AdventHealth
When people think of the General Conference (GC) Session, they may think of elections, reports, and musical performances. But, in addition to these things, the GC Session serves as a reminder of a Church working together in unity for the advancement of the Gospel. The Southern Union’s involvement at the GC Session showcased how this Union is dedicated to fulfilling the mission of the Church.
Long before The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri, welcomed thousands of people for the 62nd GC Session, delegates, exhibitors, and visitors were planning for the event.
According to GCSession.org, “The General Conference Session (GC Session) is the highest governing body of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Convened every five years, except in rare and extraordinary circumstances, this global gathering brings together thousands of delegates, church leaders, and members to worship, elect leadership, vote on policy, and seek God’s guidance for the Church’s future.”
Being such an important event, many Church members around the world, including the Southern Union, make attending the GC Session a priority. For many, preparations for the next GC Session begin as soon as the current one concludes. For Donald Burden, pastor for the Ridge Area Church in Avon Park, Florida, this means setting aside money monthly to be able to attend.
“As soon as this General Conference is over, [my wife] begins to save monthly for the next General Conference Session. So, for example, she will take $25 from my salary, $25 from her salary, which is $50 a month. You do that over five years, you have $3,000,” shared Burden.
For Burden, the monthly monetary sacrifice — supplemented by his conference due to his pastoral role — far outweighs missing the GC Session. He has attended so many GC Sessions he has lost count. He continues to return because he said the event helps him see what God is doing in the global Church — and that gives him hope.
“I always like coming to the General Conference Session, because it gives me hope to see the world Church come together and do the business of the Kingdom. And, it just gives me strength to go back and push even harder, to see that God’s people are finishing the work, not just here in North America, but around the world,” said Burden.
Similarly, Sandra Fletcher, superintendent of education for Southeastern Conference, and her husband, Oswald, prioritize attending the GC Session. Though not required to attend, the couple believes the experience is invaluable. They also set aside money in advance, and Sandra Fletcher received some financial support from the Southeastern Conference due to her role. The couple said the GC Session serves as an opportunity to be further equipped in ministry and to gain motivation.
“Each [GC Session] that I attended has been very motivational. It encourages you to know that you’re in a great Church,” said Oswald Fletcher.
Linwood Stone, a member of the Atlanta Berean Church in Atlanta, Georgia, was also spiritually blessed at the GC Session. Stone said he began planning to attend the GC Session earlier this year. Being retired made it easier to attend, and he said seeing the work being done around the world is energizing.
“The impact [of the GC Session] really is just seeing people from all around the world come together,” said Stone. “… it brings joy to your heart to know people around the world [are] looking for Jesus to come.”
Attendees aren’t the only ones who find spiritual fulfillment at the GC Session. Exhibitors from around the globe manned booths for 10 days. TEACH Services, a self-supporting ministry located in Calhoun, Georgia, was one such exhibitor. While one of their goals was to sell books, booth volunteer Sue Hulquist said it was also about making printed materials accessible to a wider audience. Hulquist shared stories of attendees purchasing books to bring back to their home countries — books they may not otherwise have had access to.
She explained that hosting a booth is a major undertaking. TEACH Services had to decide on a display, pack and transport their books to St. Louis, and staff the booth daily. Despite the long days, Hulquist said the experience was spiritually enriching. She noted that many of the people she interacted with were from other countries, but the love for Jesus was evident in all.
“We may have differences in our culture, but there’s one thing that’s not different, and that’s that we love Jesus. We want Jesus to come soon, and we want to spread God’s word, and that’s central. Doesn’t matter that we dress different. Doesn’t matter that we talk different, or that we look different, or that our cultures are different, or what we eat is different. We have one core thing, and that is Jesus. He is our Savior — for them, for us, no matter where you’re from — He is our Savior,” said Hulquist.
The Adventist Motorcycle Ministry (AMM), a Church-supported ministry with chapters in North America, South America, and Europe, also made an appearance. A couple months before the GC Session, AMM decided they wanted to showcase their ministry through a booth at the GC Session. Dale “Fish” Van Witzenberg, AMM Kissimmee Chapter coordinator and AMM event organizer, contacted the GC Session exhibit organizer and learned there was no space available — but AMM was added to a waitlist. One month before the event, Van Witzenberg received news that a booth had opened. Planning began immediately.
