PHYLLIS WARE: [Offered the opening prayer.]

DAVID OSBORNE: What God wants the most from us is for us to have a relationship with Him and to be close to His heart.

COPPERBELT HERITAGE SINGERS: [Sang "There Is a Land Which Is Rich."]

JAIME JORGE: [Rendered a violin solo, "Near to the Heart of God."]

JIM HOEHN: [Read the Scripture reading from Romans 8:38, 39.]

WILLIAM K. MILLER: [Offered prayer.]

DAVID OSBORNE: The theme for this General Conference session is "Transformed in Christ," and we are delighted that we have the first presentation by Dr. Jo Ann Davidson. Dr. Davidson is an associate professor of systematic theology at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University. We are delighted that she is going to speak to us, because she is not only an inspiring teacher and friend but also an inspiring speaker. She has been a professor at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary for eight years, and we are delighted that she is here to speak to us today on the subject "Behold the Lamb."

Before she brings God's message to us, let us worship as we listen to that beautiful song "How Great Thou Art."

JANICE CHANDLER-ETEME: [Rendered a vocal solo, "How Great Thou Art."]

JO ANN DAVIDSON: [Presented a devotional message.]

JOHN GRAZ: Mr. Chairman, brothers and sisters, dear friends, it is a privilege for me to introduce Carol A. Moody, president of the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission. Carol Moody and her team have been a continual support to our meeting planning team. They have opened doors for the General Conference and represented our interests through the city. In some difficult situations that arose during the planning process they stood firm for the wishes of Seventh-day Adventists. We recognize, Carol [applause], that such a meeting would have been impossible without your support, and we want to thank you very much for all you have done. [Applause.]

CAROL MOODY: Thank you very much, but I must also thank my staff who are seated in the audience here. Thank you very much, C.D.T. Singh. [Carol Moody expressed her thanks in several different languages.] Welcome to St. Louis, here on the banks of the mighty Mississippi River in the heart of America. [Applause.] I bring greetings to the chairman and the president, Jan Paulsen, and distinguished delegates and to all of our guests here for the fifty-eighth General Conference session of Seventh-day Adventists from Mayor Francis Slay, St. Louis executive Charles Duley, the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, and the entire St. Louis hospitality industry.

We are so honored to have the eyes of the world on St. Louis for the next several days as we host the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. We have been looking forward to this day for quite some time, and our staff even attended your conference in Toronto five years ago so that we could be better prepared to welcome all of you.

In 1764 French fur traders from New Orleans founded our city and named it after Louis IX, a king of France. Napoleon sold the Louisiana territory to President Thomas Jefferson in 1803, and overnight the size of the United States doubled. St. Louis was the center of the fur trade in America in 1804 when President Thomas Jefferson sent explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to chart the new Louisiana territory. Last year we celebrated the bicentennial of this historic event. This year we celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the Gateway Arch. This beautiful monument was built to symbolize the role that St. Louis played in the westward expansion of the United States.

You have come to St. Louis at a very exciting time. Our downtown has been experiencing a renaissance over the past three years, and nearly $3 billion have been spent on new hotels, restaurants, retail shops, condos and apartments, and treescaping. Another $1 billion will be invested in downtown developments during the next year, which will include the renovation of the old post office, the bottle district just north of the Edward Jones Dome (where we are here today), and the new St. Louis Cardinals ballpark and ballpark village.

You can zip to many St. Louis attractions on the Metrolink light rail, and I understand that many of you are doing that. Outside downtown you will find city neighborhoods with great restaurants, shopping and entertainment, and many other places of interest. Forest Park has been restored to its former glory with a $94 million facelift in time for the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase expedition last year. Within the park you will find the world-famous St. Louis Zoo, an art museum, a science center, a Missouri history museum, and a 12,000-seat outdoor theater. St. Louis has many, many more attractions for all ages and all interests, and we hope that you will have time in between some of the business sessions and your worship services to visit them. We know that you will find the people of St. Louis to be warm and friendly and representative of the real America. We invite you to return to St. Louis again and again to enjoy the many reasons nearly 17 million people visit each year. Thank you for visiting St. Louis, and we do look forward to your return. Thank you. [Applause.]

LOWELL C. COOPER: Brothers and sisters, we have been welcomed to the city of St. Louis. We have assembled here in this city from all directions of the compass, from all continents of the globe, from all paths of human experience, to reaffirm, to demonstrate once again, that we are a global family of faith. We have had an opportunity, as a prelude to our business session, to spend time in worship and meditation and in fellowship to gain perspective about our purpose and our priorities.

And building on the platform of that understanding and in continuing the spirit of these moments that we have spent together thus far, we are gathered here this afternoon to address organizational business. For many delegates this is the first opportunity to attend a General Conference session. So I suppose it might be appropriate that we take a moment or two to share some procedural information. Now, even for those who have been to sessions before, there are some new things here, so I request your ear for a moment or two. [The chairman explained the purpose and use of the badge and how to use the microphones.]

We will turn to General Conference secretary Matthew Bediako to lead us into the agenda.

MATTHEW BEDIAKO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to extend a happy welcome to all our delegates and their spouses. It is good to see you here.

The General Conference Constitution, Article V, Section 1, reads as follows: "Section 1. The General Conference shall hold quinquennial sessions at such time and place as the Executive Committee shall designate and announce by a notice published in the Adventist Review in three consecutive issues at least four months before the date for the opening of the session. In case special world conditions make it imperative to postpone the calling of the session, the Executive Committee, in regular or special council, shall have authority to make such postponement, not to exceed two years, giving notice to all constituent organizations."

