Members of the Mid-America Union Executive Committee gathered at the College View Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Nov. 21, 2024, for their regularly scheduled meeting to receive reports, vote ordination recommendations and review the proposed budget for 2025. The 35-member group is composed of institutional leaders, pastors, educators and lay members from all six conferences in the union.
The day began with biblical lessons drawn by Dr. Yami Bazan, president of Union Adventist University. Focusing on Mark 10:46-52, the story of Bartimaeus the blind man, Bazan stated that Jesus was very relational and always prioritized people. “Jesus stops and shows that He sees him,” said Bazan. “When we see and acknowledge people they can feel that God sees them. It’s a beautiful part of the body of Christ.”
Bazan added that every conversation we have as followers of Christ is with a person who wants to see, even if it doesn’t seem like it…”And the best part is that we don’t have to guess what they want—we can just ask them like Jesus did,” she said.
During his remarks, MAUC president Gary Thurber recognized multiple new members of the Executive Committee and also highlighted future events being planned for the territory. At the conclusion of his report Thurber honored Nancy Buxton, who is retiring as MAUC’s women’s ministries director at the end of the year. In addition, DeeAnn Bragaw, North American women’s ministries director, recognized Buxton’s 21 years of service.
“Mid-America has paved the way in so many areas of women’s ministries,” said Bragaw, as she presented Buxton with the Legacy of Service award. In her remarks Buxton thanked many people, including the MAUC administrators and conference presidents for their support of women’s ministries.
The committee, in executive session, voted to offer the position of women’s ministries director to Donna Brown from the Central States Conference, beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
Hubert J. Morel, Jr., MAUC vice president for administration, presented the union’s statistical report, which showed a slight overall increase in membership across the union. Morel also presented two names for ordination, one for ministerial scholarship, and one name for emeritus credentials.
During the financial report, MAUC vice president for finance David VandeVere expressed appreciation for the diligent work of the treasury team. VandeVere reported that the union-wide tithe, which is “the engine that runs the church” has decreased 2.8% percent through the first three quarters of 2024 as compared to 2023. Vandevere answered questions regarding the budgeting process and various policies.
Rick Remmers, assistant to the president of the North America Division who attended as a guest, shared that there are over 3,800 churches and schools signed up for Pentecost 2025. He also noted that seven of the nine union presidents across the NAD are new to their positions since 2021, and there are 48 new conference presidents of the 59.
During her first report to the Executive Committee, newly inaugurated Union Adventist University president Dr. Yami Bazan stated the Union is the only Adventist institution of higher learning in North America that does not carry the name of a person, place, or thing. “We carry the name of our institution in our spirit,” said Bazan as she expressed her delight in being able to serve as Union’s president.
Diane Thurber, president of Christian Record Services for the Blind, an official NAD entity, reported on the new products and services being offered to the blind community around the division.
The final report was presented by MAUC’s ministerial director Craig Carr, highlighting the retreat attended by 240 pastors and their families last summer in Kansas City. Carr distributed a copy of the devotional book created for the event by the union’s conference ministerial team.
Concluding the day was the presentation of the Excellence in Communication Ministry award presented to Ryan Teller, vice president for enrollment management at Union Adventist University, in recognition of his recent directorship of Integrated Marketing Communications and his continued leadership in helping to shape the university’s marketing and enrollment strategies.
The next Mid-America Union Executive Committee is scheduled for April 24, 2025.
