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September 1, 2026 MAUC Ministerial and Evangelism Constituency Session Report 2026: Collaborating in Ministry Collaborating in Ministry
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September 1, 2026 MAUC Constituency Session Report 2026: Office of Education Honoring Legacy, Leading Forward
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September 1, 2026 MAUC Constituency Session Report 2026: Communication Ministries Inspiring Through Transitions
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Adventist News
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Dakota Men Gather in Medora for Retreat and Renewal
– August 31, 2026For the past few years, the Dakota Conference Men’s Retreat has been hosted at the Rough Riders Hotel in the beautiful western town of Medora, North Dakota, located near the south entrance to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The setting provides a welcoming place for old friends to reconnect and for new friendships to begin. Christopher Hudson of the series ForeRunner Chronicles joined the retreat as the featured speaker, presenting with clarity and conviction. He shared how his journey from a past life in show business and fame led him to an encounter with Jesus, redirecting his life toward sharing Christ with others. His messages combined encouragement, memorized Scripture, and the gospel in a way that connected with a wide range of listeners. He was thoughtful in his teaching and humble in his walk with God. Attendees were also blessed by a message from conference president, Elder Vernon Herholdt, who reminded the men of their responsibilities as spiritual leaders and encouraged them to seek opportunities to make a difference in their homes, churches and communities—especially in these last days. Longtime participant Ed Dickerson continued to be a valued presence at the retreat. His deep understanding of Adventist history and years of leadership and teaching brought perspective and insight to the group. He described the retreat as a gathering of “true brothers” that he looks forward to each year. His message on “The Ship” spoke to those willing to listen and seek God’s wisdom. His modern-day approach and teaching style made his presentations both engaging and meaningful. The retreat also included moments of lighthearted fellowship, often led by pilot and mechanic Brooks Payne. Known for his good humor, Brooks willingly took part in the camaraderie that defined the weekend. At the same time, he demonstrated a deep commitment to his Christian walk, offering encouragement and support to those who may be struggling. His sincerity and compassion left a lasting impression. All in all, Men’s Retreat continues to be a place of spiritual growth, strength and renewal. Whether attending with friends or meeting others for the first time, participants found it to be a meaningful time of connection and encouragement among Adventist men from across the Dakotas. Randy Rubbert is men’s ministries coordinator for the Dakota Conference.
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Bethesda Temple Elevates the Community With Five Days of Faith, Giving and Fellowship
– August 25, 2026Bethesda Temple in Omaha, Nebraska, recently welcomed more than 500 visitors during its Elevate Community Event, held July 15–19, 2026. Advertised through Facebook, the five-day outreach initiative brought local residents together for spiritual encouragement, practical assistance, and family-friendly activities. Each evening, attendees registered to receive a free featured giveaway designed to meet an everyday need. Items distributed throughout the week included diapers, sneakers, food gift cards, and gas cards. Before receiving the evening’s featured giveaway, participants attended a service featuring uplifting music, a brief spiritual message, and an icebreaker giveaway. Pastor Brandon Williams delivered an energetic message each night, encouraging attendees to strengthen their faith, make positive changes, and pursue a closer relationship with God. At the conclusion of each message, Williams invited anyone moved by the Spirit to respond. Several people raised their hands each evening and joined Williams at the front of the church for prayer, publicly expressing their desire to make positive spiritual changes and become part of the body of Christ. Some visitors returned throughout the week, receiving not only practical assistance but also what church members described as nightly blessings. The event demonstrated how faith-based outreach can address both spiritual and practical needs. By combining worship with meaningful assistance, Bethesda Temple created a welcoming environment where community members could receive encouragement, fellowship, and support. The celebration concluded on a sunny Sunday afternoon with a community Fun Day. Families enjoyed a bounce house, face painting, games, music, and free massages in massage chairs. A mobile diabetes unit offered free diabetes screenings and blood pressure checks, giving residents an opportunity to learn more about their health. Representatives from the local fire station also attended to share fire safety information and give children an up-close look inside a fire truck. Children received free backpacks filled with school supplies, helping families prepare for the upcoming school year. Free food was served throughout the afternoon, with the church’s kitchen team feeding more than 200 people. The variety of activities gave children, parents, and older adults opportunities to participate in an atmosphere filled with joy and fellowship. Volunteers played an important role in the event’s success. From welcoming and registering guests to organizing giveaways, preparing meals, and assisting with activities, church members worked together to serve their neighbors. Their efforts helped ensure that visitors felt welcomed, supported, and valued. The Elevate Community Event was more than a series of giveaways. It was an opportunity for Bethesda Temple to demonstrate its commitment to faith, service, and community connection. Over five days, residents received essential items, health resources, spiritual encouragement, and memorable family experiences. Through Williams’ nightly messages and the congregation’s generosity and service, Bethesda Temple created an event that encouraged hope, connection, and positive change. The week concluded with strengthened relationships and a reminder of what can happen when a church opens its doors and intentionally serves its community. By Georgette Terrill, Bethesda Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church Communication Leader