The team had to secure hotels, design their booth, recruit volunteers, and raise money for the booth itself. Miraculously, through donations and volunteers, the booth came together in time for the event. Van Witzenberg said their presence significantly raised awareness of the ministry.
“There are a lot of bikers out there that just don’t know [about the ministry] …. I think this is going to double our membership,” said Van Witzenberg.
Another exhibit seeking to bring awareness to their mission was for the North American Adventist healthcare systems. These systems included AdventHealth, Adventist Health, Adventist Healthcare, Kettering, and Loma Linda. Their shared space, titled “Experience Wholeness Together,” featured interactive activities for attendees to assess their physical, mental, and spiritual health. Representatives from all five organizations rotated through the activities, emphasizing unity in their shared mission.
Elizabeth Camps, stakeholder communications manager for AdventHealth, said the partnership made sense because their goals align.
“We might word our mission statements a bit differently, but it’s all kind of based around the same thing …. We’re all mission-focused organizations fueled by mission-focused people, all after that same idea of being able to extend the healing ministry of Christ,” said Camps.
On the final day of the GC Session, the healthcare systems shared a 20-minute joint presentation on the mainstage. According to Garrett Caldwell, executive director of external communications for AdventHealth, this marked the first time the healthcare systems had an opportunity to present their mission on the mainstage. All five CEOs participated in the presentation, which included inspirational videos showing how they are fulfilling the ministry of healing, and it was met with both applause and tears.
Behind the scenes, dedicated teams worked tirelessly to make the GC Session run smoothly. Dwayne Cheddar, a member of the Oakwood University Church in Huntsville, Alabama, has been part of the GC Session production team since 2000. As one of the stage directors, Cheddar helps ensure the entire program flows as planned. Planning for the next GC Session begins in the same year the current one ends, and includes site visits, equipment logistics, and team coordination.
“The people [in attendance] see the end product — all the fancy camera work and everything there. What they don’t understand [is] how much preparation has to be done,” said Cheddar.
Cheddar said the production team works in shifts. His workday begins at 6:30 a.m., pauses at 1 p.m., resumes at 5 p.m., and ends around 9:30 p.m. Though the days are long, Cheddar said the GC Session is a great experience. Even while working, he listens to the messages and finds spiritual encouragement.
Alexander Gonzalez, a member of the West Charlotte Spanish Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, also experienced spiritual blessings through his work at the GC Session. Gonzalez, who assisted with interpreting during the last Session, was excited when asked to interpret again for the 62nd GC Session. Though not a professional translator, he has done translation work for his church and the Carolina Conference. He noted that the work requires focus and quick thinking to accurately convey meaning across languages. He said he often disconnects himself from the messages he interprets, but during this GC Session he still gained a spiritual blessing.
Gonzalez also said he finds it rewarding.
“Interpreting is a privilege. It is an honor to serve the Lord in this capacity,” said Gonzalez.
Southern Union members participated in various roles at the GC Session, and more than 40 members served as delegates. Ron C. Smith, D.Min., Ph.D., Southern Union president, said the reports, worship, and dialogue throughout the event sparked new ideas that will help shape the Union’s continued growth.
“Even though the entire North American Division makes up less than 7% of our world Church membership,” said Smith, “it’s encouraging to know that the Southern Union is showcasing what leadership and mission look like by leading the North American Division in membership and evangelism …. Seeing what other unions are doing motivates us to develop new strategies and techniques for reaching people for God.”
From encounters in the exhibit hall to the decisions made by delegates, the GC Session offered a powerful reminder that the Southern Union is not alone in the mission of advancing the Gospel, but rather is part of a world Church eagerly awaiting the return of its Savior, Jesus Christ.
Christina Norris is the associate communication director for the Southern Union Conference.
is the stakeholder communications specialist at AdventHealth.
Southern Union | September 2025
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