SAVE THE DATE:
Family Celebration Sabbath 2012 ~ July 20 – 22, 2012
Family educators, church leaders, faculty, staff and students from across the globe gathered at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary for the annual Family Celebration Sabbath 2011. The opening session was a reception sponsored by AdventSource – complete with tasty food, lively conversation, and joyful fellowship. Willie Oliver, director of Family Ministries for the General Conference, welcomed weekend participants and introduced the new faces of family ministries leadership. Claudio and Pamela Consuegra, new directors of Family Ministries for the North American Division (NAD), brought greetings on behalf of NAD. By the close of this first meeting, attendees were excited about what was yet to come and were blessed to learn of new resources and support by the publications from AdventSource.
The keynote speakers, David and Beverly Sedlacek, offered insightful and empowering presentations on this year’s theme “Celebration of Love.” They opened Friday evening’s meeting with the topic finding revival and reformation within the realm of relationships. They reminded us that families are under Satan’s attack, now more than ever, and are in need of restoration in much the same way as the church in general. The Sabbath morning presentation centered on the restoration of relationships as heard through the call of the Three Angels’ messages. This call speaks to more than just religious obedience to the law; it beckons for the hearts of fathers to be turned once again to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. The Sedlaceks concluded their weekend presentations with a Sabbath afternoon seminar where they advanced that iniquity is best looked at in the context of relationships, and therefore, healing occurs best also in relationship.
David Sedlacek has served as Professor of Social Work at Andrews University since 2009 and was recently appointed as Professor of Family Life and Discipleship at the Seminary. Dr. Sedlacek and his wife Beverly co-direct Into HIS Rest Ministries, a Christian counseling ministry. They speak internationally, conduct seminars and retreats, and have written a book entitled “Cleansing the Sanctuary of the Heart: Tools for Emotional Healing.”
The weekend culminated on Sunday afternoon with the Adventist Association of Family Life Professionals research forum where four papers were presented by scholars in the field. The papers presented were as follows: Evaluation of Two Instruments used in Premarital Counseling, Peter Swanson, PhD, Andrews University; Let the Little Children Come: Toward a Seventh-day Adventist Theology of Childhood, Edyta Jankiewicz, PhD(c); The Impact of Childhood Abuse on College Student Social Factors, David Sedlacek, PhD, Andrews University; Which is it: “The spiritual aspect was great” or “In a way it made me hate God more”? Contradictory Reflections on the Spiritual Aspects of an Adventist Residential Treatment Facility, Rene Drumm, Southern Adventist University (Paper presented by Laurie Cooper, Research Assistant, Southern Adventist University).
Szu-yi Erica Rantung, a master’s student studying family life education at Andrews says, “It was a meaningful weekend – families could gain knowledge about how to build stronger families in Christ, as well as a precious moment to celebrate God’s love and grace through fellowshipping with one another in the big family of God.”
If you were unable to join us for Family Celebration Sabbath 2011, we would like to extend a warm welcome to you for next summer’s enrichment weekend, July 20-22, 2012. Until then, may the joy of restoration, revival and reformation in our families and ministries motivate us all as we look towards Christ’s soon return!
