Columbia Union Visitor--November 2005 by Columbia Union Visitor

Table of Contents

In Every Issue Editorial

Newsline

Healing Ministry

p 17

News & Features

Newsletters 21 Allegheny East

A Cheerful Giver 8-Year-Old Holds Benefit Birthday Parties

Stacey Bondurant

25 Chesapeake 27 Columbia Union College 29 Highland View Academy

Grace Boughner has given new meaning to birthday celebrations. The unselfish 8-year-old has held two “benefit” birthday parties, where she sacrificed getting gifts in order to bless others. Read about her unique parties and discover other ministry ideas for children.

Giving the Gift of Life: One Family’s Experience With Organ Donation

23 Blue Mountain Academy

31 Mountain View 33 New Jersey 35 Ohio 37 Pennsylvania 39 Potomac 41 Shenandoah Valley Academy

Beth Michaels The death of a loved one sometimes occurs abruptly, leaving unprepared relatives surprised and devastated. Depending upon the circumstances, the question of organ donation may arise. Find out how one family gave the gift of life to others by donating their daughter’s organs.

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Bulletin Board

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About the Cover: Eight-Year-Old Grace Boughner, a cheerful giver, hosts benefit birthday parties. Photography by Joel Springer

Editorial William G. “Bill” Robertson Celeste Ryan ■ Editor LaVerne Henderson ■ Associate Editor for News & Features Kelly Butler Coe ■ Art Director Sandra Jones ■ Copy Editor & Bulletin Board Editor Monte Sahlin

■

Publisher

PUBLISHING BOARD: Harold L. Lee (chair), Celeste Ryan (secretary), Raj Attiken, Charles Cheatham, Dowell Chow, LeRoy Finck, J. Neville Harcombe, Ray Hartwell, James L. Lewis, Edward Motschiedler, Monte Sahlin, Dave Weigley, Kingsley Whitsett MISSION STATEMENT The Visitor provides news and information, resources for effective ministry, and insight on issues with a spiritual focus to help people celebrate God's transforming grace in preparation for His return. COLUMBIA UNION CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS 5427 Twin Knolls Road, Columbia, MD 21045 (301) 596-0800 or (888) 4-VISITOR http://www.columbiaunion.org Free to Columbia Union members. All others—$15 per year. COLUMBIA UNION CONFERENCE President Harold L. Lee Edward Motschiedler Executive Secretary Treasurer Vice President/Education Hamlet Canosa Vice President/General Counsel Monte Sahlin Vice President/Creative Ministries Asst. to the President/Communication Celeste Ryan Harold Greene Information Technology Curtis Boore Plant Services Trust Services/PARL Peggy Lee Revolving Fund Carol Wright Undertreasurer CONFERENCES ALLEGHENY EAST: Charles L. Cheatham, President; Robert Booker, Visitor Correspondent; P.O. Box 266, Pine Forge, PA 19548. Tel. (610) 326-4610 ■ www.myalleghenyeast.com ALLEGHENY WEST: James L. Lewis, President; 1339 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43205. Tel. (614) 252-5271 ■ www.awconf.org CHESAPEAKE: Neville Harcombe, President; Rob Vandeman, Visitor Correspondent; 6600 Martin Rd., Columbia, MD 21044. Tel. (410) 995-1910 MOUNTAIN VIEW: Kingsley Whitsett, President; Brian Jones, Visitor Correspondent; 1400 Liberty St., Parkersburg, WV 26101. Tel. (304) 422-4581 ■ www.mtviewconf.org NEW JERSEY: LeRoy Finck, President; Aura Garcia, Visitor Correspondent; 2160 Brunswick Ave., Trenton, NJ 08648. Tel. (609) 392-7131 ■ www.njcsda.org OHIO: Raj Attiken, President; Bette Toscano, Visitor Correspondent; P.O. Box 1230, Mount Vernon, OH 43050. Tel. (740) 397-4665 ■ www.ohioadventist.org PENNSYLVANIA: Ray Hartwell, President; Tamyra Horst, Visitor Correspondent; 720 Museum Rd., Reading, PA 19611. Tel. (610) 374-8331 ■ www.paconference.org POTOMAC: Dave Weigley, President; Janet Olsyne, Visitor Correspondent; 606 Greenville Avenue, Staunton, VA 24401. Tel. (540) 886-0771 ■ www.pcsda.org COLLEGES COLUMBIA UNION COLLEGE: Randal Wisbey, President; Scott Steward, Visitor Correspondent; 7600 Flower Ave., Takoma Park, MD 20912. Tel. (301) 891-4000 ■ www.cuc.edu KETTERING COLLEGE OF MEDICAL ARTS: Charles Scriven, President; 3737 Southern Blvd., Kettering, OH 45429. Tel. (937) 395-8601 ■ www.kcma.edu HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS ADVENTIST HEALTHCARE: William G. “Bill” Robertson, President & CEO; Ray Tetz, Visitor Correspondent; 1801 Research Blvd., Suite 400, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel. (301) 315-3030 ■ www.adventisthealthcare.com KETTERING ADVENTIST HEALTHCARE: Frank Perez, President & CEO; Kenneth Chaij, Visitor Correspondent; 3965 Southern Blvd., Kettering, OH 45429. Tel. (937) 395-8167 www.kmcnetwork.org Published by the Columbia Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Printed at the Review & Herald Publishing Association. Volume 110 ■ Issue 12

Ministry is a Verb

I found a mistake in my Webster’s dictionary. It mistakenly reports that the word “ministry” is a noun. It’s obvious that the dictionary editors are editors and not people engaged in ministry, because anyone who has been involved in Christian ministry (the noun) realizes that it is very much about action, occurring, being, living! Ministry is a verb. The word ministry actually comes from an old Latin word that means “service,” a word that figures prominently in the story of Jesus and His life on earth. Recently, I’ve been thinking about one phrase that Luke records in his account of Christ’s passion. We find Jesus and His disciples at the close of the last supper. An argument has broken out amongst the disciples about which of the disciples was considered to be the greatest. Jesus turns the conversation from prideful squabbling to thoughtful soul-searching with a stinging rebuke of those who would put themselves first. He changes the equation entirely by saying, “I am among you as one who serves.” God being “among us” is one of the most cherished hopes of the Bible. The wilderness tabernacle that was constructed by the wandering children of Israel was built so that God could “dwell among you.” One of the names given to Christ is “Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.” While Jesus lays claim to this hope, He also extends it by explaining that He is among them “as one who serves.” And that explanation was probably a big surprise to the squabbling-about-whois-the-greatest disciples. There are at least 15 different definitions of our word “serve.” It can mean to serve a purpose or function; it can mean to hold office or perform a duty; it can mean to be used by, or to help someone with food or drink; it can mean devotion to something like art or country or church. It can mean to promote or be beneficial; it can mean working for someone; it can mean delivering a warrant or summons. It can mean to be adequate or sufficient; it can mean being in the military. It can mean putting the ball into play. It can mean doing jail time. It can mean giving homage and obedience to. It can mean waiting on tables. To “serve someone right” means to punish or get even. Jesus makes this statement as He compares the person providing and the person consuming the meal that the disciples have just shared. He turns their understanding upside down by stating that He is the one who serves the meal, rather than the one who receives the meal. He makes it as plain as he can: “Do you want to see God? Do you want to know God’s presence? You can find God in the one who serves.” As clearly as He can, Jesus is laying out the way He thinks we should live, the way we are to conduct everyday business, and the way He wants those who call themselves by His name—Christian—to represent Him in the world: “You are the servants, not the masters. You are the ones who help, who give devotion, who perform duties and responsibilities with willing graciousness.” He doesn’t limit service to religiosity or piety. One who serves can be found in any endeavor, in any discipline, in any station or strata of life. These servants are the active agents of His grace-living verbs—the embodiment of His ministry. William G. “Bill” Robertson is president and chief executive officer of Adventist HealthCare, Inc., headquartered in Rockville, Md. The organization, which employees over 7,200 people, operates five hospitals, six long-term care facilities, and other services in Maryland and New Jersey. NOVEMBER 2005

Newsline Former Visitor Editor Dies Warren Adams, former Visitor editor, died recently at his residence in Ocala, Fla. Adams, 92, served as editor of the Columbia Union magazine from 1938-1967. He oversaw the printing of the Visitor from the Mt. Vernon Academy Press in Mount Vernon, Ohio. According to a former co-worker, Adams was a very amiable guy. “He was a low-key type of fellow who was a loyal Seventh-day Adventist, easy to work with, and a great editor,” said D. A. Roth, a retired General Conference representative at Loma Linda University. Roth worked with Adams for 11 years beginning in 1945, when the union moved the Visitor editorial offices to Washington Missionary College Press, located on the campus of Washington Missionary College (known today as Columbia Union College) in Takoma Park, Md. At the time of his death, the golf and astronomy enthusiast was a member of the Ocala Seventh-day Adventist Church.—LaVerne Henderson

Kettering Church to Host UnionWide Prayer Conference “The Rain Before the Storm” is the theme of the November 18-20 prayer conference to be held at the Kettering Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kettering, Ohio. Speakers include Ron Halvorsen, Sr., David VanDenburg, Mark Pietrowski, and Ruthie Jacobsen. “The prayer conference has the potential to change lives and usher in a revival,” said Neville Harcombe, Columbia Union prayer coordinator, and Chesapeake Conference president. “Those that attend will experience the blessings of God.” Concurrent with the conference will be a teen session, hosted by Diane Halvorsen and Gary Burns. The North American Division, Columbia Union Conference, and Kettering church are sponsoring this event. For more information, please call (937) 298-2167.—LaVerne Henderson

Correction The ACORN Adventist Community Services Center mentioned in the October issue’s conversion story about Andy Clark, “Adventists Remember the Journey to Christ,” was a collaborative effort among the Sharon Temple, Mount Zion, and West Wilmington churches. The Visitor staff regrets this oversight. 4

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Secular Campus Ministries Conference – Date Change The new dates for the Secular Campus Ministries Conference, noted in the September issue, are November 11-13. The event, which will be held at the Columbia Union Conference headquarters, is designed to reach out to Adventists on secular university campuses, train them to do outreach, help them expand their networks, and provide them with ministry resources and support. José Rojas, North American Division Volunteer Ministries director, will be the speaker. For more information, please call (800) 438-9600.

AdventSource and PlusLine to Merge After working side by side in ministry for years, AdventSource and PlusLine will merge, January 1, and combine their efforts. “In the next 10 years, AdventSource will be known by every Adventist as the one-stop source of information for everything Adventist,” says Debra Brill, North American Division Vice President for Ministries. For more than 24 years AdventSource has concentrated solely on equipping local leaders for ministry with thousands of how-to books, videos, DVDs, seminars, teaching aids, and much more. It began with youth ministries and Pathfinders and grew to become the official source for leadership materials in all ministry areas. Today www.adventsource.org is a fully bilingual Web site with more than 1.5 million hits in the last month. PlusLine began as an experimental question-andanswer service in the Pacific Union Conference in 1993. The following year the division voted to support the project and expand its reach to all nine union conferences. Since then www.plusline.org has grown to include information services, event registration, and event planning services for members, church leaders, pastors, and administrators throughout North America. PlusLine director Rich DuBose says, “Because of the Internet and online registration services, we have grown beyond my expectations. I am really excited about its increased synergy and marketing as a part of AdventSource.” Brad Forbes, director of AdventSource says, “I am pleased that PlusLine’s staff, and their great database of resources, are joining our team. I look forward to being able to serve church members in Bermuda, Canada, and the United States more effectively.” “In addition to state-of-the-art technology, AdventSource will retain its live, personal help desk assistance for every member,” states Brill.—Carrie Purkeypile

Newsline

Potomac Members Gather for Constituency Session ore than 750 members and guests of the Potomac M Conference attended the Third Quadrennial Session September 25 on the campus of Shenandoah Valley Academy in New Market, Va. Over 660 pastors, teachers, administrators, and lay members, who serve as voted delegates of the conference, participated in the daylong meeting. All three officers (pictured below)—Roger Weiss (vice president for administration), Dave Weigley (president), and Kurt Allen (vice president for finance)—were returned to office.

“Mission is the DNA of the [Adventist] Church,” preached Harold Lee, president of the Columbia Union Conference, in his devotional to open the session. “All Seventh-day Adventist organizations exist for the single purpose of fulfilling Christ’s mission.” This declaration sent a chorus of “amens” echoing across the dimly lit gymnasium, where the meeting was held. For the theme of his president’s report, Weigley emphasized the same sentiment, adding, “Now is the time!” To remind delegates of the conference’s priority to finish the work and the lateness of the hour (in terms of earth’s history) he gave each a small hourglass. His report, presented in a video, reviewed five areas of focus for the conference: evangelism, education, youth and young adults, leadership and discipleship, and creating an environment for revival. It also featured the testimonies of churches, ministries, and members who illustrate the value of the conference’s ministries and initiatives. In one segment, Columbia Union College theology major Pete Garza shared how God-fearing teachers and leaders at Takoma Academy (Takoma Park, Md.), one of the conferences two academies, helped him make a decision to follow Christ rather than the path of destruction. Changes to the constitution and bylaws and Takoma Academy’s facility needs proved to be timeconsuming subjects of discussion. Administrators addressed each concern and also pledged to continue building the conference’s working capital and increasing the focus on evangelism. Attendees applauded these ideas, but also called for them to expand diversity among the conference office leadership and address issues in the educational system.

“I’m concerned about getting more help for children who are not [attending] Adventist schools,” said Moises Lopez from the Beltsville Spanish congregation. “I want to see a plan to address this problem.” But the highlights of the day proved to be the announcement of the financial turnaround at the Potomac Adventist Book Center, the baptism of 5,934 new members, Kevin Crawford of the New Market the newly creat(Va.) church holds the hourglass ed tithe rebate given to each delegate. program that returned $581,000 to churches, the 33 percent tithe increase during the last four years, and the establishment of 30 new congregations—most of them Spanish. The meeting, which also brought the election (or re-election) of a number of departmental leaders, school board members, corporation board members, and an executive committee, went smoothly, thanks in part to town hall and orientation meetings held prior to the session. “I appreciated the orientation held a month beforehand,” said Fredericksburg, Va., delegate Esther Opoku. “It A delegate shares her views. gave me a greater understanding about what was going on, so I knew what I was voting.” One of the items voted will keep the newly elected staff at the conference’s Staunton, Va., headquarters longer than in the past. Delegates voted to extend the office terms by one year to five years. That means the next constituency session for Potomac will be held in 2010. “I hope we’ll be in heaven by then,” Weigley announced. He then thanked attendees for their support. “Thank you for your vote of confidence. We covet your prayers as we work together to hasten the coming of Christ.”—Celeste Ryan NOVEMBER 2005

Newsline

Columbia Union Members Assist Hurricane Katrina Survivors hortly after Hurricane Katrina stormed into the S Gulf Coast, leaving mass destruction in her wake, Columbia Union members sprung into action to aid those affected. “All hands are on deck; we’re all working together on this,” reported Don Bonchack, union Adventist Community Services Disaster Response (ACSDR) team coordinator. Here is a roundup of activities:

Allegheny East Conference Allegheny East Conference (AEC) members were deliberate in determining the most urgent needs of Hurricane Katrina survivors. AEC’s Adventist Community Services (ACS) director Minnie McNeil and her team discovered that the three most urgent needs were personal care kits, new blankets, and money. As a result they provided Wal-Mart family vouchers and sent two truckloads of materials to the devastated region. Assistance was also given to churches in the south that are operating as shelters. One leader helped 150 volunteers assemble 5,000 personal care kits. The Capitol Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church (CHC) provided assistance to evacuees housed at the nearby Washington, D.C., Armory. The church donated 300 duffle bags and lockers; provided several volunteers to work at the armory; offered financial assistance; and arranged to take more than 135 evacuees to an NFL game in New York (see photo above). Recently, CHC hosted a community forum and dialogued with various community representatives and council members. This resulted in a partnership with the city to provide long-term disaster assistance. “This unfortunate situation gave us an opportunity to reach out to the 6

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community and build a bridge,” says co-pastor Anthony Medley. “Now when there is a need, they call on us.” Floodwaters forced 16-yearold Bryant Sylvester and his family to evacuate their New Orleans home and seek a new life in Huntsville, Ala. This prompted the alumni department of Pine Forge (Pa.) Academy to aid the high school senior. Sylvester is now studying music and playing the piano at the academy, with all tuition and fees paid. “I don’t know why, but the Lord used a hurricane to bring me to this spiritual atmosphere,” he says. For their efforts, the school was featured in two newspapers—The Pottstown Mercury and The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Allegheny West Conference Through Operation Open Arms, James Lewis, Allegheny West Conference (AWC) president, and other team members collaborated with the Red Cross to offer their campground in Thornville, Ohio, as safe temporary housing for evacuees. Though the campground was not needed this time, in preparation, church volunteers were trained in a variety of disaster response services. In conjunction with this project, the AWC dedicated a Sabbath offering to the affected southern conferences and sent money to ACSDR. In addition, pastors from four area churches collected food and personal care items that were trucked to those in need.

