Potomac Holds Third Quinquennial Constituency Meeting, Welcomes New Administration

Potomac held its Third Quinquennial Constituency Meeting on March 14. Due to pandemic restrictions, the venue of the meeting convened in an online / virtual setting. Via Zoom, a video-conferencing platform, constituents discussed and voted on important conference business as well as welcomed new faces to the administrative team.

During the meeting, Charles Tapp, long-time senior pastor of Sligo church (Takoma Park, Md.) accepted the position as conference president. “Let me begin by saying that as I assume this position and look at the daunting tasks ahead, I do so with a sense of respect, reverence and humility,” said Tapp. “However, I also do so with a sense of confidence and assurance. Not confidence in me or my abilities, but confidence in a God that has led me in my life and in the nearly 40 years of my ministry as a pastor, educator, administrator and broadcaster."

“Secondly, I’d like to thank my predecessor for his tremendous 15 years of leadership and his leading in the understanding of how to grow passionate disciples of Jesus Christ. This mission is part of the DNA of the people and the Potomac Conference. I also want to thank him for his great leadership of financial stability. This allows us to extend the gospel of Jesus Christ. As we go forward, there are challenges ahead. The question is, how can we meet those challenges in which the pandemic is only one? My answer is only this—we meet these challenges the way the church has always met challenges, by putting our faith in a God that promises to never leave us or forsake us.”

As Bill Miller, conference president for nearly 15 years, steps away from his longstanding post, he expressed his gratitude to the constituents in his President’s Report saying, “Thank you to all of you for the many successful years of bringing precious souls into the kingdom and the work in growing healthy, disciple-making churches. The greatest resource we have is God and He has given us each other to be about His business and fulfilling His mission. Until Christ returns, we have been given the mission to share the unique message of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the love, grace and truth of our Saviour Jesus Christ in anticipation of His soon literal return, the Sabbath and sanctuary message and the fundamental beliefs that we hold to. God is a God of abundance. Be strong and immovable and always be enthusiastic for the Lord. Thank you for the privilege of service.”

Rick Labate, who has served as an associate for Pastoral Ministries for the past eight years and who served as a pastor within Potomac for 26 years prior, was elected to serve as the Vice President for Pastoral Ministries. Dave VandeVere, Jose Vazquez and Steve Laing will continue serving in their posts as Vice President for Finance, Vice President for Administration and Vice President for Education.

In his financial report, VandeVere shared Potomac’s successes through the COVID-19 pandemic and its bright future. “Over the last five years, God has poured out abundant blessings on our members and churches,” VandeVere said. “As a result, even though the COVID-19 pandemic has created some uncertainties, the Potomac Conference Corporation looks forward with confidence, because our God has already provided for us.”

While the meeting focused on happenings from 2015-2019, administration focuses on God’s calling to passionately continue His work. “As we move forward together, we will lean on the promises of Zechariah 4:6, ‘…not by power or by might, but by the Holy Spirit,’” said Tapp. “As we move forward into uncharted waters, it is not by us that we will be a success, our success will be totally dependent on God and being attached to the Vine. May God bless the people of the Potomac Conference. As we move forward, we move forward together.”