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The final day of the 2020 North American Division Year-End Meeting included the Oakwood University report, presentation by Sterling Volunteers, a “pastors with disabilities” report, NAD policy amendments, church manual and consent agenda items, several quinquennial department reports, and a special presentation and breakout session on mental health.

Before diving into his report, Robinson provided a framework for the financial state of the division against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, social unrest, and political issues. “We started out 2020 very strong financially, with double digit tithe increases through January and February,” he started. “But then in March the COVID-19 crisis arrived."

Ted N.C. Wilson, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, delivered greetings to the division’s executive committee in-person. Thomas Lemon, GC general vice president, provided an update on GC Session, which was originally scheduled for July 2020 and was rescheduled to take place May 2021 as a result of restrictions set to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In addition, the NAD executive committee participated in official business dealings of Christian Record Services for the Blind and the Pacific Press Publishing Association.

Kyoshin Ahn, executive secretary of the North American Division, delivered his first report in his newly-elected role on Sunday, November 1. Ahn’s report centered on membership within the NAD territory. As of December 31, 2019, there are more than 1.2 million Seventh-day Adventists in the North American Division worshipping in 5,621 churches and 880 companies.

The evening service highlighted stories of mission within the division’s territory that creatively adapted to the realities presented by the coronavirus disease pandemic. Kenneth Denslow, assistant to the president of the North American Division, and Jose Cortes, Jr., associate director of the NAD Ministerial Association, led virtual attendees through a series of video reports and live video-conferenced interviews that were streamed online.

During the divine worship service on October 31, 2020, G. Alexander Bryant, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America (NAD), said we need the Holy Spirit now more than ever. “God's Spirit, God's grace, God's willingness to give — He's more willing to give it to you than a father to give bread to a hungry child, but this gift to you is in accordance to your capacity and ability to receive it.” 

Starting October 29, the 2020 NAD Year-End Meeting sessions will be streamed here. The first session started on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 3 p.m. ET. YEM runs to Tuesday, Nov. 3. Also included here are news stories, links to YEM photo collection, and more.

“Our theme for this year-end meeting is ‘Come Holy Spirit.’ Come, Holy Spirit — it actually was inspired from a song that we all heard, and we used to sing some time ago at our summer camps and academies, and even at some of our colleges and universities back in the mid- to late-70s,” said G. Alexander Bryant, president of the North American Division, as he opened his report during the first day of the 2020 NAD Year-End Meeting. “And so it is a prayer of ours for the Holy Spirit to come in the power that God has promised.”

On October 29, 2020, the North American Division Executive Committee met virtually during the 2020 NAD Year-End Meeting to receive the name of Elden Ramirez, the recommendation for division undersecretary, from the North American Division’s standing nominating committee. Ramirez was confirmed in a vote of 209 to 19.

Es un hermoso día de otoño aquí en Columbia, Maryland. Esta es la época del año en que nos estaríamos preparando para recibir a cientos de miembros del comité ejecutivo, sus familias, y otros invitados especiales para la reunión de negocios de fin de año de la División Norteamericana.  Así sería en cualquier otro año excepto este año, 2020. Debido a la pandemia del COVID-19, y en cumplimiento con las pautas federales, estatales, y locales, no sólo aquí en Columbia, pero dondequiera usted viva, hemos decidido que es más seguro realizar estas reuniones virtualmente.