NewsPosted May 17, 2017 Budapest, Hungary: Conference on Women and Families also Inspires to Reach Cities

By Costin Jordache, Director of Communication & News Editor, Adventist Review

Close to 400 delegates from over 60 countries made their way to a historic city to participate in a historic event on May 10-14. Amidst ancient structures perched along Europe’s iconic Danube River, Seventh-day Adventist ministry leaders from around the globe gathered in Budapest, Hungary for the first-ever International Leadership Conference focused on issues impacting families, women and children.

The gathering was historic as three separate General Conference departments—Family, Women’s and Children’s Ministries—joined forces to address critical issues facing the three distinct, yet interconnected groups. The conference was themed, Reach the World, in line with the General Conference strategic plan motto and in an effort to emphasize the unmet needs within communities around the world.

“This event is like a magnifying glass that focuses the energies of the church on where to bring the hope of Christ, his grace and soon return,” said Doug Venn, General Conference coordinator for Mission to the Cities and Director of the Global Mission Urban Center. Venn coordinates the initiative to reach the fifty-one percent of the world’s population currently living in large cities. Throughout the event, Venn’s team displayed increasing amounts of postcards brought by delegates on a wall, surrounding a sign that read “I Want This City.”