Texico Conference 42nd Regular Constituency Session

ALBUQUERQUE ­– The Texico Conference held its 42nd Regular Constituency Session on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, at the Albuquerque Heights Seventh-day Adventist Church where 201 delegates met to elect officers for the 2022-2027 quinquennial term. 

The morning began with a powerful devotional message from Southwestern Union President Carlos Craig. Basing it on Acts 1:7, he challenged the delegates to pause and ask themselves, “what are we doing here?” Craig encouraged attendees to not let fear, trepidations and agendas keep them from doing the will of God. “Handle the business at hand. Represent the Lord, and the Lord only in all that you do. We must make it clear that we don’t represent each other, churches, ethnic groups or cultures, we represent the Lord in everything that we do, and He holds us responsible for it.”

During the session, delegates voted to elect Lee-Roy Chacon, president; Phil Robertson, executive secretary/treasurer; Michael Jon Cookenmaster, Ed.D., superintendent of education; Antonio Cano, ministerial director; and Eric Chavez, youth, young adults and club ministries director, to serve for the next five years. 

The El Paso West and Santa Fe Airport Spanish Seventh-day Adventist churches were voted into the sisterhood of churches officially changing their status from company to church. In addition, the Santa Fe Rabbit Road and Rancho Viejo Seventh-day Adventist churches merged to become the Advent Life Seventh-day Adventist Church and the San Angelo English and Spanish churches merged to become the Advent Hope Bilingual Seventh-day Adventist Church. Notably, the delegates voted to accept changes to the Constitution and Bylaws, which included the adjustment that the Texico Conference Constituency Sessions be convened every five years, changing the term of service from a quadrennial to a quinquennial term.

Reelected President Lee-Roy Chacon was moved and grateful for the opportunity to serve another term. “Thank you for your confidence. It is always an honor and pleasure to serve the Lord.” 

Phil Robertson, executive secretary/treasurer, also expressed gratitude after his reelection. “It has been a great privilege to serve in this conference and, to work alongside Chacon has been a real blessing,” said Robertson. “I am humbled, and I want to continue to serve however the Lord wants me to, so it is with great joy and humility that I say, ‘praise God’ for the opportunity of working together with all of you.”

During the financial report, Phil Robertson, treasurer, was thrilled to share that, despite the financial challenges throughout the country, the Texico Conference remained in steady and healthy financial condition over the past five years. Following the meeting, many delegates commented that the session ran smoothly and Southwestern Union Vice President for Ministries Tony Anobile, stated that the presence of the Holy Spirit was felt throughout the day. He offered a special prayer of dedication for the officers, the departmental directors, the new executive committee and for every member of the Texico Conference. 

By Debby Marquez
Communication Director