Recorder PA C I F I C U N IO N
NOVEMBER 2023
A Welcoming Place
Hospital Chaplains A New Culture Around Grief
Love Without Limits A Day in the Life
It is of great importance
Recorder PA C I F I C U N IO N
NOVEMBER 2023
that the one who is chosen to care for the spiritual interests of
4 A Welcoming Place
patients and helpers be a
8 Adventist Health Feature
man of sound judgment
20 Newsdesk
and undeviating principle, a man who will have moral influence, A Welcoming Place
Hospital Chaplains A New Culture Around Grief
Love Without Limits A Day in the Life
What’s inside 24 Student Leadership Conference 2023 at Leoni Meadows
who knows how to deal
25 Holbrook Indian School Feature
with minds. He should
37 La Sierra University
be a person of wisdom
38 Arizona Conference
and culture, of affection as well as intelligence. He
40 Central California Conference
may not be thoroughly efficient in all respects at first; but he should, by earnest thought and the exercise of
44 Hawaii Conference
his abilities, qualify himself for this important work.
46 Holbrook Indian School
The greatest wisdom and gentleness are needed to
48 Loma Linda University Health
serve in this position acceptably, yet with unbending
49 Pacific Union College
integrity, for prejudice, bigotry, and error of every form
50 Nevada-Utah Conference
and description must be met.
52 Northern California Conference
—Ellen White, “The Chaplain and His Work,” Counsels on Health, p. 289
56 Southeastern California Conference 60 Southern California Conference 64 Pacific Press Feature 68 Community & Marketplace 71 Sunset Calendars
Recorder PA C I F I C U N I O N
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.
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
Holbrook Indian School (928) 524-6845 x143 Kimberly Cruz kcruz@hissda.org
Northern California 916-886-5600 Laurie Trujillo Laurie.Trujillo@nccsda.com
Arizona 480-991-6777 ext 139 Jeff Rogers jrogers@azconference.org
La Sierra University 951-785-2000 Darla Tucker dmartint@lasierra.edu
Pacific Union College 951-809-6777 Gene Edelbach gedelbach@puc.edu
Central California 559-347-3034 Justin Kim jkim@cccsda.org
Loma Linda 909-651-5925 Ansel Oliver anoliver@llu.edu
Southeastern California 951-509-2256 Andrea King communications@seccsda.org
Hawaii 808-595-7591 Caleb Schaber communicationsdept@hawaiisda.com
Nevada-Utah 775-322-6929 Michelle Ward mward@nevadautah.org
Southern California 818-546-8400 Lauren Lacson Llacson@sccsda.org
Editorial Correspondents
Postal Regs: Pacific Union Recorder (ISSN 0744-6381), Volume 123, Number 11, 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.
November 2023 3
4 Pacific Union Recorder
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AWelcomi Place
ming
By Bradford C. Newton
M
y wife, Jennifer, and I were walking with our granddaughters on a beautiful fall afternoon.
Macy had shared her scooter with one of the neighbor boys, and now he had suddenly zoomed away. She could see him with younger sister, Chloe, having a great time far ahead of us. She was left out of the action. The friend she had helped seemed to have forgotten all about her. Her 8-yearold mind absorbed the scene, and with a dejected tone she said, “Sometimes I feel like I’m not seen.” Immediately, Jennifer put her arm around Macy’s shoulders and spoke reassuring words to her. It didn’t take too long before everyone was playing happily together again. One of the countless joys I have as Papa to my granddaughters is witnessing their unguarded honesty. When a little girl says, “Sometimes I feel like I’m not seen,” the meaning percolates beyond a fall walk. Adults traveling life’s journey may also feel exactly this way. You may feel it at work when promotions pass you by, in relationships when people talk past you, or from everyday experiences of feeling
November 2023 5
I believe that as Seventh-day Adventists we are compelled to ask, “What should we do to engage people plagued by disillusionment and uncertainty?”
marginalized because of how others perceive you.
One of the compounding factors to this
How many people do we meet daily who travel
loneliness and disconnection is a “new normal”
life’s hard road feeling “I’m not seen. Do I matter to
of decreased in-person church attendance
anyone?”
across denominations as well as within our own
I believe that as Seventh-day Adventists we
membership.2 Many have never returned since
are compelled to ask, “What should we do to
the dark days of isolation. Others still utilize
engage people plagued by disillusionment and
streamed church services. While there are certainly
uncertainty?” This uplifting word picture from Ellen
benefits for those who are unable to attend church
White’s masterpiece, Steps to Christ, is a great place
personally due to physical hardships or other
to begin: “God is the source of life and light and joy
impediments, this trend has persistently eroded
to the universe. Like rays of light from the sun, like
the community of faith.
the streams of water bursting from a living spring,
It is ironic that, during a time when church
blessings flow out from Him to all His creatures.
attendance has dropped among believers, those
And wherever the life of God is in the hearts of men,
who have chosen to depart the faith still long for
it will flow out to others in love and blessing” (p. 77,
what is lost. Jessica Grose of The New York Times has
emphasis added). How can we keep the life of God
written extensively on this movement away from
flowing in our hearts?
organized religion among the “Nones.” Yet even
There has been extensive research revealing that
the religiously nonaffiliated still express that sense
the global covid pandemic created a corresponding
of loss. Grose unpacks this in her column “What
crisis of loneliness. What is significant is that even
Church Offers that Nones Still Long For” (June 28,
though we have moved out of the crisis mode of
2023). She observes that “The one aspect of religion
those years the residual disconnections remain.
in America that I unquestionably see as an overall
Many found that the importance of previously
positive for society is the ready-made supportive
respected social norms diminished. The persistent
community that churchgoers can access.”3
1
divisions among citizens have grown in their
Long ago in another time, Hebrews 10:24-25
intensity. When people are stressed, frustrated,
reminded the people of God, “And let us consider
and disillusioned, they also become vulnerable to
one another in order to stir up love and good
manipulation and exploitation. Jesus’ words to us in
works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
Matthew 24:23-25 are timely, “Then if anyone says
together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting
to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not
one another, and so much the more as you see
believe it. For false christs and false prophets will
the Day approaching” (NKJV). This is much more
rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive,
than merely ritualistic obligation. Our personal
if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you
connections with each other in corporate worship
beforehand” (NKJV).
are healing, restoring, and nurturing to our whole
6 Pacific Union Recorder
being. Many of us have heard of The Blue Zones.
It is my prayer that each Sabbath throughout the
This remarkable study of well-being reveals the
Pacific Union, Seventh-day Adventists aspire to be
power of positive relationships toward good health
the one place where people come “just as you are” to
and longevity. God has certainly designed each of
be the beneficiaries of the love and blessings of God
us to be together in our walk of faith and service to
flowing through us. Ultimately, we are better together
our world.
because “For where two or three are gathered
4
To a world that is weighed under the burden
together in My name, I am there in the midst of them”
of “I’m not seen. Do I matter to anyone?” we come
(Matthew 18:20, NKJV). Here you are seen no matter
with a meaningful message of life for today and
who you are because in this place we are all loved by
hope for tomorrow. To a world filled with stress,
the One who is “Love” (1 John 4:8).
frustration, and disillusionment, we bear the
_____________________________
message of a happier path. I’m so grateful to be
Bradford C. Newton is the president of the
a Seventh-day Adventist where that wonderful
Pacific Union Conference.
synergy of health and wholeness in this life is joined to the even greater good news of eternal life through Jesus Christ my Savior.
1. 2. 3. 4.
https://bit.ly/45fjMMt https://bit.ly/3LOpNca https://bit.ly/3S5393t https://bit.ly/3RQQf8T
TONKTITI/ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS VIA GETTY IMAGES
To a world filled with stress, frustration, and disillusionment, we bear the message of a happier path.
November 2023 7
FATCAMERA/E+/ GETTY IMAGES PLUS VIA GETTY IMAGES
YOU'RE MADE FOR
M RE
Love Without Limits
M
any Americans believe the next decade will
state of public health in the United States was grim.
be marked by significant societal problems.
Their work—our work today—is deeply embedded
A majority say they are worried about
in the transformational humanitarian movement
economic insecurity, political division, environmental
of Jesus who “healed every disease” and “had
imbalance, a sense of a lack of personal safety,
compassion” (Matthew 9:35-36).
the limits of healthcare systems, and other serious challenges (Pew Research Center, 2019). We need more hope, more nurturing of our
Adventist Health provides healthcare for human beings within the context of their ultimate identity as creatures made in the image of God. Each executive,
deep human identity as God’s children, and more
physician, and hospital employee is mobilized
love in action. In the midst of these challenges,
to carry out this mission, but hospital chaplains
Adventist Health employees and healthcare
carry especially heavy responsibilities to support
providers are living God’s love by inspiring health,
the emotional and spiritual needs of patients,
wholeness, and hope.
their family members, caregivers, and healthcare
The work of healthcare is deeply ingrained in
employees. As spiritual care providers, chaplains
Adventism. Our church founders—Ellen White,
play an important role in the story of Adventist
Joseph Bates, James White, William Miller, and
healthcare and loving in the way of Jesus. We invite
others—spoke widely and often in public spheres
you to a glimpse of their work to carry forward our
about the need for health reform at a time when the
healing ministry.
8 Pacific Union Recorder
HEALTHCARE CHAPLAINS PRACTICE
WHOLE-PERSON
A
Care
trip to the ER or admission to the hospital can bring anxiety and fear—even when you are confident you are receiving the
best possible care. Patients may face unfamiliar
careful physicians and nurses. It can be equally
procedures, surgery, bad news, difficult decisions,
reassuring—and clinically beneficial—for
and worries about family members. Many begin
patients to talk through their worries and fears
thinking about their beliefs and values in ways they
with a skilled spiritual care provider and to feel
haven’t considered for a long time or possibly ever.
supported emotionally. Adventist Health provides spiritual care in clinical settings with the highest
It is reassuring for patients to know they
standards of training and practice. Hope is healing.
are being cared for by knowledgeable, skillful,
Spiritual Care at Adventist Health by the numbers*
80%
57
6
Full-time chaplains with CPE
Associate chaplains
Visits to Adventist
board certification (On track for 100% by 2025)
22 Students enrolled in Clinical
Yearly Mission Week events at each hospital
colleges and universities to build pipeline of new mission leaders
2
2
Undergraduate students
4
Mission Leadership
starting Mission
Residents in six-year clinical
Leadership Internship
Accredited CPE centers: Kern
chaplain residency
program
2
Top decile
New Mission Leadership
Press Ganey patient
Residents started
satisfaction scores
in 2023
for spiritual care
Pastoral Education (CPE) training
County, Mendocino County, Portland, and Los Angeles
48 Full-time spiritual care providers
Numbers from 2022
*
November 2023 9
HOSPITAL CHAPLAINS Help Take Patients From Distress to Rest
T
ony Andrews, Mission and Spiritual Care
slightly different approach, but typically we don’t ask
director for Adventist Health Bakersfield,
patients if they would like prayer. Instead, we ask, “How
has more than 16 years of experience as a
are you? What is bothering you?” As clinical chaplains,
hospital chaplain. He, like all full-time spiritual care
we want to assess how patients are coping during
providers at Adventist Health, is an ordained minister
their hospitalization so we can provide the most
in the Adventist Church. In addition to his work as
appropriate interventions that meet the immediate
a chaplain, Tony is the director of one of Adventist
needs of patients and their family members.
Health’s four Clinical Pastoral Education programs, where he provides training for new chaplains.
Most of our visits are not religious based. There might be some religious subtext to a patient’s story,
In a recent interview, Tony shared insight into the
but generally we’re caring for any anxiety related
ministry of hospital chaplaincy, including the question
to a patient’s hospitalization. Does God come up in
he asks all patients, things that surprise him about
conversations? Yes, and that is generally during end-
caring for patients, and the most beautiful thing
of-life conversations or when there is a new diagnosis.
about his work.
At times like that, people start thinking about how they could be closer to God or get their life right. For those
What is a typical day like for a hospital
who do believe, we help them remember God is in
chaplain? It depends on the needs of the patients
control and to hand things over to Him.
and the nursing staff. We may see patients who are experiencing anxiety about their hospitalization or
Hospital chaplains today are often called
uncertainty about their diagnosis. Those patients take
“clinical chaplains.” What does the term “clinical
priority. We have to prioritize who needs us and who
chaplain” mean? The term “clinical chaplain” has
needs us more. A nontypical day may include all critical
roots in the Latin word clinicus, meaning in a sick-
incidents or all referrals from the nursing staff. When
bed, alongside a sick-bed, or at the bedside. So,
that happens, we may never get to rounding, which is
we come alongside the patient as they go through
a traditional approach where we go to see all patients.
their experience in the hospital. In that role, we’ll ask the patient, “How are you coping today?”
How do you provide spiritual care for non-
There is more of a psychodynamic assessment
religious people? Each hospital chaplain has a
of the patient’s condition, and we provide the care
10 Pacific Union Recorder
and interventions that are most needed. That’s
Prayer is important as we build, mend, restore,
where you may think a pastor would have prayer
and keep relationships, but when patients want
or read Scripture to provide comfort. I’m not
to talk at length, it really isn’t religiously based.
saying clinical chaplains don’t do this, but we try to
The hospital is not a church. People come to the
understand the cause of the problem.
hospital because of a physical problem. What is
For instance, people may ask for prayer, and
most on their mind is getting better.
we will say, “Certainly! Let’s talk about the need for prayer first. What’s bothering you? What’s causing
How religiously diverse are the people you care
you distress?” Once we know more, we can provide
for? Why is it important to honor those religious
more customized care to address a specific anxiety
beliefs within an Adventist healthcare system?
rather than praying for the patient but having no
We care for people from all religions and walks of
idea what specifically to pray for. The prayers and
life—Muslim, Hindu, atheist. It doesn’t matter who
rituals become more meaningful and richer when
you are. We care for the human condition.
we have done that prework.
Some patients think we’re coming in to talk religion to them, but converting people is not the role of
What has surprised you about being a hospital
clinical chaplaincy. Within the ethics of chaplaincy, it’s
chaplain? One thing that has surprised me is the
not our role to proselytize or convert but rather for
amount of emotional, sexual, and physical abuse
patients to feel cared for and comforted.
within families. I hear it too often. There is so much
When possible and appropriate, when patients
hurt and pain out there in private homes that you
from other religions have special needs, we ensure
think are happy and good.
their religious needs are met whether or not we can
Most of the worries or issues we face are
perform them as Adventist chaplains. We will call in
nonreligious. That’s where the tension is. We hear
a religious leader from another faith tradition.
the term “spiritual needs” all the time, but what is
I’ve cared for and trained people from all
the need? It’s human relationships.
religious backgrounds, and one of the biggest
Human relationships are the foundation of
things I’ve learned is that we have this in common:
spirituality. If you take a 30,000-foot view of the
We all need to be heard, loved, and understood.
