From May 6–9, 2026, delegates of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bulgaria gathered for the regular Constituency Session of the Bulgarian Union of SDA Churches under the theme “Focused on the Mission”, inspired by the response of Isaiah: “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).
Held in the mountain side of the southwestern part of the country, the session brought together more than 250 delegatesand special guests from across Bulgaria and Europe, while the Sabbath celebration welcomed over 400 attendees, including members, guests, and visitors. The event also featured the participation of The Voice of Hope Bulgarian National Adventist Choir. In the closing part of the Sabbath program, the long-awaited book of the history of the Adventist church in Bulgaria—the large documentary edition with many photographs—was presented to the audience in an original and emotional way by its two co-authors—elder Ventsislav Panayotov and Nikolay Tonchev.
The business session, held during the week, was chaired by Pastor Barna Magyarosi, President of the Inter-European Division (EUD). He presided over the Organizing and Nominating Committees, together with Pastor Ruben de Abreu, EUD Executive Secretary, who chaired the Constitution/By-laws and Planning Committees. The Credentials Committee was chaired by Pastor Ventsislav Panayotov, Ministerial Association Director at EUD.
Re-elected Union Leadership
Following the recommendations from the Nominating Committee and votes by the delegates, the current union leadership was re-elected for the 2026–2031 term:
President – Elder Milen Georgiev
Executive Secretary – Elder Hristo Stanev
Treasurer – Elder Slavi Chirpanliev
The re-elected leadership expressed gratitude for the trust placed in them and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening mission, unity, and spiritual growth throughout the country.
"The mission of the Church in the modern world is to see what the needs of the modern man are, so that the Church can respond to those needs and expectations, fulfilling the mission set 2,000 years ago," commented Elder Hristo Stanev.
Structural and Organizational Decisions
One of the major decisions of the Session was the approval of a new territorial structure, organizing the country into four (instead of three) regional fields:
Northwest Bulgaria – Elder Plamen Ivanov
Northeast Bulgaria – Elder Yaroslav Yankov
Southwest Bulgaria – Elder Trifon Trifonov
Southeast Bulgaria – Elder Danail Antonov
Field leaders were elected to support local churches, coordinate ministry initiatives, and strengthen collaboration between the Union and local congregations throughout the country.
Delegates also voted for constitutional adjustments related to governance and administration. Among the approved changes was a decision that institutional leadership positions (ADRA, Hope Channel, Radio 3:16, Publishing House) to be elected by the Union Executive Committee.
Departmental Directors Elected
The session also elected departmental directors who will coordinate various ministry areas for the next quinquennium, including:
Ministerial Association – Elder Vitan Valev
Shepherdess – Mrs. Violeta Valeva
Youth Ministries – Petya Gotseva
Children’s Ministries – Emanuela Staneva
Adventist Education – Darina Petkova
Health Ministries – Plamena Lungova
Women’s Ministries – Bilyana Valchinova
Personal Ministries – Michael Garkov
Roma Evangelism and Outreach – Elder Rumen Radev
Communications – Tsvetelina Tsvetanova
Family Ministries – Elder Stefan Stefanov
Stewardship – Elder Deyan Kolev
Publishing Ministries – Elder Rostislav Magerov
Religious Liberty – Viktor Marinov
Adventist-Muslim Relations – Elder George Kertikov
All departmental leaders were encouraged to continue serving both on a national and local level, advancing the mission of the Church in Bulgaria.
Priorities for the Next Quinquennium
The Planning Committee identified five key ministry priorities for the 2026–2031 period:
Youth
Adventist Education
Pastoral Care
Mission
Media
Delegates emphasized the importance of strengthening local church life, engaging younger generations, and expanding the churches’ witnessing activities in contemporary society.
Focused on Mission
The 2026 Bulgarian Union Session concluded in an atmosphere of prayer, unity, and dedication to mission. Delegates and guests expressed their desire to continue serving the people of Bulgaria with faithfulness, compassion and renewed commitment to Christ’s calling.
"Let us continue to be together, let us continue to seek God, and let us continue to walk towards the Kingdom of Heaven," was Elder Milen Georgiev’s message to the Bulgarian Church.
The Bulgarian Union now moves forward into a new quinquennium with the shared desire to remain “Focused on Mission”.
