Today we received a half-dozen notices that Tom Lemon (GC Vice President) had been removed as chairman of the Unity in Mission Oversight Committee.
We have reached out to various members of the GC to confirm the rumor. Several of them had heard the story, but couldn't verify it. We are waiting to hear back from the General Conference regarding this matter.
Lemon was the individual who stated on Monday October 9 (at ACGC17) that he had observed no rebellion anywhere in the areas of the Seventh-day Adventist Church that he has visited this year. In many minds, this raised serious questions about his discernment/objectivity.
Tom Lemon was president of the Mid-America Union in 2012, when their Executive Committee "voted to support the ordination of women in the Mid-America Union.” The fact that he himself presided over rebellion towards the Seventh-day Adventist World Church decisions on March 8, 2012, provides clear evidence why he could not discern any rebellion in insurgent Church units in 2017. In our opinion, he should never have been on the Unity Oversight Committee in the first place, much less chairing it.
During Annual Council his wife made the following statement on her Facebook page:
"Rejoicing that Tom's meeting-Annual Council- went well and that the offending document taking action against people who disagree with things voted by the GC was voted to be sent back to the Unity and Mission Committee, which Tom chairs. Ongoing stress for him but he is rejoicing that the document was not voted in as it would have had serious and far reaching poor outcomes" (Jan Elmendorf Lemon, October 9 at 8:03 pm).
If it is correct that he has been replaced, it could be a good move to place more objective people on the Committee. This ought to happen, in our opinion.
Here is a list of Unity Oversight Committee members:
- Lemon, Thomas, chair, general vice president of the General Conference
- Ryan, Michael, vice-chair, assistant to the president of the General Conference
- Moorooven, Hensley, secretary and an associate secretary of the GC
- Doukmetzian, Karnik, legal advisor and chief counsel for the General Conference
- Biaggi, Guillermo, vice president of the General Conference
- Perez Schulz, Magdiel, assistant to the president of the General Conference
- Bryant, G Alexander, secretary of the North American Division and associate secretary of the General Conference
- De los Santos, Abner, vice president of the General Conference
- Finley, Mark, assistant to the General Conference president
- Prestol-Puesan, Juan, ex officio member, treasurer of the General Conference
- Iseminger, Myron, undersecretary of the General Conference
- Wahlen, J Raymond, undertreasurer of the General Conference
- Ng, GT, ex officio member, secretary of the General Conference
- Wilson, Ted, ex officio member, president of the General Conference
When we hear back from the General Conference regarding this matter, and who a replacement Chairman is, we will report that information. Perhaps there should be some Adventist laymen on this committee.
Walk with the King, and be a blessing!
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