Pastor Terry Johnson, Pastor Michael Worker and Peter Cameron have been elected as the leadership team for the Australian Union Conference (AUC).
The elections come following the first day of the sixth AUC Constituency Meeting, which is being conducted via a digital format due to current COVIDā19 restrictions.
TheĀ appointmentĀ ofĀ PastorĀ Johnson comesĀ afterĀ theĀ incumbentĀ AUCĀ president, PastorĀ JorgeĀ MuƱoz,Ā indicatedĀ hisĀ intentionĀ toĀ stepĀ asideĀ earlierĀ thisĀ year, expressing a desire to return to local church ministry after 16 years in church administration.
PastorĀ JohnsonĀ hasĀ ministeredĀ inĀ theĀ UnitedĀ States,Ā NewĀ ZealandĀ andĀ AustraliaĀ asĀ aĀ localĀ church pastor and conference youth director and was president of the Western Australian Conference before moving to his current role as president of the Greater Sydney Conference. He has been married to his wife Kimberly for 28 years and they have two children, Kyrstin (22) and Alec (17).
āWe wish Pastor Johnson and his wife Kimberly Godās richest blessings as they step into this new season of ministry,ā said Pastor MuƱoz. āTerry is a passionate, Spiritāled leader who will continueĀ toĀ fosterĀ creativeĀ personalĀ andĀ publicĀ evangelismĀ strategiesĀ toĀ reachĀ ourĀ communities.ā
āIt is daunting but mostly it is humbling to be called to this position,ā said Pastor Johnson. āThe time we spent in prayer as a family convinced us that this was the Lordās calling.
āThere is not a day that goes by where I look at my own limitations and wonder how the Lord is going to use me to bless His Church, and I am honoured He has given me this opportunity. Jorge is such a wise man and a great leader; he has done a great job and it will be hard to follow in his footsteps.ā
Pastor Worker and Mr Cameron will continue as AUC secretary and CFO, respectively, and together with Pastor Johnson will lead the Seventhāday Adventist Church in Australia over the next quinquennium (2020ā2025).
āWe are looking forward to working with Terry and pray that God can use us as instruments to help further His work and be a blessing to the Church in Australia,ā said Pastor Worker.