Chesapeake Conference Members of the New Hope Church, located in Burtonsville, Md., dedicated an entire Sabbath offering (more than $10,000) to relief efforts. These

Newsline funds also helped two displaced students at the D.C. Armory settle into their new schools with clothes and supplies. “Instead of keeping the money and worrying about our bills for the week, we decided to help [those in need],” said Rajkumar Dixit, associate pastor.

Mountain View Conference Nearly 400 individuals from New Orleans sought shelter at the military base in Preston County, W.Va. Volunteers, organized by Randy Murphy, conference ACS director, distributed relief supplies. For the full story, read Mountain Viewpoint, p. 31.

New Jersey Conference When the Williamstown, N.J., fire chief learned that 75 fire stations had been damaged in the storm, he called Nancy Hanken, disaster response coordinator for South Jersey and ACS director for the Williamstown Seventh-day Adventist Church. She and other volunteers organized a two-week community drive that yielded $340 and four trailer trucks full of supplies that were packed by area church members and shipped to an Aberdeen, Miss., distribution center. “The members of the firehouse were amazed at the outpouring of our church members,” Hanken says. Recently, at a special worship service, the mayor, fire chief, and women’s auxiliary presented the church with a certificate of appreciation.

Ohio Conference Members launched major drives for cash, food, and clothing donations. Some provided housing for the hurricane survivors and offered to help rebuild homes in the affected region.

Pennsylvania Conference Western Pennsylvania ACSDR coordinators Mimi Prada and Lori Weston directed donation logistics involving many local businesses and members of the Shenango Valley church in West Middlesex, Pa. After a local business loaned them a semitruck, volunteers purchased diapers, infant clothing, and toys and assembled 100 personal care kits. The truck was sent to Gulfport, Miss. “This partnership was a beautiful thing; we were just vessels in God’s hand[s],” said Prada.

Potomac Conference More than 35 volunteers (some pictured below) are working with the Potomac Conference’s ACSDR team at an abandoned Wal-Mart facility in New Iberia, La. “We are receiving donations by the truckload from all over the United States,” said coordinator Bob Mitchell. Volunteers use the 100,000-sq.-ft. facility with two loading docks to sort, organize, and distribute items. “We are expecting to be here through March 2006,” said Mitchell. Volunteers work 10- to 14-hour days and sleep on makeshift beds in the pharmacy or eyeexam sections of the former store. “There are still several thousand people in shelters,” added Mitchell. Each day the warehouse receives faxed requests from more than 200 distribution centers and shelters located throughout the state. Once filled, the orders are delivered in trucks provided by FEMA.

Baltimore Adventist Community Services Baltimore Adventist Community Services (BACS) worked with local churches to collect 500 personal care kits for men, women, and children. These items were placed on a truck—loaded with other items from Allegheny East Conference—for NOVEMBER 2005

Newsline shipment to survivors in Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. “Our local churches really did a fantastic job collecting items,” said Darriel Hoy, BACS executive director. “They

just opened their hearts and gave and gave ... and they continue to give.” BACS has also formed a partnership with the city’s mayor to provide a job services training center for evacuees. Volunteers are assisting 243 individuals, who are living with family members in the area, in polishing their professional skills and finding jobs.

pick-up trucks full of supplies— including sneakers. “We’ve had tremendous response from the community and our students,” said Colón. Monetary donations poured in totaling thousands, and the freshman class held a talent show that raised more than $700. In addition, everything from diapers to personal care items were dropped off at CUC by radio listeners, church members, and students. The women’s basketball team took time from practice to help package the materials, while some teachers brought their classes by to lend a hand. “I think it’s really important for the Adventist community to respond in a significant way to the needs of a larger community,” said Gavin. Collected items were boxed and shipped to ACS distribution points throughout the hurricane-ravaged region. For more on CUC’s efforts, see The Gateway, p. 25.—Tanisha Greenidge

Columbia Union Conference Employees at the Columbia Union Conference were encouraged to make a cash donation. More than $3,300 was received, matched dollar-for-dollar, and earmarked for relief efforts.

Columbia Union College John Gavin, chair of the department of social work, and Gaspar Colón, professor of theology and religion, served as organizers of Columbia Union College’s (CUC) disaster response effort, which drew television coverage from the local NBC affiliate. CUC worked in partnership with ACS, the college radio station (WGTS 91.9 FM), and the Potomac Adventist Book and Health Food Store to collect three tons of supplies. Employees from the MCI Center in Washington, D.C., and the Washington Wizards and Mystics who play there, contributed two 8

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Volunteers Needed Though two months have passed, Adventist Community Services (ACS) and other organizations are still working to offer long-term solutions to evacuees scattered throughout the United States. To find out how you can help, contact the ACSDR team in your conference or visit www.adventist.communityservices.org. Currently, volunteers are needed to work at temporary ACS warehouses in Katrina-devastated areas. Contact Pauline Lewis at pauline-lewis@juno.com or (816) 233-6292.—T.G.

cheerful g ver Stacey Bondurant

8-Year- Old Holds Benefit Birthday Parties

t goes without saying that most children love having birthday parties in their honor. But what about having a “benefit birthday party” to help someone else? That’s just what 8-year-old Grace Boughner did— twice. She has been inspired to host birthday parties where her guests bring gifts to benefit others. “I first got the idea to have a benefit party on my sixth birthday” Grace explains.“ I wanted a cat for my birthday, so we went to the animal shelter to pick out a kitten. I felt so bad for the other animals there; I wanted to take them all home with me!” “Grace has such a tender heart,” says her mom Sue. “She actually had tears in her eyes. I told Grace that I couldn’t have all those animals in [our] home, but maybe we could do something to help them.”

a family affair (above) Left to right: Tom, Grace, Sue, and Luke Boughner. a tender heart (at right) Grace Boughner poses with her birthday kitten Sarah Darling. generous gals (opposite page) Top row, left to right: Carrie Verbeten, Cece Verbeten, and Ashley Zerne, (bottom row, left to right) Krista Hastings, Grace Boughner, and Toni Ogundeyi received Ronald McDonald House mugs after brightening the lives of residents.

It was actually Grace’s idea to have her birthday party guests bring presents for the cats and dogs at the shelter. And they did just that, showing up with gifts like cat and dog food, pet toys, and other supplies. She willingly relinquished getting gifts for herself in order to benefit animals. This act of selflessness, in a child so young, is quite impressive—especially in a society overly influenced by materialism. Grace is definitely what Jesus would call a cheerful giver! Following her party, Grace donated all the pet gifts to the animal shelter. Her new kitty cat, Sarah Darling, had no idea what she had started in her new friend’s life! “I really liked my benefit party,” says Grace. “I wanted to do it again! But not every year, every other year.”

a child shall lead them Grace recently turned eight. This year she wanted to help people, not animals. “I wanted to help kids who were sick or hurting.” Sue contacted area hospitals to see if there was a need to help children, but nothing materialized. Then she remembered the Ronald McDonald House in downtown Baltimore. She contacted them, made plans, and set a date. Grace wanted to have a big party for the children at the Ronald McDonald House. So she and her family appealed to the Frederick (Md.) church, where they have been members for the past three years. Announcements were placed in the church bulletin, lists of suggested donations given out, and a decorated box displayed to receive the gifts. Grace had over 25 brand new presents to share with the Ronald McDonald House patients—enough for each child! Grace’s 10 girlfriends met at her house on her birthday. They proceeded to make 15 blankets, from soft fleece material, in brilliant neon colors, which Sue’s mom and dad donated. “We cut the edges into six-inch strips, like fringe, and tied each fringe into a knot for decoration” Grace explains. “It took us about an hour. Then we left for the party.” Accompanying Grace and her friends were Sue, Tom, 4-year-old brother Luke, and Granny Susan Norris (Sue’s mom).

10 WAYS

to Get Your Children Involved in Giving 1. Help Hurricane Katrina and Rita Victims: Host or help organize a fund- raiser. Collect money, food, toiletries, and household items. Coordinate efforts with Adventist Community Services at (877) ACS (227)- 2702 or the Red Cross at (800) 435- 7669. Also, visit www.communityservices.org. 2. Share a Book: Donate your Bible story books to children’s hospitals or community centers and volunteer to visit and read to other kids during visiting hours. 3. Adopt a Child From Overseas: Exchange photos, letters, and God’s love with impoverished children while paying a nominal monthly fee to support them. Call (800) 3367676, or visit www.compassion.com. 4. Send Holiday Care Packages to Poor Children: Call (828) 262- 1980 or visit www.samaritanspurse.com. 5. Raise Funds for Your Favorite Charity: Visit www.dosomething.com and click on “Activities” for fund- raising suggestions. 6. Volunteer at a Neighborhood Soup Kitchen: Search your community or contact Adventist Community Services at (877) ACS2702; visit www.communityservices.org. 7. Adopt a Needy Family: Befriend them and donate time, funds, childcare, and repair items. Share friendship and, eventually, the gospel. 8. Volunteer at a Local Hospital/Nursing Home: Contact a facility near you. Spread some cheer. Perform musical presentations, skits, or talent shows; or bring pets, etc. 9. Develop a Sidewalk Chalk Ministry: Decorate driveways with sidewalk chalk to announce new births, graduations, congratulations, birthdays, get- well wishes, etc. 10. Fulfill a Dream for a Dying Child: Help grant one last wish; contact the Make- AWish Foundation at (800) 666- 8539.—S.B.

blanket beauties Grace and friends proudly display one of the handmade blankets. special friends (below) Paige and Grace take a moment away from playing Barbies to pose for a picture.

When asked what kind of reaction she got from the kids at the McDonald House, little brother Luke, who was sitting on Grace’s lap, squealed, “They were happy!” “We all had a really fun time,” Grace confirms. “They were happy to see us! They really liked the presents, and we all enjoyed passing them out.” The children also enjoyed the birthday cake, games, and a piñata filled with stickers and toys. The girls spent a lot of time talking with the patients as well. “I made a special friend,” Grace says. “I met a girl named Paige. She got a Barbie doll and a Fairy-Topia.” Paige was there because the day after

the party she was scheduled for another surgical adjustment on her legs. “She said it helped her that she could look forward to the party, instead of being afraid all week long,” Grace adds. “Paige has a disorder that prevents her leg bones from growing properly,” explained Sue. “Her legs have been broken, stretched, and held together with pins connected to metal braces that run down the sides of her legs. She’s had six procedures already, and will have more. She has such a great, outgoing personality!” According to Grace, “Paige said the adjustments really hurt. That’s why I was so glad we came! The party helped to take her mind off it!” Cece, one of Grace’s friends, said, “It made me feel good to be at the party, because those kids have been through so much. I liked doing something for them.” Grace and her friends were each presented with a Ronald McDonald cup, as a special “Thank-You” from the staff. “Next year I think I’ll do something to help the Special Olympics,” Grace says. “I hope this story inspires other children to realize their own potential for helping others and for being Christ’s hands and feet in this world,” says Sue. “One of our favorite family Bible verses is 1 Timothy 4:12, which says: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity” (NIV). We really try to show our children, even at four and eight years of age, how to do this. I hope other families are encouraged to try something like this, or to come up with unique ideas of their own!” Stacey Bondurant, a wife and mother of two, is the Chesapeake Conference Children’s Ministries director. She writes from Columbia, Md.

Giving the Gift of One Family’s Experience With Organ Donation Beth Michaels

eath sometimes occurs abruptly, surprising unprepared relatives and loved ones. Then there’s the question of organ donation. Often families are asked to make this life-saving decision during an already difficult time. DeWayne and Bev Boyer of Silver Spring, Md., had to make such a decision when the younger of their two daughters, 17-year-old Erin, suddenly died from a brain aneurism in 1998. Among the whirlwind of decisions to be made was whether or not to add Erin’s healthy organs to a donor list. Although they had never discussed it with Erin, the Boyers decided it was what she would have wanted. After returning home and locating Erin’s driver’s license, they received confirmation that they had fulfilled Erin’s wishes. “That’s a really good feeling for a parent who’s lost a child,” says Bev, a pre-first-grade teacher at nearby Spencerville Adventist Academy. Weeks later they learned that Erin had been advocating organ donation to her classmates prior to her death. According to her parents, Erin was popular and a natural leader. “She was a striking young lady,” says DeWayne, an ordained minister and—for the past 13 years—the Bible instructor at Takoma Academy in Takoma Park, Md. “She was considered the star of the school—from her academics, to sports, to her looks— everyone wanted to be like her. Her death had a gigantic effect on young people.”

One Death Brings Life Erin’s death continues to have a positive effect on others. Because of her decision, many of her major organs were transplanted to very appreciative people

Facts About Organ Donation

waiting to be well again. “In Erin’s case, there were five initial successes,” reports DeWayne. Erin’s heart went to Gina, a teenager who had never had an active childhood. Her left lung was successfully transplanted to Karen, a Virginia woman in her 50s. Erin’s left kidney and pancreas were donated to Natasha, a D.C. woman in her 30s, who was at end-stage renal failure due to Type 1 diabetes. Erin’s right kidney went to a man in Ohio. Although his body ultimately rejected the kidney, he received another donation and is doing fine. Erin’s liver went to a D.C. Army sergeant. The transplant

liver, pancreas, and small intestine.

· Only 1 percent of people who die actually qualify to be organ donors.

· If everyone agreed to be an organ donor, the supply would match the demand.

· As of September 1, 2005, over 88,000 people were on the waiting list to receive organs.

· Of that 1 percent, only half choose to be donors.

· The major organs used for donation are the heart, lungs, kidneys,

· Nearly 63,000 people are waiting for kidney transplants, the most

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difficult—and expensive—organ to transplant. · There is no cost to the donor family for the donation and transplant.

was initially successful, but he subsequently died. The Boyers have met several of the recipients and continue to have relationships with some of them. “It means so much to know that cells from Erin’s body are alive today and giving life,” says DeWayne. When Karen met the Boyers, she told them, “I wanted to meet you, but this has been so hard for me. I knew that someone had to die in order for me to live.” “It was difficult for her,” says Bev. The Boyers communicate regularly with Karen. They also have a wonderful relationship with Natasha and even attended her college graduation, something she didn’t think was possible before she received Erin’s kidney and pancreas. However, some of the experiences have been bitter sweet. Gina has chosen to discontinue communicating with the Boyers, according to DeWayne.

profile, advocacy effort involved being a relay runner and carrying the 2002 Olympic torch. In December of that year, he ran with a uniquely crafted torch for a fifth of a mile through Maryland’s Bethesda/Chevy Chase areas. Coca-Cola sponsored his one-of-a-kind torch and outfit, which he gladly displays at certain speaking events. DeWayne specifically created the Tshirt’s slogan and design—“Life is a Gift, Pass it On”—to reflect his advocacy efforts. About 100 people, including Karen, Natasha, and their families, wore the T-shirts while attending his run.

