ANR Bulletin No. 2 – GC Session 2005, St. Louis, USA
Adventist News Review
Trans-European Division of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church

Thursday, 30 June 2005

ST. LOUIS WELCOMES ADVENTISTS

ST. LOUIS, USA [ANR] – Delegates were welcomed to the 58th
Seventh-day Adventist World Session held at ‘The America Centre’, St.
Louis, USA which commenced at 15:00 hours on Thursday, 30 June under
the theme ‘Transformed in Christ’. This session brought together
2,000 delegates and thousands of guests and visitors representing
church communities in more than 200 countries.

OPENING CEREMONIES AND PRESIDENTS REPORT

At the opening worship service of the 58th General Conference Session
in St Louis, Missouri, Jo Ann Davidson, assistant professor of
systematic theology and Andrews University, spoke on the centrality
of the death of Jesus.

Davidson noted that in contrast to our world that places great
emphasis on the birth of Jesus, "Christ wished to be remembered above
all else by his death". She noted that "The cross shows us how costly
it was for the father to forgive sinners." Spending some time to
explore the value of the sacrificial system, Davidson asked, "How
else could He rivet to our minds the costliness of sin?"

Afterwards, it was announced that 1,468 delegates were registered at
the time of the opening of the business meeting. It is hoped that
most of the two thousand delegates that are eligible to attend will
be registered shortly.

The total number of the two thousand possible delegates invited to St
Louis is in sharp contrast to the 20 delegates that met together at
the very first session of the Church in 1863.

Jan Paulsen, President of the General Conference in his keynote
address posed the question “Does the presence of your church in the
community make a difference? Would anyone notice if it was not
there?” Paulsen stressed that we have been placed in the community
for a purpose; to make a difference.

The emphasis of the General Conference for this past quinquennium has
been on Mission and the president’s video presented many effective
mission enterprises that are being used throughout the world
confirming that we are compelled to mission, to community and to
serve.

DELEGATES EXPECTATIONS FROM THE SESSION

With 102 Delegates (98 present) from Trans-European Division, we
asked some delegates at random, what are their expectations from the
General Conference Session. Here are some of their responses.

Richard Elofer – Israel: “My first expectation is a personal
spiritual enrichment. So far it has been very good starting with a
spiritual emphasis to prepare us for the business sessions.”

Hella Milbreta-Holma – Latvia: “To experience a very strong presence
of the Holy Spirit.”

Zmago Godina – Slovenia: “I don’t know what to expect as this is my
first session. I think there are some important decisions and I hope
we’ll meet up to the expectations of the church as a whole.”

Penny Mahon – Newbold College: “To meet lots of people that I know
from the many years at Newbold. To see for the first time how the
church works at a General Conference Session and to receive some
spiritual food also.”

Ryszard Jankowski – Poland: “That the church will get a new strategy
for mission and move on to reach lost people for Christ.”

Zorica Stojinov – Serbia: “I would like to see the work of the Holy
Spirit electing the right people to lead the church in the 21st
century.”

Audrey Andersson – Sweden: “God leading his church forward to finish
the work quickly so that we won’t be here in 5 years time.”

Jean Gittens – England: “A blessing for myself first and to see the
work of God moving forward.”

Ian Sleeman – England: “I expect to feel a great belonging with the
world-wide church. I’m always inspired by seeing a mixed group of
people with the same ideology and philosophy of Theology and realise
that we are not alone.”

Leon Makaousian – Lebanon: “I expect to see visionary leaders
appointed by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.”

Frederick Ditta – Pakistan: “This is my first Session and I am hoping
to gain vast experience and also to meet different members of this
family and build closer bonds with others.”

[ANR Team/ANR]

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ANR Team: Miroslav Pujic, news director/writer, Beverly Coysten,
editor/writer, Gavin Anthony, news writer.

ANR, 119 St Peter's Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3EY, England
E-mail: anr@ted-adventist.org
Website: www.ted-adventist.org

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