As the snow accumulated and temperatures dropped to single digits outside of The Galt House Hotel and Conference Center in Louisville, Kentucky, warm smiles and cozy connections filled the exhibit hall of the 2026 North American Division (NAD) Adventist Ministries Convention (AMC) from January 25-27, 2026. Nearly 40 exhibitors warmly welcomed those who had successfully made the trek with activities, giveaways, resources, and freebies.
Exhibitors included NAD ministries, services, and affiliates, as well as independent ministries and partners. The exhibit hall was abuzz the first afternoon as attendees filled the space outside the main conference room. As the event continued, the crowds thinned out a little, providing a unique opportunity for exhibitors to have longer conversations with ministry leaders and even to make connections amongst themselves.
“It was wonderful to see people I haven’t seen in so many years, and to network with them and see how God is using them,” shared Gabriel Gutierrez Jr. of SermonView.
Ultimately, the goal of the exhibit hall was to provide ministry leaders attending AMC with resources and solutions for their ministry needs. Booths such as Children’s Ministries connected attendees to new offerings including the Kindergarten (ages 4-6) and Primary (ages 7-9) Sabbath School curricula launching this year from the Alive in Jesus Sabbath School Curriculum (AliveinJesus.info). The booth had cute “Thank you Jesus” prayer cards to help children from birth to 3 years form prayer habits with their parents.
The Adventist Media Center booth, representing the seven NAD media ministries, highlighted their newest offering: the Jesus 101 Bible study, Jesus Wins, which is available in English and Spanish (Jesus101.tv). “We are giving it away for free, and anyone who has a Bible study group or is leading a ministry is able to request up to 50 copies for free,” shared Giani Mendoza, office coordinator for Jesus 101. “They are fantastic Bible studies because they present the 28 fundamental beliefs in 10 very easy-to-understand lessons.”
Nearby, the Adventist Learning Community focused on connecting ministry leaders to free online training courses to develop and strengthen their skills at AdventistLearningCommunity.com. They also promoted a beautiful visual online Bible study, in collaboration with AdventistConnect, that includes narration of the study, audio drama series, and companion videos at APictureofGod.com.
The booths throughout the exhibit hall featured fun freebies and friendly faces ready to share the latest info, from event management, interest management, accounting and payroll systems, and broadcast programming. From children, youth, young adult, family and women’s initiatives, stewardship practices, new book releases and more! The energy was high as conversations occurred and information was exchanged.
Yet among the energetic booths was a quiet force extending beyond the exhibit hall. The Health Ministries booth shared practical and insightful resources and presented attendees with a “hand grip strength test” that measures overall health and functional ability. Moving beyond the physical booth, attendees stepped into a relaxing space called the “Deepwood Havens,” where the sounds and sights were intentionally curated to create a calming environment to recoup. Here, nurse hosts from the Adventist Association of Faith Community Nursing were available for free health screenings and “fireside chats” with a counselor, coach, or chaplain. The coaching and counseling were provided by the Adventist Association of Health & Wellness Coaching and Adventist Recovery Ministries.
But Health Ministries didn’t end there. Bookending the exhibit hall, another room invited attendees to step aside and unplug from the event for a moment. In the “Deep Roots Activity Park,” seven activity “trails” were set up to energize the body and refresh the mind. Activities included health screenings, yard games, a basketball toss, drawing and painting, puzzles and brain games, virtual reality experiences set in nature, and finally, a prayer tree. The spirit in the room was light as essential oils filled the air. Whereas the exhibit halls provided opportunities to connect with others, the “Deep Roots Activity Park” also invited those gathered to pause and connect with themselves personally — body, mind, and soul.
“We wanted to maximize the healing opportunities,” shared Angeline D. Brauer, Health Ministries director. “The theme for AMC was “Replenish: Deeply Rooted,” so we decided to create an experience similar to being in the great outdoors. There is an abundance of research demonstrating that being surrounded by nature provides wonderful health benefits, even if the nature is artificial. We wanted to replicate the experience of spending time in a national park — relaxing, having fun, connecting with caring people, and caring for yourself.”
Attendees had many opportunities to be replenished throughout the week through workshops, general sessions, and intentional restorative areas. The exhibit hall provided the chance to equip and connect.
