Columbia Union Visitor--May 2019 by Columbia Union Visitor

Contents

ON THE WEB CUASI ELECTS LEADERSHIP The Columbia Union Adventistlaymen’s Services & Industries (CUASI) recently hosted their spring convention in Columbia, Md., and elected a new leadership team. “We knew that the theme God gave us, [‘Occupy Till I Come’], would present the opportunity for all in attendance to have an encounter with Him. And praise God, He showed up,” says newly re-elected President Mark Brown, a member of Allegheny East Conference’s New Life church in Gaithersburg, Md. Visit columbiaunionvisitor.com/ 2019cuasi to find out more about the new leadership team.

4 | 2018 Annual Report

This month we’re reflecting on the accomplishments and blessings of 2018 and hoping to inspire all members to put mission first.

17 | Newsletters 4 5 | Bulletin Board

PREPARING FOR AN ONLINE CRISIS If you’re trying to grow your online ministry, you may run into a crisis and need to act fast before the news spreads. “The digital age has brought about a few realities that have impacted how we handle a crisis,” says Celeste Ryan Blyden, vice president for Strategic Communication and Public Relations for the Columbia Union Conference. “Social media has redefined the term ‘breaking news’ because while it is happening, people have their cells phones going, recording video or are on Facebook Live. They will take you to the event or situation in real time.” In the Center for Online Evangelism podcast, Blyden shares tips on how your organization can prepare for potential crises in our changing world at columbiaunionvisitor.com/onlinecrisis.

About the Cover: The Columbia Union Conference, woven together by 150,000 members, is as unique as the shades in a tapestry. The yarn, however, representing our great diversity, only serves a purpose when intertwined in solidarity.

2 | VISITOR May 2019

brown photo by eduardo gonzalez

$1 MILLION AWARDED TO ADVENTIST SCHOOLS The Versacare foundation recently awarded $1,159,000 in grant funding to Adventist education to support STEM education. Of the schools awarded, seven elementary and junior academies in the Columbia Union received funding. Read more at columbiaunionvisitor.com/ versacareaward.

Facebook n facebook.com/columbiaunionvisitor Twitter n twitter.com/visitornews Instagram n instagram.com/columbiaunionvisitor

Celeste Ryan Blyden n Editor and Publisher V. Michelle Bernard n News, Features and Online Editor Ricardo Bacchus n Newsletter Editor Kelly Butler Coe n Art Director and Designer Sandra Jones n Advertising and Circulation Manager The Visitor is a publication of the Columbia Union Conference reaching approximately 63,000 Seventh-day Adventist homes in the mid-Atlantic area. The Visitor provides news and information, inspiration for effective ministry and insight on issues with a spiritual focus to help engage members in experiencing the mission. CONTACT n (410) 997-3414 n columbiaunionvisitor.com visitor@columbiaunion.net n To subscribe, change address or discontinue Visitor mailings, call your local conference, as listed below. Ask for the membership clerk. Free to members. All others, $20 annually. Email sjones@columbiaunion.net. PUBLISHING BOARD n Dave Weigley (chair), Celeste Ryan Blyden (secretary), Jorge Aguero, Emmanuel Asiedu, William T. Cox Sr., Henry J. Fordham III, Gary Gibbs, Ron Halvorsen Jr., Mike Hewitt, Bill Miller, Rick Remmers, Rob Vandeman

5427 Twin Knolls Road, Columbia, MD 21045 (410) 997-3414 n columbiaunion.org Dave Weigley n President Rob Vandeman n Executive Secretary Emmanuel Asiedu n Treasurer Celeste Ryan Blyden n Vice President, Communication and PR Frank Bondurant n Vice President, Ministries Development Walter Carson n Vice President/General Counsel and PARL Rubén Ramos n Vice President, Multilingual Ministries Donovan Ross n Vice President, Education H. Candace Nurse n Secretary/Treasurer, Revolving Fund Curtis Boore n Director, Plant Services Harold Greene n Director, Information Technology Tabita Martinez n Undertreasurer CONFERENCES ALLEGHENY EAST: Henry J. Fordham III, President; LaTasha Hewitt, Visitor Correspondent n Tel. (610) 326-4610 n visitaec.com ALLEGHENY WEST: William T. Cox Sr., President; Bryant Smith, Visitor Correspondent n Tel. (614) 252-5271 n awconf.org CHESAPEAKE: Rick Remmers, President; Andre Hastick, Visitor Correspondent n Tel. (410) 995-1910 n ccosda.org MOUNTAIN VIEW: Mike Hewitt, President; Valerie Morikone, Visitor Correspondent n Tel. (304) 422-4581 n mtviewconf.org NEW JERSEY: Jorge Aguero, President; Mario Thorp, Visitor Correspondent n Tel. (609) 392-7131 n njcsda.org OHIO: Ron Halvorsen Jr., President; Heidi Shoemaker, Visitor Correspondent n Tel. (740) 397-4665 n ohioadventist.org PENNSYLVANIA: Gary Gibbs, President; Tamyra Horst, Visitor Correspondent n Tel. (610) 374-8331 n paconference.org POTOMAC: Bill Miller, President; Debra Anderson, Visitor Correspondent n Tel. (540) 886-0771 n pcsda.org EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS KETTERING COLLEGE: Nate Brandstater, President; Lauren Brooks, Visitor Correspondent n Tel. (937) 395-8601 n kc.edu

Dear Members,

n his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen R. Covey promoted a principle to be considered by every leader and organization. It was called “First Things First.” Through this idea, he advocated for leaders to focus on what would advance the mission of an organization. “Putting first things first means organizing and executing around your most important priorities,” Covey wrote. “It is living and being driven by the principles you value most, not by the agendas and forces surrounding you.” When Jesus met Peter, Andrew, James, John and the others who would become His disciples, He mentioned a “first things first” philosophy to them when He said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19, NKJV). We know this was a major priority in His personal mission, for when He visited the home of Zacchaeus—the despised publican—He told the critics, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10, NKJV).

“Mission First” is the theme of this annual report because I believe that if we are going to be faithful to our Lord’s call to follow Him, we must be about reaching people with the good news of His love and grace. This is our mission and priority. Our “first things first.” Our raison d’etre. And it is done in the context of waiting, watching and working for the return of Christ. How about you? How are you putting mission first? Regardless of your role— teacher, evangelist, greeter, prayer warrior, encourager, ministry leader, preacher, treasurer—your skills and talents are needed and essential in accomplishing the mission here in the Columbia Union territory. More than 60 million people live here, many of whom have never heard about the good news of Jesus and His plan of salvation. That’s why I’m thankful for the many initiatives and efforts from the leaders and members in our field. In 2018, for example, all eight conferences and this union concluded an 18-month evangelism emphasis that we called “Share the Light, Share the Hope.” All around our union, pastors, leaders and lay members led meetings and shared their faith. These efforts resulted in a significant number of baptisms! Praise the Lord! In this report, we share a snippet of how God blessed our union in the last year. We hope it will encourage and affirm your ministries and inspire others to put mission first in 2019.

WASHINGTON ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY: Weymouth Spence, President; Richard Castillo, Visitor Correspondent Tel. (301) 891-4000 n wau.edu HEALTHCARE NETWORKS ADVENTIST HEALTHCARE: Terry Forde, President & CEO; Thomas Grant, Visitor Correspondent Tel. (301) 315-3030 n adventisthealthcare.com

Courage,

KETTERING ADVENTIST HEALTHCARE: Fred Manchur, CEO; Christina Keresoma, Visitor Correspondent Tel. (937) 395-8167 n ketteringhealth.org Printed at Pacific Press® Publishing Association in Nampa, Idaho. Adventist® and Seventh-day Adventist® are the registered trademarks of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists®. Volume 124 n Issue 4

Dave Weigley, Ph.D., MBA President Columbia Union Conference columbiaunionvisitor.com VISITOR | 3

MISSION FIRST 2018 ANNUAL REPORT

Our Mission

We encourage members to experience the mission by sharing Christ’s message of hope and wholeness and preparing people for His soon return.

Our Values

Our Call to Action Motto

“Experience the Mission”

Our Priorities

The Columbia Union Conference will further the work of the Seventh-day Adventist Church by prioritizing: Spiritual Renewal – Promote healthy churches by uniting members through personal and corporate spiritual revival and active engagement in ministry

Youth/Young Adults – Engage youth and young adults in mission, and provide opportunities for partnerships, ministry development and participation at all levels of the church

Evangelism – Support initiatives that impact our communities by revealing the love of Christ, inviting people to accept Jesus as their Savior and sharing the distinct Seventh-day Adventist message of hope and wholeness

Leadership Development – Maximize the vitality of the church by supporting leadership development, promoting effectiveness, assuring equality and highlighting best practice

Education – Foster excellence in spiritual and academic development in Adventist schools, and support programs that promote affordability and increased enrollment

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Social Relevance – Embrace opportunities to share Christ’s message of hope and wholeness by addressing issues that impact today’s society, encouraging and facilitating dialogue and seeking solutions that promote healing

Who Represents You on the Executive Committee?

Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee members meet four times a year to make decisions that guide the direction of our church in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. Executive Officers Dave Weigley, president Rob Vandeman, executive secretary Emmanuel Asiedu, treasurer Institutions Terry Forde, president/CEO, Adventist HealthCare Fred Manchur, CEO, Kettering Adventist HealthCare Weymouth Spence, president, Washington Adventist University

Allegheny East Conf. Henry J. Fordham III, president Marcus Harris* Cheryl Chavers Gina Brown Milton Brown Lewis Miles Marcia Moore** Jose Velasquez*

Allegheny West Conf. William T. Cox Sr., president John Coaxum* Mark Callion** Violet Cox Chesapeake Conf. Rick Remmers, president Franke Zollman* Walter Alonso Denise Isaac Mountain View Conf. Mike Hewitt, president Jim Buchanan* Edward Lawaty New Jersey Conf. Jorge Aguero, president John F. Pifer II* Juliana Marson Graci Martinez Ohio Conf. Ron Halvorsen Jr., president Lori Farr* Tim Ko** Vince Waln Pennsylvania Conf. Gary Gibbs, president Tom Hennlein* Andrew Carroll** Dave Richmond Potomac Conf. William Miller, president Tim Madding* Renee Battle-Brooks Rodney Cartwright Luci Sloan Sonia Vazquez Sanjay Thomas** K-16 Donovan Ross* Cynthia Poole* *Church Employee **Young Adult Member

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First Things First

Evangelism Draws 1,287 New Believers The Columbia Union ended a two-year emphasis on evangelism in fall of 2018. Throughout this time, churches across the union hosted meetings and placed an emphasis on evangelism in our communities, celebrating 1,287 baptisms and professions of faith in 2018 alone. As part of this emphasis, Columbia Union President Dave Weigley preached two series of meetings, one in Mountain View Conference’s Cumberland and Frostburg church district in 2017 and another in Chesapeake Conference’s Hagerstown (Md.) church in 2018. “It was so encouraging to see so many people from the community attend these meetings; there is a hunger for the Word of God in our world today,” he says. Union Responds to Annual Council Vote Throughout 2018 we closely monitored and responded to the General Conference (GC) Annual

Members by Conferences*

Allegheny East: 42,290 Allegheny West: 10,622 Chesapeake: 16,085 Mountain View: 2,221 New Jersey: 16,868 Ohio: 11,883 Pennsylvania: 12,299 Potomac: 36,677 Total Columbia Union Membership: 148,945 *as of december 31, 2018

number of Christmas care packages our Education department sent to missionary student teachers serving in the Yap Seventh-day Adventist School in Micronesia, which our union has adopted.

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Baptisms and Professions of Faith: 1,287 Churches: 743 Companies: 97

Council initiative to implement a new system of compliance over church entities. When given an opportunity to speak as a meeting delegate, President Dave Weigley remarked, “This would allow for a concerning level of overreach of authority and bypass already-established policies, protocols and the form of democratic governance we have been operating under for more than a century. Ellen White introduced the union model so as to localize operations of the Church and so that both ideas and issues could be handled according to the needs of the people in each area of the world. And now, after 100-plus years of this approach, this document proposes that only a small group of people at the [General Conference headquarters] will know how best to govern.” After the Annual Council vote to approve the document, the union’s executive committee responded with a voted statement that read, in part: “It is with unwavering allegiance to and love for the mission, message and fundamental beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church that we appeal to world leaders to reconsider the vote at the 2018 Annual Council to approve a document titled ‘Regard for and Practice of General Conference (GC) Session and General Conference Executive Committee Actions.’” Leaders Affirm Women Pastors In December we held a luncheon to affirm and express appreciation to the women clergy who serve in the Columbia Union. About 40 attendees (some pictured, right, center), including 20 women pastors, several conference presidents and ministerial directors and union officers gathered to talk about the

Number of teams that competed during the union’s 2018 Pathfinder Bible Experience at Pennsylvania Conference’s Blue Mountain Academy in Hamburg.

outcome and implications of the vote at the 2018 Annual Council meetings, how women pastors are being treated at their home churches, what questions they have and receive and how the union can help. “We wanted to know how it’s going for them and how we could support their ministry,” says Celeste Ryan Blyden, the union’s vice president for Strategic Communication, who chaired the event planning committee. “And we assured them that the vote in Battle Creek in no way changed their status as pastors and ministry leaders.”

Supporting the Mission

Secretariat Rob Vandeman, executive secretary, and his office serves as the official record keeper/archivist for the union, tracking membership statistics and preparing meeting minutes, as well as handling the vital role of policy watchdog. Vandeman also serves as our Human Resources director and liaison for the Ministerial Association. He serves as vice chair of our two health care networks and university committees and on various other committees. “The Office of Secretariat functions like a good mechanic in helping our entities fine tune their organizational structures so that they have a strong, stable base for putting mission in action,” says Vandeman.

Columbia Union President Dave Weigley preaches an evangelism series at Chesapeake Conference’s Hagerstown (Md.) church in fall 2018. Leaders gather to express appreciation to women clergy who serve in the Columbia Union. Following the shooting in the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, leaders from around the Columbia Union gather to sign a prayer poster later presented to the congregation.

