Sacrifice of Praise …and Abound in Hope
“The Lord has told us what is good and acceptable in His sight. What is it that the Lord requires of us? It is to be just, to show mercy and to walk humbly before our God” (Micah 6:8, Clear Word).
TOP LEFT: Brittany Pawluck, first-grade teacher at Miramonte Christian School, prays online with one of her students. Adventist education at its best! TOP RIGHT: Students in a creatively designed classroom at Mother Lode Adventist Junior Academy in Sonora. BOTTOM RIGHT: Some of the handmade cards created by students at the Peninsula Adventist School for those who have lost a loved one during the pandemic.
24 Pacific Union Recorder
I
t is amazing what God’s people are able to do, even during difficult times. Ramiro Cano, president of the Central California Conference (CCC), summed it up in one word in his holiday video message to members: resilience! Indeed, it is that and more as the pandemic continues to rage throughout our territory. It is in that context that we are telling more stories of those who demonstrate the “sacrifice of praise” mentioned in Hebrews 13:15-16. Along with Paul, we pray, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13, NKJV). That word abound can mean to overflow, to thrive: “abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20, NKJV). This certainly can be the case as we recount some of what God has done in the conference. These stories reveal a multitude of blessings.
CCC K-12 Adventist Education
Mountain View Academy (MVA) continues to see ways to serve their community. They usually throw a Christmas party for a local elementary school with mostly low-income families. Andy Lee, MVA chaplain, described how this year they collected and delivered gifts. Another initiative was started by Sydney Chan, a student, who came up with the idea to collect and deliver school supplies for Foothills SDA Elementary School in St. Helena, which partially burned in the Glass Fire. Los Banos Elementary School decided to participate in Operation Dear Veteran of the Central Valley. The veterans received a handmade Christmas card with a personal letter from the students. Principal Lea Gilbert pointed out that the school received a “shout out from the local radio station, KMJ 580” for their efforts. Miramonte Christian School was featured in Pacific Sunrise, an email newsletter from the Pacific Union Communication and Community Engagement
Central California Conference
