DUCH Session – New President

Surprisingly fast, a new president for the Seventh-day Adventist Church has been found. At 12:08 pm today, Bjørn Otteson was voted as the new leader of this church body.

According to the report from the nominating committee, as many as 15 names were considered, but finally ended upon this person, who is both willing and able to fulfill the position. Bjørn is currently union president in Sweden, but has previously served as pastor in Denmark. He is reportedly looking forward to taking on this challenge, and is believed to be capable. In his 6 years in Sweden, he has managed to reconnect the church there with a proper balance of new and old, a focus on evangelism and mission, and a recognition of SDA identity.

The vote count was 168 for, 34 against. We were all encouraged to give our full support and prayers to the new leadership.

I will hereby do this. I am positively surprised, and very much looking forward to this new development. I have experienced Bjørn as a solidly founded man, willing to listen, open to new ideas, but faithful to the cause. He will be in my prayers, and it will definitely be interesting to see where it leads.

On a second note, I now have the right of speech (not vote) at this session, by proposal from the suggestion committe. Three is a magic number. Now I just need to find out if I have anything to say.