Text of the live on-line News Conference from Utrecht, Holland, with Rick Kajiura (Assistant GC Dept. Director), Monte Sahlin (NAD), and Sysop Ralph Blodgett (Assistant GC Department Director). Friday evening, July 7, 1995, at 8 pm Utrecht time (2 pm ET). This is an unedited version (with some duplication removed): LeonardWestermeyer | Hello everyone from Chile! Jim Greene | They are not on-line yet Dale R. Kongorski | So much news they're running late. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Hi, everyone Dawn Reynolds | Hi! Verland Erntson | Hi from Silver Spring, MD Dan Pabon | Hey Preston R. Hickey | Hi! H. Hugh Maynard-Rei | Hugh Maynard-Reid in New York - Victory SDA | Church Pastor Sysop Ralph Blodget | Monte Sahlin (NAD) and Rick Kajiura (GC) will | be doing our News Conference tonight james r. mansfield | Hello from Memphis Tn. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Where are you all from, go ahead Milton. W. Sterling | FT. Lauderdale, FL. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Town and state?? Dawn Reynolds | Silver Spring, MD, USA Preston R. Hickey | Hello Monte! Preston Hickey in Ontario | California Dale R. Kongorski | British Columbia LeonardWestermeyer | Chile Adventista University, Chillan Chile Denise Small Concha | Dayton, Ohio Geir Lisle | Lahore, Pakistan Jim Redfield | Woodland, CA Ken Osborn | South Lancaster, MA Dick E. Hanson | Dick E. Hanson, Oregon Conference, Clackamas, | OR Dan Pabon | Miami Robert E. Costa | Austin, Texas Jim Greene | Takona Park, MD Reed Christman | Knoxville Tn. Sysop Ralph Blodget | OK, Monte, go ahead with your statement Monte Sahlin | Delegates worked well into the afternoon to | finish off the lengthy agenda at this GC Session. | A plan finally emerged from the Constitution & | Bylaws Committee and was voted by the session to cap | the total delegates to future GC Sessions at 2,000 and | increase the number of lay delegates to a little more | than 25%. The final batch of elections included | Willmore Eva as editor of Ministry magazine | after Dwight Nelson declined his earlier election | to the same post. Eva is senior pastor of the | Kettering Church in Dayton, Ohio, USA. Another pastor | from the US -- Wintley Phipps of the Capital Hill |Church in Washington DC -- was voted an associated | director of Religious Liberty. Jonathan Kuntaraff, CM | director for the Far East Division, was voted | associate director of the new SS & Personal Ministries | Dept. The three associate directors in the Youth Dept | were re-elected. Nathan HendersonTFC | Hi-from Atlanta, GA Manuel Bendig | Hi from dusseldorf, germany Monte Sahlin | A full list of all the elected personnel has | been uploaded in the Library. Sysop Ralph Blodget | If you have a question, type "?"; if a | statement, type "!" (Then type your comments | while waiting for a GO from the Sysop) | Let's go with questions Dale R. Kongorski | ? Jim Greene | ? Preston R. Hickey | ? Monte Sahlin | Ray Dabrowski asked me to sit in for him this | evening. I am an assistant to the president | of the North American Division. Robert E. Costa | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Dale Monte Sahlin | Dale go ahead Jim Redfield | ? Dale R. Kongorski | Heard a rumor that Bob Lemon from Canadian | Union has been invited to GC Treasury, true? Monte Sahlin | Yes Dale R. Kongorski | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Jim Monte Sahlin | he was elected an associate treasurer Jim Greene | Any news on who elected to replace Ann Gibson? Dawn Reynolds | ? Monte Sahlin | Bob Lemon, treasurer of the SDA church in | CAnada J.-Cl. Verrecchia | Jean-Claude VERRECCHIA Rick Kajiura | Yes, Bob Lemon is filling that slot. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Preston Preston R. Hickey | Is the sermon title for Elder Folkenberg's | upcoming Sabbath message available? Rick Kajiura | It is called, "Unity in Fact." Verland Erntson | ? Ruth Swan | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Robert Rick Kajiura | We will upload the text tomorrow evening. Robert E. Costa | The list of elected personnel is impossible | to read. Preston R. Hickey | Thank yo. H. Hugh Maynard-Rei | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Jim???? Jim Redfield | Did Walter Pearson acccept Mnisterial Assoc. | and what impact do think this change in editors | at Ministry will have Monte Sahlin | Yes on Pearson | I expect a number of pastors will not like | the change based on message I have already | received, but when you accept a | an elected position, you have to be willing | to be unelected too. That's the reality here. Denise Small Concha | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Dawn Dawn Reynolds | Does Wintley replace anyone in Religious | Liberty and if so, who is it? Monte Sahlin | He replaces Gary Ross. