On Sabbath afternoon, 24 October 2026, administrators, directors, staff and Executive Committee members of the British Union Conference (BUC) gathered at the Hemel Hempstead Seventh-day Adventist Church for a sacred pause. The special Consecration Service was an invitation to rededicate their collective talents and hearts to the advancement of God’s kingdom over the coming quinquennium.
The service opened with a warm welcome from BUC President Dr Kirk Thomas, who reminded the staff that the administrative and leadership work carried out across the territory demands more than professional excellence – it requires the daily empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
Outlining his vision for the next 5 years, he stated that the motto would be “grounded in the Bible, living out the mission”. He is then highlighted the three strategic pillars which would guide the work in the territory.
Honouring our Heritage, Embracing our Future
Understanding the mission ahead requires a firm grasp of the foundation on which the BUC stands. Trans-European Division (TED) Ministerial Association Secretary, Pastor David Neal presented ‘Our Heritage, Our Mission’, a thoughtful look at the history and purpose of the British Union Conference.
“What is the difference between a denominational mindset and a movement mindset?” was one of the questions he asked as he draw illustrations from a national chain eatery, the migration of Stanborough Press workers from Watford to Grantham 60 years ago and the theme of the July 2026 BUC Session, Walk. Love. Do.
This thought-provoking audio-visual retrospective segment seamlessly transitioned into Wederly Aguiar’s reflection on ‘Honouring the Past’. As Treasurer of the British Union Conference, his analytical overview concluded that, “we cannot always choose all the parts of our story, but we can choose how it influences us… not because everything that happened has been good, but the painful and the joyful helped to shape us into the people that we are…”
Judy Clements OBE, newly elected BUC Associate Executive Secretary, used the Old Testament wisdom of the major prophets, Jeremiah (29:11) and Isaiah (43:18) and the New Testament admonition of the Apostle Paul (Philippians 3:13) to underpin her central message to move forward. “We are called to shape a future as a people who know who holds the future,” she said with conviction and cited Nelson Mandela who believed in a future of “healing, bridging and building.”
The Message
Dr Daniel Duda, TED President delivered the afternoon’s sermonette, focusing his biblical message on servant leadership, faithfulness, and unwavering commitment to God’s mission. Speaking directly to the newly elected administrators and directors, he said, “We need to ask ourselves a big question, what are we going to do with the responsibility and authority with which the church has entrusted us?” He acknowledged that the “task of Union leadership is to make ministry possible for others, to create an environment where gifts grow, to listen to different voices that are often missed or overlooked.”
His thesis centred on the need for leaders to be humble and compassionate, build the body of Christ and the support the people, was based on Mark 10 and John 13.
In Mark 10 Jesus is walking to Jerusalem with His disciples and for the third time, He tells them that the “Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death…” (vs 33). Duda stated that while Jesus was speaking about the cross and eternal matters, His disciples are thinking about power, James and John (vs 37) and the remaining ten are upset that “they didn’t submit their applications first.”
John 13 is the story of the last supper and Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. Duda stated that Jesus refuses to “use the failure of the disciples and an excuse to stop loving them.”
Concluding his honest discourse where he acknowledged the disappointment, exhaustion, pain and wounded people, he said, “I dream of a British Union where leadership is trusted because it listens, where staff serve with dignity and hope and where churches are known by their neighbours as communities of grace, where the gifts of every generation, every individual are released for God’s mission… That future will be built through small, faithful choices, through conversation, promises kept, persons protected, a neighbour loved.”
Drawing the service to its focal point, Dr Duda issued ‘The Charge’ based on Isaiah 6:8, challenging BUC directors, staff, and the Executive Committee to step into their respective roles with a sense of God's leading.
Administrators and departmental directors were called to lead with vision, integrity and a servant’s heart. Acknowledging the essential contribution of the support staff, Duda charged them to serve, “humbly, faithfully and with excellence.” Members of the Executive Committee were charged to exercise “wise stewardship, genuine accountability and spiritual oversight” and to “prepare carefully, ask honest and difficult questions.” Family and members of the congregation were also asked to commit to “pray for these people (your leaders), pray for one another, speak in love, make way for the gifts of others, and hold each other accountable without losing compassion.”
The Music
The atmosphere of the afternoon was deeply enriched by a carefully curated programme of praise and worship. The musical selections served not just as interludes, but as prayers of dedication in themselves:
The BUC Staff Praise Team set the tone early in the service by leading through well-known hymns such as ‘Be Thou My Vision’. The opening hymn, the Seventh-day Adventist Anthem, ‘We Have This Hope’, set the tone for the solemnity of the service and later sealed the commitment by singing the closing hymn, ‘Take My Life and Let It Be’.
Soprano Camelia Bran delivered a moving rendition of ‘The Lord Bless You and Keep You’, offering a musical benediction over the congregation prior to the sermonette and YM Collective, a group of young people provided a powerful narrative arc through their contemporary special items, performing the prayer, ‘All We Ask’, ‘Lord I’m Available’, a song of surrender and the forward-looking anthem ‘This Is Just The Beginning’.
The Movement
Following a prayer of consecration by Pastor Kevin Johns, Associate Youth Director (TED) and closing remarks from newly elected BUC Executive Secretary Pastor Emanuel Bran, who invited the leaders to “return to their first love and commitment to Jesus Christ”, the BUC team departed Hemel Hempstead united by a shared mandate. One that promises to transform the administrative corridors of the BUC into active avenues for Spirit-filled mission.
Watch BUC Consecration Service