Bible, it’s all about restoring relationships—restoring
Period. That’s universal no matter where you go.
our relationships with God, each other, our communities, and with ourselves. So spiritual care is
What is the most joyful part of your work?
the restoration of the soul, connecting relationships,
The most joyful part is seeing a patient light up
and building and keeping those relationships.
in discovery. It is a transformation and healing. In
When we talk about religion, we often talk about
that moment, it is the most wonderful, satisfying
religious acts or rituals, praying this or doing that.
thing. It’s seeing someone go from distress to rest.
There is a place for rituals—they are symbols full
The rest comes from the patient understanding
of meaning. God gives us symbols to practice and
why they are feeling a certain way or why they are
remind us of something.
scared about something. It’s beautiful.
“We all need to be heard, loved, and understood. Period. That’s universal no matter where you go.” November 2023 11
A DAY
in the Life of a Hospital Chaplain
Chaplains care for patients and tend to the well-being of hospital staff members as well. They sit on committees, lead out in devotional messages throughout the hospital, and are involved in a variety of community initiatives. We invite you to follow along as we take a look inside a day in the life of three Adventist Health chaplains.
Sidany Barclay Adventist Health Portland chaplain
12 Pacific Union Recorder
Kelly Kessinger Adventist Health Glendale chaplain
John King Adventist Health Bakersfield chaplain
9:45 a.m. Meeting with Colleagues Kelly and the Adventist Health Glendale Spiritual Care team join the daily safety huddle with the hospital executive team and department directors. They share a devotional thought and discuss the day ahead, including the number of patients, planned procedures and surgeries, and any patient safety concerns.
8 a.m. Prepping for the Day Kelly Kessinger, chaplain at Adventist Health Glendale (center), arrives at the hospital and begins preparing the census for the day. This involves identifying newly admitted patients the team of chaplains will visit, taking note of patients who have requested a visit from a chaplain, and identifying patients the chaplains have seen before who may benefit from a follow-up visit.
8:30 a.m. Starting with Prayer Kelly and the rest of the Adventist Health Glendale Spiritual Care team meet to discuss plans for the day and to pray about the work ahead. 9:30 a.m. Sharing a Good Word John King, chaplain at Adventist Health Bakersfield, writes a daily devotional thought for the hospital staff. John’s devotions are based on the mission and values of Adventist Health blended with events that happen at the hospital.
10 a.m. Supporting Hospital Staff Chaplains at Adventist Health Glendale begin meeting with patients. As they make rounds, they also check on hospital staff. Supporting the well-being of nurses and other care providers is an important part of chaplaincy and a key element in helping healthcare providers bring the best possible care to patients. Through interactions with the Spiritual Care team, nurses and other staff members also learn about ways chaplains can help patients and family members who are struggling.
November 2023 13
10 a.m. Keeping Morale High Sidany Barclay, chaplain at Adventist Health Portland, delivers donuts and a card from the Family Birth Center team to the ICU team, which was having a particularly difficult time. Sidany started this gift-giving initiative and facilitates all the details to help boost staff morale. It’s a win-win-win: The unit doing the giving feels good about making a difference for another team, the unit receiving the gift feels loved and supported, and the Spiritual Care team knows that hospital staff are being cared for. 12 p.m. A Little Self-Care Chaplains at Adventist Health Glendale take time midday to unwind, chat with fellow spiritual care providers, and rejuvenate. Conversations range from lighthearted topics to deep theological issues or helping one another process a difficult patient visit. After a break, chaplains are back on the floors visiting patients and talking with hospital staff. Chaplains chart all patient visits immediately after they take place. 1 p.m. Part of Jesus’ Healing Ministry Sidany leads out in the Blessing of Hands, a ceremony for new graduate residents as they begin their careers in healthcare. The service reminds them of their call to be part of the healing ministry of Jesus.
14 Pacific Union Recorder
1:45 p.m.
Making Difficult Decisions
A meeting of the Healthcare DecisionMaking Team is called at Adventist Health Portland. The team includes the physician who is chair of the hospital ethics committee, the physician who asked for the meeting, representatives from Risk Management, Social Work, and the Spiritual Care department, and a community member. An HDT meeting is called when a patient’s care requires a medical decision—such as a necessary procedure, removal of life support, etc.— when the patient is unable to make the decision themselves due to their condition and when there is no family member or legal power of attorney to make the decision for them.
2 p.m. Cross-Sectional Expertise John participates in an interdisciplinary meeting with the Palliative Care and Social Work teams to discuss changes in a patient’s care. Interdisciplinary meetings may also address any spiritual or religious needs of a patient that are important to providing the best medical support.
2 p.m. Nurturing the Next Generation Sidany presents a devotional message for a group of students at Adventist Health Portland. 3:30 p.m. Alleviating Fears John takes part in interdisciplinary ICU rounds along with other hospital teams. His role is to contribute to the wholeperson care of patients and family members by providing pastoral support, such as prayer and comfort, but also to help assess and meet spiritual needs that can impact medical care. These include refusal of treatment based on fears and anxieties, which John works to alleviate. 4 p.m. Focusing on the Heart of Mission Chaplains sit on various hospital committees, and today Kelly meets with the Employee Well-being Committee. At committee meetings, chaplains provide input from a Mission and Spiritual Care perspective and often open meetings with prayer.
4 p.m. Supporting One Another Sidany prays with a local priest. “This was the most moving for me,” she said. “The local priest stopped by the chaplain’s office just to talk about the difficulties and joys of ministry. Then he asked us to pray for him.” 5 p.m. Finding Meaning and Hope The Mission Story Board helps keep the Spiritual Care team at Adventist Health Bakersfield engaged in the practical ways they impact medical outcomes. While chaplains support, comfort, and pray for patients daily, this board records the ways they have helped improve care specifically by improving communication, preventing departures Against Medical Advice, and supporting what they call “transformational experiences”—times when they help patients reconnect to their faith and find new meaning and hope. 7 p.m. Meeting for Inspiration Sidany participates in First Friday, an inspirational community event led by a local church partner on the first Friday of every month. Sidany said, “It is so good to see people just show up to be inspired with no strings attached.”
November 2023 15
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SACRED SPACE
Three Stories of Chaplains in Action
Hospital chaplains never quite know what a day will bring. They may be chatting with a patient about football one moment and comforting a grieving family member the next. With a welcoming spirit, they take on the perspective of the patients they care for. They search for the right words at times and at other times provide comfort without saying a word. Saying “I do” She was the first girlfriend he’d ever had. He was the first boyfriend she’d ever had. They were in love and expecting their first child. They didn’t have much money. He worked. She worked until her pregnancy didn’t allow it anymore. Eight months after they discovered they were pregnant, they were in the labor and delivery unit at Adventist Health Glendale, ready to bring a new life into the world. As they waited for the blessed event, they talked. What kind By Mark Witas Director for Mission & Spiritual Care Adventist Health Glendale
of world did they want to welcome their child into? They realized they wanted more for their little one than they had originally thought. They cried, they embraced, and they asked the unit nurse to call the chaplain’s office. Could a chaplain perform a wedding ceremony so their baby could come into the world with a married mother and father? In a beautiful twist of events, the delivery was delayed long enough to have a simple wedding ceremony in the hospital chapel. A couple was married, and a baby was born to a mother and father united in love and faith. This isn’t the end of the story. In January 2023, the chaplain’s office received a phone call. A man on the line said, “Twenty-four years ago, my wife and I were
16 Pacific Union Recorder
married in your chapel before our first child was born. Six of our seven children were born at your
She tightened her grip on my hand, “Would you pray for me and my baby?”
hospital! We were wondering, can we reserve the
I did. I prayed for my young friend and prayed
chapel in February 2024 so we can renew our vows
that one day she would be able to hold her baby
on our 25th anniversary?”
again when all things are made new.
The chapel is booked. The reunion is set. And God is smiling.
As her husband pulled up, he got out of the car and saw immediately that something was wrong. We helped her to her seat. I gently closed the car door
The woman by the fountain
and said goodbye.
The entryway of the building where I work at Adventist Health Glendale has a beautiful waterfall
Doing the right thing
surrounded by a bench. As I come and go from my
Labor and Delivery is one of those units that
office, I see people sitting around the fountain, waiting
everybody loves. Nurses love working there. Patients
for their ride from the hospital after an appointment.
arrive with eager expectations of delivering and
Most of the time I walk by, nod, and smile.
bonding with the new little life they’ve created. And
One day as I was returning from a lunch
chaplains enjoy blessing the infants with small gifts
appointment off campus, something caught my
and Bibles from the chaplain’s office.
attention as I entered the fountain area. A young
Chaplain Kelly was doing rounds one morning
woman was sitting on the bench. She wasn’t crying.
when she heard sobs coming from one part of the
She didn’t look angry. She just looked vacant, like
unit. She made her way over to the space where a
there was nothing left. She was sitting by herself and
husband and wife, with their doctor, were pondering
looked like she needed someone to say something,
the horrible news that the couple’s baby had
anything to her. So I did.
suffered fetal demise.
“Hi! Are you waiting for a ride?” She looked up at me with hollow eyes, “I just lost my baby.” I quickly sat down and took her hand. “Oh no. I’m so sorry to hear this. Tell me what happened.” Her words spilled out with her tears. She came to the hospital for a routine check-up. There were no obvious signs that anything was wrong. She and her
As Kelly sat with the couple, she discovered they were Catholic by faith and had been devout most of their lives. With tears in her eyes, the mother asked, “Could you please baptize my baby before I deliver her?” Of course, in Catholicism, baptism is a sacrament reserved for live babies post-birth. Chaplain Kelly came back to the office and spoke
husband were expecting their third child. And then
with our on-call Catholic priest about the request.
suddenly, they weren’t.
Without hesitation, they both went up to the room
She explained to me that nobody knew what had
and provided the sacrament.
happened. She had called her husband to pick her
After the fetus was delivered, she was placed in a
up but hadn’t yet told him the awful truth. I learned
small decorative box so the parents could hold her
her name, about her family, and she shared her
and spend time with her. Our chaplains stayed with
dreams for the little girl they had been expecting.
them and prayed for the family and for the soul of
Sometime just before her husband pulled up, she asked me what I did at the hospital. “I’m a chaplain. I look out for the spiritual care of our patients.”
their daughter. Situations like this are difficult. These times of suffering are when chaplains provide kindness, compassion, quiet grace, and hopeful peace.
November 2023 17
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BEYOND LOSS A New Culture Around Grief
L
iving through a pandemic may have left you
‘moving on’ to ‘moving forward,’” she said.
experiencing some form of grief. That could
Adena began leading Beyond Loss at Adventist
feel like losing a sense of freedom, joy, safety,
Health Glendale in 2019. Since then, the program
or normalcy, or perhaps feeling slightly disoriented
has met the needs of so many patients and
for reasons you can’t explain. It could be you’ve lost
community members that it has been expanded to
a job or had another change in employment. Maybe
all Adventist Health hospitals as an online program.
you’re experiencing a broken friendship, broken
At each online group meeting, highly trained
marriage, or the illness or death of a loved one.
facilitators lead out and fellow group members
“There is grief all around us,” said Adena Sarkian,
provide additional support. There is a strict code of
spiritual care specialist at Adventist Health Glendale
confidentiality to foster open communication. Adena
and leader of the Adventist Health Beyond Loss
emphasizes that Beyond Loss is an open, ongoing
program. “We learn to carry grief. In our grief
program that meets in small groups every week, all
support work through Beyond Loss, we often talk
year round. Participants join as needed.
about the liminal space—the space between what
In addition to bereavement support, Beyond
was before the grief and what happens after the
Loss includes groups for the unique needs of
grief. The liminal space is a space of the unknown.
survivors of suicide and for ambiguous loss, such
It’s a stressful space, but it is also a space of
as moving to a new location, divorce, an adverse
transformation.”
health diagnosis, or even the emotional upheaval of
The Beyond Loss program that Adena leads works
navigating a pandemic. Beyond Loss services include
to create safe spaces for people to process grief
a quarterly newsletter with resources for living
within community. “We’re creating a new culture
with grief; advocacy for the bereaved; intervention
around grief, acknowledging that grief is present and
following traumatic events for individuals, families,
we live with it. We’re changing the terminology from
and communities; and education and workshops
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about grief and loss. Beyond Loss helps those who
grieving them either. The group taught me how to live
are grieving develop a plan for coping with holidays,
with the grief.”
anniversaries, and other milestones, and it helps
Adena said, “We want to move away from grief
people understand what they can do to love and
being task-oriented—a list of things we do to move
care for themselves.
on—and support our participants in walking through
One Beyond Loss participant said, “Eight years ago,
the liminal space and finding their way back to joy,
my husband Tom died, and four months later my
which is where the future is. What we establish in this
daughter Tammy followed. My whole life changed, and
in-between time is taken forward to the future and to
suddenly there was only one of me; the house was
what is now, where we establish new relationships,
empty and there was no one for me to take care of.
roles, and rituals. We embrace the goal to carry both
I went to the Beyond Loss grief support groups, and
the grief and the joy with us as we move forward in our
for the first few sessions all I did was cry. With the help
journeys. We recognize that grief is love with nowhere
of the wonderful facilitators, I learned to incorporate
to go.”
my grief into my life and learn to live with it rather than having it take over me. Grief is love—I didn’t stop loving them just because they died, and I did not stop
7 tips for coping with grief 1. Acknowledge the presence of grief. You aren’t bad or good for experiencing grief. It’s simply important to acknowledge that grief is present, that it is something you are feeling and experiencing. On some days it may feel more present than other days. Recognize there is no time limit for grief. 2. Normalize your unique needs. Understand that your grieving process is unique to you. What used to be “abnormal” prior to the presence of grief may be considered “normal” for you now. Some examples include scheduling a nap during the day or intentionally planning days off. 3. Be kind to yourself. Grief is exhausting, and it influences our physiology more than we know. While we are grieving, it is not helpful to have the same level of expectations for ourselves that we had prior to grieving. 4. Plan for events. Whether it is an anniversary, birthday, or holiday, set a plan for what you would like the day to look like. Whether it’s sharing a meal with friends or family or going to your loved one’s favorite hiking place, plan a day that is meaningful to you. It is easier to cancel plans at the last minute than to wait too long to plan.
For more information about the online Beyond Loss program, visit AdventistHealth. org/BeyondLoss or call 818-409-8008.
5. Find ways to express your grief. Expressing grief is a crucial part of moving forward. That expression may come through journaling, joining a support group, painting, or another process that is meaningful to you. Holding in grief can lead to complicated grief and unhealthy coping mechanisms.
