News

Story by Evan Knott

Members of the Chesapeake Conference Executive Committee recently voted to appoint Shelvan Arunan as associate Ministerial director, creating a new position aimed at providing additional support and training resources for pastors and local church leaders.

Arunan, an experienced pastor, chaplain and counselor, with doctorates in Pastoral Counseling and Family and Organizational Psychology, most recently served as the pastor of the Calvary Southern Asian and Mizo churches in Burtonsville, Md.

Highland View Academy students pray during a week of prayer.

Story by April Lutz

Every new school year brings its joys, challenges and new faces. This year at Highland View Academy (HVA), it also brought the presence of Gem Castor,
a missionary and prayer coordinator for ASAP Ministries, who led the fall Week of Prayer. Students were immediately taken with his exuberant personality, easy-going nature, genuine desire to spend time with them, and dear connection with Christ through constant prayer.

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Looking for a fun, festive event to host this holiday season? Chesapeake Conference’s Rock Hall (Md.) church is hosting its 13th cookie party this year. Since 2010, members have decorated and baked cookies together with church and community members at the church’s holiday party.

Michelle Reeves/Pexels

Editorial by Carlos Portonova

The Bible tells us the story of a woman whose name is not known. She is famous for giving everything she had, even though she was a widow, and widows were among the poorest of the land during that time. Her testimony tells us the meaning of true giving.

This widow had in her possession only two mites. If we translate that into today’s currency, two mites equals about a penny.

Ellen White expounds on the story:

Jovan Whyte, pastor of the Community church, celebrates with Tenneth Hinds and her two daughters, Hannah and Lily, after their baptisms.

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

Allegheny East Conference's Community church in Englewood, N.J., recently hosted a three-week evangelistic and community impact series under a tent in McKay Park. Jovan Whyte, Community pastor and evangelist, led the series, themed “Keep Hope Alive.”

Image by Yevhen Buzuk from Pixabay

Editorial by Andre Hastick

Thanksgiving and Christmas are the two most festive holidays on the calendar. In these last two months of the year, extended family members reunite, decadent holiday meals are prepared and enjoyed, and the battle wages on for the appropriate time to begin playing Christmas music!

But during this bustling holiday season, non-stop advertising tells us to believe that our life experience lacks something. Deep discounts are offered to consumers on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the 12 days of Christmas. Each promotional sale is designed to get us to believe one basic message: that our lives lack something right now, and to experience life more fully, we should buy now! While it’s always nice to save money, what is more important is that we are saved from an ongoing feeling that something is lacking in life.

Fourth-grader Zaria Sway holds a candle to represent the light of God’s Word.

Story by Ashley Boggess

This year, with nearly 300 students in prekindergarten through 12th grade across five campuses—in partnership with all New Jersey Conference schools—Lake Nelson Adventist Academy (LNAA) has been richly blessed, say school leaders. Themed, “Be the Light,” this year’s focus is to strive to lead students, families and communities into a deeper, more intimate relationship with Jesus.