I would first like to share some facts from Andrews University and its Board of Trustees:

Andrews University reports that 89 percent of its students are affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The university’s general retention rate is 82 percent, and its graduation rate is 71 percent, ten percent higher than similar universities. The university just received the status of a Hispanic institution with the possibility of receiving more grants for Hispanic students. This year, Andrews University celebrates 150 years of existence and service. 

The Lake Union Executive Committee recently held a regular session to discuss and vote on several important matters, including the 2024 budget. Some of the key decisions that were made for our benefit are as follows:

• Local conferences will receive funding for mission and education initiatives.
• Pastor Carlton Mouzon’s ordination was approved and will occur at Camp Wakonda this summer.
• The Lake Union will implement a new accounting software called AASI, which will align our accounts with the North American Division (NAD) and replace LUCIS, which has been used for 36 years.
• The NAD will provide funds through the Lake Union Conference for “Pentecost 2025,” a division-wide evangelistic campaign. Our conference will participate in this outreach event across multiple locations in Wisconsin.
• A unique ministry partnership was established with the South Peru Union, and our conference is invited to support evangelistic, educational, and social projects in Peru. Additionally, they can share creative evangelistic, media, and academic concepts.

On March 18th, Sue Nelson, the Superintendent for Education, and I participated in a Zoom constituency meeting. The meeting was organized by Inspire Academy, an online school in partnership with the Indiana and Illinois Conferences. During the meeting, the attendees voted on the constitution and the budget for the academic years 2024-2025. 

I participated on the board of the AdventHealth Hospital in Durand, WI. In the “Health Connect” hospital newsletter, Doug Peterson, President and CEO, mentioned that Press Ganey Associates recognized their Inpatient and Emergency Departments were in the top 10% of hospitals in the country for patient care, offering the hospital the Human Experience Guardian of Excellence award. 

I took part in a Prayer Vigil that was arranged by Wisconsin Academy. The event lasted for 24 hours and was dedicated to praying for different individuals and ministries across the Conference and Union. I was impressed by their eagerness and genuine concern to seek God’s intervention and blessings for the people they care about. It was a powerful demonstration of their faith and devotion to their beliefs.

It’s a wonderful opportunity to continue praying for each other. When we pray, we don’t change God’s plans for our lives, but rather, we adjust to His will for His beloved children. We get involved in other people’s lives and challenges. Sometimes, God wants to use us as an answer to our prayers.

At the Conference office, we pray every morning for our brothers and sisters in Christ, with whom we have the privilege of worshiping. We thank God for your blessings and achievements and ask for His help with your struggles and challenges. Join us in praying for God’s wisdom so we can be faithful to His mission.

Titus Naftanaila, president