By Adena Sarkian Spiritual Care Specialist for Adventist Health Glendale
6. Create a routine. When we lose a loved one, we lose more than the person. We lose all of the roles they were associated with and our routine—our Sunday morning brunch partner, our church-going partner, our tax person, the person who hangs our Christmas lights. Acknowledging the secondary losses that come with grief and working to create a new routine will support you in moving forward in the grief process. 7. Share your grief. The journey of grief is not one to be walked alone. The more support you have and the more outlets you have to share your grief, the healthier and easier your grief process will be.
November 2023 19
N E W S D E S K
La Sierra University Moves Forward With a Focus on Earth’s Stewardship
La Sierra University Provost Dr. April Summitt, center, poses in June with 2023 Senior Class President Kaitlyn Mamora, front right, and (left to right) Leai Lanni McGee, Abigail Ramos, Caitlin La, Aya Miyajima, and Hannah Gonzalez with solar panels that they and the Class of 2022 gifted to the university.
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N E W S D E S K
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For La Sierra University, the new programming, with its environmental, societal, and science-focused research and career opportunities, falls in line with a directive of a higher nature: God’s commission to humanity to function as stewards of His created world and to pursue justice for earth’s peoples. The program expansion “blends so well with our mission to be stewards of the gifts God has given us and to function as an instrument of justice and PHOTO: NATAN VIGNA
t was welcome and exciting news: On Oct. 1, La Sierra University received notice of its fourth Title V grant from the U.S. Department of Education, this one for $3 million. The funds will be used to support the university’s rollout of new sustainability programs, with a particular focus on serving marginalized students. In the near term, it will help underwrite startup activities for some of the first classes next spring and a full program next fall in a Bachelor of Arts in sustainability and society degree. It’s the latest in a string of developments occurring over the past two years related to the university’s segue into the sustainability field, a market that is rapidly expanding and in need of qualified workers. Toward moving the university into this arena, La Sierra in 2022 began developing a sustainability park, complete with an off-grid experimental geodesic dome and greenhouse. La Sierra also purchased two environmentally controlled and technologically outfitted shipping containers for Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), developed by Freight Farms urban farming company. In coordination with the park development, the university in May approved the design of three new degrees related to sustainability and urban agriculture and opened the programs for future enrollment. Operating under the Sustainability Studies Program Pathways, two Bachelor of Science degrees in urban plant agriculture and sustainable agriculture entrepreneurship and the Bachelor of Arts in sustainability and society were created with a mission that correlates with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals focusing on environmental justice, criticalthinking skills, and sustainable solutions for local and global communities. Program goals include “creating graduates who are prepared to solve real-world problems in the industries of agriculture, food science, global studies, agricultural entrepreneurship, and sustainability science,” according to an academic bulletin summary.
Freight Farms delivers the first shipping container to La Sierra University in March 2021 for use by the school's Enactus team in its hydroponics agriculture and educational outreach projects. The team grew varieties of lettuce in the environmentally controlled, high-tech freight and participated in education activities with local high school students.
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N E W S D E S K service to others, while pragmatically meeting the needs of employers and of students in establishing career pathways,” said April Summitt, La Sierra’s provost and acting president. Summitt, an author of several books who holds a doctorate in U.S-Middle East relations, is also a scholar on the histories of rivers and water access. She has presented internationally on these topics and fielded interviews by national media. In 2013 the University Press of Colorado published her book Contested Waters: An Environmental History of the Colorado River. That year she gave an interview related to the work on C-SPAN Book TV, and in 2018 she lent her expertise on the history of the Colorado River to a segment of the PBS television series, 10 Modern Marvels That Changed America. Summitt has been a driving force behind the recent sustainability effort at La Sierra. She has called for greater interdisciplinary academic collaboration since her arrival in 2013 to head the new Division of General Education and then as dean of La Sierra’s College of Arts & Sciences beginning in 2016. She began her tenure as provost in 2020. Summitt will continue to help shepherd sustainability program development while shouldering additional administrative responsibilities. The field of sustainability research and careers is inherently multi-disciplinary due to the complex
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nature of local and global environmental challenges. As such, La Sierra’s sustainability programs seek to incorporate interdisciplinary studies from the natural and social sciences, global studies, and agricultural studies. Summitt’s interest in environmental and sustainability issues is connected with her interdisciplinary research on water rights histories, which delved into anthropology, hydrology, geology, and other specialties. It is also informed by her past experiences as a faculty member at Arizona State University, where she was involved in the development of the nation’s first School of Sustainability in 2006. Going forward into the 2023-24 school year, the latest round of Title V grant funds will be used to hire faculty to teach classes in the new sustainability and society B.A. program, as well as continue to develop the two other degree programs under the Sustainability Studies Program Pathways umbrella. The new B.A. program’s major classes will include Introduction to Growing Food Sustainably, Water Management in Growing Food, Human and Population Geography, Critical Analysis, and Global Poverty, among others. An academic program assessment prepared by Hanover Research for the sustainability and society degree shows a trend in demand for continued programs in sustainability with labor
N E W S D E S K demand for related jobs on the rise as industries move toward sustainable business models. Researchers discovered that 80% of U.S. companies have sustainability initiatives in place. Studies and reports by other organizations reveal similar results. According to the World Economic An artist’s rendering of a future design for the sustainability park Forum’s Future of Jobs at La Sierra University. Report 2023, “hiring for sparked my interest in seeing what we might be green roles consistently outpaced the overall hiring able to do here at La Sierra one day,” Summitt rate globally four years in a row.” said, noting that interest around campus picked up With a population of Hispanic students that through the student Enactus team’s hydroponics typically comprises nearly half of its student agriculture programs utilizing the Freight Farms body, La Sierra qualifies as a federal Hispanicshipping container and the development of Serving Institution or HIS, which is among the Title V-funded STEM programs that incorporate requirements of Title V grant applicants. Since sustainability and ecology. “As time went by, there 2016, La Sierra has received a total of $11.6 were enough people voicing the same interest, million in Title V grant funds, which has been used and a group of people talking about what we could to create educational pathways in STEM subjects build out of that, what else we could do. It really and support services toward helping students was an amazing convergence,” she said. achieve overall success in college. “Students today are more than ever wanting This fall’s round of Title V funds will also help to solve some of the serious problems that they build out the sustainability park’s geodesic dome see around them, like climate change and the with glass to conduct teaching and research in impact of global warming, homelessness, the a low infrastructure environment. Recent park lack of certain resources, and so forth,” Summitt developments include the installation in July of an said. “And the industries and businesses adding off-grid solar system to power the temperature officers of sustainability show how prevalent the control in a smaller experimental dome. The system realization is about this emerging sector. was jointly gifted to the university by the senior “Making a significant and lasting impact that classes of 2022 and 2023. Going forward, Summitt meets societal needs and builds up individual lives will seek funding for building out the park to include while strengthening our earthly environment is part an outdoor amphitheater, which will enhance of our calling as Christians,” she said. “It's exciting community appeal. to be able to bring something like this to students This year she has also invited a former colleague today because more than ever they want to have a from Arizona State to give a presentation on career where they make a difference in the world.” environmental ethics as part of a speaker series ____________________ under the sustainability program. By Darla Martin Tucker “My proximity to that first School of Sustainability
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Student Leadership Conference 2023 at Leoni Meadows
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Serving Native American Youth Since 1946
LEARN GROW THRIVE November 2023 25
MISSION & PURPOSE
Who We Are Holbrook Indian School (HIS) is a first- through 12thgrade boarding school operated by the Pacific Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. HIS is located in Holbrook, Arizona, just a few miles from the border of the Navajo Nation. HIS also manages Chinle Adventist Elementary School (CAES), a first- through eighth-grade day school located in Chinle, Navajo Nation. More than 80 percent of funding for operations, programs, and projects come from mission-minded individuals throughout the United States and abroad.
Our Mission Holbrook Indian School: A safe place to learn, grow, and thrive.
Our Purpose Our purpose is to empower and uplift our students by nurturing the development of every child. We accomplish this through an initiative we call MAPS: Mental, Academic/Artistic, Physical, and Spiritual wholeness and through instilling our Core Values of Respect, Kindness, and Gratitude into all aspects of our campus culture.
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LETTER FROM THE DOD
Dear Friend,
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hen I first arrived at this “little school in the desert” known by locals as SDA, I didn’t know much about the area. I knew Holbrook Indian School (HIS) served Native American children. I had a vague idea about how the challenges that the centuries-long practices of forced assimilation in the military-style boarding schools affected America’s first people. The reality of the cause of those challenges only began to sink in as I grew to know and love the children we served. The breakdown of the family unit, once so strong among Indigenous people, I discovered, was a result of children being forcefully or coercively separated from their families for the purpose of cleansing them of their Native heritage. This hit me hard. The more I learn about the cause of the socioeconomic challenges that breed a host of other systemic issues, the more I know that the mission of HIS to provide students a safe place to learn, grow, and thrive is critical. Children should be able to obtain an education without worrying about their safety or where their next meal is going to come from. They should know
they are highly valued and that they have a hope and a future. For the most vulnerable of these children, that’s what HIS is all about. HIS does not pretend to be the answer to all of the overwhelming problems that the belief in Manifest Destiny has caused. We believe that if we can make a difference in one child’s life, and another, and then another, the ripple effects will be felt within our students’ communities and throughout eternity. With your help, we can empower American Indian youth to rise above the generational trauma that so negatively impacts their families and communities today. As you learn more about our little school in the desert, I hope you will join us on this journey. I can promise you, it will be a life-changing experience—for you and for our students. Sincerely,
Diana Fish, CFRE Director of Development
November 2023 27
THE HIS STORY
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Humble Beginnings To Hopeful Futures
olbrook Indian School’s (HIS) history began with the Seventh-day Adventist mission work with the Navajo’s in 1916 performed by Elder Orno Follett and his wife. A school was built in Lake Grove mission in New Mexico in 1918, but it was closed in 1937 due to a shortage of funds. According to the book Mission to the Navajos written by Betty Stirling, published in 1961, “In 1941 the church again remembered the Navajos as among those of every ‘kindred, tribe, and nation’.” The Arizona Conference of Seventh-day Adventists became concerned about doing something for the growing tribes within the conference’s borders. A full-time evangelist was hired for the job: Marvin Walter. As Marvin talked with the Navajo people about their needs, he discovered they had a desire for their children to receive an education. With his wife, Gwendolyn, and funding from the Pacific Union Conference, they set out to build a school.
The mission school term started in 1946 as a day school with 30 students. The schoolroom had no desks that year, and the children sat on rugs and sheepskins to recite their lessons.
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In 1945, the missionary couple moved to Holbrook, Arizona, where 320 acres of land was purchased. A home on the property was initially used for classrooms and apartments for the missionaries. The mission school term started in 1946 as a day school with 30 students. The schoolroom had no desks that year, and the children sat on rugs and sheepskins to recite their lessons. The school’s third year fell on hard times when the Walters had to leave due to illness. It closed at the end of March, but the conference decided to re-open it again on a trial basis. Frank Daugherty, Ardell Altman, and Wilfred Rathburn were called to serve at the school. It wasn’t long before the missionaries realized the need for dormitories due to the long distances students had to travel on unmaintained dirt roads. New buildings were built to better accomodate the growing needs of the students. Later, more buildings were added. The one-building mission school that opened its doors in 1946 as SDA Mission School started with humble beginnings and has grown into a modern facility that has kept pace with today’s technology and educational standards. HIS is accredited by the North American Division Commission on Accreditation of the Adventist Accreditation Association, Inc. and the Regional Accrediting Agency. Holbrook Indian School’s campus has advanced a long way from a multi-use building and a ragtag collection of outbuildings when a windmill, providing the water supply, towered over the dusty high desert country. Today the more modern equipped facilities, with trees and other attractive landscaping, meet our students’ needs comfortably, providing families and students alike a safe and welcoming environment. HIS is primarily funded by friends throughout the U.S. and abroad—mission-minded individuals who are passionate about serving Native American children and youth. The Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists provides about 20 percent of its operational budget.
VOICES FROM THE PAST Throughout the past 76 years, students from many Nations who’ve attended HIS have become nurses, teachers, pastors, accountants, dentists, welders, private business owners, social workers, members of the U.S. Military, and more.
Charlotte Beyal >> Arizona Magistrate
“My father had a dream for his children to receive an education. That is why he brought us to the SDA mission school.”
SHAE FOUNDATION PHOTO
First Native American, Female
SHAE FOUNDATION PHOTO
<< Karen Davis-Gorman Human Services Specialist
“Holbrook people are the most caring people I’ve ever known.”
Gene Chee >> General Contractor SHAE FOUNDATION PHOTO
Owner of GKC Construction
“Holbrook gave me the skills, discipline, and values to be a success.”
November 2023 29
VOICES FROM THE PRESENT Adrain: Holbrook is My Home I came to HIS when I was in the third grade. An uncle told my mom that it would be better for me if she would take me to Holbrook Indian School. He told her that he attended HIS and it was a good experience for him. At first, I didn’t want to be here. I cried myself to sleep at night. I was afraid of the friendly people at Holbrook because I wasn’t used to people smiling at me or being nice to me. When I first got here, I couldn't read and hated school. Mrs. Daugherty (a staff member at the time) taught me how to read, and I gained an interest in learning. As I learned about Jesus, I chose to be baptized. In 2018, I graduated high school. After attending some college, I returned to HIS as the associate boys’ dean. Holbrook is my home.
Quentina: Just Give Me an “F”! I came to HIS when I was in the fifth grade. At first, some of the other students bullied me whenever the teacher wasn’t looking. I always got caught reacting to the teasing and got sent to the principal’s office a lot. I had trouble reading, so school was very frustrating for me. One time I told the teacher, “Just give me an ‘F!’” She patiently worked with me, and over time I became better at reading. My grades improved, and I began to love to learn. All throughout high school I was on the honor roll, and I also got baptized. I graduated with high honors and I am attending college in Flagstaff, Arizona, with the help of the College Transition program.
Shawnewa: Reaching Higher I came to HIS as a freshman in 2015. I was struggling with some issues and didn’t do well in social settings. Through mentoring, Bible studies, and counseling, I came to know Jesus and was baptized. I am currently studying at Missouri State University. My major is in biomedical sciences. When I finish my eduction, I plan to return to the Navajo Nation to serve. Holbrook Indian School helped me make the connections I needed to be where I am today. Thanks to people who support HIS, I have a bright future.
Adrain
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Quentina
Shawnewa
PHOTO BY JOSEF KISSINGER
Jolina
Jolina: My Chosen Family For me, Holbrook Indian School has been the support I needed to succeed. When I was 17, I moved out of my parents’ home because of family problems. I had decided to come to HIS for a place to stay, but it became so much more than that. The staff at HIS have become my chosen family and have helped me achieve my goals. I am currently attending college. Holbrook Indian School has been a home to me and has helped me create a better life for myself.
