News | Seventh-day Adventist Church

Two Historic Elementary Schools Merge

Story by Oksana Wetmore

With long and distinguished histories of their own, two Takoma Park, Md., Seventh-day Adventist elementary schools are merging to become one. John Nevins Andrews School (JNA), established in 1907, and Sligo Adventist School, established in 1917, will merge to become the newly named Takoma Academy Preparatory School. The merger will take two exceptionally diverse entities and form an institution that upholds the vision to prepare graduates to be scholars, thinkers, achievers and servant leaders.

25 Home Churches Evangelize Richmond

Rafael Soto, pastor of four district churches, baptizes Héctor Albino Hernandez Dubon, who attended a home church sponsored by the Richmond Evangelistic Center.

Story by Tiffany Doss

Columbia Union Recognizes Student Leaders

Zachary Macomber and Darren Wilkins, Spring Valley Academy principal, after graduation

The Columbia Union Conference Office of Education recently recognized juniors and seniors at each of the union’s eight academies. The Caring Heart Award winners were nominated for demonstrating a personal commitment to service and witnessing:

Ashley Hunte from Blue Mountain Academy in Hamburg, Pa.

Bree Hurst from Highland View Academy in Hagerstown, Md.

Michael Williams from Pine Forge Academy in Pine Forge, Pa.

Chrizette Sullano from Richmond Academy in Richmond, Va.

Brenda Ngetich from Shenandoah Valley Academy in New Market, Va.

Visitor Creates Camp Meeting Snapchat Filter

Story by Visitor Staff/ Illustration by Kylie Kajiura

Seeking more ways to engage members on social media, the Columbia Union Visitor staff recently created a Snapchat filter that will be available the first or only Sabbath at the remaining summer 2017 camp meetings in the Columbia Union Conference.

Psalm 133: Why We Need Each Other

Blog by Rob Vandeman

For centuries, throngs of people sung Psalm 133 on the road as they made the ascent to Jerusalem for festival worship. Our imaginations readily reconstruct those scenes. How great to have everyone sharing a common purpose, traveling a common path, arriving toward a common goal, that path and purpose and goal being God. How much better than making the long trip alone: “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” (Ps 133:1 NLT)

Explosion Survivor Gives Thanks for Compassionate Care at Adventist Hospital

Lynda Hiponia, a physical therapist with Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation, helps fire survivor Memar Ayalew regain strength and mobility in his leg.

Story by Adventist HealthCare Staff

Memar Ayalew, a doctoral student from Ethiopia, was visiting his family on Aug. 10, 2016 when a devastating explosion ripped through the Flower Branch Apartment complex in Silver Spring, Md.

WAU to Provide Support, Expertise to new Russian Media Center

Story by Barby Kulakov

Last month, Weymouth Spence, president of Washington Adventist University (WAU); Mikhail Kulakov Jr., professor of religion and director of WAU’s Bible Translation Institute; Zack Plantak, chair of WAU’s Religion Department and Celeste Ryan Blyden, Visitor editor and publisher, joined leaders from the Euro-Asia Division for a groundbreaking ceremony for a new media center that will soon be erected at Zaoksky Adventist Seminary and Institute outside Moscow.

The idea for a new media center, which Spence spearheaded, took form in January at a meeting held in Zaoksky with John Konrad, WGTS 91.9 FM general manager and leaders of the Global Vessels ministry, a U.S.-based charity.

Greener Gardening Tips

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Aaron Weber, director of vocational education at Pennsylvania Conference’s Blue Mountain Academy (BMA) in Hamburg, has overseen the school’s organic garden for five years. Don’t want to add more chemicals to the soil? Weber recently shared these tips for creating a greener garden:

Grow native plants and choose plants that will attract beneficial insects, which will reduce the amount of harmful bugs in the garden
Keep your garden area clean. Not having a lot of junk and garden debris around will reduce the habitat for harmful bugs
If you want to avoid using pesticides, try Neem Oil instead

Try These Healthy Summer Recipes

Can’t make it Heidi Shoemaker’s Clean Eating Lifestyle seminars at the Pennsylvania Conference’ Camp Meeting this summer? Try some of her recipes.

Lehigh Valley Teacher Retires After 52 Years

Story by Tamyra Horst

Born in Calcutta, India, Kalyani Prakasam received bachelor degrees in Education and Teaching from the University of Calcutta (India). She taught school for 10 years in India before moving to the U.S., and has been teaching children at the Lehigh Valley Seventh-day Adventist Elementary School in Whitehall, Pa., for the past 42 years. She earned a Master of Education in 1983 and received her reading specialist certification in 1985.