Myth vs. Fact

As the Boyers have discovered, very few people consent to be organ donors. Many of their reasons are based on myths. Some people falsely believe that if they choose to be donors, doctors won’t work as hard to save them if they are in an accident. The truth is that physicians involved in emergency patient care, by law, Healing Through Advocacy may not have anything to do with transplant programs. These days DeWayne is heavily involved in the Because of these misconceptions, about half of Organ Procurement Organization’s Washington those on nationwide waiting lists die. “That’s true Regional Transport Consortium (WRTC), which serves the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area. Organizations for all major organs,” says DeWayne. “If a recipient is too well, they can’t get on the list, and if they’re like the WRTC are responsible for bringing together too sick, they’re taken off the list.” donors, donor families, surgical and transplant teams, The Seventh-day and patients on the Adventist Church waiting list. strongly encourages The Boyers are gratorgan donation, and ified by their longmany Adventist hosterm advocacy efforts. pitals perform trans“I have a spiritual plants. “It gives us sense about it. This is the chance to give to something that God other people and to would want us to do,” encourage others to says Bev, who has done —DeWayne Boyer share in the gift of several speaking engagements. Once life,” says Bev. “I she spoke to doctors, think it represents nurses, and organ what God did for us.” recipients at Inova, For more “truths” and other information Fairfax Hospital’s transplant center in about organ donation, Virginia, where Erin’s visit www.wrtc.org. To view DeWayne’s organs were donated. “It was just amazpublic service ing,” she says. “A few announcement about of them were the very organ donation, doctors who did the visit The Discovery transplants.” Some Health Channel of the recipients at http://health. approached her afterdiscovery.com/ wards. They wanted to convergence/ “adopt” the Boyers as giftoflife/videogallery/ videogallery.html. a donor family, because their original donor family did not Beth Michaels is a comDeWayne (top right), Raynelle (middle left) and Bev want to communicate. munication professional (middle right) Boyer spend quality time with organ recipDeWayne’s most and mother living in ient Natasha (middle center), her husband, and sons. Washington, D.C. rewarding, and high

ife is a gif , ass it o .

NOVEMBER 2005

EALING MINISTR A

NEWSLETTER ABOUT ADVENTIST

HEALTHCARE

w w w. a d v e n t i s t h e a l t h c a r e . c o m

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IN THE

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Kettering Ships $100,000 in Supplies to Adventist Hospital in Venezuela Pam McGinnis

converted master bathroom of a mansion has served as an operating room for a Venezuelan hospital for the past 15 years. But the hospital is about to take a major step forward, thanks in part to the caring and generosity of Kettering Adventist HealthCare (KAHC). Workers filled a 40-foot container with more than $100,000 in medical supplies recently. The material will be shipped to the Adventist Hospital of Venezuela to equip its new operating room and imaging center. Adventist Hospital of Venezuela is located in Barquisimeto, approximately 200 miles west of Caracus. The hospital features the only working CT scanner in Barquisimeto, which is the third largest city in Venezuela. “We had some perfectly good equipment that we were no longer using because of upgrades to newer technology,” said Mario Ceballos, director of Spiritual Care and Missions for KAHC. “When we can extend the healing ministry of our hospital in such an economical and meaningful way, we jump at the chance.” This is the first time the department has sent a container to Venezuela, although it has sent equipment, supplies, clothes, and furniture to dozens of impoverished countries, including Azerbaijan, Guyana, and Romania, over the past six years. Missions coordinator Marge Cook has been gathering donated items, from care providers inside and outside of the network, for the past three years. Four electrosurgical laser units and a machine that circulates blood during surgery are part of the shipment. Sleep monitoring equipment, a C-arm x-ray, mammography machine, surgical table, four used electronic surgical knives, three Sharpian laser electrosurgical units, and other surgical equipment are also included in the relief supplies. “We drew out a 40-foot container space on the floor of our warehouse because we knew it was going to be tough to fit everything,” said Cook. “The extra items will be taken by truck to La Loma Luz Hospital in Belize.

Kettering volunteers pack a piece of medical equipment to be shipped to Adventist Hospital of Venezuela. They eventually filled a 40-foot container with more than $100,000 in medical supplies.

ADRA (Adventist Development Relief Agency) is paying the $4,000 shipping costs. Nongovernmental organizations and other agencies are paying the $80,000 construction cost for the new operating room and imaging center. “This helps us to support healthcare throughout the world,” continues Cook. “It expands our community and continues to foster good relations [among] our institutions and others around the world.” Pam McGinnis is a corporate writer at Kettering Adventist HealthCare.

NOVEMBER 2005

HEALING MINISTRY

Quilt of Love Supports Kettering College Employee Through Cancer Battle Kevin Lavoie

acing the toughest battle of her life, Diane Beneke is bolstered by the fact that she is literally wrapped in love. Many of her closest friends and co-workers at Kettering College of Medical Arts (KCMA) constructed a “caring quilt.” It is made of panels inscribed with Bible passages and words of encouragement. As Beneke’s battle against lung cancer stretches into its second year, the quilt will warm her—inside and out. “I couldn’t do it without the support of my friends and family,” she says. “All I know is that God created me; He knows what is best for me and those around me. I trust Him explicitly,” she states, while contemplating the reasons for her difficulties. Beneke’s ordeal began on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2004. She was diagnosed with lung cancer, although she’d never smoked a cigarette in her life. After undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery to remove her entire right lung, Beneke gradually began to improve. However, in January 2005, a routine PET scan revealed that the cancer had metastasized to her brain. Full-brain radiation treatments and Gamma

The Lord put us all together—in the same place at the same time—

Knife radiation at Kettering Medical Center (KMC) have successfully taken care of the tumors. Beneke lost her hair (twice), the ability to drive for about six months, and the energy to participate in the activities that bring her joy. Through it all, friends from work and the Kettering church, where she is a member, have stood by her side. They brought meals, soup, gift baskets, drove her around town, and provided continuous, sustaining prayers.

The Fabric of Love Especially touching is that two women who truly understand the importance of support from friends during a health crisis were instrumental in creating the quilt. Joan Ulloth, PhD, professor of nursing at KCMA, was the driving force behind the project. Ulloth is a breast cancer survivor who learned of her illness one year before Beneke was diagnosed. Then there’s Joy Whitmill who helped piece the squares together. The former special events planner for Kettering Medical Center spent 11 months in that facility before receiving a heart transplant in 2001. Whitmill had an artificial heart during four of those months and spent 35 days in intensive care, not knowing whether she would live or die. “I planned Diane’s wedding reception; we’ve been friends for over 20 years,” said Whitmill, who worked at KMC for 17 years prior to retiring in 1998. “Diane is one of those magnet-type people. She always has a smile and a kind word—and so does Joan,” she continues. “Diane and Joan will always be in my prayers. Words can’t explain the friendship and the bond that we have.”

63 Lifelines

because He knew we would support each other. —Joy Whitmill

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“Diane was speechless when we gave her the quilt,” said Dr. Ulloth, who has worked at the college for 22 years. “She was excited about the love it expressed. When I had breast cancer and went though surgery and chemotherapy, it was very traumatic,” she continues. “The support I got from friends was my lifeline. Diane was one of those friends.” Dr. Ulloth rounded up friends from work and church to construct the 63 message squares on the quilt. They used fabric paint, needlework, and iron-

HEALING MINISTRY

on transfers. College president Charles Scriven, PhD, wrote original words of encouragement. Another friend made an appliqué from a photo of a happy time with Diane at Old Man’s Cave. “Even people who said they were not very creative found meaningful ways to express themselves on the quilt,” Ulloth states. Many fellow employees had a part in making the quilt. Debbie Davis, a Kettering Hospital nurse, assisted with the assembly. Lori Sporing, executive assistant to Kettering Adventist HealthCare’s president and CEO Frank Perez, wrote the names of square contributors, on the top and bottom, in calligraphy with a fabric pen. Sporing also put together a panel for the back of the quilt with the date, presenters’ names, and reason for the quilt. Ulloth used Beneke’s favorite colors and arranged them on non-message squares to give the quilt a cohesive look. Monika Tocknell, a former college nursing instructor, designed and created the larger center square, which reads, “For your comfort. Love, your friends.” “Diane has approached this experience by looking at it from the big picture,” Ulloth explains. “She

asks, ‘How does this impact my family and friends; how can I learn from it?’ She is striving to survive it and grow from it,” says Ulloth. “You can’t go through something like this and not grow.” “Diane prayed for me when I was going through all my heart trouble,” Whitmill adds. “The Lord put us all together—in the same place at the same time—because He knew we would support each other.” Beneke, who has worked in the president’s office for 30 years, is feeling better these days and has returned to work part-time. She hopes to resume singing in the Kettering church choir in the near future. Her husband, Larry Beneke, is chair of radiologic science and imaging at the college. Coworkers take comfort, once again, in seeing the couple holding hands as they walk to the cafeteria to enjoy lunch together. “He is so kind, so patient, and so loyal,” Beneke says of her husband. “Larry’s my soul mate; I don’t know what I would do without him.” Kevin Lavoie is a media relations specialist at Kettering Adventist HealthCare.

Joy Whitmill, Diane Beneke, and Joan Ulloth display a quilt made by friends in support of Beneke’s battle with lung cancer. NOVEMBER 2005

HEALING MINISTRY—NEWS New Book Highlights Kettering’s “Defining Decade” The Defining Decade is the story of how Kettering Medical Center (KMC), a Dayton, Ohio, hospital in the Seventh-day Adventist healthcare system, evolved and thrived in the face of a dramatically volatile environment. Despite substantial internal and external pressures, Kettering remained true to the healing ministry of Jesus Christ, which is the hallmark of the Adventist Church’s philosophy of medical and spiritual care. Nearly every hospital experiences prosperous times of achievement and growth as well as times of cutbacks, re-evaluation, and restructuring. Following recuperation and healing, this cycle of good times/bad times begins again. Occasionally an organization experiences an extraordinary sequence of years, which are characterized by significant internal and external challenges, forcing leadership to look deeply at its mission and direction and making fundamental, vital decisions about the future. Such was the case in the 1990s at Kettering Medical Center. These years were marked by a major reformation in the healthcare indus-

try and had a profound impact on hospitals throughout the nation. Then Frank Perez arrived in early 1994 to lead the challenged organization. He began the process of revitalizing the mission of KMC. With God’s guidance, and a dedicated team, he set a new direction and developed a world20

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Frank Perez (right) presents a $50,000 check to Tom Fodor, president of the Dayton Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, to support victims of Hurricane Katrina. class healthcare system. The Defining Decade outlines this remarkable story. To order this book, call (937) 384-4566 or visit www.proformastores.com/Kettering.

Kettering Employees Provide Relief to Katrina Victims When Hurricane Katrina left thousands of people displaced and southern healthcare systems stressed to the breaking point, Kettering Adventist HealthCare (KAHC) employees responded generously. President and CEO Frank Perez set the pace by presenting a $50,000 check to Tom Fodor, president of the Dayton Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, during the annual Heart To Heart benefit concert. Employees followed suit by donating money, expertise, and even vacation time. Also, hundreds of doctors, nurses, and other professionals volunteered with the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association’s campaign as “workers on alert.” They stood ready for deployment to the storm-ravaged zone—but were never called. Some departments organized benefit lunches, while others coordinated clothing drives. More than $15,000 in donations poured into the Kettering Medical Center and Grandview foundations, while 150

employees cashed out vacation time to provide an added $34,000 in financial relief. Some employees inquired about taking in families left homeless by this largest disaster in American history. Kettering College of Medical Arts sponsored a free concert to raise funds. Grandview Medical Center provided 1,500 bottles of water. The Victor J. Cassano Health Center, Sycamore Primary Care Center, and Grandview Hospital actually provided care for victims from the Gulf Coast. Lastly, Kettering Adventist HealthCare is making every effort to find positions for displaced healthcare professionals seeking employment in the area. “We could not stand by while our fellow healthcare workers in the Gulf region were facing such a monumental challenge,” Perez said. “This entire experience has reinforced my belief that our employees truly embrace our mission and that healthcare workers are always willing to go the extra mile to help.”—Kevin Lavoie

For a complete listing of Adventist healthcare locations, visit www.columbiaunion.org/ healingministry.html.

NOVEMBER 2005

United in Christ Baptizes 92 in Baltimore ast summer, the United In Christ church in Baltimore, Md., conducted their second Community Uplift Prayer Revival. Soul-stirring messages by Pastor Conklin B. Gentry resulted in over 90 people being baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Among them were entire families who accepted the Adventist message. There was also a couple—married soon after the effort—who were baptized together. There was a lady who attended the Adventist church as a child and felt impressed to return. There were several individuals who stopped by the tent because they wanted to give up drugs and make a change in their lives. There was also a man (pictured below, center) who proclaimed that he would keep the Sabbath. Though he died before the baptism, he wholeheartedly gave his life to Christ. Organizers say the goal of the event was to share the message of salvation with people in the inner city. They wanted to provide hope for those who feel downtrodden, hopeless, and want to climb out of their unfortunate circumstances. The revival was greatly needed because Baltimore’s inner city is plagued by a high rate of drug abuse as well as a high rate of incarceration among young people. They believed that a tent in the inner city would attract people who wouldn’t feel comfortable walking into a convention center or paying a fee to hear the mes-

sage of salvation. During this revival, it attracted hundreds who came to meet the Savior.

United … in Christ It was two years ago that Charles Cheatham, president of Allegheny East Conference, proposed that two small Baltimore churches—First Maranatha and New Macedonia—merge. He arranged a meet-and-greet and allowed the Holy Spirit to take its course. The name of the newly formed church was a collaborative effort between members of both congregations who submitted and voted on the suggestions. United In Christ was the unanimous winner and soon became the name of the newly united churches. Cheatham also encouraged Gentry, a New Yorkbased evangelist—originally from California—to pastor the new congregation. When he arrived in 2004, he invited two experienced Bible workers to join him. Mildred Lester and June Mack have been working with Gentry in evangelism efforts for over 20 years and know how to lead people to Christ. In the summer of 2004, United In Christ held its first Community Uplift Prayer Revival for six weeks. The success of that effort led 125 people to Christ. The congregation decided to hold its next series under a tent within the community. In preparation, they held three 40-day fasts with several brief rest periods. Through each fasting period, members were paired with partners for support and encouragement. In addition to preparing them for the upcoming evangelism series, the fasts produced wonderful testimonies about family members who decided to be baptized. There were also stories of healings, financial blessings, and spiritual growth in the form of a closer relationship with Christ. A month before the revival, the dedicated Bible workers and members began reaching out to the community and inviting them to hear the message of truth. After six weeks, 72 people had accepted Christ. Though the tent has been taken down, the series continues at the church until the end of this month. At press time, 20 more people had been baptized. In addition, the church has partnered with community organizations to host two job fairs and provide clothing and counseling for those in need.—Aleta Lewis

NOVEMBER 2005

15 Years and Going Strong: PFA Salutes Longtime Faculty! f you could take a time machine back to 1990 America, you would discover that George Bush—the father—was president; J. Danforth Quayle was vice president, the American population was 249,438,712; life expectancy was 75.4 years; the median household income was $29,943; the record of the year was “Wind Beneath My Wings” sung by Bette Midler; the South African government freed Nelson Mandela who had been imprisoned for 27 years; Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait, setting off the Persian Gulf War; East and West Germany were united; Margaret Thatcher resigned as British Prime Minister; and the U.S. Supreme Court tackled the issue of flag burning. But what if during your visit, you stopped by Pine Forge Academy (PFA)? What or who would you have found? You would have met several of today’s faculty and staff faithfully serving our school. This month, meet these longtime staff members and find out how they continue to faithfully serve PFA: Kris Fielder, a member of the PFA staff for over 17 years was appointed assistant principal for the 2005-06 school year. Fielder, also known as “Coach Fielder,” once led the athletic department, taught history, and served as dean of student affairs. In 2003-04, he led the PFA Falcons to a basketball championship. In his new role, Fielder is responsible for day-to-day operations, safety and security, and student activities. At a young age, Michael Jones accompanied his parents to Pine Forge’s campus where his father, Charles Jones, became the choir director and music teacher. A 1963 graduate of PFA, Jones later returned as an instructor in English, French, and business. Currently he teaches French and Computer Application Keyboarding. In addition to his duties in the classroom, he sponsors the yearbook staff and chairs the National Honor Society Committee.

