“It was nice to meet up with fellow pastors; we haven’t seen each other for a long time,” shared Jin Sung Kim, pastor of the Dallas Korean Seventh-day Adventist in Carrollton, Tex. He was talking about the annual Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists workers’ meeting held January 17-19, 2023, at Camp Allen in Navasota, Tex.
Because of COVID-19, the annual workers’ meeting has been held virtually. “It is not the same as being together,” Elton DeMoraes, Texas Conference president, said. “The last time we were together in person was before the pandemic. This in-person time together was needed to recharge our pastors.”
Debleaire Snell, speaker/director of Breath of Life Ministries and lead pastor at the Oakwood University Seventh-day Adventist Church in Huntsville, Ala., started each day with a devotional.
The workers’ meeting “was a great time for me to recharge through powerful sermons,” Kim added. “I was especially touched by Pastor Snell’s sermon. He reminded me of a lot of important points that I have forgotten.”
First-time attendee Rubi Pimentel, associate pastor of the Houston West Seventh-day Adventist Church, appreciated what Snell had to say and the opportunity to fellowship with others.
“I very much resonated with Debleaire Snell,” third-time attendee Michel Gibson, pastor of the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church in Keene, Tex., shared. “He spoke not only to my mind but to my heart as well. The biggest takeaway for me was engaging the leading of the Holy Spirit in my life and in the life of my congregation. His topic of expanding the borders and not taking a measuring tape to everything we do in ministry was insightful. Where we are thinking in inches, God might be thinking in feet, yards or miles. I can put limits on God by defining the boundary of my ministry instead of allowing Him to define it.”
Roger and Kathy Hernandez, Ministerial & Evangelism team for the Southern Union Conference in Peachtree Corners, Ga. focused on family, priorities and ministry during their messages. It was a good reminder for pastors to ensure they care for their own families before caring for their church families.
“Many of us look forward to the winter pastoral meetings,” Vitali Prolinski, pastor of the San Antonio Scenic Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church, shared. “They offer a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with friends, have time for spiritual and emotional renewal. We anticipate attaining knowledge that is both useful and pertinent. This year’s meetings certainly did not let us down. All speakers delivered inspiring and insightful messages. Roger and Kathy Hernandez’s presentations had a particularly strong emotional impact: they focused on authentic life experiences, shared incredibly personal stories, it was their vulnerability that moved me most.”
Scott Cormode, the Hugh De Pree Professor of Leadership Development for the Fuller Theological Seminary with locations in Pasadena, Calif. and Houston, Tex. talked about adaptive leadership, how the world is changing at an unprecedented rate and how church leaders recognize the need to adapt like never before.
“I really appreciated Dr. Scott Cormode’s simple and practical insight on pastoral leadership,” first-time attendee Jazzmine Bankston, children’s pastor at the Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church in Arlington, Tex. “He talked about the importance of empathy and listening as a precursor for effective leadership. It was very people focused rather than program focused.” She remembers him sharing, “Empathy relinquishes control. I cannot want an outcome and simultaneously truly listen to you.”
Kleber Gonçalves, director of the Center for Secular and Postmodern Studies for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Silver Spring, Md, reflected on the church’s mission, shared how to reach people in the cities and talked about the power of storytelling. We no longer need to go to the mission fields to minister to the unreached. They are right in our neighborhoods and communities.
This was the second time Emmanual Abar, pastor of the Houston United African Seventh-day Adventist Church, attended an in-person workers’ meeting. He found the devotions “highly spiritually enriching” and the presentations “very educative.” The only thing that would have made the event even better for him was more time for interaction and fellowship with pastors and administrators. That connection is essential, and the sentiment was echoed by many other pastors.
Olga Falakiseni, associate pastor of the Killeen Seventh-day Adventist Church in Killeen, Tex., attended her first Texas Conference pastors’ retreat in 2016. “Every year I leave feeling blessed and refreshed, but this year is most memorable,” she shared. “Pastor Snell and Scott Cormode spoke to my heart and led to a deep desire to renew my commitment to God and ministry!”
“It is always a joy to fellowship with other pastors!” Falakiseni added. “We really don’t get to see each other very often, so these meetings are always a great place to reconnect.”
Thursday morning was the pastors’ final time together. Departmental reports were shared, and the president’s challenge was given. DeMoraes shared about 12 encouraging words from family care, self-care, mental health, church leadership and church mission. He encouraged the pastors that “We need to seek the Lord before serving the Lord. Service needs to flow from an intimate relationship with our Savior.”
Reflecting on the workers’ meeting speakers, DeMoraes shared, “The devotionals were powerful and challenged us to stay connected with our Savior. The other presenters brought different aspects of life, leadership and mission, giving us new tools to minister in this ever-changing culture.”
Photos from the Pastors’ Retreat can be found here or on the TexasAdventist Flickr account in the album “2023 Pastors’ Retreat.”
Thank you for keeping our pastors in prayer as they serve on the front lines sharing the gospel within their church and around their community.
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Tamara Michalenko Terry is an associate director for Communications & Public Relations for the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
