Photo: Northern Asia-Pacific Division News
Adventist women getting support to lead in South Korea
Jeju Island, South Korea
In South Korea, Seventh-day Adventist women have served in many essential positions at local congregations for years. To respond to the growing need to train those women leaders further, the Korean Union Conference (KUC) has provided various training programs.
One such event this year was the Women’s Leadership Training School at the Mission Leadership Training Center of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) on Jeju Island. The training event was attended by members of the Korean Adventist Women’s Association, leaders of missionary groups, Women’s and Family Ministries leaders, and Sabbath School coordinators. Forty-two women leaders recommended by five local conferences in the KUC gathered to enjoy fellowship and benefit from helpful lectures.
“It was a time to encourage and motivative them to renew their commitment and dedicate themselves to the Korean church’s mission initiative, which is ‘I Will Go Reach My World,’ ” leaders said.
Speakers included Raquel Arrais, NSD Women’s Ministries director; Si Young Kim,then-NSD president; Jae Soon An, professor of counseling psychology at Sahmyook University in Korea; Hak Bong Lee, former president of Yeosu Sanitarium and Hospital; Cheong Sil Yu, KUC Women’s Ministries director; and Jae Sung Yoon, director of the Mission Leadership Training Center on Jeju.
“We will continue to run the leadership school so that more women can benefit by educational opportunities,” Yoon said. “We also plan to produce and distribute video lectures that allow women to train themselves to be God’s servants wherever they are.” [Northern Asia-Pacific Division News and Adventist Review]
Photo: Holbrook Indian School
Native American camp meeting seeks to bridge a gap
Holbrook, Arizona, United States
The North American Division's Native American Ministries comprises three pastoral teams which, along with Holbrook Indian School,work in a region that resembles more of a mission field than a traditional church district. The Navajo Nation is a large rural geographic area, leaving the pastoral teams very isolated.
Recently, the Native population held a camp meeting on the campus of Holbrook Indian School. More than 120 people participated in the camp meeting program on Sabbath.
“Most Native American Adventists worship in very small congregations, and some live where there is no Adventist church,” Dale Wolcott, Arizona Conference Native American Ministries director, said. “General gatherings bring believers together and reinforce the reality that we are a part of a global family,” he continued.
One of the spiritual challenges of the work in the Native community is bridging the gap between Christianity and Native culture. Part of the celebration of the weekend took place when a US$20,000 matching campaign was met for the Diné Adventist Radio station. Pastor Jonathan Chitwood illustrated the impact radio can have as he told the congregation about driving far out into the reservation to visit a home with no electricity or running water. “As I got out of the car, I heard the unmistakable sounds of a radio playing from inside the house,” he said.
Throughout the weekend, individuals expressed a feeling of loss. They live in a community that faces ongoing issues with alcohol and drugs, serious health issues, and the loss of life experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Native American camp meeting was a time to weep, rejoice, and strengthen belief and faith. [Jeff Rogers, Pacific Union Recorder]
Photo: Ramon Canals, Panama City [Ariel Morales/IAD]
Inter-American Division’s lay members challenged to minister to others
Panama City, Panama
At this year’s Inter-American Division (IAD) Festival of the Laity, 500 lay Bible instructors, preachers, and evangelists, handpicked by regional leaders for leading hundreds to Christ, were challenged to intensify their evangelism efforts.
“There are intense fires taking place; flooding is more intense; wars are more intense; hunger is more intense; hate is more intense; divorces are more intense; everything is so intense today that the preaching of the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ should be more intense than ever before,” said Ramon Canals, ministerial secretary for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. “It will only happen if there are more members involved in this mission of sharing the gospel. In order to be more involved, one must put self aside, be consecrated to God continually, and be more intentional about evangelism.”
Melchor Ferreyra, IAD personal ministries director and main organizer of the festival, stated, “The proclamation of the good news of salvation has been and will always be our goal as Seventh-day Adventists and we praise God for the opportunity to celebrate so many of our lay evangelists, lay preachers and lay bible instructors who faithfully fulfill the mission of the church every day throughout their communities.”
Jamilia Joseph-Nicolls, Tobago Mission women’s ministries director, said Jesus’ style of leadership was always culturally relevant and lived by practical example, stunning listeners and making people’s lives better. “It’s all about what Jesus did when He was on earth.” [Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division]
