Election of Leadership in the Franco-Belgian Union

Ruben de Abreu confirmed as President

Pedro Torres, BIA, EUDnews.
2023 05 Mario Carpin Ruben 1

2023 05 Mario Carpin Ruben 1

The delegates of the three federations and institutions of the Union of Seventh-day Adventist Federations of France, Belgium and Luxembourg (UFB) met from May 5 to 8. The occasion, the Ordinary General Assembly (AGO), took place at the church on the Campus Adventiste du Salève, in Collonges-sous-Salève.

President

Ruben de Abreu, outgoing president, presented the report corresponding to the 2018-2023 mandate. The report was accepted and approved unanimously. After this report, the Nominating Committee met to reflect on possible candidates for the presidency of the UFB for the next term, 2023-2028.

The spokespersons of the committee, Pastor Mario Brito, president of the Inter-European Division, and the technical secretary of the ad hoc committee, Olga Handramanu, appeared before the assembly to propose the outgoing president as a candidate for president for the next UFB term.

In the end, the proposal was passed with 137 in favour and 22 against.

Ruben de Abreu, of Portuguese origin, was previously a pastor in the Adventist Union of Portugal, where he was director of the youth department as well as general secretary, among other responsibilities. He was called to serve as president of the UFB in 2013. In 2018, at the end of his first term, he was reappointed in the same responsibility until now. At this Ordinary General Assembly (AGO), for a third time, he was reappointed to the position of president for another five years.

General Secretary

On Sunday, May 7, 2023, David Milard, pastor of the Federation of Seventh-day Adventist Churches in the South of France (FFS) was proposed as the new general secretary and head of institutional communications of the UFB.

Of the 162 delegates present, 145 voted "for" and 15 voted "against". The nomination of Pastor David Milard received a large majority of votes in favour.

Milard studied theology at the Adventist Faculty in Collonges. Before that, he had already been trained in computer science.

After his theological studies, he did his internship in Marseille. A short time later, he was assigned as a pastor in Bordeaux. A few years ago, he was appointed assistant to the communications department of the FFS.

In addition to the administrative ministry as secretary general of the UFB, he will also be responsible for institutional communications. Pastor Milard has developed a very important social media ministry in the past and present, which makes him a person who, in addition to administration, is largely familiar with new technologies.

Treasurer

On Sunday, May 7, 2023, the nominating committee also proposed Pastor Karine Eloidin as Treasurer for the 2023-2028 term.

Of the 155 delegates present, 138 voted "for" and 17 voted "against". Pastor Karine Eloidin's nomination was adopted by a large majority of votes in favour.

Pastor Eloidin has ministered in the Federation of Adventist Churches of Northern France (FFN) as a pastor in various churches and as head of the prayer department. At the AGO of the FFN in 2021, Karine Eloidin was appointed treasurer of the FFN until now.

From now on, until 2028, when the AGO of the Union Franco-Belge (UFB) will take place, Pastor Karine Eloidin will exercise her ministry as treasurer of the UFB.

For more details and information about the Assembly, please go here.

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