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Central States Strengthens Pathfinder Ministry Through Leadership Training
– August 25, 2026The Pathfinder club is one of the most effective entities to teach our children principles that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. To make this a success, committed volunteers are necessary. After conducting a brief survey among Pathfinder leaders in Central States Conference, the results showed that many folks lack the necessary training needed to effectively run a Pathfinder club. It also showed some folks are interested in volunteering in the Pathfinder club, but they lack the knowledge in working with the Pathfinder curriculum and with the Pathfinders. To address those issues and concerns, an all-inclusive Pathfinder training workshop training was offered last April at the conference center in Kansas City, Kansas. Around 100 people attended the presentations on mental health wellness and identifying concerning mental health cues in Pathfinder-aged children. Presenting on that topic was Dr. Dustin Young, a licensed social worker and professor at Andrews University. From the Southern New England conference, Glorimar Teixeira presented on the Master Guide Track. Cesar and Nelly Cruz presented the training track in Spanish. The main presenter from Northeastern Conference, Judith Hill, presented the Basic Pathfinder Training Track. The 10-hour Basic Pathfinder Training course was geared toward volunteers and anyone who works or is planning to work with a Pathfinder club in any capacity. Employees from Adventsource were also present selling Pathfinder club related items. Please keep the CSC Pathfinder clubs in your prayers. There are plans in place that require seven prayer warriors and additional support for success. By the end of 2029, God willing, the plan is to have a total of 100 Master Guides throughout the conference. This will include those who have previously been invested plus those who will be invested leading up to that time. Also, during the summer of 2027 plans will be put in place to hold the first ever Central States Conference Pathfinder Fair. Ian Francis is Pathfinder director for the Central States Conference.
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RMC Announces Nathaniel Gamble as New VP for Administration
– August 25, 2026The Rocky Mountain Conference is pleased to announce that Nathaniel Gamble has accepted the call to be the new vice president for administration. Gamble presently serves as RMC’s Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director, a member of the RMC Executive Committee, and lead pastor of the Grand Junction district of churches on the Western Slope of Colorado. He will maintain his role as PARL director and begin his new administrative role for the conference on August 1. “I am excited to have Nathaniel join our administrative team here in the Rocky Mountain Conference. His love for Jesus and pastoral experience, coupled with strong administrative skills, will be a great blessing for our conference family,” said Dave VandeVere, RMC president. Gamble was born and raised in the Rocky Mountain Conference region and received his Bachelor of Arts in religion from Pacific Union College in Angwin, California, and his Master of Arts in theology from the Denver Seminary in Littleton, Colorado. He is currently finishing his Doctor of Philosophy in systematic theology from the Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “We are very excited that the Lord has been preparing Nathaniel for this type of work and that he is willing to accept this position. He has the administrative skills that are essential to the role, plus a deep theological understanding. RMC is blessed to have him join the leadership of the conference,” remarked Doug Inglish, current RMC vice president for administration who is retiring. Serving RMC since 2019, Gamble has held several lead and district pastor positions, chaired the Mile High Academy Board from 2021-2025, and served as the conference’s PARL director since 2022. In his pastoral roles, he facilitated training, mediation and safety at his local churches, and created the MHA Bylaws and Constitution committee that drafted a new constitution for the academy. Gamble has also contributed to the Adventist position against Christian Nationalism and is a published author with the North American Division Ministerial Association. “It is a great honor, privilege and weighty responsibility to serve the members and workers of the Rocky Mountain Conference in the capacity of vice president of administration,” remarked Gamble. “While I did not actively seek this position, God and RMC have called me to this role, and I am heartily willing to serve according to the Lord’s grace.” He added: “I see [this] role as uniquely situated to encourage and promote compassion and listening to each other throughout the conference, so I’m looking forward to using my administrative abilities to continue building up unity and mission between the schools, churches, pastors, teachers and church members in RMC. I ask the members of RMC to keep me in their prayers so that I continually pursue humility, obedience and attentiveness to Jesus as I execute the responsibilities of this role on behalf of my brothers and sisters. Thank you for the trust you have placed in me.” Gamble is joined by his ministry partner and wife, Alex, and toy poodle puppy, Johnny. He enjoys learning Colorado and Wyoming history and exploring ghost towns. You will also find Gamble spending time reading Greek poetry, learning about Christian communities in Jerusalem, and losing at chess.
