The program will be available for viewing on the Lake Union Herald Facebook and Twitter social media pages, as well as the Herald YouTube Channel March 19-20.

March 18, 2021

Lake Region and Michigan churches in Detroit to host joint convocation on relational unity

Since 2015, the Lake Union has been on a journey to healing and understanding as it relates to race relations, dialoguing about our past, as well as our future. Our five-year sojourn has taken us to cities across our territory, from Berrien Springs to Indianapolis to Milwaukee.

We continue the promise of hope and reconciliation this weekend, March 19-20, through a historic joint convocation between Lake Region and Michigan Conferences churches in the Motor City. This Detroit convocation is unprecedented in its scope and is a first in recent memory involving all the Adventist churches from two conferences in a major city.

The Detroit pastors from both Lake Region and Michigan conferences have been meeting with Carmelo Mercado, Lake Union Vice President for Multicultural ministry over the last two years and have “developed a true bond in fellowship and in doing God's work.”  

The pastors released a video outlining why they are hoping to expand this relationship in their respective churches and how this endeavor is important to the church’s mission.  

“Believers tend to feel comfortable worshipping with people of their own cultural background. But doing so exclusively will rob the believer of the blessing of worshiping with people who believe the same truths but might express and experience them in nuanced ways.   

“In Detroit, a city that has historically been plagued by ethnic tension, Adventist congregations organized along these lines often exist nearly side-by-side without any interaction, thus missing a blessing of fellowship and collaboration for mission in shared neighborhoods.” 

The main speakers for the March 19-20 program are Drs. Gregory and Carol Allen who are planning to make a Biblical case for relational unity in the Seventh-day Adventist church. 

“All the signs indicate that Jesus is about to culminate His work,” says Gregory Allen, Oakwood University associate professor in the Religion and Theology department. “Yet, without the love of Christ manifested in relational unity—notwithstanding ethnicity, race, tribe, or caste—Adventism has no authenticity; our profession is hollow.  Jesus says that the world needs a demonstration of unconditional love and unity among believers in order to believe in Him.” 

The invitation is extended to all, not just Detroit members. “Everyone should participate in this event so they can join in the conversation so we can show to the world how people from various different cultures can truly fellowship together in love and unity." 

The program will be available for viewing on the Lake Union Herald Facebook and Twitter social media pages, as well as the Herald YouTube Channel. Broadcasting times are: 

  • Friday evening - 7:30 p.m. EST 
  • Sabbath morning - 9:30 a.m. EST 
  • Sabbath worship - 11:30 a.m. EST 
  • Sabbath afternoon - 4:00 p.m. EST 

More information is available at www.hisinvitation.org