This year, the Pacific Union and North Pacific Union African-American ministry directors combined their workers' meetings. They also added an evangelism component to support ministry in the local area.

Once Arizona was selected as the location for the 2012 meeting, the conference African-American ministry directors voted to co-sponsor with the conference a mini-evangelistic campaign. Walter Arties, assistant to the president for African-American ministries in Arizona, suggested a one-week “reaping” meeting to invite former members back to church. “So many missing members remain on church rosters, often never being contacted by their former church families,” he explained. “Getting our members involved to reclaim these dear ones would be a huge blessing!”

“You don’t make Adventist Christians in four or five nights with little time to present our distinctive truths,” he said. “But one can reach out to former members who have wandered away for whatever reason. We may not have time to discuss our doctrines, but we do have the time to tell these dear ones about Jesus, and invite them to once more make Him the center of their lives.”

The directors asked Arties, a Breath of Life board member, to invite Dr. Carlton Byrd, director-speaker for Breath of Life, to speak for the series. Byrd agreed.

Members jumped in to prepare. Rosalind Pereira, a public relations professional from one of the Phoenix area churches, designed post cards to be mailed to the people on the list. The South Mountain and Beacon Light congregations had weekly planning sessions to divide their lists of missing members for visitation and telephone follow-up.

The series, titled “Reclaim That Name,” ran from March 24 to 31. Byrd carefully crafted sermons as personal invitations to “come home to Jesus.” Guest musicians included Claudine Robinson, Howard Trimmins, Michelle Graves, Cheryl Johnson and the Beacon Light Choir, and the All Nations Singers.

“We should have been doing this all the time,” said resident historian Florence Darby. “I keep a list of missing faces in my heart and want to see my Adventist family united as we watch these end-time events unfold!”

“The beauty of ‘Reclaim that Name’ is it’s an initiative you can do anywhere at a very low cost,” said Arties. “Our church members can come together, prepare a list of former members, and simply reach out to them. You don’t have to print color brochures, pay for expensive television spots, etc. Just come together with a group from your church. Then go and find your missing members and invite them home.”