“What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.”
Psalm 116:12-14
It is for our own benefit to keep every gift of God fresh in our memory. Thus faith is strengthened to claim and to receive more and more. There is greater encouragement for us in the least blessing we ourselves receive from God than in all the accounts we can read of the faith and experience of others. The soul that responds to the grace of God shall be like a watered garden. His health shall spring forth speedily; his light shall rise in obscurity, and the glory of the Lord shall be seen upon him. Let us then remember the loving-kindness of the Lord, and the multitude of His tender mercies. Like the people of Israel, let us set up our stones of witness, and inscribe upon them the precious story of what God has wrought for us.
—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 348
Recorder
Publisher Ray Tetz
Editor Alberto Valenzuela
Assistant Editor Connie Jeffery
Design/Layout
Stephanie Leal • Alberto Valenzuela
Printing
Pacific Press Publishing Association www.pacificpress.com
Adventist Health 916-742-0429
Kim Strobel strobeka@ah.org
Arizona
480-991-6777 ext 139 Jeff Rogers jrogers@azconference.org
Central California 559-347-3034
Justin Kim jkim@cccsda.org
Hawaii 808-595-7591
Miguel Manzo communicationsdept@hawaiisda.com
What’s inside
4 A Debt of Love
8 Adventist Pioneers in the West Beginnings: Pacific Press
12 The Transformational Power of Joy
16 “But Where Are the Nine?”
18 Ministering to the Young at Heart
20 Fundamental Belief Number 8: The Great Controversy
22 Newsdesk
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
39 Pacific Union College
40 Nevada-Utah Conference
42 Northern California Conference
44 Southeastern California Conference
46 Southern California Conference
48 Community & Marketplace
54 The Last Word: The Gospel of the Disappointment
Holbrook Indian School 928-524-6845 x143
Kimberly Cruz kcruz@hissda.org
La Sierra University 951-785-2000
Darla Tucker dmartint@lasierra.edu
Loma Linda 909-651-5925
Ansel Oliver anoliver@llu.edu
Nevada-Utah 775-322-6929
Michelle Ward mward@nevadautah.org
Northern California 916-886-5600
Laurie Trujillo Laurie.Trujillo@nccsda.com
Pacific Union College 951-809-6777
Gene Edelbach gedelbach@puc.edu
Southeastern California 951-509-2256
Andrea King communications@seccsda.org
Southern California 818-546-8400
Lauren Lacson Llacson@sccsda.org
Editorial Correspondents
Postal Regs: The Pacific Union Recorder (ISSN 0744-6381), Volume 124, Number 10, is the official journal of the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and is published monthly. Subscription rate: No charge to Pacific Union Adventist church members; $16 per year in U.S.; $20 foreign (U.S. funds); single copy, $2. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Circulation Department, Pacific Union Recorder, Box 5005, Westlake Village, CA 91359. Info@adventistfaith.com.
The Recorder is a monthly publication reaching approximately 76,000 Seventh-day Adventist homes in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. Our mission is to inform, educate, and inspire our readers to action in all areas of ministry.
A Debt
of Love
By Alberto Valenzuela
According to a United Press International article published in 1973, the “uglies” picketed an American Airlines ticket office in Fort Worth, Texas, to protest alleged discrimination in hiring when the company advertised for good-looking people.
Danny McCrory, the founder of Uglies Unlimited, led the protest with 18 uglies from his organization, which was formed to fight biased social structures that discriminate against ugly people.
“We just want to be accepted for who we are instead of what we look like,” said McCrory. He had talked to employment agencies who said it was much easier to place attractive persons. He felt the problem was most flagrant in newspapers want ads that said such things as “Wanted attractive receptionist” or “Pretty secretary needed.”1
McCrory said the Fort Worth Uglies was the first group of its kind in the country. He had started it to promote the rights of ugly people and spread its message across the nation.
However, there is no standard definition of ugliness—it’s a relative term. To some people, irregular features, discolored skin, or a large nose qualify. Others consider such conditions as obesity and baldness unattractive. The complaints of the protesters did not get them very far.2
Although we are not accepted by all the people all the time, there are a few saints who accept us regardless of whether we are good looking or ugly. There are some who are able to see the potential in us.
The greatest motivating power you can discover is your remembered debt of gratitude to these good people. If you disabuse yourself of any ideas of your own self-sufficiency and your own capability of making it to the top of the heap, you will become an instrument of divine power through kindness, love, and faith.
As long as we persist in trying to make it to the top alone by pushing others aside and asserting ourselves, we diminish our stature. It is the unforgotten debt that we owe to others that gives us the power to create, lead, live fully, and be our true selves.
The Apostle Paul never forgot the debt that he owed to other people. Chiefly, there were three persons who helped him develop his spiritual life.
First, Ananias, a layman who made pottery in Damascus, was sent by the Holy Spirit to give him back his sight and to restore his serenity.
Second, a woman named Priscilla opened the way for him in Greece when the itinerant Paul went there but had no “foot in the door.” This professional woman, a dealer in fine fabrics, opened her home and her social clientele to give credence to this new convert, Saul, who was now known as Paul.
And third, and most important: Barnabas. Barnabas came from the island of Cyprus and lived on the periphery of the disciples of Jesus. He was a large, rotund man with a majestic head; in fact, when he was besieged by a crowd on one of his mission trips, they thought he looked like their idea of the Greek god Zeus (Acts 14:11-12).
Barnabas was a good man, and his goodness expressed itself in his actions. The first thing reported of him is an act of great generosity. After the resurrection, things were difficult for the disciples, and they were poverty-stricken and of necessity frugal. Barnabas went back to Cyprus, sold his farm, and brought the income to support the Christian community led by the apostles (Acts 4:36-37). Jesus said that one kind of goodness was to help the hungry, the naked, the prisoners, and the sick. Barnabas had that kind of goodness.
He had the insight to discern between the genuine and the insincere. When the young church was afraid of Saul, “Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him” (Acts 9:27, NIV). Barnabas was not influenced by gossip or public opinion. When he saw that Paul was genuine, he decided to stand by him whether it was popular or not.
Here was a large-framed man with a large mind and a generous heart who was content to play second fiddle. When Saul was first converted, he was rebuffed by the apostles. But Barnabas put his arm around him and said, “Brother Saul, I stand with you.” After that Paul was in.
Who plays the role of Barnabas in your life? I can name a dozen men and women who have played the role of Barnabas in my life. It is an unforgotten debt.
An even more important question exists: Whose Barnabas are you? If you can’t think of anyone, then your life is not complete.
If you want to be a leader, or if you want to be an instrument of God, write down the name of some person who stands alone today—questioned, scorned, unsure, and anxious. Then write: “I am your Barnabas.”
It won’t be easy to do. You will have to take criticism and bear the scorn that goes with loyalty. But there is a chance that you will set a character free who may influence the whole of civilization, as Paul did.
Barnabas was never famous, but there would have been no Apostle Paul if there had been no Barnabas. Barnabas wasn’t actually his name—his name was Joseph. He was so stout, strong, warmhearted, and outgoing, they gave him the nickname
It is the unforgotten debt that we owe to others that gives us the power to create, lead, live fully, and be our true selves.
Barnabas, which means “Son of Encouragement.”
To whom are you the son or daughter of encouragement? Who can you prevent from slipping into the abyss by the helpful actions of your personality? This is the age of narcissism. “What’s in it for me?” But there is more to life than that.
If you want to be a leader, or if you want to be an instrument of God, write down the name of some person who stands alone today—questioned, scorned, unsure, and anxious. Then write: “I am your Barnabas.”
Jesus persuaded Barnabas that he who seeks to save his life will lose it and he who seeks to give his life away in abundance will receive it back as an overflowing spring of eternal spirit. This promise is available to all men and women to give to others.
When the church in Jerusalem wanted a thorough report of the work that was being done in Antioch, it was Barnabas they sent. Barnabas, free from jealousy and self-seeking, could give an unbiased report. The work of God was always first with Barnabas.
A good man can never be a yes-man, so Barnabas was willing to take a stand against Paul and support John Mark in their disagreement (Acts 15:36-41). Barnabas was right and Paul was wrong, for Barnabas saved Mark when Paul would have abandoned him. Barnabas stood for loyalty to the right at any cost.
Barnabas was never glad when others went wrong. He was gladdened by the goodness. He was always eager to believe the best about everybody. No man is truly good who is not in sympathy with others, who does not have a largehearted tolerance for their weaknesses and a passionate interest in their welfare.
I think of all the men and women who have accepted me, influenced me, and loved me. I think with gratitude of the men and women who have sometimes taken the opposite view in criticisms. They also have enriched my life. I identify at this stage in life with Paul and Barnabas, who encouraged each other.
Every one of us have a Barnabas, an Ananias,
or a Priscilla in their lives. My hope is that you will acknowledge that. If you do, it will let loose a motivating flood within your heart and cause you to become a Barnabas or a Priscilla for someone else. It will liberate the kindness in you. It will make you realize that you touch everybody’s life for better or worse. When you affect them for the better, you release their personalities and set them free.
It is in the depths of life that Barnabas stands with you. It is in the depths of doubt that Priscilla reassures you. It is in the depths of despair that Ananias comes with love and acceptance to say, “Brother Saul, the Lord…has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 9:17, NIV).
Alberto Valenzuela is associate director of communication and community engagement of the Pacific Union Conference and the Recorder editor.
The history of the publishing work in the West and that of Pacific Press go hand in hand. When James and Ellen White came west for the second time in 1874, it was clear that printed materials were needed to share the Adventist message, just as they had been when the movement started back East. In fact, it was very much a situation of déja vu that faced the small group of believers on the Pacific coast. James White did what he had done 25 years before in Connecticut—he issued a paper.
The first issue of The Signs of the Times was printed in Oakland on June 4, 1874. The publishing work in the West had begun, but much more was needed. Ellen White was convinced that Oakland was the place to set up a press, and so land was purchased and a building erected in 1875.
The Whites were so dedicated to making sure the work progressed that they cut their ties with the East to fund the building of the press and churches in the West. “My husband and I decided to sell our property in Battle Creek, that we might use the proceeds in this work. We wrote to our brethren, ‘Sell everything
we have in Battle Creek, and send us the money at once.’ This was done, and we helped to build the churches in Oakland and San Francisco.”1
Not only was Signs started but Pacific Press incorporated so that it could print all the other necessary literature. John Loughborough records it precisely:
April 1, 1875, the Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association was formed in Oakland, its capital stock being fixed at $28,000. The central portion of the lots on Castro St. was, according to agreement, deeded over to the association, and a building was at once constructed by O. B. Jones, of Battle Creek, Mich., the form and size of which was the same as that of the office erected in Battle Creek, except that the one in Oakland was constructed of wood instead of brick. This building being ready for occupancy, the Signs of the Times was moved into its new quarters on Friday, Aug. 27, 1875.2
These actions by the Whites made their intentions very plain—they were concentrating their efforts in
The investment paid off. Within a year, the number of subscribers to The Signs of the Times had reached 4,000.
the West where they saw great possibilities. With the later fire at the Review and Herald Press and the loss of Battle Creek Sanitarium, such an initiative and diversification was wise, and it also demonstrated the White’s recognition of how the church could be “reinvented” in the West.
Investment
The investment paid off. Within a year, the number of subscribers to The Signs of the Times had reached 4,000. A wide variety of books and tracts were also printed for use by the growing membership, while some commercial printing was also done. After two years, another building was constructed on an adjacent lot, making Pacific Press the largest and best equipped printing faculty in the West.
Eight years after its founding, Pacific Press had nine cylinders and three job presses, representing an investment $200,000. Annual gross business was $150,000 and 125 persons were employed. In 1904, Pacific Press moved to a new facility in Mountain View since the Oakland location had become crowded and real estate was expensive. Though the new building was damaged by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, repairs were made and production continued. In 1984 the press relocated to Nampa, Idaho, due to the high cost of operating in Mountain View.
James White was editor of The Signs of the Times from 1874 until just prior to his death in 1881. He also held other positions at the press, demonstrating his firm belief in publishing as a major component of spreading the Adventist message.
Independent
Ellen White was a great defender of Pacific Press’ independence. She wrote to “the brethren” on several occasions to ensure that the publishing work in the West was not taken over by those back East: Let the B. C. [Battle Creek] publishing house and the Pacific Press regard each other as sister institutions. In cooperation they can exert a healthful influence upon each other, but not in consolidation. These institutions are not to become merged into one. The managers in Battle Creek have indulged unchristian, unbrotherly feelings, even envy and jealousy, toward the Pacific publishing house. They have had a feverish desire to belittle that institution, and to bring it under their own jurisdiction, but the light that I have had for years is that these institutions must stand separate, each preserving its own individuality. A nearer relation than this will tend to the injury of both.3
Productions
The productions of Pacific Press include such
periodicals as: Signs of the Times (since 1874); The Pacific Health Journal and Temperance Advocate (1885–1905); The American Sentinel (1886–1900) and its successor The Sentinel of Christian Liberty (1901–1903); Our Little Friend (since 1890); Primary Treasure (since 1957); Primary Sabbath School Lesson Exercises (1953–1984); Listen, A Journal of Better Living (1948–1994); Health (1934–1948); Present Truth (1948–1955); My Bible Story (1946–1956); Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly (since 1895); Primary Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly (since 1935); The Sabbath School Worker (1890–1901); Alert (1950–1971); Smoke Signals (1955–1979); and Israelite (1954–1982). El Centinela, the Spanish magazine equivalent to Signs of the Times, has been published since 1919.
Books have included a series of children’s books, Golden Grains, Sabbath Readings, Story of Pitcairn Island, Story of Redemption, Heralds of the Morning, Testimonies for the Church, The Desire of Ages, The Great Controversy, Prophets and Kings, a series of small books called “The Young People’s Library,” The Place of the Bible in Education, Empires of the Bible, The Great Empires of Prophecy, Ecclesiastical Empires, and Great Nations of Today, along with textbooks for use in Adventist elementary schools and academies. Titles from Pacific Press include theological works
as well as books on topics such as health, family, and Christian living. Their printing plant produces the Recorder for the Pacific Union every month.
1Ellen G. White, “The Judgments of God on Our Cities,” Review and Herald (July 5, 1906).
2J.N. Loughborough, The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress (Washington, DC: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1909), p. 292.
3Ellen G. White, The Publishing Ministry (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1983), p. 158, from Manuscript 31, 1895.
The Transformational Power of Joy
By Carlos A. Camacho
After I concluded a weekend series of sermons at a local church, a couple approached me, requesting a private conversation. I assumed they either had marital issues or wanted to delve deeper into my presentations. I was entirely wrong—they wanted to talk about: me.
Their concern revolved around my use of humor during the sermons. This wasn’t the first time someone had raised this issue. Despite my attempts to explain my perspective, they remained unconvinced.
Before I proceed, let me clarify my approach to humor in preaching: a) I take humor seriously; b) I plan it carefully, ensuring it’s never offensive, belittling, or inappropriate; c) I love to smile and laugh, and I genuinely want others to share in that experience. In the last two instances where my humor was questioned, the feedback revealed two significant misunderstandings that are common, particularly in ethnic churches in North America: theological confusion and a blurring of tradition and culture.
Some people confuse our modern church buildings with the biblical temple. While distinct in function, both spaces are made sacred by the presence of God. Yet, when Christ told His disciples that He would dwell within them through the Holy Spirit, He was revealing that the true temple is now within us—in our hearts. This means God resides in us, not just in physical structures. If we truly are seeking to honor God, we must rethink our relationship to one another. Reverencing a place where God is present doesn’t mean we must be somber or, worse, dour. There is room for joy, even laughter, in the presence of the Almighty.
Another misconception stems from traditions we’ve inherited from other religious practices, especially Catholicism. Gothic cathedrals, for example, were
designed to evoke a sense of smallness in the commoner. Hierarchies between the laity and clergy were underscored by the vastness and silence of the buildings, instilling reverence through fear and unworthiness.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church views people as equals, recognizing that our buildings, while special, are not sacred like the ancient temple. Instead, we gather in these places to worship God, love each other, and serve our communities.
Joy in worship
Life is already stressful and complex. Churches should be sanctuaries of joy, where smiles and laughter are not only welcomed but celebrated.
Recently, I came across a book that dives deeper into the importance of joy from both scientific and theological perspectives. The human brain, as you know, operates through two hemispheres. The left brain handles logic, knowledge, and reasoning, while the right brain processes emotions, creativity, and relationships.
For a long time, we’ve assumed that building our logical knowledge of God through doctrine and theology would lead to personal transformation. However, recent research shows that true faith development begins in the right brain, with relationships and emotions, and then permeates into the logical, left-brain thinking.
In other words, science is now confirming what Scripture has long taught—spiritual growth is deeply tied to relationships, community, and joy. We thrive when we experience love, belonging, and, yes, joy. Joy and laughter significantly impact our spiritual
growth and community life. Joy is a foundational element of the Christian experience, intricately linked to our relationship with God and with one another.
In the book The Other Half of Church1, the authors define joy as a deep sense of gladness that arises from being in the presence of someone who is genuinely happy to be with you. This joy is more than a fleeting emotion; it is a relational experience that reshapes both our minds and hearts.
Joy in God’s presence
The Bible is replete with references to joy in the presence of God. Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”2 Similarly, Psalm 21:6 celebrates, “You have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.”
As image-bearers of God, the joy we experience within our church communities reflects the joy found in His presence. It’s a profound concept— one that we, as Christians, may not always fully appreciate.
The authors of the book mentioned above delve into the neuroscience of joy, revealing that joy activates the brain's relational circuits. When these circuits are engaged, we connect better with others, experience empathy, and grow spiritually. Joy, they argue, is the fuel for spiritual and emotional maturity.
Nehemiah 8:10 underscores this, stating, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Joy is not just an emotional experience; it is a source of strength for
both individuals and communities. Rooted in God, joy empowers us to thrive spiritually and relationally.
The role of joy in transformation
Our Jewish brothers and sisters have long understood the transformative power of joy, as evidenced by the celebration of Purim, a festival dedicated to happiness and rejoicing. In the Christian context, joy is central to our relationship with Jesus. It is the very face of Christ that transforms us.
For too long, we’ve focused on left-brain activities—acquiring knowledge of doctrines— while neglecting the right-brain activity of cultivating joy. But Jesus wants His joy to be within us: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11).
Joy is contagious. A church community that prioritizes joy will build resilient members who can endure challenges and foster environments of growth and healing. Joy-filled relationships reflect the love of Christ and invite others to follow Him.
Communities rooted in joy are environments where healing, growth, and deep relational connections flourish, reflecting the true nature of Christ to the world.
As Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.” Early Christians understood that joy was deeply tied to their relationships with one another.
Joy can be cultivated
Practice gratitude. Like the Israelites in the desert, we often forget God’s provisions and miracles, even when they are right in front of us. Remind yourself of God’s greatness and express your thankfulness to Him and others.
Build authentic relationships. Joy is not a superficial feeling but a transformative force rooted in our connection to Jesus and one
another. Prioritize deep, joy-filled relationships that foster spiritual growth.
Adopt the attitude of a servant. Discover the joy of serving those around you. Communities rooted in joy are environments where healing, growth, and deep relational connections flourish, reflecting the true nature of Christ to the world.
Ultimately, joy was the driving force behind Christ’s ultimate sacrifice: “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus was motivated by the joy of fulfilling God’s will and restoring humanity to a relationship with Him.
Joy is transformative. It leads to spiritual growth, strengthens communities, and is conducive toward fostering better relationships. Embrace the joy of God’s presence in your life today and let it shine through you as you journey through life.
Smile, dear friend.
Carlos A. Camacho is president of the Nevada-Utah Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
1Jim Wilder and Michel Hendricks, The Other Half of Church: Christian Community, Brain Science, and Overcoming Spiritual Stagnation (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2020).
2Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New International Version.
By Laura Hayasaka
T“But
Where Are the Nine?”
en lonely men, ten physically deteriorating men, ten men suffering from leprosy had finally met Jesus outside Jerusalem.
Not only did these men suffer physical affliction— disfigured noses, some fingers gone, loss of eyebrows and eyelashes, shortness of breath—their life was unbearable. Along with the trauma of social ostracism, they also suffered the deep pain of discrimination.
It was necessary for them to reside beyond the city’s walls, away from their families and friends, away from society. Anyone unfortunate enough to “catch” this disease—even well-to-do people and sophisticated, religious, respected members
of society—would immediately be banished from society, condemned to a life of shame. Moreover, if they still had a voice, they were obligated to warn anyone who came near by shouting, “Unclean! Unclean!”
In ancient times, leprosy was seen as a divine punishment, a judgment from God visited upon the worst of sinners. The affliction was referred to as “the stroke” and “the finger of God,” with no mercy or compassion shown to those who suffered from it (Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 262).
The God of Moses was a personal God, a being who interfered in mundane affairs, who rewarded the good and punished the wicked. Leprosy was a divine retribution, a visitation of Providence for evil
thoughts and evil deeds. Every leper mentioned in the Old Testament was believed to have been smitten with this disease because of some transgression.
After years of despair, a glimmer of hope stirred in the hearts of these ten men afflicted by leprosy. Whispers had spread that a Healer had arrived, prompting them to take a chance, disregard their exile, and hasten to His location.
Timidly, they drew near to Him, huddling together in a desperate attempt to muster the courage to call out. Only by uniting their voices could they hope to be heard. Straining their vocal cords, they croaked, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us” (Luke 17:13, NKJV).
“Jesus, Master” had mercy on them. He also had healing for them. Mercy was bestowed instantly.
“Go, show yourselves to the priests,” the Healer said (verse 14).
Obeying this directive required immense faith, as only lepers who truly believed they were healed presented themselves to the priests to seek health certificates—signed statements that would formally readmit them into society.
The lepers rushed to the temple and, by the time they got to the priests, they were healed. By their faith, so was it done unto them.
They now had fingers, toes. Now they could see perfectly. Their voices were strong. Now their nerves were sensitive. They had sturdy muscles and firm bodies.
However, they lacked gratitude in their hearts. They clutched in their hands the documents attesting to their recovery from the most feared illness in antiquity. Remarkably, though, only one of the 10 went back to express gratitude to the Person who had healed them.
It is truly remarkable! However, it may not be as remarkable as our failure to express gratitude for the blessings we have received. We must remember that the lepers had been isolated from their families for a long time. It is likely that it had been months, or even years, since they had last been inside their
homes. They had not embraced their wives, their children, or their parents for months or even years. It is no surprise that they rushed to the homes they had only been able to visit in their dreams.
Nevertheless, a single leper, who happened to be a Samaritan, came back to Jesus. Only one out of the 10 made sure to show his gratitude. “With a loud voice” he “fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks” (Luke 17:15-16, NKJV).
We also suffered from the disease of sin. We also experienced spiritual blindness, a lack of vision. We also found ourselves “afar off,” separated from the household of God outside the walls of Jerusalem.
We beseeched, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” And in His compassion, He granted us mercy and brought healing to our ailing souls. He brought healing to our ailing souls.
He exchanged our worn-out garments of sinfulness for His robe of purity, covering us with His righteousness. As our ultimate mediator, He granted us certificates of redemption, sealed with His blood shed at Calvary—certificates that declare us to be children of God.
Are we part of the group that fails to show appreciation, neglects to express gratitude through prayer, omits to present offerings of thanks, ignores the homeless and needy, and does not embody the qualities of the divine Healer in our daily lives? Consider what Ellen White wrote in this regard: “You have closed your eyes to the wants of the needy and the distressed. Your compassion has not been stirred to relieve the wants of the oppressed and really needy. You have had no heart to aid the cause of God, and with your means to distribute to the necessities of the needy and suffering” (Testimony For the Church, No. 20, p. 151).
Jesus inquired, “Were there not ten cleansed?” He also asked, “But where are the nine?” (Luke 17:17, NKJV). Are you one of them?
Laura Hayasaka is a freelance writer from Sacramento, California.
Ministering to the Young at Heart
By Cynthia Mendoza
Hey! Leave him alone!” she yelled at the man on the street who was speaking harshly to an elderly man as she was walking by. “What gives you the right to treat him that way?”
“He’s my father. I can talk to him any way I want,” the man angrily snapped back at her, in essence telling her to go away and mind her own business.
“No, you can’t!” she retorted. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to take him home to live with me!”
Though her heart was in the right place, Silvia Malagón did not have the means to follow through on her good intentions, being a young teenager at the time. But this one bold act of advocacy was a small manifestation of the strong burden on her heart to care for the elderly—a burden that actually isn’t a burden but rather her life’s work and greatest joy to this day.
Originally from Los Reyes, Michoacán, Mexico, Malagón, a member of the La Sierra Spanish church in the Southeastern California Conference, was born into a traditional Catholic family.
Though her family was not particularly active in religious life, her mother taught her children that there was a God in heaven. One day, after the family had moved to Mexico City, a group of Jehovah’s Witnesses came knocking, bringing with them Bibles and new information that sparked in Malagón new questions about God. “Dear God,” she prayed, while
looking up into the dark starry night. “My mom says you’re in heaven, but these people say I can find you in a book.
Where are you?” The answer didn’t come immediately, and life moved on, but an answer was in the works.
All during her childhood and teenage years, Malagón kept seeking ways to help the elderly. On one occasion, she begged her father to allow a lost elderly indigenous woman who was wandering around their property to spend the night in their home. Though Malagón couldn’t speak the woman’s dialect and the woman didn’t speak Spanish, they communicated enough for the family to bring her home and give her a meal and a bed for the night. Malagón also often ministered to elderly unhoused people on the streets by rubbing lotion on their severely cracked bare feet. She also found ways to provide food and clothing for elderly in need.
At age 19, Malagón met her future husband. Though she couldn’t pinpoint what it was, she felt like there was something special about him—that he was different from other young men she’d met. What she didn’t know was that he had just returned from studying at a university called Montemorelos. Part of their friendship included him telling her Bible stories and other things she had never heard. But he never mentioned what church he belonged to.
“You’re not Catholic,” she ventured one day. “What are you?”
“Seventh-day Adventist,” he replied.
“What’s that? What does that mean?”
“It’s about doing God’s will,” he said. Eventually, he invited her to church, and Malagón never looked back. The experience was not so much new as it was refreshing and soul nurturing—the music, the prayers, the teachings, the fellowship. She felt as if she had experienced a piece of heaven, a true spiritual feast. She had found her place and her people. Malagón paid a price for her newfound faith, including the loss of friends and employment, but all that mattered to her was that she had finally met God and that she wanted to get to know Him more.
Shortly after getting married, Malagón underwent a severe health crisis that required a long and painful surgery, as well as a miscarriage and a high-risk pregnancy. It was through these trials that Malagón feels she experienced God the most in her life—when she pressed in closer to Him and asked for revelation. “It is through trials that we truly experience God and that He reveals His faithfulness and presence,” she said as she reflected on that time in her life.
The couple eventually settled in the United States, now the parents of two young boys, and it was here
that her girlhood prayers of finding ways to serve the elderly were fully answered.
Malagón began by caring for the aging parent of a church member by going to her home to help with meals and daily care, something she poured her heart into. Over time, other families began to seek her out to help with their elderly family members or friends. It wasn’t just that Malagón provided physical care for her clients—she offered them genuine love, companionship, and affirmation that made a meaningful difference in both their physical and emotional well-being. Where they once felt lonely or depressed, they now felt alive and cheerful.
Eventually, Malagón opened her own house to care for the elderly, a dream she had long hoped to be able to accomplish. She earnestly sought God’s help and guidance through prayer in doing so, such as learning as much as she could about nutrition in order to prepare healthful, nourishing meals. She conducts Friday night vespers and sundown worship on Sabbath, including hymn singing and testimonies. She patiently navigates conditions such as memory loss or unpredictable emotions that come with cognitive decline, and she helps families better understand and relate to their aging loved one. She believes that with proper care, healthful nutrition, and, most of all, a lot of love and patience, the elderly can still thrive within the context of any other age or health-related limitations they may have. Her new dream is to write a book to help families and churches better understand, care for, and serve their aging loved ones and members.
“To see them getting better, having quality of life, and a having desire to live is the greatest reward,” Malagón said of her life’s work. “I just love my viejitos [elderly folks] so much. I love spending time with them, talking with them, and seeing them thrive. I believe that even in their old age, God can still use them.”
Cynthia Mendoza is a freelance writer from Southern California.
Fundamental Belief Number 8:
The Great Controversy
By Alberto Valenzuela
Iwas 16 years old when Elder Jaime Castrejón, our next-door neighbor, shared a book with me: El conflicto de los siglos (The Conflict of the Ages).
In English it is titled The Great Controversy. I have always been a history buff, and I enjoyed the book’s historical narrative. I went to our university’s library from time to time and checked some of the details contained in the book, and its accuracy confirmed its message to me—though occasionally there were some items that I could not confirm. The material contained in the book made for fantastic reading. I remember sharing some of what I was reading with my older brother and some of my classmates.
And then things took an interesting turn for me. The writer delved into the future and the work of forces outside of our earth. I was mesmerized. The more I read, the more interested I became in the subject. A few things I found a bit contradictory or oddly missing—there was no mention of WWI or WWII, among other things, nor of the role of the Soviet Union, which at that time was a world power—but the contents of the book were intriguing, to say the least.
Of course, The Great Controversy and the great controversy are two separate items. One is a book and the other is an all-encompassing scheme. Similar to the way we view WWI, WWII, and the Cold War, it’s a struggle between the forces of good and evil. Since those days long ago, I have had time to consider the theme of the great controversy. Maybe
the first thing to appreciate is that this is a rather distinctive belief, since it is not shared by other churches. In fact, the great controversy theme has been called Adventism’s unique contribution to theology. For example, Herbert E. Douglass stated that in this concept “lies the uniqueness of Adventism.… The distinctiveness of Adventism rests in its overall understanding of the central message of the Bible that is governed by its seminal, governing principle, the Great Controversy Theme.”1
The great controversy perspective certainly provides a cohesive framework for Adventist beliefs. The challenge then lies in defining what this great controversy is all about. The official fundamental belief indicates that the great controversy is between Christ and Satan “regarding the character of God, His law, and His sovereignty over the universe.”2 It mentions the fall of Lucifer, Adam and Eve, and that our world is now the battleground for this conflict.
So let’s look at some summaries by Adventist authors defining the great controversy:
• At the root of the great controversy lie several issues. Some of these include God’s law, His character and authority, His justice and mercy, His prerogatives, and the position of His Son, Jesus. — John M. Fowler3
• The central issue in the Great Controversy is over who can best run the universe, God or Satan. — Herb Douglass4
• In the Adventist understanding of this great cosmic conflict, God temporarily limits his power in order to demonstrate his goodness. But not all Adventists are equally enthusiastic about the topic. Typically, the theodicy question is more likely to be raised by those who are concerned to defend God’s goodness, rather than by those who simply wish to affirm God’s power. —Alden Thompson5
There’s quite a variety of opinion there! They include important aspects, to be sure. But if the great controversy is between Christ and Satan, it surely would be helpful to focus on how Jesus answers Satan’s charges. In this way, this great controversy “story arc” becomes meaningful and personal.
A recent Sabbath School study on the great controversy focused on what it called “the central issue,” and defined it as “love or selfishness.”6 This is a great summary of the real conflict that is demonstrated in God’s love in contrast to Satan’s selfishness. So let’s take this as the central issue and see how Jesus demonstrated this in His life.
Jesus confronts the demons in the demonpossessed directly, and He is accused of using demonic powers against the demons! (Matthew 9:34). But this is no arbitrary use of power. It is God wanting to heal those who are under the control of Satan.
During His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus wept over the city (Luke 19:41). He did not instigate a rebellion or tell His followers to fight. In fact, when He is arrested later, He tells Peter to put away his sword (Matthew 26:52). He does not retaliate against the Jewish leaders who have long been planning to kill Him (John 11:53). He even asks forgiveness for the Roman soldiers who are putting Him to death (Luke 23:34).
If the great controversy was just a question about power, it could have been settled very quickly by God using His power against Lucifer. But this was not the issue. Lucifer accused God of misusing His power. God shows He does not use His power for selfish ends. Lucifer makes out that he is the freedom fighter opposing a dictatorial God whose character was harsh, severe, and unforgiving.7 He uses smear
tactics and a program of lies to misrepresent God, to assassinate God’s character (John 8:44). God cannot simply respond with argument; He has to demonstrate His true character. This takes time and involves coming here to reveal who He truly is. Jesus says, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9, NIV).
So what questions does the great controversy theme answer? It gives us a perspective on the nature of sin and how God deals with it—and why it takes so long, since all God’s created beings need to be convinced. It tells us that sin kills—it’s not God executing sinners. “For sin pays its wage—death” (Romans 6:23, GNT). Here we see the consequences of believing the serpent and mistrusting God, and how God works to bring us back to trust in Him. “Our message is that God was making all human beings his friends through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:19, GNT).
Note that we are the ones who chose to become God’s enemies, rebels against Him. God is never identified as our enemy. Jesus tells us He calls us friends as we accept Him (John 15:15).
This process of demonstration of the truth about God continues, even through us: “We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings” (1 Corinthians 4:9, NIV). What an amazing privilege!
Alberto Valenzuela is associate director of communication and community engagement of the Pacific Union Conference and the Recorder editor.
1Herbert E. Douglass, “The Great Controversy Theme: What it Means to Adventists,” Ministry (Dec. 2000), p. 5.
2“Belief 8: The Great Controversy,” https://www.adventist.org/the-greatcontroversy/.
3John M. Fowler, “Issues in the Great Controversy,” Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly (Jan.-March 2002), p. 20.
4Herbert E. Douglas, “What Do Adventists Mean by the Great Controversy Theme,” http://herbdouglass.50megs.com/WhatDoAdventistsMeanGCTPart2. htm.
5Alden Thompson, “Issues in the Great Controversy,” https://wwugoodword. com/2002/01/issues-in-the-great-controversy/
6Mark Finley, “The Central Issue: Love or Selfishness?” Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly (April-Jun 2024), Quarter 2 Lesson 02.
7See Ellen White, Steps to Christ (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1892), p. 10.
Celebration of Life Recalls Tom
Zapara’s Generosity and Commitment
Troesh Conference Center at the Tom & Vi Zapara School of Business was filled on July 28 with family members, friends, and supporters of Tom Zapara who gathered to pay tribute and give thanks for his many kindnesses and generosity, and for his dedication to others and to the Seventh-day Adventist faith community.
The two-hour celebration of life service included insights and memories from Zapara’s four grandchildren, two daughters, son-in-law and former business school professor Jere Fox, and two of Zapara’s friends. A homily was given by Pastor Mark A. Finley, former director and host of It is Written television evangelistic broadcast. Musicians Jeffry Kaatz, cello, Kimo Smith, piano, and vocalist Reuben Capistrano gave performances.
Tom Zapara died on June 16, 2024, at the age of 100, just one month before his 101st birthday. The Zaparas, both alumni of La Sierra, would have celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary in August. A former medical equipment and products entrepreneur and philanthropist, Tom and his wife, Violet, played a crucial role as seed donors and namesakes for La Sierra University’s
60,200-square-foot business school building, which opened in September 2013. Over the years they lent their expertise and provided their philanthropic support to Adventist educational and healthcare organizations, including the Tom & Vi Zapara Rehabilitation Pavilion at Loma Linda University, Adventist Laymen’s Services & Industries (ASI), ASI Missions, Inc., and through the creation of the Zapara Excellence in Teaching Award.
Left to right, Rachael Reiner, Zach Reiner, Claire Reiner-Asmann, and Jesika Chalker.
Shelley Fox, the Zaparas’ eldest daughter, delivered a life sketch for her father that included anecdotes about how her parents met at La Sierra College and eventually married following six proposals Tom made to Vi. She noted his lifelong woodworking hobby that produced shutters and a table for the couple’s first house, their participation in the Inglewood church, and Tom’s work as a pharmaceutical and vitamin sales representative, which served as an entry point into the industry and laid the groundwork for his future companies. She provided insights into his philanthropy work supporting Adventist education and health care, activities which became the driving force behind his desire for business success.
“One thing I remember about my dad is he had very strong priorities,” Fox said. After God, “he put mom first, which was always very comforting to me. Then he put his children, …[then] his business.
“He had very strong spiritual beliefs that colored everything he did and every decision that he made,” Fox said, adding that her father’s favorite Bible verse was Revelation 3:20.
Daughter Cindy Zapara said, after giving a Scripture reading, “My dad was a man of gratitude and of love. Up until his last moments he would say, ‘I don’t know why I’m still alive, but God has a plan for me.’” She read 1 Thessalonians 5:16 and chose the text, she said, because it exemplified the way her father lived his life: “Rejoice always.”
“I consider myself extremely lucky to have had him in my life for so long. He was a constant to our family, someone who was always there,” said grandson Zach Reiner. “I know everyone felt better and loved after spending some time…with him. He was such a great example to me. His selflessness and love will live long in our memories.”
“He was bold, funny, and unapologetically himself. We all need that person in our life, the one who jumps first and finds out the risk second. He and my grandmother balanced each other out perfectly in that regard,” noted Zapara's grandaughter Rachael Reiner. “My grandfather was a big man who has left a big hole. Let us all try to honor him in our own lives by living like Tom.”
In his homily, Finley noted, “When I think of Tom Zapara, I have so many incredible, positive memories—memories of his wise counsel, memories of his encouraging words. Tom always challenged me…to look for what could be. But most of all he was committed to his family, he was
committed to Christ, and he was committed to the Adventist message.
Finley noted Zapara’s love of woodworking and the small hearts he crafted and handed out. Finley held up a copy of the book Steps to Christ by Ellen G. White bound with a wood cover that Zapara had designed and carved for him out of Acacia koa wood. Finley noted Zapara’s love of the book.
“Tom labored all of his life. Scripture says he may rest from his labors, but his works do follow him,” Finley said, citing Revelation 14:13. “Blessed are those, highly regarded by God are those, who die in
the Lord that they will rest from their labors. Tom was no stranger to labor, but now he rests, waiting for the return of Jesus.”
He encouraged the Zapara family to honor their patriarch’s legacy by clinging to the memories made together, remaining close to each other, continuing the tradition of generosity, and living in the hope of Christ’s return.
“Tom lives on, not only in our memories but in the blessing he has been to each one of us,” Finley said.
A video of the celebration of life service for Tom Zapara is available at https://vimeo.com/985902449.
Creating Opportunities that Lead to Pastoral Ministry
The Black Ministries Department gives theology and pastoral ministry students an opportunity to cultivate God-given talents by working in a local church for six weeks during summer break. The program, created in 2021, also creates support
for churches rebuilding their post-pandemic congregations. In many ways these opportunities prepare the students for future ministry and give them an awareness of their own spiritual gifts while taking account of personal goals.
D.J. Darrett loves to work with teens and young adults and has been sponsored by Southern California Conference to attend seminary this fall.
Tiffani Jackson, associate pastor at Hanson Place church in Brooklyn, New York, started her new position shortly after graduating from Oakwood University in June. Jackson said her previous service with the Stockton Mayfair and the Stockton Community church district under Pastor Gregory Johnson was transformative. “What truly resonated with me were the pastoral care moments—caring for our congregation and our broader community,” she said. The role taught her that being a pastor is less about the appearance of leadership and more about the depth of service and compassion. “My time in Stockton was a profound lesson in looking beyond the church's walls to support the less fortunate,” Tiffani shared. “I led weekly prayer meetings, preached on Sabbath mornings, served and contributed to the food pantry, made calls to sick members, and checked in on individuals of all ages.” She engaged the youth regularly and organized a big bowling night for both churches near the end of the internship—“the highlight of my summer,” she said. “I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside Pastor Johnson and to grow in my understanding of what a pastor is. I returned to Oakwood with a fresh experience that helped to equip me in ministry.”
Samuel Baker, a PK (preacher’s kid), loved hanging out with the youth and his peers and talking about Jesus. When Sam met a woman walking toward her vehicle at the end of camp meeting in Riverside, California, their conversation led her to ask if he was a theology student. “No, I haven’t really given that much thought,” Sam said. They exchanged contact information, and a few months later, Sam got a call inviting him to do ministry with pastors’ kids at an upcoming retreat in Tucson, Arizona. Sam found himself directing a four-day program for nearly 60 youth, with support from other collegiates. His enthusiastic personality and keen understanding of the PK experience helped him make the youth feel safe. Sam has been called back to work at the
retreat with the PKs, who now call him “Pastor Sam.” He has been sought after by senior pastors across the union to help churches develop youth programs, bring back Adventist Youth Society activities, and chaperone youth to retreats and youth conferences. One of Sam’s passions is leading the congregation in praise and worship. He was assigned to youth mass choir at the West Coast Youth Conference and led a praise team during the event as well. Now Sam is a locally hired pastor at the San Bernardino Community church. “I’ve met some wonderful pastors and lay people who have encouraged, supported, and mentored me since I was in high school. It has all been by God’s design to direct my path toward pastoral ministry. It is His will for me.”
A potluck at the Valley Crossroads church was wrapping up when an announcement was made by a tall young man: “Okay y’all, our discussion is about to begin in the sanctuary—10 minutes.” D.J. Darrett, 22, was facilitating the reading of The Desire of Ages with a multi-generational group of about 20 to 30 individuals. During his summer break, the discussion became a part of his eight-week internship sponsored by the Pacific Union Conference, under the leadership of Elder Virgil Childs, vice president
LEFT: Tiffani Jackson was called to the Hanson Place church in Brooklyn, NY, as associate pastor. RIGHT: Samuel Baker Jr. is a local church hire with the San Bernardino Community church in Southeastern California Conference.
and director of the Black Ministries Department. D.J., a student at La Sierra, loves basketball, engaging anyone in conversation, and serving others, especially at his home church. He was asked to be the lead chaperone of eight teens sponsored to attend the West Cost Youth Conference in August 2023. During the assignment of tracking the youth, D.J. learned their personalities, anxieties, and aspirations. He bonded with each in a different way. After the conference, he realized the young people at his church had not returned home the same. They began to get more involved in church activities, with confidence and courage. The shy youth were finding their voice; they showed up ready to help. D.J. returned to his campus but found himself coming home on the weekends more regularly to serve his local church. He was called on to participate in worship, pray, preach, and
perform other activities while being mentored by Senior Pastor Norman Knight. When he graduated from La Sierra within six months of the youth conference, D.J. made the decision that he wanted to go to seminary to pursue pastoral ministry. “My family has shown me so much support, but most of all, I feel God tugging at my heart asking me to follow Him, and I can’t deny that. The internship I received gave me a chance to see what God can do through me.”
The opportunities that Black Ministries provides through its summer program have planted seeds, watered dreams, and opened doors for young men and women to follow God’s path to serving in His church and building lives for eternity.
To learn more about the Black Ministries Summer Internship for Ministry Students, speak with your local pastor or email regional@ adventistfaith.com.
Jim Brown Retires as President of Western Adventist Foundation
Founded in 1997 as a Seventh-day Adventist non-profit organization, Western Adventist Foundation (WAF) was brought into existence to assist Adventist entities by expertly managing their trust services and planned giving programs.
Currently, WAF assists more than 80 organizations who support the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. These entities include conferences, unions, hospitals, churches, educational institutions, media ministries, and other humanitarian and outreach organizations.
Jim Brown served at WAF as vice president from 1998-2001 and as president from 2001 through September 2024.
At his retirement celebration on August 28, 2024, at the Martin Auto Museum in Glendale, Arizona,
friends, family, and colleagues gathered to honor Jim and his remarkable achievements. Under his leadership, the assets under WAF’s management grew from about $25 million to over $400 million.
But it was not his money management skills that were highlighted the most at his retirement party. It was his love for people and his caring heart.
Betsy and Dan Matthews recalled with great affection how passionate Jim is about trustors and taking care of them. Betsy, who worked with Jim over the years as a trust officer, said, “He always called me ‘Mom.’ And he never failed to step in and be the family for those who didn’t have family.” Dan Matthews agreed. “He always stepped in where there was a need. Jim took every person or family as a personal interest.”
At his golf-themed party, which also highlighted his love of cars and motorcycles, it was evident that Jim Brown is a man of many passions. He was described as having a “need for speed”—not only in motorcycle racing but in driving a golf cart!
Elder Brad Newton, president of the Pacific Union Conference, expressed his deepest thanks to Jim for the time he has devoted to WAF. “Jim Brown has given his time, his love and care, to this ministry—not only to the financial pieces of the ministry but also to the time he has invested in caring for those who needed him most,” Newton said.
Elder Tony Anobile was Jim’s pastor decades ago at Eagle Rock church in Southern California as well as his former conference president in Arizona. “As a member having funds in WAF, he was always accessible and made me feel valued,” Anobile said. “I could text him and he’d always answer and help me through whatever the issue was, and in great detail.”
Tom Evans, former treasurer of the North American Division, described Jim as “diligent, dedicated, daring, and caring.” Judy Glass, the current treasurer of the North American Division, said, “Jim is passionate and knowledgeable about trusts and wills. He took the germ of an idea and turned it into something that serves the church so well.”
Through all the challenges thrown at WAF over the years, Jim has trusted God to lead him and the corporate leadership team, and it has paid off. Jim sees what he has done at WAF as being all about the people. He has enjoyed assisting them, doing what he can for their comfort, and committing to caring the same for someone with $10,000 as he would for someone with $10,000,000.
As Jim starts on this retirement journey, his passion for motorcycles and ministry will continue to fill his days. “Life is a race,” Jim said, “and with faith in God’s plan, it’s not only how fast you go but how you embrace His guidance and find joy in the journey.”
Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement, Jim. May God continue to guide you and Cindy on the thrilling ride ahead.
For more information on WAF: wafsda.org
Over a hundred young people accepted the call to serve at Camp
Camp Yavapines 2024
For the 300 campers who attended, Camp Yavapines offered more than just a break from the routine of summer life; it provided an environment where they could grow, learn, and forge lasting friendships. The camp’s diverse range of activities, from outdoor adventures to creative arts and spiritual growth sessions, ensured that every camper found something to ignite their passion.
“With the help of Pastor Randy, Yohan Duerksen, and their team, we were also able to bring back gokarts this summer,” said Camp Ministries Director Melanie Cruz.
Camp activities provide an opportunity to form friendships as well as learn.
The daily activities, designed to challenge and inspire, allowed campers to step out of their comfort zones and discover new strengths. Whether it was conquering fears on the zipline, participating in teambuilding exercises, or engaging in heartfelt worship sessions, the experience was transformative.
Nestled in the serene surroundings of Prescott, Arizona, Camp Yavapines has long been a beacon of hope and joy for countless children, their families, and the dedicated staff. The 2024 summer session was no exception, as the camp welcomed eager campers and more than a hundred staff members from around the globe, making it a truly international experience.
The 113 staff members at Camp Yavapines played a crucial role in creating the nurturing and dynamic atmosphere that defined the camp. Their dedication, energy, and love for the campers were palpable as they worked tirelessly to ensure each child had a memorable and meaningful experience.
Camp staff are not afraid to get their hands dirty as they work hard to make the 2024 summer unforgettable for campers.
Yavapines.
For many staff members, the summer at Camp Yavapines was more than just a job; it was a calling. The opportunity to mentor and guide young minds while building connections with fellow staff from diverse backgrounds made the experience deeply fulfilling. The international nature of the staff brought a rich tapestry of cultures and experiences to the camp, enhancing the learning environment for everyone involved.
The impact of the summer was felt by both campers and staff alike. “As a result of God’s Spirit working in and through us, a total of 80 decisions for baptism were made,” said Cruz. We had the privilege of baptizing about 38 young people at camp, 13 of whom were our very own staff.”
By Jeff Rogers
TSam Renderos
and Phil Vecchiarelli
participate in two of the 38 baptisms during the summer.
2024 Fluted Rock Camp Meeting Continues Amid Storms
he Fluted Rock Native Camp Meeting, scheduled to take place at a picturesque rock formation near Chinle from August 23 to 25, had to pivot and move to the Window Rock church due to a forecast of storms, hail, and mud. Even though the camp meeting wasn’t what everyone had initially anticipated, the messages, testimonies, and fellowship time were a blessing.
Hermus Poor Thunder, from South Dakota, was the featured speaker. He shared his testimony of how God became the Lord of his life and how everyone can be warriors for God no matter where they are, on or off the reservation.
Gregory Holiday and his wife, Ella, were the
Poor
choristers for the weekend, and the singing in the Navajo language was heavenly.
During the testimony portion of the weekend, an attendee shared how the Lord had spared a family member from an accident, a man gave his testimony about how he didn’t know his actual name until he started school at Holbrook Indian School, and a lady shared that she’d fought the urge to stay home for the weekend and had been uplifted by attending the event.
This event illustrates that God was able to provide, even when plans to be in Fluted Rock didn’t work out. The event planners are grateful to host Rose Gomez and Pastor Gabriel Silva for their faithfulness and dedication in putting this weekend together.
By Steve Pester
Hermus
Thunder (right) shares his testimony with the attendees at the Fluted Rock Camp Meeting.
Pastors
(left)
(right)
Gregory Holliday (right) along with his wife, Ella (center), and Pastor Gabriel Silva (left) lead the attendees in singing.
Learn More About the Upcoming Quinquennial Constituency Session
The upcoming Central California Conference
Quinquennial Constituency Session will be taking place in November of this year. You’ve probably heard that it is happening, or maybe you’ve read announcements about the town hall meetings. For many people who attend an Adventist church, the term “constituency session” may have been seen or heard many times, but they still do not know what it means. It could be something that sounds like it is necessary for leadership but not relevant to the members.
Even if a constituency session sounds like something that doesn’t impact you, the truth is that it will have a direct impact on you. And this is why it is helpful to pay attention to this event and know what is happening.
What is a constituency session?
A constituency session brings together the leaders of your local church and the conference to make decisions about the future. This is about the future of the conference, which directly impacts the future of your local church. Officers and department directors are elected, amendments to the constitution and bylaws are reviewed, and committees are created.
The authority for choosing positions of leadership in the Adventist Church is given to church membership—it is given to you. Your church has a nominating committee selected by the members. This committee recommends people for the leadership roles of your church. In the same way, a constituency session
brings together the church leadership to recommend and vote on the positions of leadership within the conference.
Ronald Rasmussen, executive secretary of the Central California Conference, explained that the constituency session is a time to get together with the conference and church leadership to hear reports, get a sense of direction on how God has been blessing, and discuss church and conference opportunities. “And in our case,” he explains, “it is to elect a president, executive secretary, treasurer, vice president for ministries, associate executive secretary, directors of ethnic ministries (we have three: African American Ministries, Asian Pacific Ministries, and Hispanic Ministries). And then also to elect members of the Executive Committee and members of the Bylaws Committee.”
The Executive Committee consists of 30 members—14 of which are conference employees and 16 who are not employed by the conference. This committee meets at least nine times a year to provide guidance and governance for the conference throughout the five-year term. The committee receives
CCC's current executive officers (from left to right): Dan Serns, president; Antonio Huerta, vice president for ministries; Mayra Thompson, treasurer; and Ron Rasmussen, executive secretary.
reports from the executive officers, participates in strategic planning for ministry within the conference territory and beyond, and makes decisions about the allocation of financial and personnel resources.
The Bylaws Committee consists of 11 members who meet to determine whether the bylaws of the conference properly reflect current Seventh-day Adventist denominational policies. This committee also makes recommendations for changes to the bylaws that can enhance the ministry of the conference. The proposed changes to the bylaws are presented to the constituency meeting delegates, who determine if the amendments will be adopted.
Why does it matter to you?
The purpose of being involved in the conference’s constituency session is to be involved in the direction of your local church and helping to sense where God is leading us as a church. “Church life isn't just a top-down decision,” explained Rasmussen. “It is organic—growing from the local members.” This means that, if shared, your thoughts on what direction to go as a church will directly impact the leadership in the conference.
Rasmussen also added that it is important for all members to be involved. “Young adults can be
very influential. We need to advocate for balance—in ethnic diversity and gender but also in age. This is their church.”
The constituency session is not about bringing together one age, gender, or race to make decisions for everyone. It needs to include everyone who is being impacted by the decisions.
How do you become involved?
Scan for More Information About Constituency
The first and most important step is becoming involved with your local church and its leadership. There will be town hall meetings scheduled in August and September where you can help guide your church and conference decisions. Watch for announcements on when and where these will be taking place.
Learn more about what a constituency session is and how it impacts you at www.nadadventist.org/ adventist-church-101.
A review and report of the constituency session will be available online at www.cccsda.org.
By Brennan Hallock
Hawai’i Pathfinders
Find Blessings at Camporee
Pathfinder clubs from the Hawai’i Conference set out on a remarkable journey to Gillette, Wyoming, for the International Pathfinder Camporee. This trip would test their resilience and strengthen their spirit of unity and positivity.
The theme for this year's camporee was "Believe the Promise." It couldn't have been more fitting, especially when you consider how they were faced with unexpected weather challenges. Despite the sudden change in weather, the Pathfinders from Hawai’i stood together, united in their positive attitude. Their collective spirit and optimism were inspiring and a testament to the important of grace when facing difficulties. They saw the adversity as an opportunity to
grow closer and strengthen their unity.
In a beautiful twist of divine affirmation, the weather improved as God fulfilled His promise in a vivid display of His faithfulness. A stunning double rainbow arched across the sky after the storm, which brought memories of the Hawaiian rainbows that pop across our islands—a sight that felt like a personal message to the Pathfinders, reminding them of God’s promises and that He will never leave them nor forsake them, even in times of trouble.
Throughout the camporee, the Pathfinders immersed themselves in various activities, eagerly trading pins, earning Pathfinder honors, and contributing to camp activities. This event also provided
a unique opportunity for personal growth and cultural exchange as they connected with Pathfinders from around the world. A standout event was the evening program, where the Pathfinders witnessed a powerful reenactment of the story of Moses. The portrayal of God's deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery was both moving and powerful, beautifully highlighting the theme of trusting in His promises.
The International Pathfinder Camporee is more than just an event; it is a transformative experience for young people, which they look forward to every five years. It provides them a platform to learn, grow, and witness the promises of God in action. For the Pathfinders from Hawaii, the time spent in Gillette was enjoyable and deeply impactful. As the camporee ended, the Pathfinders returned home with hearts full of memories and a renewed sense of purpose. They are already looking forward to the camporee in 2029, with the theme “Stand Strong,” when they can again be part of this incredible journey of faith and fellowship.
By Ivan Ostrovsky
New Associate Pastor at Kurtistown Samoan-English Church
The Hawaii Conference is excited to announce that Matthias Bernard is the new associate pastor of the Kurtistown Samoan-English church on the island of Hawai’i. Please keep him in your prayers as he ventures into this new journey. We asked Matthias to introduce himself to all those who may not know him yet.
Talofa lava! My name is Matthias Bernard, born and raised in Hawai‘i on the island of O‘ahu in Ewa Beach. I am currently an Andrews University Theological Seminary student, and I have had the blessed opportunity to be installed as the associate pastor at the Kurtistown Samoan-English church here in the district of Puna, Hawai‘i.
My passion for ministry is youth and young adults. More than just retaining youth and young adults within our church, it is important to ask the question as to how our churches can be a service to people who engage in
the varying dynamics of life.
Among all of the logistics that I will be doing with the church, I will be dedicating most of my time to connecting with the youth and young adults at the church and at our local Adventist school in Hilo. I look forward to working with Pastor Mark Tamalea’a and the Kurtistown Samoan-English church these next few months.
By Matthias Bernard
A Little Child Shall Lead Them
One of the special things about children is that most of them are still open—their hearts have not been hardened by life’s adversities. God is a God of purpose, on purpose, and He will often utilize children to carry out said purpose and plans for His kingdom, honor, and glory. He knows that the heart of a child is pure in their capacity to love and understand His truths. Given their limitless faith and great courage, children have often been His best vessels for honorable kingdom tasks. We have plenty of examples of this in Scripture.
The Bible also says that “a little child shall lead them” (Isaiah 11:6). Although that verse is referencing how
a child will be able to lead the wild beasts in the new earth because sin will be no more, it is still a concept that rings true for many who have come into the faith because of a child’s influence. Such was the case for Roseanne “Rose” Tsosie-Gomez when she learned of Jesus Christ and God’s great love for her.
Rose is no stranger to HIS. A member of the Navajo Nation, she is also a member of the Board of Trustees for Holbrook Indian School (HIS). Her late husband, Emilio “Chico” Galvan Gomez, who was raised in the Seventh-day Adventist church and came back into the faith later in life, wanted their three sons, Lionel, Aaron, and Joshua, to attend HIS. Rose explained that this was “so [I] could come to know God—something he [Chico] had been praying for.” At HIS, because of the dedicated efforts of little Aaron’s teacher, Mrs. Bergren, Aaron learned the stories of the Bible. The ripple effect is that Aaron would then share those stories with his mother and father.
FAR LEFT: The Gomez family. Left: Aaron and son.
“It was through my eight-year-old son telling us Bible stories from the back seat during the 90-mile trip home on his school break. Instead of a mother telling her son stories from the Bible, I heard beautiful stories I’d never known. I would ask my son to tell me more stories. Praise the Lord for [Aaron’s] third-grade teacher for a job well done. This journey was a steppingstone that led my husband and me to do service for the Lord, not only within the Navajo Nation, but throughout Indian country, including Alaska, Canada, and the Northwest Territory.”
Rose’s résumé shows just how deeply these ripples of faith from a child go. She has been serving the Lord since 1983. From receiving her certificate in Daniel and Revelation seminars to hosting Revelation Seminars on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona and New Mexico, as well as in Alaska, South Dakota, and Washington, Rose has continued to grow in her faith as an Adventist. She
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.
also made recordings of herself teaching about the Fundamental Beliefs and distributed them throughout the Navajo Reservation. As a side project, Rose also sews stuffed bears and wolves as a means to help provide funding for HIS.
At present, Rose volunteers at Diné Radio as a translator, in addition to writing and producing programming for KTNN Radio. She is also a Bible worker for the Arizona Conference and works as an evangelist teaching pottery, bead work, and sewing at the Kinlichee and Window Rock churches.
Aaron’s teacher, Mrs. Bergren, is now 92 years old and still connects with Rose on a regular basis. This is just one of many stories of how HIS reaches beyond the classroom into the families and communities of the children we serve. “I pray this short story will touch someone's heart to pray for the parents, students, and staff at HIS,” said Rose. “John 8:32 says, ‘and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”
By Kimberly Cruz
Roseanne
Many factors can affect a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer. Here are eight questions your doctor may ask and what each question has to do with your breast cancer risk.
1. Have you ever had cancer?
If you’ve had cancer in one breast, you have a higher chance of getting cancer in the other or in a different part of the same breast.
Your risk might also be higher if you had chest radiation to treat another cancer, such as Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. On the other hand, if you’ve had chemotherapy, that may actually lower your risk of breast cancer.
2. Do you have a family history of breast cancer?
Having a mother, daughter, or sister with breast cancer almost doubles your own risk. Having two close relatives with breast cancer raises your risk even more. Though breast cancer is more common in women, men also get it. Be sure to tell your doctor if your father or brother has been diagnosed.
Of course, you can get breast cancer without a family history. In fact, eight out of 10 women diagnosed with breast cancer don’t have a close relative with the disease.
3. Do you have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation?
Up to 10 percent of all breast cancers may be inherited. This means they develop directly from gene mutations passed on from a parent. The most common cause of inherited breast cancer is a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.
If you have a strong family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer, your doctor may advise you to consider genetic testing for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations.
4. How old are you?
The older you are, the higher your breast cancer risk. Most invasive breast cancers—those that have
spread from where they started—are found in women 55 and older.
5. How old were you when you had your first period?
Starting your periods before age 12 may slightly add to your risk. This may be because you have a longer lifetime exposure to certain hormones that can spur the growth of breast cancer.
6. If you’ve given birth, how old were you when your first child was born?
If you haven’t given birth or you had your first child after age 30, you may have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer. But pregnancy can also raise the risk of one kind of breast cancer.
Some older forms of birth control may also affect your risk. So be sure to tell your doctor about your full reproductive history.
7. Have you ever had a breast biopsy?
Even when a biopsy doesn’t find cancer, some of the breast changes that led to the biopsy may raise your cancer risk. But biopsies themselves don’t cause cancer.
8. What’s your race and ethnicity?
Generally, white women are slightly more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than women of other ethnicities. Under age 45, breast cancer is more common in African American women. Overall, African American women are more likely to die from the disease than white women.
Keeping breast cancer at bay
Regardless of your risks, getting your mammograms on schedule can help you find breast cancer early, when it is most treatable.
Despite these known risks, your risk is unique. Stay informed about breast cancer facts and talk with your doctor anytime you’re concerned.
By Kim Strobel
Athletics directors from nine Adventist colleges and universities pose for a group photo along with guest speakers and other attendees of the second biannual North America 2024 Seventh-day Adventist Higher Education Athletics Directors Conference.
Adventist Athletics Directors Team Up at La Sierra for Second Conference
This summer, athletics directors from nine Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities from around the U.S. and international locales converged on La Sierra University’s campus for four days of camaraderie, learning, relationship-building, and worship. It was the second biannual conference since its organization in 2022.
The North America 2024 Seventh-day Adventist Higher Education Athletics Directors Conference was held July 26-29. Activities included outings to Southern California beaches, Catalina Island, and Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains as well as tours of La Sierra’s campus. An additional event included athletics directors and physical education teachers from Adventist academies in the Southeastern California Conference and other areas.
Guest speakers provided inspirational insights related to the world of faith-based athletics and addressed key issues relevant to athletics at Adventist institutions. They included former NCAA championship coach Stan Morrison, current chair of La Sierra’s foundation board; Martin DuSold, area director for Fellowship of Christian Athletes; Bob Schindler, director of CEDE Sports; and Bill Arnold, superintendent of education for the Southeastern California Conference. The event was supported with sponsorship from the Pacific Union Conference.
The conferences are important “to understand where we are standing in each institution's athletics journey and to help each other develop our programs. Most of us are pioneers in this field,” said Javier
Krumm, La Sierra University’s athletics director, a key conference organizer and its current executive director. He is also president of this year’s conference since it was held at La Sierra.
“It is a reminder that we are not alone and can discuss and learn of the challenges that others are dealing with, not only with athletics/sports but also within our institutions,” said Rod Bussey, the Southern Adventist University representative who attended the event.
Nestor Osorio, athletics director at Walla Walla University, said he most enjoyed the camaraderie, getting to share ideas and goals, and the Godcentered worship.
He views sports programs at Adventist institutions as a means not only of recruiting and retaining students but as a pathway for evangelistic opportunities that impact players, coaches, and fans. Said Krumm, “In my view, a sports field or court is one of the best places to truly understand a student’s character. In my experience, many athletes go on to hold leadership positions after college because they have faced the challenges of sports and learned the value of teamwork. They gain essential qualities such as sportsmanship, servant leadership, integrity, responsibility, and respect.”
The next Adventist athletics directors’ conference will be held in 2026 at Washington Adventist University, led by its athletics director, Jerod Lyons.
By Darla Martin Tucker
Pesco-Vegetarian Diets Best
for Reducing Risk of Death in Elderly
Pure vegetarian diets not as protective against certain neurological diseases in elderly
Avariety of vegetarian diets appear to protect against risk of mortality and contributing conditions, with a pesco-vegetarian diet— which includes fish—providing the most protection against risk in very elderly people, according to a new study.
Researchers at Loma Linda University Health found that vegetarian diets are associated with lower risk for all-cause mortality and many cause-specific mortalities, especially among males and in middle-aged subjects. However, slightly higher risks were observed among very elderly vegetarians for neurological conditions such as stroke, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. Despite this, the pesco-vegetarian diet continued to offer a small but noticeable advantage over other vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets, even in elderly people.
disappear for those adhering to a strict vegetarian diet.
“These increased risks of neurological conditions among vegetarians in their 80s weren’t huge, but something is going on there that we shouldn’t ignore if we wish the vegetarian advantage to continue for all vegetarians in their later years,” Fraser said.
The study, “Cause-specific and all-cause mortalities in vegetarian compared to non-vegetarian participants from the Adventist Health Study-2 cohort,” was published August 2 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Gary Fraser, MBCHB, PhD, distinguished professor at Loma Linda University School of Public Health and principal investigator of the study, said a vegetarian diet appears to offer protection from risk of death through middle-aged years. However, once it helps people get into their 80s, that overall advantage seems to See the latest news and Health & Wellness stories from Loma Linda University Health at news.llu.edu.
The study used data from the Adventist Health Study-2, a massive cohort of nearly 96,000 people who identify as Seventh-day Adventist and lived in the United States and Canada during the study’s baseline recruitment between 2002 and 2007, with follow-up through 2015. Data from that group has been used for numerous studies on health, disease, and mortality over the years. This study analyzed data from more than 88,000 subjects and approximately 12,500 deaths in the study cohort. Dietary data were collected using a questionnaire and then categorized into five patterns: non-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian (including dairy and eggs), and vegan.
Fraser said his team found that Adventist vegetarians overall had about a 12% less risk of death compared to Adventist non-vegetarians. Study participants with a pesco-vegetarian diet had an 18% less risk of death. Those with a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet had a 15% less risk of death. Vegans overall had a less than 3% decreased risk of death, but male vegans fared much better than non-vegetarians, in contrast to females.
“Overall, this is some of the clearest data that American vegetarians are greater protected from premature death than non-vegetarians,” Fraser said.
Support for the analysis of the study was provided by Loma Linda University Health’s Research Affairs department. Initial cohort funding support came from grants from the National Cancer Institute and the World Cancer Research Fund.
By Ansel Oliver
PUC Serves Thousands of Patients in India
In only a week, faculty and students from Pacific Union College and health professionals served over 3,000 patients in India.
Professor of biology Backil Sung planned this mission trip to Falakata, India. From July 10-21, the goals were to treat patients with health issues, introduce Jesus’ love, and for students and volunteers to learn how to practice God’s command to love others.
All to Heaven is Sung's charity organization that helps with PUC’s yearly mission trips. His organization raised around $80,000—with $35,000 supplying medications and materials—and assisted with local transportation and meals for the mission trip. $37,000 was donated to construct the theology school's boys' dormitory, fund scholarships, give The Great Controversy to students, and donate a dental chair to the clinic. The remaining $8,000 was reserved for next year's mission trip.
“I was very impressed with Dr. Sung’s ability to organize and lead this international mission trip,” said professor of biology Floyd Hayes. “His mission trips provide a tremendous opportunity for our students to participate in health care, and I hope that many will join him each summer.”
Joining Sung and Hayes were seven biology students from PUC; eight medical doctors specializing in medicine, ophthalmology, and physical medicine and rehabilitation; eight dentists; one dental hygienist; five nurses; and one lab technician. The team also included medical and allied health professionals in an on-site clinic.
The clinic on site was one of two where their teams were stationed. The first clinic, where doctors and students saw patients who needed medical and dental work, was a fully equipped diagnostic facility with an X-ray and blood chemistry analyzer. The second site was in a community center near the border of India
and Bhutan. Medical and dental professionals provided attention for those who needed vital checkups, rehabilitation, medication, and reading glasses. In their dental clinic, they extracted and cleaned teeth and provided restorative treatment.
With the abundance of people treated, the clinics quickly reached capacity and the teams carefully controlled the flow of patients. Student volunteers actively provided medical and dental services by guiding patients to specialized doctors. They also checked patients' blood sugar and visual acuity and had the opportunity to practice medical and dental techniques with patients under the supervision of professionals. By participating in this mission trip to India, PUC students learned to overcome challenges caused by a different culture and environment.
“The students were awesome!” shared Hayes. “They were cheerful, worked very hard beside the health care medical professionals, and enjoyed interacting with the volunteers and Indian people. I was proud of them all!”
Outside of treating patients, PUC students worshiped with the locals, with Sung giving a sermon on the first Sabbath there. Students learned spiritual practice by joining morning devotions at 6:30, where speakers shared personal messages about their spiritual experience and the importance of helping others.
Sung hopes his students see that mission work is God’s command. “If they understand God’s love, all the people will love God back and follow His command that we should help other people,” he said. “I want every PUC student to learn the value of how important it is to help other people.”
By Ally Romanes
Nevada-Utah’s Youth Rush team: Izaiah Copca, Sofia Malakhov, Nigel Strong, Geencie Castillo, Victor Farias, Pedro Mugabe, Jazmin Bondoc, Anthony Lee, Jericho Bondoc, Neil Bensan, Q Melidor, Matthew Villasante, Nika Chevelon, Frantz Etienne, and Joelis Colmenarez
Embracing
Faith
Through
Youth
Rush:
A Summer of Service and Spiritual Growth
This summer, the Youth Rush program offered an incredible opportunity for young people to engage in hands-on missionary work and sharing the love of Christ with their communities. Over the course of the program, 14 dedicated youth participated in a door-to-door outreach, distributing Christian literature, praying with individuals in their homes and workplaces, and ultimately sharing the transformative message of the gospel.
Youth Rush is more than just a summer activity; it’s a profound spiritual journey. Participants not
Victor Farias confidently knocks on doors, knowing the Lord has gone before him.
only bless their communities with literature but also experience significant personal growth. Many recount divine appointments and remarkable encounters where their prayers were answered in unexpected ways. The program serves as a powerful reminder of how God works through our efforts, even amid rejection and challenges.
Answers to prayer and spiritual impact
Sixteen-year-old Pedro Mugabe shared, "I had my first answer to prayer in Youth Rush. We prayed for someone to be interested in a [Great Controversy] book, and just a few minutes later, someone expressed interest!" This experience ignited a newfound prayer life and desire for a deeper relationship with God. Despite occasional struggles, he expressed a commitment to maintain his devotional time even after returning home.
Another youth, Jericho Bondoc, reflected on his experience stating, "I learned that I had been underestimating God’s power. He is more powerful than I thought, and He will work in our lives if we allow Him to." These realizations underscore the program's impact on spiritual growth, equipping young people like 19-year-old Jericho to trust in God’s plan.
Jericho also shared a memorable encounter that exemplified the program’s purpose. Upon visiting a lady’s home, he introduced himself and presented Lessons of Love (which includes Christ's Object Lessons).
IA Divine Encounter
(testimony by Q
Melidor)
experienced a powerful moment that I believe was orchestrated by the Holy Spirit. As I was going about my business, I encountered a locked door. I could see someone inside, but it seemed like the conversation wasn’t meant to happen at that moment.
He explained how the book can refresh and inspire those grappling with stress, guilt, and heartache. The lady was taken aback, exclaiming, "I was just talking with my friend about how difficult it has been for me to deal with stress, and here you are knocking at my door!" This moment was a potent reminder of how God orchestrates encounters to meet people’s needs.
TOP: Loaded with an armful of hope, Jazmin Bondoc heads to the homes on her route.
INSET: Getting ready to hit the field with prayer and cheers of encouragement.
Both outreach and renewal
The Youth Rush program has been an unstoppable adventure for those involved, creating a space for youth to grow in faith while serving others. Participants leave with not only a heart for mission work but also a deeper understanding of God's presence in their lives. This summer, the Youth Rush program has truly been a blessing, fostering both community outreach and spiritual renewal among the youth. We encourage more young people to join this transformative experience next summer, where faith and service go hand in hand.
By Joelis Colmenarez
A bag full of hope waiting patiently at the door to become a blessing.
As I went upstairs, I encountered a lady, and we briefly greeted each other. When she returned to her office, she expressed surprise that I wanted to speak with her.
I discovered she was a nurse practitioner. As we chatted, I shared about the literature I was distributing, and she seemed genuinely interested. When I mentioned that I was a student at Weimar Academy, her eyes lit up. She had recently applied for a nurse practitioner position at an Adventist clinic at Weimar and even shared that she had been interviewed by Neil Bensan—who, coincidentally, was my leader for the Youth Rush program! Our conversation deepened, and she expressed her appreciation for the work we were doing. She shared her desire to provide educational materials to her clients, wanting to empower them with knowledge about health and well-being. By the end of our conversation, she decided to order 30 copies of Habits That Heal (which includes insights from The Ministry of Healing) and 30 cookbooks. It was incredible to witness how this lady understood the importance of the literature we shared. She expressed a heartfelt wish to integrate similar resources into her professional practice. This encounter reinforced my belief that God is at work, not just in our lives but also through the connections we make with others.
A Storm of Joy
In early August, Gillette, Wyoming, hosted approximately 55,000 Pathfinders worldwide, including over 900 from the Northern region, temporarily transforming the town into the largest city in Wyoming for a week.
The camporee's opening day was dramatic, with rain, hail, and wind crashing down as if to challenge the joy of the gathering. Campers scrambled for shelter, seeking safety in meeting halls while the downpour turned their tents into pools, soaking sleeping bags and luggage. Yet, in stark contrast to the tempest outside, the
joyful voices of thousands of Pathfinders praising God resonated through the impromptu indoor sanctuaries, defying the storm's wrath.
Amid the excitement of new friendships, activities, and challenges, many, including 14 from Northern, dedicated their lives to God through baptism. A particularly special moment came when Grant Gulke, a Pathfinder from Napa Valley, requested baptism after 30 years of involvement in the program.
Eddie Heinrich, the NCC youth director, captured the spirit of the moment, saying, "What is a camporee
without some weather and challenges? The enemy may try to stir up trouble when our worldwide clubs gather to praise God, but the storm only set the stage for a Wyoming-sized blessing."
This spirit of resilience and reliance on God's providence was not limited to the Pathfinders. On their journey back from the camporee, Jenny Jinn, an NCC Pathfinder leader from Carmichael, and her family encountered a test that would reveal the power of kindness, the heart of a servant, and the impact of passionate, hard work.
Unfortunately, their borrowed SUV broke down multiple times, turning what should have been a routine drive home into a motoring disaster. As Jenny and her family waited on the side of the road in the dark, not knowing what to do, the Holy Spirit moved, working through a local family in Gillette.
As Jenny retold her story: “Steven Taylor, a passing motorist, saw our blinking lights in the distance. He later said, ‘I felt a nudge in my heart to stop and assist you.’ What began as a simple gesture—towing our trailer and offering a meal—blossomed into an extraordinary act
of kindness. The Taylors extended more than help; they opened their home and hearts, welcoming our family as if we were their family. But their kindness didn't end there. When it became clear that the vehicle was beyond repair, the Taylors offered to drive our trailer back to us toward the end of this year.”
By Laurie Trujillo
Jon Cicle Joins NCC Administration
Elder Jon Cicle recently joined the NCC administration offices serving as assistant to the president. Cicle returns to Northern California Conference from Eagle Rock church in Southern California, where he was the senior pastor.
His career began in the Southeastern California Conference as a youth pastor at Victorville church. He was ordained while pastoring in the Valley Center and Poway church district. Moving to Northern, he served for 21 years, which included youth pastor at Pacific Union College church, pastor of the Vallejo Central church, and pastor of the Orangevale church.
He remarked about his career, “I’ve learned to try things that have never been tried before, grown to understand the complexities of diverse congregations, and learned to listen for understanding rather than for response. Through it all, my goal has been and continues to be lifting up Jesus with vision and a sense of mission.”
Cicle has enhanced his Master of Divinity degree from Andrews University with professional development, including coaching certifications with StrengthsFinder, Natural Church Development, and
Prepare-Enrich Marriage counseling. He stated, “The passage of Scripture that keeps me grounded is Hebrews 12:2, 'fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.'”
Marc Woodson, president, said, “I’m so glad that Jon came back to Northern to serve as assistant to the president after a short stint away. His many years of pastoral ministry experience and giftedness will serve our conference well. I’m so glad to have him as a part of my team.”
By Ken Miller
Unexpected Events and Divine Intervention: Experiences at the 2024 Pathfinder Camporee
On her way to the International Pathfinder Camporee in Gillette, Wyoming, Gabby was praying for a miracle. An international Pathfinder from Kenya, she somehow had separated from her group and was now left behind at a gas station. She found herself in a strange place and in a strange country but with an amazing God. She spotted a vehicle with a Pathfinder logo, and she dared to ask for a ride. The family, a family of Pathfinders, safely delivered Gabby to Southeastern California Conference (SECC) coordinators, who took her in and did not stop until she was safe. Talk about unexpected events and divine intervention!
Jesus has promised to be with His children, always. Pathfinders were reminded of this as people from around the world were united in prayer for protection and deliverance at the camporee. After a storm hit the camporee, God hugged His children with a magnificent rainbow that spoke of His love and His presence in that place.
The events after the storm speak of a living God who is still in the business of protecting, providing, and moving hearts. Pathfinder counselors and volunteers
spent their own money to buy supplies for those affected. People from the community were moved to bring in sleeping bags and tents late at night. A town sheriff in full uniform stopped by and gave a generous donation to help. His donation would later buy food for a club from Zambia. A local laundromat extended their business hours so that people could wash and dry their bedding. People at Walmart loaded Pathfinder shoppers with donations. Donations turned up at every corner— unexpected blessings, divine intervention!
A club director shared how she came to understand why she was at this camporee. Her husband had stayed behind with health issues, and they had faced so many challenges to get there. While there, things did not get easy, but at the night program, a Pathfinder who had been resisting giving her life to Jesus was overcome by the Holy Spirit and accepted the invitation to get baptized.
Heaven will be an amazing camporee with no storms. While we face unexpected events in our lives, let us thank God for His divine intervention and wait on His promise!
By Patty Hernandez
SECC Pathfinders loudly cheer on stage.
SECC Associate Youth Director Meshach Soli baptizes a Pathfinder.
SECC Welcomes New Associate Superintendents to Education Department
This July, the Southeastern California Conference (SECC) welcomed two new associate superintendents to its education department: Alison Jobson and Oscar Olivarria.
Alison brings a wealth of experience from her extensive career in Adventist education. She began teaching at Spring Valley Academy in Ohio, where she also served as vice principal, before moving into conference-level leadership roles, including superintendent for the Ohio Conference and associate director of education at the Columbia Union Conference. After relocating to Southern California to be closer to family, Alison felt called to continue her ministry with SECC.
"My vision for the future of SDA education is that all of our schools will continue to provide innovative 21st-century education for our students and families that prepare them for now and for eternity," said Alison.
She is particularly passionate about mental health, cultural competency, and supporting multi-grade teachers and teaching principals. Her role will also involve providing instructional, curricular, and policy guidance for four SECC schools.
Oscar, a proud "SECC guy," returns to the conference with a deep commitment to Adventist education. Oscar's journey into education began unexpectedly, but he soon realized that God was leading him toward a career in teaching.
He spent 14 years in the classroom and eight years as a principal, most recently at Glendale Adventist Academy. His new role as associate superintendent was a surprise opportunity, but one that Oscar embraced after prayerful consideration.
"I want each of the administrators who I serve directly to feel supported," Oscar shared. "I think that their job is the toughest in the entire system, so if I can make that just a degree easier for them, then I think that would be very satisfying and fulfilling."
Oscar will oversee five SECC schools and take on the additional responsibility of Health and Safety, as well as the planning of the Junior/Senior Bible Conference, a personal favorite event of his.
Both Alison and Oscar are committed to enhancing the educational experience within SECC, bringing their unique backgrounds and shared dedication to the ministry of education. As they step into their new roles, they are eager to support SECC educators, students, and families in meaningful ways, ensuring that Adventist education continues to thrive.
Congratulations to both Alison and Oscar!
By Danni Thaw
At the end of the summer, the Youth Rush team wears their program T-shirt based on their favorite verse, Isaiah 40:31.
From Parrots to Pit Bulls: God Orchestrates Unique, Life-Changing Connections During Youth Rush
“God
not only answers the prayers of canvassers but the unseen prayers of families as well.”
Benjamin
The phrase “God can make a way out of no way” rang especially true for student literature evangelists participating in Youth Rush this summer in the Southern California Conference (SCC) territory.
Gabriel was having a particularly bad day before knocking on a door where he thought he would be brushed off. The woman who answered said she was busy taking care of someone, so he did a quick canvass (a one-sentence explanation of each book). He noticed a large parrot sitting on top of an empty bird cage. The parrot flew down to the floor and walked toward him. Gabriel reached out, and the parrot climbed up his arm. The woman was impressed, saying, “That never happens!” Through this unexpected encounter, she was drawn to what Gabriel had to share and bought four books.
One afternoon when the team had five books left to reach the day’s goal, Benjamin prayed for motivation. He walked up to a house with a gate and shook the gate, but no one answered. As he turned to leave, he heard the gate open. He strolled in, and just as he was looking up to the sky to give thanks to God, he stopped walking at the sight of a menacing pit bull. Suddenly an older man ran out of the house, yelling at the disturbance. As he got closer to Benjamin, the dog started
Joseph shows the six-book set a man just received at a door.
• Number of student literature evangelists: 19
• Cities visited: 19
• Summer earnings: $50,164.50 in student scholarships; $4,000 per student average earnings
• Books distributed: 7,505
• Five students made decisions for baptism (4 rebaptized; 1 newly baptized)
• 17 contacts from community interest survey
to bark and protect Benjamin from its owner, moving the man back toward the house and away from Benjamin. The owner was shocked, saying, “My dog does not do that. He will hurt people who try to come to my house. Why are you different?” Benjamin cautiously approached the man, with the dog staying by him the entire time, and the man opened up to Benjamin. He admitted to not being a good man, sharing how his relationships with his wife and children were suffering and that his life was falling apart. After speaking with Benjamin, the man took five books: Simply Fresh cookbook, The Great Controversy, Christ’s Object Lessons, and two books for his children. That day, Benjamin realized that “God not only answers the prayers of canvassers but the unseen prayers of families as well.”
Although the parrot and pit bull did not speak to their owners directly, as Balaam’s donkey spoke to him, through these animals, God was able to create unforgettable connections to minister to families.
“This summer has shown our student literature evangelists that their Heavenly Father is a living, active God who continually works to do extraordinary things through ordinary people today,” said Lizelle Oreño, SCC Literature Ministries assistant coordinator.
Each year as students and leaders minister to those they encounter, they, too, are impacted by the ministry, which goes beyond the summer program.
Mike and Topaz, parents of Christopher, shared that their son came home a different person after the program. “He had a much more sense of confidence about him,” they said. “Christopher had a powerful spiritual experience while in the program that led him to make a decision to be baptized.”
“This program helped my son become bold about connecting with people he didn’t know,” Vinh Nguyen, SCC Asian/Pacific Region director, said. “He grew more confident with each door he knocked on. It’s fostered a spirit of witnessing in him, and I believe he will be more inclined to spend time talking to others and sharing the gospel.”
“Literature evangelism is a unique and powerful way to spread the gospel, reaching individuals who might never enter a church,” Andy Villanueva, SCC Literature Ministries director, said. “SCC Youth Rush participants have the opportunity, through the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, to continually plant seeds of faith, often leading to life-changing encounters with Jesus.”
To learn more, visit https://www.sccyouthrush.org/.
By Araya Moss
LEFT: Students take part in a prayer huddle. RIGHT: The Youth Rush team has a worship devotional before going out to the communities and ministering door to door.
Benjamin (left) and Jonas (right) get rebaptized after the summer program at the iShare Convention.
The Last Word
By Ray Tetz
The Gospel of the Disappointment
October 22, this year and every year, is a teachable moment for those who have lived in hope for something that hasn’t yet happened.
This is the 180th anniversary of what Adventists and the progeny of the religious Millerite movement euphemistically call “The Great Disappointment.” Talk about an understatement. It was closer to being “The Great Annihilation of Hope” or “The Great Theological Mistake Big Enough to End the Whole Discussion” or “The Great Challenge That if It Doesn’t Break You Will Make You Stronger.”
Turns out it wasn’t the first time that Christians had been majorly disappointed. As great as the disappointment might have been for those in the middle of it in 1844, it was nothing compared to
the twin fundamental challenges faced by firstcentury Christians.
For them, the first extraordinary disappointment was the execution of Jesus Christ by those in power. Their beloved leader was killed. Dead. Pretty hard to come back from that. (Cue the resurrection.)
The second disappointment—the same one faced by the early Adventists—was that after the miracle of His resurrection and His ascent into heaven, He didn’t come back like He said He would. Even though He had promised. And even though people—and this is important—were doing everything they could to cause Him to come back, it didn’t change anything.
For some, this disappointing set of circumstances meant cutting their losses, bailing out, and never looking back. But for the ones persuaded that
Ascension Rock at the William Miller farm, near Hampton, New York. It was here that the faithful kept their lonely and futile vigil for the return of Jesus Christ on October 22, 1844.
Jesus was someone unlike anyone they had ever encountered before, that wasn’t an option. So, they tried to make some sense of it.
The various apostles and writers of the New Testament dealt with it in different ways.
For Mark, whose Gospel was written nearest to the death of Christ, it was an opportunity to understand the dynamic of the messianic secret ("Who do men say that I am?" [Mark 8:27, RSV]), and to embrace the mystery of this extraordinary and unprecedented occurrence: God with us. I think we can see this is exemplified in Christ’s relationship with Martha.
For Matthew it was living lives that were so enthused with Christ that the disciples became Christ to the world and had the same impact on those whose lives they touched as Christ had had on theirs. ("Therefore go and make disciples" [Matthew 28:19, NIV].) This is exemplified, perhaps, in Christ’s relationship with the woman at the well.
For Luke it was the search for meaning in history and the continued search for the ultimate redemption of humankind. (“But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel" [Luke 24:21, RSV].) This is exemplified in part by Christ’s relationship with Mary, his own mother.
For Paul, who was not one of the twelve, it was the paradox of the gospel. (Jesus' death was a part of God's mysterious plan; the weakest moment is actually the strongest; through His death, not His life, He has saved the world.) This is demonstrated in the relationship Jesus had with Mary Magdalene.
For Peter, it was coming to a profound understanding of God’s true purpose. (“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” [2 Peter 3:9, NIV].) His take is my favorite, and it is demonstrated by what the New Testament calls the bride of Christ, for whom Peter had special responsibility.
And finally, for John, the dissonance and
disappointment are resolved in the personal search for meaning in the knowledge of Jesus Himself. (“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" [John 1:29, RSV].) This is the framework through which those who believe in Jesus were to present His claims of Lordship, and His gracious love, to the world in which they would be living.
With this cloud of witnesses, what was known as the Great Disappointment can also be understood as a transformational spiritual moment in the lives of those who have had to confront disappointment. As we all have— disappointment in our church, disappointment in each other, disappointment in ourselves.
Mark and Martha call us to embrace the unknown circumstances of our journeys to be disciples. Matthew and the woman at the well call us to exemplify in our own lives the gracious character of Christ Himself. Luke and the Madonna ask us to look beyond the present moment to the horizon of our hopes, treasuring in our hearts that which is unattained but not unknown.
Paul and Mary Magdalene call us to treasure the mystery of salvation in our hearts and the upsidedownness of a world where the weakest are actually the strongest and the shadow of death is vanquished not by the sword but by the unquenchable, passionate light of love, howbeit small. Peter calls us to be the church of Christ’s imagination—the bride who waits with patience and fidelity.
And John, the beloved, reminds us that our life in Christ announces His saving grace to the whole world—even those who are experiencing disappointment and disillusionment.
So, while October 22 is not a celebration, it’s not exactly a disappointment either. Call it a milestone. The journey continues.
Ray Tetz is the director of communication and community engagement of the Pacific Union and the publisher of the Recorder. Versions of this essay have appeared previously in church publications.
