GC Session Delegates Vote Belize Union Mission Status

June 7, 2022 | St. Louis, Missouri, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

General Conference Session delegates in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, approve the upgrade status of the Belize Union of Churches  to Union Mission,  during the first day of business meetings, on June 6, 2022. The Belize Union Mission is one of 24 major church regions of the Inter-American Division.

Pastor Erton Köhler, executive secretary for the Adventist world church announced the Belize Union Mission as part of 10 new and reorganized unions around the world which were created during the past quinquennium as either a union conference, union mission or union of churches conference.

Pastor Gerson Santos, associate secretary of the General Conferences, introduces Pastor Dennis Slusher, president of the Belize Union Mission, on stage during Day one of the 61st General Conference Session in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, Jun. 6, 2022. [Photo: IAD Screenshot]

The Belize Union Mission was upgraded from being the Belize Union of Churches in 2019 with 31,000 members, 75 congregations and 30 companies. Today, the union is grouped into three local fields: the central, the north and the southwest missions, with more than 49,000 church members in 106 churches and 32 companies. The church operates 25 primary and secondary schools, a junior college, hospital, and a clinic.

Other unions approved by General Conference Session delegates were approved for in Zimbabwe, Ghana, Netherlands, Malaysia and Southeastern Asia.