Mr. Chairman, I am happy to tell you that the following notice appeared three times in the Adventist Review:

General Conference Session
Official notice is hereby given that the fifty-eighth session of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists will be held from June 29 to July 9, 2005, in the America's Center Convention Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The first meeting will begin at 15:00 hours, June 29, 2005. All duly accredited delegates are urged to be present at that time.

Jan Paulsen, General Conference President
Matthew Bediako, General Conference Secretary

Mr. Chairman, Article V, Section 4, provides that the delegates to a General Conference session shall be designated as follows:

Regular delegates not to exceed 1,240.

Delegates at large not to exceed 760.

Mr. Chairman, Article V, Section 5, provides for the appointment of regular delegates by union conferences, divisions, and the General Conference. These delegates have been duly appointed in harmony with the constitution. The secretaries of the divisions have reported to me the following numbers of regular delegates from their respective organizations, and I shall read the numbers, Mr. Chairman: East-Central Africa Division, 130 delegates; Euro-Africa Division, 51 delegates; Euro-Asia Division, 52 delegates; Inter-American Division, 188 delegates; North American Division, 110 delegates; Northern Asia-Pacific Division, 42 delegates; South American Division, 134 delegates; South Pacific Division, 55 delegates; Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, 108 delegates; Southern Asia Division, 74 delegates; Southern Asia-Pacific Division, 105 delegates; Trans-European Division, 55 delegates; West-Central Africa Division, 76 delegates. Mr. Chairman, I move that these regular delegates be seated at this hour.

LOWELL C. COOPER: Thank you very much.

MATTHEW A. BEDIAKO: Mr. Chairman, Article V, Section 7(a), of the constitution provides that all members of the General Conference Executive Committee shall be delegates at large. The present membership of the General Conference Executive Committee is 290. Section 7(b) says that all associate directors and secretaries of General Conference departments and associations are also delegates at large. This number amounts to 27. Section 7(c) says that 20 delegates selected by the General Conference Executive Committee shall also be delegates at large. This number is 20. This gives us a total of 337 delegates for Section 7(a), Section 7(b), and Section 7(c). Section 7(d) says that 10 delegates from each division shall be designated as delegates at large. That gives us 130 delegates. Section 7(e) provides for other representatives of the General Conference and division institutions and other entities, and for those employees, field secretaries, laypersons, and pastors selected by the Executive Committee of the General Conference and its divisions. The number of these delegates shall be determined as the difference between the sum of all the other categories of delegates at large and 760.

Mr. Chairman, Section 7(a), Section 7(b), Section 7(c), and Section 7(d) give us a total of 467. The difference between 760 and 467 is 293. The distribution of 293 delegates have been made as stipulated by the constitution. Mr. Chairman, I move that these delegates at large be seated at this time. [Motion was moved, seconded, and approved.]

MATTHEW A. BEDIAKO: Mr. Chairman, by adding 1,240 regular delegates to 760 delegates at large, we have a required grand total of 2,000 delegates. Mr. Chairman, this is a group of delegates provided by the constitution to initiate the work of the session. And so, Mr. Chairman, I present this delegation to you at this first meeting of the fifty-eighth session of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

This group of delegates present is now empowered to act on behalf of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists at its fifty-eighth session. I must hasten to say, Mr. Chairman, that I have just received an account of those who have already registered. We have 1,458 delegates who have registered. Registration will continue tomorrow morning, and I am sure that by the end of tomorrow we will have almost all of our delegation. Mr. Chairman, we now await your call to order.

LOWELL C. COOPER: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. On the basis of the information that you've presented regarding the composition of the delegation and the numbers of delegates who have registered and are present, I have the liberty of declaring that the fifty-eighth session of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is open for business. [Applause.]

MATTHEW A. BEDIAKO: During this quinquennium, Mr. Chairman, there has been a reorganization on the continent of Africa and in several divisions. I now call on the associate secretaries responsible for these divisions to present these organizations and bring their recommendation for them to be accepted into the sisterhood of unions and divisions. I now call on Claude Sabot to present the reorganization of the continent of Africa, the three divisions.

CLAUDE SABOT: Mr. Chairman, it is with pleasure that I move to recognize and record the reorganization of the former Africa-Indian Ocean Division and the Eastern Africa Division into three new divisions known as the East-Central Africa Division, the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, and the West-Central Africa Division, effective January 1, 2003. To accept the East-Central Africa Division into the world sisterhood of divisions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. To accept the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division into the world sisterhood of divisions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. To accept the West-Central Africa Division into the world sisterhood of division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

LOWELL C. COOPER: With the pleasure of the body, we will hear now a series of motions respecting the recognition of unions to be brought now into the sisterhood of unions in the General Conference. If it meets with your pleasure, we will vote on these as a block. But each one will be presented as a motion. We'll take a moment to call question on the motion and to recognize the delegation from that particular entity. When we have completed the list of unions, we will invite a vote on the block of motions. We turn back to microphone 1, Agustin Galicia.

AGUSTIN GALICIA: Mr. Chairman, I would like to move to recognize and record the merging of the West Russian Union Conference with the Trans-Caucasus Mission to form the Caucasus Union Mission, effective November 1, 2001, and also to accept the Caucasus Union Mission in the Euro-Asia Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

AGUSTIN GALICIA: I move, Mr. Chairman, to recognize and record the reorganization of the former North Mexican Union Conference and South Mexican Union Conference into three unions, known as the interim Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union Mission, the North Mexican Union Conference, and the South Mexican Union Conference, effective May 15, 2001. And to accept the Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union Mission in the Inter-American Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And to accept the North Mexican Union Conference in the Inter-American Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And to accept the South Mexican Union Conference in the Inter-American Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I so move.