Jovannah: Full Circle When I first came to HIS, I couldn’t get over the fact that all of the students ate three meals a day. I grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, one of the most impoverished reservations in the U.S. Each day, Meals on Wheels delivered a meal to my grandmother. My grandmother would choose one item from the tray for herself, and I and my four siblings divided up the rest of her meal. That would be our one meal for the day. At HIS, I had three solid meals every day while receiving my education. After high school, I enrolled at Union College. Once I graduated with a degree in English, I returned to HIS and worked in several different roles, including vice principal. I am currently teaching at Thunderbird Academy.
November 2023 31
MISSION & PURPOSE AGRICULTURE: There is a sign at the entrance of HIS Farm that reads “HIS Garden,” a reminder that the farm is a lesson book about our Creator. He is the One who brings life and causes plants (and us) to grow and bear fruit. Students learn how to grow vegetables and the science behind it. Produce grown on the farm, with the help of our students in agriculture classes, is served at meals in the cafeteria and sold to staff, to members of our local community, and at the Flagstaff Farmers’ Market. COLLEGE TRANSITION: First generation students need extra support through the college application process. Through the College Transition program, students have the opportunity to visit college campuses and receive assistance with applying for scholarships, enrolling in college, and transportation. Our objective is to not only help prepare students for college but also to provide them with the mentoring and support they need to succeed. Some students choose to work and live on HIS campus while attending a local community college. COUNSELING: Many of our students who come to Holbrook Indian School have experienced significant trauma and have abandonment and trust issues; some even have post-traumatic stress (PTSD.) Our on-site Christian, licensed clinical counselors help our students overcome the challenges they experience that keep them from being able to concentrate on their studies, which is an obstacle to their ability to learn. EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING: Equine Assisted Learning goes beyond teaching students how to ride. Working with horses fosters social and emotional healing and growth. Many of our students who have experienced trauma have a mistrust of people and themselves, but as they provide care for the horses, they begin to feel a connection with them. Fred Bruce, founder and former teacher of EAL, taught students that, “You can say anything you want to a horse and they’ll never tell anyone.”
SHAE FOUNDATION PHOTO
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INDIGENOUS ARTS/GRAPHIC ARTS: Keeping the rich traditions of American Indians alive is a key objective of the Indigenous Arts program at HIS. Pottery making, weaving, beading, Navajo government, American Indian history, and Diné (Navajo) language are integral to connecting our students to their rich cultural heritage, while graphic arts and design classes help develop students’ digital arts talents. MUSIC EDUCATION: The majority of students at HIS have had little to no exposure to music outside of traditional and pop culture. Through music education, we aim to grow our students’ love for God, create a sense of community, and help them gain confidence in their ability to perform either through singing or playing an instrument. In music class, students learn discipline, self-control, and listening skills. By exposing children to a variety of music from classical to folk, from contemporary to traditional hymns, students develop an appreciation and talent for music. MOUNTAIN BIKING: Studies have shown that physical activity improves brain function, which is beneficial in reducing and reversing the phenomenon known as the affective filter caused by high levels of trauma. An affective filter makes it impossible for students to learn and retain information. Physical activity, such as mountain biking, gives students the opportunity to feed their brain with the oxygen that it needs and challenges them to venture outside of their comfort zones. OUTDOOR SCHOOL: Outdoor School is one week of educational classes in the great outdoors. Every year the students are involved in planning the itinerary from a five-year rotation of national and state parks like Zion, Bryce Canyon, Rocky Mountain, and the Grand Canyon. As part of their experience, students also have the opportunity to learn how to navigate a city; most of them are seeing the ocean for the first time while in San Diego, California. Outdoor School is vital in that it allows students to visit new places, have experiences beyond the reservation, and form lasting relationships with each other and staff. Students enjoy activities like canyoneering, kayaking, and whale watching. SUMMER EXPERIENCE: The goal of Summer Experience is to continue to provide a safe haven, which many of our students depend on, through the summer months. Rather than regressing or risking new traumas, students are provided a place where a place where they can continue to learn, grow, and thrive. Students participate in camp meetings and summer camps and work on campus. By the end of the summer, students have had the opportunity to experience fun activities, learn a good work ethic, and grow closer to God. VOCATIONAL ARTS: Practical skills like carpentry, welding, and auto mechanics empower students to enter the workforce better prepared. People with these skills are needed now more than ever. When most educational institutions are cutting back on their vocational arts programs, HIS is amping up to ensure that students who elect to learn these vocations will have the best opportunity for success.
November 2023 33
MAPS Mental, Academic/Artistic, Physical, and Spiritual Wholeness
Providing Health and Healing through MAPS
Mental Wholeness ve troubling Our students often ha s that can circumstances in their live To help rn. lea affect their ability to ntal me students overcome these vides health challenges, HIS pro ristian students with on-site Ch in trauma lize cia counselors who spe dents stu p therapy. Counselors hel ess disorder with post-traumatic str l health (PTSD) and other menta ks in the loc db issues that cause roa educational journey.
Academic/ Artistic Wholeness To better engage studen ts in their learning experience, HIS provides innovative classes like equ ine assisted learning and ou tdoor school, where students spend a full week at state and na tional parks. In Indigenous art s classes like pottery, weaving, bea ding, and Diné (Navajo) language, students are reconnected with the ir cultural practices that due to ass imilation are in danger of being los t.
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Physical Wholeness Good nutrition and physical activity are important for the development of children. HIS Garden to Plate agriculture classes help students learn how the food they eat affects their bodies and their ability to learn. In addition to regular physical education classes and sports, HIS students engage in activities like mountain biking, hiking, and canyoneering to improve their mental and physical health.
Spiritual Wholeness Traditionally, Native American children hold a belief in a Creator but do not know their Creator as a personal and benevolent being. HIS helps students learn about their Creator by connectiong them with Him through His creation. By working on the farm, hiking, caring for horses, and just spending time in the outdoors, students learn to love and trust the One who created them.
Coming soon!
Look for your copy of the HIS Gift Catalog arriving in the mail in November.
You can help HIS students now!
Visit www.HolbrookIndianSchool.org/donate
November 2023 35
A safe place for students to learn, grow, and thrive in Christ
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P.O. Box 910 Holbrook AZ, 86025 Telephone: (928) 524-6845 Ext: 109 www.HolbrookIndianSchool.org 36 Pacific Union Recorder
To read more, go to lasierra.edu/news
Freshmen participate in the traditional La Sierra University Hello Walk on Sept. 20, 2023.
La Sierra University’s Rankings Jump Again in U.S. News Colleges Guide
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a Sierra University saw its placement climb across three categories in the U.S. News & World Report 2024 Best Colleges guide this fall, to include a jump to No. 4 for social mobility among western region universities. In addition, the university’s overall ranking within its 2024 Best Regional Universities West category moved up the scale nine points to land at No. 41 out of 120 schools, where it tied with Fresno Pacific and Montana Technological universities. The upward climb follows a similar movement last year, when La Sierra bounded up the roster 17 points to No. 50 in the western region. In addition, La Sierra University in the 2024 colleges guide moved upward one spot over last year to land at No. 19 for best value in the region out of 38 schools ranked for this measure with no ties. The category compares educational program quality with costs and ranks only those schools that score in or near the top half of their regional categories. In the 2024 Best Colleges Rankings, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo took the No. 1 spot for Best Regional Universities West. Moving on up La Sierra tied for the fourth slot with Cal Poly Pomona and Fresno Pacific universities in the social mobility category, which ranks schools based on how
well they graduated economically disadvantaged students. Methodology included assessing graduation rates of Pell grant recipients. For last year’s U.S. News rankings, La Sierra placed eighth in this category. “We are excited about La Sierra University’s strong placement in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings,” said April Summitt, the university’s acting president. “Our faculty and staff work diligently to ensure our students receive in-depth academic instruction designed to help them grow, along with providing much care and support, as they pursue their academic and career goals. It is gratifying to see these efforts recognized in this manner. We are also grateful to our university’s Institutional Research office, whose dedicated efforts have helped bring about our stronger placements in this important college guide.” The U.S. News & World Report 2024 Best Colleges guide released Sept. 18, 2023, offers rankings of more than 1,800 colleges and universities around the United States across upwards of 19 measures of academic quality. The guide divides colleges and universities into four overall groupings, including a category for regional universities that is then classified into four geographical areas—North, South, Midwest, and West. ____________________ By Darla Martin Tucker
La Sierra University
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Church members take a selfie during the church delegate’s parade.
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Hispanic Ministries Convocation
This small groups evangelism leads into the larger he darkened auditorium quickly filled with evangelistic programs beginning in December of 2023 guests as Elder Abimael Escalante welcomed with events in both Tucson and Phoenix. The small the audience to the Arizona Conference groups will be active throughout 2024 and conclude with Hispanic Ministries Convocation 2023. Finding the large evangelistic event taking place in January 2025 a facility large enough to hold the constituents of the with Elder Alejandro Bullón. He will be leading weeklong Hispanic Ministries churches can be challenging. This evangelism meetings in Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma year the event was held at the Carl Hayden Community consecutively. High School in downtown Phoenix. After a “parade” of church delegations on the main During the Sabbath School program, the Hispanic stage, Dr. José Espinoza presented his message for the Ministries team rolled out their small groups and day about the four characteristics of being a disciple evangelism plans for the upcoming year. The foundation of Jesus. Special music and an afternoon concert were of the program relies heavily on local church members provided by Felipe Garibo. reaching out into their neighborhoods and community. ____________________ Over the course of the next year, church members By Jeff Rogers will pass out 20,000 door hanger pamphlets in their neighborhoods—with the plan that each church member will make contact with 10 neighbors. That first introduction will then lead to further conversations, which can lead to giving a Steps to Christ and an invitation to attend a local church meeting. The ultimate goal is to pass out 10,000 El camino a Cristo (Steps to Christ) books, 3,000 La fe de Jesús (a Bible LEFT: Pastor Antulio Espinoza roleplays the process of putting pamphlets on Study in Spanish), and neighbors’ doors. RIGHT: Elder Abimael Escalante presents the goals of the small 3,500 Biblias. groups program for 2024.
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Arizona Conference
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50 Years on the Hill
hen one paints a picture of a church’s history, the mural is comprised of many faces and stories. Such was the case during the 50th anniversary of the Kingman church. “Don’t look too closely at the floor,” joked Elder Jeff Wilson, referring to the laying of the concrete pad for the church 50 years previously. During his message on Sabbath, Sept. 23, he recounted several anecdotes about the work and miracles that took place in order to build the Kingman Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1973. Elder Wilson was the pastor at the time of the building of the “church on the hill” in Kingman, Arizona. The church was built for $46,500, which is equivalent to $341,548 in 2023 money. The church paid off and burned their mortgage seven years later in 1980. The original building housed an elementary school along with the church. Meagan Kimball, who was one of the students who attended the Kingman school and church, reflected, “You can be proud of the children that you have raised in this church.” While there was initially a structure in place where they could worship, for some time it had no roof. Brenda Kay (Boyett) Fass remembers her dad, Jim Boyett, worshipping in the church in those early days. “We began to worship in the new sanctuary when there were no inside walls, bare concrete floors, and a highpitched roof that was not completely enclosed. Dad always strategically moved the piano so the sun didn’t shine right on it while we worshipped under the blue skies of Kingman.” Jim Boyett was the first man to begin attending the church when it was located on Louise Ave in the 1950s. His wife, Virgie, was one of three women who regularly attended the church, and the three women desperately wanted their husbands to join them. They drew straws to see which husband they would concentrate their prayers on. JoAnn Richmond would later recall, “Would you believe
FAR LEFT: Meagan Kimball presents special music and her memories of growing up in the Kingman church. LEFT: Retired pastor Jack Robinson, who pastored the Kingman church from 2006 to 2016, interacts with members during the Sabbath School lesson study.
Jim Boyett won the draw and the prayer warriors began their prayer vigilance for that one man? He did give his heart to the Lord.” Jim would become the head elder of the church for many years and was part of the team that volunteered time to help build the church on the hill. Story after story help to weave the tapestry of generations that have come and gone in the Kingman Seventh-day Adventist family—starting in the small rooms of homes and continuing in the church that has looked out over the town of Kingman for 50 years. For one Sabbath in September, the various threads of the tapestry came together to celebrate, reminiscence, and commemorate the years of ministry that have taken place in Kingman. ____________________ By Jeff Rogers
Longtime member Vern Fass welcomes members, former members, and previous pastors to the 50th anniversary celebration.
Arizona Conference
November 2023 39
Empowered Youth: Arise and Go
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his summer, 50 young people answered God’s call to arise and go by serving as student literature evangelists for 10 weeks across the Central California Conference. They started off in the Central Valley for the first five weeks and then moved to the Silicon Valley and the coast, working in over 58 cities. Students saw God use them and answer their prayers on a daily basis. Gaby, a student at Bakersfield Adventist Academy, had an amazing experience in Fresno. She was walking down the street with her leader, Peter. As they were walking, they heard loud music coming from a house, and Peter said, “Have fun with that house; just make conversation.” Gaby walked onto the lawn and approached the guy who was blasting music. She started showing him the books she had, but he said that he couldn’t afford any because he was homeless.
