Jeff Fogelquist, North Pacific Union chief financial officer and first-time delegate at the 62nd General Conference Session, has a deep family history connected to this global gathering. He was just 10 days old when his parents, Gary and Debbie Fogelquist, took him to his very first session, held in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1985.
This is the story of a family whose connection to GC Session spans generations.
Early in his pastoral ministry based in Washington state, Gary began a tradition that would carry through his career: attending GC Sessions with his family.
“I wanted my family to experience the global church,” he said.
That tradition began in 1985, when Gary and Debbie traveled to New Orleans for the 10-day session, with their newborn son and a note from the doctor in hand. Their toddler son stayed home with his grandparents.
Over the next four decades, the couple missed only one session — out of respect for the unique considerations surrounding the 2022 gathering.
That means the Fogelquists made the journey from Washington state to New Orleans, Louisiana (1985); Indianapolis, Indiana (1990); Utrecht, Netherlands (1995); Toronto, Canada (2000); Saint Louis, Missouri (2005); Atlanta, Georgia (2010); San Antonio, Texas (2015); and now back to St. Louis, Missouri (2025).
"It's been an adventure in travel every session," Debbie remembered. "It’s in our blood; it's just what we do."
Over time — and as their family grew to include a daughter — attending every session together wasn’t always possible. The children often stayed home with their grandparents, but the rhythm of participating as a couple became a meaningful part of their ministry life.
“Some years, we had to travel a long way,” Gary reflected. “It’s nice to be closer this year and within relative driving distance.”
In all his years of attending, Gary had one opportunity to serve as a delegate, representing both Washington Conference and North Pacific Union, in San Antonio, Texas.
After years of observing the ebb and flow of delegate activity on the floor, he resolved to be present at every business meeting to honor his commitment.
As he discovered, full days of business meetings left little time for exploring the exhibit hall, reconnecting with ministry friends or attending extra programs. Each session helps Gary appreciate the global mission represented by the church — that it is broader and more diverse in its application of mission and ministry.
And now, four decades later, the newborn son the Fogelquists took to the 1985 session has come full circle.
Jeff is attending this year’s session not just as a participant, but as a delegate. In doing so, he continues the family tradition his parents began so many years ago.
“I honestly never thought I would be a delegate at GC Session, even though I have worked for the conference and the division levels for many years,” Jeff said. “It’s a real privilege.”
Three generations of Fogelquists formed a caravan to travel from the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. to attend and participate in a tradition that has helped them love and appreciate the global church more deeply.
“The Fogelquist family has a long history of road trips, so my parents drove, my sister drove on her way back home to Texas and our family drove from Washington to St. Louis,” he said. “Altogether, we had three vehicles of Fogelquists on their way out.”
Jeff particularly remembers attending the session in Atlanta. At the time, he had been working for Washington Conference for two years as a treasury intern.
“When I first started working for the church, it wasn’t really what I wanted to do,” Jeff admitted. “It wasn’t really the interest I had, but that meeting in Atlanta brought out an interest in the way the church works, the way we decide things and how it’s more than just a local church or conference doing the work. I saw how it’s a church body as a whole working together.”
As Jeff prepared to step into his role as a delegate, Gary offered a few words of fatherly wisdom: “Be engaged. Be active. Take advantage of the opportunity.”
Jeff also appreciated a word of encouragement from G. Alexander Bryant, North American Division president, during the division’s caucus, who encouraged delegates to speak what God puts on their hearts because it may help shape the conversation and represent what others may be thinking.
For the Fogelquists, GC Sessions have always been more than just meetings — they’re treasured opportunities to reconnect, reflect and renew their commitment to ministry and each other.
“My parents have always made GC Session important in their ministry and planning their vacation schedules,” Jeff said. “It’s a good tradition to continue now with my wife and three children.”
