15 Jan 2026, 12:11SEC CommunicationsWatford, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom
SEC Evangelism Expo 2026 - Training, Vision, and Impact
Leaders and members from across the South England Conference of Seventh-day Adventists gathered at Newbold College for SEC Evangelism Expo 2026, the Conference’s annual forum for shaping mission, setting strategic direction, and equipping local churches for the year ahead. Guided by the four-year theme, Go SEC: Inspired for Mission, the Expo provided an opportunity for church officers and members to engage directly with Conference leadership, reflect on shared priorities, and receive practical training for evangelism and community outreach. This year, the programme placed a clear and intentional emphasis on creating more time for workshops, enabling participants to focus more deeply on hands-on learning and ministry development.
Attendees represented a broad cross-section of the church, including pastors, elders, department leaders, ministry coordinators, and local church members from across the SEC territory, alongside representatives from the British Union Conference.
Before the workshops began, brief framing contributions helped set the spiritual and organisational direction for the day. SEC President, Dr Kirk Thomas, outlined the Conference’s strategic focus and mission priorities. He reminded attendees that while familiar patterns of church life may not return, Christ’s promised return remains central, summarising the challenge with the words, “Normal isn’t coming back, but Jesus is.” He emphasised that the church must be willing to pursue God’s vision rather than cling to past methods.
Central to this direction is the Conference’s mission framework: Christ in our hearts, Christ in our homes, Christ in our churches, and Christ on our streets. This framework continues to shape the SEC’s strategic priorities and reflects insights gathered through The Big Conversation, a mid-term townhall event held in October 2025.
The devotional focus was led by SEC Executive Secretary, Pastor Nathan Stickland, who guided the gathering through a reflective exercise known as Prayer Ripples. Drawing from Scripture and the Conference’s strategic direction, he encouraged participants to consider prayer expanding intentionally outward. This began with personal consecration and moved through families, friends, neighbours, communities, church members, church neighbours, and civic and national leaders. The exercise reinforced the importance of continual prayer and openness to fresh vision from God as the foundation for effective mission.
Providing further context, SEC Treasurer, Ann Swaby, shared a summary of financial stewardship across the Conference. She highlighted the importance of transparency, accountability, and responsible resourcing in supporting long-term evangelism and church development, noting that financial resilience remains a key priority in sustaining mission through changing and uncertain times.
With the context set, the Expo moved into its core focus of extended workshop sessions. Attendees moved between multiple workshop blocks, making the most of opportunities to engage directly with departmental leaders and trainers. Workshop sessions addressed both spiritual and practical themes, ranging from discipleship and community engagement to digital evangelism, safeguarding, governance, and effective church administration.
A key contributor to the day’s training was special guest Pastor Sylvia Mendez, Trans-European Division Director of Mission, Community Services, and Women’s Ministry. Serving as a guest trainer across three departments, she led sessions within Church Growth and Adventist Mission, Personal Ministries, and Women’s Ministries. Her workshops included Mission as Part of Your Everyday Life, Grounded in the Faith for Mission, and Women in Mission, each reinforcing the call to see evangelism as a natural, relational, and faith-rooted expression of everyday Christian life.
In addition to the departmental workshops, a small number of sessions were delivered by partner organisations. These included an education-focused workshop led by BUC Director of Education, Lorraine McDonald, and a publishing and writing workshop facilitated by Stanborough Press. Attendees were also able to engage with a range of exhibitors, including ADRA-UK.
Throughout the day, the atmosphere at Newbold College supported both reflection and collaboration. Conversations continued between sessions as attendees shared experiences, challenges, and ideas for mission within their local contexts.
In the closing session, following the conclusion of the workshops, the SEC President encouraged attendees to move forward with renewed purpose and confidence. The gathering concluded with a unifying call and response of “Go SEC” -“Inspired for Mission”, reinforcing the shared commitment to take Christ from their hearts, into their homes and churches, and out onto the streets.
Leaders and members from across the South England Conference of Seventh-day Adventists gathered at Newbold College for SEC Evangelism Expo 2026, the Conference’s annual forum for shaping mission, setting strategic direction, and equipping local churches for the year ahead. Guided by the four-year theme, Go SEC: Inspired for Mission, the Expo provided an opportunity for church officers and members to engage directly with Conference leadership, reflect on shared priorities, and receive practical training for evangelism and community outreach. This year, the programme placed a clear and intentional emphasis on creating more time for workshops, enabling participants to focus more deeply on hands-on learning and ministry development.
Attendees represented a broad cross-section of the church, including pastors, elders, department leaders, ministry coordinators, and local church members from across the SEC territory, alongside representatives from the British Union Conference.
Before the workshops began, brief framing contributions helped set the spiritual and organisational direction for the day. SEC President, Dr Kirk Thomas, outlined the Conference’s strategic focus and mission priorities. He reminded attendees that while familiar patterns of church life may not return, Christ’s promised return remains central, summarising the challenge with the words, “Normal isn’t coming back, but Jesus is.” He emphasised that the church must be willing to pursue God’s vision rather than cling to past methods.
Central to this direction is the Conference’s mission framework: Christ in our hearts, Christ in our homes, Christ in our churches, and Christ on our streets. This framework continues to shape the SEC’s strategic priorities and reflects insights gathered through The Big Conversation, a mid-term townhall event held in October 2025.
The devotional focus was led by SEC Executive Secretary, Pastor Nathan Stickland, who guided the gathering through a reflective exercise known as Prayer Ripples. Drawing from Scripture and the Conference’s strategic direction, he encouraged participants to consider prayer expanding intentionally outward. This began with personal consecration and moved through families, friends, neighbours, communities, church members, church neighbours, and civic and national leaders. The exercise reinforced the importance of continual prayer and openness to fresh vision from God as the foundation for effective mission.
Providing further context, SEC Treasurer, Ann Swaby, shared a summary of financial stewardship across the Conference. She highlighted the importance of transparency, accountability, and responsible resourcing in supporting long-term evangelism and church development, noting that financial resilience remains a key priority in sustaining mission through changing and uncertain times.
With the context set, the Expo moved into its core focus of extended workshop sessions. Attendees moved between multiple workshop blocks, making the most of opportunities to engage directly with departmental leaders and trainers. Workshop sessions addressed both spiritual and practical themes, ranging from discipleship and community engagement to digital evangelism, safeguarding, governance, and effective church administration.
A key contributor to the day’s training was special guest Pastor Sylvia Mendez, Trans-European Division Director of Mission, Community Services, and Women’s Ministry. Serving as a guest trainer across three departments, she led sessions within Church Growth and Adventist Mission, Personal Ministries, and Women’s Ministries. Her workshops included Mission as Part of Your Everyday Life, Grounded in the Faith for Mission, and Women in Mission, each reinforcing the call to see evangelism as a natural, relational, and faith-rooted expression of everyday Christian life.
In addition to the departmental workshops, a small number of sessions were delivered by partner organisations. These included an education-focused workshop led by BUC Director of Education, Lorraine McDonald, and a publishing and writing workshop facilitated by Stanborough Press. Attendees were also able to engage with a range of exhibitors, including ADRA-UK.
Throughout the day, the atmosphere at Newbold College supported both reflection and collaboration. Conversations continued between sessions as attendees shared experiences, challenges, and ideas for mission within their local contexts.
In the closing session, following the conclusion of the workshops, the SEC President encouraged attendees to move forward with renewed purpose and confidence. The gathering concluded with a unifying call and response of “Go SEC” -“Inspired for Mission”, reinforcing the shared commitment to take Christ from their hearts, into their homes and churches, and out onto the streets.