Blogs
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The Teacher’s Notes–Authentic Christian Ministry, Lesson 10 Adult Bible Study Guide, 2026 3Q, "First and Second Corinthians"
– August 29, 2026Sabbath School Lesson for August 29-September 4, 2026 Introduction of Lesson 10, Authentic Christian Ministry Memory Text: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, ESV Especially when difficulties and seemingly insurmountable trouble assails us on every front, like they did for Paul, we tend to reach out to God for some indication that our service is Spirit-led and that God is truly behind our efforts. Everyone deserves to know whether their calling to serve God has been a true calling–an authentic one. Paul outlines what a valid life of Christian service consists of in 2 Corinthians, chapters 3-7. Are we uplifting the death and life of Jesus in a way that resembles the experience He had when He lived on earth? “The conversion of sinners and their sanctification through the truth is the strongest proof a minister can have that God has called him to the ministry.” ~Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 328. This week, we’ll explore: Sunday: Fruits of an Authentic Ministry Monday: Suffering and Glory Tuesday: Christ-focused Ministry of Reconciliation Wednesday: Call to Holiness Thursday: Comfort and Joy Sunday: Fruits of an Authentic Ministry In the Greco-Roman world of Paul, evidence of someone’s value largely depended on letters of recommendation you carried with you to prove your good character. Even today, we provide references along with our resume when seeking employment. Paul, however, pointed to the faithful Corinthian church as his letter of recommendation. They were his epistle, “written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:3). Paul explained that he and his associates were, therefore, ministers of the new covenant, rather than the old. God’s glory that shone on the face of Moses when he delivered the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone was even more glorious as it shone forth in the hearts of the Corinthian believers. Verses for reflection and discussion: 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 How can we today show the authenticity of a pastor’s calling? 2 Corinthians 3:4-9 and Jeremiah 31:33 What is the difference, if any, between the old and new covenants that Paul referred to here? When does the old covenant become the new for the believers before Christ, and those living in Paul’s day? Monday: Suffering and Glory Jesus suffered here on earth and if we are to be like Him, we can expect a life of trials and suffering. Jesus confirmed this in John 16:33: “…in this world, you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Therefore, Paul did not hesitate to mention the many times he and his fellow workers had suffered. See 2 Corinthians 4:8, 9. But, this suffering had prepared them for any hard times they might still endure. Their suffering made them stronger and able to comfort others. It had indeed brought life to the believers in Corinth. Just as the suffering and death of Jesus brought about His resurrection to life, we find life in our present, brief encounter with suffering. It will ultimately mean a glorious future of heavenly bliss that will last forever. Verses for reflection and discussion: 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 What were some of Paul’s trials and how did he endure them? What helps you most when life gets hard to bear? 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 How does our earthly house/tent (our bodies) in v. 1 sound like the earthen vessels in 2 Corinthians 4:7? What is the treasure that we store in those earthen vessels, and how and when will our earthly habitation become immortal? Tuesday: Christ-focused Ministry of Reconciliation No one has perfected a ministry of reconciliation that matches that of Jesus. He, being God in the flesh, died on a cruel cross so we can be reconciled with our Creator. No one, before or since, can bring sinners that close to God in such a dramatic and comprehensive way. Only when we focus on Christ’s mighty work of reconciliation can we have such a ministry ourselves. Nothing is more important than bringing people to the feet of Jesus–something we all can do with the Spirit’s guidance. Paul rightly called God’s children His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), working on His behalf, spreading the gospel message of salvation to others. How important it is, then, to represent Him fully, with a heart overflowing with love for God and for the people He died for. Verses for reflection and discussion: 2 Corinthians 5:10-15 How did Paul demonstrate a ministry that was centered in Christ? 