The highlights for March:

During the Executive Committee meeting, Brian Stephan announced his retirement starting on July 1, 2023, after 12 years of successful leadership and management in Wisconsin. We will miss Brian at the office tremendously.

With Pastor Adam Case, I attended the interface meeting with the Chippewa Valley District to continue the process of finding a new pastor. The pastors that were introduced declined the call from the Personnel Committee. We will continue the process of finding the best pastor for the needs of the entire district.

I participated as a judge in the Conference Level Pathfinder Bible Experience held at Wisconsin Academy. 17 teams participated and six advanced to the Union level. We are grateful for all 250 total attendees.

I represented our conference at Andrews University, being part of the Student Experience & Faith Development, the Seminary Executive Committees, the Board of Trustees, Nominating Committee, and the Andrews Constituency Meeting. A new president for the University was elected, besides a new Board of Trustees. The Lake Union Officers meeting and the Executive committee followed.

Pastor Case and I continued to meet our pastors for the annual review, where we celebrated God’s role in their lives and ministries, along with their plans for the current year.

We had another session of the Leadership Cohort. The guest speaker was Elder Elden Ramirez, the Executive Secretary of the Lake Union. The topic was “Change.” The next Cohort will be about “Team Building,” presented by Pastor Adam Case.

The search process for the Executive Secretary/Treasurer position was started with the collecting of names and resumes. Initial contacts were made, and an extensive job description for the position was created.

Men’s Retreat is back! Under the leadership of Pastor Zack Payne, more than 40 men from different generations attended and enjoyed Justin Rittenhouse’s presentations.

Camp Management Committee addressed and approved essential decisions related to the campground and camp meetings. We want to ensure we are ready for the Maranatha Volunteers that will be at Camp Wakonda April 17 – May 7. We are praying for good weather during that time. We want to be able to build all four structures for the children and youth division, renovate all the bathrooms, and complete additional projects.

I attended the Board of the Durand Hospital. Reports related to the financial situation, capital equipment, corporate responsibilities, personnel changes, and others were presented.

I was privileged to worship and preach in the Watertown Hispanic and Chippewa Valley churches. I enjoy meeting and worshiping with our church family in different places in Wisconsin. My goal is to be able to visit all churches, companies, and groups and to share God’s message for our time.

I continue to encourage you to grow spiritually, as Ellen White shares in the following paragraph:

“The only way to grow in grace is to be interestedly doing the same work Christ has enjoined upon us to do—interestedly engaged to the very extent of our ability to be helping and blessing those who need the help we can give them… Christians who are constantly growing in earnestness, zeal, fervor, and love—such Christians never backslide… Their wisdom is increasing, [and] their ability [in] how to work. They seem to comprehend the largest plans. They are ready to engage in the most stirring enterprises and have no room for slothfulness; they cannot find a place for stagnation.” The Review and Herald, June 7, 1887.

 

Titus Naftanaila, President