2 July 2015 | San Antonio, Texas, USA [Katie Allen, tedNEWS] 65,000 people attending General Conference (GC) Session with the same religious denomination in common, but what are their individual expectations for such a significant event in the world Church’s calendar?
tedNEWS took to hotels, streets and the Alamodome to find out what people’s expectations were for the next ten days of GC Session, whether personal, cultural, social or spiritual.
“My hopes and expectations are mostly to do with music and worship”, shared Mike Johnson, South England Conference Music and Radio director. “I have tried to get more information about our musical heritage, so I’ve lined up quite a few people who are well known within the musical field to give us more of a profile of who they are and what history we’ve got behind us.”
With so many facets to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Session is an amazing time for individuals to see what they are a part of, globally. One of the most eye-catching elements on arrival at the Convention Centre, the Alamodome, and everything in between, is those who have come dressed in cultural garb.
From South Pacific Division representatives, with their floral head garlands, to Southern Asia Division members in bright saris, to East-Central Africa Division delegates in colourful fabrics. This illustration of the reach of the worldwide Church is stunning, especially for people who are visiting GC Session for the first time in their lives.
“This is my first time at the GC Session,” commented Marju Parna, former Newbold College student. “I was really excited to come here, we had a really lovely worship this morning. My expectations are to meet lots of new people and to be able to just experience the whole of the world Church together, to worship together and have a great time and enjoy ourselves!”
Many of the delegates’ hopes focused on uniting the Church and caring for each other. Comments included, “I expect to see the Church in all its diversity, all its colour and in all its different cultures”, “My expectation would be to be united at this time”, “I expect for myself and all participants to impact our lives”.
Róbert Csizmadia, Executive Secretary of the Hungarian Union Conference, shared how his expectations went beyond this time together at Session.
“I hope to get to know some new people that I will be able to greet in heaven again!” said Róbert. “I would like to really have a deeper understanding of what it means to be an Adventist in different parts of the world. I would like to understand the struggles, the joys and I would like to keep this experience with me and use it to help others at home.” [tedNEWS]
tedNEWS Staff: Miroslav Pujic, director; Deana Stojkovic, editor
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