ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 19, 1990 Here," Robinson Said
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ADVENTIST lE\1)1-V: V WEEKLY NEWS AND INSPIRATION FOR SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS JULY 1,:* --,-.,:' The Day in the Dome page 2 • Devotional page 5 • Session Proceedings page 8 • President's Sermon page 12 Myla Ferrer and Julie and Cyd Tabingo wore costumes from Egypt, Cyprus, and Lebanon in the Mission Pageant that drew more than 40,000 on Saturday night. The Day I N e DmDome As church Robert Mendenhall, general manager for KJCR FM at Southwestern Adventist College in Keene, Texas, said: "My days were long and leaders laid JULY 14 , SABBATH extremely busy." Mendenhall produced daily broadcasts for the Adventist Radio Network. The reports were anchored by ARN manager Paula plans and Webber and Lee McIntyre, general manager of KSGN FM in Riverside, California. The reports s the business portion of the fifty- aired on 12 ARN stations in North America. mapped strate- fifth General Conference session "I got up about 6:15 a.m. and worked until drew to a close Friday, July 13, the about 9:00 p.m. at night," Mendenhall said. final benediction marked the end of "We endeavored to bring to our listeners the three Aan exciting, historic session that will be long aspects of the General Conference that were go- gies, one thing remembered by the Adventist Church's 6 million ing simultaneously—the business sessions, social members. and cultural aspects, and worship services. was evident During the past eight days the nearly 2,500 "The most challenging part of the job was delegates elected new presidents for the General paying attention to important details of the ses- Conference and North American, Southern Asia, sion while keeping an overview of the whole —people will and South Pacific divisions; voted down the or- program," he said. "Our people monitored ev- dination of women pastors; set in motion a 20 erything that happened on the session floor. At percent staff reduction at the world headquarters; the same time, we gathered interviews and as- make the dif- made revisions to the constitution and bylaws; sembled soundbites for our reports. By far the gave a vote of confidence to the continuation of hardest thing for us was to boil down eight hours the General Conference Church Ministries De- of debate into a two-minute [news] piece." ference. partment; approved a new division in the Soviet Rhea Harvey, associate sales and marketing Union and three new union missions in Africa and director for the Review and Herald Publishing Inter-America; adopted a new Global Strategy Association, and Richard Robinson, assistant plan; and approved significant changes to the vice president for marketing at Pacific Press Pub- Church Manual. lishing Association, both put in 12-hour days As the historic event climaxed on Sabbath, July while operating the General Conference session 14, with the new president's sermon and the mis- Adventist Book Center (ABC). The ABC was a sion pageant, it became clear to me that the suc- joint venture between the Adventist Church's two cess of the session had come through the untiring publishing houses in North America. efforts of hundreds of people. From the important With 6,500 square feet of floor space, the ABC actions voted at the business session to the col- carried hundreds of books, tracts, and church orful exhibit booths, from the festive musicals ministries materials. and pageants to the sequestered committees and Approximately 25 people staffed the operation caucuses, people made the difference. The trans- as cashiers, shelf stockers, and office help. Daily lators, security guards, camera operators, editors, revenue averaged between $45,000 and $50,000. delegates, and musicians blended their talents to It's expected that the total revenue for the session present a spectacular event that will remain will double that for the 1985 General Conference etched in the minds of delegates, visitors, and session in New Orleans. When I interviewed guests. Harvey and Robinson on Friday, it was easy to In an effort to better understand the multifac- tell that they were extremely busy. Large crowds By Carlos Medley eted production, I interviewed six participants swamped the store, making it nearly impossible News editor and posed the question "How did your week to maneuver in the aisles. Adventist Review go?" "We've had long days and short nights," said 2 (930) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 19, 1990 here," Robinson said. "Even security we found that 74 percent had normal Harvey. "When the crowd was light we guards came in to make purchases from cholesterol level (between 120 and 200), could take lunch, but if not, we did with- us." 20 percent were borderline (between 200 out it. We had to do everything, includ- The dedication of the ABC workers and 239), and 5 percent were in the el- ing passing out pamphlets and assisting evidently captured the attention of the evated range (239 and above)," Kahka- customers. Nominating Committee. Three employ- nen commented. "We