Pastor Leonard Johnson (left), executive secretary for the Inter-American Division, types up the names submitted by each union delegation as Pastor Billy Biaggi, vice president of the Adventist world church, reads the names of nominated delegates for the General Conference Nomination Committee on June 6, 2022, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States.  The IAD Caucus meeting was held hours before the 61st General Conference Session officially began at 8:00 a.m. today.  [Daniel Gallardo/IAD]
June 6, 2022 | St. Louis, Missouri, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

More than 360 Inter-American Division (IAD) delegates met today at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, to select the 44 members of its nominating committee for the 61st General Conference Session taking place this week. Dozens more delegates were connected to the meeting online.

The nominating committee members will represent the IAD and be part of the larger delegation when nominating the next president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the coming days.

“What a pleasure to be here and be living in the last days of the world,” said Pastor Billy Biaggi, vice president of the Adventist world church overseeing the IAD Caucus proceedings. “It is a privilege and solemn time now because of polity to elect leaders and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us,” he said.

IAD President Pastor Elie Henry leads the caucus meeting on June 6, 2022, in St. Louis, Missouri, to elect 44 delegates to be part of the GC Nominating Committee this week during session.  [Photo: Daniel Gallardo/IAD]
Out of a delegation of 442, 10 percent were chosen according to policy set out by the world church, that means 44 delegates need to be selected and each of the 24 unios will be represented, said Pastor Elie Henry, president of the church in Inter-America. “For those [union] delegations with more than 15 delegates, they will have one additional person to add on the list.”

The recommendation and practice among world divisions is for union presidents who form part of the General Conference Executive Committee be included as nominating committee members, said Pastor Henry. The recommendation is to have union administrators as well as local field administrators, district pastors and lay delegates made up of men, women, and youth, he added.

To ease the process, Pastor Henry said delegates who are in person should be chosen at the session because meetings will take place morning and afternoon today.

Karen Melina Bazán, a fourth year dentist student from Regiomontana Mission in Monterrey, North Mexico, looks through session brochure during the IAD caucus meeting on Jun. 6, 2022. Melina is one of 19 youth delegates taking part in the GC Session this week.  [Photo: Daniel Gallardo/IAD]
Two delegates raised the concern that not enough lay members were being selected according to what Pastor Henry stated. “What are we here for then if we are not well represented as laypersons,” one delegate from a Spanish-speaking union said.

“Elections in a congress like this is not the only thing that we do as delegates, but it is one feature,” responded Pastor Henry. “It is a very important one, but there are many decisions that the church will make, many projects, policies and it is an opportunity for laypersons and all of us to be participants in advancing the work during this quinquennium already on course.”

“We value all of you as lay delegates and are thankful for making the sacrifice to be here with us,” said Pastor Henry.  When selecting delegates for session, unions must follow what policies allow and include a certain number of administrators, pastors, lay leaders and youth to represent that part of their region, he added.

Pastor Osvaldo Arrieta, executive secretary of the North Mexican Union holds his cellphone as the region’s delegation of 26 listens in to Pastor Arturo King, president of the North Mexican Union, on Jun. 6, 2022. King led the group choose two delegates to be part of the GC Nominating Committee. [Photo: Daniel Gallardo/IAD]
Union delegations gathered in their respective group, prayed, and submitted their nominations.

The breakdown of the 44 nominating members were read and displayed by Pastor Leonard Johnson, executive secretary for the church in Inter-America. Members include union administrators, 2 local field administrators, 2 district pastors, 7 laypersons, 4 institution leaders and 1 delegate under the category as “other worker,” Johnson said.

The entire nominating committee representing all 13 world divisions will meet later in order to bring the nominations for world church president during this year’s session.

The IAD delegation of more than 360 raise their hands approving the 44 names of delegates who will  become part of the GC Nominating Committee to elect a world church leader this week. [Photo: Daniel Gallardo/IAD]
For updates on the 61st General Conferences Session, visit us at interamerica.org