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Editorial: Right Place, Right Time

Editorial by Darren Wilkins

Just when I thought we had completed the 2018–19 hiring process, an opportunity knocked that was too good to pass up. Our new full-time guidance counselor, Katrina Bennie (pictured with her girls Nora, left, and Violet), has worked 10 years at Redlands Adventist Academy (Calif.) as a teacher, guidance counselor and vice principal. She has a master’s degree in school counselling, a doctorate in school administration and leadership and is a certified school psychologist, making her very qualified for this position. Bennie has a warm demeanor and exudes a passion for young people.

Harrisburg First Church Celebrates 125 Years of Ministry

Story by Tracey S. Lewis

Pennsylvania Conference’s Harrisburg First church recently welcomed more than 300 members and guests to its special 125th year anniversary service, themed “Come Home to Jesus.”

The event featured a weekend of fellowship, testimonials and renewed commitment to reaching the lost through personal revival and recommitment to God’s love. Speakers included Pastor Chuck Holtry; Kenneth Stout, a professor at Andrews University (Mich.) and former pastor; and Gary Gibbs, Pennsylvania Conference president, who helped mark the church’s milestone and commended its legacy of service and steadfastness in Central Pennsylvania.

Ohio Pathfinder Uses Sign Language to Help in Pin Trade

Story by V. Michelle Bernard / Photo by Sonja Berg-Hults

Ever earn a Pathfinder honor that you thought you’d never use?

Debbie Hall, a Pathfinder leader who traveled with Ohio Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Worthington Seventh-Day Adventist Church group at the International Camporee, received these pins from a trade with Marye, a deaf and legally blind girl.

After writing notes for a bit, Hall revived her sign language skills she learned earning the honor years ago. “The honors are actually good to learn and good to study. And it's not just an honor. It's a lesson that you can take into the real world and actually use it,” she says.

 

Centerville Members Dash for 10,000 Miles

Centerville Ohio Dash

Story by Heidi Shoemaker

Joel Greve, the youth pastor at the Centerville church, recently challenged members (some pictured) to take part in a “40-Day Dash.” The goal? To walk or run at least one mile a day for 40 days.

The idea behind “the dash was to get people out and moving, ideally with family or friends,” explains Greve. The rules were simple: It had to be an intentional mile. They could not use accumulated steps from throughout the day.

God’s Closet Bulges at the Seams

Mountain View God's Closet

Story by Valerie Morikone

Looking for ways to meet the needs in their community, especially the needs of young parents, Becca Jacko, a member of the Elkins (W.Va.) church, started volunteering at God’s Closet, a nonprofit, Adventist organization that invites the community to “shop” for donated children’s clothing.

Upon arrival, shoppers fill out a registration form— where they can also request Bible studies, among other things—and an interest survey, which provides valuable information that helps the church to see other ministry opportunities in the community.

ANN: Executive Committee Members Debate Proposed Compliance Action

Dave Weigley speaks during Annual Coucil

Story by Adventist News Network and Adventist Review

Tuesday afternoon’s much-anticipated discussion of possible discipline for church entities deemed not compliant with ordination votes and policies witnessed surprising turns as delegates to the Annual Council wrestled with competing values.

Multiple speakers underlined the contrasting importance of preserving church order while also acting with fairness toward church organizations whose constituents have voted for alternate approaches to voted positions on ordination.

ANN: World Church Executive Committee Considers Statement on Abortion

Image courtesy Adventist News Network

Story originally published by the Adventist News Network and Adventist Review

Members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s top decision-making body deliberated over a period of two days during the 2019 Annual Council about a proposed Statement on the Biblical View of Unborn Life and Its Implications for Abortion. The document emerged in September from a longer period of study and discussion among Adventist theologians, medical experts, healthcare administrators, ethicists and Church administrators.

Adventist Church leaders approve plan for tithe parity among divisions

Juan Prestol-Puesán, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Treasurer speaks at the meeting. | Photo by Adventist News Network

Photos by Adventist News Network and Adventist Review

Achieving parity in tithe contributed by world church divisions to the Adventist Church’s world headquarters dominated the Monday afternoon discussion of the delegates to the Fall 2019 General Conference Executive Committee meeting, called the Annual Council.