found it very difficult to finish a ees received calls during the session: "Our biggest challenge was to explain task that we started," Harvey continued. "You may have an open case of books ready to stock a shelf when a customer asks you a question. Before you finish assisting the customer, three others have questions for you." When asked what challenges they faced during the week, Robinson ex- plained: "It's gratifying to help custom- ers find books that are not available in their country. Also, we run into people whose national currency isn't worth very much in North America." "It really touches me to see the rev- erence for literature that our members in Eastern Europe have," Harvey said. Peter Bath (at the mike), a delegate-at-large from Ohio, plunged into the debates because he believed "You and I may not think twice about "one person can make a difference." spending $10 to fill up our gas tanks. However, many of our members live on Jose Campos, marketing director for El to people from different countries and meager budgets. One customer from Ro- Centinela magazine, became associate cultures how they can modify their mania came in and spent $1.35 for a General Conference publishing director; diet," Kahkanen noted. "They are very small book. That represents one week's Martin Ytreberg, PPPA financial vice concerned about their cholesterol. We salary for him. Some of these stories president, became an associate General found very few people on medication to about Eastern Europe have really Conference treasurer; and Elsworth help reduce cholesterol." touched our workers. We've decided to Hetke, PPPA Operations vice president, According to Kahkanen, one of the start special projects to send literature to became British Columbia Conference things Adventists can do to reduce cho- some countries." president. lesterol is to reduce their intake of "We believe we made a real witness Dr. Martti Kahkanen, a physician at cheese. Kettering Medical Center's After serving on the General Confer- Center for Health Promo- ence Nominating Committee, Harold tion, spent his week giving Harker was very thankful when Sabbath cholesterol tests to visitors. came. Harker, president of the Trans- KMC and the Adventist Tasman Union Conference (South Pa- Hospital Association co- cific Division), spent more than 80 hours sponsored the exhibit. sequestered in Nominating Committee As of Thursday, July 12, meetings and caucuses. The 220- Kahkanen's team of work- member committee deliberated for seven ers had performed some days as they chose personnel to fill some 1,300 cholesterol tests. 100 positions at the world headquarters "We worked daily from and 10 divisions. 9:00 a.m. to 6;00 p.m. an- "This was a very busy committee," swering people's ques- Harker said. "We were verifying the tions," Kahkanen said. needs, issues, and talents of the world "They wanted to know field. Through the play and counterplay Adventist Radio Network reporter Bill Hall interviews John Wilk- their cholesterol level, what of different speeches, we saw the hand of ens, president of the Review and Herald Publishing Association. it means to their health, and the Lord working in choosing person- ARN released daily newscasts from Indianapolis to Adventist col- how can they lower it. nel." lege radio stations. "In testing our audience, Committee members experienced a The Adventist Review (ISSN 0161-1119) is published 40 times a year, each Thursday except the first Thursday of each month, plus 5 extra issues during the second week of July 1990—total 45 issues. Copyright (0) 1990 Review and Heraldw Publishing Association, 55 West Oak Ridge Drive, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740. Second-class postage paid at Hagerstown, Maryland 21740. Postmaster send address changes to Adventist Review, 55 West Oak Ridge Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21740. Editorial office fax number (301) 680-6638. ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 19, 1990 (931) 3 surprising turn of events when the initial the documents are in English. This all the signs needed for the program. chairman, Robert S. Folkenberg, be- means that foreign delegates must rely on "More than 600 people showcased came General Conference president. Not English-speaking church leaders to ar- their colorful native costumes and dis- only did Folkenberg have to switch roles, ticulate the issues. They don't have an played 202 flags representing countries but the committee was forced to make opportunity to review documents for within the church's 10 divisions," Ran- adjustments also. themselves." zolin said. "In addition, the pageant in- "Suddenly our chairman was now Bath has recommended that the Gen- cluded a multimedia program using playing the role of an adviser," Harker eral Conference Committee develop video narration and coordinated vi- said. "He had to learn quickly about the guidelines for the session so that English gnettes depicting several biblical scenes many issues facing the General Confer- is not the only language in which docu- such as Peter preaching to Cornelius and ence and offer advice.