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Colossians 1:19-23, and Ephesians 2:13-16 What does it mean to have a ministry of reconciliation? Wednesday: Call to Holiness The need for God’s people to be holy couldn’t be emphasized enough by Paul. He declared the importance of our love and affection for each other, in other words, our horizontal reconciliations, as proof that we are reconciled with God. This reconciliation is needed if we are to be holy enough to be in God’s presence. Paul’s words encourage us to be holy by separating ourselves from unclean, unholy people and things, especially anything associated with idolatry. He used words like this: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers”, “Come out from among them”, “Be separate”, “Do not touch what is unclean”, “Let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement”, and “Make holiness perfect in the fear of God”. See 2 Corinthians 6:6:14-17 and 7:1. This call is not one-sided though. It comes with many promises that speak of God’s desire to help us in our quest for holiness. He promises to: dwell in us, walk among us, be our God, allow us to be His people, receive us, be a Father to us, and make us <a class="cat-post-excerpt-more" href="https://www.outlookmag.org/the-teachers-notes-authentic-christian-ministry-lesson-10/" title="Continue reading The Teacher’s Notes–Authentic Christian Ministry, Lesson 10 Adult Bible Study Guide, 2026 3Q, “First and Second Corinthians”“>Read more…
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Kiss Him so as Not to Wake Him Glass Children — Part 1
– August 27, 2026I was thirty-seven months old when my brother came home. That year was counted in minutes, hours, days, weeks, then months. The first thing I was taught was how to kiss him. Lightly. Barely. I would lean over him at bedtime while Mommy rocked him and put my mouth against his forehead without any weight behind it. I was to kiss but not wake him. Mommy felt it important for me to kiss him every night because he might not be there in the morning. After he was born, while they were still hospitalized Mommy and Daddy told me he might die. I was standing on a step outside Mommy’s hospital room window. The hospital was very progressive making a way for children to visit their mothers I stood there and told my parents we needed to pray to Jesus—and then I did. He came home. No one was sitting a three-year-old down to explain what was wrong with the baby. I heard conversations. I made sense of it the way small children do with incomplete information. They did not have a diagnosis until he was 9 months old. Cerebral Palsy. I worked at learning to say these new words. So I kissed him carefully, to not wake him, in case it was the last time–every night. There is a clinical name for what was happening to me in those months, and it is not the one most people expect. It wasn’t fear. A frightened child cries, clings, asks. I did none of that. What I developed instead was hypervigilance — a nervous system that never fully stands down, listens for breathing while it sleeps, that reads a room before it enters it. In a small child, hypervigilance doesn’t look like anxiety. It looks like being good at things. It looks like carefulness, and gentleness, and a little girl who always seems to know what the adults need before they ask. Families rarely worry about that child. They are grateful for her. I am a Glass Child There is a name for her now, too. Glass Child — a term popularized by Alicia Meneses Maples, who grew up between two brothers with profound needs. Glass not because we are fragile, which is the common misreading, but because we are looked through. It is meant to describe a child/adult who grew up in a home where one or more other children required a large amount of the parents’ resources and time. The family’s eyes go past us to the one who might not survive the night. Not every sibling cares for the term, and some parents find it unjust. I use it because the first time I heard it, I recognized myself, and I had been waiting a very long time to be recognized. An easy term that sums up the situation I have spent my career sitting across from the grown version of that child. She comes in at forty, at fifty, wanting to know why she can’t sleep, why her chest tightens when the phone rings at an odd hour. She describes a childhood she insists was fine — and it was fine, in the sense that no one ever hurt her. No one did. That is exactly what makes it so hard to see. But you cannot spend your first years rehearsing a death every night and expect your body to forget the rehearsal. None of this is an accusation. My parents were not careless or unkind. They were doing the only arithmetic available to them: one child needed watching in order to stay alive, and one child did not. They were right. I have raised four children of my own. I know what finite looks like. Short of a medical team living in our house, the arithmetic was going to come out the way it came out. A child, though, cannot hold both halves of that arithmetic. She only ever learns the half about herself. It surprised every adult in the family when he turned one and was still alive. And there is a great deal more of this story to tell. What I want you to see first is the small girl at the side of the rocking chair — so gentle, so quiet, so easy to raise. Loving carefully. Asking for nothing. Listening in the dark for a sound that would tell her the world was still all right. Next time: the night I could not sleep. Father, for every child who learned early to take up no room — You have never once looked past her. Help the rest of us to see what You see. Amen.
