Bob's Notebook

News and thoughts from UCC President, Bob Folkenberg, Jr.

GC Session - Report 7

Atlanta GC, July 1, 2010

One of the interesting things about this constituency meeting is the amount of time that is allowed for discussion on all points of the agenda. One thing that has struck me is that with a constituency of almost 2500, which is a very large “committee,” I would have expected a stronger hand in the deliberations by those leading and chairing the meeting. However, much freedom has been given by the chair to allow all who wish to speak to any point under discussion to do so. Also, amendments from the floor were also freely entertained.

I’m writing this report even while the floor is entertaining a motion to expand the definition of marriage to two consenting adults. It was overwhelmingly rejected. However, a delegate was allowed to make the motion and after a second, the issue was allowed to be discussed for 10 minutes. Time and again, the proceedings here in Atlanta, have served to reinforce in my mind the fact that God is truly leading in this movement. Continue to pray for our church that we might daily focus passionately on our relationship with Christ and His mission for His church!

GC Session - Report 6

Atlanta GC, June 30, 2010

Last night was a wonderful time of celebration and rejoicing. The Euro-African Division (encompassing most of Europe and North Africa) gave their mission report along with the Inter-American Division (which consists of all the countries in the Caribbean, Central America, and the countries along the north part of South America. The Inter-American Division is our largest Division with more than 3 million members. I have included some pictures of these colorful reports.

One of the interesting and challenging things any world-wide meeting must contend with is the issue of language. At any given meeting, continuous translation is being carried out in 11 different languages besides English. I have included a picture below of the handout given to delegates with the radio frequencies carrying the various languages.

GC Session - Report 5

Atlanta GC, June 27, 2010

One of the main focuses of this General Conference has been a call to the church to return to daily Bible study and prayer. Recent studies have shown that around the world, only about 50% or members spend time each day with the Word of God. This is a troubling development.

As such, besides many calls for Bible Study issued by the leadership of the church over the past year, the General Conference created a special Bible, written in 66 languages (a different language for each book of the Bible.) It then began a world-wide tour of more than 130,000 miles and 128 countries. The initiative was called “Follow the Bible.” At every stop, the invitation was made for increased Bible study and prayer on the part of the church. In the attached picture, you will find a duplicate of the actual Bible that went around the world. I am holding it along side Elder Mark Finley.

GC Session - Report 4

Atlanta, GA, June 27, 2010

Greetings from Atlanta! We had a wonderful and inspiritng Sabbath together as a world church. About 40,000 Adventist gathered together for church on Sabbath. It was a wonderful experience to hear so many voices raised to God in Praise.

Today, I'm sitting on the floor of the session, where a long deliberation is taking place on whether Associate Directors of GC departments should be voted on at the Annual Council immediately following the GC session, rather than have these vacacies filled by the Session's nominating committee. After about 2 hours of debate, with much imput from both the floor and GC leaders, the vote was taken and the decision was finally made to maintain the present method of election and that is to have the associate directors voted on at the General Conference Session. It was a close vote, but because any change to the Constitution and Bylaws requires a 2/3 majority, it did not pass.

GC Session - Report 3

Atlanta, GA, June 24, 2010

The latest report just came in from the Nominating Committee. The delegates have now voted to elect Elder G.T. Ng – from Singapore, and presently one of the Associate Secretaries of the General Conference, as the new GC Secretary. The delegates have also voted to re-elect Elder Bob Lemon as General Conference Treasurer.

GC Session - Report 2

Atlanta, GA, June 24, 2010

This GC Session is well on its way. The Nominating Committee, which was formed yesterday, is now hard at work to elect new General Conference Leadership for the next five years. The first name has come from the nominating committee, recommending the name of Elder Ted Wilson to serve as the new General Conference President. The delegates voted in favor of this name. We now have a new President. He, and his wife Nancy, have served the church for many years overseas (Russia and Africa). They have also served as President of the R&H and most recently as a general vice-president of the General Conference. In his words of acceptance he urged the church to pray for the Lord to bless our church with a great revival that will prepare us for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Latter-Rain power. Let’s remember Elder Wilson and his family in our prayers as they make this transition to their new responsibilities.

The GC Secretary has completed his report and it is truly encouraging. For the first time in our history, over each of the past five years, the church has experienced more than one million baptisms per year. That is an average of 1 baptism every 30 seconds. Our world-wide church membership has now reached 16.1 million members. In 1863, we had one Adventist member for every 373,000 people in the world. By the year 2000, that ratio had changed to 1 in 519. Now, that ratio has dropped to just one Adventist member for every 418 people in the world. Today, if you count un-baptized children – as most denominations do – we would have a world church family of between 25 to 30 million members. Praise the Lord!

