Caribbean Union's 18th Session to Leverage Digital Innovation to Enhance Participation
More than 280 delegates and guests representing the Caribbean Union Conference's ten conferences and missions will gather from July 22–25, 2026, at the University of the Southern Caribbean in Trinidad for the Caribbean Union Conference's 18th Session.
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Social media graphic produced for the 18th Session of the Caribbean Union Conference. Image by the Caribbean Union Conference Communication Department. Digital innovation will take center stage as more than 280 delegates and guests gather in Trinidad July 22–25 for the Caribbean Union Conference's 18th Session.
More than 280 delegates and guests representing the Caribbean Union Conference's ten conferences and missions will gather from July 22–25, 2026, at the University of the Southern Caribbean in Trinidad for the Caribbean Union Conference's 18th Session. There, digital innovation will streamline Church business, strengthen transparency, and expand member engagement throughout the Caribbean Union.
Held under the theme "Committed to Discipleship, Compelled by Love," the quinquennial business session will help shape the leadership, ministry priorities, and strategic direction of the Caribbean Union Conference for the next five years. During the four-day gathering, delegates will receive ministry reports, elect church leaders, vote on recommendations, and make decisions that will guide the Church's mission throughout the next quinquennium.
Delegates representing every conference and mission will gather to worship, pray, deliberate, and seek God's guidance for the future ministry of the Church. While digital tools will enhance the session's operations, church leaders emphasize that technology serves the Church's mission by supporting thoughtful decision-making, collaboration, and faithful stewardship.
The Caribbean Union has adopted the Advent Session platform, the official digital application for the session, to simplify many of the gathering's essential functions. Available on mobile devices and the web, the platform will allow delegates to register, vote electronically, submit questions from the floor, review the daily agenda, access meal schedules, and receive notifications and important session updates.
Delegates will also receive a digital session booklet, providing instant access to reports, recommendations, schedules, and other essential resources throughout the session while reducing reliance on printed documents.
Over the years, Kyle Roach has developed software solutions to support the needs of the Church, combining his technical expertise with a practical understanding of ministry. His work reflects a commitment to using technology in purposeful, accessible ways that strengthen the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Roach, who developed the Advent Session platform, said the system was designed to be simple, secure, and user-friendly so delegates can concentrate on the mission and business of the Church rather than the technology itself. He explained that the platform is intended to support a smooth and efficient session experience while providing reliable tools for participation and decision-making.
The platform is expected to simplify administrative processes, improve the efficiency and transparency of business meetings, and allow delegates to devote greater attention to prayerful deliberation and the mission of the Church. Pastor Johnson Frederick executive secretary of the union stated, "the technology is a tool to support the work of the session. By improving efficiency and transparency, it allows delegates to focus on prayerfully considering the decisions that will help guide the mission of the Caribbean Union during the next quinquennium."
To prepare delegates, the Caribbean Union has conducted orientation and training sessions throughout its territory to familiarize participants with the platform and its features. Organizers believe the preparation will ensure a smooth transition to the electronic system and help business meetings proceed efficiently.
One of the session's most significant innovations will take place within the Nominating Committee, where delegates will use a secure electronic voting system to process nominations. The system is designed to provide accurate vote tabulation, improve administrative efficiency, maintain the confidentiality of the voting process, and significantly reduce the time traditionally required to count paper ballots.
Beyond enhancing delegate participation, the Caribbean Union Communication Department has developed a comprehensive multimedia communication strategy to keep members informed and engaged throughout the four-day gathering.
Approximately 35 communication team members representing the Caribbean Union, its conferences and missions, and the Inter-American Division will support coverage of the session. The team includes writers, editors, photographers, videographers, social media specialists, and technical personnel.
Communication personnel will provide timely, accurate, and inspiring coverage of the session's business proceedings and mission activities.
A dedicated writing team will prepare daily news stories, feature articles, election reports, ministry highlights, and evening news summaries for publication through the Caribbean Union Conference, the Inter-American Division, and other official Adventist communication platforms. The goal is to keep members connected to the decisions, ministry, and mission of the Church throughout the session.
The opening ceremony, daily devotional services, and the complete Sabbath worship service will be streamed live, allowing members throughout the Caribbean Union and around the world to participate virtually. Interviews, photographs, video reports, daily news updates, and social media coverage will provide timely reports from the proceedings. Daily written summaries and photographs will also ensure members who are unable to watch the livestreams remain informed.
The Caribbean Union's official website will serve as the central hub for session news, photographs, videos, official announcements, and other resources. Following the session, official reports, photographs, and election results will remain available for members and visitors.
"Our goal is to connect the entire Caribbean Union family to the work of the session," said Pastor Royston Philbert, communication director of the Caribbean Union Conference and coordinator of the session's communication strategy. "Whether members attend in person or online, we want them to stay informed, engaged, and encouraged as they witness how God is leading His Church."
The communication strategy draws on digital innovations introduced during the 2025 General Conference Session and adapts them to strengthen communication, transparency, and member engagement across the Caribbean Union.
Official logo for the 18th Session of the Caribbean Union Conference. Courtesy of the Caribbean Union Conference Communication Department.
Dr. Kern Tobias, president of the Caribbean Union Conference, said the digital initiatives reflect the Union's commitment to using innovation in ways that support the Church's mission and strengthen member engagement."Technology is most effective when it serves the mission of the Church. As we gather for our 18th Session, these digital tools will help us conduct our business with greater efficiency, transparency, and participation, while keeping our focus on seeking God's will and advancing His work throughout our territory."
During the 18th session, of the Caribbean Union Conference, delegates will elect officers and departmental directors who will provide leadership for the Caribbean Union during the next five-year term.
As delegates gather to seek God's guidance, members across the Caribbean Union and beyond will be able to follow the proceedings, celebrate God's leading, and witness how the Church is prayerfully shaping the future of its mission and ministry for the next quinquennium.