New churches planted in the Columbia Union.

570

Number of Liberty magazine subscriptions we sponsored to promote religious freedom among legislators, judges, clergy and community leaders.

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Treasury “Our union’s Treasury [Department] ensures that financial resources God has entrusted to us are being used effectively and efficiently to ensure that everyone experiences the mission of Jesus Christ,” says Emmanuel Asiedu, treasurer. “We share the financial resources with our conferences, schools, North American Division, General Conference and [other] entities around the world.”

Unionwide Tithe Up $6 Million in 2018 2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

123.6

126.5

129.9

133.9

139.9

(in millions of dollars)

the percentage of tithe retained by the columbia union, which totaled $12,594,127.

How Tithe Was Used in 2018

14%

Retirement Expense

10% 41%

Union Operations & Services

4% Auditing Expense

tithe to NAD and General Conference

20%

Appropriations to wau

11%

money returned to Conferences

Number of churches or schools that paid off their CURF loans in 2018.

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Health Care & Education

Adventist HealthCare Adventist HealthCare, led by President/CEO Terry Forde, seeks to extend God’s care through the ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing. It is the largest provider of health care in Montgomery County, Maryland, with two acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, behavioral health services, a home health agency, a comprehensive cancer center and more. The Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Md., is second in the nation to earn a Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI for their demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients who come to the hospital’s cardiac catheterization lab for heart care. The Adventist HealthCare Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park, Md., was the first hospital in Maryland to offer an alternative approach to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), a less invasive procedure to replace a damaged heart valve without open heart surgery. Adventist HealthCare Home Care celebrated its 45th anniversary and its Home Assistance program marked 35 years of providing quality in-home health care services and support services. “No matter where our patients are coming from, we have a huge responsibility and opportunity [for ministry],” says Forde. Kettering Adventist HealthCare Fred Manchur, Kettering Adventist HealthCare (KAHC) CEO, shares that KAHC employees went

6,932

number of babies that Adventist HealthCare’s two hospitals helped deliver.

on nine mission trips in 2018 while also supporting local mission work in Ohio. Much of that work exists at KAHC’s network of eight hospitals, 11 emergency departments and more than 120 outpatient facilities serving southwest Ohio. The network continues to grow with the opening of a new facility in Middletown, Ohio, that provides 24/7 emergency care and practices. Construction is almost complete for Kettering Health Network Troy, a three-story, nearly 100,000-square-foot hospital. Plans are also underway for a $70 million project, including a new tower to accommodate more surgical services and inpatient rooms at the Soin Medical Center. KAHC is also sponsoring Gem City Market, which will be a full-service and community-owned grocery store in the 300 and 400 block of Salem Avenue, Dayton, one of the nation’s worst food deserts. KAHC leaders continue to strive to create a great work environment for employees and are seeking to expand its Adventist workforce. In the last 18 months, KAHC has hired more than 250 Seventh-day Adventists. Kettering College Kettering College (KC) offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in health science. Upholding Christ, the college educates students to make service a life calling and to view health as harmony with God in body, mind and spirit.

Colin Potts, who is now training to qualify for weightlifting at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, says, “The care I received from Adventist Rehabilitation has helped me get back out into the world. I never wanted to be limited by my amputation or let it define who I am as a person.” Southview Medical Center physicians Kendra Engle and Jeffrey Robinson fix broken toys at the hospital’s celebration and safety fair.

250+

The number of Adventists Kettering Adventist HealthCare has hired in the last 18 months during their Heritage Recruitment initiative.

51 million+

Number of steps logged by Columbia Union employees in 2018.

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In April KC celebrated its 50th commencement ceremony. During the year, the school, led by President Nate Brandstater, saw enrollment growth in the fall semester for the third consecutive year, and the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program moved to accelerated sessions so students could complete their program in a shorter period of time. Kettering also entered into a partnership with Burman University (Canada) so that Burman nursing students may obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from Kettering College. The Respiratory Care program also received the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist Credentialing Award for the fifth consecutive year. The director of Careers Services and Alumni Engagement also organized an interview day for 40 BSN students to connect with Kettering Adventist HealthCare. Seventeen students received job offers that day, and 21 received a second interview. Washington Adventist University “Washington Adventist University (WAU) works to foster excellence in spiritual and academic development by welcoming all God’s children to campus,” says President Weymouth Spence. In 2018 WAU enjoyed the highest enrollment since 2013 in three categories: total enrollment, undergraduate and traditional undergraduate admissions. They also enjoyed the highest first year retention rate of 79 percent and a Nursing Board pass rate of 83.3 percent, higher than the Maryland state average of 79 percent. Over the last year, staff and students celebrated many accomplishments. They received the 2018 Best Value School Award for the second year in a row from Best Value Colleges, which noted that WAU’s cost of attendance is 18.7 percent less than the national average for colleges and boasts a 9:1 student to teacher ratio. Nursing student Marie Claire was featured in Malala Yousafzai’s latest book, We are Displaced. A group of theology students participated in a new partnership with Chesapeake Conference’s Frederick (Md.) church staff that gives the students on-the-job training in a real church setting.

100

percentage of Kettering College 2018 Physician Assistant graduates who passed their boards.

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Ministries and Services

General Counsel Vice President and General Counsel Walter Carson provides legal counsel to Columbia Union officers, departments and staff members, helping them focus on keeping mission first. His duties include overseeing Planned Giving & Trust Services and Public Affairs & Religious Liberty and the Columbia Union Association Board. He also functions as legal counsel for the Columbia Union Revolving Fund; serves on various boards and committees; and continues to perform as parliamentarian for conference constituency meetings. Carson also speaks at churches and supports religious freedom advocacy programs throughout the union territory. Education The Office of Education works to foster excellence in spiritual and academic development as it administrates and helps the 74 schools across the Columbia Union. Vice President Donovan Ross and his team work with local conferences to impact students from birth–12th grade in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centers, Pre-K programs and in elementary and high school settings. Education office staff help support local conferences on curriculum and program development, offering teaching certifications and setting educational policies. In 2018 the office helped sponsor some 400 educators and their families for the NAD 2018 Teachers Convention. “While the primary focus of the convention is professional development, it also … sends the message that education is an important ministry of the Church, and as we interact with fellow professionals, we are re-energized as we start the new year,” said Ross. The team also hosted a training to help more than 250 teachers implement the Encounter Bible Curriculum in elementary schools. Staff also continue finding new ways to strengthen leaders across the territory through the ACE Leadership Coaching program, sponsored by the Bainum Family Foundation; a New Superintendents Workshop; ECEC Center

Countries represented by students at Washington Adventist University.

Directors Training; and by offering an NAD Education Administrator Certificate through a Memorandum of Understanding with Andrews University (Mich.) Ministries Development Vice president Frank Bondurant of the Office of Ministries Development partners with our local conferences to develop and support innovative ministries that will empower members to evangelize and transform their communities within the Columbia Union. “The effectiveness of our church’s mission in a large degree depends on our ability to mobilize our members in doing God’s work in the world,” says Bondurant. “Our vision here in Ministries Development is to empower and support members to do their ministry using their unique gifts, venturing beyond the familiar comforts found within the church walls and connecting and serving their communities.” In addition to their customary oversight of Adventist Community Services, local youth, Pathfinder and Young Adult ministries, they oversaw a Women’s Ministries retreat for local conference coordinators; organized a Public Campus Ministry training event on the University of Maryland campus; oversaw the Pathfinder Bible Experience, where 54 teams memorized Scripture and participated on the union level; helped fund a flood restoration project in Baltimore following Hurricane Harvey; and supported a church planting conference. In 2018 local conferences received $550,000 in returned funds from the union, North American Division (NAD) and General Conference for church planting,

One hundred percent of Kettering College Physician Assistant graduates passed their boards in 2018. Washington Adventist University students participate in the school’s annual Service Day. Students at Mountain View Conference’s Parkersburg Academy (W.Va.) display produce they helped grow in a greenhouse project.

number of years Our Columbia Union Conference Early Childhood Education and Care program has existed. We now have 29 centers with more than 200 educators serving 1,200 students.

250+

number of teachers who participated in trainings to implement the new Encounter Bible Curriculum in our elementary schools, hosted at the union office, Allegheny West Conference office and Spencerville Adventist Academy.

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evangelism and compassion ministry projects facilitated by the department. The union led the NAD in the number of new church plants in 2018, celebrating 55 new groups. Communication Celeste Ryan Blyden, vice president for Strategic Communication and Public Relations, and her Visitor team work to equip local ministries and organizations to better share our unique Adventist story with members and in our local communities. Partnering with Columbia Union organizations—conferences, schools, health care networks and ministries—the staff published a 48-page print magazine 10 times in 2018, and also shared news via web, email and social media. In 2018 the team created a calendar highlighting illustrations of favorite Bible stories of children across the union; produced a 56-page handbook and nine corresponding training videos to empower local communicators to better share their stories; hosted a communication advisory for 30 communication directors and associates; guided pastors from across conference lines to reach out to the attacked Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh; helped the Columbia Union Adventist-laymen’s Services & Industries chapter create and publish an email newsletter; and counseled Adventist leaders through 26 crisis situations and initiatives. Staff also guided the union and several entities through the process of localizing, adopting and applying the new Adventist global brand system. Multilingual Ministries The Office of Multilingual Ministries, led by Vice President Rubén Ramos, is committed to partnering with conferences to assist and support growth with the goal of impacting communities by revealing the love of Christ.

46, 307

Columbia Union members attend multilingual churches.

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To help accomplish these goals in 2018, the union sponsored a training caravan of small groups with international evangelist and guest speaker Alejandro Bullón that stopped at 31 Spanish-speaking churches and trained and inspired 3,000 small group leaders and pastors. The department also ran a school of discipleship in which 221 lay members graduated to become Bible instructors, evangelists and church leaders. The department additionally hosted four master program classes from Andrews University for Hispanic pastors. “Participation of believers is an imperative for Christian spiritual growth. The Spirit of God will develop Christ’s character in us through prayer, Bible study and a compassionate service to those around us,” says Ramos on the training. “What matters most is that the members get involved in mission.” Columbia union revolving fund The Columbia Union Revolving Fund (CURF) celebrated 50 years of ministry in 2018 and pledged to return $3.2 to conferences. New Secretary/Treasurer H. Candace Nurse reports that CURF wrote 36 new loans to churches, schools and individuals in 2018, bringing the loan balance to $119.5 million. Nurse also reports that CURF has experienced a 23 percent growth in loans since 2015, averaging seven percent per year. CURF continues to further the Columbia Union’s priority of evangelism by providing funding to churches like the Port Elizabeth Spanish church in Elizabeth, N.J., which, after eight years of renting and praying, moved into their new facility in 2018, says Nurse. Information Technology Services The Information Technology (IT) Services Department, under the leadership of Director Harold Greene, provides support services to the Columbia Union Conference and its local conferences and schools, and maintains their network of computer systems. As part of this, they help maintain more than 700 Office 365 accounts, host payroll training events and various other IT tasks.

101, 854

Number of times people visited columbiaunionvisitor.com to read news about the Columbia Union.

“When we do our job well, we are invisible,” says Greene. “Ideally, nobody sees what we’re doing. We help employees keep their focus on the mission, not the technology.”

photos by andre hastick, muriel bello, daniel morikone

Media Ministries

WGTS In September, WGTS 91.9 officially changed ownership from Washington Adventist University to Atlantic Gateway Communications with continuing board leadership through the Columbia Union Conference. In July listeners gave $980,000 in support of a Vision Campaign that will provide funding for a larger ministry center, expected to be completed this summer. “These changes will enhance our ability to reach people who need connection, encouragement, spiritual care and hope in their daily lives,” says President and General Manager Kevin Krueger. Throughout 2018, WGTS 91.9 was regularly ranked among the top 10 most-listened-to radio stations in the Washington, D.C., metro area—some months as high as number five. Approximately one out of 10 people who live in the metro region listen to WGTS 91.9 weekly. In addition to sharing Christian music with the community, staff members offer other ministries such as a worship experience called Night of Hope, community service events and prayer support through the station’s PrayerWorks! website.

A WGTS staff member prays with attendees at one of the many community outreach events. Peter Simpson, Hispanic Ministries director for the Ohio Conference, baptizes José Rodríguez at the First Cleveland Hispanic church. Members from Allegheny East Conference’s Miracle City church in Baltimore pause during restoration efforts to pray with a flood victim.

number of years CURF has been providing low-interest loans to support mission and ministry initiatives and projects.

1 million+

number of times WGTS 91.9 listeners prayed for other listeners who posted prayer requests on the station’s PrayerWorks! website.

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LA MISIÓN ES LO PRIMERO Nuestra Misión

INFORME ANUAL 2018

Incentivar a nuestros miembros a vivir la misión compartiendo el mensaje de esperanza y plenitud de Cristo y preparando a la gente para su pronta venida. La Unión se enfoca en evangelismo La Unión de Columbia culminó los dos años de énfasis en evangelismo en la primavera de 2018. Durante todo este tiempo, las iglesias de todo la unión organizaron reuniones y pusieron énfasis en evangelismo en nuestras comunidades, celebrando 1,287 bautismos y profesiones de fe solo en 2018. Como parte de este énfasis, el presidente de la Unión de Columbia, Dave Weigley, predicó dos series de reuniones, una en el distrito de las iglesias de Cumberland y Frostburg de la Conferencia de Mountain View en 2017 y otra en la iglesia de Hagerstown (Md.) de la Conferencia de Chesapeake. “Fue muy alentador ver a tantas personas de la comunidad asistir a estas reuniones; hay un hambre por la Palabra de Dios en nuestro mundo de hoy”, dice.

Miembros de la iglesia Adventista Lehigh Valley de la conferencia de Pennsylvania en Allentown se preparan para el evento evangelístico GPS Vida.