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He mentioned that he had been homeless for 11 years. He asked what church she attended, and when she told him, his eyes got big and he said, “Seventh-day Adventist?” She replied, “Yes,” and he said, “The Seventhday Adventist church helped me find my family.” He explained that back in 2011, when he became homeless, he lost his family. However, one day, he walked into an Adventist church, explained his situation, and they opened the church directory. He chose the first person with his last name, and it turned out to be his cousin. Through his cousin, he reconnected with his sister. After he shared this, he mentioned that he watched Adventist programs online. He then agreed that “Saturday is the last day of the week and the day to worship God.” After their conversation, he signed up for Bible studies and ended up giving what he could. Gaby left him with Keys to Happiness, which is Steps to Christ. Erick Mendez, a student at
Armona Union Academy, had an impactful experience in Merced. Just as he was about to finish visiting houses before lunch, he saw a couple sitting outside. Although he felt like skipping the house, he felt impressed to talk with them and asked God to guide his conversation. As he spoke with them, the lady started crying unexpectedly. Erick didn’t know exactly what to do, but he gave her a hug. When the lady calmed down, she explained that the night before, she’d had a dream in which an angel came to her with a message from God and told her about some books. As she shared the dream, Erick felt impressed to recite Psalm 91 to her from memory. When he finished, she started crying even more. Then she said that the angel recited Psalm 91 to her in her dream. She asked Erick if he was an angel, and he said he wasn’t but that he was a messenger trying to spread God’s love. He found out she had been an Adventist over 20 years ago in Mexico but hadn’t gone to church since she’d been in the United States. He invited her to come back to church, and she said she planned to. By God’s grace, she ended up getting all the Spanish books in his bag. Not only did our Youth Rush team impact the community by distributing over 22,000 books, but their lives were profoundly transformed as they worked for God on the front lines. Christiana, one of the participants, reflected on the transformative nature of the experience, stating, “Youth Rush was the perfect experience that I needed for my life, and God knew it. I loved the strong community that was
built there, encouraging me toward uplifting things and giving me the courage to go out to do work for God. It has made everything about being a Christian more meaningful, amazing, and real. Seeing God work every day and give me guidance throughout countless different interactions has done so much for me. I’ve learned to trust God more and see how much He cares about everything. He guided me to Youth Rush exactly when I needed it most. I can’t say enough how positive this summer was for me.” In the words of Jesus, “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.” These young people devoted their summer to serving, and in return they received profound blessings—transformative experiences, strengthened faith, and a deepened understanding of the impact of selfless service. Learn more about the Central California Conference Youth Rush program and apply to be part of it in 2024 at www.youthrushcentral.com. ____________________ By John Miller
Central California Conference
November 2023 41
Sonora Life Hope Center Gives Free Health Care Services to the Community
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he Discover Life church in Sonora hosted their fourth health clinic, called Sonora Life Hope Center, making a major positive impact on the community around them. This health clinic, which took place Sept. 16 and 17, brought together more than 200 volunteers to provide free dental, vision, medical, massage therapy, and haircare for anyone who wanted it— no insurance or ID required. Two hundred fifty-nine patients were helped through the free services offered. Dental volunteers helped 136 patients receive 63 fillings, 73 cleanings, 54 tooth extractions, and two root canals. Vision volunteers performed 128 eye exams and gave patients 125 pairs of prescription glasses. Medical volunteers did 25 cardiology exams, 25 electrocardiograms, and provided 95 patients with foot care. And volunteer professionals provided 61 haircuts and 108 massages. This resulted in a donation of $140,425 of services and $80,660 of labor, totaling $221,085 in free health care and other services provided to the community. Tim and Susan Burkett, who attended the clinic, wrote a note saying they had a great experience. “I'm very grateful for getting my fillings done—very grateful to all of the volunteers and the doctor, and my wife is very grateful for the root canal and now she will be able to eat and drink without pain.” This event offering free services to the community
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surrounding the Discover Life church was made possible through partnering with Adventist Health Sonora, the wellness initiative Blue Zones Project Tuolumne County, the county Public Health Department, and volunteers from throughout the community. Pastor Jim Berglund of Discover Life church said, “We recognize that people’s physical needs affect their whole being, so part of our ministry as the Discover Life Seventh-day Adventist Church is to help meet physical needs, not only for our members but for our community. In looking at how that might best be accomplished, we have embraced the Life Hope Clinic model to help people who fall through the cracks insurance-wise, who may not have dental or vision coverage or need other health-related services.” The Discover Life Free Health Clinic Fund has been created for anyone who would like to help this outreach project. For more information, call 209-533-2596. ____________________ By Brennan Hallock
The CCC Leadership Institute Connects Pastors and Gives Them Tools
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quarterly meeting has been started to help Central California Conference (CCC) pastors and give them new tools to face the many challenges presented in their calling. The first meeting, which took place the first Wednesday of August, was a time for the pastors to meet at the conference office for training, motivation, inspiration, sharing resources, and more. These meetings will include seminars from different pastors and leaders
and will help local pastors share their knowledge with each other. “This is a new initiative we started this year,” explained Ricardo Viloria, CCC ministerial and church planting director. “I am wearing two hats. One is church planting and the other is ministerial. As the ministerial director for the conference, I am responsible for developing and training the pastors and making sure they get the training and tools necessary for their responsibilities. The idea is to train and teach pastors how to lead by Jesus in a practical way.” Each meeting will focus on specific topics such as finances, inspiration, conflict, and more. The first meeting, which took place August 2, was led by CCC President Dan Serns, who spoke about mobilizing the church, the mission of the church, and the life of the pastor—balancing life, family, health, and pastoral work. “Dan Serns’ presentation was a blessing for the pastors there,” said Viloria. The second meeting, taking place at the beginning of October, will address conflict management in the church. “This is connected with a vision we have,” said Viloria. “We want to mobilize people, we want to start new groups, and we want to baptize people.” He added that this leadership institute is going to give the pastors the tools to move that vision forward. The leadership institute is intended to train the pastors and give them the necessary resources and tools to face the challenges they have. ____________________ By Brennan Hallock
Central California Conference
November 2023 43
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Initial Response to the Maui Fires
n Tuesday, August 8, tragedy struck the island of Maui when wildfires began to rage on the island's west side. When the president of the Hawaii Conference, Erik VanDenburgh, heard the news, he immediately began to arrange for people to fly to Maui to help in any way they could. One of these people was Pastor Ben Williams, who previously served as the senior pastor for the Lahaina and Kihei churches on Maui. The next day, Pastor Williams packed his bags and headed for Maui to begin assisting the people there. Upon arrival, he immediately bought food and air mattresses for anyone who might need a place to stay at the local Kahului church. Phone lines and Wi-Fi were down due to the fires, so Williams had no way of knowing what kind of situation the church members were facing or how many people needed care. Later that afternoon, he finally received a text from one of the members of the church in Lahaina. They were in need of a place to stay and asked if they could “bring the whole gang.” Williams told them to come to Kahului, and later that evening around 45 people showed up. Over the course of the next few days, more and more people began to arrive at the church. As the numbers
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grew, the need for more services arose. At first, the church served as a place for people to sleep, eat, and recuperate while the next steps were taken to get them back on their feet. When conference leaders came to Maui, the church offered them a central location to meet with people as they worked to get them the help they needed. VanDenburgh arrived on Thursday and immediately began organizing and coordinating relief efforts. ACS Hawaii Director Mark Tamaleaa began working with organizations such as the American Red Cross and FEMA and with local county authorities to get people the care they needed. Intern Ministry Leaders Alexander Rodriguez and Jenny Silva also came to assist people with signing up for government relief and filing for insurance claims. While this was happening, local church members also stepped up to help their community—even while they themselves were in crisis. As rebuilding continues, the Hawaii Conference hopes to continue to give people a source of comfort in the wake of this tragedy by providing as much aid as possible to the affected families. ____________________ By Caleb Schaber
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Ongoing Relief Efforts
y the time the wildfires that engulfed the western portion of Maui were officially extinguished, efforts to help the community were already well underway. Untouched by the fires that had surrounded it only days before, the Kahului church became a base of operations for relief efforts in the area. Over the next couple of weeks, those affected by the fires were able to go to the Kahului church to receive assistance from Adventist Community Services and members of the church. This included helping them file claims for insurance and federal aid, referring them to specialists that could help with any mental or physical trauma they had experienced, finding a place for them and their families to stay, or simply offering them a warm meal. The church also provided people with a sense of normality by hosting a number of birthday parties and holding regular worship services. During this time of rebuilding for the community, many conference leaders and local church members stepped up to help wherever there was a need. Coordinating the relief efforts was Erik VanDenburgh, conference president, with help from Mark Tameleaa, ACS Hawaii director, and the pastor of Kahului church, Vassili Khrapov. Those in need of counseling were able to find friendly faces in the form of Pastor Ben Williams and Pastor Ramel Ramos, who offered spiritual and emotional care to those in need. A local couple, Krista and Ryan Nelson, stepped up and helped the community by building mobile showers to provide the opportunity to get clean.
One of the biggest forms of help came from Chosen Rentals, a rental car service run by Jon and Karissa Baker. Because of the fires, Jon and Karissa were unable to rent their cars to tourists. Not seeing a point in having the cars just sit there, they generously loaned vehicles to those without a means of transportation for as long as they needed them. We praise God that many of those affected have been helped and are no longer in immediate need of the basic necessities; however, there is still a lot of work to be done in Maui. If you want to help support and show the love of God to the people of Maui, please consider going to www.HAWAIISDA.com and donating. Pray for us and the families on Maui as we continue down the road to recovery. ____________________ By Caleb Schaber
Hawaii Conference
November 2023 45
A Seventh-day Adventist Boarding Academy Serving Native American Youth Since 1946 The significance of the red handprint over the mouth is the symbol for MMIWG awareness. "No more stolen sisters."
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
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s a social worker, I remember my reaction when I first became aware of the national crisis involving missing and murdered indigenous women and girls (MMIWG). I had just finished watching the movie Wind River with my cousin, a counselor and advocate in Albuquerque, N.M. At the closing scene, a title card reads: “While missing person statistics are compiled for every other demographic, none exist for Native American women. No one knows how many are missing.” I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I asked my cousin whether the statement was true, and he confirmed it. My heart broke. I had no idea this was even a thing. That’s not possible, I thought. How can we exclude such a beautiful, powerful, and resilient people from a very important issue? Immediately, the advocate in me wanted to jump up and shout, “Hey! There’s a crisis here! Wake up, America!” Little by little, I began doing some research on how I could help. First, it started with posting information on my personal social media profiles. Then, I talked to my dear friend, Denise, who is a member of the Port Gamble S’klallum Tribe in Washington state, to get her perspective on the issue. She said, “Sometimes you do not realize something is a big
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Holbrook Indian School
issue until it hits you personally. This is unfortunate. One of the school-aged students I cared for in my first job as a high school student went missing. It broke my heart to see the once innocent child I knew now missing as an adult female. It did not seem like MMIWG was that big of a problem because we did not see it on the news, but our reservation and urban communities were worried about our women and girls.” Denise recently participated in an urban photoshoot to bring awareness to the MMIWG crisis. Regarding the women in the photos, the photographer from Lex C. Imagery stated, “I put them in a setting where people all around are living their happy lives, yet Native women have this issue going on that is so overlooked that we feel drowned out by society.” According to the Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI), “Native women living on tribal lands are murdered at an extremely high rate of more than 10 times the national average according to [the] Department of Justice (DOJ). Due to the Urban Indian Health Institute’s limited resources and the poor data collection by numerous cities, the 506 cases identified in this report are likely an undercount of the missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in urban areas.” This same study indicates that in the Southwest region alone, which includes Arizona, there are 157 reported cases of MMIWG. This doesn’t include all the cases that go unreported. In 2016, there were 5,712 cases of MMIWG reported, but only 116 were logged into the DOJ database. A November 2022 report created by Arizona State University (ASU) states that, “Intergenerational trauma affects clans and tribes down through the generations. Families are not given any closure or the ability to properly bury a loved one. Statistics include intimate partner violence, stalking, sexual violence, and physical violence. Almost 40% of female victims who need services can’t get them compared with only 15% of non-Hispanic white female victims who fall through the cracks…. Our hope is that the study will lead to a story of a new beginning. One where all of us listen to what the science is saying, what the victims are saying, and to unite to prevent violence wherever it happens.”
Holbrook Indian School (HIS) is a first- through twelfthgrade boarding academy operated by the Pacific Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. HIS also manages a first- through eighth-grade day school on the Navajo reservation in Chinle, Arizona. Eighty-seven percent of funding comes from individuals who have a desire to support Native American ministries and Christian education. Your generosity makes a difference in the lives of our students, their families, and the communities they serve. Thank you for your support.
DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
P.O. Box 910 • Holbrook, Arizona 86025-0910
(928) 524-6845 (Ext. 109) • Development@hissda.org HolbrookIndianSchool.org
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) shares, “Most federally recognized tribes don’t have the legal authority to criminally prosecute non-Indians, even for crimes committed on tribal lands.” In July 2022, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) officially launched the Missing Indigenous Person Alert System or M.I.P.A. It is the first in the country. The system will add the Missing Indigenous Person designation to the Endangered Missing Persons Alert System. It will join the existing AMBER and SILVER alerts. What I have shared with you on the subject of MMIWG is merely the tip of an incredibly large iceberg of crisis for the American Indian people. Two pages simply aren’t enough to share the full scope of this serious issue. It hits close to home as some of our staff and students at HIS have been directly affected by this crisis. When I look into the resilient faces of our little girls and young ladies on campus and think that, according to statistics, one or more could end up on the MMIWG list, it breaks my heart. One of the biggest reasons we do what we do at HIS is to give our students the opportunity to live beyond the statistics, rise above the intergenerational trauma, and give back to their communities in a way that brings about meaningful change to help end the epidemic of violence. ____________________ By Kimberly Cruz
Holbrook Indian School
November 2023 47
See the latest news and Health & Wellness stories from Loma Linda University Health at news.llu.edu.
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Loma Linda University Featured in New Netflix Documentary Series
oma Linda University is featured in the new Netflix documentary Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. The four-part series, hosted by author and researcher Dan Buettner, highlights the world’s Blue Zones—geographic regions of the world where people live longer, healthier lives. In episode two, Buettner travels to Loma Linda, honing in on the unique lifestyle of the Seventh-day Adventist population there, who are known to have lower risk than most Americans of certain diseases and for their longer life expectancy. In February 2022, a production crew visited the Loma Linda University campus with Buettner to get an inside look at the lifestyle that promotes vegetarianism, faith, exercise, and a sense of community. Filming took place at the Drayson Center fitness facility with senior
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Loma Linda University Health
members of the community and inside Centennial Complex, where Buettner sat down for an interview with researcher Joan Sabaté, MD, DrPH, to discuss LLU’s Adventist Health Studies, which show the correlation of a vegetarian diet and a low risk of disease. “We found that having fruit often reduces the risk of lung cancer,” Sabaté said. “Those who eat a handful of nuts on a regular basis have three years longer life, [and] eating beans often reduces the risk of colon cancer.” Sabaté added that it is not only the absence of meat that is beneficial but the importance of including whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and nuts. More information is available at AdventistHealthStudy.org. ____________________ By Briana Pastorino
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PUC Climbs U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges List
acific Union College was again lauded for its excellence in higher education, ranking high among the region’s top institutions in the U.S. News & World Report 2023-24 Best College list released in September. U.S. News & World Report heralded PUC as the No. 2 Best Value School among colleges in the larger Western region, a jump from No. 6 last year. In California alone, PUC is first. A Best Value School, according to the publication, is an institution credited with excellent academic programs and affordability due to low tuition costs and financial aid assistance. “I believe the best value that comes with a PUC degree is that our students are connected to a community of faith and well-prepared for a lifetime of service,” said Lindsay Hayasaka, PUC’s vice president of academic administration and academic dean. “Being equipped to create positive change in the world and live out kingdom values is truly invaluable—and this is what we are most proud of at PUC.” PUC President Ralph Trecartin agrees. “These rankings have once again confirmed that Pacific Union College is a leader in higher education, not just for its quality academics but for its affordability,” Trecartin said. “We have consciously provided merit scholarships for students who demonstrate high academic qualities, but we also strive to make a college education at PUC possible for a range of students. Being a best-value college to me also means we are committed to practicing our eternal values.” In the overall ranking, PUC ranks No. 13 out of 48 Regional Colleges West, up from No. 19 in 2022. PUC maintained its status as a top performer in Social Mobility, ranking No. 12 out of 48 colleges in the Western region. Colleges in this category are compared based on the graduation rates of Pell Grant recipients to non-recipients. Hayaska said these rankings show that PUC is fulfilling its mission to deliver Christ-centered education to students and prepare them for service. “Our students are amazing—they are bright, curious, and ambitious for positive change in the world,” she said. “As professors, staff, and administrators, our job
is to support, equip, teach, and inspire students to achieve their goals. We have been doing this for over 140 years—and plan to continue fulfilling the mission for many more.” Trecartin said this is a reflection of the change and progress that’s been happening on campus. “These rankings are a testament to the hard work of our leadership, faculty, and staff. God has truly blessed our college,” he said. The 2023-2024 Best Colleges rankings evaluate colleges and universities on a host of measures of academic quality. Areas include retention and graduation rates, class size, faculty, per-student spending, peer universities’ assessments, and graduates’ average federal loan debt. For more information about the 2023-2024 rankings, visit www.usnews.com/best-colleges. ____________________ By Laura Gang
Pacific Union College
November 2023 49
Some of the women attending the 2023 NUC Women’s Retreat in Midway, Utah.