Around the world, there are also 131,405 organized churches and companies. A new SDA church organized every 4.8 hours every day. These are all great statistics. However, the reality is that as we are growing, the population around the world is growing even faster. In the last 10 years the non-Adventist world population has grown by almost 1 billion people! Another example of the challenges ahead is that at the present there are 232 countries recognized by the United Nations. As a church, we have work in 203 of these countries. At the rate we have been entering unreached countries, it will take us 290 years to enter all these countries!

Another great challenge is found in the world’s growing urban populations. During this past five years, for the first time in history, there are more people living in cities than in rural areas. And it is precisely in these cities where our church has the fewest members. Take Tokyo, for example. We have only 1 Adventist for every 12,517 people. Kolkata, India has 1 Adventist for every 23,321.

There are challenges, but there are also great promises – that Jesus, our Lord, will be with us unto the end of the world! He has promised that this message, the message of His Kingdom, will be preached to the whole world and that then, the end will come.

I will sign off for now. Remember to listen to Bob’s Podcast on our website www.uccsda.org. I have recorded Elder Wilson’s acceptance speech in one of these initial podcasts.

GC Session - Report 1

Atlanta, GA, June 24, 2010

Greetings from the 59^th General Conference Session:

I’m in Atlanta, Georgia – site of this the 59^th General Conference Session. I’m here as a member of our wonderful church as well as a delegate for the Upper Columbia Conference. The weather here is hot and humid – temperatures are up to 100 degrees!! Delegates, representing the 16 million church members from around the world, have gathered for spiritual renewal and to conduct the business of the world church. The first GC Session, back in 1863, had a total of 20 delegates. Today, the total number of delegates gathered at this Session is 2,411.

I hope to send you some updates from Atlanta over the next 10 days – giving you a glimpse of what is happening in this world session. Please join me in praying that God will pour out his Spirit upon the delegates and that He will guide all the deliberations for the glory of His name and the growth of His church. Also, check out our website at www.uccsda.org and click on Bob’s Podcast. I’m uploading some regular podcasts with some of my thoughts on the proceedings as well as interviews with different church leaders. You can also direct your members to visit our website for these updates as well as the same written updates on “Bob’s Notebook.” I hope that you will find these updates helpful and informative.

Well, back to the meetings. Keep us in your prayers, that the Lord will continue to lead us forward in unity and passion for His mission.

It's All About the "Mission"

Belknap, OR, April 27, 2010

The culture of the world, its priorities and how it defines success and reality in general, are constantly seeking to define the purpose and "mission" of the church. Our mission cannot be defined by these standards. Our priorities and orientation are ultimately spiritual and "other-wordly." Our citizenship is not here - it's there! In heaven. (Phil. 3:20) Therefore, our mission is all about connecting men and women to eternity and that means introducing them to eternal life in Jesus.

I'm here in beautiful Belknap Springs, OR where I'm joining the ShareHim team for their annual planning and spiritual retreat. Sitting here in these meetings and listening to the passion and focus of these leaders to find ways to ShareHim both at home and abroad, has reminded me again of what defines true success. As a church we truly celebrate (along with all the angels in heaven) when one that was lost, commits themselves to Jesus and begins a life-long journey of faith and service. That's our mission. And, it's an awesome one!

North American Leadership Meeting

Cohutta Springs, GA, February 17, 2010

What a joy it has been to join most of the North American Division Conference Presidents for a working retreat and council here in beautiful Cohutta Springs, GA. I am constantly reminded, at events such as this, that God is leading His church in a wonderful way. Thought we face challenges and setbacks, the Lord is working through committed leaders and Pastors across this Division to preach the Three Angel's Message in preparation to the coming of the Lord.

Pastoral Leadership Meetings

Yakima, WA., February 8, 2010

Once a year, the leadership team at the Upper Columbia Conference meets one-on-one with each of the 85 Pastoral leaders. The interviews take place in Spokane, Wenatchee, Yakima and Walla Walla. I am presently in the midst of these interviews and two themes keep coming out loud and clear:

• The Lord is at work in our churches. His Spirit is equipping the church to move forward boldly for His Kingdom.
• The devil is angry and is doing all he can to distract the church from its vital mission.

I pray daily that the Lord will anoint and baptize His church with His mighty Spirit so that we can press together focus completely on sharing the love of Jesus and His soon coming with those living in the inland northwest.

ShareHim Bootcamp Trains Membership to Share the Life

Lewiston, ID, January 30, 2010

Starting on Friday night 50 lay men and women gathered in the fellowship hall of the Lewiston Seventh-day Adventist Church to learn how they could live a lifestyle focused on mission. Attendees learned how to share their testimony, work together in Outreach Leadership Teams, utilize literature and door-to-door surveys to find Bible Study interests and even how to preach an evangelistic series.

The focus of a ShareHim Bootcamp is to give the church practical tools on how they can share their faith with others. The Lord richly blessed this bootcamp. Others are planned in for the late spring and early fall. If you are interested in attending one of these training weekends, please call Dave Livermore at the Conference office for more information.

