Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists’ Executive Committee members voted to change the field secretary title to undersecretary during its Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, meetings. They also voted Michael Tuionetoa as its first undersecretary beginning Oct. 1, 2024. Tuionetoa has been the pastor of the San Antonio Fil-Am International Seventh-day Adventist Church since 2020.
“When David Runnels*, the previous field secretary became the executive secretary, it provided an opportunity to review the responsibilities for both areas,” Texas Conference President Elton DeMoraes shared. “Upon doing so, it seemed more appropriate to have the position be an undersecretary, assisting the executive secretary.”
The undersecretary will continue to assist with pastoral placements and transitions for non-Spanish-speaking churches within the Texas Conference. Hispanic Ministries oversees the pastoral placements and transitions for the Spanish-speaking churches.
The Secretariat’s office maintains corporate and church-related records and facilitates ministerial licenses and employee retirements. Texas Conference currently has 354 congregations and around 1,000 full-time and part-time employees.
Tuionetoa, bilingual in English and Tongan, first joined the Texas Conference in 2015 as pastor of the Tyler Seventh-day Adventist Church in Tyler, Texas, before transitioning to the San Antonio Fil-Am International church five years later. In addition to senior, associate and youth pastoral experience at other locations, Tuionetoa has also been a school chaplain, dean and Bible teacher. A native of Tonga, he moved to the United States in 1982.
Tuionetoa is certified both as an Emotional/Spiritual Care provider and a facilitator at Prepare/Enrich for Family Ministries. He has a diploma in Theology (1996) from Fulton College, Nadi, Fiji, a bachelor’s degree in Theology (1999) from Pacific Adventist University, Boroko, Papua New Guinea and a Master of Divinity (2002) from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich. He is currently working on a Doctor of Ministry with a concentration in Growing and Multiplying Churches from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University.
He and his wife, Lavenda, have three daughters: twins Claudia and Josephine, who are beginning their first year in college and Nola, a senior in academy.
“We have enjoyed having Pastor Tuionetoa as part of the Texas Conference pastoral team for almost 10 years and look forward to God’s leading in this new role,” DeMoraes added. “Please join us in praying for this transition as his family moves to the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and the search begins for a new pastor at San Antonio Fil-Am International.”
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By Tamara Michalenko Terry, M.A., APR, associate director for Communication & Public Relations for the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
*You can view the article about David Runnels in English or Spanish by clicking the link of your choice.
