Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
| Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists | |
| Religious Affiliation: | Seventh-day Adventist |
|---|---|
| Union: | Southwestern Union |
| Division: | North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists |
| Headquarters: | Alvarado, Texas |
| Established: | 1878 |
| Country: | USA  |
| Geographical Area: | Texas |
| President: | Carlos Craig |
| Vice President: | Gary Brady |
| Treasurer: | Edwin Romero |
The Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (Texas Conference) is one of two organizational bodies of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the eastern 2/3 of the state of Texas, United States. It is based in Alvarado, Texas.
The "Texas Conference" is a subdivision of the Southwestern Union, which in turn is part of the North American Division, one of the 13 worldwide organizational Divisions of the church.
Its territory includes all of the State of Texas except the westernmost portions of the state. As of second quarter 2009, more than 40,600 Texas Adventists are members at 253 churches.[1]
History
The Texas Conference was organized in 1878 and reorganized in 1932.
Education
The Texas Conference operates 25 elementary schools and junior academies, 3 K-12 schools, and 1 boarding academy (high school) with an enrollment of over 2000 students.[1][2] Texas Adventist schools are accredited by the Accrediting Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities which is a recognized member of the National Council for Private School Accreditation and the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission (TEPSAC) and is recognized as accredited by the Texas Education Agency.[2]
Evangelism
For seven years in a row baptisms have exceeded 2,000 with 2,444 reported in 2008.[3] Four full-time evangelistic teams (2 English, 2 Spanish) are employed by the conference to hold meetings throughout the territory.
Church planting
The conference is active in encouraging new church plants. At the 2009 constituency meeting nine companies were elevated to church status.[4]
Youth camp
The Texas Conference youth camp is in transition from Nameless Valley Ranch where summer camp has been held (through 2009) to Lake Whitney Ranch which is now under development. Lake Whitney Ranch is an 876-acre (3.55 km2) property with over $26 million in planned improvements voted by the constituency in April 2009. The new facility will support up to 5,000 simultaneous campers and is expected to be ready for Pathfinder camporees in 2010 and for summer youth camp in 2011.[5]
Adventist Community Services
Adventist Community Services (ACS) is the humanitarian agency of the Seventh-day Adventist church in the United States. The Texas Conference ACS operates a storage and distribution warehouse in Keene, Texas from which Texas Mobile Distribution Units are dispatched to disaster areas. In 2008 mobile units were sent to distribute emergency supplies, clothing, food and water areas affected by Hurricane Dolly and Hurricane Ike.
Publications
The Texas Conference publishes two quarterly magazines The FLAME in English and La LLAMA in Spanish which are distributed to all members of the conference.[6]
Auxiliary operations
The conference operates a full service print shop including graphic design for member churches. A transportation department provides moving services for pastors and educators.
Presidents
- W.S. Greer, 1892–1902
- W. A. McCutchen, 1902–1914 (Texas and S. Texas)
- J. I. Taylor, 1912–1916 (N. Texas)
- J. A. Leland, 1914–1916 (S. Texas)
- David Voth, 1916–1919 (N. Texas)
- E. L. Neff, 1916–1919 (S. Texas)
- J. F. Wright, 1919–1924 (N. Texas)
- F. L. Perry, 1924–1926 (N. Texas)
- R. P. Montgomery, 1919–1926 (S. Texas)
- Roy L. Benton, 1926–1930 (N. Texas)
- W. R. Elliott, 1926–1929 (S. Texas)
- F. L. Perry 1929–1930 (S. Texas)
- F. L. Perry 1930–1936 (N. Texas)
- G. F. Eichman 1930–1937 (S. Texas and Texas)
- J. D. Smith 1937–1938
- F. D. Wells 1938–1943
- L. L McKinley 1943–1950
- Reggie Dowers 1950–1957
- Robert H. Pierson 1957–1958
- Benjamin E. Leach 1958–1966
- G. Charles Dart 1966–1976
- Cyril Miller 1976–1987
- Bill May 1987–1988
- Don Aalborg 1988–1989
- Robert Wood 1989–1994
- L. Stephen Gifford 1994–2004
- Leighton Holley 2004–2011
- Larry Moore 2011–2011
- Carlos Craig 2011–Present
References
- 1 2 "Texas Conference: Who We Are". Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved 2009-05-30.
- 1 2 "Education". The FLAME (Alvarado, TX: Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists) (Spring 2009 Constituency Session Report): 10–11.
- ↑ "Presidential with Leighton Holley". The FLAME (Alvarado, TX: Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists) (Spring 2009 Constituency Session Report): 2.
- ↑ Texas Conference Biennial Constituency Meeting. Killeen, Texas: Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. 2009-04-19. p. 1.
- ↑ "Finding the Time". The FLAME (Alvarado, TX: Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists) (Winter 2009): 14–15.
- ↑ The FLAME (Alvarado, TX: Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists) (Winter 2009): 19. Missing or empty
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