Adventist Church Votes President and Secretary Elect for Inter-America; Leito’s Leadership Honored

Dr. Elie Henry and his wife Ketlie, as the vote was taken to be the IAD President. Image from Adventist News Network

April 16, 2018 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Libna Stevens/IAD

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists’ Executive Committee voted last week to accept the recommendation of Dr. Elie Henry as president and Dr. Leonard Johnson as executive secretary of the Inter-American Division (IAD). Both names were voted on Apr. 10 in Silver Spring, Maryland, during one of the business meetings of the world church governing body.

Dr. Elie Henry is president elect until the end of July, when Pastor Israel Leito retires from being IAD president, said G. T. Ng, executive secretary of the world church before the vote was taken.  “Dr. Henry will become president as of Aug. 1, 2018,” said Ng.

Adventist World Church President Pastor Ted N.C. Wilson spoke highly of Dr. Henry and his seven years of experience as IAD secretary, and union president and leadership in academia in the Adventist seminary in Haiti.

Dr. Leonard Johnson voted in as IAD Executive Secretary, next to his wife Denise. Image from Adventist News Network

“It is a privilege to bring this forward to you,” said Wilson as he addressed the committee. “The IAD delegation in Miami recently took the vote of recommendation for Dr. Henry and so we by faith move ahead.”

Dr. Leonard Johnson was also voted in as executive secretary elect until Aug. 1, 2018, when he will begin in the administrative position officially. Johnson has been serving as associate ministerial director for the church in Inter-America as well as president of the Atlantic Caribbean Union which overseas The Bahamas, Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos.

“Dr. Johnson is a very balanced person and someone that the nominating committee in Inter-America and the delegation have given strong backing towards a recommendation for executive secretary,” said Pastor Wilson.

The General Conference’s Executive Committee also honored Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America, for his leadership and extended service for the church.

“On behalf of the world church and me personally, we want to thank you for the tremendous dedicated way in which you have invested your life in the work of the church, and given such focus to the mission and the outreach of this precious Advent movement,” said Pastor Wilson as he spoke to Pastor Leito and the committee.

Pastor Leito thanked the committee for allowing him to serve the church for so many years. He pointed to the more than 30 years that he spent sitting in the GC Executive Committee

Adventist World Church President Ted N.C. Wilson honors IAD President Pastor Israel Leito, who will retire from service on Aug. 1, 2018. Image from Adventist News Network

“After serving the church for nearly 25 years, it’s time to stop thinking that the Lord does not have other people to do the work,” said Pastor Leito. “This church belongs to Jesus Christ and I praise the Lord for what He has done for His church, I thank the General Conference for the privilege of serving this church for this long.”

Pastor Leito said he would continue serving the church from behind the scene. He encouraged leaders to be faithful in continuing to work and serve the church.

“There is so much to be done and the Lord will use us if we are humble enough to be used by Him,” he said to the committee members. “Thank you for being a friend, for helping me grow and for strengthening God’s church.”

Pastor Leito announced his retirement from IAD service during the church’s mid-year executive meetings held last month.