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Planting for the Kingdom

Editorial by Rick Remmers

Chesapeake Conference’s new initiative, “35 by 25,” is to plant 35 churches by the year 2025. Currently we have 50 areas in our region without a Seventh-day Adventist presence. These areas are comprised of population clusters of about 50,000 people, as well as specific counties with no Adventist church.

So why plant new churches when some of our existing churches are not yet full? The answer is simple: There are unreached people who need salvation in Jesus Christ, and church planting is one of the most effective ways to impact more people with the gospel.

Dayton Church Baptizes 52

Stephen D. Lewis, pastor of the Dayton church, baptizes Brenda Rutledge.

Story by Benia Jennings

Allegheny West Conference's Dayton (Ohio) church ended their “Dayton’s Revival” evangelistic series with 52 baptisms. During the 15 weeks, more than 75 sermons covered topics such as the state of the dead and the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath. As a result, many individuals were led to make the important decision to choose baptism.

“People were thrilled to know that God created the Sabbath out of a desire to spend the day with them,” says Stephen D. Lewis, pastor. “We shared how much God loves them and that Jesus had paid for their sins. Now we focus on their next steps.”

Liberty Church Holds Vigil for Hurricane Dorian Survivors

Hurricane Dorian 31 August 2019 photo by Antti Lipponen from Flickr

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

Last fall, the Fox 45 and WBAL-TV television stations in Baltimore covered an urgent prayer vigil/fundraiser, hosted by Allegheny East Conference's Liberty church in Baltimore, for the survivors affected by Hurricane Dorian. Some of the church members are from Caribbean islands and were horrified at the destruction and devastation that took place in the Bahamas. They planned this event to help relieve the pain and suffering of those affected by the hurricane.

Living Word Ministers to Homeless Community

Story by Andre Hastick

During the annual Winter Relief program, the Living Word church partnered with the Arundel House of Hope, Inc., both located in Glen Burnie, Md., to provide shelter for 25 homeless men for a week. Kleyton Feitosa, pastor of Living Word, discovered this pro- gram after visiting Arundel House of Hope to inquire how his church could help the less fortunate in the community. To meet the needs of the homeless men, a group of 45 church volunteers provided them with bedding, food, clean laundry, showers, social activities and counseling.

Spring Valley Academy Grieves Loss of Teacher, Alumna

Story by Darren Wilkins

It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing of our beloved grades 3 and 4 teacher and alumna Mrs. Kimberly Geach Orr (’06) on November 19, due to flu complications. Orr taught at Spring Valley Academy (SVA) for the past seven-and-a-half years, and the school has already felt the void left by her unexpected departure.

The memory of her radiant smile, easy laugh and dedicated teaching will live on for a long time in all of us. Orr leaves behind her husband, Cameron, and 2-year-old daughter, Scarlett. She will be sadly missed by her family, students and friends, but we rejoice because we have that “Blessed Hope” to meet her again one day!

Daniel Tryon promoted to President of Southview Medical Center

Story by Elizabeth Long

Daniel Tryon has been promoted to president of Southview Medical Center, part of the Grandview Medical Center System. He succeeds Richard Manchur, who was recently named president of Grandview Medical Center.

Tryon has worked for Kettering Adventist HealthCare since 2011, most recently as executive director of Kettering Health Network’s new Middletown medical complex. Prior to that he was director of Business Development and Cardiovascular Services for the Grandview Medical Center System.

Change that Lasts

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Charity Stone (pictured with family), whose husband, Tom, is a pastor at the Pennsylvania Conference Kenhorst Boulevard church in Reading and the Pottstown church, and her young family attended iThrive this summer, hoping to get “healthier at setting boundaries in order to protect the overall health of our family,” she says. “As a pastoral family, we love to serve, but sometimes it is necessary to say no to tasks or people in our sphere of ministry so that we can stock up on fresh produce, take a walk when the kids need physical activity in nature or just plain connect as a couple and family.”

She says the retreat offered a way for the family to “to prioritize our spiritual, emotional and physical health. It was really fun to connect with others at the retreat, and we learned so much,” she adds.