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Pastors from across Canada recently gathered at Burman University in Alberta for a four-day event organized by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada (SDACC) every ten years. This nationwide Ministerial Summit aims to restore and empower pastors and their families through worship, workshops, networking, and the exchange of ideas.

The event featured a range of activities and resources aimed at uplifting and informing attendees. Display booths provided valuable information on ministry and wellness issues, while workshops covered various subjects such as self-care, student mission, and theological concepts. The session began with an inspiring message from SDACC President Paul Llewellyn, who emphasized the importance of prayer and thinking outside the box to spread the message of Jesus.

Each day commenced and concluded with powerful and inspiring messages from various presenters. Notable figures included Pastor Ivan Williams and Jose Cortes Jr, Director and Associate Director, respectively, of the Ministerial Department at the North American Division (NAD), as well as Dr. Elizabeth Talbot, Speaker Director for Jesus 101 Biblical Institute, a media ministry of the NAD.

The Ontario Conference had a strong presence at the event. President Jakov Bibulović led a pastoral workshop on "Church Revitalization Leading to Growth and Multiplication." Pastor Mansfield Edwards presented on Chaplaincy, and Pastor Elizabeth Pule spoke on creating inclusive churches to support children with special needs. Ontario Conference pastors were also involved in praise and worship, workshop facilitation, and even seeking project funding for innovative ministry ideas. Two iPads, prizes from a random draw, went to Ontario pastors among hundreds that were in attendance.

As the conference came to a close, heartfelt goodbyes were exchanged among old friends and new acquaintances. When asked, former Ministerial Secretary Damson Oppong, one of the event's primary organizers, shared that he was "happy with the successful outcome and the blessings it brought to pastors across Canada." Many Ontario pastors shared the sentiment, with one describing it as a "mountaintop experience." As pastors return to their churches in Ontario, they carry a sense of restoration and empowerment, ready to lead their congregations in sharing the Gospel of Jesus with their communities and the building up of God's kingdom.