AGUSTIN GALICIA: I move to recognize and record the reorganization of the former Central American Union Mission into three new unions known as the North Central American Union Mission, the Mid-Central American Union Mission, and the South Central American Union Conference, effective April 20, 2003. And to accept the North Central American Union Mission in the Inter-American Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And to accept the Mid-Central American Union Mission in the Inter-American Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And to accept the South Central American Union Conference of the Inter-American Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I so move.

AGUSTIN GALICIA: Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure also to move to recognize and record the organization of the Ecuador Union Mission, effective July 1, 2001, and to accept the Ecuador Union Mission in the South American Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist church. I so move.

AGUSTIN GALICIA: It is my pleasure also to move to recognize and record the reorganization of the former Central Brazil Union Conference and the South Brazil Union Conference into three unions known as the Central Brazil Union Conference, the South Brazil Union Conference, and the West Central Brazil Union Mission, effective January 1, 2005. And to accept the Central Brazil Union Conference in the South American Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And to accept the South Brazil Union Conference in the South American Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And to accept the West Central Brazil Union Mission in the South American Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I so move.

CLAUDE SABOT: Mr. Chairman, it's a pleasure to move to approve the organization of the Botswana Union Mission in the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, consisting of the South Botswana Field and the North Botswana Field, effective January 1, 2004. I move it. Mr. Chairman.

CLAUDE SABOT: Mr. Chairman, it is a pleasure to move to grant the Zambia Union Mission the status of union conference, effective August 12, 2004. I move it, Mr. Chairman.

LARRY R. EVANS: Mr. Chairman, it is a pleasure to move to recognize and record the merger of the Trans-Australian Union Conference with the Australian portion of the Trans-Tasman Union Conference to form the Australian Union Conference, effective January 1, 2001, and to accept the Australian Union Conference in the South Pacific Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I so move.

LARRY R. EVANS: I do, and I'm also very pleased to move to recognize and record the reorganization of the former Central Pacific Union Mission and the Western Pacific Union Mission into two new unions known as the New Zealand Pacific Union Conference and the Trans-Pacific Union Mission, effective January 1, 2001, and to accept the New Zealand Pacific Union Conference in the South Pacific Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And to accept the Trans-Pacific Union Mission in the South Pacific Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I so move.

BARRY OLIVER: There should be some additional wording after the words "Western Pacific Union Mission." It should read, ". . . and the New Zealand portion of the Trans-Tasman Union Conference." That portion of that union is also included in the new New Zealand Pacific Union Conference, Mr. Chairman.

LOWELL C. COOPER: Thank you; we've received that information from the secretary of the South Pacific Division, and that will be added to your motion.

TED T. JONES: Mr. Chairman, I am delighted to recognize and record the reorganization of the former Central Indian Union Mission and the South Indian Union Mission into five unions known as the East-Central India Union Mission, South-Central India Union Mission, Southeast India Union Mission, Southwest India Union Mission, and Western India Union Mission, effective April 1, 2002. And I move to accept the East-Central India Union Mission in the Southern Asia Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

TED T. JONES: Next, I move to accept the South-Central India Union Mission in the Southern Asia Division into the sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

TED T. JONES: Our next item is to accept the Southeast India Union Mission in the Southern Asia Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

TED T. JONES: I move to accept the Southwest India Union Mission in the Southern Asia Division into the sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

LOWELL C. COOPER: Question is called.

TED T. JONES: Finally, I move to accept the Western India Union Mission in the Southern Asia Division into the sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

CLAUDE SABOT: It's with pleasure that I move to recognize and record the reorganization of the former Nigeria Union Mission into two unions known as the Eastern Nigeria Union Mission and the North-Western Nigeria Union Mission, effective December 18, 2004.

CLAUDE SABOT: Mr. Chairman, I move to accept the Eastern Nigeria Union Mission in the West-Central Africa Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

CLAUDE SABOT: Mr. Chairman, I move to accept the North-Western Nigeria Union Mission in the West-Central Africa Division into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

LOWELL C. COOPER: Does that complete the presentation of union structures? All right, we've had a whole series of motions presented to us. We've called question on each one, and we'll presume that we are now ready to vote on the whole and to seat the delegates from these entities. [The motion approved.]

MATTHEW A. BEDIAKO: Mr. Chairman, at this time I would like us to take our program book and turn to pages 33 to 43, where we will find the daily programs. Mr. Chairman, I move that we accept the daily program as listed in the program book. [The motion was approved.]

MATTHEW A. BEDIAKO: Mr. Chairman, at this time I would like to turn to the agenda book and call your attention to the agenda itself. [An explanation was made concerning the various sections of the agenda. The motion was made and voted to approve the agenda.]

MATTHEW A. BEDIAKO: Mr. Chairman, in the agenda book, pages 17 and 18, we find the list of standing committees. These are the Church Manual Committee, Constitution and Bylaws Committee, Nominating Committee, and Seating of Additional Delegates and Additional Standing Committee Assignments. I would like to move that we approve these committees, with their respective chairs and secretaries. [The motion was seconded and voted.]

MATTHEW A. BEDIAKO: Mr. Chairman, I would like to point out that with these standing committees approved, all changes suggested by individuals from the floor will be referred to these standing committees for study.

Now, Mr. Chairman, a word about the General Conference Rules of Order. Each one of you should have received one in your bag. I would like you to turn to the central page, where we need to make one correction. [The correction was noted.] Mr. Chairman, as we have done in the past, these will be the rules that will guide the running of this session. Mr. Chairman, the General Conference Administrative Committee has recommended that Walter E. Carson, who served as parliamentarian at the previous session, serve in that same capacity at this session. I move that understanding. [The motion was voted.]

