This "NEWS CONFERENCE" SCRIPT is being distributed to the Internet community as a service of the Communication Department of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Please address correspondence concerning Internet access of this information to Dan Hamstra at the following address: hamstra@andrews.edu -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- News Conference #1 (unedited) (Held at 8 pm [Utrecht time]; 2 pm ET, 6/30/95) Sysop Ralph Blodget | Hi Clarence, Milton, and Nancy | We got hooked up a little late Clarence Small | Hi, Ralph. Milton. W. Sterling | Hi Sysop Ralph Blodget | I have Ray Dabrowski with me by the computer | He is the Director of Communications for the GC Nancy Carver Abbott | hi ray & ralph Jim Greene | Ray, how often do you update on INTERNET Sysop Ralph Blodget | Daily Jim Greene | Which will be faster for me to get the latest | elections news CS or INTERNET? Sysop Ralph Blodget | CompuServe, of course Clarence Small | Ralph, how do you want to proceed? Should we | ask questions, or Ray make a statement? Sysop Ralph Blodget | He will make a statement | He is getting on with another computer Milton. W. Sterling | Can I participate, or this is only for | communication LEADERS? Sysop Ralph Blodget |Yes, Milton. This is open for anybody Milton. W. Sterling | Thanks Sysop Ralph Blodget | Ray Dabrowski is getting on with a different | computer Jim Greene | What positions have been filled in addition | to the GC Pres.? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Owen Troy will be with me on this computer | Secretary and Treasurer | Ralph Thompson and Robert Rawson Ray Dabrowski | I'm On-line now Sysop Ralph Blodget |I just told them who the new secretary and | treasurer were. Ray is working on his statement | Just a minute and he will have the statement Litch and Shelly | Tell us about the opening meeting- topic of | message Ray Dabrowski | Apart from elections of the three top officers | of the GC, the delegates began discussing | proposed changes in the church's constitution. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Any other questions? Bob Folkenberg, Jr. | Tell us a bit about Rawson. Ray Dabrowski | The first item has to do with electing smaller | GC committee, but with wider presentation. Jim Greene | When does the request from NAD on ordaination | come to the floor? Ray Dabrowski | The discussion centered on the method of | appointment and the ration of laity to clergy. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Wednesday is the scheduled time (Owen) Clarence Small | Ray, what is the atmosphere of the session? Ray Dabrowski | The spiritual messages since last night | concentrated on unity in Christ. The atmosphere is | very warm and people are happy to be together. | Elder Folkenberg's presentation last night set a | high spiritual tone for the session.In individuals | conversation delegates are delighted to be together | and are talking about the mission of the church. | The first message was given by Benjamin Reaves, | this morning we heard from Gorden Bietz, and | at this moment Mark Finley is preaching. | Plenty of great world class music. Litch and Shelly | What did Gordon have to say? Ray Dabrowski | Gordon's theme was "United in His Salvation." Sten Bolander | What kind of world class music? Ray Dabrowski | He was applauded several times. | The music ranges from classical, orchestral pieces | to solos by Adventist musicians from different | countries. Last night we heard from Tanzanian Choir. Milton. W. Sterling | Tell us a little more about the SOUTH AFRICAN | work and changes. Ray Dabrowski | This subject is not on the agenda of the | session. Bob Folkenberg, Jr. | Ray, can you tell us about Rawson. Was he | already in the GC treas. dept? Carmelo Mercado | Can we pick up broadcast coverage on | shortwave? If so I was wondering if I could pick it | in Spanish. Ray Dabrowski | Ralph will answer. Sysop Ralph Blodget | They did give a report on South Africa (Owen) Litch and Shelly | Any contemporary music? Jim Greene | Bob Folkenberg, Jr The new GC Treasurer Bob | Rawson has most recently been North Pacific Union | treasurer. He also served for a number of year in the | Far East. He is a great man. I worked with him in the | Far East in the 70's. A good choice! Ray Dabrowski | Rawson, 58, comes from North Pacific Union | and served in Asia-Pacific region. John Grys | What am I interrupting? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Two conferences in South Africa have merged | and there is a great desire to get rid of racial | differences in the church (Owen) Ray Dabrowski | He worked in the Philippine Adv. College in | Japan and at the division in Singapore. Between | 1977-82 he was treasurer of Adv. Media Center. Sysop Ralph Blodget | John, this is a News Conference from Utrecht | Ralph Bob Folkenberg, Jr. | May I suggest a moderator who acknowledges | questions at the ? prompt. Sysop Ralph Blodget | OK, that is the best way to proceed now | that we have more people in the News Conference. | If you have a question type ? Clarence Small | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Clarence, go ahead Clarence Small | Besides the ordination issue, what issues | should we be watching for? Milton. W. Sterling | Owen.... thanks for squeezing in on that for | me. Ray Dabrowski | Constitutional changes. John Grys | ? Ray Dabrowski | Smaller GC