From July 7 to 15, 2019, the first woman who has been elected president of an American conference of the Seventh-Day-Adventist church visited various Adventist institutions in Germany. Sandra Roberts is an ordained minister of the Southeastern California Conference in Riverside. During her visit Sandra Roberts established ties, preached and encouraged women in leadership positions.
The visit of Dr. Roberts to Germany came as a result of an invitation of the local congregation in Stuttgart. During this time she met leaders of the church in Germany, visited the Theological University Friedensau in Magdeburg and the Hope Media Centre in Alsbach-Hähnlein as well as historical sites in Berlin and Wittenberg. Dr. Roberts also had a tight speaking schedule and participated in a panel discussion on the role of women in leadership within the Seventh-Day-Adventist church.
“In our Division (NAD) gender equality is a prerequisite for being socially relevant”, Roberts said in the discussion. The Southeastern California Conference has a long tradition of promoting equality in ministry and she herself has profited from this stance. As president she has always experienced full support in her conference although not all members agree. She takes pride in standing up for equality of men and women in the church and defending her women pastors. “I do not want my church to split because of this…I believe that we belong together,” she confirmed.
Before her call to serve as president of the Southeastern California Conference Sandra Roberts served as its executive secretary for nine years. She is now serving her second period as conference president, having been re-elected with a great majority last year.
According to a report by Stephan G. Brass, APD
Photo: Stephan G. Brass
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