The 2022 General Conference Session is over. Spectrum was there in person and active online. The five-person reporting and social media team—ages ranging from early 20s to early 40s got up early and stayed up late watching carefully, asking questions, and thinking seriously about what it all means. Spectrum did this to keep you in the loop because we value your membership in our community.
Thank you for all the articles, analyses and insights! Very much appreciated.
@Carmen: I don’t want to divert attention from your focus of the article. However, please allow me to ask you a question:
With so many views of Adventism, what is the movement’s calling in Spectrum’s view? You know by now that I’m not asking with a hidden agenda, but because I really want to know. Thank you in advance!
Well, Kate, fom the first volume of “Spectrum” I was waiting for every following to come.
And when Neal C. Wilson - the father of T.W. - told the “Spectrum” team just to behave (Oct. 16, 1984) I answered in a personal letter 
to him :
Once again : I deeply regret what I read in the GCC Annual Concil Record of Oct. 16, 1984. Particulary the misunderstanding for me seems to cumulate in your final quotation (Mt 12 : 30) May I stress your imagination : I am “with” a body as long as I take the sometimes painful task of committment to its different viewpoints, its pluralism, its different attempts, failures, and even scandals.They mean no threat to its persistence for me and do not arouse my anxiety for loss. I am “with” a body as long as I am vulnerable by the fact of dissdents leaving it with an - albeit very negative, even hateful - yet strong and affectionate relation to it; I compassionately learn of their development and their personal decision I for myself cannot aprove - - -
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Thank you, Carmen, to you and your team for the coverage of the GC session. Your vision, grace, and commitment to community and truth-telling remain a source of inspiration and hope in trying times.
One cannot and should not ask for agreement with the views presented by the authors of Spectrum articles. Rather issues raised are valid and well worthy of consideration by those concerned about the welfare of this denomination. Hopefully open and transparent consideration and discussion will lead to better fulfillment of the mission given to us by God in end Time.
Kate, the words I used in this piece are from the Adventism Forum Mission which was, of course, voted by our board.
I suppose each board member would describe the calling of Adventism differently. However, I would assert that all believe in a unique potential contribution of Adventism.
Yet, someone who reads what is published on this website would get an idea of Spectrum’s values which include the notion of growth, not stagnation. Imagination, not fearful clinging. Embodied discipleship, not rigid orthodoxy. A broadly interwoven life, not cloistered existence.
Personally, I value a seventh day Sabbath as a signifier of God’s commitment to humanity put in place from the beginning. So, it goes to the heart of God’s character which is unconditional love. For me, Sabbath-keeping also stands for non-coercive worship, liberation, equality, and assurance. Again, speaking personally, I view Adventism as a way to live in an “almost, not yet,” expectation of Christ’s coming. Meanwhile, as a disciple, one lives the Kingdom, individually, in community, and within society in such a way to promote abundant life and respect for all. To me, this is Adventism’s unique synthesis.
Peace.
Thanks, Carmen! True, I got an idea when reading the journal, but I wanted a condensed answer. And I also got a personal one. 
For me, this is conversation: You have a question, you ask without giving the impression that you want to judge or trap, then the other one feels safe and opens up. I like that here we can share our ideas and the backgrounds don’t matter. I learn from ex-members a lot and appreciate their perspectives (thanks @svrcg for bringing this up).
Being personal: I was so disillusioned about the shananigans and spiritual plus power abuse at the GC Session and asked myself if this can still be my church. But then last Sabbath we had barbecue until the evening right after church. And atheist friends and artists came by just because they enjoy being togeher with us and we enjoy being together with them for hours. Being real. And this is “church” for me. It has to be lived out right where you are.
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