News

Delegates Support Amendment to Clarify Church Nominating Committee Responsibilities

Story by Lauren Davis

On July 7, 2025, at the 62nd General Conference (GC) Session in St. Louis, delegates voted to amend Church Manual Chapter 10, “Nominating Committee and the Election Process,” to clarify the distinct role and responsibilities of a church’s nominating committee.

The committee’s primary function is to recommend individuals for service, not to elect them. The amendment also specifies that the pastor, who chairs the committee, works with the treasurer to determine the eligibility of nominees for church office.

The motion read:

Maryland Churches Support Local Refugee Families During GC Session

Sligo church member Anees Abdelnour (left) and Agape church members Lionel Bailey and Jornas Pierre lend a helping hand to refugee families in St. Louis.

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Members of Potomac Conference’s Sligo church in Takoma Park, Md., frequently distribute food to refugees who have been relocated within the church's local community.

Watch the 2025 General Conference Session Livestream (Sabbath, July 12)

Want to watch the 2025 General Conference Session livestreams? They are available in English and translated into Spanish Portugese, French, Russian and American Sign Language. Find all the streams here.

Watch the 2025 General Conference Session Livestream (Friday, July 11)

Photo by Nikolay Stoykov/AME (CC BY 4.0)

General Conference Elects Associate Directors and GCAS Team to Support Global Church Ministries

Photo by Elsie Tjeransen/AME (CC BY 4.0)

Story by Adventist News Network

On July 9, 2025, during the 62nd General Conference (GC) Session in St. Louis, Missouri, delegates elected associate directors to serve in various departments of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the 2025–2030 quinquennium.

Working under their respective department directors, these associate leaders help develop global strategies, implement key initiatives, and provide field-level support across the church’s core areas of ministry—including education, health, youth, stewardship, Sabbath School, family ministries, and more.

The elected associate directors are:

Adventist Media Ministries Tap Into Timely Innovations to Declare the Timeless Message of Christ

A Voice of Prophecy exhibit hall booth volunteer stands in front of the spinning gift wheel. Photo by Melvin Labrajo Donadelle/AME (CC BY 4.0)

Story by John Simon

God has appointed His followers to proliferate the everlasting gospel and the three angels’ messages throughout the world. One way to diminish this daunting task is to utilize various technological advancements to achieve a more extensive reach. Voice of Prophecy and It Is Written have done this effectively for many decades.

Delegates Approve 11 New Union Missions Into the Seventh-day Adventist Church

General Conference President Erton C. Köhler announces the addition of 11 new union conferences and union missions to the sisterhood of unions within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Photo by Jim Botha/AME (CC BY 4.0)

Story by Lauren Davis

In a majority vote, delegates at the 2025 General Conference Session approved the addition of 11 new union conferences and union missions to the sisterhood of unions within the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The new unions represent the following countries or regions: