Recorder Woman of Dignity
A FAMILY HISTORY:
We may safely say that the dignity and importance of woman's mission and distinctive duties are of a more sacred and holy character than the duties of man.... Let woman realize the sacredness of her work and, in the strength and fear of God, take up her life mission.
—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 565
If we can impress upon the minds of our sisters the good which it is in their power to do through the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall see a large work accomplished.
—Ellen G. White, Welfare Ministry, p. 145
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Postal Regs: The Pacific Union Recorder (ISSN 0744-6381), Volume 125, Number 2, is the
What’s inside
4 Praising God Together
8 Family History
12 Slavery and Prophecy
18 Fundamental Belief Number 12: The Church
20 Adventist Pioneers in the West –Beginnings: Southern California
25 Does Everything Change?
28 Arizona Conference
30 Central California Conference
32 Hawaii Conference
34 Holbrook Indian School
36 Adventist Health
37 La Sierra University
38 Loma Linda University Health
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46 Southern California Conference
48 Community & Marketplace
51 Sunset Calendars
54 Remembering Charles Bradford
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Praising
GOD
GOD
Together
By Bradford C. Newton
My first memory of church was as an 8-year-old boy in Sabbath School. We sat on small wooden chairs and sang songs led by a really nice lady who seemed very old and wise. When it came time for the lesson study, we listened as our teacher told the story of Paul’s missionary travels. My continuing love for the Bible Book of Acts was born in that class.
My spiritual formation continued as I grew up in the church. Sabbath School, singing in church, listening to hundreds of sermons by different pastors (some better speakers than others), attending evangelistic meetings, being baptized at age 12, joining in Harvest Ingathering with the adults and other kids, Saturday night socials, watching my own parents in roles of leadership, and so much more led me first and foremost to identify as a Seventh-day Adventist through my local congregation. Here was Adventism for me.
As an older teenager, I began my own exploration of faith. It was my
local church that provided the stability for me to ask questions and begin to seek my own identity as a member of the congregation. Providing music, leading in youth Bible studies, and having pastors who seemed to care about me was leading me to consider, “What would a life in service to a local church be like?” I was blessed to have ministers who took note of this and had me join them for visiting appointments and Bible studies. It was the local Adventist congregation that provided the spiritual soil that nurtured my calling to the Seventh-day Adventist ministry.
As positive as these first chapters of church life were for me, I recognize that this was not necessarily the experience of others. For many, the church was boring and the people judgmental and narrow-minded. “Religion” was forced upon them through many behavioral rules. At the first opportunity they fled and never returned.
Rather than write these people off with pejoratives like “backsliders” or “apostatized,” I have found it more productive to listen to their stories when the opportunity presents itself. They often still believe the church’s doctrinal tenets and may adhere to the health lifestyles of their youth. And if this person trusts me enough, I may hear the core reason for their leaving. Most often these are stories of broken and hurtful relationships. Parents, church members, pastors, church leaders (or all the above) are often the source for this pain. The bridges have been burned. Return seems impossible. Yet I know that with God, all things are indeed possible. Jesus never gives up on us, and when the time is right, the return door to church is always open. It just takes that first courageous step of faith.
Social data from sources like Gallup show church attendance is in annual decline. Currently only 21% of Americans of any faith attend services weekly. Like so many other things, the pandemic accelerated this trend. And Seventh-day Adventist congregations are not immune. It is estimated that less than 40% of our membership are in regular attendance at Sabbath services. As a minister I am led to ask, “What can and should we do in response to this?”
It is worth reminding ourselves that the idea of “church” is not the creation of human imagination but has its origins with God Himself. Throughout the New Testament there are metaphors that capture the meaning of this divine social relationship: The church is a body (1 Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 1:22-23), a temple (Ephesians 2:20, 1 Peter 2:4-6), a bride (2 Corinthians 11:2, Revelation 12:1), and a family (Ephesians 2:19).
The Greek word for “church” is ekklesia, meaning “the called-out ones.” Through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are indeed called from this world to be a new creation in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The dilemma is when this ideal church collides with the church of reality. God is certainly faithful and true. But from the time of the apostles until now, humanity’s failings have always fallen short of the perfect attainment of being the body of Christ and the family of God. While we strive to be that church “without spot or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:27), our fallen natures regularly creep into church services, board meetings, conversations, and God’s divine plan. So, what can we do?
The answer is rooted in the grace of Jesus that saves us all at the beginning. The miracle of this grace is that God meets us where we
In 2025, there will be thousands of new believers who will join our congregations. How can you and I become more of the ideal
church for them and for each other?
are and then empowers us to strive daily for the ideal. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (NKJV). There are practical “good works” that we can apply to church life every day. As we do so, we more perfectly reflect the welcoming kingdom of our Heavenly Father.
In 2025, there will be thousands of new believers who will join our congregations. How can you and I become more of the ideal church for them and for each other? We can show genuine interest in those we see at church each Sabbath. Sit together and visit after services to be better acquainted. Greet people by name when you see each other. Find occasions to invite someone to join you for a social outing. Research has shown that the more people sense a friendship connection at church, the more
likely they are to become solidified in their faith as believers. And sometimes we also need to simply say, “I’m sorry” for things said or actions taken that hurt someone.
Ellen White wrote in 1905: “If we would humble ourselves before God, and be kind and courteous and tenderhearted and pitiful, there would be one hundred conversions to the truth where now there is only one” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 189). As we gather each Sabbath to praise God as His church, there is certainly no greater goal for you and me. In doing so we will certainly become more of that ideal church Jesus envisions us to be.
Bradford C. Newton is the president of the Pacific Union Conference.
Family
History
MBy Marc K. Woodson
y paternal grandmother was partially responsible for my love of history. Carrie Isabel Woodson was a woman of dignity who took pride in her family and her heritage. She was the granddaughter of an enslaved man from Virginia, Henry Raddick, who changed the name of his family after being set free by Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. As the story goes, once he was a free man, Henry refused to take on his former master’s surname as a way of protesting the harsh treatment he had received over the years. “I don’t want us to be known by ol’ massa’s name,” he proclaimed, and so he made up the name Raddick.
This and many other family stories I heard from Grandmother Woodson. I had the privilege of hearing most of these stories during visits to her home in Compton, California, where she had moved from Topeka, Kansas, not long after her husband, Leslie, passed away in 1958. She was an amiable lady and had exceptional storytelling skills. There were many moments as a young boy that I sat riveted by her interesting tales of family lore.
However, there was also a family story about my grandmother that was recounted to me by my parents. The details of the story were a little hazy, but it was something about my grandmother writing a letter to Adventist church officials protesting the treatment of Negro students at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, where my father, Milton, attended. I didn’t remember what the issues were, but I do remember my parents making the case that my grandmother wasn’t afraid to speak out against racial injustice. I was proud of that quality in her. To think of my 4-foot, 11inch grandmother speaking truth to power was a vision I could hardly fathom. Was this story just a piece of family legend or was it true? I wasn’t really sure until recently.
In the fall of 2023, I received a
copy of the book Change Agents written by Douglas Morgan and published by Oak and Acorn, the Pacific Union Conference’s publishing division.1 The subject of the book was captivating. It’s subtitle alone captured my attention: “The Lay Movement that Challenged the System and Turned Adventism Toward Racial Justice.” Morgan chronicles in his book the rise of Black Adventism, African American Adventists’ long quest for racial justice and equality, and the complex history of why and how regional conferences were established in the 1940s. It is a great read.
During the Pacific Union’s Administrators Retreat last year, where the executive officers of each of the seven conferences that comprise our union come together with their families for inspiration and rest, I found some downtime to relax on Sabbath afternoon in the hotel room. I picked up where I had left off reading Change Agents. In
Chapter Seven, entitled “Tragic Reversal II: The Rising Evil of Prejudice,” Morgan focuses on the racial discrimination and injustice that was prevalent in our educational and health institutions at that time. While reading these words, “Amidst hopeful signs of progress in American society at large, racial prejudice at Adventist institutions was worsening,”2 my thoughts quickly raced to Grandmother Woodson and the recounted story of her protest letter. The next sentence really made me think of the story, “Citing recent instances of heightened discriminatory policies at Atlantic Union College, Emmanuel Missionary College, and Union College, schools that had been touted—and to a limited yet meaningful degree had functioned—as places where Black students might find opportunity, [G. E.] Peters pled for action from the top leadership of the General Conference.”3
Then it came like a lightning bolt in the next
A 1943 letter written by the author's grandmother discovered in the General Conference Archives.
paragraph: “Mrs. Leslie Woodson, whose son Milton, a pre-med student who along with five other Black students, was being subjected to dining hall segregation at Union College, expressed a widelyshared mood when she wrote Peters in December 1943: ‘I have been an Adventist twenty-eight years and I have never been as discouraged as now.’”4 Wow! There it was. The family story was true, and Morgan had corroborated it.
I could hardly believe what I was reading right there in the hotel room on a Sabbath afternoon in a book on the pursuit of racial justice in Adventism. There was my grandmother—Mrs. Leslie Woodson (at that time wives were often referred to by their husband’s name) and my father, her son, Milton, right there on page 157! I nearly fell out of my chair in sheer excitement! After gaining composure, my mind raced to lots of questions. Where did Morgan get this information? Does the letter she wrote still exist? What made him decide to use this piece of my family’s history? I had to know the answers.
The next day, after getting Morgan’s contact information, I gave him a call and introduced myself as an admirer and the grandson of Mrs. Leslie Woodson (Carrie) and the son of Milton mentioned in his book. After a delightful and gracious conversation, he informed me that he would be glad to email me a copy of the December 1943 letter written by my grandmother in her own hand that he had discovered in the General Conference Archives. He did so that very day. Imagine the delight of seeing my grandmother’s own words and handwriting. I read her entire letter, of which the book only gives an excerpt. In some ways it was heartbreaking that a faithful Adventist woman
would have to write such a letter to her church leaders, pleading for something to be done about discrimination, and to hear of her discouragement. At the same time, I was proud of this faithful Adventist woman who refused to turn a blind eye while the church she loved and served practiced the “evil of prejudice.”
As a Seventh-day Adventist Church pastor and administrative leader for nearly 37 years, I am glad that our church has made critical improvements in racial relations since then. Before she died in 1981, Grandmother Woodson witnessed some of those changes—such as seeing the North American Division elect its first African American president,
Charles E. Bradford, whose grandfather, Robert Bradford, it so happened sold my grandmother’s mother, Anna Raddick, a copy of The Great Controversy by Ellen G. White. It was how my father’s family eventually became Adventists.
Our church today is far from perfect when it comes to racial relations, and there is still some progress to be made. But I hope that when we see injustices being perpetrated by church leaders or institutions who should know better, we would not give up, but we would instead courageously rise up and speak truth to power. Thank you, Grandmother Carrie Woodson, for giving us that important example.
Marc K. Woodson is the president of the Northern California Conference.
1Douglas Morgan, Change Agents: The Lay Movement that Challenged the System and Turned Adventism Toward Racial Justice (Westlake Village, CA: Oak & Acorn Publishing, 2020).
2Morgan, Change Agents, p. 156.
3Morgan, Change Agents, p. 156; emphasis added.
4Morgan, Change Agents, p. 157.
By Roy Branson
Slavery and
Many prominent Adventist leaders held views on slavery similar to those of Mrs. White. Through the Civil War years, such revered names as James White, Uriah Smith, and J.N. Andrews used the pages of the Review and Herald to attack laggards who did not endorse the emancipation position. An example is Uriah Smith's explicit criticism of President Lincoln. Tacitly acknowledging his own position to be radical, Smith censured the president for “following his present conservative, not to say suicidal, policy.”1 With emancipation still not official, Smith's hostility toward Lincoln was unrelenting.
“He has to stand up against the 'enthusiasm for freedom' which reigns in nearly twenty millions of hearts in the free North, and against the pr ayers of four millions of oppressed and suffering slaves. If he continues to resist all th ese, in refusing to take those steps which a sound policy, the principles of humanity, and the salvation of the country, demand, it must be from an infatuation akin to that which of ol d brought Pharaoh to an untimely end.” 2 Smith could not know that Lincoln's assassination would, in re trospect, make his analogy downright grisly.
Ellen G. White visits The Oakwood Industrial School in Huntsville, Alabama, in June 1904.
LEFT: The Leaders of the Southern Missionary Society, Will Palmer (second from left), Emma White, Edson White, and probably Annie Palmer (seated). Morning Star cook, Albert Greene, stands in the background.
Prophecy
When the North was losing major battles, Mrs. White complained because “the rebellion was handled so carefully, so slowly.”3 Later, when the North was consistently winning, her husband, James, jubilantly wrote in the Review that “appropriate retribution seems to be at last overtaking the fearfully guilty parties who have for long years held multitudes of their fellow beings in bondage.”4
Introducing a reprinted news article about the exploits of former slaves, now in the Union Army, who pursued slave owners into North Carolina swamps, Elder White asked, “What could be more appropriate than that the slaves themselves should be the instruments used to punish the merciless
BELOW: William J. Hardy (left) and son, Eugene: father and son in one of the first Black Seventh-day Adventist families.
tyrants who have so long ground them to the dust.” He was convinced that “Justice, though seemingly long delayed, is nevertheless following with relentless steps upon the heels of the oppressor.”5
In the forefront of Reconstruction
After the war, former abolitionists were in the forefront of Reconstruction. Such men as Thaddeus Stevens in the House of Representatives, Charles Sumner and Benjamin Wade in the Senate, and Edwin Stanton in the Cabinet came to be known as radical Republicans because they “seemed bent on engineering a sweeping reformation of southern society.” 6
A recent history of the period insists that idealism was part of the motivation for Reconstruction and that “a genuine desire to do justice to the Negro, then, was one of the mainsprings of radicalism.”7
Radical senators and congressmen led in passing civil rights laws to ensure that Blacks would be able to vote and enjoy full civil liberties. Some radicals went farther. “They believed that it would be essential to give the Negroes not only civil and political rights but some initial economic assistance as well.”8
It is interesting to note that during the height of Reconstruction, 1867-1877, quotations in the Review concerning national affairs seem to have been taken exclusively from well-known, radical Republican publications. The attempt to impeach President Andrew Johnson was reported in detail.9
More significantly, when Mrs. White later addressed herself to the needs of the South, she lamented the miserliness and briefness of the government's concern for the emancipated Black man. She endorsed the humanitarian ideas of the most progressive wing of the radical Republicans— those who felt an obligation to help the Black man politically, legally, and economically.
James White wrote a letter to fellow believer Leonard Hastings on September 3, 1852. In it he states that Ellen White had a vision in which she was shown, among other things, that early Black Adventist minister Eri L. Barr was among “men to be depended upon.”
“Much might have been accomplished by the people of America if adequate efforts in behalf of the freedmen had been put forth by the Government and by the Christian churches immediately after the emancipation of the slaves. Money should have been used freely to care for
and educate them at the time they were so greatly in need of help. But the Government, after a little effort, left the Negro to struggle, unaided, with his burden of difficulties.”10
Undoubtedly, the “little effort” Mrs. White commended took place during the brief period from 1867 to 1877 when Reconstruction governments included Blacks, and some improvement was achieved in education, medical care, and welfare. She may also have referred to activities of the Freedman's Bureau. Organized and funded by a federal government dominated by radicals, it operated for only four years, until 1869. During that time the bureau gave medical care to a million people, spent $5 million for Black schools, supervised labor contracts for Black workers, and administered special courts to protect freedmen's civil rights.11 Mrs. White felt more should have been done, but Reconstruction ended too soon for the radicals to accomplish their sweeping reforms.
Within a little more than a decade after the Civil War, eight of the Southern states had voted out of office political leaders supporting radical Republican policies. In the elections of 1876, Democrats claimed victory in the remaining three states of the Confederacy: South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana. The spring of the following year, President Rutherford B. Hayes withdrew the last federal troops from the South. Reconstruction had ended. The Republican coalition of Blacks, Northern carpetbaggers, and White Southern turncoats had lost its dominance. Southerners called the new era “Redemption.”
Some persistent comparisons between Mrs. White (and other Adventist writers) and abolitionists and radical Republicans may leave the impression that Adventists merely adopted the outlook on national problems they found around them—that their religion had little to do with their views on social and moral issues. But this is far from the truth. If anyone had told the founding fathers of our denomination that their attitudes toward race had nothing to do with their theology, they would have shaken their heads in disbelief. For Ellen and James White, Uriah Smith, and J.N. Andrews, proper attitudes toward race relations were part of a true understanding of the Bible and its doctrines.
Slavery and prophecy
Emancipation was an official fact Jan. 1, 1863. For the next three months, 12 issues of the Review began with front-page excerpts from Luther Lee's Slavery Examined in the Light of the Bible 12 The book went through controversial texts in the Old and New Testaments, arguing strenuously that the Bible, far from condoning slavery, condemned it.
Both Uriah Smith and James White related slavery to prophecy. Just as the United States was divided
“When the laws of men conflict with the word and law of God, we are to obey the latter, whatever the consequences may be. The law of our land requiring us to deliver a slave to his master, we are not to obey; and we must abide the consequences of violating this law. The slave is not the property of any man. God is his rightful master, and man has no right to take God's workmanship into his hands, and claim him as his own.”
Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 201 (1862).
into two camps, so the lamb in Revelation 13:11 had two horns. Oppression of Blacks in America was more significant evidence that the beast in Revelation 13 was the United States. Revelation describes a beast that looks like a lamb but speaks like a dragon. James White made the application.
“Its [United States'] outward appearance and profession is the most pure, peaceful, and harmless, possible. It professes to guarantee to every man liberty and the pursuit of happiness in temporal things, and freedom in matters of religion; yet about four millions of human beings are held by the Southern States of this nation in the most abject and cruel bondage and servitude, and the theological bodies of the land have adopted a creed-power, which is as inexorable and tyrannical as is possible to bring to bear upon the consciences of men. Verily with all its lamblike appearance and profession, it has the heart and voice of a dragon; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”13
Uriah Smith pointed to the “white-washed villainy of many of the pulpits of our land,” pulpits supporting slavery—evidence that “the dragonic spirit of this nation has of late years developed itself in accordance with the prophecy in Rev. xiii, 11.”14 Far from being a purely secular concern, Adventists thought race
relations were intimately involved with a proper understanding of prophecy and last-day events.
Mrs. White also saw slavery as one of the signs of the times. She cited the defense of slavery by ecclesiastical institutions as proof that churches in America were part of apostate Babylon. “God will restrain His anger but a little longer. His anger burns against this nation, and especially against the religious bodies who have sanctioned, and have themselves engaged in this terrible merchandise.”15 God will remember the suffering slave and others who are oppressed. “The names of such are written in blood, crossed with stripes, and flooded with agonizing, burning tears of suffering. God's anger will not cease until He has caused the land of light to drink the dregs of the cup of his fury, and until he has rewarded unto Babylon double.… All the sins of the slave will be visited upon the master.”16
It would have been possible for Adventists to have opposed slavery, seen its evil as one of the signs of the end, and still not preached equality between Blacks and Whites. By the time of the collapse of Reconstruction and the birth of Redemption, when Mrs. White launched her appeals for the Southern work, even radical Republican papers assumed the inferiority of the Black man. “It was quite common in the 'eighties and 'nineties to find in the Nation, Harper's Weekly, the North American Review, or the Atlantic Monthly Northern liberals and former
abolitionists mouthing the shibboleths of white supremacy regarding the Negro's innate inferiority, shiftlessness, and hopeless unfitness for full participation in the white man's civilization.”17 During this same period of the eighties and nineties, Mrs. White was adamant: Blacks and Whites are equal.
In addition to eschatology, or the study of lastday events, Mrs. White based her discussion of race on two other doctrines: redemption and creation. Christ's atoning and reconciling work meant that all men were saved, and none were more saved than others: “Christ came to this earth with a message of mercy and forgiveness. He laid the foundation for a religion by which Jew and Gentile, black and white, free and bond, are linked together in one common brotherhood, recognized as equal in the sight of God.”18 For Mrs. White, Christ had brought humans into a new relationship where each was equally related to Him. Christians, therefore, must look on other Christians as equals.
But what about those who were not Christians? If men were not converted, if they were not within the brotherhood created by Christ's redeeming life, could they properly relate as superior to inferior, master to slave? “No,” was Mrs. White's emphatic response. The doctrine of Creation prevents it. God wants Whites who relate to Black persons to remember “their common relationship to us by creation and by redemption, and their right to the blessings of freedom.”19 Elsewhere she insisted that “man is God's property by creation and redemption.”20
It is significant that Mrs. White did not support equality simply on the basis of redemption. Even if men were unconverted, the doctrine of Creation means that all humans, whether they acknowledge Christ or not, belong to God. Where people's equality and freedom are violated, it is not God
acting, but humanity's sinful nature. “Prejudices, passions, satanic attributes, have revealed themselves in men as they have exercised their powers against their fellow men.”21
Roy Branson was a Seventh-day Adventist theologian, social activist, ethicist, and educator. He was director of the Center for Christian Bioethics at Loma Linda University Health when he passed away in 2015. This article appeared in the April 16, 1970, Review and Herald. Used with permission.
1Uriah Smith, editorial comment before "Letter to the President," Review and Herald 20, no. 17 (Sept. 23, 1862), p. 130.
2Smith, editorial comment, p. 130.
3Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1 (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1885), p. 254.
4James White, “Justice Awaking,” Review and Herald 23, no. 9 (Jan. 26, 1864), p. 68.
5James White, “Justice Awaking,” p. 68.
6Kenneth M. Stampp, The Era of Reconstruction, 1865-1877 (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1965), p. 16. Stampp is one of what is now the dominant school of Reconstruction historians called "revisionists." They have consciously attempted to correct earlier writers who interpreted Reconstruction as totally evil and oppressive.
7Stampp, p. 105.
8Stampp, p. 122.
9Farrell Gilliland II, “Seventh-day Adventist Sentiment Toward Reconstruction After the Civil War" (unpublished manuscript, Andrews University, 1963).
10Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9 (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1909), p. 205.
11Stampp, pp. 134-135.
12Luther Lee, Slavery Examined in the Light of the Bible (Syracuse, NY: Wesleyan Methodist Book Room, 1855).
13James White, "Thoughts on the Revelation," Review and Herald 20, no. 24 (Nov. 11, 1862), p. 188.
14Uriah Smith, note before "The Degeneracy of the United States," Review and Herald 20, no. 3 (June 17, 1862), p. 22; cf. note before "The Cause and Cure of the Present Civil War," Review and Herald 20, no. 12 (Aug. 19, 1862), p. 89.
15Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1 (Battle Creek, MI: Seventh-day Adventist Pub. Assn., 1858), p. 191.
16Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts, pp. 192-193.
17C. Vann Woodward, The Strange Career of Jim Crow (New York: Oxford University Press, 1966), p. 70; cf. Vincent P. DeSantis, Republicans Face the Southern Question (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1959), pp. 24-52.
18Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7 (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1902), p. 225.
19Ellen G. White, Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 223.
20Ellen G. White to J.E. and Emma White, Letter 80a, 1895 (Aug. 16, 1895).
21Ellen G. White to J.E. and Emma White.
Where people's equality and freedom are violated, it is not God acting, but humanity's sinful nature.
TheChurch Fundamental Belief Number 12:
By Jim Park
The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times, we are called out from the world; and we join together for worship, for fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, for service to humanity, and for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. The church derives its authority from Christ, who is the incarnate Word revealed in the Scriptures. The church is God's family; adopted by Him as children, its members live on the basis of the new covenant. The church is the body of Christ, a community of faith of which Christ Himself is the Head. The church is the bride for whom Christ died that He might sanctify and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He will present her to Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages, the purchase of His blood, not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish.1
Fundamental Belief 12 is a well written and concise statement of the Church in its past, present, and future dimensions. Further insight into its nature is outlined in the first chapter of The Acts of the Apostles by Ellen White, entitled “God’s Purpose for His Church.”
Her first sentence focuses on the foundational mission of the Church: “The church is God's appointed agency for the salvation of men. It was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the gospel to the world” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 9). She goes on to say that through the Church, “the final and full display of the love of God” will be displayed (p. 9). In that opening chapter she goes on to describe the
church with two powerful images from the Old and New Testament: the city of refuge and the city set on a hill.
His city of refuge
The city of refuge is the first image of the church presented in the chapter. “The church is God’s fortress, His city of refuge, which He holds in a revolted world” (p. 11). This concept of refuge is drawn from the Old Testament legislation regarding the cities of refuge in Israel (Numbers 35:9-34).
The church is called to be a safe place—a city of refuge within a city of danger. It is not only to be a place of loving acceptance but must be guarded by the watchful care of the pastors and church leaders who have been entrusted with its safety. Fortress, refuge, safety. Yes, the church is to provide a sense of security for those who have gathered within her walls—a sanctuary; a shelter in the time of storm; and a place where truth and love dwells, heals, and fills with hope for God’s tomorrow.
The city set on a hill
The second image of the church is “the city set on a hill.” Jesus used this imagery during the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:14-16). Ellen White takes this metaphor and again applies it in a dual way to the church. God unfolds “the pure
God’s love from His shining hill serves as a beacon light to those who are in the dark.
doctrines of heaven” within its borders and makes the church “the theater of His grace” in order to “reveal His power to transform hearts” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 12). The glow of God’s love from His shining hill serves as a beacon light to those who are in the dark.
When the church has too much of a fortress mentality, the light which should be shining forth from its doors will not have much positive impact on the community. On the other hand, those believers who are always busy like Martha, striving to do something, need also to join Mary and sit at the feet of Jesus (Luke 10:38-42).
In the two pictures of the church as a city of refuge and a city set on a hill, we are not presented with opposing ideas. These are complementary images of what the church is called to be. The church in the city is called to be both a sanctuary and a beacon—a well of living water and a river of life that flows out to every nook and cranny of the neighborhood, which is so much in need of its healing virtues.
Jim Park is Sabbath School and Personal Ministries director for the Pacific Union Conference.
1“What Adventists Believe About the Church (Body of All Believers),” Official Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, https://www.adventist.org/thechurch/.
Pioneers in the West
By the Recorder editorial staff
Beginnings: Southern California
Early days in Los Angeles
With most early Adventist activity concentrated in the northern part of the state, it wasn’t until 1874 that Southern California had an ordained minister in its territory—John B. Judson. Evangelism picked up with the arrival of William Healey, who held a series of tent meetings in downtown Los Angeles in 1879. This laid the foundations for the first Adventist church in Southern California, which after a couple of moves became known as the Central church. These were small beginnings. E.J. Waggoner refers to “the little company at Los Angeles” in an article in the Signs of the Times of May 29, 1884.
However, a second church group was organized in Norwalk later that year, and it was the first to construct a church building. Later, other churches were built in Los Angeles, San Pedro, and Pasadena. Other approaches to evangelism were also tried. In 1896, a vegetarian restaurant opened, together with medical treatment rooms under the direction of Dr. Moran. These were located between Broadway and Hill on Third Street in Los Angeles. In addition to the group of about 100 that met at the Carr Street church, another group had come together on the east side of Los Angeles, later becoming the Lincoln Park church.
When Merritt G. Kellogg left St. Helena Sanitarium in 1889, he moved to El Monte. He discovered that there were two members there and that in Pomona there was a group of 16—who in 1886 had attended tent meetings conducted by E.A. Briggs, a blind Adventist evangelist.
Merritt G. Kellogg
A separate Southern California Conference
Up until this time, everything was under the direction of the California Conference, based in Oakland. At a camp meeting held there in 1901, it was decided to form a separate Southern California Conference, made up of the area of the state south of the Tehachapi and Santa Ynez mountains.
The new conference had four ordained and six licensed ministers, 19 churches and two unorganized companies, a membership of 1,200, and 11 church schools.
The church schools were very much part of the church’s mission. The church school begun in 1898 in Centralia, southeast of Los Angeles, was followed in 1902 by schools conducted in Santa
Ana, Pasadena, Norwalk, at the Carr Street church in Los Angeles, and in other cities. The school at San Fernando also began in 1902.
William Ward Simpson
But the big impact on Los Angeles came with the arrival of William Ward Simpson in 1904. He had previously held successful meetings in Redlands, Riverside, Pasadena, San Diego, and San Francisco, but now he turned his attention to the metropolis of Los Angeles. Simpson was probably the most successful evangelist of the time, and he was particularly effective in the cities. His creative style and intriguing presentations captured the interest of many, so that his tent meetings reached some 2,000 in attendance. More than 200 baptisms were the immediate result.
This success caught the attention of church leaders, particularly Ellen White. She wrote several letters to Simpson, encouraging him and suggesting that others adopt similar methods. For example: “I am deeply interested in your work in Southern California. I am so anxious that you shall not break down under the strain of long, continuous effort.
Let someone connect with you who can share your burdens” (Ellen G. White, “Proper Voice Culture,” Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, p. 15).
She wrote about him to others:
Brother S is an intelligent evangelist. He speaks with the simplicity of a child. Never does he bring any slur into his discourses. He preaches directly from the Word, letting the Word speak to all classes. His strong arguments are the words of the Old and the New Testaments. He does not seek for words that would merely impress the people with his learning, but he endeavors to let the Word of God speak to them directly in clear, distinct utterance.…
“I am deeply interested in your work in Southern California. I am so anxious that you shall not break down under the strain of long, continuous effort.” Ellen White
I am pleased with the manner in which our brother [Elder Simpson] has used his ingenuity and tact in providing suitable illustrations for the subjects presented— representations that have a convincing power. Such methods will be used more and more in this closing work” (Ellen G. White, Evangelism, pp. 204-205).
In fact, Ellen White was so interested that she came in person to support him. “For some time Elder Simpson has been holding tent meetings in a large tent, which is pitched near the business part
of the city. On Sabbath morning I spoke in this tent. Notice had been sent to the churches near Los Angeles, and there were about a thousand people present” (Ellen G. White, “Encouraging Letter From California,” The Southern Missionary, Dec. 1, 1904).
When it was suggested that he move to a different location, he received a petition signed by many people asking him to stay for another evangelistic series. Ellen White also thought a move was a bad idea, and she advised he should stay where he was (Ellen G. White, “Counsel Relating to the Work in Los Angeles and the Paradise Valley Sanitarium,” Manuscript Releases, vol. 15, p. 314).
The tragedy was that by 1907 Simpson was dead at the age of 34, leaving behind a wife and three young children. Other evangelists took over, such as Luther Warren from 1908 to 1910, J.W. McCord, Fred Paap, Milton St. John, E.J. Hibbard, C.E. Ford, and others. Ellen White repeatedly encouraged such activities, saying, “Special light has been given me regarding the character and magnitude of the work to be done in Los Angeles. Several times messages have been given regarding the duty that rests upon us of proclaiming the third angel's message with
power in that city” (Ellen G. White, “Notes of Travel— No. 5,” Review and Herald, March 2, 1905, p. 8).
Diversity
In 1906 Jennie Ireland, a nurse who had graduated from the Battle Creek Sanitarium, began doing medical missionary work among the Black population in Los Angeles. As a result of her sharing her faith, the Furlong (later Wadsworth) Seventh-day Adventist church was organized in 1908 with 23 charter members. Membership grew to 100 before the church had a pastor. The first Black full-time employee was Amy Temple, a Bible instructor. Note this:
Elder R. S. Owen…gave the experience of Jennie Ireland, who worked among the colored people in a Southern California city, ministering to the sick. As a result, barriers were broken down, and hearts were open to receive the gospel. What she taught to one individual, she urged that person to give to some other person. In this way a number of efficient workers had already been developed, and a church of
thirty-eight organized, the members of which are very faithful in observing the principles of health (General Conference Bulletin, vol. 6, May 30, 1909, p. 203).
In 1905, small house meetings began among the Spanish-speaking population. In 1906, E.S. Ballenger baptized eight persons. The conference then hired Augusta E. De Angeles as the first full-time Hispanic worker. By 1907, the first Spanish company was organized, followed in 1909 by the Los Angeles Gless Street church. Since then a large number of Spanish-speaking churches and companies have been organized.
The first medical institution established by the conference was Glendale Sanitarium, which was founded in 1905. In 1915, the conference was divided into two—the Southern California Conference and the Southeastern California Conference.
Does everything change?
By Carlos A. Camacho
When I was a young boy, my older sister used to listen to a folk song by the Indios Tucumanos, of Argentina, which illustrates a great truth. The song, written by Mercedes Sosa, is called Todo cambia (Everything Changes).
The song presents in a poetic way the inevitable nature of change. Sosa expresses how people, feelings, circumstances, and even the most essential aspects of life are in constant transformation. The song's thesis lies in the assertion that change is a constant and universal reality, something from which no one can escape.
Through her verses, we are reminded that change is essential in every living organism. There are changes, both internal and external, affecting the people, nature, and structures of society—and even the church, as the church is made up of people who are part of an ever-changing society.
For the purposes of the song, Sosa concludes that there is only one thing that does not change: love. In her case, it is love for her land, her roots, her cultural identity, and her personal essence. However, even that can change. The Bible teaches us that the only thing truly immutable is God. God’s nature is immutable and therefore eternally reliable, firm, and true. Let’s consider some examples in the Bible.
“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6, ESV). In a very direct way, Malachi reminds us that even if we change and rebel, God does not change, and that’s the reason—thankfully—we are not consumed. Thanks to God's immutability, His mercies endure forever!
Both Hebrews 13:8 and James 1:17 testify that God’s loving, merciful essence is unchanging through time and is our only safeguard. David states in Psalm 102:27, “But you are the same, and your years have no end” (ESV). Although creation itself will eventually be consumed, God’s eternal nature remains unchanged.
So, since everything changes except God, what is the responsibility of Seventh-day Adventist Christians in the face of a changing world—especially since, although we are not of the world, we are in it? Let me make the following observations:
The essence of the Holy Spirit's power in our lives is the ability to transform our lives and character into the image of God, which we lost with the introduction of sin. In other words, the possibility and assurance of change, by the power of God, is essential to humanity.
You and I, connected to Jesus, are in continual transformation: “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13, BRG).
On top of that, as everything continues to change, Christians must continue to adjust our methods and make strategic changes in order to remain relevant in a changing world and to share the profound truths of the gospel in a way that can be understood and appreciated. We are faced with the constant need to contextualize the gospel.
The need for change and the adaptation of new forms and methods is as necessary as our commitment to not compromise the principles of biblical truth. God entrusted a wonderful message to the church, and this must be communicated to the world; to do this, we must adapt our methods to reach all people, at all times.
Too often and in an irresponsible and disingenuous way, preachers and commentators accuse the organized church and its leaders of syncretism, saying that the church is Babylon and criticizing every innovative effort to contextualize the gospel and continue to call the world to the foot of the cross.
Particularly, we see this in social media charlatans who live off “likes” and who monetize by criticizing the church instead of serving, supporting, and joining the efforts to conquer the world for Christ. “But it shall not be so among you” were the wise words of Jesus to His disciples (Matthew 20:26, KJV).
I invite you to continue to drink from the unadulterated source of God’s Word as the final course of your life. I invite you to commit yourself to God in the service of His church to reach out to the world. I invite you to spend less time on the digested words of others and to focus your attention on God’s Word and the privilege of sharing the transforming truths of the gospel with everyone as much as possible.
We can all criticize and complain about what is wrong and what we perceive to be the mistakes of our church or our leaders, but that does not help or benefit God’s work and does not bring us any closer to the second coming of Jesus. Joining in the service, supporting, and influencing our leaders does help. Join the efforts of the Pacific Union Conference and our churches in the “Sharing Jesus” initiative. Let’s do everything in our power so that we can soon be translated into the presence of the unchanging God who awaits us with open arms.
Carlos Camacho is the president of the Nevada-Utah Conference.
The need for change and the adaptation of new forms and methods is as necessary as our commitment to not compromise the principles of biblical truth.
Coming Soon from Oak & Acorn
Women of the West is an inspiring and meticulously researched anthology that celebrates the contributions of 20 remarkable women who significantly shaped the Seventh-day Adventist Church, particularly in its westward expansion. The book not only restores these women's stories to the forefront but also contextualizes their achievements within the larger narrative of Adventism’s pioneering spirit.
Women of the West is organized into 20 chapters, each dedicated to a different woman and each authored by a different Pacific Union College student. These short biographies detail the lives of women from diverse backgrounds who were leaders in education, healthcare, ministry, missionary work, and community building.
The book stands out for its engaging blend of historical detail and personal narrative. Each chapter presents a vivid portrayal of a pioneer woman, highlighting their courage, faith, and leadership in various spheres, including education, healthcare, and ministry.
While the text is firmly rooted in Adventist history, its themes of resilience, innovation, and dedication resonate broadly, making it a valuable read for both Adventist and non-Adventist audiences. The inclusion of primary sources, archival anecdotes, and academic references enriches the narrative, ensuring the book's appeal to scholars and general readers alike.
The book seeks to inspire by demonstrating how the faith and determination of these women shaped their communities and advanced the mission of the Adventist Church. It also challenges readers to reflect on the evolving roles of women in religious leadership and highlights the importance of preserving and sharing untold stories.
Oak & Acorn Publishing is a ministry of the Pacific Union Conference.
Diné Adventist Radio is Launched
In a world where the airwaves are filled with a myriad of voices, a new beacon of hope and inspiration to a largely unreached people group—in the heart of the United States—has emerged. Diné Adventist Radio (DAR), a bilingual (Navajo and English) religious radio network, celebrated its grand opening on Dec. 8, 2024, with a heartfelt ceremony that brought together conference leaders, soon-to-be devoted listeners, and those who love radio. This momentous occasion marked the beginning of a journey that started almost five years ago to spread faith, love, and acceptance through the power of radio to the Navajo Nation Reservation. As the first of its kind in the region, DAR promises to empower the Diné (DINeh, the Navajo people) to experience total well-being in their health, with their families, and through their faith.
The ceremony began with a heartfelt welcome by Pastor Dale Wolcott, who has lived on the reservation and ministered to the Navajo for years. Wolcott, Arizona Conference assistant to the president for Native American Ministries, shared his belief in the importance of sharing Jesus with the Navajo Nation Reservation through this media. For some, this communication medium might feel antiquated, but it is perfect for this community. After years of work on this project, Wolcott expressed his excitement and praise to God for this new beginning.
Throughout the program, various division and conference representatives and leaders shared their
joy and belief in God’s goodness in creating this new radio network. Featured speakers included Rick Remmers, North American Division assistant to the president for Native Ministries; Reggie Leach, Arizona Conference treasurer; and Allen Steel, Adventist World Radio ambassador, who all have had a hand in forming and guiding this fledgling ministry. Texico Conference President Lee-Roy Chacon wrapped up the event with a blessing and an inspiring prayer of dedication for DAR. Holbrook Indian School and LaVida Mission students sang various praise songs in Navajo and English.
The highlight of the event was the ribbon-cutting ceremony, symbolizing the network's official launch. Cheers erupted from the crowd as the ribbon was cut, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the community.
Attendees were treated to a tour of the studio, where they could see firsthand the technology and dedication that will drive the network's programming. The studio, equipped with high-quality broadcasting equipment, promises to deliver content that will encourage the Navajo listeners on the reservation.
Lunch was provided by the LaVida Mission kitchen crew and a small serving “army” led by Nancy Wolcott.
The launch of Diné Adventist Radio is not just the start of a new radio station; it is the beginning of a community coming together to share faith, help, and hope to a community struggling with poverty and associated issues. With a commitment to providing uplifting and native-created content, DAR aims to be a trusted companion for its listeners, offering a sense of community and spiritual nourishment.
As the event concluded, there was a sense of excitement and anticipation for this new beginning. The Diné Adventist Radio Network is poised to follow the path God has set before it to significantly impact the Navajo Nation Reservation. The DAR grand opening is just the next step in a journey of faith, hope, and inspiration.
By Steve Pester
Pastor Retires After Decades of Service in Correctional Ministries
With a booming voice and characteristic one-word spiritual interjections like “Preach!” “Truth!” or “Bible,” BJ Warren's presence is felt wherever he goes. A larger-than-life man, his energy is matched by his dedication to ministering to the incarcerated. Known for his compassionate heart and desire to share Jesus with individuals behind bars, his message of redemption and God’s love to those often overlooked by society defines his purpose in life.
Warren has conducted Bible studies, organized worship services, and provided one-on-one counseling for many decades, always reminding inmates that no one is beyond God’s reach. Leading the Department of Prison Ministries, which recently changed its name to Correctional Ministries, he has also overseen programs that work closely with families, parolees, and local organizations to ensure a path toward successful reintegration into the community.
Friends, family, and colleagues gathered to honor Warren’s work at a retirement celebration held in December at the Arizona Conference. Many who
As one of his last acts as director, Warren honored Ranison and Rosie Kennedy for 20 years of ministry running the Omega House in Tucson, Arizona.
gathered for that event noted his impact on the office environment and how much that will be missed. Although stepping away from his official role, Warren is not leaving the correctional ministry entirely. When he turned in his volunteer badge to the prison system in December, he was asked if he would come in once a week on Thursdays to give a spiritual message to the groups of men transitioning through the federal prison system.
“I wondered what I could say to these men who I would never see again,” Warren reflected. “Then I realized I needed to simply share the TRUTH of who Jesus is!” he exclaimed.
His departure marks the end of an era, but his legacy of love, faith, and service will continue to inspire many for years to come.
By Jeff Rogers
Warren has conducted Bible studies, organized worship services, and provided one-on-one counseling for many decades, always reminding inmates that no one is beyond God’s reach.
BJ Warren (right) retired on Dec. 31 from decades of service in correctional ministries and passed the torch of ministry to Mark Sulger (left), who will continue the leadership in the department.
An Interview with Executive Secretary-Elect
David Dean: His Journey and Vision
“Beyond
administrative tasks, I see myself helping with the overall vision and direction of the Central California Conference.”
The Central California Conference welcomes Pastor David Dean as its new executive secretary-elect. In this interview, Pastor Dean shares his journey of faith and his vision for the future.
Can you share your background and journey within the Seventh-day Adventist Church?
I didn’t grow up as a Seventh-day Adventist. I was born and raised in Reno, Nevada, and my family attended Nazarene churches. My mom, sisters, and I were regular churchgoers, but my dad wasn't very religious. Interestingly, my dad, an attorney, formed a friendship with an Adventist pastor after doing legal work for him. When my dad was diagnosed with cancer, he trusted the Adventist pastor to deliver his eulogy. After his passing, we connected more deeply with the Adventist church. We started attending a Bible study on the book of Revelation at the Sparks church. Eventually, we transitioned from the Nazarene church to the Adventist church.
It wasn't until we moved to the Bay Area that my mom was baptized. We found a church in East Palo Alto, and eventually my entire family was baptized. I was 17 at the time. I became actively involved in church leadership, preaching at 17 and becoming an elder in my early 20s. People would tell me, "You're going to be a pastor," but I didn't see that for myself back then.
What inspired you to accept the position of executive secretary at this time?
I believe God is leading me in this direction. I never saw myself as a career pastor moving from church to church. Even when I served in Madera and Chowchilla, I knew I wouldn't just keep moving around. I had a sense I might eventually do something in administration because I'm interested in organizational efficiency and integrity.
Over time, I lost that dream and wasn't as interested in working for the conference. I enjoyed pastoring and had other pursuits in mind. So, when this opportunity came up, I was initially hesitant. But once the official call came, and after praying with my wife, we accepted it wholeheartedly. I see it as an assignment from God, even though it wasn't part of my original plan.
What are your primary responsibilities in this role, and how do you envision fulfilling them?
The responsibilities are extensive and can be overwhelming when you look at the list. They include accumulating statistics, generating reports, assisting local church clerks, updating service records, processing calls for incoming pastors and department directors, handling credentials and licenses, and supporting pastors during installations. There's also a legal aspect and mentoring involved.
Beyond administrative tasks, I see myself helping with the overall vision and direction of the Central California Conference. I'll collaborate with fellow administrators, churches, and pastors, focusing on deep work, efficiency, and streamlining processes. It's important to create boundaries to avoid burnout and maintain effectiveness. I plan to be patient with myself as I learn and grow in this role.
How do you plan to support the president's vision and the overall mission of the conference?
I'm eager to learn and understand more fully the vision moving forward. I look forward to coming alongside president-elect Ricardo Valora and supporting his ministry. We’ll pray with our fellow administrators and seek God's guidance to create synergy.
There will be a lot of listening and humility involved. We might have different ideas, but we need to be willing to grow
together. I believe in the saying, "Grow fast, built to crash; grow slow, built to last." If we want something lasting and strong, we need to grow slowly together.
We'll focus on building morale; assessing the health of our institutions, churches, and pastors; and exploring innovative ways of ministry. Deep spirituality will be key; we will encourage all our churches and institutions to embody it so we can fulfill God's calling.
What message would you like to share with the conference members as you begin your service as executive secretary?
My family and I look forward to serving and connecting with all the constituencies and churches. We realize there's a long and challenging journey ahead. There will be many obstacles both within the church and in the wider world as our country and culture change.
I encourage everyone to not be fearful or daunted. God's work will end with greater power than it began. I believe God intends for all His institutions to thrive and be successful. This will happen through prayer and our faithfulness to biblical principles and prophetic guidance.
We need to be strong and brave—pushing forward, knowing that Jesus is leading. We already know how it's going to end, so we walk with that kind of confidence. Let's move forward together, trusting in God's plan for our conference and our lives.
By Justin Kim
Hawaiian Mission Academy Presents Christmas Music Concert
This year, I had the privilege of directing the Christmas program at Hawaiian Mission Academy (HMA). As the worship leader at Kaneohe church, I was so excited to begin teaching at HMA and sharing my passion for music with the students. I’ve been incredibly grateful for the unwavering support and encouragement from our leadership. Honestly, these kids inspire me every day with their love for God. I’ve learned so much from them, and it’s been a joy to see their enthusiasm grow throughout this process.
The program’s success was truly a testament to the hard work and dedication of the teachers. They played such a huge role in turning a small vision into a beautiful reality that glorified God’s name. At the end of the day, I feel like all I did was pick some songs and wave my hands on stage—everything else was thanks to the students and teachers who poured their hearts into making this happen.
The program’s success was truly a testament to the hard work and dedication of the teachers.
This entire experience has been such a learning opportunity for me. It’s reminded me of why I love teaching and how meaningful it is to make an impact in the lives of young people. I feel so blessed to have been part of this journey, and I am incredibly thankful to everyone who made it possible.
By Isaac De La Cruz
A Home Away From Home
Home. What comes to mind for you when you think of home? This word brings up varying images of people, places, pets, and buildings associated with warm memories, family, comfort, community, safety, and security. You may think of the home you grew up in or a grandparent who loved you unconditionally. Perhaps a dear pet who brought you comfort during a difficult time comes to mind. Sometimes we take for granted our families and family homes, holiday gatherings, time around the dinner table, or family reunions. We may also take for granted our neighborhoods and communities. Whatever the case may be, the word “home” is typically
associated with fond memories and a safe place to find refuge.
It may not seem ideal to live in a dorm setting, but for many of our students here at Holbrook Indian School (HIS), who often come from extremely isolated living environments, our dorms provide a close-knit community and a safe, warm space for American Indian children to experience a home away from home and an opportunity to learn social skills that will help them be better prepared for life outside of HIS.
Our deans work hard to cultivate a healthy “home” culture in each of the dorms so that our students get a feel for personal responsibility along with a sense of belonging and community: family. Evening offers the best time for students to experience this “home away from home” environment, when they return to the dorms after being in class all day. During the evenings in the girls’ dorm, our young ladies engage in study hall, free time, chore time, and dorm worship. They
A Seventh-day Adventist Boarding Academy Serving Native American Youth Since 1946
have a structured schedule just like they would at home, right along with staggered, age-appropriate bedtimes. During free time, our girls like to play games, work on art projects, read, talk to family members on the phone, and do a plethora of other activities. The boys have a slightly different schedule, but an equally important routine that helps them create lasting bonds with each other. They, too, like playing games to pass the time, and they engage in chore time and dorm worship as well. One notable difference in the boys’ dorm is that they have their own barbershop. This provides them the opportunity to learn barber skills, which they enjoy, and to keep each other looking sharp.
While we could never—nor do we want to—replace a child’s parent or family, we do understand the difficulties our students face being so far away from home and what’s familiar to them for long periods of time. Our students’ homes are such a far distance from school that boarding is necessary. Understanding this, we work hard to provide a safe, warm, and homey environment for our students while they are here. This helps not only with their educational retention but also with their healing process.
It is a blessing and a privilege to be able to fill this need for our students, which would not be possible without God’s provisions through generous friends and their support of our little school in the desert. We pray that by setting the example of a loving home environment, our students will learn to create loving homes of their own for themselves and future generations.
By Kimberly Cruz
Holbrook Indian School (HIS) is a first- through twelfth-grade boarding academy operated by the Pacific Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. HIS also manages a firstthrough eighth-grade day school on the Navajo reservation in Chinle, Arizona. Eighty-seven percent of funding comes from individuals who have a desire to support Native American ministries and Christian education. Your generosity makes a difference in the lives of our students, their families, and the communities they serve. Thank you for your support.
DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
P.O. Box 910 • Holbrook, Arizona 86025-0910
(928) 524-6845 (Ext. 109) • Development@hissda.org HolbrookIndianSchool.org
Being Present in Suffering is Healing
Afew weeks ago, I visited a patient who was awaiting major surgery. She appeared surprised when I knocked on her door but warmly welcomed me. “I’m feeling nervous,” she confided. “I want to feel peace as I go into surgery, and I would be grateful if you could pray for me. Pray for peace and strength and for God’s hand over everything.”
Holding her hand, I offered a heartfelt prayer, asking for God’s presence, wisdom for the medical team, and peace for her mind.
A few days later, I checked on her after surgery. “Good morning, it’s Chaplain Jahdiel. How are you doing?”
Her voice was soft. “Hello, chaplain. Here I am, still in pain.”
I pulled a chair next to her bed and sat down, signaling I had time to listen. “You mentioned you’re in pain.”
Tears pooled in her eyes. “I’m struggling. The doctors won’t let me take my depression pills, and without them I feel terrible. I don’t know if I’m going to make it. It feels like God isn’t helping me right now.”
If I’d been a family member, I might have tried to counter her darkness with words of encouragement. If I’d been her pastor, maybe I would have shared Scripture passages dripping with hope. Chaplains, however, are trained to approach suffering in a different manner—to validate emotions and pain. So, with a posture of compassion, I sat with her in her pain. I listened attentively, creating a safe space for her to express her fears, doubts, and hopes, knowing—as described in the Shepherd’s Psalm—that she is not alone: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…thou art with me” (Psalm 23:4, KJV).
“This is a very hard time for you,” I said. “You’re in pain, and it feels like God isn’t close. I’m so sorry you’re feeling this way. Tell me more.”
“I’ve been crying out to God, but I don’t feel Him answering me. I tell Him, ‘Lord, I’m not ready to go. I want to go back to my church and serve as a deaconess like I used to.’ Then there’s my daughter—she’s going through a terrible divorce. She keeps telling me, ‘Mom, don’t leave me. I need you.’ And my granddaughters— they call and ask if I’m OK. It breaks my heart. They need
As a staff chaplain at Adventist Health Glendale, Jahdiel
is part of the team that provides emotional and spiritual care for healthcare providers and the patients they serve.
me, chaplain, but I feel so weak.”
By the end of our conversation, something had shifted. Though her physical pain remained, she began to rediscover hope as she reflected on God’s faithfulness in her life, acknowledging that He had carried her through many storms before.
On a bright Saturday morning a few weeks later, a car pulled up in front of the church I attend. I walked toward it to see if the driver needed assistance parking. To my surprise, it was my patient. She stepped out of the car with a radiant smile. My heart swelled with joy as I embraced her. “It’s such a blessing to see you here,” I said.
Tears filled her eyes. “Chaplain, thank you for giving me hope. Thank you for sitting with me in my despair. I didn’t need sunshine; I just needed company.”
I was overwhelmed, barely able to find words to respond. “God is good,” I whispered. “Let’s thank Him together.”
We walked into church, and in that sacred moment, we prayed, giving thanks to the One who restores hearts and heals souls.
By Jahdiel Matos
Matos
Divine Disruptions: Christon Arthur’s Unexpected Journey to La Sierra’s Presidency
It was a good job for a young Christon Arthur, working as an attendant in the library of St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada during the mid-1980s. But providential change was afoot in ways he could not have imagined—divine disruptions that would launch and guide a trajectory over the ensuing years, culminating in the presidency of La Sierra University last July.
Arthur, who serves as the first Black president in the history of the institution now in its 103rd academic year, is shaping a campus ethos of inclusivity—a safe space where all are welcome. It is a vision rooted in the influence of his mother, who always set an extra place at the Sunday dinner table during his childhood to welcome any visitor who happened by. It is a value system exemplified in the slogan “There is a place for you,” which is used throughout campus communication and which was reiterated in Arthur’s first convocation address in September, titled “There Is a Place for You in God’s Hands.”
“Every student has a right to be in an environment where they can experience the healing ministry of Jesus Christ,” Arthur said in his speech to the campus community.
Arthur and his five siblings were raised in the Catholic faith tradition, but during his teen years he began questioning the chief tenets of Catholic doctrine. During this time, Arthur was also occasionally attending the Grand Roy Seventh-day Adventist Church, initially to spend time with friends who were Adventist. But as religious dissatisfaction chafed at him, his interest in the Adventist faith grew, leading to his conversion and baptism at the age of 22 on July 14, 1984.
Arthur’s decision to join the Adventist church would set in motion a cascade of experiences and opportunities
La Sierra University President Christon Arthur speaks to students during a class at the Zapara School of Business.
that transformed his life. It began with the influence of the Grand Roy church lead pastor, Keith Boldeau, who insisted that Arthur fill out an application to attend Caribbean Union College in Trinidad and Tobago. At first uninterested, Arthur obliged and gave the completed form to Boldeau, who submitted it to the college along with references without informing Arthur. Arthur was shocked to receive a letter from Caribbean Union College accepting him as a student.
Arthur rapidly pushed through his courses at Caribbean Union, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in theology in December 1989. The experience served as the catalyst for a 35-year teaching and academic administrative career that has included posts at Tennessee State University and Andrews University, where he lastly served as provost for eight years. He holds multiple degrees, including an Ed.S. and a Ph.D. from Andrews University, and he completed post-graduate studies at Harvard University’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Education. He is currently an MBA candidate at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
“That conversion to the Seventh-day Adventist religion changed my life,” Arthur said. “That was a pivotal moment. I can look back and see the moments when God intervened and changed the trajectory of my life.”
By Darla Tucker
PHOTO: JON HWANG
Three LLUH Hospitals Receive Highest Safety Rating
Loma Linda University Medical Center and East Campus hospitals received their 12th and 13th consecutive “A” safety ratings, respectively, and Murrieta received its second A from the Leapfrog Group for fall 2024.
These nationwide recognitions, published each spring and fall, recognize Loma Linda University Health’s performance in protecting patients from preventable harm and error while in the hospital.
“These grades demonstrate our accomplishment of protecting our patients as we deliver quality care at the highest level,” said CEO of Loma Linda University Health Hospitals Anthony Hilliard, MD, FACC. “Our longstanding consistency at this level shows how
See the latest news and Health & Wellness stories from Loma Linda University Health at news.llu.edu.
seriously we prioritize our patients’ safety.”
The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization that assigns general hospitals across the country an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade based on more than 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries, and infections, as well as systems that hospitals have in place to prevent harm.
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and patient harm. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent, and accessible to the public.
Visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org to see the hospital’s full grade details and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital. For more information about Loma Linda University Health services and providers or to schedule an appointment, please visit lluh.org or call 909-558-4000.
By Ansel Oliver
PUC Students Unite by Growing Dorm Worship Attendance
Pacific Union College has seen a significant increase in student attendance at dorm worship. This attendance increase follows the combined efforts of students and staff to enhance these worship opportunities, showing how listening to students and tending to their spiritual needs strengthens their relationship with Christ and keeps them hungry for His word.
On average, 100 to 120 students attend dorm worship weekly, a great improvement from last year when less than 60 students attended. Students are encouraging their friends and gathering together to share their faith.
Last school year, Winning, Newton, and Andre Hall individually hosted worships that were open to all students. However, the scattered programs felt too similar to students, leaving them unenthusiastic about any worship program. Throughout the week, fewer students attended.
To fix this issue, student leaders and several staff members combined all dorm worships every Tuesday night at Scales Chapel, adopting a three-week rotation— with Newton, Andre, and Winning Hall—to lead each program. This rotation allows students to develop more creative ways to enhance worship without the stress of feeling burnt out. Another change they made is not having a speaker every week, and instead having an activity to add program variety.
PUC student Jacob Duran has been involved with dorm worship since his freshman year. He first helped through song-leading and, now in his sophomore year, is the spiritual residence assistant for Newton Hall and director of combined dorm
worship. Though he does not plan every worship, he checks that everything runs smoothly.
“As a student myself, I know how busy each of us can be with academics, extracurriculars, and relationships,” shared Duran. “And I know that we are all on different roads of life. But we hope that students come to dorm worship with their different experiences and enjoy fellowship with each other through whatever means. Ultimately, we hope students find a piece of Jesus through music, the message, activities, and, most importantly, each other.”
Duran has seen and received wonderful feedback since dorm worship has been combined. “Some have appreciated the variety in programming and participants,” he said. “Others have shared their appreciation for the liveliness of every dorm worship, whether through the songs, icebreakers, or the silly teaser videos the dorms post on Instagram promoting dorm worship. And to no surprise, many people have been thoroughly enjoying the food afterward."
By Ally Romanes
Pathfinders and some Adventurers get ready to sing during the special
A Day to Remember: Pathfinder Investiture at Maranatha Church
November 2, 2024, was a day to celebrate at the Maranatha church in Las Vegas as the church came together for the Pathfinder Club investiture. This wasn’t just another Sabbath; it was a day filled with smiles, hugs, and a sense of accomplishment.
Investiture is a special moment for Pathfinders. It’s a time when months of effort, learning, and service are recognized in a meaningful ceremony. For the Pathfinders at Maranatha, it was their chance to receive affirmation for everything they had worked so hard to achieve. More importantly, it was an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to Christ and to serving others.
Church leaders, who had poured time and effort into mentoring these young people, were also at the heart of the celebration. Their dedication to going through the Pathfinder curriculum with these young people, organizing service projects, leading Bible studies, and fostering spiritual growth had paved the way for this moment. For them, seeing their Pathfinders recognized
was as rewarding as it was emotional.
During the ceremony, the congregation was reminded of the purpose behind it all. It’s not just about the Pathfinders completing tasks or ticking off requirements. It’s about shaping individuals who will carry their faith and values into the world—leading and serving in ways that reflect Christ’s love.
Ramon Verduzco, the pastor of this congregation, summed it up beautifully, saying, “Working with Pathfinders is like planting a seed that will grow for years to come.”
Investitures are not just a way to recognize what was achieved during the year; they are also a launchpad for what lies ahead. For these Pathfinders, the badges earned and lessons learned are stepping stones to even greater challenges and opportunities. They now step into a new year, ready to go deeper in their faith, serve their communities, and for some, embrace leadership roles within the church.
By Neat Randriamialison
A group of Pathfinders and Adventurers in uniform lead the service with songs.
Leaders place their hands over their hearts while singing the Pathfinder song.
church service.
Las Vegas Prepares for Pentecost 2025
Las Vegas hosted its final prayer rally ahead of Pentecost 2025 on January 4, marking the culmination of a prayer movement that began on Sept. 7, 2024. This initiative, born from a vision to unite churches across the city, has become a powerful example of what is possible when churches decide to collaborate.
Led by pastors from across the Las Vegas Valley, the rally emphasized seeking the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in preparation for Pentecost 2025. Hands locked together, heads bowed, and voices joined, prayer warriors from across the valley came together to pray for personal renewal and a transformative revival in their communities.
“This is more than an event; it’s a divine moment of unity and purpose. Prayer invites the Holy Spirit to work within us and through us,” Pastor Mario Navarro said. Since its launch, the movement has fostered unprecedented connections between congregations, laying
Peter Neri, pastor of the Paradise church, gives instructions before participants divide into small groups.
Attendees pray together in small groups for the Las Vegas Valley.
the groundwork for a shared mission. Inspired by the early church’s unity in Acts, the gatherings have sought to align the focus of the members and the pastors on God’s plans for the city.
The overarching message of this special evening emphasized that prayer is more than preparation— it’s the lifeblood of revival. The attendees are looking forward to witnessing what God will accomplish through Pentecost 2025 in the Las Vegas area.
By Neat Randriamialison
Mario Navarro, pastor of the Living Water Fil-Am church, shares some words of encouragement from the Bible.
Stories of faith and connection remind us why our church exists: to embody prayer, service, and love in action, fostering hope, healing, and community transfor mation. Whether it is a school community uniting to recover a child's cherished locket, a chur ch creatively sharing the story of Christ with its neighbors, or students from across the regio n joining their voices in praise, we exist to uplift hearts, serve those around us, and reveal God's love in tangible ways, transforming people through the good news of Jesus Christ and preparing them for Hi s soon return.
The Christmas Miracle Locket
For Lodi Elementary fifth-grader Lilly, the holiday season commenced on a sorrowful note. She had lost her most treasured possession—a locket that held cherished memories of her late mother. Her teacher and classmates sprang into action, scouring the 40-acre campus to find the lost locket. They searched high and low and prayed that the unique locket would be found. Weeks passed, and their faith remained. However, losing the locket weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.
But then came a spark of light in the most unexpected way. As the fifth- and sixthgraders were running on the grassy field, a teacher happened to glance down. Glinting in the sunlight was something small and shiny— it was Lilly's missing locket! This wasn't just good fortune to Lilly, her classmates, and the entire school. It was a Christmas miracle, a tangible reminder of how God answers prayers.
By Lisa Nuss
Walk Through Bethlehem: A Journey of Faith and Community
The Placerville church recently brought Christ’s birth to life through their production of Walk Through Bethlehem. This scripted event connected the members with the community, sharing a message of hope and redemption. Over four nights, 1,147 people walked through the re-creation of Bethlehem, with 80% from the local community.
Blending creativity, dedication, and community
focus, Walk Through Bethlehem shared the timeless story of Christ’s birth. Its success highlights the power of storytelling to inspire and unite, offering a journey of faith and connection and showcasing Christ as the center of the season. Many visitors who experienced the event stated their surprise at its realism. Guests emotionally reacted to the story of Jesus, and the tour guides were moved by the response of the visitors.
One guide remarked, “Being immersed in the Jesus story, being a part of it, raises many emotions that may be lost in our everyday lives.”
The production included actors ages five and up who played roles as shopkeepers, tax collectors, women at the well, lepers, beggars, priests, shepherds, and Roman soldiers. Many church members dressed in period attire and walked among the attendees, adding to the experience. Fully committed to realism, many adult actors grew beards for six months to enhance authenticity. Live animals, including donkeys and miniature horses, added to the bustling panorama.
The Walk Through Bethlehem event was the
Iculmination of over a year of planning, raising funds, building, writing, rehearsing, and presenting. Andrew Uyeyama, pastor, explained, “Our church decided a year ago to make organizational health a priority. This included creating leadership teams, committing to community relevance, and providing clarity of mission to our members. Following these steps, our church is creating a culture of generosity that funded this experience and saw most members involved in the process. It was hard, but it was extremely joyful as well. The community response is more than we could have predicted.”
By Laurie Trujillo
"Heaven Was Uplifted Tonight": Handel's Messiah
n December, choirs from seven NCC academies and an accompanying student orchestra filled the stages and seats of Pacific Union College church and Carmichael church for two nights of Handel’s Messiah.
Since the beginning of the school year, 250 choir and orchestra students from Lodi, Napa, Pine Hills, Pleasant Hill, PUC Preparatory, Rio Lindo, and Sacramento Academy have been learning and rehearsing this renowned choral work at their respective schools.
John Gilley, music director of Pacific Union College Preparatory School and conductor, stated, “The idea of organizing a large multi-school event has been discussed among music teachers for a while. We finally decided to do it this Christmas, and it has been all-encompassing since the first day of school.
I am so proud of our dedicated students, music teachers, parents, and the Pacific Union College and Carmichael churches for making this a success.”
Packs Churches
The second performance was held at Carmichael church. Vanessa Piersanti, high school music director at Sacramento Adventist Academy, took the conductor's baton. All the seats were full, much to the delight of the Sacramento area audience. Jenell Wareham, a parent, remarked, "In the pews, we didn't have much room between us; it was standing room only!" The Carmichael church has a capacity of about 700 seats. One concertgoer expressed, “It was a magnificent evening of music, on par with any choir production I’ve heard. Heaven was uplifted tonight.”
By Ken Miller
Doug Mace Retires After 30 Years of Ministry
After over 30 years of dedicated ministry, Doug Mace has retired from his role at Loma Linda University church (LLUC), leaving a legacy of passion and transformative leadership that has profoundly shaped the church community. Beginning as a volunteer youth leader in 1985, Doug’s willingness to serve—despite personal challenges—set the foundation for a thriving career in ministry.
Invited by Shirley and Marvin Ponder, Doug first served in children’s Sabbath School and as a camp meeting storyteller. He soon joined the youth ministry at the invitation of Fred Kasische, learning that ministry didn’t require perfection, only a willing heart.
Guided by William Loveless, who encouraged him to embrace a pragmatic approach to serving God, Mace formally answered the call to ministry in 1994. This pivotal moment began a lifelong journey as a youth pastor for the Southeastern California Conference (SECC).
Doug’s leadership philosophy centered on empowering young people. Through programs like Teen Ministry and Junior High Leadership, he provided spaces for youth to grow as disciples of Christ. “I don’t make leaders— God does,” Mace shared.
“But I can create opportunities for them to flourish.”
By engaging young people in the life of the church and fostering their sense of purpose,
Doug inspired countless youth to deepen their connection to God.
Throughout his career, Doug worked alongside exceptional colleagues, including his close friend and mentor, Randy Roberts, senior pastor of LLUC. Together, they spearheaded impactful initiatives such as annual camp meetings, Easter Sabbath celebrations, and summer family fun nights—memories Doug treasures deeply. Pastors' retreats in San Clemente remain among his favorite moments, reflecting the camaraderie and vision-building that characterized his ministry.
As Doug steps into retirement, he looks forward to slowing down, spending time with his family, and enjoying Sabbath worship at LLUC. His plans include woodworking, honing his skills as an “Instagram chef,” and developing activities to engage youth beyond their phones.
Doug’s departure marks the end of an extraordinary chapter, but his legacy will continue to inspire the LLUC community for years to come. His faith, dedication, and heart for service leave a lasting imprint, reminding all of us that God truly works through willing hearts.
By Ezrica Bennett
Mace addresses pastors at a conference pastors’ meeting.
Breath of Life Day Breathes Spiritual Renewal at Mt. Rubidoux Church
Mt. Rubidoux church recently hosted a transformative weekend event, Breath of Life Day, with Debleaire Snell, speaker/director of Breath of Life Ministries, aimed at renewing the spiritual vitality of the congregation and reaching out to the broader community.
The event’s purpose was clear: to inspire a deeper spiritual commitment among attendees and ignite a fresh passion for faith. "The weekend was a powerful reminder of God's presence in our lives," said Alfonzo Greene, senior pastor of Mt. Rubidoux church. "It was a time to refocus and renew our spiritual lives."
Snell, known for his dynamic leadership of Breath of Life, which serves as the North American Division’s leading Black media ministry, delivered an impactful sermon titled "The Bucket List." His message encouraged attendees to evaluate their life priorities through a spiritual lens, calling them to examine what truly matters in light of God’s calling.
"The Bucket List was a powerful word for everyone," said Pastor Andrea King, vice president for Black Ministries at Southeastern California Conference (SECC) and a board member of Breath of Life. "We were reminded that God saves the best for last, and our best days are still ahead. The call to action was clear—to wait well while God works in our lives."
The event also provided a unique opportunity for connection between Breath of Life and its supporters. “It was inspiring to see so many first-time visitors,” said King. "Pastor Snell invited his supporters from throughout Southern California, and they came out to show their support."
Breath of Life has been a key player in spreading the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ through a contemporary, urban perspective for over 50 years. This event was not only about spiritual renewal but also about celebrating and connecting with those who support this ministry.
Pastor Snell expressed his gratitude for the support of the ministry’s "digital disciples" during the event. “This weekend is a way for us to reciprocate the resources and prayers we’ve been blessed with,” he shared.
The weekend proved to be a monumental success, leaving the Mt. Rubidoux church and its community spiritually rejuvenated and more committed to deepening their relationship with God.
By Taji Saleem
LEFT: Pastor Greene welcomes worshippers. RIGHT: Pastor Snell delivers a challenge to the congregation.
Karen Oi, member at Santa Monica church, is recognized for her contribution to the project. Oi and the Nakamuras were the first donors at the start of the project, and they supported the grand opening with their attendance.
LEFT: Salazar prays a dedicatory prayer before he and Cress cut the ribbon.
RIGHT: Cress (center) celebrates after he and Salazar cut the ribbon.
ABOVE: The wardrobe room allows plenty of space for storage of outfit changes and a place for on-screen talent to touch up their appearance.
ABOVE AND LEFT: A lighting grid and ceiling outlets provide a flexible setup across the different bays, while sound blankets minimize echo and help produce high-quality audio.
PHOTO:
PHOTO:
PHOTO:
Akira and Taeko Nakamura (left and right), members at the Gardena Japanese church, pose at the podcast table with John Huynh (center), who collaborates with the SCC president to connect with donors and bring awareness to ministry projects in SCC to which people can financially contribute. The Nakamuras were recognized during the grand opening for their contribution to the project.
SCC Hosts Grand Opening for New Media Production Studio
In December, the Southern California Conference (SCC) held a grand opening for its new media production studio—a moment that had been in the making since before the start of the covid pandemic. The space was dedicated with a prayer before the ribbon was cut, and then the studio was officially open, allowing visitors to tour and learn more about the space.
“This is the fulfillment of a dream that we had for some time,” said Velino A. Salazar, who was the SCC president when this project began. Interest in this new digital method of doing ministry had been cultivated throughout the past few years, as the conference began to invest in tools that would allow them to reach even more people with the gospel.
“This studio will be one more tool in the toolbox that
helps our leaders as they work toward our mission of cultivating healthy churches and schools,” said John H. Cress, SCC president. “We are here to serve our churches, schools, and conference departments, and this space helps us do that.”
More than six recording bays, or scenes, offer flexibility for recordings of various types, maximizing the usefulness of the space. Conversations for podcasts are easily facilitated in a dedicated podcasting room, a greenroom enhances the flow of livestreamed events for a streamlined production, and a wardrobe room creates a comfortable space for outfit changes that are often needed when multiple recordings are done in one day.
Salazar pointed out the three sources of funding for the project: the conference allocation, dedicated offerings from our church members, and generous donors who were invited to support the project.
“We thank you, Lord, that you have given us the space to use through the generosity of many, and through the vision of many,” Cress prayed to close the event. “Now, Lord, may we use it to your glory and may the gospel that is preached through this space—the stories that are told about people whose lives are changed out of this space, the podcasts that are given from this place—may all of these accumulate to build up the kingdom of God on earth until we see you face to face.”
Visit our website at https://scc.adventist.org to learn more about our studio and how you can connect with the content produced there.
By Lauren Lacson
PHOTO: ARAYA MOSS
The greenroom features snacks, storage for personal belongings, and a TV (not pictured) where guests can watch livestreams in progress.
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Calendar
La Sierra University
Presidential Appearances. La Sierra University President Christon Arthur will speak at four churches as part of an inaugural year of community engagement events: Feb. 1, Azure Hills church; Feb. 8, Crosswalk church; Feb. 15, La Sierra Spanish church; Feb. 22, Mt. Rubidoux church. The presidential inauguration will be held May 20.
Orchestra Concert. The La Sierra University Orchestra will perform a free-admission concert at Hole Memorial Auditorium on Wed., Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. For information, contact music@lasierra.edu or 951-785-2036.
High School Choir Festival. La Sierra University will host a choir festival showcase at La Sierra University church on March 8 from 7–8 p.m. For information, contact music@lasierra.edu or 951-785-2036. The church is at 4937 Sierra Vista Ave, Riverside.
Winter Chamber Music Recital. The La Sierra University music department will host a chamber music recital on March 13 from 7–8:30 p.m. at Hole Memorial Auditorium. For information, contact music@lasierra. edu or 951-785-2036. Admission is free.
Classic Film Poster Exhibit. The Art+Design Department will hold an exhibit of film posters at Brandstater Gallery from Feb. 18–March 13, with a reception and interdisciplinary panel on Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. The event is part of an inauguration series designed to introduce President Christon Arthur. For further information, contact tmusso@lasierra.edu.
Pacific Union College
Ensemble Concert. PUC Chorale, Orchestra, Vox Pro Musica, and Mosaic Ensemble invite all to their winter concert on Saturday, March 1, at 7 p.m. in the newly renovated Paulin Recital Hall. The choral ensembles, directed by Ronnie Zanella, and orchestral ensembles, directed by Rachelle Berthelsen Davis, will present a variety of pieces in different genres and styles for a fun and beautiful evening of music. Admission is free and open to all. Questions: music@puc.edu or 707-965-6201.
PUC Music Festival Concert, March 8, at 7 p.m., at PUC church. Join PUC and 150+ academy and high school musicians for what is perhaps one of the most exciting events of the year! PUC’s Music Festival concludes on Saturday, March 8, with a lively, inspiring performance of the Festival ensembles: Orchestra, directed by Rachelle Berthelsen Davis, strings director at PUC; Choir, directed by Ronnie Zanella, choral director at PUC; and Wind Ensemble, directed by Sebastian SerranoAyala, director of orchestral studies at University of New Mexico. After two intense days of rehearsals,
the students will be ready to present their hard work, and everyone is invited to attend! Admission is free. Questions: music@puc.edu or 707-965-6201.
Paulin Center for the Arts “Think Spring” Recitals. All are welcome to come hear music students of all ages and levels present their latest work on a variety of instruments on Sunday, March 16, 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. in Paulin Recital Hall on the campus of PUC. Admission is free. We’d love to see you there! Questions: paulincenter@puc.edu or 707-965-6201.
Connect Ministries is a group of Pacific Union College students passionate about Jesus and sharing through music and worship. The bilingual team leads worship services, retreats, youth events, and any programs where they can inspire other young people to become worship leaders. Any school or church interested in having them visit, please email connectmnistries@puc. edu.
Add PUC News in your Church Bulletin. With many updates to share at Pacific Union College, we designed a printable bulletin insert for churches to use. Just print the PDF double sided and cut in half, then include as a bulletin insert. Download at puc.edu/bulletin.
Subscribe to the PUC Now Newsletter. Stay up-todate with Pacific Union College by subscribing to their monthly newsletter at puc.edu/subscribe. From campus
stories and alumni features to student interviews, you’ll be in the now with PUC.
Southern California Conference Creation Seminar (Feb. 22-Mar. 15, Saturdays). Investigate the common ground and conflicts between science and religion on the subject of creation. Uncover scientific evidence that points to the authority of the creation narrative. This seminar is designed for anyone interested in hearing about current geology and archaeological studies surrounding our history and man’s origins. All Nations church, 1948 Peck Rd., Monrovia, CA 91016. Info: originsseminar.org/monrovia.
Classified
Employment
Full-time church administrator: Discover Life Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sonora, CA, seeks a people-skilled, task-oriented church administrator. Responsibilities include working with pastors, overseeing communication, facilities, scheduling, and special projects. Full-time with health, PTO, retirement benefits. Must be an SDA member with strong organizational and communication skills.
Holbrook Indian School is currently in need of an Assistant Girls' Dean, an Industrial/Vocational Arts Teacher, and a Director of Horsemanship. These
are paid positions. If you or someone you know are mission-minded and would like to serve Native American children, please see or share our jobs page at HolbrookIndianSchool.org/jobs.
Pacific Union College seeks qualified candidates to fill open positions in fulfilling our mission to Learn with Purpose, Rise in Faith, and Serve in Love. Beautiful mountain campus, minutes to shopping, an hour+ drive to ocean and skiing. Current openings at https://www. puc.edu/campus-services/human-resources/currentjob-postings.
Pacific Union College seeks dedicated Executive Director to lead Human Resources operations and strategy and oversee well-being and development of talented team members. Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills are essential. https://www.puc.edu/campus-services/humanresources/current-job-postings/executive-directorhuman-resources. Email hr@puc.edu.
Evangelism Projects Coordinator needed at Quiet Hour Ministries to assist in developing and implementing and reporting for various mission projects. This is a full-time (32 hours per week) in-office position located in Redlands, CA, with potential for international travel. For more info or to apply, visit: qhministries.org/jobs.
Marketing Director needed at Quiet Hour Ministries to plan and direct successful fundraising and marketing through a variety of methods. This is a full-time (38 hours per week) in-office position located in Redlands, CA, and includes some national and international travel. For more info or to apply, visit: qhministries. org/jobs.
duties, participate in department cross-training, and assist Treasurer and other accounting staff. Position is full-time (38 hours per week) plus overtime, located in Riverside, CA. For more information or to apply, visit https://www.adventistmediaministries.com/availablepositions/.
Adventist Media Ministries seeks a Treasurer to work in Support Services and manage the treasury/ accounting operations, direct and supervise treasury staff, provide leadership, administration, and assistance in shaping business services to the needs of the media ministries. Includes some travel. Position is full-time (38 hours per week), located in Riverside, CA. For more information or to apply, visit https://www.adventistmediaministries.com/availablepositions/
The Miranda Seventhday Adventist Church is looking for a missionaryminded couple to care for its church. The couple will rent the church trailer home and be responsible for maintaining the church grounds. For more information, please call Mike Michelli at 707-296-5518.
Adventist Media Ministries seeks a Senior Accountant to work in Support Services and handle various specialized accounting
Voice of Prophecy Associate Director of Gift Planning and Trust Services. Do you believe in evangelism? Are you a people person? Are you a selfstarter with strong communication and organizational abilities? Are you eager to learn new skills and willing to travel? If so, the Voice of Prophecy would love to visit with you about our open Associate Director of Gift Planning and Trust Services position. To apply, go to vop.com/careers.
Real Estate
PUC Commercial Space for Rent. Pacific Union College has commercial real estate space available for lease. The spaces are in various sizes and functionality and are available for inquiries. For additional information, please email Sam Heier at sheier@puc.edu.
Cottage for Rent. Are you looking for serenity and peace? Then this rental is the perfect place for you. A small and private cottage, complete with picket fences and gardens. 1 bedroom, 1.5 bathrooms, skylights, and unique shower. Located in foothills by Collins Lake, CA.
Contact John at Mountains.2 skyz@gmail.com
For Sale
Outpatient Physical Therapy and Aquatic Therapy in the foothills above Sacramento, CA. Turn-key practice, in business for over 30 years. Great referral base and solid practice. Lots of potential for growth. Great opportunity for someone wanting to establish a medical mission outpost or wellness center as well. 5400-sq-ft facility. $450,000. Flexible options to the right party. Contact levi2000@sbcglobal.net or leave message at 209-304-7455.
Well-established medical practice for sale in beautiful East Tennessee, one hour from Southern Adventist University. Low capital investment, 4000-sq-ft office building with 8 exam rooms, excellent support staff, completely furnished, 10 years of patients in electronic medical records. Transition assistance available. Please contact William H. Taylor II, CPA,MBA at whtayloriitn@ gmail.com indicating level of interest.
Vacation Opportunities
Travel on a faith-based tour to Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Rome, or Vietnam on a special cultural discovery tour
February 2025 Sunset Calendar
City/Location FEB 7 FEB 14 FEB 21 FEB 28
Alturas (Modoc Cty.) 5:25 5:35 5:44 5:52
Angwin 5:39 5:47 5:54 6:02
Bakersfield 5:30 5:37 5:44 5:50
Calexico 5:20 5:27 5:33 5:38
Chico 5:34 5:42 5:51 5:58
Death Valley (Furnace Ck) 5:20 5:27 5:34 5:41
Eureka 5:42 5:50 5:59 6:07
Four Corners [E] 5:48 5:55 6:02 6:09
Fresno 5:31 5:38 5:46 5:52
Grand Canyon (South Rim) 6:02 6:09 6:16 6:22
Half Dome 5:28 5:36 5:44 5:51
Hilo 6:16 6:19 6:22 6:25
Holbrook (Navajo City) 5:27 5:36 5:44 5:52
Honolulu 6:25 6:29 6:32 6:35
Joshua Tree 5:21 5:28 5:34 5:41
Lake Tahoe 5:28 5:36 5:44 5:52
Las Vegas 4:42 4:49 4:56 5:03
Lodi-Stockton 5:35 5:43 5:50 5:57
Loma Linda 5:25 5:32 5:38 5:44
Los Angeles 5:29 5:36 5:42 5:48
McDermitt [N] 5:14 5:23 5:31 5:40
Moab 5:47 5:55 6:03 6:10
Monterey Bay 5:40 5:47 5:54 6:01
Mt. Whitney 5:26 5:33 5:39 5:45
Napa 5:39 5:46 5:54 6:01
Nogales [S] (Los) 6:00 6:06 6:11 6:17
Oakland 5:39 5:47 5:54 6:02
Paradise, CA 5:33 5:42 5:50 5:57
Phoenix 6:05 6:12 6:18 6:24
Pu‘uwaiau, Ni’ihau [W] 6:19 6:22 6:25 6:28
Reno 5:27 5:35 5:43 5:50
Riverside 5:26 5:33 5:39 5:45
Sacramento 5:35 5:43 5:50 5:58
Salt Lake City 5:53 6:01 6:09 6:18
San Diego 5:27 5:33 5:39 5:45
San Francisco 5:40 5:48 5:55 6:02
San Jose 5:39 5:46 5:53 6:00
Santa Rosa 5:40 5:48 5:55 6:03
Sunset Beach 5:39 5:46 5:54 6:01
Thousand Oaks 5:31 5:38 5:44 5:51
Tucson 5:18 5:20 5:23 5:27
[N]=Northernmost [S]=Southernmost [E]=Easternmost [W]=Westernmost point in the Pacific Union
“So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” Hebrews 4:9
with Dr. Carl Cosaert, New Testament professor at Walla Walla University. To learn more about these inspirational tours that renew your faith, visit www. adventtours.org or email info@adventtours.org.
Biblical study tour of Greece. Footsteps of Apostles Paul and John in Greece. Sept. 3-15, 2025. A biblical journey through Philippi, Amphipolis, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, Vergina, Meteora, and Delphi. Enjoy a cruise to Patmos, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos, and Ephesus. Experience the Greek culture and food. Info: www.biblicaltouring.com, George Dialectakis, 860-4022247.
Biblical study tour of Turkey. Discover the Seven Churches of Revelation in Turkey. Sept. 14-21, 2025. Start at Istanbul, old Constantinople, and visit St. Sophia. Travel to the historic cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Pamukkale, Laodicea, and Kusadasi. Info: www.biblicaltouring.com, George Dialectakis, 860-402-2247.
Bulletin Board
Free Sharing Cards! LifeTalk Radio has beautiful, free sharing cards for all occasions with encouraging
March 2025 Sunset Calendar
Valley (Furnace Ck)
“So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.”
messages like “God Loves You” and “You Matter to God,” as well as Scripture cards. Share hope and love with others. Order free cards at: LifeTalk.net/sharing-cards
Are you part of the church and have family members who are LGBTQIA+? Do you feel alone in this part of life’s journey? Would you like to connect with other people who are navigating this path of loving both God and family? We would love to hear from you and offer peer support and listening ears. Contact us at grace.and.peace789@gmail.com.
Canvasback Missions: Help the Lord’s ministry of healing in Micronesia by donating your car, boat, bike, RV, or truck. All proceeds help provide free medical services to the island peoples of Micronesia. Canvasback Missions, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, has been serving since 1986. For more info: www.canvasback.org or 707-746-7828.
Partner with ASAP Ministries in serving the marginalized and reaching the unreached in Southeast Asia with the wholistic gospel. What you do today can change a life for eternity! To learn more visit asapministries.org. Subscribe to our weekly Mission Matters videos. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube: asapministries.
Shop for new/used Adventist books: TEACH Services offers used Adventist books at www.LNFBOOKS. com or new book releases at your local ABC or www. TEACHServices.com. Authors, let us help publish your book with editing, design, marketing, and worldwide distribution. Call 706-504-9192 for a free evaluation.
Pet/house sitter based in the Sacramento, CA, area who works from home full time in a remote job. Able to travel to other parts of California, as well as Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Utah (and other states if needed). SDA member in good standing and has references upon request. Find out more and contact here: https://www.kcsitstay.com/
At Rest
Bennett, Don – b. Nov. 17, 1946, Bishop, CA; d. Oct. 23, 2024, Redlands, CA. Survivors: wife, Donna Bennett; daughter, Catherine Owens; son, Pete Bennett; siblings, Jack, Chris; two grandchildren.
Davidson Schall Hayes, Dorothy – b. Nov. 3, 1932, Redding, CA; d. Nov. 26, 2024, Banning, CA. Survivors: sons, Dennis Schall, David Schall; two grandchildren.
Flynn, Joan (Purdey-Nielsen) – b. Jan. 1, 1933, Loma Linda, CA; d. May 9, 2024, Glendale, CA. Survivors: son, Ron Nielsen; daughters, Rhonda Geddes, Gigi Parker, Lynette Flynn; sisters, Lola Thompson, Jeanine Wearner; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren. Joan served
as a missionary with her husband, David, in Puerto Rico, then worked in medical records and served in ministry with her husband, Howard, at various churches in Southern California.
Games, Allan Francis – b. July 9, 1934, Hinsdale, IL; d. Dec. 14, 2024, Redlands, CA.
Johnson, Warren Edward – b. May 20, 1941, Minneapolis, MN; d. Dec. 23, 2024, Calimesa, CA. Survivors: wife, Beverly Johnson; daughter, Tarah Johnson; son, Warren Johnson; siblings, Maceo, Marcel, Kenneth, Veronica, Sandra.
Kisling, Donald – b. Nov. 25, 1937, Tulare, CA; d. Nov. 11, 2024, Porterville, CA; Survivors: wife, Nina Kisling; sons, Ronald Kisling, Steven Kisling; daughter, Cynthia Lamb; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren.
Margart, Lester – b. March 5, 1934, Glendale, CA; d. Dec. 9, 2024, Loma Linda, CA. Survivors: wife, Janet Margart; sons, Gregory Margart, Geoffrey Margart; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild.
Martin, Elena Kalbermatter – b. Oct. 21, 1932, Andguaylas, Peru; d. Oct. 23, 2024, Yucaipa, CA. Survivors: husband, Hans Martin; sons, Hugo Martin, Hans Martin Jr.; brother, Alfredo Kalbermatter; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren.
McArthur, Patsy – b. July 17, 1941, Galveston, TX; d. Dec. 6, 2024, Burbank, CA. Survivors: sons, Trevor McArthur, Jeff McArthur; daughter, Mary McArthur; siblings, Marvin, Weldon, Timothy.
Murdoch, William Jr. – b. May 16, 1949, Sydney, Australia; d. Dec. 13, 2024, Loma Linda, CA. Survivors: wife, Jeanne Murdoch; daughter, Emily Becker; brothers, Lamont, Floyd; sister, Marilyn; three grandchildren.
Staples, Graham – b. June 29, 1945; d. Dec. 10, 2024. Survivors: brother, Irwin; sister, Marilyn. Graham passed away at Queen of the Valley Hospital, where he worked for many years as a respiratory therapist. An alumnus of PUC, Andrews University, and Princeton Theological Seminary, he was a lifelong student. In the early years he traveled with the Loma Linda Heart Team.
Sulen, Kathleen M. – b. Sept. 18, 1946; d. Oct. 17, 2024, Simi Valley, CA. Survivors: daughter Jodi Sulen-Hunter; son, Tony Sulen.
Thorn, Eileen – b. June 13, 1934; d. Oct. 11, 2024, Tooele, UT. Survivors: daughter, Linda Luttrell; son, Terry Thorn.
Whitlock, Gary – b. Sept. 22, 1951, Los Angeles, CA; d. Nov. 13, 2024, Steamboat Springs, CO. Survivors: wife, Julie Whitlock; daughter, Chloe Whitlock; sister, Lynda Randolph.
Nondiscrimination Policy Statement
The Nondiscrimination Statement is as follows: The Seventh-day Adventist Church, in all of its church schools, admits students of any race to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at its schools, and makes no discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnic background, country of origin, or gender in the administration of education policies, applications for admission, scholarship or loan programs, and extracurricular programs.
Nondiscrimination Listing I 2024-2025 School Year
Arizona Conference
Adobe Adventist Christian School
Cochise SDA Christian School
Glenview Adventist Academy
Maricopa Village Christian School
Prescott Adventist Christian School
Saguaro Hills Adventist Christian School
Thunderbird Adventist Academy
Thunderbird Christian Elementary
Verde Valley Adventist School
Yuma Adventist Christian School
Central California Conference
Armona Union Academy
Bakersfield Adventist Academy
Central Valley Christian Academy
Chowchilla Adventist School
Dinuba Junior Academy
Foothill Adventist Elementary
Fresno Adventist Academy
Hollister Adventist Christian School
Los Banos Adventist Christian School
Miramonte Christian School
Monterey Bay Academy
Mother Lode Adventist Junior Academy
Mountain View Academy
Peninsula Adventist School
San Francisco Adventist School
Sierra View Junior Academy
Templeton Hills Adventist School
Valley View Adventist School
VHM Christian School
Hawaii Conference
Adventist Malama Elementary School
Hawaiian Mission Academy (9-12)
Hawaiian Mission Academy Ka Lama Iki
Hawaiian Mission Academy Maui
Hawaiian Mission Academy Windward Campus
Kahili Adventist School
Kohala Adventist School
Kona Adventist Christian School
Mauna Loa School
Nevada-Utah Conference
Bishop Seventh-day Adventist Elementary
Fallon Seventh-day Adventist Elementary
Riverview Christian Academy
Summit Christian Academy
Susanville Seventh-day Adventist School
Vegas Valley Adventist Academy
Northern California Conference
Adventist Christian Elementary School of Red Bluff
Adventist Christian School of Yuba City
Bayside Adventist Christian School
Chico Oaks Adventist School
Clearlake SDA Christian School
Crescent City SDA School
Echo Ridge Christian School
El Dorado Adventist School
Feather River Adventist School
Foothills Adventist Elementary School
Galt Adventist School
Hilltop Christian School
Lodi Academy
Lodi SDA Elementary School
Middletown Adventist School
Napa Christian Campus of Education
Orangevale SDA School
Pacific Union College Elementary School
Pacific Union College Preparatory School
Paradise Adventist Academy
Paradise Adventist Elementary School
Pine Hills Adventist Academy
Pleasant Hill Adventist Academy
Redding Adventist Academy
Redwood Adventist Academy
Rio Lindo Adventist Academy
Sacramento Adventist Academy
Tracy SDA Christian Elementary School
Ukiah Junior Academy
Vacaville Adventist Christian School
Westlake SDA School
Yreka Adventist Christian School
Southeastern California Conference
Calexico Mission School
Desert Adventist School
El Cajon SDA School
Escondido Adventist Academy
La Sierra Academy
Laguna Niguel Junior Academy
Loma Linda Academy
Mentone SDA School
Mesa Grande Academy
Murrieta Springs Adventist Christian School
Needles SDA School
Oceanside Adventist Elementary
Orangewood Academy
Redlands Adventist Academy
San Antonio Christian School
San Diego Academy
Valley Adventist Christian School
Victor Valley SDA School
Southern California Conference
Adventist Education Simi Valley Adventist Union School
Antelope Valley Adventist School
Conejo Adventist Elementary School
East Valley Adventist School
Glendale Adventist Academy
Linda Vista Adventist School
Los Angeles Adventist Academy
Newbury Park Adventist Academy
Ridgecrest Adventist Elementary
San Fernando Valley Academy
San Gabriel Academy
South Bay Christian School
West Covina Hills SDA School
Pacific Union Conference
Operated School
Holbrook Seventh-day Adventist
Indian School
The Last Word
By Ray Tetz
Remembering Charles Bradford
Elder Charles Bradford was an icon of spiritual leadership, pastoral care, and visionary administration within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. His life and ministry were marked by a deep commitment to biblical teachings, the mission of the Adventist Church, and a passion for evangelism. As the first Black president of the North American Division, he broke barriers and set a high standard for excellence in preaching and ministry, inspiring generations of pastors and leaders.
Among his gifts was a profound ability to personally connect with people from all walks of life, of all ages and ethnicities. I learned this firsthand in an experience early in my ministry, for which I am ever grateful.
The first time I met Elder Bradford, I was 27 years old and brand-new in my career as a pastor. He was already a legend and provocateur within the community of leaders who inspired and amazed me. I had been invited to sit in as a guest at a committee involved in a discussion about a new ministry resource that was under development. I was given a seat way down at the end of a table that probably had seats for 30 people—all of which were taken. It was a new experience for me, and I said nothing (believe it or not!) and was taking notes—more about the process than the project, to be frank.
“Brad,” as he was called by almost everyone who knew him, had just recently been elected president of the North American Division and was chairing the committee. It looked to me like the agenda had been prepared without his input, because he made short work of some of the early reports, which were supposed to take up most of the time, and jumped ahead to listen to the opinions of some of the people who had been brought into the process because of their backgrounds or circles of influence.
I was fascinated to watch the interplay between the various committee members—always cordial but not always in agreement. There seemed to be a bit of a cultural battle going on between the people who were quite happy with the resources that already existed and the
ones who were backing a proposal to do something different. I couldn’t tell which side Elder Bradford was on. The discussion went on for the better part of an hour.
At some point I looked up from my notes and saw that the great Charles Bradford was watching me. I looked away quickly, but that was enough—that was his opening. When whoever was speaking had completed their remarks and it was time to move to the next person who had raised a hand to speak, Elder Bradford said, “Now, Pastor! We haven’t heard from you. You must have an opinion about what is being said.”
When I realized that he was speaking to me, I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I did have some thoughts about what was being discussed, but I wasn’t part of the committee, and I hadn’t come prepared to say anything. Although I did have an opinion, I don’t think there was anything particularly wise or profound about it; in fact, I don’t even remember what it was. But there was Charles Bradford—repeating his statement with just a little more forcefulness. “Pastor! You haven’t been sitting here all morning to be quiet. What do you think about what you’ve been hearing?”
So, I spoke up. I said something about the value of giving something new a try, and Bradford wasn’t having it. “That’s not an opinion,” he said. “That’s too safe a response. I want to hear from your mouth what you think of this whole thing.”
So, I told him. He listened and asked me a couple of questions—each time pushing me to be more specific. The whole exchange probably lasted three minutes, but at the time it felt like it went on for an hour.
That was my introduction to Elder Charles Bradford. Later in my career I would have a chance to work with him on many other projects and to spend a lot more time with him, both in committees and one-on-one.
And every time we were working together, or even just talking casually, he was always pushing, always expecting that the next answer would be more specific and closer to what I really wanted to say. And that pushing always had a point.
It was March of 2015 when I last got to spend any time with Elder Bradford. We were working on a video about women in ministry, and we were interviewing some of the longtime leaders of the church about the topic. We had persuaded him to go on the record about his thoughts on the topic, and our video team had flown to Oakwood University to get him in front of the camera. My task was to do the interview.
When I first saw him on that day back in 2015, the first words out of his mouth were, “Now, Pastor, what did you bring me out here for?” And suddenly I was 27 years old again, green as grass about how to do my job, and my old teacher was once again pushing me and prompting me and making me do a better job of getting my point across. His eyes were sparkling at the opportunity, and so were mine.
It was a glorious morning. The interview, which was supposed to last 10 minutes, went on for more than an hour. The topic that we were supposed to discuss was clearly not the only thing on his mind, and he was no less able a sparring partner at age 89 than he had been at 54. He still had lots to teach me. And I still had lots to learn.
Elder Charles Edward Bradford passed away in 2021, at age 96. His legacy of leadership and ministry continues to make a difference in the life of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As a mentor and leader, he surely made an impact on me.
Ray Tetz is the director of communication and community engagement for the Pacific Union Conference and the publisher of the Pacific Union Recorder
Among his gifts was a profound ability to personally connect with people from all walks of life, of all ages and ethnicities.
APRIL 18-19