La Unión responde a la votación anual del Consejo A lo largo de 2018, observamos de cerca y respondimos a la votación anual del Consejo de la Conferencia General (GC) de 2018 para implementar un nuevo sistema de conformidad sobre las entidades de la iglesia. Después de la votación para aprobar el documento, la unión respondió, en parte: “Es con inquebrantable lealtad y amor a la misión, el mensaje y las creencias fundamentales de la Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día que hacemos un llamado a los líderes mundiales para que reconsideren la votación en el Consejo Anual de 2018 para aprobar un documento titulado ‘Respeto y práctica de la sesión de la Conferencia General (GC) y acciones del comité ejecutivo de la Conferencia General’”. Los líderes de la Unión y del Comité Ejecutivo continúan observando la situación y procesando el impacto que podría tener en las entidades locales.

Afirmando Mujeres En diciembre celebramos un almuerzo para afirmar y expresar nuestro agradecimiento al clero de mujeres que prestan servicios en la Unión de Columbia. Alrededor de 40 asistentes, entre ellas 20 pastoras, varias presidentas de conferencias y directoras ministeriales y oficiales de unión, se reunieron para hablar sobre el resultado y las implicaciones de la votación en las reuniones anuales del Consejo de 2018, cómo se trata a las pastoras en sus iglesias de origen, qué preguntas tienen y cómo puede ayudar la unión. “Queríamos saber cómo les va y cómo podríamos apoyar su ministerio”, dice Celeste Ryan Blyden, vicepresidenta de Comunicación estratégica de la unión, quien presidió el comité de planificación de eventos. “Y les aseguramos que la votación en Battle Creek de ninguna manera abordó ni cambió su condición de pastoras y líderes ministeriales”.

diezmo dado por iglesias hispanas

$19.65 millones 14 | VISITOR May 2019

2,431

Número de bautismos y profesiones de fe en las iglesias hispanas en 2018

LA MISSION D’ABORD Notre Mission

RAPPORT ANNUEL 2018

Nous encourageons les membres à faire l’expérience de la mission en partageant le message d’espoir et de plénitude du Christ et en préparant hommes, femmes et enfants à son prochain retour.

photo par muriel bello

L’Union se Concentre sur l’Evangélisation Au printemps 2018, l’Union de Columbia a mis fin à son programme d’emphase sur l’évangélisation qui a duré deux ans. Pendant cette période, les églises à travers l’Union ont organisé des réunions et mis l’accent sur l’évangélisation dans nos communautés, célébrant 1 287 baptêmes et professions de foi en 2018 seulement. Dans cette optique d’emphase, le président l’Union de Columbia, Dave Weigley, a prêché deux séries de conférences bibliques : l’une dans le district des églises Cumberland et Frostburg de la fédération Mountain View en 2017 ; et l’autre dans l’église Hagerstown (Maryland) dans la Fédération de Chesapeake. « C’était encourageant de voir tant de gens de la communauté assistant à ces services ; il y a une soif de la Parole de Dieu dans notre monde d’aujourd’hui », déclare-t-il. L’Union Réagit sur le Vote du Council Annuel Tout au long de l’année 2018, nous avons suivi de près et réagit au vote du Concile annuel 2018 de la Conférence Générale afin de mettre en œuvre un nouveau système de conformité sur les entités religieuses. Après le vote d’approbation du document, l’Union a réagi en partie : C’est avec allégeance sans faille et amour pour la mission, le message et les croyances fondamentales de l’Église Adventiste du Septième Jour que nous lançons un appel aux dirigeants de l’Eglise mondiale à reconsidérer le vote issu du Concile Annuel de 2018 qui vise à approuver un document intitulé « Respect et pratique des Actions du Comité Exécutif de la Session de la Conférence générale (CG). » L’Union et les responsables du Comité Exécutif continuent de suivre de près la situation et de

33%

percentage de membres de l’Union fréquentant des églises multilingues

déterminer ce que leur impact pourrait signifier pour les entités locales. Nous Valorisons les Femmes En décembre, nous avons organisé un déjeuner pour affirmer et exprimer notre reconnaissance aux femmes qui servent dans l’Union de Columbia. Environ 40 participants, dont 20 femmes pasteurs, plusieurs présidents de fédération et Directeurs Association Pastorale et responsables au niveau de l’Union, se sont réunis pour discuter des résultats et des implications du vote du Concile annuel 2018, sur la façon dont les femmes pasteurs sont traitées dans leurs églises, les questions qu’elles ont et comment l’Union peut aider (sur la photo). « Nous voulions savoir comment ça va pour elles et comment nous pourrions soutenir leur ministère », a déclaré Celeste Ryan Blyden, vice-présidente de l’Union pour la Communication stratégique. « Et nous leur avons donné la garantie que le vote à Battle Creek n’a modifié en rien leur statut de pasteurs et de chefs de département. »

2,699

Quantité de membres francophones dans l’Union de Columbia

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16 | VISITOR May 2019

Baltimore Junior Academy Receives Grants

altimore Junior Academy (BJA) recently received two separate grants from the Maryland State Department of Education Nonpublic Aging Schools Program. The grants, totaling $38,000, will be used to improve the technology infrastructure of the school, allowing teachers and scholars greater access to the use of technology as a resource to support mastery of the curriculum The upgrades will include replacing existing data wiring with Category 7 cables and installation of a firewall and secured wireless access points. In addition, funds will also allow BJA to undertake a comprehensive upgrade of its security system. Cameras will be added throughout the campus (inside and outside), as well as a point-of-entry video intercom system. “Our scholars not only deserve to have access to the most appropriate technological resources that our teachers can leverage to support their growth, but be supported by a safe environment that is able to mitigate potential risk to person and property,” says David Turner, principal. Additionally, BJA has received $120,000 for the fifth year to provide a six-week summer program at the academy, sponsored by the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School in Washington, D.C. With the ongoing support of the Bainum Family Foundation in Bethesda, Md., the academy continues to be able to serve the Park Heights, Md., and surrounding communities

Student leader intern Asya Thomas assists sixthgrader Ilishe Iheme during the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School program. by ensuring that scholars in K–8 grades have a safe space for the summer. The foundation has allowed BJA to serve 100 scholars yearly, with no cost to families, exposing them to the Freedom School’s model. Furthermore, the academy was able to employ 10 to 12 university students who serve as servant leader interns, supporting our scholars in the classroom and on field trips. BJA was one of 183 Freedom School sites in 2018 with 11,830 total scholars served.

“Rock ‘n’ Roll Party” Held at New Life Church

he Women’s and Family Ministries departments of the New Life church in Salisbury, Md., recently partnered to present a “Rock ‘n’ Roll” party, attracting people from ages 4 to 80. The “rock” portion of the party actually involved creative rock art painting. Thirty-two attendees chose a rock from various shapes and sizes and created their own unique masterpieces (pictured). While waiting for their work to dry, they enjoyed the “roll” part of the event, eating vegetarian hotdogs, served on a roll with all the trimmings. “The heart of women is their family, so any activity that brings family together is a plus for Women’s Ministries,” shares Catherine Bratten, leader. The Family Ministries leader, Tanya Smith, adds, “It was such a catchy title that I knew it would get families—young and old—involved in wholesome fun.”

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Southwest Philadelphia Responds to Coast Guard’s Call

fter watching news reports that the Coast Guard was the only service branch that was not getting paid during the government shutdown, Dorothy Joint, an elder at the Southwest Philadelphia church, informed its members that the Coast Guard was collecting food items. The call went out, and the goods poured in abundantly. Members donated food items, personal and home care products and diapers. Joint and Duwaine Jenkins, also an elder, delivered the donated goods to a group of U.S. Coast Guardsmen at the Philadelphia U.S. Coast Guard headquarters. “The lieutenant was so appreciative of what we had collected, thanking us profusely on behalf of the recipients who would be receiving the donated items,” says Jenkins.

Transplant Patient Ministers During Hospital Stay

eginald Alexander, publishing associate at the Allegheny East Conference and a member of the Pine Forge (Pa.) church, has had cardiac sarcoidosis—a heart condition—since he was young. After two pacemakers, complete heart blockage and having limited cardiac output, his doctor declared that he needed a heart transplant. Alexander checked into the John Hopkins Hospital (Md.) in September 2018 to await a transplant. Although he was placed at the top of the donor list, the process didn’t come without its challenges. The heart-monitoring equipment he was required to wear, and the 22 hours per day of confinement to his hospital room, proved to be challenging for Alexander. Instead of sulking, however, he chose to continue to do the same activity he did prior to his health challenges— minister to others.

Reginald Alexander, publishing associate for AEC, encourages patient Van Whitfield prior to surgery prep for a heart transplant.

To chronicle his experience of awaiting a heart, Alexander started a Facebook group, “Reginald Alexander: My Health Journey.” He used the social media platform to not only share his story but also to encourage others. In addition, he used the forum to advocate for other transplant patients on his floor, praying with them and soliciting the prayers of his Facebook followers on their behalf. “Advocating on behalf of others is what helped me stay in heaven’s atmosphere. My faith was deepened, and it helped me stay positive in my own situation,” shares Alexander. After Facebook groups such as “Sarcoidosis is Real” shared a few of his video posts, his social media following grew. “It was refreshing and motivating to know that people were interceding on my behalf, taking my case to the throne of grace,” Alexander says. Alexander also made an impact on the medical staff, receiving letters from doctors and nurses. Many were even curious about his beliefs, asking him questions like, “What’s the difference between Sunday and Saturday worship?” When he had the strength, Alexander took the time to open the Bible and share God’s Word with anyone who would listen. He also distributed books, including Ellen White’s Bible Answers compilation, to some of the patients and nurses. Three months after checking into the hospital, a viable heart was found, and he completed the transplant. There were a few complications, however, and “the journey became more difficult after the transplant. At one point, the doctors did not think I was going to make it through the surgery or survive after,” remembers Alexander. But survive he did, and as soon as he was able to speak again, he reached out to his Facebook family, thanking God for seeing him through.

Allegheny East Exposé is published in the Visitor by the Allegheny East Conference n P. O. Box 266, Pine Forge, PA 19548 Phone: (610) 326-4610 n visitaec.com n President, Henry J. Fordham III n Communication Director, LaTasha Hewitt

18 | VISITOR May 2019

‘TOPple Act’ Impacts Lives

emple of Praise’s first “TOPple Act” of 2019 recently took place. TOPple is a play on words, as the church’s acronym is TOP, and how something topples over, the focus of the outreach program is to impact others with love. Members had a goal to impact at least 75 people with a gift and a prayer. They divided into four groups, and each group went to four different locations in Cleveland: Save-A-Lot, Sunoco Gas Station, Bq Wash Land Laundromat and the Sno-Brite Laundromat. At Save-A-Lot and Sunoco, they distributed 25 $5 gift cards, an information card from their church and offered prayers. At both laundromats, they gave 12 rolls of quarters to passersby at one location, and 13 rolls of quarters at the other. A number of community members tearfully exclaimed how these gifts came just at the right time. Mostly everyone they came in contact with wanted special prayer with specific requests. “I cannot tell you how many hugs we received just because of how grateful people were. There were even a number of individuals that want to visit our church,” says Nathaniel Drew, pastor. The goal was simple: They wanted to touch 75 people with the love of Jesus. “We strongly believe we did that. And the feeling is incredible!” Drew adds.

Temple of Praise members Joy Clemons (middle) and Joanna Miller give a gift card to a shopper.

“Having the opportunity to connect with our community, giving tokens of love without any strings attached, was a privilege that I plan to continue. I’m looking forward to the next TOPple Act,” says member Shelton Palmer, “but in the meantime, my family is continuing to do simple acts in our neighborhood.”

“TOPple Act” members from Cleveland’s Temple of Praise and guests prepare to give back to the community through acts of kindness.

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Ramah Junior Academy Receives 6-Year Accreditation

he Allegheny West Conference (AWC) Education Department is pleased to announce that after months of hard work, the Ramah Junior Academy in Cleveland has successfully gone through the North American Division (NAD)/Columbia Union Conference Accreditation process, and has been awarded six years of accreditation, with a mid-term visit. Principal Celeste Giles, the teachers and supporting staff worked together to achieve this success. The evaluation team looked at every aspect of the school’s operations, and with minor recommendations, awarded the term. The process of accreditation is an instrument that utilizes a self-evaluation process that incorporates the board, administration, as well as teachers, looking over every aspect of the school, physical plant, curriculum, structure and strategy.

Every Seventh-day Adventist school in the NAD goes through the certification process to be in compliance and up to standards with the educational goals of the church. AWC’s Education Department began this process a year ago, and through the dedication, commitment and leadership of its members, the conference reached its goal. “The Allegheny West Conference Office of Education is pleased to have such dedicated teammates take such pride in making education a priority,” says Jack McCrary, Education Superintendent. “The parents and students are blessed to have such great educators at Ramah; the love and enthusiasm is evident, along with the support of so many in the community. Congratulations, Ramah Junior Academy!”

Southeast Provides Food for Cleveland Police

he youth of the Southeast church in Cleveland recently had the opportunity to make a difference. Members Angel and Ed Howard discovered that many times police officers cannot take a formal lunch because of their duties. Wanting to help, Angel came up with the idea to deliver snacks to the officers. She mentioned it to fellow member Tonyia Williams who agreed the youth could participate. On a recent Sabbath, Angel, Williams and a group of young people delivered pre-packaged snacks to Cleveland Police officers at the 4th District during the officers’ break time. The police force appreciated the snacks and visit from the group, and the young people expressed how blessed they were as well. “Those on duty [who] miss out on taking their lunch break due to the amount of calls during their shifts spoke to my spirit, and I felt compelled to do something,” says Angel. “I immediately spoke with

members of the church, and we began collecting snacks. I [also] wanted to involve youth so that they could experience positive interaction with the police.”

