J LILY 1994 Gaini iic&Eyle Consulting Skills Sweet Success Church Ministries ---- the Heart of the Church by Olson Perry and Ellen White teaches in regards ou may have inadvertently to tithing," she said, missed the most significant "I came to realize the event in the Seventh-day serious impact of tith- y Adventist church in 1994 if ing in the life of an you did not attend the Church Min- individual and the min- istries Convention sponsored by istry of the Church. I the Southern Union, May 12-15, at didn't realize the im- the Ravinia Holiday Inn in Atlanta. pact on the shortfall, "There has never been anything or limited funds for like it," said Maurice Abbott, di- missions and evange- rector of the church ministries de- lism because our partment of the Southern Union members are not fol- Conference. "This was a first ever lowing proper counsel." union-wide . Church Ministries Additional reaction Convention. This meeting was so to the convention in- big we even had people attending cluded the wish that from out of the Union who wanted some presenters, es- Maurice Abbott, Southern Union Malcolm Gordon, Southern church ministries director. Union president, addressed the to grasp thoughts and garner pecially those in Convention delegates Friday ideas." children's ministries, evening. Tom and Lynda Ryan of Mt. Pleas- be cloned and sent to ant, South Carolina, were among local churches on a weekly basis. Sabbath school, personal minis- the first to register nearly four Some felt there should be an an- tries, women's ministries, singles months in advance. They placed nual convention of this type, and ministries, family life, stewardship, work on hold at their small con- others were concerned that the fa- youth, junior-earliteen, health/ struction company during the con- cilities weren't large enough, or temperance, young adult, and vention. enough material was not available. vacation Bible school is difficult, "Taking time off to do God's work Some also felt the convention was if not impossible, to present on is never a question of 'should we,' too short. the local conference level. By com- but 'when do we go?" stated the General sessions included the bining conferences in a union Ryans. keynote address by Dan Matthews thrust, a variety of individuals with The Ryans believed from what of Faith for Today/Lifestyle top notch expertise could be pro- they learned that God will use the Magazine; Friday evening's vespers vided. seminars "to help us better serve by Malcom D. Gordon, president A Union function blends confer- Him in guiding people, especially of the Southern Union; Sabbath ence personalities, ethnic groups, our youth, to the most important worship hour by Charles Bradford, nationalities, and various sized decision they will ever make—turn- former president of the North churches together to mix, fellow- ing their lives over to Christ." American Division; and Saturday night ship, and gain as much inspiration The Ryans, along with some 1500 banquet/concert with Wintley and knowledge in the halls as in delegates representing the eight Phipps, pastor and performer. the workshops. Southern Union conferences, and A convention of this type can During the Convention one del- from other unions, attended semi- cost an organization as much as egate expressed, "It was a won- nars of their choice. Fifty-five pre- $100,000, and the individual par- derful experience to get a differ- senters included a wide spectrum ticipant $250 or more. This con- ent view of the Church. My of professionals and represented vention cost each delegate $35, sights were lifted to a larger vision organizations in and out of the and the Southern Union less than compared to the little church Church. $50,000. meeting in the rural area where I During the three-day convention, Convention planners had hoped attend." 96 different seminars, workshops, for an attendance of 500, planned As the Southern Union church and training events were offered for 600, and dreamed of 800. The ministries department looks to the within 17 training areas. Thirty to overwhelming attendance "proved future, it continues its devotion to 35 exhibitors displayed useful tools lay people are hungry for leader- a full-service department. Some available for church ministries out- ship training and help in the local unions which have reduced ser- reach. church," according to Allan William- vices have asked the Southern As she departed a workshop on son, church ministries associate Union to invite their leaders to tithing, Cheryl O'Neal of Lithonia, director, with responsibilities for benefit from its programs such as Georgia, expressed gratitude and youth, family life, and Pathfinders. the medical/dental congresses. a new determination to be faith- However, a convention of this At a time when many are calling ful. "As we explored what the Bible magnitude for leaders working in for a change in church structure, 2 II Southern Tidings July, 1994 the Southern Union is moving ahead NAD and the conferences. with its