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Executive Committee Focuses on Mission Initiatives "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20, KJV).
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he Lord’s presence was felt as leaders from across the Pacific Union gathered for the Pacific Union's quarterly Executive Committee Meeting on Thursday, November 17. Energized by a powerful devotion from Pastor Rochelle Webster, which declared that God's steadfast love endures forever, and then uplifted by a season of prayer led by Pacific Union Conference President Bradford Newton, the committee embarked on the agenda of the day. To ensure that the Lord's guidance was continually with them, Elder Newton invited Edwin Mendoza to volunteer as prayer leader. As prayer leader, he was asked to call for a break in proceedings when he felt the attendees should pause, reflect, and pray together to refocus hearts and stay in connection with the Savior through the entirety of the meeting. The next generation leading the church The resounding theme for the meeting was the revitalization of our youth and young leaders to take up the mantle and continue the great work and mission of our church. To begin, in his report, Elder Newton spoke on how he is witnessing a stirring of the Holy Spirit among young people. "Dr. Newton’s president's report set the tone for today's meeting,” said Pacific Union Executive Vice President Leon Brown. “His focus on youth and young adults centered our hearts and thoughts on the fact that the present and the future leadership needs of our churches
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and our schools required our focus on our young people.” Two of the practical ways our union hopes to harness this focus is to appoint a union youth director and to create a new position whose main objective is to foster the growth of young leaders in our church. The feeling in the air was energetic and electric as Elder Newton asked the committee to break into groups for a brainstorming session to formulate what the union youth director and the new position (whose title is to be determined) would involve. Jenni Glass, communication director for Sacramento Adventist Academy, stated, "I appreciate the group taking time to focus on the future and