Members of the Mid-America Union Executive Committee gathered on Nov. 20, 2025, for their regularly scheduled fall meeting to receive reports, vote on ordination recommendations, and discuss the preliminary budget for 2026. The 38-member group is composed of institutional leaders, pastors, educators and lay members from all six conferences in the union. The day began with a focus on prayer led by new Union Adventist University chaplain Mollie Duper. She reminded the group that “when we face mighty giants we must pray mighty prayers.” Pastor Mollie shared multiple stories of prayers answered in marvelous ways in her life and also the lives of students at Union Adventist University in the past few months. “Don’t just add prayer to your schedule; build your schedule around prayer,” said Duper before asking the group to spend time praying together in small groups. The day-to-day of accomplishing mission During his remarks, MAUC president Gary Thurber introduced new members of the committee. He also paid tribute to LouAnn Howard, former MAUC education director who passed away in September.  Thurber then shared updates from around the union, including the dates for constituency sessions happening in 2026 (two local conferences and the Mid-America Union). Members of the Executive Committee watched a video highlighting some of the 361 Pentecost 2025 projects in churches and schools taking place across the Mid-America territory. Over $1 million in funding for these projects has been received from the North America Division to date. Thurber also mentioned the newest General Conference evangelism initiative called OneVoice27. This initiative, as described by GC leaders, is a coordinated emphasis for September 2027 in which the Seventh-day Adventist Church will proclaim the gospel “to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” through a unified message and an integrated use of media—by media ministries, local churches and individual members. One of the reasons 2027 has been chosen is that it marks the 2,000-year anniversary of Jesus’ baptism and anointing as found in Luke 3:21-22. Specific Bible readings and selections from The Desire of Ages are outlined to accompany OneVoice27. Membership, policy and finance Hubert J. Morel, Jr., MAUC vice president for administration, presented the union’s membership report in a printed format, which showed a slight overall increase YTD in membership. The current membership total for the union is 67,119. Morel also brought forward two names for ordination of individuals who serve as chaplains at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission. The chaplains have met with the Kansas-Nebraska Conference committee and followed the same preparation for ordination as other pastors. The committee also received a brief update from NAD undersecretary Jorge Ramirez. One of the things he shared was the creation of a new policy being introduced—NAD Working Policy S 83: Asian Church Building and Scholarship Fund. This recommended policy is designed to support the needs of the church’s rapidly growing Asian membership. Under U.S. Census and eAdventist definitions, “Asian” includes individuals with origins in the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent (e.g., Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam). The proposal suggests a future funding model tied to membership and tithe percentages (a 5% threshold) for Asian and other ethnic groups. The committee received the information as part of ongoing policy alignment discussions. Financial report During the financial report, recently-elected MAUC vice president for finance Roy Simpson reported a union-wide tithe gain of 2.14 percent YTD, as of August 2025. Simpson also presented the MAUC 2026 preliminary budget, which was unanimously approved. Collaboration is key In the report from Union Adventist University, presented by President Yami Bazan, she shared that the theme this year for UAU is thanksgiving and hope. “These two things must co-exist in the present,” she said, “as we look both to the past and the future.”  Dr. Bazan also shared new initiatives and a number of relevant statistics. She further said that plans are developing with Mid-America Union’s conference youth directors for student recruitment. Repeatedly, Bazan emphasized that collaboration is our key to the future. The focus on collaboration continued through reports from AdventSource and AdventHealth Shawnee Mission. New hires and new products and processes were highlighted by both organizations. AdventSource president Brad Forbes spoke about the upcoming leadership transition that will occur when he retires in 2026-27 and president-elect Pastor Andre McCloud begins to serve as president. Sam Huenergardt, Chief Executive Officer for AdventHealth’s Mid-America Region, reported on the new hospital that opened in Lenexa, Kansas. He also highlighted the significant number of AdventHealth leaders who have graduated from Union Adventist University’s business program. Now, due to the nursing shortage, AdventHealth has started a nursing internship program in their area and some of their interns have been Union students.  Education report Carisa Carr, newly-elected MAUC director of education, showed her passion for Adventist education saying, “Our teachers are growing the future leaders of our church and they are preparing the way for what is coming for the church.” Carr also continued the theme of collaboration in describing the partnerships of our Adventist academies with Union Adventist University. “We are stronger when we connect and collaborate,” she said. Carr reported that total student enrollment is stable at all levels including early childhood through grade 12. She also shared data from the John Hopkins School Culture Survey showing how the emotional and spiritual  classroom environments are strong across the Mid-America school system. The teacher shortage continues Currently there are 234 teachers in Adventist schools in Mid-America territory. Unfortunately, several schools did not open this fall because they could not find a teacher. Most of the schools in Mid-America are small schools (one to three teachers) where multiple grades learn in one room. Carr pointed out that Union Adventist University is the only Adventist university that operates a lab school, training teacher graduates to manage multi-grade classrooms. She stated that about 65 percent of our students come from Adventist families, which presents a big opportunity for supporting students on their spiritual journeys. A week of learning, worship, and presence The MAUC Executive Read more…

