Story by Tamyra Horst
Barbara Spessard has been intermittently around Seventh-day Adventists for most of her life. Her in-laws, Roy and Mabel Hade, shared biblical truths from an Adventist’s perspective nearly 50 years ago. Velora Gunder, a member of the Pennsylvania Conference's Waynesboro church, shared Bible studies with Spessard a number of years ago. More recently, Chris Trent, a Bible instructor for the Waynesboro church, studied with her. She attended Sabbath vespers and Sabbath School.
Story by Heidi Shoemaker
More than 300 young people from Hispanic churches across Ohio came together for the 2019 Hispanic Youth Camp earlier this year. Themed “El Viene Por Mi” (He is Coming for Me), they met at the Indian Trail Campground in New London.
Story by LaTasha Hewitt
Several Allegheny East Conference churches in the Philadelphia area recently joined together for the Worship Share Urban Project (WaS UP), a creative evangelism initiative. Held in Upper Darby, Pa., the worship experience reached well over 1,000 people throughout the course of the day.
“This model is meant to introduce worship to the community, which can serve as a precursor to a more in-depth crusade, or just simply open the doors to Bible studies,” says Shawn Fordham, one of the event coordinators.
Story by V. Michelle Bernard / Photo by Monica Zill
Busy schedules and long distances between church and home can make meeting in person hard in today’s busy culture. But one Pathfinder club bridged the hurdles to continue to meet together—even when one of the Pathfinders moved away—and made it to the 2019 International Pathfinder Camporee in Oshkosh, Wis., in August.
Story by Walter Cardenas
With a smile on their faces and the joy of a new day, the Castro sisters regularly go to their friends and acquaintances houses to give Bible studies. At an early age, Kimberly (13), Mitzy (12) and Destiny Castro (10) developed a love for Christ and His mission. They learned about the great love Jesus has for them, and their deep desire to share Jesus and their conviction of His soon return led them to offer Bible studies to their close friends.
Story by V. Michelle Bernard
“Disasters are happening all around us. We need to be prepared to do our best for Jesus,” says Mike Gill, Adventist Community Services (ACS) and Disaster Response director for the New Jersey Conference.
Members from New Jersey and beyond are invited to attend the conference’s ACS Disaster Response Training, October 19–20, at the Adventist Community Service Center in Lawrenceville.
Story by Tracey Jackson
Early last spring, Pine Forge Academy (PFA) students, faculty and families celebrated a historic event years in the making. The choir, accompanied by Diallo Banks on piano; Russel Paul, using one of the oldest and largest organs in the Philadelphia area; and a full orchestra, recorded their most recent audio CD. The album features a myriad of musical selections, ranging from the classical period to gospel music.
It has been 12 years since the PFA choir produced Rock in a Weary Land, under the direction of Jason Ferdinand, the current director of the Oakwood University (Ala.) Aeolians and chair of Oakwood’s Music Department. Ferdinand served as the PFA choir director from 2001–2008.
Story by Sarah Capeles Frodelly
Have you ever waited in excitement and anticipation for a special occasion to arrive? I waited 30 years to return to a Pathfinder camporee. In 1989, “The Friendship Camporee,” proudly sponsored by the Columbia Union Conference, embraced 14,000 attendees. To my surprise, 30 years later, I joined more than 57,000 Pathfinders, leaders and volunteers at the 2019 “Chosen” International Pathfinder Camporee.
The week, packed with many activities, honors and presentations, also included kids and kid-like adults who traded pins with such passion. On Sabbath, with every bit of emotion running through our veins, we watched when David, in the play, was crowned king.
Story by Benia Jennings
On an early morning in Cleveland, Alice Mae Jones (pictured) begins her drive to the nearby Salvation Army in search of bread. After collecting several loaves, she returns home to wrap the slices and sets some aside to help church members in need. She saves the rest for the hungry in her community. In her neighborhood, she offers prayer, encouragement and Bible studies.
Jones, a second generation Seventh-day Adventist, has been active in ministry in Northern Ohio since moving to Cleveland in 1946. Armed with loaves of bread and her Bible, this one-woman feeding ministry has impacted the lives of many in her community.
Story by Ana Palacios-Sampaio
The Luso-Brazilian church in Newark, N.J., recently organized and held a “Life for Lives” health fair as an outreach effort to meet the needs of the neighboring community, most of whom are of Portuguese descent. Additionally, the church’s health fair also coordinated a blood drive, massage therapy, donated food, and provided information about women’s health and more.