Adventist Forum Conference Opens in Chattanooga

Spectrum Staff | September 6, 2013

Chattanooga, Tennessee, 7:30pm — Today marks the first day of the 2013 Adventist Forum Conference: “A Third Way” in beautiful (and warm) downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. Conference co-chair Brenton Reading welcomed about 150 people from all over the US (and Canada) in the ballroom of the Sheraton Read House Hotel at about 6:30pm EST.

Attendees had been welcomed, hung with nametags, offered goodie bags (filled with treats from the south) and invited to choose seats at round tables. When those were filled, extra chairs had to be brought in. There were many older people around the room, but also more middle-aged folks and even a good scattering of young people, including Southern Adventist University students – and some even younger.

inSpirit Men’s Chorus took the stage and sweet strains of hymns and gospel songs, sung with perfect precision and close harmony, kept the crowd hushed.

Conference keynote speaker Brian McLaren began his presentation, called “The Crisis of Christian Identiy and the Doctrinal Challenge,” shortly after 7pm EST.

It promises to be a weekend filled with thought-provoking presentations, discussions small and large, and inspiration.

If you are nearby, but not here at the conference, you should think about joining us! If you are further afield, there is always a red-eye!

And if you really can’t make it, keep an eye on the Spectrum website. We’ll be blogging throughout the conference, keeping you updated.

We look forward to seeing lots of our Spectrum/Adventist Forum friends as we strengthen our community through conversation.

Conference co-chair Brenton Reading.

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