committee, but more representative | from the world field. Dick E. Hanson | This is Dick Hanson, Oregon Conference, did I | just see that Bob Rawson was elected | GC Treasuer? His wife works with me... Ray Dabrowski | Yes Sysop Ralph Blodget | If you have a question, type "?" or a | statement type "!" Dick E. Hanson | Thanks Ray...I'll report it to our staff here. Jim Greene | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Jim, go ahead Jim Greene | Does Rawson have CS so we can send greetings? Verland Erntson | ! Sysop Ralph Blodget | Verland, go ahead Verland Erntson | I don't have Rawson's number on hand, but | it's listed in the Index to SDA Organizations. Ray Dabrowski | Please send it to Owen and we will deliver it. Sysop Ralph Blodget | He is in the Index of SDA Organizations on-line. | If you have a question to ask, please type it | up first and when you get the go-ahead, press Enter | to send it John Grys | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go john John Grys | what date is the constitutional changes on | the agenda? Ray Dabrowski | The discussion will continue Sunday. John Grys | Did it begin today? Ray Dabrowski | Today we had more than a dozen speakers | requesting clarifications. John Grys | Clarifications on the recommendations? Ray Dabrowski | Yes. Some of the speakers also expressed | their fears that the proposed smaller GC | committee have bigger lay representation. John Grys | When do you anticipate a vote taken? Ray Dabrowski | At least two delegates requested more time | for the issue to be studied. Clarence Small | ? Jim Greene | ? Ray Dabrowski | It is difficult to say. The discussion will continue | on Sunday, but there is a possibility to send | the recommendations back to the constitutional | and by-laws committee for further clarifications. John Grys | Thank you. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Clarence Clarence Small | Is the issue too little or too much lay | representation? That is, the reason for | requesting | more time? C & V SMITH | ! Robert Rawson's CServe address is 74532,1327 Ray Dabrowski | Partially. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Jim Jim Greene | Any news on NAD elections yet? Verland Erntson | ! Sysop Ralph Blodget | Nothing (owen) | If constitution goes through, just the officers will be | elected if not, everybody will be elected John Grys | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Verland Verland Erntson | I'd like to clarify Rawsons #. If it's from an old | index, the "27" is transposed. The new index is OK. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go John John Grys | Do I understand that they must first deal | with the issue of the const changes before | they go on to officer election? Michael Kelsey | ? Bob Folkenberg, Jr. | ? Ray Dabrowski | Officer election can go on under old | consitution John Grys | Do they plan on first dealing with the const | changes? Ray Dabrowski | The difference is in the recommendation not | to include associate departmental directors of | the GC or division departmental directors. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go Michael Michael Kelsey | Is there somewhere that I can find out about | proposed constitutional changes? Say in our | library section? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Several things were uploaded about a month ago | Go Bob | If you have a question, type "?" or a statement type "!" Bob Folkenberg, Jr. | Can ammendments to proposed constitutional | changes be made from the floor or must they come only | from the const. and bylaws commt? Ray Dabrowski | Today's guidance from Calvin Rock indicated | that constitution and by-laws committee is the | place to handle all the ammendments. John Grys | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go John John Grys | So did they leave the issue going back to the | appropriate comm? Ray Dabrowski | No Sysop Ralph Blodget | Not yet (Owen) Jim Greene | ? Ray Dabrowski | The discussion will continue on Sunday Michael Kelsey | ? Bob Folkenberg, Jr. | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go, Jim John Grys | Thank you. Jim Greene | Will we have a news conference every day at | this time? Ray Dabrowski | yes | Tomorrow will be a short report on the worship | and global mission report John Grys | ? Sysop Ralph Blodget | go Michael Michael Kelsey | Will there be any online discussion during | the day (CST) tommorow if I wanted to show of | the forum to some local members? (Time sync. | seems to be a prob.--that's off the formum etc...) Sysop Ralph Blodget | I will be on-line from 2 pm (Utrecht time) | off and from the SDAs On-line booth Sysop Ralph Blodget | Go John John Grys | Will you upload the sermons and other items | that can be given out to us? | I may have missed it since I logged on late, | when is the ordination issue on the agenda? Sysop Ralph Blodget | We will try to get some sermons. | Wednesday Ray Dabrowski | I wish you Happy Sabbath from Utrecht! | Continue to pray for the session. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Thanks to everybody for your participation | (even at an odd hour there) Ray Dabrowski | Bye John Grys | Thank you for your time. | Bye. Sysop Ralph Blodget | Bye from this end (Ralph) | And Owen Clarence Small | Thanks, guys, for keeping us up to speed. Nancy Carver Abbott | Yes. Thanks much. ********** 6/30/95 2:28 PM Forum CONFERENCE END