With the June General Conference Session approaching, Adventists around the world are preparing for the Business Session and the Exhibit Hall, that is always a major source of connecting with other fellow church members. This year, for the first time in thirty years, Spectrum will not have a booth in the Exhibit Hall. The Exhibit Hall Committee turned down our request for space.
When we were first notified that we would not have the space that we requested, we were told to contact the Office of the President with any questions. Our attempts to have a conversation with the presidentâs assistant have so far been unsuccessful. Then we received another notice that the committee declined our request for space with no explanation whatsoever.
In private conversations, we were told the fact that we allowed members of Kinship International to be part of our group staffing at our booth in the past was a factor in turning down our application.
To make lemonade out of this unfortunate situation, a donor has helped us to secure a house near the Convention Center where we plan to connect with our friends over the noon hour as we record live podcasts.
We have a strong news team that will be reporting on the business sessions, elections, and other aspects of the meetings, which take place June 25âJuly 4. Spectrum will be in Indianapolis, even if we are outside the camp.
P.S. We will have an exhibit at the NAD CALLED Pastorâs Family Convention taking place June 21â24, and look forward to connecting with many of you there as well.
We invite you to join our community through conversation by commenting below. We ask that you engage in courteous and respectful discourse. You can view our full commenting policy by clicking here.
Not comparing SDA Kinship with sinners (because we are all sinners), but Jesus hung out mostly with sinners and those who were not accepted by the mainstream. I feel the church just canât handle anyone who thinks outside the official box. Thoughts, I guess, can be dangerous.
My thanks to Spectrum for always being inclusive and open to âothersâ. Since I am proudly a part of SDA Kinship, I so very much appreciate Spectrum and other SDA independant news reporting agencies who can report the full âspectrumâ of what is going on in Adventism without getting the gag order from the church.
SDA Kinship, although officially banned, has had a âpresenceâ at GC since Toronto, giving hope to LGBTQ+ Adventists that they are not alone and that God loves them unconditionally.
Thanks Bonnie and all of the Spectrum team.
This âboothismâ needs to end. Last year âSecrets Unsealedâ was denied a booth at an NAD meeting. Let organisations have booths so they can be heard and engage. Even God gave Satan a booth in the Garden of Eden at the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Sure⌠If you want directions, these will be somewhere between âOld Men Clubâ Adventist Leadership Ministry booth, and âJesuit Detectorâ app demo. You should definetly stop by for some imitation shrimp cocktails
I would wager the fact that SPECTRUM allowed KINSHIP INTERNATIONAL to share their booth at prior conventions, was a mere handy excuse for this denial of a booth in the Exhibit Hall.
TW fears SPECTRUMâS transparent, overt, coherent reporting of GC events, that cuts through the political propaganda SPIN emanating from the administration.
Without SPECTRUM and ADVENTIST TODAY, most SDA members would be oblivious to the machinations, manipulations, and monkey business that happens in SILVER SPRING.
KINSHIP INTERNATIONAL is a cohesion of Adventist gays / lesbians who seek mutual support and comfort, after being hounded, hurt and humiliated by Adventist congregations, schools and families.
Some of their life stories are pathetically poignant and painful and a sad commentary on the shunning and shaming that replaces loving inclusivity and acceptance that true Christians should provide their gay offspring.
So once again, hateful, hurtful, homophobia rears itâs hideous head, as the GC uses this egregious excuse to deny SPECTRUM a booth.
Itâs quite simple. The current leadership of the GC most likely feels that Spectrum is not loyal to the church. They control the agenda. End of story.
Spectrum DOES NOT follow the Party Line [as they say in politics].
Party Line â no women priests allowed by Moses. No women to talk
in church, No women to teach men allowed by Paul.
GLTIOâs are Unclean. And Unclean are NOT allowed in Godâs
congregation.
Spectrum is ALL INCLUSIVE. This attitude is Against the Party Line.
This small-minded pettiness of Ted Wilson does not surprise me. He remains a weak and uninspiring leader. He is our mercifully-attenuated version of Donald Trump. But many, particularly those who are troubled and unstable, like Wilsonâs divisiveness. And it is this divisiveness that is key to his reelection.
I think itâs totally appropriate that Spectrum finds itself âoutside the camp.â Jesus gave up his life âoutside the campâ - signalling that his death on the cross was not in the same order as the Hebrew sacrifices, a private Hebrew event. Jesus gave up his life for all - no exclusions. Spectrum exists in the same spirit.
"⌠Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp bearing His reproach."
I disagree with your assessment of Elder Wilson as a weak leader. He has demonstrated his remarkable political skills more than once or twice (to the frustration of many on these Spectrum pages.)
Can Spectrum confirm whether or not they are able to attend as press to cover the event? I have heard that while the booth was cancelled, Spectrum still has press access, but this article suggests that you wonât even be in the building at all.
Do you even realize what you are sayingâŚTW is a âgood politicianâ. Thatâs not his job - but Iâm not surprised. Running the church takes the same maneuvering as all other political institutions, except the church is supposed to be a-political. Politicians operate under the banner - âthe ends justify the meansâ. Thatâs not a compliment.
Yes. I realize. I was responding to his political leadership which I think he sees as necessary. I donât agree with you that all politicians operate solely under the Machiavellian banner.
I believe Pres. Wilson is VERY astute as to where his power
and influence is, and he is very good at using it.
The delegates of the Southern Hemisphere, Africa, other places
are his supporters and supporters of his âbiblical policiesâ.
Is there now a new TSA-type screening effort to check the gender orientation of ALL who will staffing booths at the GC session? Does the screening extend to the delegates? Just asking for a friend!
Iâm wondering if the coronavirus will play a part in travel plans for large portions of the attendees, or even a cancelling of the event? It will be interesting to see if this will have any effect, or if things will have calmed down by then.
