NEWS
Latest News & Updates
North Orlando Health Symposium
- March 24, 2026
The health message is the right hand of the gospel, demonstrating our commitment to caring for the health and soul of others. On Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the North Orlando Seventh-Day Adventist Church – Orlando, this concept was realized at the Community Health Symposium. At the start of this FREE ministry event, there was excitement and enthusiasm in the room as community residents and church members gathered and signed in for the opening session.
Participants learned valuable information about self-care, brain health, stroke prevention, men’s health, and eye care. Each presenter provided useful information, including how to care for our health and souls (3 John 2). Vendors from various organizations with attractive displays were set up around the fellowship halls; they offered education and services such as blood pressure and blood sugar checks, heart health assessments, and financial health literature. The taste buds of the attendees were satisfied with the nutritious and delicious food served.
This well-attended ministry event, along with the variety of relevant services offered is an example and testament of how to reach and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with people of varying ages, genders, ethnicities, and various backgrounds. A special acknowledgement to Olga Satchel, Health Ministry Leader at North Orlando, and her team for organizing this ministry event and for their commitment to providing year-round health activities aimed at winning souls for Christ. All churches are encouraged to use the health message in conjunction with in reach and outreach programs. If you desire to host a Health Fair or Symposium and need support contact Jennifer Sankey-Battles, Health and Possibilities Ministry, Director of the Southeastern Conference at Jennifer.Sankey@secsda.org or 352-720-5206.
Statement Regarding Petition Circulating Online About Pastoral Assignment
- March 15, 2026
Dear Southeastern Conference Family,
Christian greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
It has come to the attention of the Southeastern Conference Administration that a petition has recently been circulating online regarding the pastoral reassignment of Pastor Carl Ware from the Mount Olive Seventh-day Adventist Church. Because this petition appears to speak broadly on behalf of churches and members across our Conference, we believe it is important to provide clarification for our Conference family. We recognize that in today’s digital environment, information can sometimes circulate without the benefit of full context, and for this reason we believe it is helpful to provide clarity when questions arise.
Southeastern Conference Strengthens Pastoral Leadership at “Higher”-Themed In-Service Gathering
- February 18, 2026
Under the Southeastern Conference’s 2026 theme, “Higher,” nearly 100 pastors gathered at the Conference Campground in Hawthorne, Florida, February 9–11, for the semi-annual Pastors’ In-Service – a strategic leadership initiative reinforcing renewed commitment to mission-focused alignment, leadership excellence, and pastoral effectiveness across the field.
More than a routine training event, the gathering reflected the Conference’s intentional focus on strengthening pastoral leadership as a critical driver of healthy churches, effective ministry systems, and sustained mission growth.
The gathering provided an intentional space to assess progress across individual churches while affirming pastors’ ongoing work in evangelism – the ministry’s central mandate. It also served as a strategic forum for reflection, alignment, and leadership strengthening.
Workshop sessions and presentations centered on the leadership responsibilities of the pastor. Beyond theological and spiritual guidance, pastors are called to serve as holistic leaders who model healthy, mission-aligned, and administratively sound practices that advance both ministry effectiveness and organizational health.
The program integrated seasons of prayer, worship, and spiritual reflection, ensuring a balanced emphasis on operational training and spiritual renewal.
General sessions included The Pastor’s Role in Financial Stewardship, Transforming Church Culture, and Strategic Administration and Operational Oversight. These sessions equipped pastors with practical tools to strengthen governance, financial accountability, and congregational engagement at the local church level.
Featured keynote presentations included Transforming Church Culture, delivered by Dr. Kleber Gonçalves, Director of Mission Integration Systems and Strategy at AdventHealth, and Tax Talk for the Faithful: Tax Education for Pastors, presented by Pastor Eugene Mason, retired conference treasurer/pastor and clergy tax specialist.
In his closing remarks, Conference President Dr. Michael K. Agyei Owusu framed the training as a strategic investment aligned with the Conference’s value of Healthy Leadership & Management, emphasizing that excellence in leadership and faithful stewardship are essential to cultivating healthy ministry systems and advancing the mission across the field.
With renewed clarity of purpose, the pastoral body was commissioned to lead their congregations toward higher levels of faithfulness and mission impact. Framing the charge within the Conference’s forward trajectory, Conference President Owusu called pastors to remain forward-focused in both mission and personal calling, embracing a spirit of continual growth and faithful pursuit. He urged the assembly to adopt as their watchword the familiar text from Philippians 3:14: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” leaving the gathering with a shared sense of vision, unity, and renewed commitment to the work