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Verland Verland Erntson | Does AID have a Treasurer? Also SUD? Monte Sahlin | AID treasurer is Samuel Leonor | SUD treasurer was re-elected -- I N Rao Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Ruth james r. mansfield | ? Ruth Swan | Joining late, this question may e answered. | I something wrong with the new election list? | I am unable to read it. Scrambled. Was | Dick Barron re elected. If the elections are | not completed when will they be for the | divisions? Rick Kajiura | I have reuploaded it. I will release as soon | as this conference is over. Monte Sahlin | Rick is re-uploading the list to correct the | problem. Dick Barron was re-elected Dale R. Kongorski | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Hugh H. Hugh Maynard-Rei | Will there be Video tapes of the GC Satellite | downliks be available for sale to members? We have | members from 6 different congregations at "Victory | SDA Church"everynight watching the program Jim Park | ? Monte Sahlin | The NAD elections will be completed at its | Year-end meeting in October in Battle Creek. Two | other divisions will do the same. Rick Kajiura | Three divisions have elected to appoint their | personnel at their year end meetings. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Denise Denise Small Concha | Has Will Eva accepted the position at | Ministry? (If that was mentioned, I didn't | notice.) Monte Sahlin | Yes, video tapes are available through the | NAD Distrbution center. 800-ACN-1119 Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go James Monte Sahlin | We do not know if Eva has accepted. Ken Osborn | ? Jim Greene | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | James????? james r. mansfield | Does the GC action this week affect the | ordination of women as elders (not ministers) if so how | does it affect women already previously ordained? G C Presidential | Will did accept Monte Sahlin | No the action does not have anything to do | with women elders. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Dale (And Thanks, RSF) Dale R. Kongorski | What happened to Gary Ross? Surely not | retired. Also has Lemon indicated his decision? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Elder Folkenberg is also answering questions | in the News Conference this evening Ruth Swan | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Hugh----If you have a question, type "?", | a comment, type "!" (Then type your comments while |waiting for GO from the Sysop) | We have no answer for Gary Rosss Rick Kajiura | There are some rumors he will be teaching at | a college. I cannot verify that. Monte Sahlin | We do not know about status of Lemon Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Jim Jim Greene | Have all elected positions been filled in the | GC, or will some have to carry over to Annual | Council? If carries over, what positions still open? Monte Sahlin | Associate in Stewardship Department is | carried over until AC Jim Park | Any comments from the President about the | session? Also, I do want to say thank you | for all the work Ralph, Ray and Rick have done | to keep us up to date. G C Presidential | Glad it's almost over!!!!! Jim Redfield | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Ken Ken Osborn | Seems that a lot of territory was covered today. | How late did business session go? Was agenda | completed? LeonardWestermeyer | ? james r. mansfield | ? Monte Sahlin | Business session went to 4 p.m. G C Presidential | Agenda was completed at 3:00 p.m. Monte Sahlin | Entire agenda was completed. Ruth Swan | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Ruth Ted Mohr | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | If you have a question, type "?", a comment, | type "!"(Then type your comments while waiting | for GO from the Sysop) Bruce Moore | ? Ruth Swan | Which Wintley is replacing Gary Ross? - and | thanks to all of you for such a wonderful job. Monte Sahlin | Wintely Phipps Sysop Ralph Blodget |Go Jim Redfield Jim Redfield | RSF will you continue to be active on the | Forum? Can we look forward to your interaction in | the years to come? G C Presidential | YES! H. Hugh Maynard-Rei | My question was answered. Thanks Jim Redfield | Thank you. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Leonard LeonardWestermeyer | Have new goals for Global Mission been | formulated for the new period? Clarence Small | ? Monte Sahlin | We are still working on 10=year goals | formulated 5 years ago. Jim Greene | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go James james r. mansfield | My wife and I recieved such a blessing from | attending the South. Union Church Min. Conv. | in Atlanta in '94 , can we look forward to more | such events for the laity in particular? Harold F. Otis, Jr. | Bud Otis ? Monte Sahlin | I hope so, but that is not something planned | here at the GC Session. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Ruth Ruth Swan | pass Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Ted Ted Mohr | Since these sessions appear to be extremely | costly, any thought to holding in areas less costly and | what is proposed to cut some of these costs. Sysop Ralph Blodget | RSF??? Monte Sahlin | The cap that was voted today on total | delegates will hold down costs. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Bruce Bruce Moore | Have you, or if you have --where have you | uploaded a list of all the major church manual | changes? I have only found one early summary. Harold F. Otis, Jr. | What happened that Publishing never got | mentioned at this session Sysop Ralph Blodget | Bud, you're out of turn! Janet Hancock | ? Monte Sahlin | We will upload a summary of the Church Manual | changes after this is over. Janet Hancock | Re Church manual changes: Monte Sahlin | Publishing department was voted today. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Clarance G C Presidential | Today we agreed to reduce the number of | delegates from 2,650 (current size) to 2,000. | With expected growth delegation could have | grown to almost 3,000 by the year 2,000. | That will save a lot of $. Next session is | in Toronto. Contracts already in place will | assure major savings. Clarence Small | RSF, would you consider a regular confernce | on CIS, say once a month? And, do I understand | that Dwight has turned down MINISTRY? Dawn Reynolds | ? With the increase in laity what kind of | denominational employee/layperson ratio will | we have? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Dwight has turned down Ministry mag G C Presidential | I hope once a month--but "regular" may be | difficult. Dwight declined -- Will Eva accepted. Sysop Ralph Blodget | If you have a question, type "?", a comment, | type "!" (Then type your comments while waiting | for GO from the Sysop) Janet Hancock | Was there a change re disfellowship protocol? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Please wait, Janet | Go Jim Jim Greene | How was the formula worked out on the 2,000 | deligates? membership? finances? or a combination? Sysop Ralph Blodget | RSF???? H. Hugh Maynard-Rei | ? Dick E. Hanson | ? G C Presidential | Hard to explain in few words .. can easily be | read in constitution that is uploaded -- but | basically on membership and organizations. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Bud O G C Presidential | New proposal increases % of lay+pastoral | delegates dramatically to about 50% of total | delegation. Harold F. Otis, Jr. | Why was Publishing not mentioned at the | session Monte Sahlin | Publishing Department -- Appenzeller & Campos | re-elected; new associate is David Wooley from South | Pacific Div. Janet Hancock | / Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Janet Janet Hancock | Was there a change in church disfellowship | protocol? Monte Sahlin | The major change is that it now requires that | a visit be made before a person is disfellowshipped. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Dawn Dawn Reynolds | With the increase in laity, what kind of | denominational employee/layperson ratio will | we have? Monte Sahlin | 25% laity to 75% workers Janet Hancock | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Hugh H. Hugh Maynard-Rei | Where can the latest SDA document on Divorce | & Re-Marriage be found? G C Presidential | At least 25% laity (up from about 18%) Monte Sahlin | The proposed change on Divorce & Remarriage | was uploaded to the library several weeks | ago, but it was sent back to committee for | more work over the next 5 years. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Dick Dick E. Hanson | Why is there an associate position left in | GC Stewardship, Did Don Crane retire or what? Monte Sahlin | Don Crane was not re-elected; search is one | for replacement. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Janet Janet Hancock | Is the local conference now able to bypass | local church to disfellowship? Dan Pabon | ! G C Presidential | No! Such a process of disfellowshipping was | never proposed. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Dan | Thanks RSF Beverly J. Rumble | ? Dan Pabon | To RSF: Thank you for your time with us here | today..God bless! For you guys at CS, have a | safe trip back home! G C Presidential | Thanks Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Beverly Dale R. Kongorski | ! Sysop Ralph Blodget | We are about done tonight, folks Beverly J. Rumble | Is it correct that Gary Ross was not re-elected, | and Wintley Phipps will be the congressional liaison Janet Hancock | ? Monte Sahlin | Yes Monte Sahlin | for both Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Dale Dale R. Kongorski | I want to thank you folks for making these | conferences and documents available to us. I know | it has taken hours and hours and it is appreciated. Monte Sahlin | Thanks, Dale. Jim Redfield | ! Sysop Ralph Blodget | Thanks to you folks--and Dale G C Presidential | I want to commend Ralph and his team for a | great job!!! Sysop Ralph Blodget | Thanks. Go Janet--Last Question Janet Hancock | Will the Assc GC Auditors be accountable to | their appointing comm or to the electorate? G C Presidential | They were elected today by the session. Vanessa Bordlee | ! Sysop Ralph Blodget | We have used up our 30 minutes, these are the | last two questions: Go Jim Jim Redfield | I too appreciate the info you have shared. A | great Job, between the CIS and ACN it has been | almost like being there. Thank you so much. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Vanessa LeonardWestermeyer | Amen!! Sysop Ralph Blodget | Any additional comments?? Reed Christman | ! Thanks and God bless you all ! Ted Mohr | Thank you Elder Folkenberg for your time with | us today hope we can do this more in the future | even though the GC Session has ended. Vanessa Bordlee | Thanks for the conferences. It is great to | be able to talk to our leaders. Thanks SDA Online Dawn Reynolds | A very hearty "Thank You" to Ralph, Rick, | Ray, Owen, Monte and also to you RSF for these | conferences and follow-up documents. Have been of |enormous value. (Take care of that leg, Ralph!) Jim Greene | Thanks for all the CS team has done to keep | us posted on the news Dick E. Hanson | On to Toronto and 500 SDA Onliners Sysop Ralph Blodget | This is our final News Conference for the GC | session this year Dick E. Hanson | make that 5000 Ted Mohr | How many so far Ralph? Sysop Ralph Blodget | You will be interested to know we gave out | 1,500 SDA membership packages this morning in three | hours--for a total of 4,200 packages distributed. | We have about 700-800 pakcages left for tomorrow. Dale R. Kongorski | Wow! Jim Park | Ralph now pastors the largest church in the | denomination! Ted Mohr | Great job, Ralph. Dawn Reynolds | Will look for expansion plans document. :) Denise Small Concha | That should give you plenty of work upon your | return, Ralph! :) Ted Mohr | CServe will love you also. Verland Erntson | We expect Ralph to earn his salary! Dan Pabon | yeah! Jim Greene | Way to go! This will increase job security Sysop Ralph Blodget | Yes, we have lots of work cut out for the | rest of the year Monte Sahlin | Good evening (it's 8:40 p.m. in Utrecht). | This ends today's news conference. Beverly J. Rumble | Ralph, have all the breakout documents been | voted, and if so, mostly without changes? Sysop Ralph Blodget | It was a Riot this morning! | We had to have security guards to help keep | the crowds back---some 400 people at one time Dawn Reynolds | For CS packets????????? Sysop Ralph Blodget | trying to get packages and Compuserve mouse | pads Ted Mohr | Are the new packages coming out with the 1.4 | Version. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Yes!!!!! Paul Tharp | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | It was a near riot! | Yes Paul (the conference is done, folks) Paul Tharp | bye Ted Mohr | Bye from Redlands, CA Rick Kajiura | Farewell from Utrecht. Milton. W. Sterling | BYE Dick E. Hanson | Happy Sabbath! Dawn Reynolds | So long from Silver Spring, MD, USA Ken Osborn | Ditto to all the above kudos! Sysop Ralph Blodget | Bye for this end, all--God Bless everybody