Allegheny East Conference PO Box 266, Pine Forge, PA 19548 ■ Phone: (610) 326-4610 www.myalleghenyeast.com ■ President, Charles L. Cheatham Communication Director, Robert Booker

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A. Pearlita Jones served as dean of young women for the past 15 years. During that time, she served as a mentor, role model, and prayer warrior for over 800 young ladies. Recently, the PFA Board of Trustees voted for Jones to serve as dean of student affairs. In this role, she is responsible for the social and spiritual life of the student body. Joel Johnson has served as pastor of the Pine Forge (Pa.) church—located on the academy’s campus—for over 15 years. He also serves as school chaplain and Bible instructor. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, he was first hired as dean of young men. Today, in addition to his pastoral ministries, he directs the highly-acclaimed Creative Arts Drama Ministry, which has ministered in many places across the U.S. Ralph Shipman, the maintenance and grounds handyman, custodian, and jack-of-all-trades extraordinaire came to PFA as Bible instructor and small appliance teacher. Shipman uses all of these skills and more in equipping students with life skills. His trademark is excellence and he uses it to tenderly care for the campus grounds and buildings. It is with joy and pride that we salute these faculty members who add so much to the tapestry of life at Pine Forge Academy. —Cynthia Poole-Gibson

Pine Forge Academy (800) 390-9529 ■ www.pineforgeacademy.org e-mail: pfa@pineforgeacademy.org Headmaster, Cynthia Poole-Gibson

NOVEMBER 2005

Christian Discipline n the minds of most of us, the word discipline conjures up images of “bad” kids. When I hear “discipline,” however, I think, “a chance to build character.” Sometimes you may hear that something has happened on Blue Mountain Academy’s (BMA) campus and think to yourself, “I thought that was a Christian school. I can’t believe they allow that to happen. I would never send my child there.” The truth is, we are a Christian school. Through the years I’ve learned that what separates a public school from a Christian school is the staff. The BMA staff is wholly committed to our mission, “to provide a Christ-centered, Seventh-day Adventist education that leads students into lives of service for God.” When students are making decisions, they are surrounded by deans, teachers, work supervisors, and administrators who share a passion for building character through these moments by praying, mentoring, and laboring with them. If my children are struggling with making good decisions, I want them to be in an environment surrounded by a Christian staff that is committed to working with them in a redemptive way. That place is Blue Mountain Academy. Our goal is to follow a plan of discipline that helps students process behavior and consequences in a way that makes them accountable for their decisions and actions. Through the process of discipline (discipleship), we seek to produce students who are strong in their ability to think and act in a positive Christian way. We desire our students to have the strength to stand with courage for their convictions. Do BMA students make mistakes? You bet! But we are here to train their minds for leaderDave Morgan Vice Principal ship and their hearts for service, and to work through their mistakes with Christian discipline.

Alumnus Volunteers to Teach Mechanics ecause of the neatly fenced-in area for “parts cars,” many a visitor has passed by the industrial arts building on BMA’s campus, unaware that it houses an auto shop. Philip Jamosky (below), a BMA graduate (class of ’88), is now in his third year as a volunteer instructor in the auto tech department. Jamosky takes pride in the well-kept shop and finds great satisfaction in teaching his students mechanical skills. As an auto body specialist, he

places more emphasis on that part of the instruction. However, after the students have grasped the basics of “scratch-and-dent” repair, engine tune-up, and vehicle maintenance, they are encouraged to become involved as far as their talent and time will allow. The industrial arts department has had a storied past, with Ed Kline as the first full-time instructor in the late 1960s. The department grew into its new home, with three instructors, by the late 1970s, and continued to thrive through the 1980s. A goodly number of students, including Jamosky, have graduated from the program and done very well in the automobile trades. Learning From The Master Mechanic The perception of our Lord as the Master Mechanic may be a stretch, but many a mechanic has learned that a bowed head and an effectual prayer are prerequisites to good auto repair. What may be “high tech” to the auto industry is elementary to our Lord. The Power that guides the surgeon’s hand can just as assuredly guide the mechanic’s hand. With the critical shortage of mechanics and the need for a student to have usable skills—if only to “moonlight” through college—we need to support the academy in continuing this program.—Duane Wardecke

NOVEMBER 2005

BMA Enrolls 249 t was with much anticipation that the Blue Mountain Academy faculty and staff gathered to prepare and pray for the arrival of our student body. This year enrollment is up to 249—praise the Lord! In response to this increased enrollment and to keep class sizes down, additional sections of religion and English classes have been added. And, as a result of generous donations, two more smart boards have been installed and new carpet has been laid in five classrooms. Our program has also been enhanced because of several new classes:

Honors English for juniors Religion electives for juniors and seniors ■ Honors Western Civilization for sophomores ■ Intro to Psychology for seniors ■ Honors Anatomy and Physiology for seniors ■ Leadership 2 and 3 ■ ■

During presession, faculty and staff prayed throughout the campus buildings, asking God to watch over students as they journey through this school year.

New Staff Welcomed MA is excited to introduce the newest members of our teaching staff. All have degrees of higher education and will enhance our campus with their talents, skills, ideas, and passion for educating our youth:

Esther Abreu Home Economics

Sylvia Garcia, MDiv Bible

Coming

EVENTS

Jim Herndon, MA, MDiv Religion

Solomon Lazar, MS Science

Jeff McAuliffe, DDS Physical Science

December

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5 13 19 20 20-27

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Senior Recognition Fall Festival BMA Performance Night Parent Day Thanksgiving Home Leave

Julius Daniels, MA Computer Technology

Callie Adams Art, Librarian

Club Christmas Parties ACT Testing Vespers by Choral & LaSonnette, 7:30 p.m. Keyboard Vespers, 4 p.m. Parents Advisory Council Meeting, TBA Band Concert, 8 p.m. Sunday School Semester Exams Christmas Home Leave

Communiqué is published in the Visitor by Blue Mountain Academy 2363 Mountain Road, Hamburg, PA 19526 ■ Phone: (610) 562-2291 Fax: (610) 562-8050 ■ Editor, Kathleen Sutton ■ E-mail: kathys@bma.us ■ Copy Editor, Louise Corbin ■ www.bma.us 24

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NOVEMBER 2005

It is Something to Us n 587 B.C. the Babylonian army converged upon Jerusalem and utterly destroyed the city. One eyewitness of this dreadful event wrote down his reflections in the form of a funeral song we now call Lamentations. From this song we surmise that many people passed by the ruins of this once fair city. Some passed by from a distance, no doubt, to avoid the stench and devastation. Others forced themselves to tolerate the stench in order to loot the homes and businesses of fellow citizens. A poet becomes the voice of the city and cries out his desperate question: “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?” (Lam. 1:12, NKJV) These words have come to mind in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that wreaked havoc on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Through the news reports and the incredible images that have emerged from the region, we all have “passed by.” And it is something to us! Chesapeake constituents have responded with open hearts, open doors, and open checkbooks. Tens of thousands of dollars have been donated to assist in the survival and recovery process. Teams of volunteers have traveled to the Gulf Coast to work long hours in warehouses so that supplies could be distributed to the areas of critical need. Others have helped clear debris while still others have lent their carpentry skills to repair the damage from high winds. Throughout this ordeal, we have witnessed Adventists helping fellow Adventists, Adventists helping fellow Americans, Adventists just helping. The devastation was mindboggling. The response has been heartwarming. It is something to us! We continue to hear stories about members who had family living on the Gulf Coast that lost everything in the hurricane. Thousands of evacuees no longer have homes or jobs. Our sister conferences in that area suffered damage to their churches and schools. The economy of the region will struggle and the impact from the hurricane will continue to affect those conferJ. Neville Harcombe President ences for some time. Yes, it is something to us, and we will continue to find ways to help!

NEWS Evangelism Committee Reviews Requests for 2006 At its recent annual review, the Chesapeake Conference Evangelism Committee voted $175,000 in subsidy to Chesapeake churches for 2006. Requests from churches were due in early September and required a detailed budget and local board approval to justify the request. Subsidies are granted for public meetings, seminars, and creative forms of evangelism. In addition to these requests, the conference will also sponsor major evangelistic thrust in Waldorf, Md. Watch for a report about 2005 evangelism projects in the January issue of The Challenge.

of effective teaching. They also got an overview of the fourth quarter Sabbath School Quarterly about the Book of Ephesians.

Sabbath School Teachers Hone Skills in Area Workshops Frank Bondurant, adult ministries director, recently presented the workshop—10 Things Every Sabbath School Teacher Needs to Know About Teaching—in two different regions of the conference. Several dozen adult teachers (pictured) took advantage of the opportunity to hear a presentation on the dynamic principles

Members from the Eastern Region of the Chesapeake Conference gathered at Eastern Shore Junior Academy to sharpen their teaching skills.

NOVEMBER 2005

Youth Leaders Convention Draws Record Attendance he annual Youth Leaders Convention, recently held at Mt. Aetna Camp in Hagerstown, Md., set a high water mark for attendance with nearly 200 participants. Attendees were treated to a weekend of inspirational presentations, uplifting music, helpful training, and great food and fellowship. Baraka Muganda, youth director for the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church, spent two days with attendees and provided a rich spiritual feast by sharing his perspective on ministry for today’s young people. The inspirational portions of the schedule were accented by the music of Proof of Love—the praise team from the Park church in Salisbury, Md. During the weekend, seven different leadership-training tracks were offered, including Adventurer, Pathfinder, Teen Leadership Training, Master Adventist world youth director Baraka Guide, Pathfinder Leadership Award, Youth, and Witness Honors Masters. Muganda presents Dick Griffin the This annual weekend convention follows up on a one-day training event Pathfinder Leadership Award and a 30-year held each spring. Attendance at both conventions is required to complete the training for certification in a particular track. Ann Reynolds, secretary in service pin as his wife Brenda (25-year pin) and Gary Moran await their certificates. the Chesapeake Conference Youth Department, reported a record-high number of youth taking the Teen Leadership Training track. Vendors from as far away as Florida and Nebraska were on hand to share information about their products and services.

Chesapeake Welcomes New Associate Superintendent acqueline Messenger has joined the Chesapeake Conference staff in the role of associate superintendent of education. Messenger begins her new position having spent 15 years at Spencerville Adventist Academy in Silver Spring, Md.—the last seven as principal. She is a graduate of Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, Md., and has a master’s in educational administration from Hood College in Frederick, Md. Messenger is known for her pleasant manner, professional experience, and expertise. Her professionalism and competency are greatly appreciated by her teaching ministry colleagues. Her husband Tom, works as a network specialist for Medquest. The Messengers have three teenagers—two sons and a daughter.

2005 School Enrollment he educational ministry of the Chesapeake Conference involves a system of 16 schools, including a boarding academy, a day academy, two junior academies, and a dozen elementary schools. A total of 1,038 students are enrolled in the K-12 program. An additional 44 students are enrolled in local pre-kindergarten programs. The total enrollment is down 30 students as 11 of the 16 schools experienced a slight decline. Official opening enrollments for the 2005-06 school year are listed below:

Atholton - Jr. Acad. (Columbia, Md.) Baltimore White Marsh (White Marsh, Md.) Berkeley Springs (W.Va.) Crest Lane (Westminster, Md.) Crossroads (Ellicott City, Md.) Eastern Shore Jr. Acad. (Sudlersville, Md.) Frederick (Md.) Friendship (Linthicum, Md.) Gateway (Salisbury, Md.)

156 9 20 20 34 40 81 30 7

Highland View Academy (Hagerstown, Md.) Martin Barr (Gambrills, Md.) Mt. Aetna (Hagerstown, Md.) Rocky Knoll (Martinsburg, W.Va.) Spencerville (Silver Spring, Md.) (116 in grades 9-12) Susquehanna (Perryville, Md.) Wilmington (Del.)

The Challenge is published in the Visitor by the Chesapeake Conference ■ 6600 Martin Road, Columbia, MD 21044 Phone: (410) 995-1910 ■ Editor, Rob Vandeman ■ Editorial Assistant, Barbara-Lee Boyd

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112 18 100 49 302 12 48

NOVEMBER 2005

CUC Collects Relief Supplies for Katrina Survivors n the aftermath of the recent hurricane disasters, Columbia Union College (CUC) became a central hub for collection of disaster relief supplies in the Washington, D.C., area. In conjunction with Adventist Community Services (ACS) and campus radio station, WGTS 91.9 FM, the college solicited donations of personal comfort items. The response was overwhelming. More than three tons of supplies, enough to create 5,000 care packages, were donated from individuals, churches, and organizations: “We found that people want to donate Representatives from the Woodbridge things other (Va.) church deliver goods to help hurrithan money; cane survivors. they want another place to channel their generosity,” said Dave Meyer of the Woodbridge (Va.) Seventh-day Adventist Church. Meyer, along with his wife Heather, and church member Stephanie Scholz (who initiated the church’s drive) wanted to do something tangible to help, bringing a trailer full of supplies to the campus over Labor Day weekend. They, along with thousands from around the Vienna (Va.) Adventist Academy served as D.C., area, a Northern Virginia drop-off point for donations. These students were happy to heard about help Chaplain Dan Darrikhuma (far left), CUC’s effort deliver the items to CUC. while listening to WGTS. The Potomac Adventist Book and Health Food Store (ABC) was also a key partner. They sent their truck to collect items from the public and brought an

estimated ton of relief supplies to CUC. When the donations arrived, nearly a dozen students, led by Student Association president David Barnes, Student Association president (far right) leads students in David Barnes, unloading items collected and delivered unpacked by the Potomac ABC. the truck. From Washington Wizards basketball star Gilbert Arenas to the person who sweeps the floors and turns out the lights, employees at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C., came together in response to one man’s urging—and contributed three truckloads of supplies for disaster survivors. “You guys are awesome. Your college is doing a great thing here,” said Seth Jason, the center’s house electrician who rallied the MCI Center staff. Jason was wowed by the abundance of supplies being processed at CUC. “We were hoping to get a truckload, but because of the Professor Gaspar Colón (far left) accepts outpouring of a truckload of goods donated by MCI compassion, we Center employees. got three,” he added. Coordinators of CUC’s successful effort included Gaspar Colón, professor of theology and former director of disaster preparedness and response for ADRA International, and John Gavin, chair of CUC’s Department of Social Work and former director of ACS in North America. The items have been boxed and shipped through ACS’s national distribution system to ACS distribution points throughout the hurricane-ravaged areas.

NOVEMBER 2005

New Online Calendar Available isitors to www.cuc.edu can now check listings for CUC events in a new online calendar. The calendar can be found in the lower right column of CUC’s home page. “Using the new calendar is fairly simple and intuitive,” said Scott Steward, CUC’s public relations director, who manages the Web site. “I invite everyone to try it.” Students can find out what Student Association events are coming up, when vacations are scheduled, and discover the many worship opportunities on campus. Faculty and staff can check academic schedules, meeting dates, and test dates. Parents will appreciate knowing when their students are on break, taking midterms, and when registration and financial clearance deadlines are looming. Users can download a month’s worth of data, filtered by category if desired, into a file. This file can be imported into Microsoft Outlook using Outlook tools. It can also be download into a Palm Pilot or other such device. The new calendar is not yet complete, but most 2005-06 academic year events are posted.

Freshman President Attending CUC on Faith rancis Tucker (pictured) is a determined young man. He and his family fled Sierra Leone at the start of the country’s civil war in 1997. After he contracted malaria in a refugee camp, his family sought medical treatment for him in Conakry, the capital of Guinea. Eventually, application to the United States government for asylum was approved in 2004 and, last June, Tucker graduated from Camden High School in New Jersey.

Tucker’s odyssey caught the attention of columnist Monica YantKinney of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who wrote several pieces about him. She heard about this remarkable young man who overcame many obstacles, completed an American high school program in nine months, and chose a small Adventist college in Maryland with no financial guarantees over a fullride scholarship to a public school. 28

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Going on faith, Tucker enrolled in Capital Summer Session, CUC’s annual tuition-free peek at college life and the D.C., area. To begin his undergraduate program, he took “Jesus and the Gospels.” His hope was that the Lord would take care of the financial arrangements in time to start the fall semester. When Yant-Kinney wrote about Tucker’s decision, a combination of reader response and scholarship funds from CUC provided the means for him to begin living his dream. For Tucker, this means becoming a nurse, and later a doctor, so he can help his family on two continents get the kind of healthcare he was unable to obtain in Sierra Leone. “At home, if you have no money, you get no treatment,” he laments. The culturally diverse community and an Adventist education at CUC captured Tucker’s heart. “I love the Adventist faith,” he says. “Being at an Adventist school will help me stay motivated to do the right thing.” Francis Tucker is a quintessential example of a core tenet of Columbia Union College’s stated vision: “Development of talent through an ethos of excellence.” At the beginning of this semester an overwhelming majority among his peers voted Francis Tucker as freshmen class president for the 2005-06 academic year.

CALENDAR

November 7-11

Health/Wellness Emphasis Week

11-13 Parent Weekend 13

CUC Open House Fall Sports Banquet

14-18 Intercultural Communications Week

Student Association Sabbath Outing Culture Night International Food Fair

23-27 Thanksgiving Break (Campus Closed)

December 1

Campus Tree-Lighting Celebration

Residence Hall Open House and Student Christmas Banquet

Gateway is published in the Visitor by the Columbia Union College 7600 Flower Ave., Takoma Park, MD 20912 Phone: (800) 835-4212 ■ www.cuc.edu Randal Wisbey, President ■ PR Director, Scott Steward

NOVEMBER 2005

w w w . h i g h l a n d v i e w a c a d e m y. c o m

To Become Like Him believe educators have an awesome opportunity to mentor the development of good character in our youth. Yes, the school year is packed with much to accomplish academically, but if we do not also focus on the development of traits such as honesty, trustworthiness, compassion, and respect, their academic achievements will be empty. Ellen White writes about the need for education to provide more than just academic intellect. She says a good education “strengthens the character, so that truth and uprightness are not sacrificed to selfish desire or worldly ambition. … As the perfection of His character is dwelt upon, the mind is renewed, and the soul re-created in the image of God” (Education, p. 18). Many public schools have character development programs. Some are very good, but they don’t have the freedom to teach about the Creator and Giver of all good. I am so very grateful to work in an Adventist Christian school where we can teach students about the Source of all good things. It’s a blessing to know that we can help students learn to lean on the One who can help us grow into good character, the One who can forgive us when we fall, and the One who has the power to recreate us in His perfect image. When we look at the character of Jesus, we see just how far short we all fall. Yet, what a joy to teach our youth that the very nature of His character assures us that we can fall short Sheri Tydings and still have hope in Him! Vice Principal

NEWS Candlelight Christmas Program Planned Make plans now to attend this year’s annual Highland View Academy (HVA) Christmas program, “Carols by Candlelight.” This season-inspired event will include performances by the HVA Choir, Highlanders, and orchestra and will celebrate the birth, life, and ministry of Jesus Christ. The HVA drama team, Covenant, will provide a live nativity throughout the program. Services will be held at the Highland View Academy church in Hagerstown, Md., on Friday evening, December 9, and at the Frederick (Md.) Seventh-day Adventist Church on Sabbath evening, December 10. On December 10, Covenant will perform for the worship service at the Highland View Academy church.

Past experience has proven these programs to be uplifting and a real blessing. Mark your calendars and bring your youth; these are programs you won’t want to miss! Call HVA at (301) 739-8480 for details and program times.

Character Development Becomes a High Priority While development of good character has always been a goal at HVA, this is the third year for the school’s character development program. Each month, a specific character trait is selected and emphasized in several ways: a bulletin board is created, the Monday morning worships focus on it, an assembly is devoted to it, and teachers and deans incorporate it into classes and worships throughout the month. Character traits are also highlighted each month on the school calendar. Commitment, perseverance, truth, and honor, are a few of the traits being taught this fall.

HVABC Special Take $10 off your purchase of $50 or more. Offer good through December 31, 2005. Visit the Highland View Academy Book Center at 10100 Academy Drive in Hagerstown, Md. Call (301) 739-1642 or toll-free (877) HVA-SHOP for more details. HVA Highlanders

NOVEMBER 2005

School Year Begins with Commitment Weekend VA faculty and students devoted the first weekend of school to making commitments. HVA Campus Ministries, under the direction of Stephen Herr, planned Commitment Weekend. It was designed to help students understand the importance of dedicating oneself to God and committing oneself to ministry.

included a special dedication of the HVA faculty, staff, and Student Association officers. Coram Deo, a praise team comprised mostly of HVA teachers, provided the music. On Sabbath afternoon, students were treated to a special concert featuring Jeremy Robinson and Ivan Colón (class of 2000), musicians who play guitar and write many of the songs they perform. Sabbath evening vespers was highlighted with communion and a time for students to make a firm commitment to serve in some area of ministry. Herr reports that at the conclusion of the program, half

Andrew Correces shares his testimony with fellow students.

“Mr. Herr planned a great weekend, and I especially liked the conga line demonstration that taught us that ministry doesn’t have to be typical or ordinary!” said senior Mandy Powell. Junior Mandy Greenleaf also believes the weekend was a huge success: “It was amazing how hyped-up everyone was about God and serving Him,” she said. The weekend began with Friday evening vespers, led by HVA students. The program included a testimonial time when students shared their personal experiences with commitment. Lakeisha Tulloch, a senior, relayed her experience of having a bad summer turn better by following her father’s advice and making a commitment to spend time with God each day. Another senior, Ashley Byrd, recalled what a positive difference she saw in her life after making a commitment to read from the Bible every day. The Sabbath worship service 30

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Commitment Weekend concluded with communion.

Stephen Herr

the student body signed up to help with a specific area of campus ministries, such as leading a small group Bible study, singing with a praise team, teaching a Sabbath School class, or leading out in vespers. Students also had the opportunity to sign up to participate in upcoming events, including the 30hour famine, Bible retreats, and week of prayer. Since that beginning weekend, students have had many opportunities to be involved in ministries and put their commitment into practice. “I have been blown away by the students’ energy and excitement about getting involved!” Herr says. “They truly are committed to ministry and to making a significant difference on our campus and in our community.”

CALENDAR OF EVENTS November 13 13-14 19-28

Annual Canned-Food Drive Academy Days Thanksgiving Vacation

December 9 10

Music Department Christmas Service, HVA Church Sabbath Service by Covenant, HVA Church Music Department Christmas Service, Frederick (Md.) Church

January 14

Class of ’06 Spaghetti Dinner Fund-Raiser Highlander is published in the Visitor by the Highland View Academy 10100 Academy Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21740 ■ Phone: (301) 739-8480 Fax: (301) 733-4770 ■ Editor, Sheri Tydings ■ www.highlandviewacademy.com

NOVEMBER 2005

What Possesses You? esus admonishes us in 1 Thess. 5:16-18 (NIV): “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” God’s will is for us to be joyful, give thanks, and to communicate that in prayer, but notice the qualifying words—“always,” “continually,” “in all circumstances”—that are added. Even though it’s November, survivors of the Hurricane Katrina devastation are still trying to put all the pieces back together in their lives. Some feel they have lost everything: houses, clothing, family treasures, furniture, jobs, and even loved ones. Some are blaming the government for not fixing things faster and for not providing all their needs. There are many others who have endured the same losses. But motivated by their faith in God, they express joy, thankfulness, and praise to Him for saving their lives, for providing friends who care, for strength, and for hope in facing the future. What makes the difference? The Christian’s hope is not based on the accumulation of things in life. Let’s put our trust fully in Him. As the song goes, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness!” Let’s remember to continually, always, and in all circumstances, be content, joyfully praising and thanking God for His enduring, abundant love and care for us! After all, it’s not Kingsley Whitsett President what we possess but what possesses us that really matters.

ACS Responds to Flash Flooding in Central West Virginia eather generated by Hurricane Katrina’s torrential rains caused rivers and creeks in Central West Virginia to overflow their banks, cover roads, sweep away small bridges, and flood nearby houses. The worst damage occurred in South Calhoun and North Clay counties along State Route 16. Mountain View Conference Adventist Community Services (ACS) was the first responder for some of the 50 flooded homes. ACS volunteers from Spencer (W.Va.) church provided cleaning supplies, rubber gloves, drinking water, toiletries, comfort kits, and respiratory masks, which they delivered house-to-house where needed. The local Wal-Mart store provided a gift card to help defray some

Quilters from Chloe, W.Va., donated their handiwork to Adventist Community Services to share with Katrina survivors.

of the expense for these items. Within 24 hours of the flood, John Ridpath, disaster relief coordinator for Mountain View Conference and Randall Murphy, ACS director, delivered additional supplies, including blankets and personal care items. They also left a generous shipment of relief items with the volunteer fire department in Chloe, W.Va., which served as the distribution center for area counties. County officials, the fire chief, and Red Cross volunteers were also present to keep the distribution process orderly and equitable. One ACS representative from the Braxton (W.Va.) church, who brought a large box of comfort kits (wash cloths, towels, and personal hygiene items), visited the town of Stinson, W.Va., which bore the heaviest flood damage in the area. Local residents congregated at the town store gratefully accepted the items offered. In addition, a group of young adults standing nearby, converged on his car and happily received baby blankets, diapers, soap, comfort kits, and other items. “This is the first help we’ve had,” one person commented. “We thought we were forgotten out here. Thank you so much.” Two Christian ladies, expert quilt makers, who observed ACS’s efforts, said afterwards to a Spencer church member, “Would you please deliver some of our quilts to the evacuees from New Orleans? We would like your church to handle this because we know that our work will not get lost in the shuffle.” Our volunteer gladly delivered the quilts to the Preston Better Living Center the next day, where they found homes with grateful recipients.

NOVEMBER 2005

Preston Better Living Center: Outpost of Help and Healing ecently Ed Rockwell, pastor of Kingwood (W.Va.) church, received a call from the West Virginia Office of Emergency Management asking for help. He was informed that a number of displaced persons from New Orleans were being housed at nearby Camp Dawson, a military training base. “We’re here to help; what can we do?” Rockwell replied. “We know that your church’s better living center has a supplies room and storage room,” said the person on the other line. “We need both. We also need emotional and spiritual support for the survivors of the storm.” Preston Better Living Center, in operation since the fall of last year, has already made its mark on the community as a place where victims of misfortune or disaster can go for clothing, household items,

Ed Rockwell (right), pastor of the Kingwood (W.Va.) church, greets an evacuee from New Orleans who stayed at a nearby military training base.

toiletries, and other necessities. Kingwood church members, who voluntarily operate the center, are committed to compassionately serving all who visit, regardless of their condition or need. As a result, Preston Better Living Center has gained recognition and stature in the community. When the state agent informed Rockwell that over 150 displaced persons had just arrived at Camp Dawson—just three miles from the 32

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center—and that several hundred more were scheduled to arrive soon, he decided to confer with Randall Murphy, director of Adventist Community Services in Mountain View. At the request of the Red Cross, which had primary oversight of flood survivors sent to Camp Dawson, Murphy and Rockwell gathered urgently-needed supplies, including drinking water, toiletries, blankets, and cleaning materials. Red Cross personnel told Rockwell that many evacuees, having suffered for days with wet and blistered feet and without a change of shoes or socks, needed foot powder. Others needed antacids for digestive disorders. With money specially donated to the Spencer church by Greenbrier Better Living Center in Ronceverte, W.Va., these items were promptly purchased and delivered to grateful recipients. “It’s really important to give only what is requested, so that needed items can be promptly and efficiently supplied,” Rockwell explains. “In some well-meaning disaster relief efforts, an excess of certain items— like rubber gloves and paper towels—is provided, while other more critically needed items—like toothbrushes and soap—can be in short supply. The best help we can give, in terms of material, is to provide distribution coordinators exactly what they request.” Rockwell and Murphy, as official representatives of Adventist Community Services, circulated freely about the camp to give spiritual support. Our afflicted brothers and sisters from Louisiana welcomed literature, prayer, a few moments of Scripture reading, and a listening ear. Especially well received was Peace Above the Storm, an unabridged edition of Steps to Christ, in an attractive magazine format. “I’d like to read this magazine, but I lost my glasses in the flood,” said one man. He lit up with joy

Randall Murphy speaks with a young evacuee from New Orleans.

when Pastor Rockwell gave him his personal reading glasses. “Now I can read again!” he exclaimed as he paged through the magazine. “What we are doing here is nothing new or original,” says Pastor Rockwell. “Our ministry is one of practical compassion that springs from Jesus’ example and teachings. We don’t regard ourselves as better or more caring than countless individuals and organizations doing their part to alleviate human suffering in times of adversity. But we do have a message of gospel hope, rooted in God’s prophetic Word, that we freely share with those who come within the orbit of our service. That message seals with eternal value whatever tangible help we can give.”

Mountain View

EVENTS November 4,5 Youth Congress 8 13 20

Wheeling, W.Va. Departmental Council Town Hall Meeting Mountain Top Church Town Hall Meeting Parkersburg Church

Mountain Viewpoint is published in the Visitor by the Mountain View Conference 1400 Liberty Street, Parkersburg, WV 26101 ■ Phone: (304) 422-4581 President, Kingsley Whitsett Editor, Brian Jones ■ www.mtviewconf.org

NOVEMBER 2005

Autumn’s Beauty With autumn comes falling leaves, dry corn stocks, and pumpkins. It is a time of harvest moons and cool nights. It is also a time to reflect, along with the Pilgrims, on all the rich blessings of God. As I was thinking of such things, I read these words: “With joyful hearts they should dedicate to the Creator the first fruits of their bounties—their choicest possessions, their best and holiest service. Thus they will gain rich blessings. God Himself will make their souls like a watered garden whose waters fail not. And when the last great harvest is gathered in, the sheaves that they are enabled to bring to the Master will be the recompense of their unselfish use of the talents lent them” (Acts of the Apostles, p. 339). During the fall of this year, as we reflect on the wonderful blessings God has bestowed upon us, our hearts are uplifted in praise to the Giver of every good gift. The leadership of the New Jersey Conference rejoices in God’s goodness because we are committed to expanding God’s vineyard through preaching, teaching, and living the everlasting Gospel before the millions of people who make up the cross-cultural communities of our state so those who do not now see God’s blessings can discover them. We have so many things we want to do to share our precious Savior, however, we are dependent upon the faithfulness of God’s people in returning that which belongs to Him, along with a freewill offering. When you see the beauty of autumn’s harvest moons and the frost on pumpkins, remember that it is your faithful sharing of tithes, offerings, and your personal story of Jesus that make it possible for others to learn LeRoy Finck President of the beauty of our Creator’s transforming grace, as well as the beauty of His nature.

NEWS Hackensack English Church Adventurer Club Grows

Members Coordinate Community Response to Katrina

It has been a busy year for the Hackensack (N.J.) English Seventh-day Adventist Church Adventurer Club. During the spring they hosted an induction day for new members like Tony Kae, whose mom wrote and read a beautiful—and very emotional—acrostic. Next they hosted a networking meeting for parents where self-esteem was the topic of discussion. During the summer, club members participated in a temperance parade in Dover, N.J. As with other clubs, the children carried posters highlighting the pitfalls of alcohol, drugs, and smoking. They marched around the city to the beat of a wonderful drum corps from Brooklyn, N.Y. Members of the Hackensack English church are very proud of their Sequoia Adventurers. Little by little, these amazing children are learning to serve others by showing that they care. Many thanks to the parents, staff members, and Aurea Ramos for the ongoing support.

When she learned the local fire department needed emergency items for Katrina survivors, Nancy Hanken, disaster response coordinator for South Jersey and community service leader for the Williamstown (N.J.) church, sprang into action. Upon her solicitation, a local supermarket donated cases of baby food, toilet paper, paper towels, and non-perishable items; and a bakery storeowner gave pallets of bread. People from the community donated $130 to the effort. Hanken also called Julia Krug and Judy Fleming, community service leaders at the Laurelwood (N.J.) church, who coordinated donation efforts there. Robert Ripley, a Woodbury (N.J.) member, also assisted and brought items from his church. Members from the Atlantic County, Cherry Hill, Laurelwood, Northfield Spanish, Pleasantville, and Woodbury churches participated in the sorting and packing efforts. The items were then delivered to the hurricane survivors. Williamstown members gave $340 to subsidize transportation costs.—Tanisha Greenidge

NOVEMBER 2005

Meadow View Day Care Begins Sixth Year he Meadow View Day Care started its sixth successful year of operation recently at Meadow View Junior Academy. The leadership of the day care believes that the best place for a child is at home with parents, but realizes that this is not possible for some families. The Meadow View Day Care is a Christ-centered program that serves as an alternative to public day-care programs. The day care is run with a Christian theme and children are introduced to Christ through the curriculum and planned activities. These include learning to pray during worship time and hearing Bible

church visitation program that the school organizes each spring. The curriculum maintains a fully structured pre-k and kindergarten program that includes an emphasis on hands-on learning. Through games and crafts, children learn numbers and the alphabet, watch seeds grow, taste foods from the

Children enjoy playing outdoors.

Children participate in the annual Christmas play.

Making pilgrim and Native American costumes is a fun part of learning about Thanksgiving.

stories during “circle” time. The children take part in the school’s Christmas play each year as well as help collect gifts for the needy. They are also involved with a

food pyramid, make applesauce when learning about apples, and make Native American and Pilgrim costumes during fall harvest. Other activities include riding bumper cars in the gymnasium, playing in the sand box in their fenced-in play area, and making pizza as a treat. During Community Helper Week the children welcome working professionals into the classroom. Recently, there was the hair stylist, who actually gave

Meadow View Day Care’s structured pre-k and kindergarten program emphasizes hands-on learning. As shown above, the children often learn through games. 34

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someone a haircut; the police officer, who let them sit in his police car; and the firefighter, who let them wear his firefighter clothes. The program at the day care is designed to show the children the love God has for them and to expose them to the world of discovery and excitement involved with learning.—Beth Randall

November 5

Spanish Festival of the Laity—South

ABC Open 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Pastors Meeting

Directors Advisory

English Festival of the Laity—South Family Life Coordinators Meeting

ABC Open 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Spanish Festival of the Laity—North

Youth Ice Skating

New Jersey News is published in the Visitor by the New Jersey Conference 2160 Brunswick Ave., Trenton NJ 08648 Phone: (609) 392-7131 ■ President, LeRoy Finck ■ Editor, Aura Garcia www.njcsda.org

NOVEMBER 2005

Establishing a “Small Donkey” Mentality uke 10 tells the well-known story of the Good Samaritan. When shared, I’ve often heard speakers attach to it desperate pleas for money to aid in disaster relief or development. And I’m not saying that is a bad thing. What breaks the heart of God should break our hearts and—if need be—our banks. But, what if that’s not the main point of the story? What if Jesus was really saying the church’s job is not to become like the Good Samaritan, but the Small Donkey?

The Wooster Young Disciples 2005 (left to right: Charles, Kelsi, Hannah, Justin, Timmy, J.D., and Jay) met with Ohio Senator Kirk Schuring (far right) to find out how he manages to “stay Christian” in the political environment.

Sure, it’s not as glamorous. We don’t have to travel far. We don’t have to rip our high priestly robes and make Band-Aids to wrap around the bruised and beaten. We don’t get to pour oil and wine on their wounds, pay for all of their expenses, or promise to return. No, Jesus is the only One who could do all of that. Though despised and rejected, He is the only One who is good.1 So if we aren’t the Good Samaritan, who are we? And what does God want from us? In the “Baby Jesus” story printed in the book, My Bible Friends, it says, “Small Donkey’s hoofs went ‘Clip clop, clip clop’ as he s-l-o-w-l-y climbed the last hill.” After reading Luke 10 and that bedtime story for the hundredth time to my children, Joshua and Lydia, it occurred to me that Jesus wants us to slowly climb any hills and obstacles simply to bring hopeless and hurting people to a safe, grace place—the church. Are we doing that? Research would seem to suggest we are. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is currently

growing at a rate of 3,000 people a day. That is wonderful and powerful proof of the Holy Spirit’s blessing on a church started by a handful of teenagers in New England over 150 years ago. But what is happening to these 3,000 people being baptized after they’re brought to the church? Are they healing? Growing? Learning to serve? Are they being discipled? These are the questions that keep me up at night. But not just me; I’ve discovered there are many other pastors and teachers who share this burden,2 and they’ve written wonderful resources addressing these very issues.3 So last summer, in an attempt to answer some of these questions, seven teenagers and this pastor spent four days per week together—seven hours a day, plus four more on Sabbath afternoons—learning how to become “small donkeys” instead of Good Samaritans. We learned to pray, read, and share what we got out of those two with each other and then with friends and guests. We went on field trips,4 ate meals together,5 and took turns preaching on Sabbath. And as we got comfortable, we invited those friends and guests to our picnics in the park every Sabbath after church. Following lunch, a teen taught the Digging Deeper Bible Study6 for adults while the others rounded up all the children on the playground and taught them origami, face painting, crafts, and how to make balloon animals. During the week—every Monday through Thursday—the church “left the building” to adopt a block of homes in the community. We visited homes, participated in prayer walks, and conducted community surveys while taking prayer requests and leaving Connection Cards7 wherever we went. We also made smiley-faced “door buddies” for every door in every nearby nursing home. Eventually, after getting to know Lacey, a staff member at an area nursing home, we adopted one and visited regularly. We distributed light bulbs, 9-volt batteries for smoke detectors, and roses to customers (with permission) leaving Kmart and a nearby grocery store— while it was raining. One sunny day, we offered totally free, donations refused, car washes and haven’t come close to exhausting our list of ideas.8 Every Thursday, (Continued on next page) NOVEMBER 2005

“Small Donkey” Mentality, cont. we blanketed the neighborhood with invitations to our weekly picnics in the park, and at the end of the summer, concluded with a huge block party in our parking lot with giant inflatable bouncy toys, Sno-Cones, cotton candy, concerts, and giveaways. There were 18 people—many of whom we already knew—that filled out invitations for a fall class on Bible prophecy or information about detecting and managing Diabetes. Our weekdays literally began in the “upper room” of our church. We started at noon with prayer and sharing before spending time S.O.A.P journaling a bite-sized Bible passage.9 Following Care Groups and snacks, guest speakers arrived to share how they came to know Jesus and how they stay connected to Mike Fortune, pastor of the Canton and Wooster Him in the real churches in Ohio, spent last summer with seven world. Some of youth who wanted to learn how to become “Small our guest Donkeys” for Jesus in their community. speakers included Ohio state Senator Kirk Schuring, who described how he stays Christian in a cut-throat political environment; 20-yearold Lincoln Lilley, who humorously explained how he roams the aisles of Wal-Mart from midnight to 2 a.m. looking for people to approach and immediately pray for and with; Jennifer Pomales, a specialized pediatric home health nurse, who told stories of how she ministers to children dying from cancer; and James “Big Mac” McNeill, Jr., who shared how and why he returned to church and was recently re-baptized after a 35-year absence. Staggering Results The results have been staggering: Andy, a guy we met during our Sabbath picnics in the park, was at church and prayer meeting recently. Sandy, who also attended our picnics, recently attended prayer meeting. Tony and Patty are attending church on Sabbath with their daughters, Eileen and Alyssa, who have joined Pathfinders. Stanley, a Vietnam veteran and regular in our soup kitchen, recently came to church and shared his testimony about how much he appreciated the soup kitchen ladies who take the time to prepare the food. He said that little things are a big deal to him. But not just to him. Little things are a big deal to

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Jesus, too, or He wouldn’t be asking us to become small donkeys instead of good Samaritans. But in order to do that, the church must often leave the building. We must make ourselves available to the hopeless and hurting, giving more of our time than our treasure. And in the process, I think we’ll find that our churches and the people God loves like crazy, inside and outside of them, will grow—deep and wide, slowly but surely, a few young (in heart) disciples at a time. For small things done with great love still change the world. For more information about becoming a “Small Donkey,” contact Mike Fortune at mike.fortune@ohioadventist.org.—Mike Fortune Matthew 19:17; Luke 17:10 (NIV).

This is one reason the Ohio Conference invited Pastor Leah Jordache to teach the Young Disciples Boot Camp during camp meeting this year. Ask her about it! Ljordache@lluc.org. 2

3 Pastor Jordache used Laurence Burn’s workbook, Discipleship Adventure. It can be purchased by contacting Burn at lburn@andrews.edu. Later in Wooster, I used Greg Ogden’s workbook Discipleship Essentials: Making Disciples A Few At A Time available at www.christianbook.com.

Our longest was a 13-hour (!) trip to St. Louis for the 58th General Conference Session.

5 See Linda Kirk’s article “Food and Friends” in the Adventist Review (May 26, 2005) for more information on how even meals can be a meaningful time for debriefing and reflection.

Selected from the easy-to-use NIV Serendipity Bible for Personal and Group Study.

7 Connection Cards are business cards with our church address, phone number, and the message, “This is our simple way of saying God loves you. Let us know if we can be of more assistance.” 8 Go to www.servantevangelism.com to see where the teens found their ideas.

See Laurence Burn’s Discipleship Adventure workbook for more information on S.O.A.P. journaling.

CALENDAR November 4-6

Tri-Conference Youth Rally Wheeling, W.Va.

4-6

Training Class—Rainbows: Restoring Hope to Grieving Youth

11-13

Mount Vernon Academy Prayer Conference

Pathfinder Pinewood Durby, Toledo

Mission Ohio is published in the Visitor by the Ohio Conference ■ P. O. Box 1230, Mount Vernon, Ohio 43050 Phone: (740) 397-4665 ■ President, Raj Attiken Editor, Bette Toscano ■ www.ohioadventist.org

NOVEMBER 2005

It’s Time To Give Away Your Church ho would give away a church? Especially when they have sacrificed for the building, met faithfully every week, and seen spiritual growth there. Yet it is time to give away our church. Our church does not exist for us. As the body of Christ, the church has to be about the mission of Christ. As Jesus said in Luke 19:10, He came to seek and to save the lost. In these very last days, we must move from seeing the church as existing for my spiritual needs, to being the vehicle of Christ that reaches the lost in my community. In every activity and action of our local church, it is time to ask ourselves, “How is what we are doing, directly about reaching the lost?” If we do not give away our church from being for us—and give it over completely to reaching the lost—then we will lose it anyway, for it will no longer be the body of Christ. When the rich young ruler came to Jesus, he had kept the commandments, but he hadn’t learned to give all he had for the mission of following Christ. Ask your church, “Are we focusing everything in this church to reaching those around us?” Signs are showing that the Ray Hartwell President coming of Christ is drawing near. Indeed, it is time to give away our church.

Church Planting Summit Challenges Members ecently, over 150 people attended the second annual Pennsylvania Conference Church Planting Summit at the Hamburg (Pa.) Community Seventh-day Adventist Church. Peter Roennfeldt, church planting coordinator for the Trans-European Division, began the day with a message entitled, “A Return to Vintage Christianity.” He taught attendees how to interact with the world today and shared the differences between postmodern and postChristian people and their beliefs. He gave five biblical concepts for church plants Peter Roennfeldt, church planting based on Matthew coordinator for the Trans-European 22:37-39 and Division, recently traveled across the 28:19-2: worship, Pennsylvania Conference meeting with service, evangelchurch planters, pastors, and conferism, fellowship, ence administrators. and discipleship. The morning concluded with Pastor David Reinwald baptizing two men who had studied with people from Emmanuel’s Place, a lay-led, inner city, church plant which is one of two church plants of the Kenhorst Boulevard church in Reading, Pa.

After lunch, participants were led in a prayer walk around the Hamburg, Pa., community by conference prayer coordinator Sue Shobe. The afternoon meetings featured leaders from several Pennsylvania churches, including Grupo Adventista de los Poconos (Stroudsburg), Emmanuel’s Place (Reading), Northwest Lehigh (New Tripoli) and Hamburg Community. Each testified about their church planting journey. Roennfeldt concluded the day by sharing stories of church planting from the Trans-European Division. The summit came at the end of a week-long visit for Roennfeldt, who traveled around the conference meeting with church planters, pastors, and conference administrators and making presentations, giving recommendations, and answering questions about church planting. Attending her first summit, Bev Gallatin of Hamburg Community’s church plant came away from the summit with direction. “The presentation showed us there are many ways to reach God’s children, but there are also no shortcuts,” she said. “I personally came away from the summit with a fire and desire to transform our early service into a true church plant.” Conference church planting director Bill Peterson was also pleased with the event. “All across our conference there are faithful people who want to make a significant contribution to the Lord’s work,” he said. “I believe that, as a result of this summit, many have found that they can do this through either supporting or becoming directly involved with church planting.”

NOVEMBER 2005

Adventist WholeHealth Offers “TLC” dventist WholeHealth Lifestyle Medicine Center in Reading, Pa., is committed to helping people make “lifestyle changes for lifelong health.” Most people know what they need to do to live healthier. Yet while making lifestyle changes sounds simple, it can be one of the hardest things to do. As a result, the center now offers a program called Therapeutic Lifestyle Coaching. The structured, supportive partnership of a lifestyle coach provides personalized guidance and motivation in making lasting lifestyle changes. Lillian Tryon, BSN, RN, is the certified wellness coach on staff and has a passion to bridge the gap between health information and health behavLillian Tryon, BSN, RN, is the new ior change and help people experience wellness in every area of certified wellness coach on staff at their lives. For more information about lifestyle coaching or to the Adventist WholeHealth Lifestyle Medicine Center in Reading, Pa. schedule an appointment, call (610) 685-9900.

Pennsylvania NCD Coaches Make History hen the Pennsylvania Conference joined efforts with the Mountain View Conference to host the first-of-it’s-kind, Natural Church Development (NCD) Coaches’ Training and NCD Introduction and Implementation weekends, they were not only the first Adventist conference to implement the new NCD delivery system, they were the first in any denomination to use the new training program. Today, many other denominations as well as 13 Adventist conferences are using a delivery system that has evolved from that first pilot program in 2003. Several of those participating in that pilot coaches’ training are making history again as they become the first certified NCD coaches in the North American Division. Certified by the North American Division Evangelism

Institute (NADEI) are William Peterson, director of the NCD program in Pennsylvania, and pastors Brad Cassell, Bob Williams, and Dave Sanner. Each of these men also attended the original coaches training offered at Andrews University prior to the pilot program and have been coaching churches in Pennsylvania for several years. Peterson and Cassell also serve as coach trainers for NADEI, along with Judy Butler, Tamyra Horst, and Pastor Sam Pagan. Together, they compose half of the 10-member NADEI team of coaches who train other coaches across the Division. Coaching is an important part of the conference mission department, directed by Peterson. Twenty-four people are trained or being trained as coaches for churches using NCD. Pennsylvania is also one of only two conferences that implements coaching in church planting. There are currently 18 specially trained, church planting coaches working with the conference’s church plants.

Pennsylvania Conference made history when it partnered with the Mountain View Conference and piloted a new Natural Church Development (NCD) delivery system through the North American Division Evangelism Institute. Four of those “pioneers,” pictured with others in training, are among the first certified NCD coaches in the North American Division. 38

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November 4-6

Pathfinder Leaders Spiritual Retreat Laurel Lake Camp

West Side Youth Leadership Sabbath Laurel Lake Camp

18-20

NCD Implementation Team Retreat Mt. Aetna Camp Hagerstown, Md.

25-27

Hispanic Youth Retreat

December 3

Shermansdale (Pa.) Youth Sabbath

Hanover (Pa.) Youth Sabbath

ABC Christmas Sale

Pennsylvania Pen is published in the Visitor by the Pennsylvania Conference 720 Museum Road, Reading, PA 19611 Phone: (610) 374-8331, ext. 210 President, Ray Hartwell ■ Editor, Tamyra Horst ■ www.paconference.org

NOVEMBER 2005

Now is the Time ow is the time … to proclaim Christ’s return” (perhaps as never before in the history of Potomac Conference), was the appeal given at our Third Quadrennial Session (see story on page 5), recently held in New Market, Va. Delegates received the president’s report in video and print. Below are five initiatives highlighted in the report; we ask for your support as we work to address these during the next five years:

Population Growth and Expansion – With the incredible population growth within our borders, we must be deliberate in planting new churches—of various diversities—to reach all people groups. Educational Values and Needs – We must be more aggressive in sharing the value of Christian education with our members and addressing any lack of excellence in the delivery of education, whether with personnel or plant. Celebrate our Community – With our vast diversity stretching from Powell Valley, Va., to Silver Spring, Md., from Virginia Beach to New Market, Va., we must find ways to celebrate our uniqueness and build a sense of community. In addition, we should facilitate opportunities for all members—regardless of race, gender, or age—to sense fulfillment of mission in our community. Accountability to the Unique Adventist Message – We must be deliberate in talking and walking the messages of the three angels of Revelation 14. May every church and institution within our conference sense the rich privilege of being entrusted with this unique message and be faithful in sharing it, creatively and powerfully, in our specific communities. Thirst for Latter Rain Experience – All initiatives rise and fall on this opportunity and challenge. It must be the passion of every spiritual leader within Potomac Conference to pray for and seek an indwelling experience of the Holy Spirit. If a true revival of primitive godliness is ever to fall among us, we must create an awareness of the power of the Holy Spirit through praying, preaching, teaching, and most of all living it! I am convinced that some of Potomac Conference’s best days lie just ahead, and I invite you to join me in renewing our commitment to Jesus Christ. For now—as never before—is the time to embrace Christ’s faith, live His love, and powerfully proclaim His return. Maranatha!!!

Dave Weigley President

Hampton Roads Celebrates Baptisms he Hampton Roads church is rejoicing after receiving three people—Howard Knefel, Derrick Best, and Seth Brennan—into membership through baptism by Pastor Dan Shafer (pictured below with Derrick). After experiencing years of turmoil and uncertainty, and having drifted away from the faith, Howard Knefel (pictured right) found his way back to the Lord through the urging of the Holy Spirit. He studied with Pastor Shafer. While working in the Newport News shipyard, Derrick Best (pictured right) became

acquainted with Wesner Bonneau, a faithful leader and mission-oriented, Hampton Roads member. After many months of spiritual guidance and Bible study, Best made his decision to become part of God’s remnant church. Elder Frank Butler and Mac Connell, director of the church’s prayer ministry, were also very instrumental in leading Best to the Lord. Young Seth Brennan (pictured above), a student at Hampton Roads church school, was baptized after many months of study in a baptismal class conducted by Mary Bates of the church’s children’s division.

NOVEMBER 2005

268 Attend Summer Camp 2005 enny Grady, youth director for Potomac Conference, reports that there was a very successful summer camp program, in the midst of God’s natural beauty, at Camp Blue Ridge in Montebello, Va. There were 268 campers in attendance (see photos). Several gave their hearts to Jesus, committed their lives to follow Him, and were baptized in the cool waters of the lake as friends and family celebrated with them. Many others expressed an interest in knowing Jesus as their Savior. Watch for details about Summer Camp 2006 at www.pcsda.org.

Filipino Church Members Travel to Africa, Baptize 80 embers from the Filipino Capitol church in College Park, Md., along with others from the Silver Spring, Md.-based Adventist World Headquarters, and the Breath of Life church in Fort Washington, Md., conducted an evangelistic series at Mancau Village, in Kenya, East Africa. Pastor Marcelo Sigue (pictured leading candidates into the river) baptized 80 precious souls— praise the Lord! In the mornings participants helped with the building of a community women’s center (see photo at right). They visited people in the afternoons and presented an evangelistic series in the evenings. Some people walked more than 15 miles to attend the program, evidence that they are hungry and

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thirsty for the Word of God. A month before the series, 21 lay Bible workers—using bicycles as transportation— prepared the hearts of the people for God’s message. They are now conducting Bible studies as a follow-up to the recent baptisms.

Using bicycles for transportation, these Bible workers (pictured with Filipino Capitol Pastor Marcelo Sigue) planted seeds that led to 80 baptisms in Kenya.

Potomac People is published in the Visitor by the Potomac Conference ■ 606 Greenville Ave., Staunton, VA 24401 Phone: (540) 886-0771 ■ www.pcsda.org ■ President, Dave Weigley ■ Editor, Janet Olsyne

NOVEMBER 2005

Code of Honor “Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it” (Prov. 22:6, NLT). uring the first week of this current school year, a member of the senior class came by the front office to turn in some money he had found. To say we as a staff were pleased with the strength of character this young man displayed would be an understatement. A few weeks later another young man in the senior class came by the office with a $50 bill that he had found in the lobby of the administration building. At this point we as a staff came to two conclusions: first, our young people need to do a better job of caring for their belongings, including their money; and second—and far more importantly—we can praise God for the strength of character displayed by two of our young people in a very real way. We are also thankful for our students that come to school each day and follow our honor code.

Please know that both these young men have been rewarded. Each was presented with a thank-you letter from the principal that also contained a gift certificate to Cold Stone Creamery, an ice cream store.

John Nafie Principal

Former Staff Member Speaks for Week of Prayer hawnessey Cargile, a graduate of Southern Adventist University, in December 2003, with a major in Religious Studies, is no stranger to Shenandoah Valley Academy (SVA). He served as taskforce chaplain, assistant dean of men in Price Hall, and Student Association sponsor during the 2002-03 school year. Students who were then freshmen remember Cargile and requested that he return as speaker for their senior year week of prayer. His challenge to the students was bold: your faith

as a Christian isn’t just a culture of Adventism and how you were raised; your faith is shown or lived out in your choices and interaction with others. Ultimately, he said, it’s whether you lead others to Jesus or away from Him. Cargile used examples of men and women from Hebrews 11 who deliberately chose to have faith in Jesus because they believed His promises, and put their entire life in His control. The theme text for the week was Hebrews 12:1, 2 (NIV), which urges us to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” Honest that he is focused most on himself (like each of us truly are), Cargile is certain that working with students, thus focusing outward from himself and putting other people first, is what ministry is about. His youth ministry began in the summer of 1997 when he began working at Cohutta Springs, a summer camp in Georgia, where he has continued leading campers to know Jesus for the last eight summers. Working at camp, Cargile believes, is where his strong conviction to work with youth became clear. Currently, he tutors students and teaches computer classes at the Ooltewah Adventist Elementary School in Tennessee.

NOVEMBER 2005

Drama Troupe Back From Hiatus his school year, the SVA drama troupe is back from hiatus. Under the leadership of Susan Osborne, English teacher, and Rob Snider, associate chaplain and Bible teacher, students are excited about the opportunity to share their dramatic talents on campus and on the road. Several plays to be performed throughout the year include Family Outings, The Prodigal Son, and a play currently being written for the stage about end-time events. Stay tuned for performances at locations near you.

Bill and Jean Strickland: A Lifetime of Service illiam “Bill” Strickland served a total of 40 years as a staff member at SVA. As a result of being such a big part of the school’s history, he is known to many alumni as “Mr. SVA.” Even after retiring from teaching, Strickland continues to invest in Shenandoah by serving on the operating board. His mission to educate young people to be like Jesus is a legacy that staff following in his footsteps continue. As a teacher, Strickland took time to go beyond his required responsibilities and stepped up as the acting principal three separate times. He was a father figure and friend to many students, even adopting two SVA students into his family. During home leaves, Strickland often led 100-mile backpacking trips, was the leader of the Medical Cadet Corps, and planned and led countless trips—including one to Cuba. The 1965 SVA yearbook dedication to Strickland records the following tribute: “Your unique combination of zest for life and an easy-going, kindly manner has enriched the lives of all of us who have known you. ... If we were to sum up all of your most outstanding qualities into one word, it would be: humility.” This is the same characteristic that was used to describe Jesus. Strickland’s wife Jean has also played a major role at SVA through the years. The former Jean Quackenbush attended SVA and graduated in the class of 1950, and then returned to the valley with Bill when he accepted a call to teach in 1958. She worked at the SVA Bindery for a number of years, and—in more recent years—was supervisor in the William “Bill” Strickland, fondly known as student center, a “Mr. SVA,” spent 40 years teaching students and now serves on the school board. position that

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enabled her to interact with the many students who needed motherly influence while at SVA. Another position that Jean held was that of landscape gardener, which led to the beauty of SVA through the many flowerbeds and berms that she established on campus. The Strickland’s love for academy work was passed along to their daughter, Jan Strickland Osborne, who has also worked at SVA for many years. Osborne works as the director of the alumni and development departments and is the administrative assistant to the principal. Jean Quackenbush Strickland (above) passed away, following a lengthy illness, on Friday, October 14, 2005.

calendar of

events

November 4-6

Spiritual Retreat

SAT Testing

Alumni Basketball

Girls Open House/Boys Club Banquet

Sunday School

Progress Reports Due

21-28 Home Leave (Begins, 6 p.m.) Happenings is published in the Visitor by Shenandoah Valley Academy ■ 234 West Lee Highway, New Market, VA 22844 Phone: (540) 740-3161 ■ Principal, John Nafie E-mail: nafiej@sva-va.org ■ Editors, Brian and Joi Becker www.youracademy.org

BULLETIN BOARD ADVERTISING AND SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Visit our Web site: www.columbiaunion.org Click on News/Visitor, then on Advertising, or contact: Sandra Jones for Classified Advertising sjones@columbiaunion.net Celeste Ryan for Display Advertising cryan@columbiaunion.net or phone toll-free: (888) 4-VISITOR

EMPLOYMENT ADVENTIST JOBNET is the source for finding jobs or finding employees. Designed for Adventist businesses and professionals, we offer a hiring bonus of up to $500 to applicants hired through us. Geared for all professionals-teachers, lawyers, doctors, nurses, etc. New jobs listed daily. Visit us today at www.AdventistJobNet.com. ELTERNHAUS INC. ASSISTED LIVING, near Columbia Md., needs a kind, adaptable Adventist personal care giver. Must read, understand, and follow instructions to provide resident assistance with ADL's, cooking, housekeeping, care of plants, and aesthetic decorating. Position is hourly. Bedroom/bathroom or apartment possible for right person. Call (410) 707-7071 for information. JOIN THE OREGON CONFERENCE FAMILY! Campground Manager and Assistant Campground Manager for Food Service needed at Gladstone Park Conference Center. Positions require solid related experience. Excellent benefits include medical, retirement, and on-campus housing. Full details, requirements, and application for each position available in employment section at www.OregonConference.org. LIFESTYLE CENTER OF AMERICA, a premier diabetes medical resort with a mission to restore health through lifestyle intervention, has the following job opportunities: CFO, physician, nurse, and sous chef. Submit resume to: Lifestyle Center of America, Route 1, Box 4001, Sulphur, OK 73086. Attention: Diana Wildermuth; dwildermuth@lifestylecenter.org.

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MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, an Adventist Health System 63bed acute care facility located in beautiful Southeastern Kentucky’s Daniel Boone National Forrest, has various openings for missionminded healthcare professionals. For current postings, visit www.manchestermemorial.org and click on Employment or contact the job line at (800) 872-8616. Resumes and applications may be faxed to (606) 599-2506. Contact Joe Skula, human resources director at (606) 598-4510 or joe.skula@ahss.org for further information. LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY seeks a full-time, tenure-track, assistant professor of chemistry/biochemistry. Must possess a PhD, with emphasis in: analytical, inorganic, or biophysical chemistry, analytical biochemistry or related fields. Postdoctoral and/or teaching experience is preferred. For more information, please visit www.lasierra.edu/hr. Please submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, and three professional references with telephone numbers to: La Sierra University, Attn: Dell Jean Van Fossen, 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, CA 92515.

HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS NEEDED Shawnee Mission Medical Center (SMMC), a Seventh-day Adventist community service, has a variety of openings for healthcare professionals interested in immediate placement. SMMC is a 383bed, acute care facility located in beautiful Johnson County, Kansas. This family-friendly community offers a safe and relaxed atmosphere, high quality schools, and easy access to museums, cultural arts, and professional sports teams. Please contact the job line: (800) 845-6212 or click on Employment: www.shawneemission.org for a listing of open positions. For more information contact: Brad Hoffman Administrative Director of Human Resources (913) 676-2020 Resumes may be faxed to: (913) 676-2019

MEDICAL OFFICE MANAGER in Laurel, Md., needed for Adventist Christian podiatrist. Must have billing and collection experience. Call Deborah at (301) 596-9311. MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD New home-based business opportunity is changing ordinary lives into extraordinary lives. What you earn is up to you. Call (866) 796-6178, Mannatech Independent Associate.

MISCELLANEOUS COMPARE PRICES! FLORIDA LIVING RETIREMENT, an active senior community near Orlando, rolling hills and stately trees, now accepting names for one- and two-bedroom apartments. Dining room with vegetarian meals, activities, heated pool, church on grounds, near camp meeting. Transportation, meals, and housekeeping available. Conference owned. For information call Sharon or Areta (407) 8622646 or (800) 729-8017. PREPAID PHONE CARDS Multiple types and rates for the Continental United States and international countries. Multiple types ranging from one cent to 1.5 cents per minute (no connection fee). Consider using these for your missionary endeavors, gifts for students, or travel. Call LJ PLUS (770) 441-6022 or toll-free (888) 441-7688. BARLEYLIFE is rich in natural vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants. Products to support digestive health and other body systems in many different ways. New heavy-metal detoxification product really works; personal documentation available. Toll-free: (888) 707-3663, e-mail: ray@abundanthealth.info, Web site: www.abundanthealth.info (Because, what you don't know can hurt you). EVANGELISM PRIORITY #1 "If there is one work more important than another, it is that of getting our publications before the public, thus leading them to search the Scriptures." (4T, p. 390). Get equipped for the job! Call PROJECT: Steps to Christ at (800) 728-6872 to learn how. info@projectstc.org; www.projectstc.org. FIGHT HIGH GAS PRICES!! New patented fuel catalyst. Guaranteed to increase gas mileage up to 35%. Increase power and extend engine life. Nine years of research and testing. For each $1 you spend on EnviroMax Plus, you'll save $2 in fuel mileage. Visit www.koliadko.myextremeresearch. com, ID: 3309701; or e-mail koliadko@telpage.net; or call Dan Koliadko, (800) 691-4503.

CHRISTMAS SALE now in progress! Features big discounts on children’s books, cookbooks, health books, and two new witnessing magazines. Whispers of His Love presents the sanctuary message in a relationship with Jesus, the Lamb of God and our great High Priest. Messengers of Light features the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14. Beautifully illustrated, free samples. Ask about quantity discounts. Call (800) 777-2848. BOOKS—BUY, SELL, OR PUBLISH We print, buy, and sell Adventist books. Find out-of-print titles fast. Get your book printed quickly. We do it all. Call (800) 732-2664 for information, or visit our internet site at www.lnfbooks.com. BECKER SUBARU has special pricing for members on new Subaru vehicles and used cars. Choose from 300 new Subarus or 150 used cars. Drop shipment available on ordered new cars anywhere in the United States. Call Becker Subaru (800) 671-3636. Ask for member sales.