Second Annual Combined Women’s Retreat
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TOP: Chanda Nunes, NUC executive secretary, welcomes participants to the English breakout session. ABOVE: Lisa Marsh presents her amazing insights.
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Nevada-Utah Conference
evada-Utah Conference (NUC) Women’s Ministries, in an effort to enhance unity and become better stewards of resources, has combined the general women’s retreat with the Hispanic women’s retreat, resulting in one glorious blessing for the women of their vast conference. With an area of over 218,000 square miles, hosting “local” events is an impossibility, so the annual retreat is moved from year to year to be held near one of the three large metropolitan areas of the conference: Las Vegas, Reno, or Salt Lake City. The first combined retreat was held in 2022 in Reno. This year the venue was the Zermatt Resort in Midway, Utah. To begin the wonderful weekend, nearly 300 women took the journey through the Rocky Mountains, being treated to a beautiful array of early fall colors on the mountainsides. The first impression of the resort, with its Swiss-inspired architecture, was like what one would expect when arriving in the Alps. As Ellen White wrote, “We may not be brought into such a critical and prominent place as were the people of God in the time of Esther; but often converted women can act an important part in more humble positions. This many have been doing, and are still ready to do” (Letters and Manuscripts, vol. 25, letter 22, 1911). The theme for the weekend was “Reconnecting
with My Mission,” and the event definitely inspired many to do just that. Two exceptional speakers brought messages of hope and restoration. Lisa Marsh shared the gospel by reminding attendees that God sees, redeems, restores, embraces, and loves each woman as His daughter—and all can, in Him, reconnect with their missions. The messages of Esther Crisostomo meshed perfectly, as she shared the beautiful intricacies of our brains, thoughts, and actions. An inspiring quote to remember is “With God’s help, I shall now become myself.” Each of the represented churches was asked to bring a gift to share with the group and a special musical selection. Although not every church was able
to do so, there were many wonderful performances, and some very creative gifts were given. One would think that the language barrier would be difficult to manage; however, the ladies discovered that the language of love breaks down walls and creates a camaraderie that is nothing but heavenly. Many conversations took place with very broken Spanish, English, and even some other languages, bringing smiles and hugs to the interchanges. The attendees came away eagerly looking forward to the time when all God’s people will be with Him speaking the language of heaven. Until that time, let us all reconnect with our mission! ____________________ By Michelle Ward
ABOVE: A beautiful musical selection is presented by the ladies of the Camino a Cristo church. LEFT: The Emmanuel Hispanic church in Spanish Fork, Utah, shares God’s Word as the light. BELOW LEFT: Members of the Living Water Fil-Am church lead the singing. BELOW MIDDLE: NUC Treasurer, Karen Schneider. BELOW RIGHT: Esther Crisostomo gives another heartfelt message of hope.
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Joelle Chinnock Chosen as Ending Homelessness Initiative Coordinator
oelle Chinnock started her new job as the Ending Homelessness Initiative coordinator in August. Before this, she served as the director of disaster recovery and development for the Paradise church after the Camp Fire of 2018. In this position, she led multiple support initiatives, wrote grants, and co-founded the Camp Shed Project. Applying her professional and personal experience to the Ending Homelessness Initiative, Chinnock stated, "During the Camp Fire incident, I was not equipped or trained. However, I felt the urge to assist my fellow survivors. This desire was driven by my journey to overcome the trauma of being displaced and losing my home. I know many unhoused individuals experience similar feelings of hopelessness and despair. I am thrilled to be part of the solution and restore hope in these people's lives.” At the 2022 NCC Constituency Session, Marc Woodson, NCC President, presented this new initiative, stating, “Our goal is to achieve ‘functional zero’ for homelessness in every county, with a focus on areas where churches and schools are located.” In the context of homelessness, functional zero refers to a state where the number of individuals experiencing homelessness
is reduced to a minimal, manageable level, typically to the point where homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring within a specific population. This goal is achieved through a combination of housing-focused strategies, coordinated services, and datadriven approaches to address and prevent homelessness effectively. Chinnock will play a key role in shaping and implementing the initiative's strategy, with a focus on the Built for Zero model. Chinnock will be a liaison between NCC entities and community groups. “I understand that each county where our schools and churches are present face different issues” Chinnock said, “but the aim is to ensure that every entity is equipped with the necessary resources and information to address homelessness based on the Built for Zero model.” "I am thrilled to welcome Joelle to our team,” Woodson said. “She will spearhead a crucial initiative to make our churches and schools more community relevant. With her onboard, we will have a voice at the table where top leaders and nonprofit organizations are working on solutions to address homelessness.” ____________________ By Ken Miller
Baptisms on the Road of Gold
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he small town of Sutter Hill sits at the crossroads of California's mother lode region. Sutter Hill, San Andreas, and Lockeford churches recently engaged their community with two Bible seminars that struck gold. Church members and invited community members took part in a tri-church seminar focused on understanding the Bible. Jovan Ilijev, district pastor, explained, "We canvassed our area with invitations and used our social media accounts to increase visibility for our meetings. The combined effort of Facebook advertising and member's actions created a sizable group."
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Building on this success, the churches held a second seminar, “Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time.” “The second seminar was to teach how people of the Bible would have understood the messages we read today,” Ilijev said. “Attendees learned how to derive deeper meaning from the Bible, possibly misunderstood in our modern context." As a result, five people committed their lives to God through baptism. "Our attendance, so devastated by the pandemic, is now back to 60,” Ilijev concluded. “I believe
these two seminars filled a growing need; people are turning to the Bible for answers and yearning to understand its message of hope." ____________________ By Ken Miller
Putting the “Camp” in Camp Meeting
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oman Tsyganiuk, pastor of the Sacramento Slavic church, recently emerged from the wilderness. He humorously reported, "For almost all of July, I had to live in the forest." His task was directing the well-attended Slavic camp meetings that hold weekly sessions each summer near Forest Hill. For several weeks, different retreats serve families, a men's group, youth, and Pathfinders. They all come to experience nature and worship together in their native tongue. This year, during youth camp, young people from as far away as New York and Washington state came to make friends and worship God in nature. Tsyganiuk reported that during the Pathfinder week, "15 of the 50
attendees were new kids from our neighborhood that were not even Adventist!" During the family camp, community members who came by invitation committed to attending or becoming members of the Slavic and Ukrainian churches. Tsyganiuk concluded, "The weeks we spend together create much positive interaction among members of our heritage. We thank God for this fantastic experience!" ___________________ By Ken Miller
Northern California Conference
November 2023 53
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Racing Through Childhood
he first time I laid eyes on little Nova, she was bolting from her kindergarten classroom, left arm adorned in a fresh pink cast, running like her chariot was on fire. Her teacher at the local public school had instructed me to prohibit any running. Nova flew past us, gaining speed, hurling herself over the three-foot retaining wall that separates the elementary school playground from the soccer field—and she just kept going. I thought to myself, “I like this kid already.” My bond with her grew over the next five years until I became an auxiliary grandmother to her rambunctious family. They were not part of our Adventist church, but occasionally Nova attended church with us. One summer, I invited them to my favorite place on earth, Redwood Camp Meeting. The casual, hundredacre-wood style would be a comfortable introduction to worshipping our great God. Nova, her younger brother River, and their mother relished the cool, oxygen-rich air filtered by thousand-year-old redwood trees. At Redwood, running is encouraged between the Christcentered children’s programs. During the invigorating morning classes, River learned about creation. He would find me in the Redwood office later and, with his newfound knowledge, quiz me on who made the giant trees and the sun and tigers and monster trucks and the
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mountains. I fielded question after question about where God lives, why we can’t see Him, and how we talk to Him. One afternoon, River returned to the question of who God is, paused, and then blurted out, “Oh! I met God yesterday!” I answered, “That’s so cool!” River continued, “You showed him to me in your office! His name is Ed!” My amusement was growing, and I responded, “Who?” River squealed, “You remember? I asked if he was God—that guy named Ed. I think he is God because he was so nice!” Ed just happened to be Ed Fargusson, assistant to the NCC president. Halfway home from camp meeting, the children’s mom called to ask if it was too late to enroll them in our local Adventist school. She stated, “I want my kids in a wholesome environment with kids like the friends they’ve made at Redwood Camp Meeting.” In the end, River, Nova, and even Nova’s best friend all started school on August 16th at our local Adventist school. Inviting our community to experience uplifting events like camp meeting, a potluck, or a school program can have resounding results both here and in heaven. I am so grateful for our Adventist culture, exemplifying the love of God and commitment to family, and for connecting people to an abundant life in Jesus. ___________________ By Jennifer Shaw
Summer on the Run
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he NCC Youth Department recently concluded its Summer on the Run traveling caravan of fun and evangelism. This annual summer outreach program served almost 800 youth at 10 locations throughout our territory. Eddie Heinrich, NCC youth director, said, “It was an outstanding summer connecting with not only our Adventist kids but countless others in each community we visited.” One of the larger turnouts the last two summers has been during the days spent at the Crescent City church. This year, 124 local children came to play on the waterslide and engage in the activities. Doors were especially opened when the troupe arrived in Vallejo, California. “What began with a cool yet professional reception from the public park system turned enthusiastic when officials realized that we were coming to serve the youth of their community for free,” Heinrich said. “They even cut the fee in half to set up at the park. The Holy Spirit was certainly moving there.” Heinrich concluded, “The response to this outreach never ceases to amaze me.” ___________________ By Communication Staff
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Pathfinders lead delegates in prayer with many languages.
SECC Constituency Encourages Delegates to Connect Through Christ
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lmost 800 delegates of the Southeastern California Conference (SECC) gathered together on Sunday, Oct. 1, for its Third Quinquennial Session. Jonathan Park was elected as SECC president. Park began serving as president in September 2021 when then-president Sandra Roberts was tapped to serve as the executive secretary of the Pacific Union Conference. Patricia Marruffo was elected to serve as the SECC executive secretary. Marruffo began serving in this capacity in October 2021 after Park vacated the position. Verlon Strauss was returned to serve his third
Karen Martell blesses officers and their spouses.
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term as SECC treasurer. Elizer Sacay was also reelected for his third term as the vice president for Asian Pacific Ministries. Robert Edwards was reelected for a second term as vice president for Black Ministries. Yohalmo Saravia was returned for his second term as the vice president for Hispanic Ministries. Before business began, the morning started with worship. “Connecting Through Christ” was the theme that guided the day. “The global pandemic underscored the importance of connections with one another. It also highlighted the importance of Christ as the one through whom we can all connect in a spirit of love,” said Marruffo. The theme was displayed throughout the service by the Pathfinders who prayed in eight different languages. It was heard in the music led by La Sierra University church, Loma Linda University church, the Hosanna Singers, and Redlands Children’s Ministry. It was felt in the percussion instruments as the Black Ministries AreaWide Drum Corp made their debut during the session. “There was a worship experience and feeling of the presence of the Holy Spirit that guided it all through,” said Sacay. The delegates were challenged by a moving word from Alfonzo Greene, pastor from Mt. Rubidoux church.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Robert Edwards, Yohalmo Saravia, Patricia Marruffo, Jonathan Park, Verlon Strauss, Elizer Sacay.
Attendees were reminded to not just connect through Christ but to be like Christ. “Jesus was willing to be misunderstood by insiders so that He could reach outsiders,” said Greene in his homily. In addition to electing the six officers and the members to the executive and bylaws committees, the business of the day included several uplifting reports on how God has been moving over the last five years. “I felt that the delegates were inspired. It was more about God’s work in our conference rather than electing the officers,” said Park as he reflected on the day. One of the initiatives that was introduced concerned the Center of Discipleship and Evangelism, a space where members can learn about being a disciple of Christ with fellow members of the conference. The center will launch officially in January with a rally with Ty Gibson.
“For me, the highlight of the day was when the president challenged the delegates to make discipleship and sharing Jesus the center of our mission,” said Saravia. After the officers were voted in, there was a blessing given by Karen Martell, SECC prayer ministries coordinator. “Her words were so touching and inspiring to me, they almost made me cry. I was just impressed how she went through each component of our bodies—our eyes, ears, hands—and asked that they be blessed and used in a manner that glorifies God,” said Strauss. “The overall meeting was soaked in the concept of connecting for the cause of Christ. The atmosphere was overwhelming with inspiration. We were truly inspired to connect!” said Edwards. ____________________ By Andrea King
LEFT: The Drum Corp makes its debut. RIGHT: The Hosanna Singers share a musical selection.
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Exactly Where God Needs Them: Biswas and Aritonang Ordinations Linda Biswas
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inda Biswas grew up hearing her parents’ stories of missionaries they knew in Bangladesh, and she knew she was going to follow in their footsteps. “I studied education, business, and theology, preparing myself for mission life,” she explained. Biswas served as a student missionary and then for 13 years in the chaplain’s office at La Sierra University, training student missionaries, chaplaining, and traveling to over 40 countries doing mission work. She loved her job. “I told people I’d never work at a church, because I was already exactly where God needed me,” Biswas said. “A few months later, God called me to a church.” In May, Biswas was ordained as children and family pastor at Azure Hills church. Her ordination included cultural music and a kids’ praise team with a sevenyear-old drummer and nine-year-old pianist. Biswas and several of her friends wore saris to honor her heritage, and they served Bengali food afterward. “It was so fun,” Biswas recalled. “The speakers kept it light and upbeat; people were laughing the entire time.” According to records, Biswas is the first and only ordained Bengali-American female. “I still have that urge to serve overseas, but I feel very strongly God has specifically called me here right now to walk alongside families, helping them experience a walk with Jesus.”
Family and church leaders pray over Biswas.
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Jonathan Park addresses Aritonang and his wife.
Wilson Aritonang
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uring college in the Philippines, Wilson Aritonang joined a small group of fellow Indonesians. It changed his life. “It was meant to be a connection with other people from home,” he said. But some wanted to pursue a deeper spiritual experience, so they intensified their prayer and Bible studies and began doing mission trips together. It was among them that Aritonang found his closest mentor. “That group changed me and made sense of my pastoral calling,” Aritonang said. He was ordained as youth pastor at Loma Linda Indonesian church in July. His meaningful experience with a mentor inspires his own ministry today. “I love working with young people,” he said. “I really enjoy listening to their questions and meeting their curiosity, because having a mentor was how I grew as a Christian. That’s why I became a pastor.” Aritonang is passionate about intergenerational community; his Doctor of Ministry studies will center on that very thing. “Everyone adds something to what we have,” he said. One crucial aspect of Aritonang’s ministry is his wife, Belladonna. “I waited to marry because I was praying for someone who loved not only me but pastoral ministry and God,” he explained. “I finally found her.” ____________________ By Becky St. Clair
Leadership Conference EMPOWERS Asian/Pacific Youth Youth attendees grow closer at the conference.
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uring Labor Day weekend, the Southeastern California Conference (SECC) Asian Pacific Ministries and Southern California Conference (SCC) hosted the Empower Ministry Leadership Conference, a three-day leadership conference to provide emerging church leaders with the skills, training, and resources they need for effective ministry. It also served as a platform for building connections and fostering community. "The conference's primary objective is to empower leaders, particularly young individuals, by equipping them with new skills and a mindset for effective ministry. The conference organizers, including Pastor Sacay and Juliana Moon, put considerable effort into planning and execution,” said Shawn Michael Cabaluna, youth leader at Waterman Visayan Fil-Am church. The target demographic for the conference ranged from early teens (13) to early young adults (25). Held on the rooftop of a Hyatt hotel, the conference offered various amenities and activities that created an engaging atmosphere for the approximately 200 participants. The event featured both general and breakout sessions, in which attendees participated based on their topics of interest. The conference featured several speakers, including Ranko Stefanovic, who sought to reframe the
perspective on the book of Revelation, encouraging a more positive interpretation. Andrea King emphasized focusing on God and practicing praise over complaints. Other speakers, such as Paulo Macena, Vandeon Griffin from the North American Division, and Chris Chong, a pastor in Oregon, addressed various aspects of leadership and ministry. "This conference was important for our community because, as youth, some of us do not know what resources we have available to us. We need someone, or people, to help lead us in the right direction so that we are confident enough to do it ourselves,” said Monica Sitompul, who led music on day two of the conference. “It is important to see other people with the same ethnicity have the same struggles and willingness to learn and grow for our church.” The conference was deemed a success by both attendees and organizers. While not held annually, there is hope for increasing its frequency and size in the future. The Empower Ministry remains dedicated to guiding young adults within the Asian community to take on leadership roles in their church and the world. ___________________ By Ezrica Bennet Elizer Sacay and Vinh Nguyen welcome Empower attendees.
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PHOTOS: STEVE CLEMENT
Michelle Noland (right), SCC associate director for media production, demonstrates basic camera and boom mic operation during a film class.
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JJ Martinez (left) teaches an outdoor class on fire building and camp cookery.
More Than 400 Pathfinders Participate in Pathfinder Honor Day
PHOTO: MICHELLE NOLAND
his year’s Pathfinder Honor Day, which usually spans a weekend at Camp Cedar Falls, took place in one day for the first time at Glendale Adventist Academy. More than 400 Pathfinders from the Southern California Conference (SCC) met to take classes to receive honors in various categories. Twenty honors were offered, such as Camping Skills, Pin Trading, Social Media, Human Trafficking, Video, Accounting, Wood Carving, and more. Most of the Pathfinder honor classes were taught by SCC Pathfinder area coordinators, the Pathfinder advisory team, and SCC office personnel. Two of the honors were taught by Southeastern California Conference Pathfinder leaders: Christian Storytelling by Joel Milla and Fire Building by JJ and Mercy Martinez. “Many of our attendees were new to Pathfinders, and in one day they were able to earn multiple honors to place on their sash,” said Steve Clement, Pathfinder
Pathfinders practice drills and marching.
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area coordinator. “This is a proud achievement for these Pathfinders. For others, it was an opportunity to add to the honors they had earned in prior years. The attendance was so much greater than we anticipated!” Logan Parchamento, a Pathfinder from the Indonesian-American church, shared a message for the Pathfinders taking the Preach It honor with Sal Garcia, SCC youth ministries director. Parchamento, who has been preaching to children and youth since he was seven years old for organizations like Amazing Facts and 3ABN, encouraged all Pathfinders and leaders to allow God to use them in sharing their faith. “Do not be afraid or embarrassed about telling others about your faith in God,” Parchamento said in his message. Though the honors classes were the focus of the day, many Pathfinder clubs took advantage of the number of people present by selling food—such as tacos, pizza, and nachos—to fundraise for the upcoming international camporee. More than 40 SCC Pathfinder clubs are preparing to take that journey to Gillette, Wyoming, next August. Garcia reminded the Pathfinders and leadership team about the importance of not forgetting the purpose of the Pathfinder Honor Day. Referring to Jeremiah 29:11, Garcia challenged all Pathfinders: “God’s plan for each of you Pathfinders is to prosper you and to give you a hope and a future,” Garcia said. “Being here today is part of God’s plan for your life. He is preparing you for something great!” ____________________ By Sal Garcia and Araya Moss
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The Place Serves at a Maranatha Volunteers International Project in Zambia
PHOTOS: MARANATHA VOLUNTEERS INTERNATIONAL STAFF
n early August, The Place Adventist Fellowship church returned from a mission trip to central Zambia, organized by Maranatha Volunteers International, during which they constructed a church building for the Kakole congregation in Chibombo village. The thatched roof and mud floor of the previous makeshift structure offered little protection from the heat, insects, and noise that plagued Kakole worshippers. Volunteers from The Place—10 kids and 11 adults—felt called to remedy the situation but were uncertain of their ability to construct a church building within a couple of weeks. “We were scared that we might not be able to accomplish what we needed to,” admitted Urijah Saenz, assistant in pastoral care at The Place and group leader for the mission trip. But the team worked hard, and the child volunteers brought youthful energy to the project’s physically demanding tasks. “We actually finished our project a day early,” said Saenz. “That was a big surprise and a blessing for us.” Manual labor dedicated to benefiting others was a rallying point for this passionate group. Each night, volunteers took turns leading out in worship services that further fostered an uplifting environment and spiritual discussions. Members of The Place enjoyed the chance to bond with those they served, and they were thrilled to engage
Even the group's younger volunteers work hard, laying mortar between blocks.
Volunteers offer smiles amid the physically demanding job of laying block walls.
with community members who visited the construction site. They played improvised games with numerous child visitors and went out of their way to greet and interact with their adult guests. “I think it would be close to a pointless mission trip if you don’t connect with the people you’re serving,” shared Saenz. “Connecting with those people was the biggest highlight of the whole trip.” Organizing an international mission trip takes a lot of work. Maranatha, which specializes in short-term mission trips, offered support throughout the entire process. First, The Place was matched with one of Maranatha’s project locations that could accommodate their group size and schedule. Next, Maranatha advised trip leaders on every aspect of project planning, from developing budgets to choosing safe and comfortable lodging. Then, volunteers had access to Maranatha’s in-country staff for additional support while in Zambia. The Place has gone on mission trips through Maranatha for 13 years and found a deep appreciation for the relational connection that mission work fosters. “Going on mission trips for my church is something that is really bonding and connecting for our community,” Saenz said. ___________________ By Sidney Needles
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PHOTOS: ARAYA MOSS
Volunteers gather for a photo a few minutes before the gates open and distribution begins. The first shift of volunteers prepares the food on Friday, the second group packs the boxes on Saturday mornings, and this third group handles the distribution.
Mama Rosa’s Food Pantry: Where Compassion Goes Beyond Meals, Thanks to Devoted Volunteers
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riendly greetings like “Have a wonderful day!” and “Drive safe!” float through the air on an otherwise gloomy Sabbath. Volunteers are cheerful, and their joy is contagious. The occasion? It was the third Sabbath of September—distribution day for Mama Rosa’s Food Pantry, hosted at the Gardena Genesis Community church (GGCC). When the covid pandemic began, the food pantry’s operations shifted to accommodate the situation, serving people in a drive-thru fashion. Now, cars line up around the block to receive free food for their family
When: First and third Sabbath every month, 12-2 p.m. (or until all food is distributed) People served each time: 1,200-1,500 Food distributed each time: 25,000-40,000 pounds Food distributed in 2022: 365,000 pounds Food distributed in 2023 (as of September 15): 427,542 pounds
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on two afternoons a month, and people travel from as far away as Riverside and Northridge to receive the free food. Each guest receives a box of dry food and box of produce. The food provided can last the family about two weeks. Volunteers join the ministry from all over, and the team is diverse in more ways than one. “People come from different religious backgrounds, and some are not religious at all,” GGCC Pastor Filemu Filemu said. “We get to model love and mercy together. However, they understand the kindness and compassion that drives our team to serve consistently in Gardena.” GGCC members participate, as well as local Latterday Saints members, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank (LARFB) volunteers, and several volunteers who were once clients themselves and saw that this ministry meant something. “Volunteers are lined up to experience this activity on our church campus,” Filemu shared. “Our fellowship is deep and contagious. Usually, people only want to help themselves and their friends. The people who have served here, they have grown in faith and trust that we are truly here for the people of this community.” While it’s not always easy work, the team is dedicated. The boxes are heavy, and the day is fast paced. But the intangible rewards—the thankful people,
LEFT: Tens of thousands of pounds of food are given to people in need. RIGHT: There is a special spot for walk-ups, where seniors from the community can visit and shop for free food items.
the happy company, the joy of serving—more than make up for it. “The friendships and fellowships we have developed through the years are the real blessing of this food pantry,” Paul Randall, the food pantry director, said. “We empower all volunteers to do God’s work in this community with enjoyment and fun, so everyone receives the rewards of having the warmth in their heart and the special feeling of feeding the community, when one in five families have food insecurity.” “Mama Rosa’s Food Pantry is an enormous blessing to the surrounding community,” said James G. Lee, Southern California Conference vice president and Adventist Community Services director. “In a short space of time—two afternoons a month—thousands of people are helped. It’s such a wonderful, positive program making a meaningful impact.” Official partnerships and relationships throughout the city attest to the power of this ministry. The mayor, local police and fire departments, and LARFB have expressed
support for this ministry in various ways. In fact, out of 700 agencies, Mama Rosa’s Food Pantry was recognized as the July 2023 LARFB Agency of the Month: “This selection as Agency of the Month is a testament to the extraordinary commitment and dedication that you and your team have displayed in addressing food insecurity in your community. Gardena SDA has consistently demonstrated its unwavering support for the people you serve, and it is truly inspiring to see your efforts being recognized.” As Filemu put it, “I hope we learn to serve others the way Jesus served everyone in love and compassion.” Visit https://scc.adventist.org/mama-rosa-foodpantry to learn more and see the food pantry distribution in action. ____________________ By Lauren Lacson
RIGHT: The food pantry is set up as a drive-thru. Like a NASCAR pit stop, volunteer teams assist the cars from both sides, bringing boxes of both fresh produce and shelf-stable foods. FAR RIGHT: Mama Rosa, the founder of the food pantry in 1994, visits for the first time since the pandemic on Sept. 16, 2023.
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Calendar La Sierra University
November Music Concerts. The La Sierra University Music Department will host a faculty recital with Martin
Advertising Advertising is accepted as a service to Seventh-day Adventist church members in the Pacific Union. The Recorder management reserves the right to refuse any advertisement, especially ads not related to the needs and practices of the church membership. Acceptance of any advertising shall be considered a matter of accommodation and not a matter of right, nor shall it be construed to constitute approval of the product or service advertised. Payment in advance must accompany all classified advertisements or they will not be published. Display ads for known advertisers will be billed. To pay by credit card, please go to recorder@adventistfaith.com. How to Submit Advertising Classified ads must be sent with payment to the Recorder office. Display ads should be arranged with the editor (recorder@adventistfaith.com). Classified Rates $70 for 50 words; 75 cents each additional word. Display rates (full color only): back cover, $4,200; full page, $3,800; 1/2-pg., $2,200; 1/4-pg., $1,200; 1/8-pg., $700; $160 per column inch. Information The Pacific Union Recorder is published 12 times per year with a circulation of approximately 75,000. For more information about advertising, please email to recorder@ adventistfaith.com. Upcoming Deadlines These are the advertising deadlines for the Recorder. Your local conference news deadlines will be earlier. December: November 6 • January: December 4 Contributions The Recorder pages are assigned to the local conferences, colleges, and healthcare institutions, and all content comes through the communication departments in those organizations. If you have a news story/idea, calendar announcement, etc., please contact your local communication department. See the masthead for contact information. Want tips for writing for us? See www.dailywritingtips.com/the-art-of-writing-news.
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Glicklich, flute, and Valeria Morgovskaya, piano, Saturday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. and a Wind Ensemble concert on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. Performances are in Hole Memorial Auditorium. Free admission. For information: music@lasierra.edu or 951-785-2036. Archaeology Discovery Weekend. The Center for Near Eastern Archaeology will host its 15th annual Archaeology Discovery Weekend on Nov. 11-12. The event, themed “The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible,” will feature in-person and online lectures and activities. For information, visit lasierra.edu/ archaeology. 76th Annual Candlelight Concert. The La Sierra University Music Department will host its traditional Candlelight Concert on Friday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 2, at 4 p.m. Performances in La Sierra University church. For information: music@lasierra. edu or 951-785-2036. The La Sierra Report. Stay in the know and sign up to receive The La Sierra Report, an e-newsletter of the university’s interesting news and events. To subscribe, send your email address and subscription request to pr@lasierra.edu.
Northern California Conference
Capitol City church is hosting a live drive-thru nativity scene narrated to the song “Silent Night.” This promises to be a memorable experience for the entire family. Sip hot chocolate or apple cider while you wait. Free admission is our gift to you. Rain or shine. Dec. 8 & 9, 2023, 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. 6071 Lemon Hill Ave. Sacramento.