Spirit is published in the Visitor by the Allegheny West Conference n 1080 Kingsmill Parkway, Columbus, OH 43229 Phone: (614) 252-5271 n awconf.org n President, William T. Cox Sr. n Communication Director, Bryant Smith

20 | VISITOR May 2019

camp meeting preview

Highland View Academy Hagerstown, Md. June 11–15 n ccosda.org

“Connected to Jesus”

t is essential. When we are connected to Jesus, everything is transformed. In the spiritual realm we find that Bible doctrines, theology, prophecy, standards and congregational life all take on their true meaning when we are connected to Jesus. Our daily routines—jobs, families, friends, finances, recreation—are all more meaningful when we are in a relationship with the Lord. It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been a Christian; we need to stay grounded in the most basic elements of our faith. Our theme for the Chesapeake Conference Camp Meeting this year is “Connected to Jesus.” In John 15:5, Jesus tells us, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (NKJV). There are many good reasons to be at camp meeting, but this year, more than ever, we want Rick Remmers to reconnect with Jesus. We want to bear the fruit of having been with Him. Without Him, we President cannot do anything. But with Him, we have everything that matters.

Camp Meeting Special Guests Weeknight Speaker Pavel Goia pursued careers in engineering, private business and law before finally settling into his calling as a minister. After years of pastoring in Romania and the U.S., he is now the editor of the Ministry magazine at the General Conference in Silver Spring, Md., associate director for the Ministerial Department and is a doctoral candidate at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary (Mich.). His life has been filled with powerful answers to prayer, and he continues to experience one miracle after another.

and has written some books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and a 1-year-old granddaughter.

Featured Musicians Empowered by the quest to reach the world with the gospel through a capella music, The Watchmen have performed concerts nationwide and recently had the privilege of sharing their ministry at the Seventh-day Adventist World Headquarters (Md.). They released their debut album, Graduation, earlier this year.

Weekend Speaker Dwight Nelson has served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial church on the campus of Andrews University (Mich.) since 1983. He preaches on the “New Perceptions” telecast, teaches at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

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Camp Meeting Seminars Winning Ways to Witness David Hartman is an associate professor in the School of Religion at Southern Adventist University (Tenn.). He teaches Christian Witnessing, Christian Spirituality and Christian Beliefs. Prior to this, Hartman served for 34 years as a pastor and conference administrator in the Gulf States and Kentucky-Tennessee conferences. He has a passion for winning people for Christ and training members to do the same.

Improving Your Health DeLois Weekes received her Doctor of Philosophy in nursing from the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing. She is currently a registered nurse and a speaker for Women’s Ministries, to which she facilitates strategic planning, stress reduction and health-related workshops and seminars. Weekes presents lectures on health and wellness topics for both church and secular organizations.

The Intentional Family Eli Rojas serves as director of the Ministerial, Family Ministries and Men’s Ministries departments for the Chesapeake Conference. Rojas is passionate about family-related issues. He holds several marriage enrichment events each year, and has presented family seminars internationally. He holds a Doctor of Ministry from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary (Mich.) for church growth and evangelism, using family ministry as the instrument to share the gospel.

The Book of Revelation Ekkehardt Mueller is a native of Germany and worked as a pastor for 16 years before being elected ministerial secretary and director of the Education Department for the South German Union. In 1997 he accepted the call to join the Biblical Research Institute at the General Conference (Md.), where he serves

as associate director. He has written numerous articles and several books, taught in many places around the globe and has two degrees: a Doctor of Ministry and a Doctor of Theology from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary (Mich.).

Outreach to Non-Christians Subodh Pandit was born and raised in India. After medical school, he embarked on an intellectual journey of inquiry—lasting decades—that took him through the questions of the existence of God, evolution, relativism, pluralism and the challenge of understanding the great world religions. He organized his findings into a seminar, which he shares mainly to secular university campuses around the world. He has authored a two-book set, spoken on 3ABN and radio programs and is the director of Search Seminars International.

How to Improve Your Prayer Life Pavel Goia knew at a young age that God had called him to ministry. Being born and raised in communist Romania didn’t make following that calling an easy task. After drifting during his teenage years, his life took a proverbial turn, and he promised to serve God and fulfill his original calling. The events that ensued are chronicled in the book One Miracle After Another: The Pavel Goia Story. As Goia shares miraculous stories of answered prayers, be filled with wonder at God’s love in action, learn to commune with Him and know His real and constant presence in your life.

Accomodations, Meal Tickets, Streaming To reserve a dorm room/trailer site, or to prepurchase meal tickets, visit ccosda.org/CM2019. Trailer sites longer than 40 feet must be reserved by phone. For questions or help with online registration, contact Lynzee Brival at (410) 995-1910. Evening programs and Sabbath worship will be livestreamed and available on your phone, tablet or computer. Please visit ccosda.org for scheduled broadcast times and information.

The Challenge is published in the Visitor by the Chesapeake Conference n 6600 Martin Road, Columbia, MD 21044 Phone: (410) 995-1910 n ccosda.org n President, Rick Remmers n Communication Director, Andre Hastick

22 | VISITOR May 2019

camp meeting preview

“Mission-Focused Till He Comes” Valley Vista Adventist Center, 532 Valley Vista Lane, Huttonsville, W.Va. n June 14–22 n mtviewconf.org

would like to welcome you to the 2019 Mountain View Conference Camp Meeting. Much prayer, planning and hard work has gone into this year’s camp meeting with Jesus and you in mind. In addition to many other exciting presentations, there will be a Church Ministries training June 16, 2 to 4 p.m., covering Children’s Ministries, Single Mom’s Ministries, Youth Ministries, church clerks, deacons, deaconesses and elders. At 4 p.m., there will be a small groups training. Our prayer is that these trainings will be a rich blessing and make our churches stronger and more vibrant. June 16 –18, from 7 to 9 p.m., we will be learning about Growing Young Adventists, a new North American Division initiative designed to help us learn how to engage our youth and empower them for service. We also look forward to powerful messages from Jim Ayer and Elizabeth Talbot, along with other powerful speakers. We are praying that you will come and experience all the blessings that camp meeting has to offer. We are confident that the Holy Spirit will be poured out and our Mike Hewitt hearts will be drawn closer to Jesus. See you there! President

Camp Meeting Speakers First Weekend Speaker

Second Weekend Speaker

First Weekend Concert

Jim Ayer is an international speaker whose greatest passion is introducing people to Jesus Christ. His travels have taken him to more than 75 countries, and he has authored eight books. Ayer is the producer and host of two popular television series, Making Waves and Remodeling Your Life, which can be viewed on 18 Christian networks around the world. He now serves as president for Talking Donkey International—a media organization—and vice president for Canvasback Missions, a nonprofit organization that works to bring specialty health care to the islands of the Pacific.

Elizabeth Viera Talbot, born in Argentina, is the director of the Jesus 101 Biblical Institute (Jesus101.tv), a media ministry of the North American Division, designed to offer in-depth Christcentered biblical study resources. As the speaker for the Jesus 101 media ministry, Talbot is regularly featured on Hope Channel, Esperanza TV, ROKU (Jesus 101 channel) and several international TV channels and other social media venues, as well as radio stations throughout the world. Her main identity is her passion about the good news of Jesus Christ: “It’s like fire in my bones,” she says.

Matt and Josie Minikus’ music is a reverent, contemporary-folk blend of vocals, guitar, piano and a variety of other instruments. As songwriters, they are passionate about writing meaningful, thought-provoking lyrics and beautiful melodies.

Second Weekend Concert Luis LaPorte is an international Christian/Gospel recording artist and performer. In concert, LaPorte not only shares his passion in music but also his uplifting testimony.

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Mountain Viewpoint is published in the Visitor by the Mountain View Conference n 1400 Liberty Street, Parkersburg, WV 26101 Phone: (304) 422-4581 n mtviewconf.org n President, Mike Hewitt n Communication Director, Valerie Morikone

24 | VISITOR May 2019

How YouTube Brought a Soul to Christ

s I arrived at the La Esperanza Spanish church (The Church of Hope) in Union City, N.J., one Friday evening for a youth program, the first elder introduced me to Carlos Saltos. He greeted me very kindly and directly said to me, “I’ve been looking for you, Pastor. I need to tell you something that has happened in my life.” I took him to my office and said, “I’m listening.” Here is the story he shared with me: I am Catholic and belong to a charismatic group where I direct the Bible studies. One day in my daily study of the Bible, I found there is a day of rest, and that day is Saturday. From that moment, I questioned myself and church as a whole. How is it possible that the sacred Scriptures speak of Saturday, and I keep Sunday. The Bible says it, and nobody realizes it. One day after I returned from Bible study with the group, I opened my heart to God and told Him to show me the truth I needed. In my car I took my phone and opened up YouTube. A video came on of a pastor preaching. At that moment, I thought it must be the answer to my prayer. As I listened to it, I felt as if the pastor knew my life and the torments of my heart. I cried because I felt the voice of God speaking to my heart. From that moment, I listened to this pastor every day. I learned about the Sabbath and other truths. I was surprised about every truth that I was learning. The Sabbath was the one I most admired, so I began to keep it. I stopped working on Saturdays and have been keeping the Sabbath for six months now. And I continue listening to sermons from that pastor. In one of his sermons, he told me (the listeners) that I should look for a Seventh-day Adventist Church. He also made a call for me to accept Jesus as my Savior and to give my life to Him through baptism so that I may see the kingdom of God. Pastor, that is why I’m here. For you to baptize me. Joe Navarro I was very impressed by Saltos’ testimony and asked him who the pastor was in the Pastor videos. “Pastor Alejandro Bullón,” he responded. For the glory of God, that same week La Esperanza I baptized him. From the day he got baptized, and despite the everyday struggles he Spanish church experiences, he remains a faithful La Esperanza Spanish church member.

Cómo YouTube trajo un alma a Cristo

lege a la Iglesia de la Esperanza en la ciudad de Union City un viernes de noche para la Sociedad de Jovenes y derrepente el primer anciano de la Iglesia se acerco a mi y me presento a Carlos Saltos de nacionalidad Ecuatoriana, me saludo muy amable y me dijo directamente, “Lo he estado buscando Pastor, necesito contarle algo que ha sucedido en mi vida”. Lo lleve a la oficina de la Iglesia y le dije, te escucho: Soy catolico y pertenesco a un grupo carismatico donde yo dirijo el estudio de la Biblia. Cierto dia en mi estudio diario de la Biblia encontre que hay un dia de reposo y ese dia es el Sabado y apartir de ese momento tuve ciertos cuestionamientos conmigo mismo, con la Iglesia; como es posible que la Sagradas Escrituras hable del Sabado y nosotros guardamos el domingo, la Biblia lo dice y nadie se da cuenta. Al salir del estudio del grupo carismatico hable con Dios en mi corazon y le dije muestrame la verdad lo necesito, derrepente tome mi telefono y al abrirlo aparecio un video en Youtube, me subi a mi auto y me puse a ver el video, era la predicacion de un Pastor,

ese mismo momento pense, debe ser la respuesta de mi oracion, al escucharlo senti como si el conociera mi vida y los tormentos de mi corazon, llore porque senti la voz de Dios que me hablo a mi corazon. Apartir de ese momento lo escuche todos los dias, aprendi del Sabado y otras verdades, era algo sorprendente cada verdad que escuchaba, comense a guardar el sabado; deje de trabajar en ese dia, Pastor hace seis meses que guardo el Sabado, segui escuchando los temas de ese Pastor, en unos de sus temas el me dijo que debo buscar una Iglesia Adventista, tambien me dijo que debo aceptar a Jesus como mi salvador y entregar mi vida a el por medio del bautismo para poder ver el reino de Dios. Pastor por eso estoy aqui para que usted me bautice. Estaba muy imprecionado por el gran testimonio que escuche, mirandole le dije y quien era ese Pastor y el me respondio el “Pastor Alejandro Bullón”. Para la Gloria de Dios esa misma semana, el Sabado 22 de Septiembre del 2018 Carlos Saltos fue Bautizado en la Iglesia Adventista de la Esperanza.—Joe Navarro

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300 Women ‘Heal Their Wounds’ at Retreat

he New Jersey Conference recently hosted a women’s retreat, themed “Transformed to Think and Live Well,” at the Embassy Suites in Piscataway. More than 300 women victoriously “healed their wounds,” as guest speaker Jane Brown, a psychologist from Allegheny East Conference’s University Heights church in Somerset, N.J., spoke to them about the real transformation that occurs when Jesus is the center of your life; a transformation that neighbors, family, friends and co-workers can see. Cesia Alvarado Zemleduch, a guest speaker from Mexico, spoke on emotional health. She gave different scenarios of abuse and neglect in childhood and upbringing, and how, without knowing, women become abusive to themselves, where depression, drugs, sex and a sense of worthlessness can be their go-to. Despite the adverse situations of life, however, she said women can find peace and consolation in Jesus, as David mentions in Psalm 147:3. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (NIV). At the conclusion of the retreat, the attendees held their cellphones high, and, using their flashlight modes, sang “Light a Light” and committed to be

Cesia Alvadaro Zemleduch, guest speaker from Mexico; Lilia Torres, Women’s Ministries director for the New Jersey Conference; and Olgath Thorp, Women’s Ministries sub-director, spend the women’s retreat in fellowship.

the light in this dark world to help others heal their wounds and to think and live well.

Jane Brown, guest speaker from the University Heights church, leads a coloring exercise for the purpose of connecting and networking.

New Jersey News is published in the Visitor by the New Jersey Conference n 2303 Brunswick Ave., Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 Phone: (609) 392-7131 n njcsda.org n President, Jorge Aguero n Communication Director, Mario Thorp

26 | VISITOR May 2019

Mansfield’s Space Cows Win Grand Champion’s Award

fter a welcome from Nate Brandstater, the president of Kettering College, the qualifying tournament of the Ohio Conference Education Department’s Adventist Robotics League officially began. The Dayton-area Pathfinder drum corps led the proceedings. Soon after, Ron Halvorsen Jr., conference president, opened with prayer. The league judged 91 students from 10 schools and two states in a variety of areas, including Robo Performance, Robot Design and Project and Core Values. Participants later challenged each other in robot matches. By the end of the six-hour day, the Space Cows from the Mansfield Seventh-day Adventist School (Ohio) won the grand Champion’s Award, securing an invitation to the Championship Tournament in Orlando, Fla., this month. The league also invited two other teams to attend the final tournament—the Hinsdale Adventist Academy (Ill.) Legends of the Shooting Star and the Worthington Adventist Academy (Ohio) Robo Stars. “The Ohio Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is honored to co-host this event with Kettering College, and we see it as an avenue to bring young people on this campus to possibly inspire them to consider the medical arts and sciences in the future,” shared Richard Bianco, Education Superintendent of Schools for the conference. Thanking the more than 50 volunteers—several of whom worked with Bianco for 11 months organizing this event—he continued, “Your willingness to serve and passion for young people will go a long way in making

The Mansfield Seventh-day Adventist School Space Cows win the grand Champion’s Award at the Adventist Robotics League event.