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What Genealogies Tell Us VI The Chain Connects
– August 26, 2026We’ve already watched Noah break this genealogy’s pattern several times — five hundred years before a son is named, three sons instead of one, the wrong son listed first. But there’s another break, and it’s the one that changes what the whole chapter has been doing. Every age in Genesis 5 does the same job. It measures one generation against the next. Adam is 130 when Seth is born. Seth is 105 when Enosh is born. On and on, ten times over — each number tying one man to the man before him and the man after him. Internal bookkeeping, generation to generation, and nothing else. Then look at what happens to Noah’s age a second time. Genesis 5 tells us he’s 500 when his sons are named. But Genesis 7 tells us something Genesis 5 never told us about anyone else: “Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth.” That number doesn’t link Noah—or the genealogy—to any person. It links them both to an event. A world-altering event. That’s a clear signal, telling us what the author wants us to understand. Count back through nine generations and ten ages and hundreds of years of “he lived, and he fathered, and he died,” and you won’t find another instance. No one else’s age is pinned to anything outside the family line. Adam’s isn’t linked to the fall. Enoch’s isn’t linked to any historical moment related to his walk with God. To this point, only Noah’s reaches past the genealogy’s pattern to grasp something happening in the world. Again, this signals that the chain itself was never just a family record. Ten generations, ten sets of ages, all of it internal, all of it self-referential — until the last name suddenly points outward and says: this is what it was all for. The genealogy wasn’t counting years. It was counting down. Counting down to the greatest catastrophe humankind had yet known. And the greatest deliverance.
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It’s Not Too Big For God No Problem Too Big
– August 25, 2026https://youtube.com/shorts/Vtk8aBy9tag?si=KiFI_rOTgmEx2ydi
Featured Stories
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MAUC Ministerial and Evangelism Constituency Session Report 2026: Collaborating in Ministry Collaborating in Ministry
– September 1, 2026Central to the focus of my work is the ministry of encouragement and support to our team of six conference ministerial directors. It is a joy and privilege to work alongside each one: Bobby Waters, Central States; Darrel Lindensmith, Dakota; Bryan Gallant, Iowa-Missouri; Virgil Covel, Kansas-Nebraska; Karen Lewis, Minnesota; and Sean Lee, Rocky Mountain. Among this group of stellar directors is a sweet spirit of unity, through which we learn from each other, pooling ideas and sharing resources. During our regular meetings, annual retreats, and when serving together, there is a sense of mutual support for the work of supporting pastors in each of our fields. ENCOURAGED TO FLOURISH Every other year our six conferences combine efforts to support our intern pastors by hosting a three-day retreat in which we can all learn from each other. Hosted at the union office in November of 2023 and 2025, our team of ministerial directors each provided presentations, with time for discussion and dialogue among the pastors of all six conferences. While many contexts are unique, we all face similar challenges from which we can encourage and support one another. Another opportunity to collaborate came in July of 2024 at the Double Tree hotel in Overland Park, Kansas, during our union-wide ministerial retreat entitled “Flourish.” Presenters included Freddy Russell, Ty Gibson, Elizabeth Talbot, Joe Kidder, and Michael Campbell, each sharing from their personal and professional experience how to flourish in life, leadership, and ministry. The worship and praise music was pastor-led and included an original theme song co-written by Sullivan Dutra and myself. Pastors’ children enjoyed specific programming provided by our very own children’s ministry department, led by Tyrone Douglas. As a resource and keepsake, the ministerial team each contributed to the writing of a 40-day devotional book, given to each pastor and family member. This event was also a collaboration with AdventHealth Kansas City, which provided funding, and their team of hospital chaplains joined us, offering much support and ministry to our pastors and families. GOSPEL PARTNERSHIPS For the 2024 International Pathfinder Camporee in Gillette, Wyoming, the ministerial and evangelism department coordinated the on-site baptisms that took place before the nightly program. Preparations made years in advance culminated the week of camporee with the help of hundreds of volunteers. Even the inclement weather could not hold back the power of the Holy Spirit as 1,200 Pathfinders were baptized in just three evening sessions at camporee. A special Bible, certificate and pin, along with numerous resources for their continued journey of faith were given to each one. Leadership of the evangelism department was added to my portfolio near the end of 2024, which launched us into a flurry of activity in St. Louis ahead of the 2025 General Conference Session. To the city and surrounding areas, ministry took on many forms, including a four-day free medical, dental and health check clinic known as Your Pathway to Health, the launching of a Bible school and training program, area evangelism meetings entitled “Hope Rally” by Breath of Life speaker Debleaire Snell, and “Revelation of Hope” by Elder Ted Wilson. We are grateful for the efforts of our St. Louis pastors and lay members for hosting numerous follow-up classes and seminars. Also this past year was a major evangelistic initiative called Pentecost 2025, in which churches and schools hosted events in more than 360 communities around Mid-America. Funded in part by the NAD, each local conference saw Pentecost 2025 help return a focus of local church evangelism to many areas of our union. Now our attention turns to how local conferences will continue the evangelism fervor in the coming years with Pentecost & Beyond, as well as OneVoice 2027. GRATITUDE AND HOPE My heart is filled with gratitude and thankfulness for what God has accomplished these past five years. For each ministerial director who has accepted God’s call to serve, I am appreciative of their unique contributions to our union-wide team. For the partnerships of the International Camporee, Your Pathway to Health, Breath of Life and the General Conference, we have been so blessed in Mid-America to host these recent worldwide events for the glory of God. It is my hope and prayer, as local churches and schools engage in Pentecost & Beyond in 2026 as well as OneVoice 2027 in celebration of the 2,000-year anniversary of Christ’s baptism and commencement of His earthly ministry, that God’s Spirit would continue to be poured out in every corner of Mid-America. Craig Carr is director of the ministerial and evangelism departments.
