Press Releases

During its regular spring meeting, the Mid-America Union Executive Committee voted to approve a recommendation by MAUC’s administrative team outlining a leadership transition for the union’s communication department. Following the vote, then-director Brenda Dickerson became the associate director, and then-associate director/digital media manager Hugh Davis became the new director, effective May 1, 2025. This transition of titles, initially proposed by Dickerson, serves as a model for succession planning and smooth leadership transitions in appointed positions.

The Pacific Union Conference is pleased to announce the appointment of Aren Rennacker as the inaugural director of Growing Young Leaders, a newly established department focused on expanded promotion and support for young people preparing for pastoral or educational service in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists has elected James P. Willis II as its new vice president for education, effective July 1, 2025. He will succeed Dr. Berit von Pohle, who is retiring after a distinguished career spanning 46 years in Adventist education.

The Voice of Prophecy (VOP), the longest-running media ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, announced Thursday, May 1, 2025, that Shawn Boonstra, speaker/director of the ministry since 2013, has accepted the invitation of the Adventist Review to serve as an associate editor. He will be leaving the Loveland, Colorado-based ministry sometime this summer.

After a tenure of more than nine years marked by creativity, collaboration, innovation, and dedication to mission, Christian Record Services (CRS) president Diane J. Thurber announced a late July 2025 retirement during the organization’s board of directors meeting on Monday, March 17.

On May 2, 2025, the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church will livestream a special one-hour prayer meeting. The first such meeting ushered in the 10 Day of Prayer on Jan. 8. NAD president G. Alexander Bryant shared that the division recognizes "our great need to stay in a mindset of knowing our continual need to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit;" and thus, church leaders felt compelled to host another event to enrobe in prayer the churches and schools engaged in community efforts and proclamation events this spring, as well as continue to invoke the Holy Spirit in all members.

The North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists (NAD) has received a $1.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. as part of its National Initiative to Strengthen Hispanic Pastoral Leaders and Congregations.

The Board of Trustees of Oakwood University is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Gina Spivey-Brown, Ph.D., RN, MSA, FAAN, FNAP, FADLN, as the 12th president of Oakwood University. The announcement concludes a comprehensive and prayerful search process.

On March 26, 2025, the North American Division (NAD) voted to receive the Center for Youth Evangelism LLC (CYE) as an official entity of the division as of May 1, 2025. This vote comes after the March 24, 2025, vote by the Andrews University board to transfer to the division the non-profit entity that has been part of the university since 1979 under the name of Youth Resource Center (it was renamed CYE in 1996).

Hope Channel International announces the transition of Chanmin Chung, vice president of global media and engagement, to a new leadership role as Global Mission Centers Director under The Office of Adventist Mission. With decades of experience in media and mission work, Chanmin has played a pivotal role in advancing Hope Channel’s global outreach, and his new position strengthens the ongoing collaboration and sharing of knowledge and resources between HopeChannel International and Adventist Mission in reaching the unreached.