REAL ESTATE PHYLLIS NEWMAN SELLS MARYLAND REAL ESTATE for both buyers and sellers. Call (800) 586-4669 Re/Max Realty Center, Inc. See our Web site at: www.homesdatabase.com/ realestate. This site gives you MLS access by state, county, zip code, price range, bedrooms/ bathrooms, etc. Call me or e-mail phyllisnewman@realtor.com. BUYING OR SELLING IN MARYLAND OR D.C.? A home is your most important financial decision. To obtain the best results in this complex, dynamic market requires a knowledgeable and dependable agent. Clyde and Phyllis Kinder/ Weichert Realtors offer expertise, knowledge, and experience. Free Market Analysis. For information without obligation, call (301) 7763380; e-mail jckinder@mris.com. HAGERSTOWN/WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND Relocate to a quality life-style. Experience country living, beautiful homes and cities, great golfing and skiing. Convenient to Washington, D.C. Home to the Review & Herald Publishing Association; Highland View Academy, Mt. Aetna Youth Camp and Adventist churches. Visit www.DraperRealtyGroup. com or call Mike Draper/Century 21 MG Realty/(800) 733-2121, ext. 129.

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FOR SALE: Available in central FL (1/2 hr. from both Daytona Beach and Orlando) a double-wide manufactured home in adult (55+) trailer park; 2BR, 2BA, LR, kitchen, screened porch, and laundry room. Price: $30,000. Call (386) 775-1270.

LOOKING FOR AN ADVENTIST REALTOR IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY? I am an '82 graduate of Shenandoah Valley Academy (SVA) and a 28-year resident of the valley. I will do what I can to make your move here an easy one! I will also donate $250 to SVA if you buy through me or refer a client to me. Call me, Brad Martin, at (540) 476-4503 for any of your real estate needs.

SERVICES

MOVING? Would you like the assistance of an Adventist real estate agent? Contact Adventist-Realtor. com, a nationwide network of Seventh-day Adventist realtors. Our joy is helping church members and employees with the relocation process. Call (888) 582-2888 (nationwide toll-free) and ask for Linda Dayen or e-mail lindadayen@kw.com. Are you an agent or broker? Ask about being included in our network.

THE CARRENO CONNECTION Mel & Lisa Carreno, experienced real estate agents with Keller Williams Realty, would be honored to help you buy or sell a home in Maryland, D.C., or Virginia. What is your home worth? Are you ready for a move? Weighing your options? Whether you are thinking of selling, buying, or investing, contact us for a no-obligation consultation. You can also visit our Web site to search properties or to get free home seller or buyer reports at www.carrenoconnection.com

Mel: (301) 237-1650 Lisa: (410) 905-8282 Office: (800) 757-6199 melandlisa@comcast.net Se habla Espa単ol

MARYLAND ADVENTIST PODIATRIST Dr. Scott Nutter, highly trained, experienced, and board certified, is available in several locations to help your foot/ankle problems, including arthritis, heel pain, spurs, diabetes, callouses, ingrown nails, sprains, fractures, warts, bunions, etc. Surgery, if it is needed, at Adventist hospitals. Laurel (301) 317-6800; Greenbelt (301) 3455200; or Columbia (410) 5316350. SINGLE AND OVER 50? The only interracial group exclusively for all singles over 50. Stay home and meet new friends in the United States with a Pen Pal monthly newsletter of members and album. For information, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to ASO50 or Ebony Choice ASO50, 2747 Nonpareil, Sutherlin, OR 97479. CONSIDERING HOMESCHOOLING? Home Study International is the only Christian, accredited course provider for preschool through college. All courses can be taken individually or as a total curriculum. Earn a high school diploma or finish a college degree. Home Study International, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600; (800) 782-4769; www.hsi.edu. ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN WHO'S BEING PRICED OUT OF HEALTH INSURANCE? Cut your healthcare expenses in half. Join 55,000+ Christians who share one another's medical bills. Choose any doctor, any hospital, anywhere in the world. Check out this nonprofit program. For a free guidelines booklet, call (888) 346-7895 or visit www.healthcaregodsway.com. MARYLAND ADVENTIST DENTIST David Lee, D.D.S., PA, has a comprehensive dental office in Silver Spring and in Ellicott City, Maryland. He is excellent with children and adults, and is highly trained in Cosmetic Dentistry and Implants. For appointments call: Silver Spring (301) 649-5001; Ellicott City (410) 461-6655. Mention this ad and receive 10% discount on all services (excludes third party payers). Our office is a participating provider with Adventist Risk Management.

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ADVENTIST CONTACT P.O. Box 5419 Takoma Park, MD 20913 (301) 589-4440

ASSISTED LIVING We have a dedicated and caring staff to provide support for those who require supervision and assistance with activities of daily living and access to necessary healthcare. Two locations: Rolling Knoll Assisted Living, Temple Hills, Md., (301) 316-7016; and Jackson House Assisted Living, Boston, Va. (at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains), (540) 987-8746. CHRISTIANSINGLESDATING. COM Free 14-day trial! Join thousands and thousands of active Adventist singles online. Free chat, search, detailed profiles, and match notifications! Date chat, two-way compatibility match, 10 photos, and confidential online mail. Witnessing opportunities to the world through articles, friendships, chat, and forums. Since 1993. Adventist owners. Thousands of successful matches. Top ranked. MOVE with an award-winning agency. Apex Moving & Storage partners with the General Conference to provide quality moves at a discounted rate. Call us for your relocation needs. Adventist beliefs uncompromised. Call Marcy Dante' at (800) 766-1902 for a free estimate. Visit us at www.apexmoving.com/adventist/.

TRAVEL/VACATION RV'S!! Adventist owned and operated RV dealership has been helping Adventists for over 30 years. Huge inventory. Courtesy airport pickup and on-site hookups. Satisfied Adventist customer list available. Call toll-free (888) 933-9300. Lee's RV City, Oklahoma City. Visit our Web site www.leesrv.com or e-mail LeesRVs@aol.com. 2006 GREAT CONTROVERSY TOUR June 15-29, with Dr. Gerard Damsteegt of Andrews University. Prophecies of Daniel and Revelation come alive! Visit Rome and the Reformation sites in the Waldensian Valleys, Switzerland, Germany, France. A most exciting experience! Call or fax (269) 4715172, or e-mail gctours@mac.com. ADVENTIST GROUP VACATIONS! 7-day Hawaiian Islands cruise sailing from Honolulu 4-9-06, hosted by Pastor Dan and Betsy Matthews; 7-day Voice of Prophecy Alaska cruise sailing from Seattle 8-13-06, hosted by Pastor Lonnie and Jeannie Melashenko, including gospel soloist Joe Melashenko. Mert Allen, Mt. Tabor Cruise, (800) 950-9234 or (503) 256-7919; mert@mttabortravel.com.

NOVEMBER 2005

BULLETIN BOARD HERITAGE SINGERS 35-YEAR CELEBRATION CRUISE March 19-26, 2006. Join us for a 7-day Western Caribbean cruise featuring special Through the Years concerts and Christian Comedian, former Heritage Singer Pete McLeod. Call Inspiration Cruises today and join the Heritage Singers 35th Anniversary Celebration, (800) 247-1899.

ANNOUNCEMENTS VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE 2005 WALK THROUGH BETHLEHEM at the General Conference. You may volunteer for one night or all five. The choice is up to you. All high school students who volunteer will receive community service credit. Children 15 and younger must volunteer with a parent or guardian. All volunteers are based on a first-come, first-serve basis. Walk Through Bethlehem dates are December 10, 11, 15, 17, and 18, and volunteer time 5:30 p.m.9 p.m. Contact Tanya Holland (301) 680-6315 or e-mail hollandt@gc.adventist.org. A MEDLEY OF CAROLS will be performed by the Sanctuary Choir of the Seabrook Seventh-day Adventist Church, 8900 Good Luck Road, Lanham, Md., on Saturday, December 10, 2005, at 5 p.m. Program sponsor is the music department of the church, with David Green, director; Dr. Laddie Bell, organist; and guest artist Edwina Humphrey-Flynn, soprano. A free-will offering will be taken. Contact persons: Andrene Spence, (301) 577-6342, and Dorothy Green, (301) 390-8001. JAIME JORGE IS IN CONCERT at the Southern Asian Seventh-day Adventist Church, Sabbath, Jan. 21, 2006, at 6:30 p.m. The church’s new address is 2001 Randolph Rd., Silver Spring, Md. (one block from the General Conference). Tickets go on sale the first week of November. See www.sasdac.org or call (301) 439-7035. THE TAKOMA PARK CHURCH CONCERT SERIES presents its Christmas spectacular, “O Holy Night,” a dramatization of the first Christmas, on Saturday, December 17 at 3:30 p.m., at the Takoma Park church, 6951 Carroll Ave., Takoma Park, Md. Produced and directed by Francisco de Araujo, the performance will be enhanced by sets, lighting, and costumes, and will feature the choirs of Atlantic Union College. A free-will offering will be taken. For more information, please call (202) 829-4800. Parking will be available at the church center at 6810 Eastern Ave., N.W., Wash., D.C., and underground parking across the street at the Takoma Business Center, 6930 Carroll Ave., Takoma Park, Md. 46

VISITOR

CHRISTMAS HARP CONCERT Robin Roys, harp; Dennis Hunt, dulcimer; Sylvia Mack, flute; Evonne Baasch and David Baasch, violins. Friday, December 2 at 7:30 p.m., Spencerville Seventh-day Adventist Church, 16325 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, Md; (301) 384-2920. Free-will offering. TAKOMA PARK CHURCH YOUTH HOLDS CONCERT TO HELP ORPHANS The Takoma Park Seventh-day Adventist Church Youth Dept. is giving a benefit concert to help a memorial scholarship foundation called Family Tree * New Beginnings to raise money for its scholarships. The artists who will be participating in the program are well-known in the Potomac and Allegheny East conferences. The Black Student Union Chorale of Columbia Union College, under the direction of Anwar Ottley, will present a set of music to open the concert. After a presentation by Family Tree * New Beginnings, an offertory song will be performed by celebrated vocalist Lauri Preston. The program will be rounded off with GRACE, a gospel group consisting of 12 talented singers and musicians directed by Samuel "Eddie" Cromwell. The concert takes place November 12 at 5 pm. The concert is free, but a free-will offering will be collected. A portion of the proceeds will go to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. For more information, please contact the concert organizer, Simone Henry, at (410) 949-6869. The address of the Takoma Park Adventist Church is 6951 Carroll Ave., Takoma Pk., Md. The church is located in the triangle bound by Carroll, Laurel, and Eastern Aves., in Takoma Park, Md., two blocks from the Takoma Metro Station.

ALL IN THE FAMILY It’s a Girl! PASTOR MARK AND DEANNE DEKLE welcomed their seventh child, Emily Elizabeth, in September. The Dekles pastor the Lancaster and Ephrata churches in the Pennsylvania Conference. Emily joins siblings Marcus, Matthew, Benjamin, Jonathon, Autumn, and Summer. Wedding Bells Chime! TRENT HORST AND MELISSA MCLANE were married on September 18, in Lancaster, Pa. Trent is the son of Raymond and Erma Horst, Sr., Coatesville, Pa., and is a member of the Lancaster Seventh-day Adventist Church. Melissa, a recent graduate of Andrews University, is the daughter of Dr. Gerard and Kathryn McLane, North Carolina. Melissa is a member of the Kenhorst church in Reading, Pa. The couple will reside in Honey Brook, Pa.

Nov. 4 Nov. 11 Nov. 18 Nov. 25 Dec. 2 Baltimore

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SUNSET CALENDAR 65th Wedding Anniversary! GERALD AND MARIAN WILKINSON celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on August 25. Gerald and Marian are both graduates of Andrews University and are currently retired in Chattanooga, Tenn. Gerald served 35 years for the denomination in various printing operations including the Review and Herald Publishing Assn. Marian was a magazine leader and taught elementary school in several locations, some at Adventist schools. They resided in Wheaton and Takoma Park, Md., for about 16 years. They have three children, seven grandchildren, and 10 greatgrandchildren.

COMINGS AND GOINGS PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE

Pastor Alberto Balio has moved from the Lancaster Spanish church to the Philadelphia Spanish I and the Maranatha Spanish churches. He continues to pastor the Lawndale Spanish church. Pastor Mike Bernard will now have the Coudersport church as part of his district, making it a three-church district with the Hillcrest and Blossburg churches.

Pastor Myoung Joon Choi, former associate pastor at the Maryland Central Korean church, is the new pastor of the Pennsylvania Korean church in Philadelphia. He, his wife Seon, and daughters Gi Hyun and Gi Sung have lived in the states since 2003. Jeanne Hartwell adds the responsibility of Mission Dept. Assistant to her roles of Pennsylvania Conference Family Life Director and Ministerial Associate. Pastor Juan Lopez will continue to pastor the Reading Spanish church but is adding the Chambersburg and Harrisburg Spanish companies. He will no longer pastor the York Spanish church. Pastor Gabriel Montalvo adds the Grace Spanish and Lehigh Valley Spanish churches and continues to pastor the Philadelphia Spanish II church. Pastor Regulo Rivas has moved from the Lehigh Valley Spanish and Maranatha Spanish churches to the Lancaster Spanish and York Spanish churches. Pastor Jody Swart will oversee the newly formed mission district with the Johnston, Indiana, and Washington Heights churches. Bill Oblitey will be the new lay pastor for the Washington Heights church.

BULLETIN BOARD Pastor Bob Williams has moved from the Bethlehem/Walnutport district to the Mon Valley/ Uniontown/Washington churches.

OBITUARIES ADAMS, Warren F., longtime editor of the Columbia Union Visitor, died Friday, July 1, 2005, at his residence in Ocala, Fla. Adams was the editor of the Visitor when it was first stationed at Mt. Vernon Academy, in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. The editorial office was then transferred to Takoma Park, Md., at the Washington College Press, which was a subsidiary of Washington Missionary College, now Columbia Union College. During this entire period, he was also the linotype operator for the Mt. Vernon Academy Press and the Washington Missionary College Press. After the College Press closed, he worked for the Review and Herald Publishing Assn. until his retirement. At the time of his death, he was a member of the Ocala (Fla.) church and was a golf and astronomy enthusiast. Survivors include his wife Vesta Adams of Ocala; daughter Carolyn Adams Embrey of Ocala; sister Mildred Sand of Pawleys Island, S.C.; one granddaughter; and three great-grandchildren. One daughter, Kathryn Adams, preceded him in death in December 2004.

THE RAIN BEFORE THE STORM If you want to play a more significant part in God’s plan for the end time, you will be blessed by this unique prayer conference. November 18-20, 2005 Kettering Seventh-day Adventist Church Kettering, Ohio Speakers: Ron Halversen David VanDenburgh Neville Harcombe Mark Pietrowski Ruthie Jacobsen Plus ... Especially for teens: Diane Halvorsen and Gary Burns For information: (937) 298-2167 Sponsored by the Kettering Adventist Church, the North American Division, and Columbia Union Conference

VISITOR JOB OPENING The Columbia Union Conference is seeking applicants for a position in Communication Services and the Visitor magazine. Qualified applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in communication or a related field of study and 3-4 years’ experience in print communication, public relations, and/or marketing. The applicant must also be able to speak, write, and edit in English and Spanish. Interested persons should send a resumé and two published writing samples to: Columbia Union Conference Human Resources Director 5427 Twin Knolls Road Columbia, MD 21045

NOVEMBER 2005