MATTHEW A. BEDIAKO: Mr. Chairman, as we get ready to do business for the Lord and His church at this fifty-eighth session, I would like to quote a statement from the Church Manual, page 149, regarding the duty of delegates. It reads as follows: "A delegate to a conference/mission session or constituency meeting is not chosen to represent merely the church or conference/mission. A seated delegate should view the work as a whole, remembering that he/she is responsible for the welfare of the work in every part of the field. It is not permissible for church or conference/mission delegations to organize or attempt to direct their votes as a unit. Nor is it permissible for the delegates from a large church or conference/mission to claim preeminence in directing affairs in a conference/mission session. Each delegate should be susceptible to the direction of the Holy Spirit and vote according to personal convictions. Any church or conference/mission officer or leader attempting to control the votes of a group of delegates would be considered disqualified for holding office."

Mr. Chairman, I think that this is a good counsel.

Now, Mr. Chairman, at every session we take note of those who have passed away. The delegations to this session represent about 14 million members and about 268,730 employees. Some of these workers fell asleep in Jesus during the past five years. Also many retired personnel have died. We miss their friendship and their fellowship, their support and dedication to the cause they so much loved. We look forward to meeting them again on the resurrection morning.

Mr. Chairman, at this time it would be appropriate for us to stand for a few moments of silence to remember these fallen soldiers of the cross. Now we will ask you, Mr. Chairman, to pray for the loved ones who have been left behind.

LOWELL C. COOPER: I invite the delegation and guests and visitors to stand for a moment of silence, which I will conclude with prayer. [His prayer followed.]

MATTHEW A. BEDIAKO: Mr. Chairman, I have deliberately left this next item for last. Some of you were witnesses to what happened at Toronto. During many of the business sessions we had few people present. We have talked about this, and I want to plead with all delegates-if you are a delegate, regular or at large, we plead with you to make sure you attend the sessions. We need you in order to do business here. And I have asked the division secretaries to take record of those who are absent. So I am pleading with you once more. On Wednesday afternoon there will be no business session. This will enable you to go to the exhibitions-so you don't need to rush off to the exhibitions. Wednesday afternoon the exhibition area will be closed to the public, and only delegates will be able to attend. So you have Wednesday afternoon to go and get all the gifts from the divisions and from the various organizations. But during the rest of the days, morning, evening, and afternoon, we expect every delegate to be here to do the business of God's church.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It has been wonderful to work with you this afternoon.

LOWELL C. COOPER: Thank you, Mr. Secretary, and thank you, delegates. We have completed the formal actions that were needed to open the session. We are about ready to adjourn this meeting. Our next item of business will be to meet in the various division delegations. You will see in a moment on the video screens a list of the room assignments for the various division delegations to conduct their meetings for the selection of Nominating Committee members. [Delegates were informed of the various rooms to which they should go.] I invite you now to stand as we have our benediction for this first business session.

JAMES BRAUER: [Benediction.]
LOWELL C. COOPER, Chair
MATTHEW A. BEDIAKO, Secretary
BILL BOTHE, ATHAL TOLHURST,
FRED THOMAS, and CLAUDE
SABOT, Proceedings Editors

Fifty-eighth General Conference Session, June 30, 2005, 6:45 p.m.

CHARLES W. DRAKE III: [Offered the opening prayer.].

ORVILLE D. PARCHMENT: It is a joy and a privilege for me on behalf of Elder and Mrs. Paulsen and the staff of the General Conference to welcome you to the fifty-eighth session of the General Conference.

I welcome not only those of you sitting here in the dome, but I welcome those of you joining us by Internet and by television. From the isles of the Caribbean to Africa, India, right around the world, you are joining us in celebrating and in witnessing the business of the church. It is our prayer that as a result of this fellowship and worship you will be blessed abundantly. Thank you, and may God bless you greatly.

DON C. SCHNEIDER: Those of us from the North American Division want to welcome all of you who have come from around the world. Thank you. We are so pleased to see you. We are pleased to meet you.”

We have been praying here in the North American Division for all of you. We are so pleased now that you have come. God has blessed you. He has blessed us through you. Thank you for being here as we praise God together. It is my privilege to welcome you as delegates and special guests representing the world church to the territory of the Mid-America Union Conference, the host conference for this great convocation.

DENNIS CARLSON: [See Bulletin number one for his welcome.].

G. ALEXANDER BRYANT: Welcome to all the delegates and guests and brothers and sisters from around the world, from the Central States Conference territory. Our conference covers the entire Mid-America Union, from the snowcapped rockies of Colorado to the mighty Mississippi River here in St. Louis, Missouri. From the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota to the small aircraft capital of the world in Wichita, Kansas, we welcome you. We are situated right here in the middle of the United States, not on the East Coast or the West Coast but in the middle, holding both the East Coast and the West Coast together.

Welcome from more than 11,000 members and 40 congregations and 32 pastors here in Central States. Welcome from the six churches that reside here in the St. Louis area, one of which just celebrated its centennial anniversary last year. A seventh church is scheduled to be planted right after this General Conference session on July 24, 2005.

WALTER E. BROWN: It is an honor for me to represent the 10,000-plus Seventh-day Adventists in Iowa and Missouri. We want to welcome you also to St. Louis. It is a privilege to welcome you to our conference territory. We are just happy that all of you are here. It is a blessing for us to think about people coming from every part of the world to this great city.

LORI BRYAN: [Rendered a vocal solo, “Savior, Lead Me.”]

VAN HURST: [Read Psalm 27.]

TED N. C. WILSON: The General Conference administration and the Session Planning Committee requested that a new theme song be provided for this General Conference session. Through a process, the Session Music Committee chose a dynamic song entitled “Jesus Christ, How We Adore You.”