Every two years, intern pastors from across the Mid-America Union gather for a special retreat designed to support their growth, broaden their ministry perspective, and help them connect with colleagues from other conferences. About five interns from each conference are invited, though the number changes from year to year. The tradition has been in place for at least a dozen years. Craig Carr, ministerial and evangelism director for the Mid-America Union, shared that the goal is for each intern to attend at least once before ordination. Carr said the retreat is held to supplement the training that happens in local conferences and to bring pastors together as a union team. Each presentation was led by one of the local conference ministerial directors on important topics such as leadership, balance, Biblical teachings, and pastoral ministry. By meeting one another outside their usual ministry environment, interns are able to learn, share, and see ministry from a wider angle. He hopes the retreat helps pastors understand that they matter—not only inside their own conference, but throughout the union—and that strong support systems surround them personally and professionally. The impact of the retreat was clear in the testimonies of the pastors who attended. Pastor Lusajo Kasyupa of the Central States Conference said the materials and training shared by the ministerial directors were “priceless” and would help him grow as a pastor, a husband, and a father. “They will truly enhance my pastoral skills as a minister of the gospel,” he said. He also appreciated learning more about how the conference and union work together. “It gives me more insight into how the levels of leadership are orchestrated in the system. Coming to the Mid-America Union, I feel like we’re much closer together than we think.” Kasyupa said the hospitality made a strong impression. “From the moment you come to the front door, everyone has been so hospitable. After the tour, I felt like I belonged here.” Meeting interns from other regions was also encouraging. Even though they serve far apart, he found that many face similar challenges. “We realize we have so much of the same things we’re dealing with. I can reach out to any one of them to exchange ideas, ask for advice, or uplift them.” His only wish was for more time together. “I wish it was more than three days,” he said. Pastor Leif Lastine of the Minnesota Conference described the retreat as a deeply spiritual experience. He said listening to Pastor Brian talk about the need for balance in life and ministry spoke directly to him. “The Holy Spirit had spoken to me and broken through the walls of my heart in a way I hadn’t heard God in quite some time, he said ” The message about “practicing not being God” and not burning the candle at both ends was especially powerful for him. “It brought me to tears. It was exactly what I needed and had been waiting for for a very long time.” Lastine also valued meeting new friends and hearing the stories of fellow pastors who share the same calling. He said that intentional time to share personal journeys in future retreats would be very meaningful. He appreciated the practical help as well. “The books, the training, the tangible resources shared by the ministerial directors—those were invaluable.” Together, these testimonies reflect the purpose Craig Carr described: drawing interns out of their usual setting, helping them see a bigger picture of ministry, and strengthening them through connection, spiritual renewal, and practical support.  

Indonesian Seventh-day Adventist members from the Central States Conference gathered for their first-ever convocation on October 18 in Aurora, Colorado. The event brought together around 270 attendees from three Indonesian churches in the Denver area. With the theme “United, One Mission, One Spirit,” the convocation celebrated the growing Indonesian community and encouraged continued spiritual and community growth. MAUC Vice President for Administration Hubert Morel Jr. served as the guest speaker. His message supported the mission of the Indonesian churches and highlighted the importance of unity and ministry among multicultural groups in the church. After his sermon, members joined together for a fellowship dinner. The convocation featured more than 10 choirs and solo performances, offering uplifting music throughout the day. The worship service and music created an atmosphere that organizers described as “exciting and blessed.” This special gathering was planned and led by Pastor Tomás DeGyves, who heads the Multicultural Ministries for the Central States Conference. According to organizers, the goal for this first convocation was to celebrate the work of Indonesian churches in Colorado and encourage continued growth and mission outreach. The event was held at a convention center in Aurora, Colorado, making space for members from all three churches to come together in one location. Attendees worshipped, prayed, sang, and shared meals as one united group. Organizers say this celebration is only the beginning. The plan is to hold the Indonesian convocation every year as the community continues to expand.

The Iowa-Missouri Conference Executive Committee has elected Tim Saxton as the new treasurer of the Iowa-Missouri Conference. Saxton assumed his responsibilities in November 2025, joining the conference officer leadership team. Saxton had been serving with the Iowa-Missouri Conference over the past year as a pastor and financial review coordinator, and most recently as assistant treasurer. His election promoted him from within the conference’s existing team to the officer leadership position. “I am excited to be able to have Tim on the officer team,” said Lee Rochholz, conference president. “Tim understands the importance of accurate record keeping and being a good steward of the resources that God has provided while also knowing that we have a mission to carry out. He is known for his gracious spirit and approachability, working with local treasurers.” Financial expertise and spiritual leadership Saxton brings a unique combination of financial expertise and ministry experience to his role. His background includes serving as director for Adventist World Radio’s Southern Asia-Pacific Region, where he coordinated work among the region’s approximately 30 studios and 300 FM radio stations while furthering evangelistic initiatives across three divisions. From 2015 to 2021, Saxton served as vice president of White Horse Media in Priest River, Idaho, where he oversaw the administrative work of a self-supporting media ministry. He also served as one of the ministry’s associate speakers. Prior to his ministry roles, Saxton served as CEO of Saxton Care Centers, a family-owned business in St. Joseph, Missouri, that operated healthcare facilities as well as a home health agency. Mission-minded approach Executive secretary Melissa Morris expressed confidence in Saxton’s ability to guide the conference’s financial operations. “Tim is a deeply spiritual and mission-minded leader with a sincere burden for advancing the gospel work,” Morris said. “He is a kind communicator and exceptionally bright, and I am confident he will help guide the business of the conference with wisdom and purpose. I look forward to working with Tim as part of our officer team.” In his recent role as financial review coordinator and later assistant treasurer, Saxton conducted financial reviews of churches and schools within the Iowa-Missouri Conference, handled treasurer support issues for local church and school treasurers, and administered the conference insurance program. In addition to his financial role, Saxton, until recently, was serving as pastor of the Fulton Seventh-day Adventist Church in Fulton, Missouri. Saxton holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Union College (now Union Adventist University) in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was ordained to the gospel ministry in 2022. Conference leadership requests prayer support for Saxton as he assumes his new responsibilities as treasurer and joins the conference leadership team.