UPDATE FROM AAW THE ASSOCIATION OF ADVENTIST WOMEN

The Association of Adventist Women (AAW) is thrilled to share exciting news! AAW has had an outstanding year of influence! This is due to several factors: 1) the work of Ruth Peeters connecting Spanish speaking women pastors and theologians worldwide, 2) the General Conference session where AAW connected with world church leaders, and 3) AAW has translated all of the articles of the Theology of Ordination Study Committee (TOSC) into Spanish, being published by Teobiblica, and translated the summary into seven languages. Find them at associationofadventistwomen.com.

Nerida Bates counted the women pastors world-wide finding more than 1,000 women ministers and theologians currently serving around the world. This number does not include the women pastorsin China where there are an additional 4,000 + women pastors serving as home church leaders. Significantly, these women are spread in every division including Hungary, Indonesia, Thailand, Tanzania, Mozambique, Honduras and Chile! No longer is this an issue of social acceptancein Europe and the USA. Adventist women serving in pastoral roles are finishing God's work all around the world.

The Association of Adventist Women is thankful for God's leading during the General Conference Session as world leaders were chosen. Crystal E Ward was chosen as the Associate Ministerial Secretary of the General Conference,the first women to hold this position. A woman was requested in this position to support the 4 to 6,000 women pastors (quoting Nerida’s numbers). However, Erton Kohler, newly elected president, stated the next day that she is a ministerial director and each director is responsible for all ministers. This is very exciting!

With gratitude and hope,

Linda Wysong Becker, PhD

Interim President, Association of Adventist Women