Pacific Union College
Wind Ensemble Holiday Concert. The PUC Wind Ensemble, directed by Rachelle Berthelsen Davis, presents its annual holiday concert on Sunday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. in Paulin Recital Hall. Enjoy exciting and beautiful versions of old favorites and discover new Christmas songs you’ll love to call favorites. Admission is free and open to all. Christmas on the Hill Candlelight Concert. PUC’s Music Department presents its annual Christmas Candlelight Concert on Friday, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 9, at 4 p.m. in the PUC church. Revel in the sacred sounds of the holiday season with PUC Orchestra, directed by Rachelle Berthelsen Davis, and PUC Chorale and Vox Pro Musica, directed by Ronnie Zanella. The same concert is presented at two different times to make it convenient. Admission is free and open to all. Paulin Center for the Arts Holiday Recital. Paulin Center for the Arts, the community arts program based in PUC’s Music Department, welcomes all
to its holiday recital on Dec. 10 at 1 p.m. Students will present their favorite Christmas pieces on several instruments, and PCA’s brand new children’s choruses, Treblears and Chordears, will sing. Join a Christmas singalong to close the recital and enjoy a little holiday cheer. Admission is free and open to all. Questions: paulincenter@puc.edu. Connect Ministries is a group of Pacific Union College students passionate about Jesus and sharing through music and worship. The bilingual team leads worship services, retreats, youth events, and any programs where they can inspire other young people to become worship leaders. Any school or church interested in having them visit, please visit puc.edu/ connect. Subscribe to PUC Now Newsletter. Stay up to date with Pacific Union College by subscribing to their monthly newsletter at puc.edu/subscribe. From campus stories and alumni features to student interviews, you’ll be in the know with PUC Now.
of assessment, planning, development, and implementation of classroom experiences and course objectives. We desire those who will be committed to a collaborative working environment, as well as those who possess dedication in furthering the goals of excellence in student success and critical thinking skills. Most importantly, we desire those interested in bringing students closer to Christ by nurturing the whole person and embracing concepts for lifelong learning. If you are interested, please contact Human Resources at HR@puc.edu or call 707-965-6231. Room/Work Exchange offer in SoCal for female. Busy professional needs your help with 15 hours of housekeeping/week in exchange for rent. Located 2 hrs drive from LLU. Must be able-bodied, English speaking, SDA, and not allergic to my cat. Background check and interview. More info: www.room. theexceptionalprofessionalyou.com
Southern California Conference
Evangelism Projects Coordinator needed at Quiet Hour Ministries to assist in developing and implementing and reporting for various mission projects. This is a full-time (32 hours per week) in-office position located in Redlands, Calif., with potential for international travel. For more info or to apply, visit: qhministries.org/jobs
Spanish-American Church Blood Drive (Nov. 11) 8 a.m. Give the gift of life! Spanish-American church, 1815 Bridge St., Los Angeles, CA 90033. Info: 323-222-7063.
Marketing Director needed at Quiet Hour Ministries to plan and direct successful fundraising and marketing through a variety of methods. This is a full-time (38 hours per week) in-office position located in Redlands, Calif., and includes some national and international travel. For more info or to apply, visit: qhministries.org/jobs
Lokahi: United as One Benefit Concert (Nov. 4) 5 p.m. All are invited to a special benefit concert to provide relief to those impacted by the Maui fire. Hosted by Eagle Rock church, 2322 Merton Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90041.
One House Hangout (Nov. 11) 4-10:30 p.m. Come hang out with One House for a night of fellowship, food, games, networking, and good times. Location: With Love Market & Café, 1969 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90007.
Classified Employment
Holbrook Indian School is currently in need of a Registrar/Administrative Assistant, Maintenance Associate, Grounds/ Maintenance Assistant, and a Horsemanship/Farm Assistant. These are paid positions. In addition, there is an opening for a volunteer married couple to fill the role of House Deans in an off-campus housing capacity at the Eagle's Nest. If you or someone you know are missionminded and would like to serve Native American children, please see or share our jobs page at HolbrookIndianSchool.org/jobs. Pacific Union College is seeking a faculty position for the 2023-2024 academic year in the area of History. Major duties include the responsibilities
Real Estate
PUC Commercial Space for Rent. Pacific Union College has commercial real estate space available for lease. The spaces are in various sizes and functionality and are available for inquiries. For additional information, please email Sam Heier at sheier@puc. edu.
For Sale
Retiring SDA optometrist in NW Calif. selling a very profitable practice. There are no other optometry, ophthalmology, or optician practices in this city or county. Local Adventist church and K-8 school. The office is 5 blocks from an amazing coastline with surrounding beautiful forests, beaches, and rivers. 1250 sq. ft. office with a wonderful staff. If interested, please contact sinouye7@gmail.com. Outpatient Physical Therapy and Aquatic Therapy in the foothills above Sacramento, Calif. Turn-key practice, in business for over 30 years. Great referral base and solid practice. Lots of potential for growth.
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Great opportunity for someone wanting to establish a medical mission outpost or wellness center as well. 5400-sq-ft facility. $450,000. Flexible options to the right party. Contact levi2000@sbcglobal.net (mailto:levi2000@sbcglobal.net) or leave message at 209-304-7455. Dental practice for sale in Siskiyou County, Calif. Profitable practice, 4 ops, practice refers out ortho, endo, and some oral surgery. Great study club and specialists to refer to. Get out of the city and come to God's country, a 4-season area filled with hiking, mt. biking, skiing, and water sports. If interested, please contact blaster42@hotmail.com.
Vacation Opportunities
Travel on a faith-based tour to Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Rome, or Vietnam on a special cultural discovery tour with Dr. Carl Cosaert, New Testament Professor at Walla Walla University. To learn more about these inspirational tours that renew your faith, visit www. adventtours.org or email info@adventtours.org. Sunriver, Central Oregon. Four-bedroom vacation home on the North Woodlands golf course. Two master king suites, two queens, one bunk set, hot tub, loft, Jacuzzi bath, gas log fireplace, BBQ, W/D, bikes, all resort amenities, sleeps 10, no smoking, no pets. For rates, photos, and reservations, call: 541-2799553, or email: schultz@crestviewcable.com
Bulletin Board
Help the Lord’s ministry of healing in Micronesia by donating your car, boat, bike, RV, or truck. All proceeds help provide free medical services to the island peoples of Micronesia. Canvasback Missions, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, has been serving since 1986. For more info: www.canvasback.org 707746-7828.
San Fernando Valley Academy (preschool12th grade), located in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Northridge in the San Fernando Valley, is still accepting students for the 2023-2024 school year. The over 100 students and their teachers are a large family who care about each other and want each other to succeed. In the high school, teachers have also been professionals in their credentialed teaching fields. The elementary teachers are highly experienced with years of childhood development training, so you know that you are getting qualified instruction from top to bottom. Please visit our website: www.sfvahuskies.org or give us a call at 818-349-1373 to schedule a visit. We look forward to meeting you.
At Rest Canlas, Benjamin Musngi – b. June 4, 1946, Caloocan City, Philippines; d. May 24, 2023, Loma Linda, Calif. Survivors: spouse, Lorraine; son, David; siblings, Elmore Canlas, Joida, Ammelita. Chong, Joseph Kumauna Ah Fu – b. Feb. 5, 1942, Molokai, Hawaii; d. Aug. 18, 2023, Waimea, Hawaii. Survivors: wife, Trenda; kamali'i, Melia Paleka, Ikaika, Anuhea Sriwongtong; two mo'opuna and many fourlegged grandchildren. Joe was an active member of the Honoka'a church. He was a deacon and loved to greet everyone at church each Sabbath. Dickinson, Patricia Haldeman Engevik – b. March 19, 1932, Alberta, Canada; d. Sept. 24, 2023, Loma Linda, Calif. Survivors: husband, Tom Dickinson; daughter, Carrie Engevik; four stepchildren; 10 stepgrandchildren; one step-great-grandchild. Served as first female head elder of Temple City church. Jones, Carolyn “Sue” – b. Sept. 23, 1940, Akron, Ohio; d. Sept. 13, 2023, Redlands, Calif. Survivors: son, Keith Jones; daughters, Kenna Jones Sandborn, Janie Jones Simon. Shankel, Clinton – b. Oct. 1, 1933; d. Dec. 21, 2022.
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Survivors: wife, Mable; daughter, Lynette Hipkins; son, Dennis Shankel; two granddaughters. Clinton served his church for 42 years, starting as an intern pastor in Washington state before departing as a missionary to Indonesia in 1959. After a short term as Far Eastern Island Mission president, he returned to Indonesia as president of the West Indonesia Union Mission. He served as Sabbath School/ personal ministries secretary in the Far Eastern Division before returning to the U.S. as president of the New York Conference and Kentucky/Tennessee Conference. In 1992, he returned to Asia-Pacific Division as executive secretary and vice president. After retirement, Clinton volunteered with ADRA International, Maranatha Volunteers International, Philippines/SSD, and his church in Placerville, Calif.
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The First-Ever Biography of Hiram Edson
n this path-breaking scholarly biography, Brian Strayer explores the religious, social, cultural, and political milieu of upstate New York that shaped Hiram Edson's life. Based on detailed research from over 300 primary and secondary
sources, Strayer shares Edson’s genealogical roots, describes his charismatic “presentments,” analyzes his post-Millerite experiences, examines his tableau of friends and enemies, explores his relationships with his ministerial partners, explicates his numerological and symbolic prose, highlights both his triumphs and the tragedies of his final days, and provides reasons why Edson’s legacy today remains so positive despite his failings.
Squier, Arlene – b. May 2, 1925, Glendale, Calif.; d. Nov. 10, 2019, Napa, Calif. Survivors: daughter, Kathryn Flossman; three grandchildren; four greatgrandchildren; sister, Eloise Anderson. Arlene was a dedicated member of the Modesto church. OAK & ACORN IS A PUBLISHING MINISTRY OF THE PACIFIC UNION CONFERENCE
Williamson, Cheryl – b. Nov. 28, 1947, Los Angeles, Calif.; d. Sept. 25, 2023, Redlands, Calif. Survivors: daughters, Lyndsey, Lauren.
November 2023 Sunset Calendar Alturas (Mt. Shasta) Angwin Bakersfield Calexico Chico Death Valley (Furnace Ck) Eureka Four Corners [E] Fresno Grand Canyon (South Rim) Half Dome Hilo Holbrook (Joseph City) Honolulu Joshua Tree Lake Tahoe Las Vegas Lodi-Stockton Loma Linda Los Angeles McDermitt [N] Moab Monterey Mt. Whitney Napa Nogales [S] (Los) Oakland Paradise, CA Phoenix Pu‘uwaiau, Ni’ihau [W] Reno Riverside Sacramento Salt Lake City San Diego San Francisco San Jose Santa Rosa Sunset Beach Thousand Oaks Tucson
NOV 3 6:01 6:07 5:59 5:49 6:03 5:48 6:10 6:16 6:00 5:30 5:57 5:45 5:25 5:54 5:50 5:57 5:42 6:03 5:54 5:58 5:42 6:16 6:08 5:55 6:07 5:56 6:08 6:02 5:34 5:48 5:55 5:55 6:03 6:21 5:56 6:08 6:07 6:08 6:08 6:00 5:31
NOV 10 4:53 5:00 4:53 4:44 4:55 4:42 5:02 5:10 4:53 5:24 4:50 5:42 5:19 5:51 4:44 4:50 4:36 4:56 4:48 4:52 4:34 5:09 5:02 4:49 5:00 4:50 5:01 4:55 5:29 5:45 4:48 4:49 4:56 5:14 4:50 5:02 5:01 5:02 5:01 4:54 5:26
NOV 17 4:47 4:55 4:48 4:39 4:50 4:37 4:56 5:05 4:48 5:19 4:45 5:40 5:14 5:49 4:40 4:44 4:31 4:51 4:44 4:48 4:28 5:03 4:57 4:45 4:55 4:46 4:56 4:49 5:24 5:43 4:42 4:44 4:51 5:07 4:46 4:56 4:55 4:56 4:56 4:50 5:22
December 2023 Sunset Calendar
NOV 24 4:42 4:51 4:45 4:37 4:45 4:34 4:52 5:01 4:45 5:16 4:41 5:39 5:11 5:48 4:37 4:40 4:28 4:47 4:41 4:45 4:23 4:59 4:53 4:42 4:51 4:43 4:52 4:45 5:21 5:42 4:38 4:41 4:47 5:03 4:43 4:53 4:52 4:52 4:52 4:47 5:19
[N]=Northernmost [S]=Southernmost [E]=Easternmost [W]=Westernmost point in the Pacific Union
“So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” Hebrews 4:9
City/Location
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City/Location
Alturas (Mt. Shasta) Angwin Bakersfield Calexico Chico Death Valley (Furnace Ck) Eureka Four Corners [E] Fresno Grand Canyon (South Rim) Half Dome Hilo Holbrook (Joseph City) Honolulu Joshua Tree Lake Tahoe Las Vegas Lodi-Stockton Loma Linda Los Angeles McDermitt [N] Moab Monterey Mt. Whitney Napa Nogales [S] (Los) Oakland Paradise, CA Phoenix Pu‘uwaiau, Ni’ihau [W] Reno Riverside Sacramento Salt Lake City San Diego San Francisco San Jose Santa Rosa Sunset Beach Thousand Oaks Tucson
DEC 1 4:40 4:49 4:43 4:35 4:43 4:43 4:49 4:59 4:43 5:21 4:39 5:40 5:09 5:48 4:35 4:38 4:26 4:45 4:39 4:43 4:20 4:57 4:51 4:18 4:49 5:20 4:50 4:42 5:20 5:43 4:34 4:40 4:45 5:00 4:42 4:50 4:50 4:50 4:50 4:45 5:18
DEC 8 4:39 4:43 4:43 4:35 4:42 4:42 4:48 4:59 4:42 5:21 4:39 5:41 5:09 5:49 4:35 4:37 4:25 4:44 4:39 4:43 4:19 4:56 4:51 4:16 4:48 5:20 4:49 4:41 5:20 5:44 4:35 4:40 4:44 4:59 4:42 4:50 4:49 4:49 4:50 4:45 5:18
DEC 15 4:39 4:44 4:44 4:37 4:43 4:49 4:49 5:00 4:44 5:22 4:40 5:44 5:11 5:51 4:37 4:38 4:27 4:46 4:41 4:45 4:20 4:58 4:53 4:17 4:49 5:22 4:51 4:42 5:21 5:47 4:36 4:41 4:45 5:00 4:44 4:51 4:50 4:51 4:51 4:47 5:20
DEC 22 4:42 4:47 4:47 4:40 4:46 4:52 4:52 5:03 4:47 5:25 4:43 5:47 5:14 5:55 4:40 4:41 4:30 4:49 4:44 4:48 4:22 5:00 4:55 4:19 4:52 5:25 4:54 4:45 5:24 5:50 4:39 4:44 4:48 5:03 4:47 4:54 4:53 4:53 4:54 4:50 5:23
DEC 29 4:47 4:52 4:52 4:44 4:51 4:57 4:57 5:07 4:51 5:29 4:47 5:51 5:18 5:59 4:44 4:45 4:34 4:48 4:48 4:52 4:27 5:03 5:00 4:24 4:57 5:29 4:58 4:50 5:29 5:54 4:43 4:49 4:53 5:08 4:51 4:59 4:58 4:58 4:59 4:54 5:27
[N]=Northernmost [S]=Southernmost [E]=Easternmost [W]=Westernmost point in the Pacific Union
“So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” Hebrews 4:9
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