Alaska Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

October 20, 2004

To Whom It May Concern:

Recently Steve and Samantha Nelson from The Hope of Survivors ministries team made a presentation at the Alaska Conference Pastor’s Retreat. Speaking on the issue of sexual misconduct can be thorny, but speaking to a group of pastors about clergy sexual abuse by someone who has experienced such abuse is just plain powerful.

I want to take this opportunity to say how much I appreciated their seminar. Steve and Samantha took every opportunity to talk about prevention, to talk about the mistakes that led up to a moment in time that ruined lives, careers and shattered a religious community.

The seminar was presented with tact and diplomacy, but did attack the problem head on. The presentation was well received by the pastors, but drove the point home that sexual misconduct is never a win-win, or a win-lose, but always a lose-lose situation.

Today we see more and more pastors getting caught up in this temptation. I believe The Hope of Survivors seminar has impact and would highly recommend it for every conference across North America.

Neil Biloff
Alaska Conference Ministerial Director

(Click here to view actual letter.)

*Please note that Neil Biloff has since moved to the Dakota Conference of Seventh-day Adventists to serve as President of the Conference. The email address provided here is his new one, not the one in Alaska.