Southern California Conference
John Cress Accepts Call to Serve as SCC Executive Secretary of the mission Jesus gave to the church to make disciples. I believe that the local church is the only organization that Jesus actually created, and that the conference and other institutions are to support that front-line ministry. “I have great admiration for pastors, and I know that the competencies they need to be successful are amazingly diverse. They have many voices speaking to, and about, them; ministry can be difficult and lonely at times. In my new roles in Southern California Conference, I hope that I can add value to them, their ministry and the churches they serve. “I firmly believe that the church was created for mission, not the mission for the church. If the church does not do the mission of Jesus, then it is really not a church; no matter what we might call it. The mission we are called to in making disciples is one in which we go into our communities, not just invite them into our churches — in the same way that Jesus left heaven and came into our world to bring us to see, understand and be changed by His grace and love. “As part of the SCC administration, I pray that we can leverage all the assets of the conference and its churches and schools toward making disciples of Jesus. The three angels’ messages John Cress demand our best thoughts, energy and efforts. “We are called to ‘bring the kingdom of ohn Cress has accepted a call to serve as the executive secretary and God to this earth, as it is in heaven.’ There are so many who have not ministerial director of Southern California. His most recent position experienced grace in this world. The church as the salt and light of the was vice president of pastoral ministries for the Potomac Conference. world is called to live gracefully among its community so that our society Cress has served the church for more than 30 years as a pastor. During can experience the grace of Jesus and be drawn to Him. Jesus tells us that that time, he was an associate or lead pastor of four different churches, if He is lifted up, He will draw all men to Himself.” the most recent being the LifeSource Adventist Fellowship in Denver. DurJames and Karen Cress have two adult children, Timothy and Jennifer, ing those years, though he doesn’t speak Spanish, Cress helped start two and two grandchildren. Tim Cress is the family life pastor for LifeSource Hispanic congregations and an urban church plant in Denver, Colo. Adventist Fellowship in Denver. His wife, Danielle, teaches at Mile High “My desire,” said Cress, “is to use my passion and gifts in leadership to Academy. Jennifer Cress is an accomplished singer and works for a workprayerfully encourage the mission that Jesus gave for His church, ‘to go, man’s compensation insurance company in Denver. make disciples’ and, while we’re at it, to ‘love one another.’” Born and raised in the Northwest, the Cress’s spent nearly 16 years in The two SCC positions that Cress fills were vacated at the 64th SCC Northern California. “We are thankful to be back on the West Coast. It has constituency session May 17, 2015, when former executive secretary felt a lot like home, even before our arrival,” Cress added. Velino A. Salazar was elected conference president. Cress began his work in Southern California on March 1. Betty Cooney “One of my personal values is team,” said Cress. “I look forward to working with the SCC administrative team and pastors for the fulfillment
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March 2016
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