General Conference Vice President Maurice R Valentine II Passes to His Rest

30 October 2023 | St. Albans, UK [tedNEWS]

On 20 October 2023, Maurice R. Valentine II, a dedicated servant of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, passed away, leaving a legacy of unwavering commitment to his faith and an impressive leadership career within the Adventist Church. He was 63.

Valentine was a general vice president of the General Conference (GC) of Seventh-day Adventists at his death. Ted Wilson, president of the GC, shared, “Pastor Maurice Valentine’s death is a tragedy for the World Church. He was a godly leader and an important part of our World Church leadership team. Our hearts are broken with this tragic news.”

Valentine’s journey in ministry began in 1985, serving as a pastor in various churches across Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska over 28 years. Valentine’s life of servant leadership led him to become the ministerial director of the Mid-America Union Conference from 2006 to 2012, furthering his impact on the Church. He was later called to the Central States Conference as assistant to the president, vice president for administration (executive secretary), and president.

In April 2021, Valentine transitioned to the North American Division (NAD) as vice president for media ministries. Richard Stephenson, associate treasurer of the GC, served with him both at the NAD and the GC and recalled him as a true visionary for digital media and online evangelism. Stephenson expressed, “I have had the great privilege to work closely with Maurice, and he was a mentor to me in seeking new and creative ways to share Jesus. He shared with me many times his belief that the Church must better utilise media and technology to connect and engage with those looking for Jesus.” Calling Valentine a spiritual giant, Stephenson continued, “More than all this, he loved his Lord, and his passion was for the Church to utilise every method to tell others about Jesus and His life-changing power. A spiritual giant of a man has passed to his rest.”

Maurice R. Valentine II’s impact extended beyond his titles, as he was known for his friendship, integrity, and deep-seated missional consciousness. His election as vice president of the GC at the 2022 GC Session was a testament to his exceptional gifts. Audrey Andersson, also elected vice president at the 2022 session, reflected, “Having been elected at the same time, I felt a special bond with Maurice. He was a giant of faith. Always kind, courteous, and considerate. He would stop by my office to talk and pray. No one could meet Maurice and not be touched by his warm Christian demeanour. The Church has lost a wonderful leader. His family has lost a loving father and husband. Those of us who were privileged to work with him have lost a valued friend and colleague.”

At the 2022 Year-End Meetings of the Trans-European Division (TED), Valentine attended as the GC representative. In response to Daniel Duda’s “How do we do ministry?” conversation with TED Executive Members, on record is Valentine’s contribution to the discussion:

“This dialogue is exciting! What you have shared about creating new metrics are viable ideas. I affirm that our children are not supposed to be reflectors of other men’s thoughts. I am informed that there is a new General Conference metric requesting information about the status of every young person five years after baptism.

Instead of staying with a project and making sure it gets traction, we need to ensure that from the top down, we do not inspect but learn and grow together. I also want to note, along with another contributor to this conversation, that ‘post the pandemic’, the world has changed, and we are called to ‘grow the engaged church’.

In my ministry, along with those I have led, I’ve always been aware of the “It’s just a job” syndrome. How do you take folk up to a higher level of engagement? By building an agile community. By learning how to be a servant leader. By asking the question, “What do you need?”

Valentine is survived by his loving wife, Sharon (Livingston) Valentine, and their three adult children. His life and contributions to the Seventh-day Adventist Church will be remembered with deep respect and gratitude.

The original version of this story was first published by Adventist News Network. To read the entire conversation Maurice Valentine contributed to at the 2022 TED Year-End Executive Committee, click here.