I’d like to introduce two special people at this time, individuals who have collaborated on this theme song. Ted Jones III is the composer, and Reger Smith, Jr., is the lyricist and the arranger. Brethern, I want to thank you for what you have done. [Applause.] And I’d like now, Brother Robinson, if you would come and teach this congregation the dynamic and beautiful song “Jesus Christ, How We Adore You.”

REGINALD O. ROBINSON: It’s found on page 79 of your program book and in several other languages on page 78. Let’s join our hearts together as we sing this beautiful song, “Jesus Christ, How We Adore You.”

[“Jesus Christ, How We Adore You” was sung.]

DENNIS CARLSON: The story of the 25 million people who live in the territory of the Mid-America Union is really the story of immigration. You can go back to the native tribes when they moved in here somewhere in prehistory. And then in the mid-1700s we saw people with French backgrounds moving up the rivers and trapping. People from Spanish and English backgrounds moving into the middle part of this continent. And yet even today the story of the Mid-America Union, both within our church and within the total community, is the story of immigration. Some of us are the grandchildren or the great-grandchildren of those immigrants who came in the late 1800s. But many of our members are people who have come more recently in the past five, 10, 15, 20 years from all over the world to the cities, to the rural areas of our territory, here in the Mid-America Union. So when you come from all over the world, you will find a reflection of yourself, wherever you may come from.

One of the stories of the Mid-America Union is being celebrated now, the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Our president at that time, Thomas Jefferson, sent two men, who had 30 others with them, across this entire continent. It is one of the great stories of exploration and discovery here on this continent.

That particular expedition was the inspiration behind our special gift that we give to you as delegates and special guests. And that is the medallion. You probably found it in your packet already. And it has the symbols that represent us here in the Mid-America Union, from the Arch here in St. Louis all the way to the mountains in the Denver, Colorado, area and of course the plains and the cities between here and there. So this is a gift from the Mid-America Union family to you as a world family. You will see the names of our conferences and, of course, the logo of our denomination and the statement that this is where you received it, here at the 2005 General Conference session.

Now I would like to ask Elder Jan Paulsen, our world president, to come to the podium with me for a moment. We have placed the medallion where you can see both sides in a framed glass case with a felt background. On the medallion is written, “St. Louis Missouri, USA, 2005. Fifty-eighth General Conference Session Commemorative Medallion.” It’s a limited edition, a gift from the Mid-America Union of Seventh-day Adventists.

JAN PAULSEN: [After expressing his thanks to Carlson, Paulsen proceeded with his presidential report.] Guests, friends, colleagues, brothers and sisters, good evening. I’m delighted that you have come. I want to add my voice of welcome to those of you who are here with us in person and to the many who have joined us by satellite. Welcome to this special occasion. During this week there will be moments we will recognize and honor several persons for different reasons. But before we get any further into the program here tonight, I wonder whether you would indulge me just a private and somewhat personal moment. Personal but not very private, since so very little about my life is private these days.

But I want to honor one particular person this evening. I want to honor her for tomorrow, July 1. She has put up with me for 50 years, half a century, and that is no easy task. It requires a lot of love, patience, and tolerance and quite a lot of forgiveness, and she has brought that to our lives. And it has been a good life together. Now, I wondered, What should I do? I probably should have bought 50 roses. It seemed a lot, and I wondered, Would she even be able to carry that? So I went the other way. [Presented flower to Kari.] With just one rose, because really that says it all to me. She is a rose to me. Anyway, I just had to share that with you. Half a century is quite a while. Of course, they started them very, very young in those days.

As we continue the evening, we will now share with you, not through a comprehensive global report (that will come to you through the reports every evening from the 13 divisions), but through some selected snippets of our global church as it witnesses for Christ and serves as Christ’s hand reaching out into the community.

And sometimes, as I travel around, I ask our church, “Is your city, is your community, is your country, a better place because you are there? Does the presence of an Adventist church in a community make any difference? Would anyone notice if your church was no longer there?” If the answer is no, then we are failing in our mission as a church and in our responsibility as Christ’s representative. So this evening Kari and I want you to meet a few people who are making a difference in their community.

May I invite the Azevedos, Sergio and Marli Azevedo, to please come and join us? They are two of the leaders behind this extraordinary project. Tell us, how did it all start?

SERGIO AZEVEDO: The project began on a Friday evening, on a day close to Christmas. We thought about how we ourselves, our church and our community, could do something to help people in need. And so right after we finished supper we sat down, set up the plans, and decided to show it to our church so that we could get started. And so the pastor agreed that on the following Sabbath that we would be able to present the project to the church. Consequently we gave the church two tasks.

The first task was to collect the greatest amount of food that they were able to so that it could later be distributed through ADRA to the members of the community. And the second task was for the church to work together so that they could bring people from different classes of society to work together with the church.

JAN PAULSEN: This is amazing. Do you take food into the towns, into the favelas, to the poor people? Where do you get it from? Who gives you this food?

MARLI AZEVEDO: The food usually comes from donations from people in business. Usually people who are in businesses that do not belong to church members. Within the 10 years that the project has existed we have had more than 100,000 people donating.

JAN PAULSEN: Wonderful. Do you see the picture? Here is a church, or rather a couple in the church, who get the idea that they will go to some of the rich people, some of the businesses, and collect food for poor people, so that they can enrich their Christmas. Thank you. [Another video was shown to the attendees about an Adventist layperson, Eileen Marie from Mauritius.]

KARI PAULSEN: This story of Eileen Marie truly is an inspiring one. She has sometimes been called a “one-woman force for the good of the community.” I wish that she could have been here tonight, but I did talk to her on the phone earlier. That conversation follows.

