Watch: Navigating the Road to San Antonio

Last Sabbath leaders of the Columbia Union Conference, Washington Adventist University (WAU) and Potomac Conference's Sligo Church in Takoma Park, Md., teamed up to host a special day of prayer in preparation for General Conference (GC) Session. Themed “Navigating the Road to San Antonio,” it included a special Sabbath School with Jiri Moskala (pictured), dean of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University (Mich). He spoke about hermeneutics, which is the study of how to interpret Scripture, and the need to understand the difference between literal and literalistic interpretation.

The speaker for divine worship was Olive Hemmings, a professor of religion at WAU,  whose message was titled “Power Through Powerlessness.” Listen here.

An afternoon symposium, organized and moderated by Celeste Ryan Blyden (right), vice president for communication and public relations, for the Columbia Union, rounded out the day. Participants (pictured left to right) included Moskala; Douglas Morgan, professor of history and political science at WAU; Bonita Shields, assistant director of discipleship at the GC Sabbath School department; Charles Tapp, senior pastor of Sligo Church; and Gary Patterson, a retired pastor and General Conference administrator, whose comments on policy garnered enthusiastic response. “The world church should not even be talking about ordination because it’s the role of unions to decide,” he shared.

According to Blyden, the focus and purpose of the day was to educate members about the key issues being discussed in churches, online and at potluck tables; facilitate healthy dialogue and answer the questions members have about ordination, unity and the role of women in ministry; and most importantly pray together for God’s presence and direction at the 60th GC Session that will begin July 1 in San Antonio. The discussion on women’s ordination and the decision about whether it is time to allow each of the 13 world divisions to decide what will work best in their regions of the world, is expected to take place on Wednesday, July 8.

Watch the Symposium - http://livestream.com/sligochurch1/SligoSymposium06272105