Tithe in UCC Affected by Ongoing Recession

Spokane, WA, January 26, 2010

The ongoing recession has affected many in our Conference family. Many members are without work or at times under-employed. This trend has affected giving all across the United States as well as in our own Union and Conference. The North Pacific Union tithe was down from the end of 2008 by 2%. Upper Columbia Conference was down on the year by .42% - less than 1/2%. We are thankful to the Lord for His blessing. The Conference recognizes that though tithe giving is slightly down from last year, more energies and resources need to be put on the front-lines of our work because in times of financial uncertainty, many are willing to turn to God and listen to His voice.

Reminds me of the story of General Ferdinand Foch, who at one point in a particularly bad situation during World War I radiod his central command these memorable words: "Hard pressed on my right. My center is yielding. Impossible to maneuver. Situation excellent. I attack." This is not the time to fall back. This is the time to press ahead with our mission. To lift Jesus even higher! To boldly share the life!

New Office Update

Spokane, WA, November 5, 2009

The Office Building Committee, set up by the Conference Executive Committee, has been working hard in the plans and development of our new Conference office building. The following has been accomplished to date:

• On July 30, we settled with the insurance company in a very favorable way.
• The committee, with the approval of the Executive Committee has signed a contract with a contractor (Leone & Keeble) and architect (Archetects West) who have been working hard in partnerthip with the committee in developing plans and budgets for the new building.
• Finalized on new site plan and schematic design for building, including elevation plans (see pictures)

The new building will be a little smaller than the previous building. It will have a lot of natural light and space allocation has been carefully studied and assigned. Completion date all depends on the severity of the winters ahead. Worse case scenario states that we should move into our new building in April, 2011.

Please continue to pray for this project, that the final building will serve to positively support the mission of Christ church in the Inland Northwest!

General Conference Annual Council

Silver Springs, MD, October 9-13, 2009

God is certainly working in and through His church! One cannot but stand amazed at how God is moving all around the world to prepare a people to meet the Lord! Three things really jumped out at me during the course of the meetings:

• For the fifth year in a row church growth exceeded one million new members
• Strong emphasis placed on discipleship and the need to do redemptive church membership audits. The South American Division did just this and in the course of last year dropped more 300,000 members. Other world Divisions have been doing the same. The audit is not meant to just arrive at a realistic number of active members; rather it is an attempt to intentionally find and visit all missing members and invite them back to the family.
• ADRA received an award for being the most effective denominational relief and development agency in the world.

Let's continue to pray for the Lord's blessing on His world-wide church!

UCC Pathfinders Hold Jamboree at Sun Lakes

Sun Lakes, WA. September 18-20, 2009

UCC Executive Committee Meets

Spokane, WA. August 18, 2009

The Lord truly blessed the Executive Committee which met today at the Upper Columbia Conference Office. As the body commissioned by the membership at large to lead in the mission of the church in our area, they dealt with some major issues that will help focus our combined attention on the task of taking the Gospel of Christ to our territory in our time. One of the main items that was voted was the new Conference-wide initiative called Won by One. At the heart of this plan is a focus of both our time and resources on calling, equipping and mobilizing our church membership to live an ongoing lifestyle of evangelism. More on this initiative will be presented in the very near future.

A new job description for our Hispanic Coordinator was also voted. The main change was in placing Elder Walter Pintos-Schmidt as an Associate Ministerial Director as well as granting him clear coordinator responsibilities in developing the Hispanic work in the Conference.

Other items were also voted, including new pastoral assignements for various churches.

UCC Well Represented at Oshkosh

Spokane, WA. August 24, 2009

Unbelievable! Awesome! Incredible! These are all words that come to mind to describe what being at Oshkosh was like. When you have over 35,000 Pathfinders plus thousands of support staff all camped in one place; when you have a group of people equal to the population of some respectable-size people all singing and worshiping together. If you have ever been to a GC Session - this was very similar. Clubs were there from dozens of different countries. It was truly a wonderful experience.

The Upper Columbia Conference clubs were well represented. I was so excited and proud to visit with them and note that every morning at 7:30am, all of our clubs gathered together for a combined worship. It set such a wonderful spiritual tone for the whole day and helped bring a sense of cohesion to our clubs as a whole.

The August 27 issue of the Adventist Review is dedicated solely to reporting on this wonderful event.

Wenatchee Hispanic Members Mobilize for the Harvest

East Wenatchee, WA. August 29, 2009

In preperation for their upcoming evangelistic meetings by Elder Alejandro Bullon, the members of the Wenatchee Hispanic church, along with members from Hermiston, Walla Walla and other neighboring church, went out door to door handing out audio CD's of Bullon's sermons and enlisting Bible studies from the surrounding communities. Their goal was to find 300 Bible Study interests.