Two Zanesville Seventh-day Adventist Elementary School Blockbusters reset their LEGO robot during one of the challenges. an impression on these young people, and could be a deciding factor in their lifetimes.” Bianco shares, “Most schools/teams prepared during the school day with teacher/coach support and even after school. This preparation entails more than just building a robot and completing a mission; it is a comprehensive learning experience in which the students must learn to work together, collaborate, communicate and share their vast skills in a variety of manners.” At the event, multiple judges assessed these individual and team skills in which teams shared details of their project and robot design. “There are rubrics that have been set up by FIRST LEGO® League. All scoring and judging is on the same scale,” explains Bianco. Many judges came from Kettering College and their Science Department, whose staff aided in finding judges and volunteers, and helped to conduct the tournament. “The Ohio Conference is committed to helping our churches and schools continue to nurture relationship building that embraces young people and benefits all generations,” shares Halvorsen. Bianco adds, “Several of our Ohio Conference schools received a grant from the conference for educational technology enhancement. ... Some of our schools would not have attended without that grant.” Visit the Ohio Conference Education Department Facebook page for videos and more photos from the tournament.

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Worthington Intentional in Reaching Young People

ere at the Worthington church, we want to be intentional and do everything with mission in mind,” says Jeremy Wong, youth pastor. A little over a year ago, the church launched a new vision in which they felt God leading them to focus on the children, youth and families in their community. “Focusing on leaving a lasting spiritual legacy to pass onto the next generations,” explains Wong. Wong and his wife, Brooke, chaplain of the Worthington Adventist Academy (WAA), along with a few other church leaders, have created a children’s evangelism cycle. This is comprised of four “main events” during the year which connect students from the academy, the Stepping Stones Learning Center (SSLC) and the community to their church. Also, by intentional invitations throughout the year, WAA and SSLC children attend a monthly children’s church, where attendance is encouraged by one class performing a music piece at the main church; middle school students join a monthly youth church; youth participate in a bimonthly small group Bible study program; and the church hosts a monthly social—the biggest connector to the church. During a recent social, nearly 30 young people attended, nine of those being students who are not Adventist and/or from the community. After a Week of Prayer at WAA, Brooke asked

Brooke Wong (left), chaplain at Worthington Adventist Academy, hugs sixth-grader Kanya Richardson, who made the decision to know Jesus better and take a public stand in the baptismal tank. students in grades 3–7 to consider getting to know Jesus and the Bible better by being part of a weekly Bible study that covered topics such as what happens when we die, why the Sabbath is important and what really is salvation. More than 30 students responded and are currently attending. The church witnessed the first fruits in March, when a sixth grader made the decision for baptism. “We look forward to how God will continue to lead and guide in these children’s lives. Others have given serious thought to baptism, and we look forward to more in the future!” shares Brooke. Pre-dating the children’s evangelism cycle and serving as a fundraiser for their Youth and Children’s ministries programs, is Worthington’s annual Fall Festival. “Most of the parents [at the festival] are from the daycare and school,” explains Yuliyan Filipov, lead pastor. On average, 80 percent of WAA and SSLC attendees are not church members. “Many of them do not have any other exposure to a ... Seventh-day Adventist church except through events like these. We’re so privileged to have them here connecting with us,” says Filipov. “God is doing some big things here in Columbus,” says Jeremy, “but we’re going to need prayers and support for the work.” Learn more about what is happening at the Worthington church by visiting worthingtonsda.org.

During Worthington Adventist Academy’s Week of Prayer, the kindergarteners act like the sheep Moses shepherded. Mission Ohio is published in the Visitor by the Ohio Conference n 1251 E. Dorothy Lane, Dayton, OH 45419 Phone: (740) 397-4665 n ohioadventist.org n President, Ron Halvorsen Jr. n Communication Director, Heidi Shoemaker

28 | VISITOR May 2019

camp meeting preview

“Prophecy Now” Blue Mountain Academy, Hamburg, Pa. n June 7–15 n Register online at paconference.org.

Camp Meeting Worship Speakers June 7–10 n Mark Finley, assistant to the president of the General Conference, has presented more than 200 evangelistic campaigns around the globe in about 100 countries with the resulting baptisms numbering in the thousands. Author of more than 100 books, he has used his preaching and evangelism gifts to teach others in seminars, field schools and evangelism institutes. He directs an evangelism training center in Haymarket, Va., teaching pastors and church leaders Christcentered biblical principles of evangelism and church growth. June 11–15 n John Bradshaw, speaker/director for It Is Written, has held more than 100 evangelistic series across six continents, impacting thousands of lives in hundreds of cities. From working internationally on evangelistic projects and speaking at conferences and events to authoring books and working at home in Chattanooga,

Tenn., Bradshaw continues to energetically lead the It Is Written ministry team and impact the world for Christ and His soon return. June 11–15 n Featured Musician Known for her warm, smooth voice, and “making it look so easy,” Naomi Jackson’s performances elevate the thoughts toward the matchless charms of Jesus, as revealed in nature and God’s Word. Each song is a challenge to her listeners and to herself to live a life of surrender and true purpose. Enjoy Jackson’s inspiring music during our evening and morning worship services, June 11–15, and an afternoon concert, June 15 at 2:30 p.m. June 10–14 n Early Morning Worship n John Earnhardt, a full-time evangelism in the Carolina Conference and chaplain for five NASCAR tracks, will present our early morning worship, focused on Bible marking and Bible memory. He will also present,

“Finding Jesus in Prophecy and Revelation,” during our seminar times. Earnhardt is author of the book, Bible Marking, and co-author (with his wife, Crystal) of the new book, Seven Flags of NASCAR. Young Adult Worship If someone asked you to tell your story, what would you say? You might start with where you were born and how you were raised. Maybe you’re proud of your story. You’ve survived some challenges. You’ve accomplished some goals. Or maybe your life is filled with regret. Regardless of what you’ve done (or haven’t done), your future is still unwritten. Your story isn’t over, so how will it end? Join Randy Nims (top), pastor of the York and York Springs churches, June 7–8, and Tacyana Nixon, Andrews University (Mich.) student, June 14–15, as they explore your stories and the ending that God is writing just for you.

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Events and Seminars Throughout the Week

pend Sunday at our Summer Fun Fest, featuring fun activities, games, booths, great food and much more for the whole family. Young adult women are invited to a Paint and Tea Party, as Tricia Surubaru teaches how to create works of art Sunday morning at 10 a.m. Cost includes all supplies, plus a simple late morning tea. Space is limited. Register online at paconference.org/ womensministries. Then don’t miss the annual book sale Sunday afternoon in the gym and discover the latest titles from the Pacific Press® Publishing Association. During the week, we’ll go “Hiking with Jesus” during family worship—exploring nature and discovering a few “survival skills” for our daily lives, while learning from those who walked with Jesus. Monday through Friday seminars for adults will feature John Earnhardt, Yves Monnier, DeeAnn Bragsaw, Chef Mark Anthony and Bonnie and Al Navarro. Children will have their own meetings and activities, including crafts, games, pool time, mission projects and Bible stories. Teens will spend time at a lake, enjoy an excursion to Ozzies—a local family fun center—and engage in mission, while learning more

Camp meeting has great speakers and inspiring music, but it’s not just for adults—kids enjoy their own meetings, activities and fun. about Christ during the evening meetings. Register online for lodging, and learn more about this inspiring week at paconference.org.

el campamento hispano

Oradores Destacados Blue Mountain Academy, Hamburg, Pa., 21–23 de Junio USA. Actualmente es el Coordinador de Ministerio Hispano y el Director de Global Mission de la Conferencia de Ohio. El Pastor Simpson está felizmente casado y tiene dos hijos quienes juntamente con su esposa forman parte de su dinámico ministerio pastoral. El pastor Ángel Abdiel del Toro es el Vicepresidente de la Asociación de la Florida a cargo de los Ministerios en Español. Él tiene 13 años de experiencia en el ministerio. Comenzó a trabajar como pastor en Puerto Rico de donde es natural, y los últimos siete años ha servido en la Asociación de la Florida como pastor de los distritos de Jacksonville y West Palm Beach. En Puerto Rico también se destacó como comunicador radial dirigiendo varios programas radiales con una gran audiencia, resultando en ganancia de almas para Cristo.

Pennsylvania Pen is published in the Visitor by the Pennsylvania Conference n 720 Museum Road, Reading, PA 19611 Phone: (610) 374-8331, ext. 210 n paconference.org n President, Gary Gibbs n Communication Director, Tamyra Horst

30 | VISITOR May 2019

photo by simon tao

Peter Simpson es hijo de Misioneros Cubanos nacido en Managua, Nicaragua. Se graduó en Teología de la Universidad Adventista de Centroamérica, donde mas tarde sirvió como Director de la Facultad de Teología de la misma Universidad. Ha trabajado para la Iglesia Adventista por más de 29 años, en Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador y Costa Rica, donde se ha desempeñado como Pastor de Distrito, Departamental y Secretario de Campo. El Pastor Simpson también sirvió como Presidente en la Asociación del Litoral Atlántico de Honduras, y en la Misión Central de Costa Rica, y posteriormente como Director de Misiones y Ministerio Personal de la Unión Hondureña. El Pastor Simpson posee una Maestría en Misionología de la Universidad Evangélica de las Américas con sede en Costa Rica, y un Doctorado en Ministerio Pastoral de la Universidad Doxa en Florida,

camp meeting preview

Conference to Provide Two ‘Impact’ Sites

wo “Impact 2019: Camp Meeting Re-imagined” events will be held next month. This new camp meeting format allows for local pastors to help plan and organize area meetings, enabling the message and format to be tailored for each community.

Tidewater/Richmond Area Hampton Convention Center, Hampton, Va. n June 8 n English and Spanish venues at same location. n pcsda.org The main speakers will be Barry Black (left), U.S. Senate chaplain, and Hermes Tavera Bueno (right), who pastors in the Greater New York Conference. Black, the 62nd chaplain of the Senate, served in the U.S. Navy for more than 27 years, ending his distinguished career as the chief of chaplains of the Navy. In addition to opening the Senate each day in prayer,

Black provides counseling and spiritual care for senators, their families and staff—a combined constituency of more than 7,000 people. Bueno’s experience spans from that of a pastor, evangelist, editor and professor of theology. He has a passion for research and sharing his findings with members.

City of Praise Family Ministries Landover, Md. n June 14–15 n Spanish only. Evangelists Alejandro Bullón (left) and Luis Goncalves (below), as well as Tony Anobile (below, left), vice president of Multilingual Ministries for the North American Division, will speak to the theme of “Today is the Day.” Bullón, an evangelist for the radio program Voice of Hope, has worked for more than 40 years in South America. He has authored several books and articles, and his passions include public evangelism and communicating the gospel by radio, television and the internet. Anobile has served in a number of capacities, including conference president, vice president and Youth and Young

Adult Ministries director. He desires to have every member involved in active ministry and to have entities on every level participate in bringing people to church through evangelism, retaining people through Christian nurture and keeping people healthy and active through involvement in church and school. For both events, special programs will be planned for children and youth throughout the weekend and will feature special concerts and musical features. Next year, Impact 2020 will be one conference-wide meeting, held May 1 and 2. This event will hold simultaneous English and Spanish programs and will feature Carlton Byrd, speaker/director of the Breath of Life Television Broadcast, as well as other well-known presenters and singers. “The Bible reminds us that ‘for where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them’ (Matt. 18:20, NIV). What a promise from Jesus,” says Bill Miller, president. “No matter the size of the group, when we gather in His name, His presence is there. What a great privilege it is that we can come together for fellowship and know that He is with us!”

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Camp Blue Ridge Offers Many Options This Summer

ew summer camp revolutions at Camp Blue Ridge in Montebello, Va., will provide more flexibility, as well as time- and money-saving opportunities for campers and families. “This year we have combined several weekly summer camp options, giving families the opportunity to bring different-aged campers the same week,” explains Ray Queen, director. “This format offers the same age groupings for two consecutive weeks, allowing more options when planning for your children to attend camp.” Queen says this setup still gives campers an individualized experience meaningful to their age group, while allowing for older campers to be a positive big brother/sister influence on siblings or younger friends. Each age group will stay in separate cabins and have age-appropriate activities, while sharing meals and evening programs together. Adventurer Camp (ages 7–9) will be held the same weeks as Junior Camp (ages 10–12) from June 23–30 and June 30–July 7. Week three and four of summer camp will include joint weeks for Tween and Teen campers (ages 13–15 and 15–17), taking place July 7–14 and July 14–21. Additionally, three options for Family Camp will take place July 21–28 (full week) and July 21–24 and July 24–28 (half weeks). In addition to these exciting summer camp adjustments, new metal roofs have been installed on all cabins (pictured), and the Town Hall building is in the process of receiving a face-lift. As leadership at Camp Blue Ridge prepares to kick off the summer season, Queen encourages anyone interested in volunteering for the medical team or as

New summer revolutions offer parents more options for their campers to enjoy time on the lake at Camp Blue Ridge.

a camp pastor to contact him at rayq@pcsda.org. “Summer camp isn’t just a meaningful experience for campers. At the end of the season, staff often share testimonies of how God moved in their lives, some even requesting baptism for the first time or rebaptism. It’s a powerful time for everyone there,” he says. “We believe experiencing the beauty of creation through a camp program that allows for the Spirit of God to move is one of the best youth evangelism tools available. We hope Camp Blue Ridge continues to encourage people to learn more about themselves, improve relationships, recognize social responsibilities and grow in [their] relationship with God.” Horseback riding is one of the many activities offered at camp.