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MAUC Constituency Session Report 2026: Office of Education Honoring Legacy, Leading Forward
– September 1, 2026Education across the Mid-America Union Conference has experienced a season of meaningful transition, growth and renewed clarity of purpose. Our schools have adapted to shifting enrollment patterns, along with closures and reopenings of schools. Through each challenge and transition, school communities have remained steadfast in their mission, continuing to provide quality Christ-centered education with consistency, care and a deep commitment to student growth. This season has also been defined by significant leadership transitions that have shaped the direction and continuity of our work. Gerry Ban’s retirement marked the conclusion of seven years of dedicated service as associate director, where his steady leadership, thoughtful counsel, and commitment to supporting schools left a lasting impact across the union. Later in 2025, we were saddened by Gerry’s passing, and we remember with gratitude the lasting influence of his leadership and the relationships he built across our school communities. We also pause to honor the life and legacy of LouAnn Howard, whose passing in September 2025 marked the close of more than four decades of faithful service to Adventist education. Her influence as a teacher, superintendent, mentor, associate director, and director continues to be reflected in the strength of our schools, the development of leaders, and the intentional care for educators across the Mid-America Union. In this time of transition, new leadership has emerged to continue and expand this work. I joined the Office of Education as associate director and now serve as director, bringing a focus on leadership development, standards-based learning, and system alignment. Melissa Morris also recently joined the team as associate director, bringing experience as a conference superintendent and executive secretary. Her skill and talents will strengthen our capacity to support our schools, educators and initiatives. Together with our support staff, the Office of Education remains committed to serving leaders and educators through intentional support, clear communication, and aligned systems that build capacity, strengthen instruction, and foster a collaborative culture across the Mid-America Union. SUPPORTING PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE A continued emphasis on professional excellence remains central to our work. Educators and leaders have engaged in a wide range of professional learning opportunities, including sponsored participation in the North American Division’s Something Better educators convention in Phoenix, Arizona, which provided large-scale, mission-driven professional development centered on faith integration, instructional best practices, and innovation in Adventist education. In addition, leaders were sponsored to participate in the ASDASA convention in Houston, Texas, a mid-cycle gathering of more than 400 educational leaders across the NAD focused on spiritual renewal, leadership development, and collaborative growth. The conference emphasized that effective leadership is cultivated through continuous learning and intentional collaboration across roles and regions. Union-wide efforts have also included targeted curriculum training and ongoing professional development in standards-based learning, equipping educators with practical strategies to align instruction, assessment and feedback with clearly defined proficiency scales. This work has been strengthened through workshops, coaching and collaborative planning structures designed to build consistency across classrooms. Small school leadership cohorts—designed specifically for teaching principals—have provided structured opportunities for collaboration, professional reading, and leadership growth. Together these efforts reflect a deep commitment to equipping educators with both the mindset and the tools necessary to strengthen instruction, improve student learning outcomes, and build coherent, aligned systems across the Mid-America Union. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Collaboration with Union Adventist University has continued to strengthen opportunities for both students and educators. Through leadership development, along with shared experiences such as athletic tournaments and music festivals, academy students are provided with meaningful opportunities to connect and engage beyond their local schools. At the same time, intentional collaboration between secondary teachers and university professors has created valuable connections that support alignment and instructional growth. This partnership also extends to the UAU education department, where a continued focus on teacher preparation is helping to build a strong pipeline of future educators who are equipped to serve in Mid-America schools. Denominational certification remains a priority area of focus. Current data reflects a diverse certification landscape, with 29% of educators holding Professional certification, 31% Standard, 4% Basic, 13% Conditional. Additionally, educator qualifications continue to demonstrate strength, with 35% holding master’s degrees, 40% bachelor’s degrees, and a growing number pursuing advanced degrees. These data points highlight both the progress made and the ongoing opportunity to strengthen certification pathways across the union. The introduction of the Johns Hopkins School Climate Survey has provided an important system-wide lens into the experiences of students, families and staff. Participation has steadily increased, alongside