Hello, Eileen Marie; it is so nice to be able to talk to you on the phone today, but I am sorry that you are not able to be with us at the session. It puzzles me a little that you are working with so many aspects of human suffering. In today’s world we are flooded with news of destruction, war, and all kinds of sadness. Sometimes it is all too much, and we long for some beauty and peace in all of this. Yet you work with so many aspects of human hopelessness.

EILEEN MARIE: What you need to know is that I have suffered very much and I can understand those who are suffering. That was the main reason?love for those who were suffering?that pulled me to this kind of work.

For me, I have learned to endure this kind of work, but I pray every day and ask God to help me to do this work.

KARI PAULSEN: Thank you so much. It has been a joy to talk with you.

In the Gospel of John we read that He, Jesus, was the Word. He was God, He is God, and through Him everything was made. When He walked on this earth, He preached, He prayed, He raised from the dead, He healed, and He helped. And often, He reached out His hand.

We thank the Lord tonight for the Eileen Maries of this world who have learned from our Lord to reach out their hand. [A video about Romania was presented.]

Romania is a country of majestic beauty, haunting music, and rich history. A country rich in poetry, in literature, in architecture, but also a country in which war and repression and poverty have played a big role, and today you see so much of Romania that has been marred by all of this.

I’m happy tonight to have with me Cristian Modan, our youth director in Romania, and Christian Militaru, one of the young people who took part in a project called “Once You Serve.”

You saw part of it on the program, and they don’t go just to help the poor people, but also to try to improve buildings such as schools, hospitals, parks, etc.

KARI PAULSEN: Pastor, you are kind of a driving force in this, and you have taken part in so many projects. What do the people say when you come and do these things?

CRISTIAN MODAN: Actually, the more visible the project is and the smaller the village is, the faster everybody hears about it. I think that there are three major impacts. The first is the work that we do.

The second impact is basically laying down a Christian example for the people. I remember two officials who asked us how we educated our kids like this. They said that they needed this in their schools?that they had never had that kind of success. The mayor of one town, looking at the young people working, said that he had never seen people working?for free?with so much enthusiasm.

The third impact is the relationship with the local community. This project is building a bridge between the church and the local community. The friendship that happens there will bring the gospel also.

KARI PAULSEN: Praise the Lord! Christian, you went and took part in the project. Do you have any memories you’d like to share?

CHRISTIAN MILITARU: Well, I will always remember the moments that people came to us and asked, “What are you getting paid for this? We really appreciate what you’re doing for us, but we can’t afford it, you know? We have nothing to pay you.” Of course, we try to explain that our work was voluntary and that we expected nothing in return.

KARI PAULSEN: Thank you. Pastor, how have the young people taking part in these endeavors, been impacted? What have you observed in all of this?

CRISTIAN MODAN: Well, I didn’t meet all 4,000 of them that got involved in the 180 mission trips. But those that I have seen changed a lot. They learned about teamwork, and the young people came back very good friends and ready to go again and do something for the church.

KARI PAULSEN: I can see that. And we really appreciate that you’ve come here tonight to share this with us.

JAN PAULSEN: As a church we are a believing community. We are a preaching community, we are a teaching community. We go to the Bible, we open it, we read it, we interpret it, we share it. But the question that we must also take with us is What else do we do? How do we reach into the lives of people? People who endure many daily, ongoing sufferings. We need to discover that somebody cares about them. Do we do this as a church? It’s important. Thank you to those who shared their experiences and testimonies with us.

Now, we are a global family?there are 13 divisions around the world. And I’ve asked one representative from each of these 13 divisions to join us here. They will join with Keri and me and will have a brief moment of prayer together. By our holding hands together we will symbolically demonstrate the bondedness of the church globally.

Pray with us.

It’s been a wonderful privilege for me to serve the lord and the church in a very trusted role for the five years that are now coming to an end. The colleagues I work with are the finest professionals who love the Lord and are committed to His mission and to the mission of the church. And therefore in a way the assignment, although it is a busy one, has been uncomplicated and immensely rewarding. Our emphasis during these past years has been on mission. Annual Councils have consistently, in the actions they’ve taken, focused on this.

We have supported a range of initiatives such as Go 1 million, Sow 1 Billion, the 10/40 window, the Year of Evangelism, the Elijah Project, and several others that have ensured that mission has been the context in which all decisions have been made with regard to what we will prioritize and how we will use our resources. We hold that when we engage in mission the church comes alive. For then and only then, the church becomes what it was designed to be.

In the words of inspiration God says to His people, I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you, and I will make you to be a light for the Gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, to free the captives from prison, and to release from prison those who sit in darkness (see Isa. 42:6, 7). And more recently to us as a people, the church of Christ on earth was organized for missionary purposes. And God desires to see the entire church devising ways and means whereby high and low, rich and poor, may hear the message of truth.

All that we are and all that we do finds its meaning in this. If we spend our resources and energies otherwise, we will have wasted them. I look back over the past five years, and I want to recognize and honor in particular the increasing number of lay members in our church who are engaged in mission. Whether it be in building churches or in building communities of faith by building schools or orphanages, or by feeding the poor or healing the sick, or by being partners in small group evangelism, they have participated in mission.

Multiple thousands of laypeople are involved everyday as volunteers in the mission of the church. Theirs is a service of love. They ask for nothing except to be allowed to take part. Our mission, my friends, is broad and inclusive, and there is room for all. I thank you, and I honor you for what you do. The agenda and the mandate for mission are Christ’s. And until He comes, this we will do. And we will do it together. Among our institutions there are probably none that reach more people daily than do our educational centers. They touch 1.5 million children and students every day. I honor them tonight for their ministry. And I say to them, “We need you; we cannot finish what we are here to do without you.” So I ask you, I beg of you, I encourage you, continue to love the Lord and care for His youth by teaching them the values and the identity that Christ has given us. Now a word about this particular session that we have come to. Early in the history of General Conference sessions, our pioneers made room for very important considerations and studies of biblical and spiritual matters. With the passing of time, maybe in part reflecting the increasing complexity of our global work, so much of our agenda at sessions have been occupied largely by election issues, by constitution and bylaws and by Church Manual matters.

