Pastor Glenn Townend has been re-elected president of the South Pacific Division (SPD) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The election of division leaders was held on the third day (June 8) of the 61st General Conference (GC) session in St Louis, Missouri.
GC president Pastor Ted Wilson addressed the newly-elected presidents: “What a blessing to have a team of individuals who are going to be leading spiritually God’s people literally around this globe. And by God’s grace they will help lead God’s people home as they look to Jesus the real Leader of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and all who believe in the Lord.”
Pastor Wilson then prayed over the presidents—that they be granted good health, clear minds and that God would guide them. The newly-elected presidents then proceeded immediately to caucus meetings to consider nominations for division secretaries and treasurers.
Pastor Townend was elected president of the SPD during the 2015 GC session in San Antonio, Texas. Prior to that he was president of the Trans Pacific Union Mission.
In other key SPD appointments, Pastor Mike Sikuri has been re-elected secretary and Francois Keet has been re-elected CFO.
There were five new presidents chosen and eight were returned to their positions across the world field of 13 Divisions.
East-Central Africa Division
Blasious Ruguri (incumbent)
Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division
Harrington Akombwa (previously president of Zambia Union Conference/Southern Zambia Union Conference)
West-Central Africa Division
Robert Osei-Bonsu (previously dean of the Theological Seminary at Adventist University of Africa, Kenya)
Euro-Asia Division
Mikhail Kaminskiy (incumbent)
Trans European Division
Daniel Duda (previously Adventist Mission director and field secretary, TED)
Inter-American Division
Elie Henry (incumbent)
Inter-European Division
Mario Brito (incumbent)
North American Division
G Alexander Bryant (incumbent)
South American Division
Stanley Arco (incumbent)
South Pacific Division
Glenn Townend (incumbent)
Northern Asia-Pacific Division
Yo Han Kim (NSD director of Adventist Mission and assistant to the NSD president)
Southern Asia Pacific Division
Roger Caderma (previously SSD vice-president
Southern Asia Division
Ezras Lakra (incumbent)
With additional reporting by Adventist Review. Read more at: https://adventistreview.org/gc-news/delegates-vote-five-new-division-presidents/