meaningful engagement from parents, teachers and administrators. Schools have been encouraged by the positive results, particularly in areas such as safety, teacher-student relationships, high expectations, and clear communication. These insights have not only affirmed the strengths within our school communities but have also provided actionable data to guide improvement efforts. Schools are increasingly engaging in intentional planning processes, developing Continuous Improvement Plans that are more data-informed and aligned with long-term strategic goals. ADVANCING THE MISSION Looking ahead, the Mid-America Union Office of Education is moving forward with a renewed mission: to foster a deep connection with God in educators and students, encouraging a lifelong dedication to learning and a continual pursuit of growth and excellence. Identifying clear priorities that directly align with and advance our mission—Anchor, Build and Cultivate—provide a focused framework for the future. Anchor calls us to strengthen Christ-centered leadership, deepen relationships, and respond intentionally to the social-emotional and spiritual needs of students. Build emphasizes the development of coherent systems, professional excellence, and aligned instructional practices across the union. Cultivate looks outward, encouraging growth through community engagement, innovative school models, and expanded opportunities for students and families. Together these priorities position Mid-America Union schools to continue growing in faith, purpose and impact. As we move forward, we do so with gratitude for the foundation laid, confidence in the leadership present, and a shared commitment to living out our mission in every school and every community we serve. Carisa Carr is director of education for the Mid-America Union.
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MAUC Constituency Session Report 2026: Communication Ministries Inspiring Through Transitions
– September 1, 2026Over the past five years, the Mid-America Union Communication Department has focused on strengthening and supporting the communication ministries of our local conferences while helping tell the story of how God is working throughout our territory. In keeping with the union’s mission to strengthen its conferences and institutions, much of our work has centered on collaboration, consultation and providing practical resources to those serving on the front lines of ministry. STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS Communication cannot be done alone. It requires strong partnerships, trust, listening and collaboration. Because of that, we have intentionally invested in relationships with our conference communication directors through regular consultations, advisories, retreats, training opportunities and shared projects. During this quinquennium, five of our six conferences welcomed new communication directors, making relationship building and mutual support more important than ever. We have also worked closely with our union department leaders, local conference administrations, Union Adventist University, the North American Division, AdventHealth communicators, other union communication leaders around the NAD, and communication leaders across the world church to strengthen our collective efforts. Another major focus has been strengthening OUTLOOK magazine and our digital communication platforms so they better reflect the ministries, churches, schools and members across the Mid-America Union. Through our magazine, websites, social media channels, newsletters, videos, volunteer bloggers, photographers, student interns and countless local contributors, we have sought to share stories that remind our members how God is moving in the heartland. LEARNING THROUGH LISTENING One of the greatest lessons we have learned is the importance of listening. Through surveys, conversations, and ongoing feedback, we have gained a clearer understanding of what our members value most and how we can better serve them. Recent survey results revealed a strong desire for spiritually grounded content, practical health and wellness resources, stories of community outreach, and evangelism-focused articles. Respondents also expressed interest in improved digital navigation, searchable archives, and more organized online resources on our OUTLOOKmag.org website while indicating a preference for a monthly e-newsletter. These insights are helping shape the future of our editorial and digital strategies. Compared with our 2019 survey, members continue to look to OUTLOOK as an important source of information while demonstrating a growing desire for practical resources and accessible digital communication. Their feedback reminds us that effective communication begins by listening well. We have also learned the value of investing in people. Retreats, advisories, conventions and continuing education have strengthened relationships and helped us stay informed on communication trends, crisis response, storytelling, social media strategy, marketing, artificial intelligence and team collaboration. BLESSED BY CONNECTIONS We are deeply thankful for the opportunity to serve alongside so many creative, dedicated and spiritually gifted communicators throughout our territory. We are especially grateful for our conference communication directors, whose partnership and willingness to collaborate have strengthened communication across the Mid-America Union. We are equally thankful for the many local church communicators, pastors, teachers, photographers and writers who faithfully document ministry in their own communities. Their stories, photos and videos