Potomac People is published in the Visitor by the Potomac Conference n 606 Greenville Ave., Staunton, VA 24401 Phone: (540) 886-0771 n pcsda.org n President, Bill Miller n Communication Specialist, Tiffany Doss

32 | VISITOR May 2019

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

Academy Celebrates 70th Anniversary

photo by mi lian za

t Alumni Weekend this month, Highland View Academy (HVA) celebrates 70 years of existence where students can experience a quality Seventh-day Adventist Christian education. The school’s mission is to inspire and mentor students to excel in all Christ calls them to do. “We are committed to building on the dedication of those who came before to make sure our young people can have the best education possible,” says Erik Borges, principal. As part of the 70-year anniversary celebration, Andrew Lay, HVA’s development director, spent considerable time researching the school’s history. In 1949 HVA began as Mount Aetna Academy on Crystal Falls Drive—a day school where the elementary school is currently located. In 1963 the Chesapeake Conference voted to build a fully-accredited secondary boarding school. During the next four years, administrators determined the location of the school, the name—chosen as a result of a conferencewide contest—and the construction of two dormitories—Janel Kay DeHaan Hall and Hartle Hall—with a boarding option beginning the fall of 1967. In the successive years, more buildings were built and occupied, including the administration building (1975), gymnasium (1979), central and south classroom wings of the administration building (1981), I & E Barr Hall, which houses the Music Department and the cafeteria (1986) and the library wing of the administration building (1991). Lay recently rediscovered an artist’s rendition of the original campus plan. He notes how interesting things changed from the original plan that included a complete music hall with 10 practice rooms and two large rehearsal rooms, a 400-seat auditorium and administrative offices. The classroom/administrative building was

HVA’s compact campus provides a breadth of opportunities for the diverse student body.

originally designed to accommodate 300 students and included a gymnasium with a seating capacity of 1,300 persons. Two industrial buildings nearby formed an industrial park where private industries, such as a laundry, could have provided student employment opportunities. The artist’s rendition also depicts tennis courts, baseball and soccer fields and another building that could have housed a science laboratory, home arts laboratory and technology education classroom facilities. Funding and a changing world impacted the original design of the school, but the more compact campus efficiently utilizes resources and offers students a wide variety of academic and extracurricular opportunities, including STEM certification, dual-credit classes, competitive team sports and a full music program. Seventy years later, work opportunities are available both on and off campus, and because of the generosity of alumni and friends, scholarships are available to those with financial need, so that any committed student can afford the Christian education that Highland View Academy has to offer.

An artist’s rendition shows the original campus blueprint for Highland View Academy. Highlander is published in the Visitor by the Highland View Academy n 10100 Academy Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21740 Phone: (301) 739-8480 n Fax: (301) 733-4770 n highlandviewacademy.com n Principal, Erik Borges n Editor, Lori Zerne

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Students Host Concert to Help Camp Fire Survivors

or the past 11 years, Lake Nelson Adventist Academy (LNAA) students, staff, parents, churches and friends have banded together to help those in need by offering benefit concerts, organized as part of a gospel celebration during Black History Month. This year, LNAA student artists, vocalists, instrumentalists and guests dedicated their skills to a worthy cause for the 11th annual Gospel Benefit Concert. LNAA students presented their talents in praise dance, stepping, drum, song, poetry and music, including featured performances from the Barbara McNair singers and the “Cornerstone” group from the Indonesian Pioneer church in Plainfield, to raise proceeds for the survivors of the Camp Fire that devastated Paradise, California. It was the deadliest fire in California’s history. A state fire official reported that the fire burned through 153,336 acres and destroyed 18,793 structures—13,973 of those structures being residences. The fire, which was not fully contained until 17 days after it began, also took the lives of more than 85 people. Most of Paradise was devastated, including the Paradise church and the school’s K-4 building. “We unofficially started the benefit concerts in 2005 and continued sharing our talents to bless those in

Gospel Benefit Concert Recipients 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Tsunami Thailand Hurricane Katrina LNAA Community Efforts—the Brysons Honduras Flooding El Salvador Hurricane LNAA Student Worthy Fund Earthquake Haiti LNAA Community Efforts—Pastor Gonzalez LNAA New Building Tsunami Philippines LNAA Science Lab Hurricane Haiti Hurricane Puerto Rico “Camp Fire” Paradise Adventist School and Church

The high school choir sings at the benefit concert to help raise funds for the Camp Fire survivors in Paradise, Calif. need,” says Leah Ware, coordinator of the event. “This benefit concert is more than a program; it is a way to give back to the community and the world during a month that was set aside for just that—service and helping others.” Students prepared for the annual benefit concert months in advance because they wanted everything they did to help the audience feel inspired and moved to give. Jaya Gibbons, president of the Student Association, states, “My experience participating in both the praise team and choir for the annual Gospel Benefit Concert was an immense blessing.” Camille Green, a parent of three LNAA students and an avid supporter, shares her testimony on the impact of the concert: “We were introduced to the concerts through friends from church—we attended once and then decided to enroll our children in Lake Nelson.” The LNAA Gospel Benefit Concert will continue to serve its purpose of reaching the community and world in need. Allowing God to use LNAA as instruments of His love, blessing the less fortunate, and this year, helping California, with God’s grace they will continue to help others.—Vanessa Guerrero (’19)

Legacy is published in the Visitor by the Lake Nelson Academy n 555 South Randolphville Rd., Piscataway, NJ 08854 Phone: (732) 981-0626 n Fax: (732) 981-0770 n lakenelsonacademy.org n Principal, Elisa Maragoto n Editor, Leonora Seferlis

34 | VISITOR May 2019

38 Students Choose Baptism Following Spiritual Week

f there is one event Pine Forge Academy (PFA) students look forward to each semester, it is the Week of Spiritual Emphasis. During this time, faculty and staff make school a worry-free zone; students have no exams or major projects for a greater and nobler reason. The week is a time for spiritual enrichment to permeate the soul and offer some reprieve from the busyness of life at the boarding academy. This year keynote speaker and distinguished alumnus MyRon Edmonds (’95) presented the spirit-filled messages. Edmonds is the senior pastor of the Grace Community church in Cleveland. He used his journey at PFA to illustrate the profound impact Week of Spiritual Emphasis had in his growth as a Christian and ultimately his relationship with God. Edmonds emphasized two important aspects of spiritual growth: process and purpose. He used the illustration of how pictures are made and printed to demonstrate the process that God must take us through before His image can be perfectly reflected in us. Paul Larivaux, a senior who signed up for baptism, says, “Life is definitely a process, and spending quality time with God and allowing our characters to be molded is essential in getting us to where we need to be.” Edmonds stressed the urgency and the need to be prepared for the second coming of Christ by sharing the sad reality that “many of my friends left the church with the intent to enjoy life a little, and have not returned.” Junior Alayna Crawford states, “Dr. Edmonds’ sermons were inspiring, and even though I have had multiple weeks of prayer experiences, this

PFA alumnus MyRon Edmonds, senior pastor of the Grace Community church, speaks to students during the Week of Spiritual Emphasis.

one really touched me. I am thankful for the reminder that I really need to ask the Holy Spirit to come into my life and that now is the time for me to build a relationship with God.” The power-packed, thought-provoking and life-transforming week culminated with another distinguished PFA alumnus Ronnie Vanderhorst (’72), Sabbath’s keynote speaker. In his message, Vanderhorst focused on the prodigal son and the similar predicament in which youth today find themselves. As a direct result of the spiritual week, as well as ongoing Bible studies, 38 students signed up for baptism.

Stephen Richardson (far left), pastor of the Pine Forge church; Kris Fielder (second from left), interim principal; MyRon Edmonds (center), keynote speaker; and Dwayne Wilson (far right), chaplain, stand with community members and the 38 students who answered the call to be baptized. Post is published in the Visitor by the Pine Forge Academy n P.O. Box 338, Pine Forge, PA 19548 Phone: (610) 326-5800 n Fax: (610) 326-5152 n pineforgeacademy.org n Interim Principal, Kris Fielder n Editor, Jaymie Pottinger

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High School Implements Aviation STEM Curriculum

eginning in the 2019–20 academic year, Spencerville Adventist Academy (SAA) will be joining more than 100 schools in the nationally recognized Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associations (AOPA)—a high school aviation STEM curriculum. Students will have a unique opportunity to experience a one-of-akind, comprehensive, four-year aviation study program, aligned with rigorous math and science standards. Schools are now implementing the ninth grade curriculum. The 10th grade curriculum will be rolled out next school year, and the 11th grade is now being tested in 25 schools. AOPA will release subsequent courses until the curriculum is completed for 12th grade. The program and professional development for teachers is provided to SAA at no cost. The courses currently available are in two career and technical

education pathways: pilot and unmanned aircraft systems (drones). According to a 2018 Boeing study, there is a growing demand for qualified people to fill aviation industry jobs. Globally, 635,000 commercial aircraft pilots, 622,000 technicians and 850,000 cabin crew members are needed within the next 20 years. Due to this demand, AOPA is “utilizing this STEM curriculum to inspire students and give them the skills to pursue careers in aerospace,” says Mark Baker, AOPA president and CEO. These classes, coordinated with the Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, come with all the resources teachers need, including lesson plans, presentations and assessments, as well as rigorous, engaging and fun student activities.—Ophelia Barrizo

Students Present Week of Worship

uring this spring’s Week of Worship, 10 SAA student speakers explored the meaning of a “man after God’s own heart,” and presented their findings about David to their peers. There is a great deal written in the Bible about David, and most individuals can find something specific with which they can identify. They discovered that David’s experiences teach us the important, fundamental truths of salvation—both how we are saved through grace and how we are shaped and molded through a lifelong process of sanctification.

The speakers pored over large portions of David’s story in order to prepare their talks, and they discovered some consistent themes they could apply to their own lives: David was humble, patient and willing to rely completely on God’s leading in all things. The speakers challenged the student body to emulate David’s example of seeking after God. “Students appreciate the honesty with which Scripture treats both David’s successes and failures, and they are inspired and encouraged by his willingness to express his feelings through song and poetry,” says Tim Soper, high school chaplain. “In short, David is very relatable, and the lessons culled from his life by the 10 student speakers were quick to find fertile ground in the hearts of the student body.”

During a recent Week of Worship, 10 speakers presented the biblical story of David: (front row, left to right) Diana Lopez (’19); Sasha Ram (’20); Jehlyssa Kennedy (’20); Jago Prates (’22); (back row, left to right) Amar Sudhaker (’19); Alex Hess (’19); D’Marco Arteaga (’21); Colin Browne (’22); Declan Robinson (’21); and (not pictured) Marlyn Antwan (’19).

Spotlight is published in the Visitor by Spencerville Adventist Academy n 2502 Spencerville Road, Spencerville, MD 20868 Phone: (301) 421-9101 n spencervilleacademy.org n Interim Principal, Jim Martz n Editor, Heidi Wetmore

36 | VISITOR May 2019

High School Senior Composes Music for Band

ach year the Spring Valley Academy (SVA) high school band and praise orchestra presents a Celtic Concert at the Kettering (Ohio) church. This year Donald Huff, SVA’s band director, made a surprise announcement to the audience: “You are now in for a very special treat. The next piece is an original composition by our very own Madison Cobb. Madison is a senior at Spring Valley Academy and has always wanted to write a piece

for the Celtic Concert since her freshman year and is excited that this year her dream has finally come. ... Tonight you are going to hear the world premiere of Amhran na Mara (Gaelic for Song of the Sea) by Madison Cobb. Please welcome Madison to conduct her original composition.” Cobb (pictured with Huff) wrote, notated and arranged the piece all by herself. She shares, “I’ve always wanted to write a song for the orchestra. Two days into being a freshman, I asked Mr. Huff if I could, and he said ‘Yes.’ It took me a while before I was ready to do it. I’ve always loved Celtic music, and being able to write and finish a song in that genre is like a dream come true. I would definitely consider it a blessing that I’m in an environment where I am encouraged to create and share things that mean so much to me!” Cobb’s parents, Mary Kay and Michael, say that their daughter decided she wanted to play an instrument in eighth grade and worked hard at taking flute lessons the summer before her freshman year in order to join the high school band. Her hard work paid off as she rose to become the first chair in the flute section. In the fall, Cobb plans on majoring in interactive media and design at Miami University (Ohio).

Elementary Students Celebrate Diversity Day

ecently 58 students from the combined thirdand fourth-grade classrooms, taught by Judy Cambigue, Kimberly Orr and Katie Vincent, participated in Diversity Day, a multicultural celebration of heritages. In front of family and friends at the Fritzshe Center for Worship and Performing Arts, the students, proudly dressed in their native attire, displayed colorfully-dressed paper dolls they created to represent their ancestral country as they presented their reports. Under the direction of Donald Huff, SVA’s band/music teacher, the entire group also performed special music that included “Singabahambayo.” Following their entertaining presentation, students, family and friends enjoyed a banquet feast that contained several multicultural and custom foods. “I felt such pride as I watched these students embrace their

heritage and love of their diversity,” says Alison Jobson, vice principal. “It was such an awesome presentation!”

