The Office of Regional Ministries at the Pacific Union Conference will host its first Inner-City Pastors and Lay Officers Training, Sunday, Jan. 16, 2005, on the campus of Los Angeles Adventist Academy, 846. E. El Segundo Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif.

Under the leadership of Elder Bobby Mitchell and the six regional coordinators for African American Ministries (Donovan Edwards, Arizona, Earl Canson, Jr., Central, Kingsley Palmer , Nevada Utah, Virgil Childs , Northern California, Adolphus Garnett , Southern California, George King, Southeastern), the department is turning a corner in inner-city ministry.

“The philosophy of this department is to identify spiritual gifts in the Body of Christ and through the anointing of God’s Spirit, develop those gifts into ministries that will edify God’s people,” said Pastor Bobby Mitchell , director of PUC Regional Ministries.

Mitchell says his first year in office has been focused on enhancing communication between coordinators, pastors and congregations.

“We are working to change the perception of this department, build a stronger coalition among our churches and move forward with energy and vision to evangelize our communities. It is time for us to take new approaches to ministry for in-reach and outreach if we want to see inner city churches flourish and grow,” Mitchell said, “We basically have a new team of coordinators so it is very appropriate that we experience a transition.”

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The January conference — on the heels of the Bible Instructors Guild that will be held at the Tamarind Avenue Church Jan. 14-15 — will bring lay-leaders and pastors together from four (Arizona, Las Vegas, Southern and Southeastern) of our six conferences and emphasize spirituality in leadership. A second conference to facilitate the northern end of the union will be hosted later in the year.

The facilitators and speakers mostly drawn from the talents and skills within the union, will incorporate hands on activities, personal experience and proven techniques that build up the body of Christ in both large and small congregations.

Regional Ministries has nine goals: 1) form a PUC Pastoral Advisory Council; 2) develop a union-wide youth collaboration; 3) strengthen women’s ministry coalitions; 4) formulate stronger relationships with regional conferences; 5) construct union-wide lay ministerial training sessions; 6) develop lay-professional/specialized ministries; 7) assist established lay ministries with securing outside funding resources; 8) build stronger support for Christian Education; and, 9) develop and maintain practical ways to nurture and retain new believers.

To meet these goals, a Pastors Advisory Council has been established that meets on a quarterly basis. Within the council, working committees have already begun to foster vision and insight into the challenges of inner-city ministry.

Regional Ministries more than 29,000 congregants can expect to see stronger leadership, church growth and a manifestation of God’s hand moving throughout the inner city in the months and years to come.

For more information about the Church Ministries Conference for Leadership, call 909-682-9810.