The General Conference (GC) Department of Family Ministries conferred the Spalding Medallion Distinguished Service on pastor Roberto Iannò of the Italian Union of Churches Conference (IUCC) during the pastoral families' convention in Lignano Sabbiadoro on September 9, 2023.
“We usually give this award to an individual who has been outstanding, distinguished in his service; not all directors receive it,” GC families ministries director Willie Oliver said at the ceremony.
“Roberto has exemplified what means to be a family ministries director of high quality. He has been very methodical in his leadership. Simply outstanding," Oliver added.
Pastor Iannò has been serving as IUCC family ministries director since 2014 and he is also pastoring a church. Over the years, he has raised awareness among churches and local family ministries leaders to implement programs aimed at "nurturing" families. His department translates the annual Resouce Book with many resources to use, promotes the Adventist Marriage Encounter Weekends (Ima), organizes the Helping Relationship Convention (now in its sixth year) and the Family Camp in summer, implements programs for the Third Age Service and other local activities.
It is this consistently putting into practice many diverse projects addressed to the various segments of the department - families, couples, parents, churches, etc. – that led the family ministries world leaders to honor Roberto Iannò with the highest award given by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Pastor Iannò received the 49th medal conferred to an individual or a couple in four decades. He is also the first Italian to be given this award.
"I thank my wife Anna for her valuable and voluntary support in our common calling to serve families. I also thank the associate director, M. Antonietta Calà, for her professional contribution to the department, also enriched by the help of her husband, pastor Patrizio Calliari," said Iannò, honored for the award and aware that a department works when can rely on a well-knit team.
Short biography
Roberto Iannò was born Italy and graduated from University of Florence (BA/MA Education), Newbold College (MA Religion), University of Padua (MA Family Counseling), and Andrews University (DMin Family Ministry).
Roberto served as the Italian Union Executive Secretary, Education director, president of the Ethics Commission, adjunct professor of Christian Education at the Italian Adventist University. He was also the Speaker for the Italian Union Satellite Evangelistic Campaign in 2000.
He is an ordained minister pastoring in Italy, serves as Family Ministries director, and adjunct professor of Theology of marriage and family at the Italian Adventist University.
Roberto lectured in the Psychology Department of the University of Padua, and published several scholarly articles in the field of family relationships and premarital education (Prepare/Enrich). He also published articles on family topics in the Italian denominational magazine and in the General Conference Family Ministries Resource Book.
Roberto is married to Anna (kindergarten teacher), and have two children: Gianluca (MA Business Economics) with his wife Alessia (BA Education), and Daniele (MA Law).
He is certified with Prepare/Enrich and trainer in Italy, as an International Partner and licensee. He and his wife Anna also started in Italy the Adventist faith expression of Worldwide Marriage Encounter, under the mentorship of John and Carolyn Wilt (International Executive Couple in the US).
The Arthur & Maud Spalding Medallion
Inaugurated in 1990 by then GC Directors of Family Ministries, Karen and Ron Flowers, the Arthur & Maud Spalding Medallion Distinguished Service was named after the first couple to lead Family Ministries in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
On October 8, 1919 the General Conference Committee created the Home Commission which became operative in 1922 with Arthur W Spalding as director, who worked in this capacity with his wife Maud, until 1941. Spalding created literature for the education of the entire family. A series of leaflets were produced dealing with different phases of home life titled, The Christian Home Series. Arthur W Spalding wrote the lessons and Maud Spalding graded them.
The Home Commission became part of the GC Department of Education in 1941. During the next 34 years marriage and family life programs were promoted by Parent and Home Education Secretaries: Florence Rebok (1941-1947), Arabella Moore Williams (1947-1954), Archa O Dart (1954-1970), and W John Cannon (1970-1975).
In 1975 at the General Conference Session held in Vienna, Austria, Delmer and Betty Holbrook were elected directors of the Home and Family Service. Dr. Delmer Holbrook, who served as director of Family Ministries (the Home and Family Service) with his wife Betty from 1975-1982 was the first recipient of this award, the highest honor given by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Family Ministries.
To date, 48 individuals or couples have received this distinction. Today’s recipient will bring that number to 49 who have been honored with this medallion.
To read the original article, please go here.
[Lina Ferrara contributed to this news]