Connections is published in the Visitor by Spring Valley Academy n 1461 Spring Valley Pike, Centerville, OH 45458 Phone: (937) 433-0790 n springvalleyacademy.org n Principal, Darren Wilkins n Editor, Vicki Swetnam

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Students Present Jesus— The H2O of Life

t a Sabbath spiritual retreat, more than 30 Shenandoah Valley Academy (SVA) students prayerfully invited the Holy Spirit to guide their plans to honor and glorify God and bless the campus family during a future student-led Week of Prayer (WOP). God inspired them to present the theme, “Here to Obey,” abbreviated “H2O,” signifying Jesus as the Water of Life. At WOP, student speakers shared that no matter what problems their peers may face—relationships, temptations, anxiety, peer pressure, traumatic events— God will carry them through each situation. Each morning and evening, students from every class led in songs, skits and messages. Teachers recognized that WOP is a time when God can turn students into powerful leaders for Him, so they were lenient on tests and homework. After the final meeting, students led in communion, foot washing and a testimony time. “There was no judgment, and the students could speak freely. They supported each other and lifted each other up in prayer. It was a sweet, intimate time,” shares Hillary Sumner, SVA’s taskforce dean. The week culminated in a special Sabbath church service entirely planned by students, relying solely on God’s leading. Junior Basam Mohamed El Sayed Gonzalez (pictured, far right) preached a powerful sermon, recapping the themes of the various talks students gave throughout the week. Basam testifies, “The opportunity to preach has brought me closer to Him. It has allowed me to see that God is working all the time and that He wants us to acknowledge the work He has done by surrendering to [Him] and accepting the plans He has for us.”

Shenandoah Valley Academy Home to Traditions, Shooting Stars, Christian Hearts, Loved by Alumni … Come and show me another place as wonderful as this, with mentors more encouraging, loving, and motivating as ours. Show me a family as tightly bound as ours, and yet is spread all over the world. Show me a more gorgeous home with mountains, valleys, and rivers surrounding it. Show me another place where God’s work is so present in the hearts of many. Proud, Rural, Successful, Zealous, Friendly, dedicated, spiritual, I lived here when I was young, seeing blue and white gowns leaving with memories of a lifetime. I will soon be walking down the same path as those before me, starting life. You have always been a home to those whose homes are hundreds of miles away. Oh Shenandoah, you are the home of my heart. —Natalee Townsend (’20), an excerpt from an English III assignment in the style of Carl Sandburg’s “Chicago.”

Impact is published in the Visitor by Shenandoah Valley Academy n 234 West Lee Highway, New Market, VA 22844 Phone: (540) 740-3161 n shenandoahvalleyacademy.org n Principal, Donald Short n Editor, Janel Haas Ware

38 | VISITOR May 2019

STEM Department Adds Engineering Program

akoma Academy’s (TA) STEM department is continuing to improve the quality of education and engagement for students. TA launched its inaugural Fundamentals of Engineering course this year. It is designed to provide students with real-world, 21st century skills to become successful engineers. The course provides an overview of the many engineering disciplines, principles, equations and competencies students need to be successful in their collegiate, internship and professional careers. Students are introduced to mechanics, statics, computer science, electronics, computer-aided design (CAD) and additive manufacturing (3-D printing). They are taught and coached by practicing engineers, an engineering technologist, engineering graduate students and volunteers. The mission is to provide students with the kind of exposure to the field of engineering that will lead to success in college and beyond. Next school year, a second engineering course will launch: Introduction to Engineering Design. Students will be exposed to the engineering design process and trained in industry-leading CAD and 3-D printing software and hardware. They will also be able to take an assessment which certifies them in SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor or Autodesk Fusion 360 CAD software. Students will utilize the school’s 3-D printers and become fully engaged in the design and iteration

TA’s junior chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) attend the NSBE Annual Convention.

Fundamental of Engineering student Solomon Hill makes adjustments to his robot minutes before a competition.

process of engineering. Those who complete the two years of engineering courses will be eligible to receive an academic medallion at graduation. While the course work is challenging, it provides the kind of problem-solving, collaborative environment that mimics the daily life of a professional engineer. Milton Davis’ team leads the school’s Engineering Club, a junior chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Sheri Thorn (’09) continues to act as advisor and sponsor of NSBE, the largest extracurricular club at TA. NSBE provides students with a fun, educational opportunity that encourages hard work, creativity and collaboration from its members. Students compete in local robotics and Ten80 competitions. Last March they had the opportunity to travel to the NSBE Annual Convention in Detroit, Mich., where they learned more about the engineering industry. Students will also have an opportunity to network with representatives from companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing as they compete for scholarships and internship opportunities. Engineering teacher Shaun Robinson shares, “Takoma Academy’s engineering component of its STEM program is opening doors for students who want to experience real-world challenges and interact with individuals currently working in the industry!”

TA Today is published in the Visitor by Takoma Academy n 8120 Carroll Ave., Takoma Park, MD 20912 Phone: (301) 434-4700 n ta.edu n Principal, Carla Thrower n Editor, Salena Featherstone

columbiaunionvisitor.com VISITOR | 39

KETTERING COLLEGE

Danielle Aka (in blue scrub top) is an alumna of Kettering College and is currently a nurse at Kettering Health Network.

The Spirit of International Medical Missions By Danielle Aka My first international medical missions (IMM) experience was as a Kettering College nursing student in 2016. It was exciting to realize the college offered meaningful learning and service opportunities outside of the classroom. Now, as an alum, I continue to look forward to participating in these trips every year. For our most recent trip in March, we took a team of 30 students and health care professionals to Thailand. We set up clinics and provided much needed medical care to different groups of people each day—from an orphanage in the jungle to a university campus, a Buddhist temple to a factory lot—we showed up each day prepared to serve the patients who came to the clinic. As a nurse and alum, medical mission work helps to provide me with perspective and purpose. When the reality of nursing hits early on in your career, it can be easy to get caught up on the frustrating aspects and to start losing compassion. However, the gratitude we encounter on these trips encourages me to push through the difficult times. The care

that may seem so simple to us can be life-changing for those in other parts of the world who are less fortunate and without access to health care. There is something refreshing about watching the students experience that for the first time. The IMM program provides the health care professionals with the opportunity to mentor and teach Kettering College students valuable skills for their future careers. Each year, we have students who have never assessed a patient or even taken a blood pressure. By the time we left Thailand, students were teaching each other and sharing their experiences in ways that helped the team grow. It is always amazing to watch a group of people find common ground and purpose in serving others. That is the spirit behind the Kettering College IMM program. For more information on Kettering College’s IMM program, visit kc.edu/imm

COLLEGE KETTERING MEDICAL CENTER

KETTERING COLLEGE • 3737 SOUTHERN BLVD • KETTERING, OH 45429 • (937) 395-8601 • KC.EDU

Reflections: Strong Pathways by President Weymouth Spence

Washington Adventist University’s Strategic Planning Committee, which comprises students, faculty, staff, and administrators, recently embarked on a year-long journey transitioning from Vision 2020: Growing with Excellence to Vision 2030: Excellence in Student Success. To create a strong pathway for student success in the 21st Century, we will be assessing the status of key desired outcomes, as well as our level of accomplishment from Vision 2020, and then identify what desired outcomes should be carried forward along with identifying new desired outcomes for Vision 2030. We are making great progress, and building on concepts identified by Vistasp M. Karbhari in his recently published article “From Academic Preparation, through Skills Development, to the Knowledge Continuum.” He pointed out that, “In today’s world driven by rapid technology convergence, with information and knowledge being developed and made accessible at unprecedented rates, the linear progression of (a) go to college; (b) graduate; (c) learn job-based skills at one’s first job; and then (d) become a productive employee, no longer suffices. There is an increasing demand for graduates to come prepared with disciplinary talent, job-related proficiencies, and “soft” skills needed to “hit the ground running.” Please keep us in your prayers that in partnership with divinity we will be in alignment with God’s plan in preparing a generation of graduates to lead and serve humanity.

One of Us

by Chelsy Tyler, Interim Chaplain, Washington Adventist University “You’re one of us now,” David* said half-jokingly. Sadie and Jessica chuckled, too, as they waved goodbye. Perhaps it was an afterthought, a lighthearted farewell as I got up from the small, round table the four of us were chatting around. But his sentiment struck me. It was the third night of Revival Week at Washington Adventist University (WAU), a whole week when students, staff, faculty, and members of the community take each night to deepen our respective walks with God. I was taking the lead planning the whole shebang: finding participants, coordinating audiovisual needs, marketing the event, etc. Engineering a machine with many moving parts was challenging, to say the least. On top of that, I was still trying to navigate my role as a chaplain to college students. When I served as a children’s pastor a few years ago, one could easily distinguish the mentor and the mentee when I stood next to an eight-year-old. But as a twenty-something chaplain serving students a few years younger than myself, that dynamic was less clear. In fact, I’ve been frequently asked if I’m a student! I’m comfortable in my relatively young shoes and see them as a valuable point of connection with college students. But I struggled with establishing a role of both authoritative and approachable mentorship. I often felt like I was straddling the world of the young adult by my age and the world of WAU staff by my title, yet not completely finding my place in either. On this third night of Revival Week, the audience divided into small groups of three or four people. I joined David, Sadie, and Jessica’s table. We delved into issues of stress and weakness, and I found that many of their struggles were my own. David was often hard on himself when he messed up, Sadie usually addressed conflict by avoiding it altogether, and Jessica faced incredible stress in some of her relationships. Instead of putting on the counseling hat of a chaplain, I let myself be real. Instead of being the mentor, I identified with them. “Actually, I have a lot of the same struggles,” I shared. They nodded in understanding as I related my own weaknesses. We thus came together not as chaplain and students or even as peers but as struggling, growing people. When our time was up, and David said, “You’re one of us now,” it was more than simply an afterthought to me. His sentiment showed me that what makes my unique role as a young adult chaplain to young adults effective isn’t simply age or title. What makes chaplaincy and any ministry leader effective is when you come alongside, hurt with, and grow with those you serve. *Names have been changed.

Washington Adventist University | 7600 Flower Ave. Takoma Park, MD 20912 | wau.edu

Relationships Then Championships

Patrick E. Crarey has been recognized as one of the most talented young coaches in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic (NAIA) with over 100 career wins. He joined Washington Adventist University (WAU) in 2010 as the Assistant Athletics Director but was promoted to Athletics Director within five months. His first goal was to change the culture of athletics at WAU and during his tenure, the school has seen a growth in the academic success and spiritual influence among the players. Championships may be important, but he insists that everything starts with relationships. Crarey knows that the facility enhancements, including a new field, cardio room, and the weight room renovation have indeed attributed to the success of the athletics department. However, he believes when you first establish a relationship -- love, trust and sacrifice will follow, leading to stronger teams. “Everything starts with the relationship between the players and the staff,” says Crarey. “Positive energy creates synergy. Here at WAU, even the President comes to our games.” Many past athletes have shared how great an influence Crarey has been on their lives, but the reverse is also true. He fondly remembers his former athletes and believes that their time at WAU have made a lasting impact on his life as well. WAU’s former basketball player Desmind Wade comes to mind – having lost both parents, Wade motivated himself to continue his education and receive a master’s degree. He is now an Athletic Director at a middle school in Maryland. Monica Chica, a graduating senior and center for the women’s basketball team, was awarded USCAA Student-Athlete of the Year. She is the first from WAU to receive this recognition. Committed players like Wade, Chica and others on both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, helped WAU experience its best three seasons in the past four years, with team appearances at three national tournaments. In addition to these successes, the last school year also saw both the men and women’s soccer teams moving on to post-season games, along with the return of women’s softball. Having a “relationship first” approach, WAU’s athletics department continues to provide an opportunity for many young athletes to pursue their educational and athletic goals, while they also prepare to become leaders for their communities.

Give by June 30 Consider making a gift to WAU between now and June 30, and help us end the last quarter of this academic year with 100 gifts, all going to help continue providing Christian education to “...all God’s children...” on our campus. (Mail checks to Office of Advancement & Alumni Relations, Washington Adventist University, 7600 Flower Avenue, Takoma Park MD 20912 or go to www.wau.edu and click “Give to WAU”)

Upcoming Events SciSet Registration Deadline July 1 Register at www.wau.edu/sciset “Interested in being a science major or pre-med? ScISet is essentially a science boot camp to help get incoming freshmen on the right path.”

Washington Adventist Adventist University University || 7600 7600 Flower Flower Ave. Ave. Takoma Takoma Park, Park, MD MD 20912 20912 || wau.edu wau.edu Washington

Care. Compassion. Community.

The Fullness Thereof Psalm 24 may be familiar to you, and begins, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” For a long time I assumed these were just fancy words for saying that everything in the world belonged to God – even us. And while that may be the case, I don’t think that’s what the poetpsalmist was getting at. Here’s why. It is thought that this psalm was written when the Ark of the Covenant – the symbol of God’s presence – was finally brought back to Jerusalem after it was reestablished as the center of David’s kingdom. As a symbol, few objects were more powerful. Not only was the Ark a symbol of God’s presence, it was a symbol of God’s care, of His provision for their needs. It was a symbol of His protection from their enemies, and of God’s role in establishing them as a nation. When David spoke of the “fullness thereof,” he was not just saying that everything comes under God’s power; he was saying that God was actually present in every aspect of their lives throughout all the realms of the world. What does this mean for us these many centuries later? That not only are we alive in God, but that God is alive in us. That through His presence, God touches the world through the lives that we lead! We live in God’s grace, and God also extends His grace out through us. We are the “fullness thereof.” Each day we place ourselves in God’s hands, and in prayer we ask that God will be honored by our lives. Our Mission statement reflects our belief that God is active in our work. And each day, in every circumstance, our gracious God finds ways in which the fullness thereof comes shining through, making His presence felt and His power to heal known.

Terry Forde President & CEO Adventist HealthCare

Our Urgent Care and other caregiver teams were recognized for high-quality care.

Adventist HealthCare Services Receive Quality Honors Adventist HealthCare’s hospitals and outpatient services have received several honors for the high-quality and compassionate care they provide to patients and the community. Take a look!

Patient Safety Awards Our hospitals were the only Montgomery County facilities to earn the 2019 Top 20 Minogue Award for Patient Safety Innovation from the Maryland Patient Safety Center. Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center was recognized for both improving mental healthcare processes and for boosting recovery after colorectal surgery. Adventist HealthCare Washington Adventist Hospital was also honored for two projects: reducing antibiotic use in newborns as well as improving healing, outcomes and experiences for patients with complex wounds.

