Northern California Conference
NCC Holds Midterm Constituency Session
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PHOTOS BY JULIE LORENZ
n Oct. 16, more than 500 delegates met at the Lodi Fairmont Seventh-day Adventist Church for the regularly scheduled midterm session of the Northern California Conference. Delegates convened to receive reports of the ministry work taking place in the Northern California territory and transact appropriate business. The session began at 9:00 a.m. with music and prayer, along with a devotional message presented by Ministerial Director Jim Lorenz. Afterward, delegates voted on several procedural matters, including accepting the organization of three new churches: American Canyon FilAm, Chico Spanish, and Lincoln Amazing Grace. Then, the agenda moved onto the reports, including a video report from the three administrators — President Jim Pedersen, Executive Secretary Marc Woodson, and Treasurer John Rasmussen — that is available online at www.facebook.com/NorCalAdventistsinAction. Delegates next voted, by the two-thirds majority required, in favor of the proposed changes to the conference’s bylaws, as presented by the Bylaws Committee. These changes can be found in the delegates’ packet, which is available online. Delegates then considered a motion added to the agenda by the Anderson and Sacramento Central churches: “We now vote to retract the Executive Committee votes of Aug. 22, 2012, and Dec. 3, 2014, in order to be in harmony with the World Church as represented by the General Conference session of July 8, 2015. We will continue to support women in ministry NCC Ministerial Director Jim Lorenz presents with the exception of the morning’s devotional message.
Executive Secretary Marc Woodson leads the opening hymn, as Treasurer John Rasmussen and President Jim Pedersen sing with the congregation.
issuing a ministerial credential and thus abide by the outcome of the vote of the World Church.” After about 30 minutes of comments from the delegates, there was a time of prayer in small More than 500 delegates gather together at the Lodi Fairmont church. groups, ending with Pedersen praying. The motion was not approved by a vote of 297 “no” and 211 “yes.” Lastly, the microphone was open for discussion from the floor. The session adjourned shortly after noon. To view the reports and other information presented to the delegates at this midterm session, please visit www.nccsda.com/constituency. NCC delegates will meet again at the next regularly scheduled constituency session, which will take place in 2018.
Stephanie Leal
Lodi Academy’s Lodian Singers, accompanied by their director Daniel Rodríguez, sing for special music.
December 2016
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