ever are reading books. In 2019, over 800 million books were sold in the USA. In 2020 more than 940 million books were sold. The publishing department serves the mission by taking the Three Angels’ Messages through the written word, to the world.
LOOKING AHEAD
5, 1904
As every family has a story to tell and wants their values to continue on through their documents, it is an honor for us to play a tiny part in that endeavor.
HOW WE SERVE
Conference /Association: Conference Association exists under North American Division policy to hold titles to all church real properties in our conference. At times, the Association also serves as trustee for trusts, personal representatives for will, and attorney-in-fact under powers of attorney. In addition to purchasing new church buildings, the Association also facilitates loans through the Southern Union Revolving Fund (SURF), and the Business and Professional Foundation (BPF), and assists churches with various lease agreements.
OUR GROWTH TRUST
Our department is audited regularly and meets rigorous accreditation and fiduciary standards. We have been awarded and maintain the highest possible “A” rating accreditation given by the General Conference Accreditation and Certification Committee.
LOOKING AHEAD Between 2017 and 2021, we assisted over 500 families with their estate planning documents, which included Last Will and Testaments, Living Will/Health Care Surrogate Forms, and Power of Attorney documents. Because of our constituents’ faithfulness, the conference’s mission projects, along with the local churches and Adventist education, received over $2 million to support their missions and goals.
Our goal in the Trust Services Department is meeting with constituents, addressing their estate planning needs, and assisting them with their wishes and desires for their families and their support of the work that God has placed on their hearts. SERVICES
silke trusthubbardservices director
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Outstanding internet connection improvements include upgraded 1Gbps internet to CO, Nourish, HA, and MA. ICC is now taking advantage of new satellite internet offerings via SpaceX Starlink.
LOOKING AHEAD barrett milkensen it director OUR HOWGROWTHWESERVE
Currently, we are developing a system for repurposing old computers for use in schools as “Chromeboxes.” This will assist in their adoption of Google’s G Suite platform and save machines from ending in a landfill. We want to improve our churches and schools media-equipment loaner setup to grow beyond projectors and laptops. We are preparing new kits outfitted with gear to assist with live streaming, translation, or other special events needs.
With FCC laws changes regarding 911, HA and MA phone systems were upgraded to VoIP. This required an overhaul of data cabling — replacing every phone jack with powered network outlets. VoIP’s monthly costs have also provided noteworthy phone bill savings.
The Kentucky-Tennessee Conference IT Department is unique within the Southern Union in that not only does it service all IT needs of the Conference office building and its staff, but additionally, supports the networks infrastructure of Highland Academy (HA), Madison Academy (MA), Nourish Christian Marketplace, and Indian Creek Camp (ICC).
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
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In the near future, the department will strives to get multi-factor authentication (MFA) on everything. MFA is already a security best practice and is implemented to secure our major systems. However, any IT system not supporting it will need to be upgraded or replaced. We are also implementing WiFi6 standard access points at all locations. Improved coverage will help actualize new technologies and support the increasing load of “IoT” type devices.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought many changes and upgrades that had to be implemented quickly: any IT resources that were only available locally needed to migrate via Microsoft Office 365. Only half of the office staff had laptops, meaning we had to get the remaining staff upgraded from desktops. Zoom licensing was also procured for all staff and continues to be one method in which churches livestream and meet.
2022 CONSTITUENCY REPORT 23 NOURISH
HOW
God continues to put new opportunities in front of Nourish. We are receiving frequent requests to add delivery stops in areas such as Ohio, Illinois, Alabama, and Missouri — in addition to more churches in KYTN. Our Nourish storefront also remains full of potential as many people still appreciate a store where they can physically examine the items before they purchase them. The staff at Nourish pray that each person that enters the doors is impacted through our products and service in a way that will introduce them to a beautiful relationship with our Father!
As other Christian bookstores have closed, we have expanded our ministry to serve more members of the local community. In addition, our vegetarian and vegan food options provide many opportunities to minister to the Nashville community. Nourish has also expanded our delivery truck service in KYTN to every other month, for a total of six times each year! In 2018, Nourish was approached by the Gulf States Conference to join in partnership to operate an ABC program for their constituents. In July of that year, we began offering a full program for Gulf States, including a monthly delivery truck service, mail order shipping, a camp meeting store, and a branch retail store. This partnership has been mutually beneficial, especially contributing to the financial strength of Nourish.
Our total sales of $7.5 million over this quinquennium represent a $1 million increase over the previous five-year period. At the time of the 2017 constituency, our goal was to reach $1.3 million in yearly sales. We are now at $1.6 million yearly! Nourish has also been able to produce a modest profit each year during a time that has seen several ABC stores close due to financial pressure. The Lord has blessed Nourish tremendously during the past two years as our doors have been open every day throughout COVID-19, and our truck has continued running our full delivery schedule. Your conference’s Adventist Book Center (ABC), operated as Nourish Christian Marketplace, continues to serve its constituents as well as the local community with a unique blend of Christian literature and vegetarian foods. Important pieces of our daily mission include providing quarterly Sabbath School materials, operating a delivery truck throughout our territory, shipping out phone and Adventistbookcenter.com orders, and running the Nourish storefront. WE SERVE OUR GROWTH
LOOKING AHEAD
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“the staff at nourish pray that each person that enters the doors is impacted throuGh our products and service in a Way that Will introduce them to a ourrelationshipbeautifulWithfather!”
CHATTANOOGA,ORGANIZATIONNON-PROFITPAIDU.S.POSTAGETNPERMITNO.1114 850 Conference Dr., # B, Goodlettsville, TN 37072