allow OUTLOOK and our other communication platforms to reflect God’s powerful work across the heartland. We are grateful for the opportunity to invest in future communicators through student internships, partnerships with Union Adventist University feature writing classes, the annual OUTLOOK issue highlighting the university, and the LouAnn Howard Student Essay Contest. These initiatives provide young communicators with opportunities to discover and develop their gifts for ministry. Additionally, we are thankful for the trust and support of our administration and local conferences, particularly during the recent leadership transition within the communication department. We have seen firsthand that intentional succession planning, humility, and shared mission can produce healthy leadership transitions that are a testimony to God’s leading and the blessings that come through collaboration. SHARING OPPORTUNITIES AND SUCCESSES During the coming years we look forward to continuing to strengthen and equip the communication ministries of our local conferences. Whether through training opportunities, collaborative initiatives, shared resources, or one-on-one support, our desire is to help conference communicators succeed in telling the compelling stories of what God is doing throughout their territories. We are also excited to continue investing in the next generation of communicators. Through the recently funded Journalism for Adventist Solutions fellowship grant from Versacare, we are developing a communication fellowship model that we hope can eventually benefit other unions and conferences across North America. Finally, we look forward to continuing to strengthen our Mid-America communication channels: OUTLOOK magazine, our websites, social media, newsletters and video ministries. By listening carefully to our members and leaders, we hope to communicate more effectively while informing, inspiring and connecting the Mid-America family. Hugh Davis is communication director for the Mid-America Union. Stay Connected! As we move forward together, we encourage our members to stay informed and engaged by subscribing to the monthly OUTLOOK e-newsletter, following our social media channels, visiting our YouTube channel, exploring midamericaadventist.org for resources and OUTLOOKmag.org for news and inspiration, and supporting the communication ministries of their local conferences as we work together to share the everlasting gospel.
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Understanding the Structure of the Seventh-day Adventist Church **Information and graphics adapted from research conducted by the Columbia Union Visitor
– August 31, 202623,684,237 Members in the World Church* *as of Dec. 31, 2024 67, 512 Church Members in the Mid-America Union* *as of Q3 2025 MEMBERS play a vital role in the life and mission of the church. Functions include participating in worship services, encouraging fellow members, leading outreach and evangelistic efforts, volunteering in ministries, and supporting the church financially. Members make up local churches. 525 Churches and Companies in the Mid-America Union LOCAL CHURCHES serve as a community, providing space for congregational gatherings, worship services, prayer meetings and spiritual fellowship. Local churches play a key role in serving the needs of the surrounding community and in evangelism. Additionally, they offer religious educational programs, social activities and support services to nurture the spiritual growth and well-being of their members. Local churches make up conferences. 6 Conferences in the Mid-America Union CONFERENCES oversee the operations of local churches, schools, summer camps and other ministries within a specific area. Functions include providing pastoral leadership and support to local churches, facilitating evangelistic and outreach activities, and organizing camp meetings and other spiritual events. Conferences play a vital role in nurturing the spiritual life of members and overseeing the local churches’ day-to-day operations. Conferences make up unions. 9 Unions in the North American Division UNIONS, including the Mid-America Union, provide administrative leadership to conferences, schools of higher learning and health care systems. Unions provide support services to strengthen areas such as communication, community service, evangelism, IT, leadership development, legal, ministerial, youth and multilingual ministries. Unions are the intermediate administrative units between conferences and divisions, facilitating communication and collaboration. Unions make up divisions. 13 Divisions of the General Conference DIVISIONS, such as the North American Division, serve as administrative units that oversee the Adventist work within a specific geographical territory. Their functions include coordinating and providing support to the unions within their region, promoting evangelism, resourcing spiritual growth, and representing the church’s interests within their territory. Divisions do not have constituency sessions—they have executive committee meetings. Divisions are the regional offices of the the General Conference. THE GENERAL CONFERENCE serves as the world headquarters for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It provides leadership, resources and guidance to the worldwide divisions. The GC oversees the mission of the church, facilitates policies and guidelines, promotes unity and collaboration, conducts initiatives and programs, and represents the Adventist Church on an international level. Voting delegates to GC Sessions are selected by conferences and confirmed/sponsored at the union level.