That is important, and we will do some of that also this time. However, in planning this particular session, we have set aside significant blocks of time, quality time, to the consideration of some matters that are of critical importance to our spiritual life and to our witnessing life as a church and as a community of faith. Five mornings, from 10:45 until noon, beginning this Sunday, we will focus on the nature and character of Adventist leadership. What makes Adventist leadership special? What are its hallmarks? What is its genius?

There will be five different presentations, followed by discussions and input from the delegates, from the floor, from you. These are five highly protected periods, and we want all delegates present. The Nominating Committee will not meet during those five presentations. We want the leadership of the church, whether it be elected leadership or lay leadership. For leadership you are; that’s why you are here. We want the leadership of the church, from all levels, to be present and to take part in these considerations.

This will be followed by five periods in the early afternoon, from 2:00 to 3:00, beginning also this Sunday?five presentations that will focus on mission, and they are very, very important to the spiritual life of the church. We will consider the church and spiritual life, the church and society, the church and apostasy, the church and the cities, the church and secular life. There will be short (10- to 15-minute) presentations of each of these topics, but most of the time has been set aside for you delegates to come to the microphones, to share your convictions, to tell us what the Lord is placing on your heart, the burden you feel, the vision and understanding you have?to tell us how we can do, and plan, and think better for the church to become stronger and more effective, and more useful to God. Careful notes?I will stress this?careful notes will be taken of the comments you make so that these do not disappear with the air you breathe. They will have a life in influencing our planning and thinking after this session and what you have said, the collective input of this body, will find its way into the thinking and planning of programs and initiatives that eventually will be presented to Annual Councils. So we are serious about this; we do want to hear what you have to say in these matters, so please plan to be present at these sessions. As I look to the future, there are obviously many things that occupy my mind. Can I mention just two? First, the involvement of youth in the life and witness of our church. We have to do better than we have in the past. Second, the need among our people for a much broader sense of ownership in everything that the church is about. The church is all of us, and it has to do with what’s going to happen with us. I am very pleased with the increasingly strong and creative participation by laity in the governance, life, and witnessing of our church. They have been blessed with resources; they have spiritual gifts; and clearly they know that they are going to have to answer to God for how they use them. And that is good, that is wonderful, but it’s not enough. Please don’t hold back. Come and give all you can, do all you can, and let yourself be fully drawn into this.

Can I say a word to you who are young? I mean you who are between 15 and 30 years of age. There are not many of you here this evening, there are not many more who will see this by satellite, but those of us who are here will need to take this with us back to our respective churches, back to the young people; we need to communicate this to them. So I am speaking to you who are young, you who are students, you who are young professionals: I want you to come in and to partner with the rest of us.

I want to make room for you, for you have energies and ideas that no one can quite match. If you don’t find the church interesting, you can make it interesting; just don’t walk away from it. For walking away is the worst possible thing that you can do. Look, it’s Christ we are talking about. Don’t turn your back on Him. For if you do, all you are left with is Peter’s haunting question, To whom shall we then go? I want you who are young, I want the women, I want laity, and these three, they overlap.

I want you to claim and to accept a much, much greater share of the ownership responsibility in our church. Do not define the church as something other than yourself. That would be a mistake. The church is not defined by election, nor is it by who pays your salary. The church is defined by faith. Do you have faith? OK, you are the church. So I say to you, especially you who are young, Come walk with me for Christ and for the church. I will do my best to make space for you. For you are my wanted partner. Christ invites you, the church needs you, and we are all one family of faith.

KARLA RIVERA: [Rendered a vocal solo, “Consecration.”] [Videos on mission and on Holland, Korea, and ADRA were presented.]

OAKWOOD AEOLIANS: [Sang “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”]

REGINALD O. ROBINSON: As we have seen snippets of the president’s review of events and of the advancement of the kingdom of God around the circle of the globe, we cannot help singing, “To God be the glory, great things He hath done; so loved He the world that He gave us His Son, who yielded His life an atonement for sin, and opened the life gate that all may go in”. [The audience was led in hymn singing and praise.]

TED N. C. WILSON: Thank you, Brother Robinson. We thank you for your patience; the list of appointments to the Nominating Committee has been compiled and will be presented to you momentarily. We have an interesting announcement. Earlier today you heard that if you wish to preserve your room card intact you should not put it into the same pouch that holds your name tag, because of the magnet. You also heard that you should be very careful about credit cards getting near that particular magnet. We have information from the resident cardiologist that anyone?and this is a serious announcement?who has a surgically implanted defibrillator should not wear that particular magnet around their neck.

We would like to invite Larry Evans, the undersecretary of the General Conference, to come forward. And we have a report to bring to you regarding the caucus arrangements that have been made for the Nominating Committee. [These arrangements were explained to delegates.]

Thank you very much, and that concludes the business activity for this evening.

RHONDA KARR: [Benediction.]
TED N. C. WILSON, Chair
MATTHEW A. BEDIAKO, Secretary
BILL BOTHE, ATHAL TOLHURST,
FRED THOMAS, and CLAUDE SABOT, Proceedings Editors


Session Actions
58th General Conference session, June 30, 2005, 3:00 p.m.

