The first session of the newly constituted executive committee of the church in the Euro-Africa region took place at the premises of the Adventist University in Collonges sous Saleve, France from Sunday, October 31, through Wednesday, November 3, 2010.
The composition of the committee was modified during the General Conference plenary session (which is the highest administrative body of the church) this past summer in Atlanta, USA. The church’s executive governing body in the Euro-Africa region (officially named “General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Euro-Africa Division” because it is a regional office and represents the church’s headquarters in the region) is formed by forty six regular members – church administrators, departmental directors, union presidents (usually a union is the administrative entity of the church in a given country), directors of church institutions, pastors and lay members. The session was attended also by some twenty guests and invitees including General Conference Vice-President Armando Miranda and General Conference Treasurer Robert Lemon.
A large portion of the committee’s deliberation was geared toward the main mission of the church – revival and reformation. This emphasis, set up by the world-wide church, seeks to address the current spiritual flabbiness of the church and her inadequacy to fulfill her entrusted mission. Through this initiative, we seek to open ourselves more fully to the influence of the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
The committee members spent a substantial time in Bible study, prayer and soul searching in order to understand, take up and fittingly promote the concept of revival and reformation. The committee urges all church members and especially employees to join in the initiative and its practical expressions in order to become fully a part of it.
Several adjustments in the division personnel that could not be made last summer in Atlanta had to be completed during this session. The committee named Corrado Cozzi to lead the Communication Department in the Euro-Africa region as well as assume the role of assistant director for the department of Christian Stewardship. Elsa Cozzi was asked to continue her work as the director of the Children's Ministries Department. Finally, the committee decided that the responsibility of the Shepherdess Coordinator (a special service for spouses of pastors) will be assumed by Maria-José Brito, wife of the Ministerial Association Secretary, Mario Brito.
Other routine administrative issues had to be addressed as well – including the adoption of plans and programs for the coming year and dealing with regular administrative questions.
All departments and services were given the opportunity to present their plans; however, the three newcomers to the Division offices – Denise Hochstrasser for Women’s Ministries, Paulo Benini for the Sabbath School and Personal Ministries and Stefan Sigg for Youth Ministries – were given a special opportunity to introduce themselves and present in detail their visions and plans for their departments.
Two ideas were predominant during the entire committee session from the opening address until the closing message – two themes that should permeate all actions and plans for the coming years as the fundamental principles, objectives and motivations for all activities and programs of the church in the Euro-Africa region. These two focal points are identity and unity – our identity, which is found in Jesus Christ, and unity in the church, unity in the Spirit and unity in goals and action.