Urgent Care Accreditation For providing high-quality care, Adventist HealthCare Urgent Care has received accreditation from the Urgent Care Association (UCA) Accreditation Program. The accreditation is the highest level of distinction for such centers and is the only program to evaluate for scope of services, as well as safety and quality.

Heart Surgery Star Rating Adventist HealthCare Washington Adventist Hospital received a Three-Star rating – the highest possible quality rating – from the Society for Thoracic Surgeons. The quality rating measures patient outcomes, processes and consistent use of evidence-based care throughout a patient’s hospitalization. The hospital has also been ranked in the top 7 percent of hospitals nationwide for the quality care it provides patients who undergo coronary bypass graft surgery, the most common type of open heart surgery in the U.S.

820 West Diamond Avenue, Suite 600 • Gaithersburg, MD 20878 • 301-315-3030 • AdventistHealthCare.com

We extend God’s care through the ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing.

Construction is progressing at the Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center that will help advance the ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing.

White Oak Medical Center Opens August 25 New Location Continues Tradition of Care A new hospital will begin to serve the Washington, D.C., region on Sunday, Aug. 25, as Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center opens to provide high-quality critical care services. Private patient rooms filled with natural light were created to promote superior care and healing. In addition to featuring the latest medical equipment, the new space is designed to help people heal. From testing and procedural areas to nursing units and the Emergency Department, patients and their caregivers will be able to discuss care plans and rest in privacy and comfort. The medical center will also be home to the nationallyrecognized heart program that was established at Washington Adventist Hospital. The award-winning cardiac care program will be transferred to the new facility that is replacing the historic hospital in Takoma Park. A 24/7 urgent care center will open on the current Takoma Park campus to treat non-acute illnesses and injuries.

10-year collaboration on research that seeks to improve public health. In addition to acute care services, the medical center campus will continue to expand services to the region with a medical office building for doctors’ offices and other health services that will open next to the hospital in early 2020. “Through the years, we have been blessed to help many in our community with our quality care and compassion,” said Terry Forde, president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare. “That will remain at the core of what we do as we extend our mission at Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center.”

“We’re pleased to be bringing our Mission, high-quality care and compassion to a state-of-the-art, healthcare campus designed for our community and caregivers,” said Erik Wangsness, hospital president. Located off Rte. 29 at Cherry Hill Road and Plum Orchard Drive in eastern Montgomery County, White Oak Medical Center is located at the center of Montgomery County’s newest and emerging Life Sciences Gateway and is a neighbor to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Adventist HealthCare and the FDA have a

Take a virtual tour by visiting AdventistWhiteOak.com

44 | VISITOR May 2019

820 West Diamond Avenue, Suite 600 • Gaithersburg, MD 20878 • 301-315-3030 • AdventistHealthCare.com

Bulletin Board VISITOR ADVERTISING AND SERVICES Advertising n The Visitor does not endorse or guarantee the integrity of any product or service advertised and does not accept responsibility for typographical or categorical errors. For advertising guidelines and rates: columbiaunionvisitor.com/advertising Ad Submissions: sjones@columbiaunion.net Obituary Submission n Obituaries are posted free of charge for members of the Columbia Union. To submit an obituary: columbiaunionvisitor.com/obituary Subscriptions n Nonmembers of the Columbia Union may subscribe to the Visitor for a fee. For more information: columbiaunionvisitor.com/subscription Contact Us Columbia Union Visitor 5427 Twin Knolls Rd Columbia, MD 21045 (410) 997-3414 visitor@columbiaunion.net

EMPLOYMENT PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION is seeking a Director of Marketing for the trade book segment of operations. Candidates should have a strong record of collaboration and proven organization and communication skills. Experience in sales preferred. Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communication, business or public relations or an equivalent in work experience a must. To apply, contact Michelle Sinigaglio, HR Director, at Michelle.Sinigaglio@ pacificpress.com. PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION is seeking a Human Resources (HR) Director. The HR Director develops and maintains programs for recruitment, retention, benefit administration, compensation, wellness and staff development. Candidates must possess effective communication skills and demonstrate experience in leadership. A bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management or related field is required. SPHR or SHRM certification preferred. To apply, contact Robert D. Hastings, Vice President of Finance, (208) 465-2536 or Robert.Hastings@ pacificpress.com. SOUTHERN ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY seeks Vice President (VP) for Spiritual Life, who will oversee all areas of spirituality on campus, provide spiritual mentoring and programming for students as well as spiritual support for employees, and spiritual guidance for campus decisions. This role involves collaboration with the university church and its pastoral staff,

call Human Resources at (707) 965-6231 or visit puc.edu/v/ campus-services/human-resources/ current-job-postings. ADVENTIST HEALTHCARE

ANDREWS UNIVERSITY seeks Chair for Public Health, Nutrition & Wellness, who is responsible for developing and upgrading department, student handbooks and departmental bulletin; establishes department policy in collaboration with program directors and faculty; reviews faculty and staff performance annually to aid in professional development; prepares and monitors annual budget in consultation with program directors and faculty; generates timely reports, schedules department course offerings and other program functions; monitors and adjusts academic standards and curriculum content; assigns faculty teaching loads as agreed upon with the dean; monitors accreditation issues and accreditation standards for programs to assure compliance; and encourages faculty and student research, publications and works with marketing staff to develop annual marketing plan. For more information, visit andrews.edu/admres/jobs/show/faculty#job_9. PACIFIC UNION COLLEGE is seeking candidates for Associate or Assistant or Full Professor of Nursing with Adult Clinical Focus, Leadership-Preceptorship, and Associate or Assistant or Full Professor of Nursing-Adult Clinical. Master’s degree or doctorate preferred. California RN license by expected start date, preference for candidate with experience in teaching. For more information or to apply, please

Sarah Kwon, Realtor, Associate Broker United Real Estate Reston, Va. Call: (703) 887-8469

Our team of nurses is honored to be at the heart of Adventist HealthCare’s mission “to extend God’s care through the ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing.”

Email: KwonRealty@gmail.com Website: kwonrealty.com Leasing and Property Management Services Available

Please refer to our website for more information and to apply.

SERVICES

AdventistHealthCare.com/ Careers

ENJOY WORRY-FREE RETIREMENT at Fletcher Park Inn on the Fletcher Academy campus near Hendersonville, N.C. Spacious apartments available now. Ask about our limited rental units and villa homes. Enjoy a complimentary lunch at our vegetarian buffet when you tour. Call Lisa at (800) 249-2882 or (828) 209-6935 or visit fletcherparkinn.com.

MISCELLANEOUS WILDWOOD LIFESTYLE CENTER: There is no health without mental health. Come to our depression recovery program to experience physical, mental and spiritual healing. Call today to speak to someone who cares about your health, (800) 6349355, or visit us at wildwoodhealth.com and apply online.

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 needed, at Adventist hospitals. Offices in Laurel and Maple Lawn/Fulton. Call (301) 317-6800.

WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY offers master’s degrees in biology; cinema, religion, and worldview; education (including special education); and social work. Flexible completion times and in-person, hybrid, and fullyonline formats available. Financial aid may be available. For more information, call (509) 527-2290, or visit wallawalla.edu/grad. WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY offers special education master’s degrees (M.Ed. or M.A.T.). Fully-online format and flexible completion times available. Now offering a limited-time 33% tuition discount. For more information, call (509) 527-2290, or visit wallawalla.edu/SPED. PRISON MINISTRY CONVENTION, July 24–27. Buffalo, N.Y. Up-to-date methods in Evangelism Behind Bars, Ministry to Prisoner’s Family, or Re-entry Ministry. Exciting speakers and seminar presenters. A time to learn, fellowship, worship and network. Register today at adventsource.org.

REAL ESTATE AGENT IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND For Seller and Buyer

Show your care and compassion as a registered nurse (RN) and join the Adventist HealthCare family in Maryland.

Bring your experience as a RN and your passion to make a difference in the lives of our patients. to foster Christian growth and fellowship between campus and church. The VP will direct team members in the chaplain’s office. For a full description and qualification criteria: southern.edu/hr.

REAL ESTATE:

TEACH SERVICES: Helping authors make their book a reality. Call (800) 367-1844 for your free manuscript evaluation. We publish all book formats and provide worldwide distribution. View new books at TEACHServices.com or ask your local ABC. View used Adventist books at LNFbooks.com. 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 Danté at (800) 766-1902 for a free estimate. Visit us at apexmoving.com/adventist.

columbiaunionvisitor.com VISITOR | 45

Bulletin Board MARYLAND ADVENTIST DENTIST, DAVID LEE, DDS, FAGD, AFAAID, FICOI, FAACP, has practices located in Silver Spring and Columbia, Md. He is extensively trained in implant, cosmetic, TMD/TMJ, sleep apnea treatment, sedation and laser dentistry. Dr. Lee is an Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, as well as having many other certifications. For appointments, call (301) 649-5001 or (410) 461-6655. Mention this ad and receive a 10 percent discount on all services, excluding third-party payers. We welcome new patients!

TRAVEL/VACATION CONDO FOR RENT IN HONOLULU, HAWAII, 2 BR condo minutes to beaches, Chinatown and hiking! Sleeps six comfortably. Furnished kitchen; washer/dryer, AC and more. Free parking. Visit honcentralsda.org/ vacation-rentals/nelson-hale or call (808) 989-4910. ISRAEL TOUR with Pastor Jim Gilley and friends, November 17–25. $3,295. Includes air, breakfast and dinner buffets daily, all tips and taxes. From New York, Chicago or Los Angeles; other departure cities available. Call Maranatha Tours at (602) 788-8864.

ANNOUNCEMENTS GEORGE E. PETERS SCHOOL, ANNUAL 5K RUN/WALK, May 19 at 8 a.m., at Sligo Creek Pkwy. Proceeds go to the installation of a new playground. Register to run/walk, sponsor a student or have your company be a corporate sponsor. Details and registration information at bit.ly/ gepeters-2019-5k-runwalk. “YE OLDE” CEDAR LAKE ACADEMY REUNION will take place June 7–8 for alumni and classmates at Great Lakes Adventist Academy, Cedar Lake, Mich. Honor classes: 1939, 1949, 1959, 1969. For further information, you may contact the GLAA alumni office at (989) 427-5181 or visit glaa.net. UCHEE PINES INSTITUTE 50TH ANNIVERSARY, June 23–29. Speakers include Mark Finley and John Bradshaw. For more information, visit ucheepines.org or call (877) UCHEEPINES. MANASSAS ADVENTIST PREPARATORY SCHOOL in Manassas, Va., will be celebrating 50 years of service to their

46 | VISITOR May 2019

community and church October 12. Festivities will begin at 9:30 a.m. Please invite all former staff and alumni by sharing the event page on Facebook: facebook. com/events/319882628794471.

OBITUARIES CONN, Joni K., born November 28, 1953, in Medina, Ohio, to Edward and Kathryn (Brubaker) Peck; died January 7, 2019, at Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth, Ohio. She was a member of the Valley Chapel Baptist Church in Greenup, Ky., and while in Ohio attended the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Millersburg. Joni was a compassionate, giving, loving and caring person. She will be remembered for her acts of kindness. She loved to bake and sew, and spending time with her family was very important to her. Joni is survived by her husband, Richard H. Conn, of Quincy, Ky.; her children, Jerry White, Daniel (Michelle) White, Trina Conn, Richard Voiles and his fiancée, Roxanne Sapp; four grandchildren, Danielle White, Michael White, Joseph Conn and Richard Conn; and a brother, Richard Peck. She was predeceased by her father, Ed Peck.

Interested in Increasing Your Customer/Client Base? List your business in the Columbia Union Visitor Adventist Business Owners Directory Coming Soon! In Print and Online Mailed to 63,000 Adventist households and reaching 70,000 readers online. Accepting Applications through June 30, 2019. Receive a bonus for your listing: Advertising price cuts on all Visitor ad platforms! Want more information? How to sign up? Go to columbiaunionvisitor.com/ businessdirectory, or email Visitorbizdir@ columbiaunion.net

Sunset Calendar

May 3 May 10 May 17 May 24 May 31

Baltimore

8:01

8:07

8:14

8:20

8:26

Cincinnati 8:32 8:39 8:45 8:51 8:57 Cleveland 8:25 8:33 8:40 8:46 8:52 Columbus 8:27 8:34 8:41 8:47 8:53 Jersey City

7:53

8:00

8:07

8:14

8:20

Norfolk

7:55 8:01 8:07 8:12 8:17

Parkersburg 8:20 8:27 8:34 8:40 8:45 Philadelphia 7:56 8:03 8:10 8:16 8:22 Pittsburgh 8:16 8:23 8:30 8:37 8:42 Reading

8:00 8:07 8:14 8:20 8:26

Richmond 8:01 8:07 8:13 8:19 8:24 Roanoke 8:10 8:16 8:22 8:28 8:33 Toledo

8:33 8:41 8:48 8:55 9:01

Trenton

7:55 8:02 8:09 8:15 8:21

Wash., D.C.

8:01

8:08

8:15

8:21

8:26

sligo by the sea

Sligo by the Sea

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church

10301 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 218422 SABBATH SCHOOL 10 A.M. I WORSHIP 11 A.M.

6/29 7/6 7/13 7/20 7/27 8/3 8/10 8/17 8/24 8/31 9/7 9/14 9/21

Chaplain Vladimir Corea Pastor Kermit Netteburg Pastor David Weigley Pastor Mark Sigue Pastor Nathan Krause Pastor Morgan Kochenower Pastor Anthony Kent Pastor’s Pranitha & Kelan Fielder Pastor Bonita J. Shields Pastor Mike Speegle Pastor Stephen Chavez Pastor Ronald Halverson, Jr. Pastor Andrea Jakobsons

sligochurch.org/sligobythesea

Caring Hearts. Skilled Hands. Sarojini Prasad, RN, Member, Southern Asian Adventist Church

Join our team of compassionate, high-quality nurses at Adventist HealthCare. Serving the Washington, D.C., community since 1907, we are dedicated to caring for our patientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; physical, mental and spiritual health.

Learn about our nursing openings at AdventistHealthCare.com/Careers.

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