focus on God's work and "There's no way for the at the same time has faced cut- local conference person to backs and realignments. Despite adequately meet the train- the reduction of personnel in the ing needs of his field," said Union, emphasis has been placed McKinney. "Help must come, on pulling together and facing the and should come from other challenge to provide service and levels of the organization. leadership. My role is to augment and The Southern Union church min- strengthen the local confer- istries department continues to ence leaders, to provide provide Youth-to-Youth, Youth con- resources, and be avail- gresses, Bible conferences, Advent able to meet the felt Youth (AY), Pathfinder leadership needs." training sessions, Adventurer Club McKinney is currently workshops, camporees, vacation negotiating a stewardship Bible school training, medical/ video series targeted at new dental conferences, health profes- members, baby boomers, sional and ASI congresses, rallies, K-4, and local elders' train- seminars, and conventions. The ing. department also provides training The church ministries de- and support in community services, partment is the "heart" of prison ministry, and Adventist dis- the local church. In this aster services (ADS). department you will find the The Union will continue to pro- "action" of the local church vide opportunities to sharpen lead- leadership and its members ers' skills which focus on the taking place. mission of the Church. It will At the 1986 Southern continue to emphasize research Union Session the forma- and development, to implement tion of the church minis- and devise plans, and projects to tries department, which in- meet the needs of the local church. cludes the former Sabbath Norwida Marshall, singles minis- school, personal ministries, tries coordinator, is looking for ways youth, stewardship, and to provide more service than the family life departments part-time she currently gives the was implemented as recom- department. Her primary responsi- mended by the General Con- bilities come as an associate in ference Session of 1985. the education department. The focus of this depart- "The percentage of singles in the ment is to provide special Church is increasing, and their ministry emphasis to reach- needs have to be addressed," said ing the community, nurtur- Marshall. "Singles need to be inte- ing, leadership training,- grated into the church program. and winning souls for They need to know that it is okay Christ. to be single, and there is a place As a result of the 1994 for them in the church family." Southern Union Church Min- In the limited time Marshall istries Convention, partici- Workshop presenters included spends in the singles ministry, she pants returned to their re- (from top, left to right): Vanessa plans or coordinates seminars ad- spective churches with Melton, director of women's dressing the needs of singles such sharpened skills, and re- ministries, Southeastern as the Divorce Recovery and the newed vision of a finished Conference; Ed Reid, stew- Never-Married Single workshops at work. They were inspired ardship director, NAD; Barry the Convention. She also organizes to be more effective lead- Black, chaplain, U.S. Navy; DeWitt Williams, director of singles chapters, provides leader- ers in giving their local health and temperance, NAD; ship training for conferences and churches a vision of the Noelene Johnsson, director of churches, and lends support to the larger church to finish the children's ministries, NAD; local conferences. work of Jesus. CI Margaret Taglavore, children's Despite the large number reached ministries coordinator, Texas through seminars and workshops Conference; and Joe White, at the Church Ministries Conven- Pathfinder area coordinator, South Tennessee. tion, 0. J. McKinney, Jr., associate Cover: Florida Keys. Photographer: director responsible for steward- Robert Kriigel. ship and children's ministries, presents 15 to 25 financial work- shops annually. This is in addition Cassette Tapes Available Cassette tapes from the Church Ministries Convention are available featuring to his service as a resource per- general session speakers and 100 seminar presentations. A list of the tapes and an son to the local conferences for order form may be requested by writing Southern College Instructional Media, P.O. stewardship and children's work- Box 690, Collegedale, TN 37315 or by calling 615-238-2726. shops. He is a liaison between the Volume 88 SOUTHERN TIDINGS (USPS 507-000) Number 7 Published monthly by the Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Second-class postage July, 1994 paid at Decatur, Ga., and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send changes of address Southern Tidings ■ 3 to SOUTHERN TIDINGS, P.O. Box 849, Decatur, GA 30031. Group dynamics. agencies. The press conference caught the attention of the National Institutes of Health because of the factual and uniqueness of Advent- ist health style and the emphasis on prevention.