EAST-CENTRAL AFRICA DIVISION, SOUTHERN AFRICA-INDIAN OCEAN DIVISION, AND WEST-CENTRAL AFRICA DIVISION-NEW DIVISIONS
VOTED, 1. To recognize and record the reorganization of the former Africa-Indian Ocean Division and the Eastern Africa Division into three new divisions known as the East-Central Africa Division, the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, and the West-Central Africa Division, effective January 1, 2003.
To accept the East-Central Africa Division into the world sisterhood of divisions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
To accept the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division into the world sisterhood of divisions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
3. To accept the West-Central Africa Division into the world sisterhood of divisions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

CAUCASUS UNION MISSION-NEW UNION MISSION
VOTED, 1. To recognize and record the merging of the West Russian Union Conference with the Trans-Caucasus Mission to form the Caucasus Union Mission, effective November 1, 2001.
2. To accept the Caucasus Union Mission (ESD) into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

INTER-OCEANIC MEXICAN UNION MISSION-NEW UNION MISSION
VOTED, 1. To recognize and record the reorganization of the former North Mexican Union Conference and the South Mexican Union Conference into three unions known as the Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union Mission, the North Mexican Union Conference, and the South Mexican Union Conference, effective May 15, 2001.
2. To accept the Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union Mission (IAD) into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

NORTH CENTRAL AMERICAN UNION MISSION, MID-CENTRAL AMERICAN UNION MISSION, AND SOUTH CENTRAL AMERICAN UNION CONFERENCE-NEW UNION MISSIONS AND NEW UNION CONFERENCE
VOTED, 1. To recognize and record the reorganization of the former Central American Union Mission into three new unions known as the North Central American Union Mission, the Mid-Central American Union Mission, and the South Central American Union Conference, effective April 20, 2003.
To accept the North Central American Union Mission (IAD) into the world
sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
To accept the Mid-Central American Union Mission (IAD) into the world
sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
To accept the South Central American Union Conference (IAD) into the world
sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

ECUADOR UNION MISSION-
NEW UNION MISSION
VOTED, 1. To recognize and record the organization of the Ecuador Union Mission, effective July 1, 2001.
2. To accept the Ecuador Union Mission (SAD) into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

WEST CENTRAL BRAZIL UNION
MISSION-NEW UNION MISSION
VOTED, 1. To recognize and record the reorganization of the former Central Brazil Union Conference and the South Brazil Union Conference into three unions known as the Central Brazil Union Conference, the South Brazil Union Conference, and the West Central Brazil Union Mission, effective January 1, 2005.
2. To accept the West Central Brazil Union Mission (SAD) into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

BOTSWANA UNION MISSION-
ORGANIZATION
VOTED, 1. To approve the organization of the Botswana Union Mission, in the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID), consisting of the South Botswana Field and the North Botswana Field, effective January 1, 2004.
2. To accept the Botswana Union Mission (SID) into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Zambia Union Mission-Conference Status
VOTED, To grant the Zambia Union Mission the status of union conference, effective August 12, 2004.

AUSTRALIAN UNION CONFERENCE- NEW UNION CONFERENCE
VOTED, 1. To recognize and record the merger of the Trans-Australian Union Conference with the Australian portion of the Trans-Tasman Union Conference to form the Australian Union Conference, effective January 1, 2001.
2. To accept the Australian Union Conference (SPD) into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

NEW ZEALAND-PACIFIC UNION CONFERENCE-NEW UNION CONFERENCE
VOTED, 1. To recognize and record the reorganization of the former Central Pacific Union Mission and the Western Pacific Union Mission and the New Zealand portion of the Trans-Tasman Union Conference into two new unions known as the New Zealand-Pacific Union Conference and the Trans-Pacific Union Mission, effective January 1, 2001.
2. To accept the New Zealand-Pacific Union Conference (SPD) into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
3. To accept the Trans-Pacific Union Mission (SPD) into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

KARNATAKA-GOA UNION MISSION, KERALA UNION MISSION, AND WESTERN INDIA UNION MISSION-NEW UNION MISSIONS
VOTED, 1. To recognize and record the reorganization of the former Central India Union Mission and the South India Union Mission into five unions known as the East-Central India Union Mission, South-Central India Union Mission, Southeast India Union Mission, Southwest India Union Mission, and Western India Union Mission, effective April 1, 2002.
2. To accept the East-Central India Union Mission (SUD) into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
3. To accept the South-Central India Union Mission (SUD) into the sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
4. To accept the Southeast India Union Mission (SUD) into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
5. To accept the Southwest India Union Mission (SUD) into the sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
6. To accept the Western India Union Mission (SUD) into the sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

NIGERIA UNION MISSION-NEW UNION MISSIONS
VOTED, 1. To recognize and record the reorganization of the former Nigeria Union Mission into two unions known as the Eastern Nigeria Union Mission and the North-Western Nigeria Union Mission, effective December 18, 2004.
2. To accept the Eastern Nigeria Union Mission (WAD) into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
To accept the North-Western Nigeria Union Mission (WAD) into the world sisterhood of unions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

DELEGATES FROM NEW UNIONS WELCOMED
Matthew A Bediako welcomed the delegates from the new unions to the fifty-eighth General Conference session.

GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSION 2005-DAILY PROGRAM
VOTED, To approve the daily program for the 2005 General Conference session as it appears in the session program booklet.

GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSION 2005-ADOPTION OF AGENDA
VOTED, To adopt the agenda for the 2005 General Conference session as it appears in the session agenda notebook, with the understanding that the order of business will be decided by the session Steering Committee and the chairmen of the business meetings.

GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSION 2005-STANDING COMMITTEES
VOTED, To approve standing committees for the 2005 General Conference Session, as follows: