News

In honor of the 125th anniversary of the Visitor magazine, join the Visitor staff in continuing to make 2020 healthy. Register for the virtual Visitor 5K, to take place September 20–26.

Participants may walk/run at the time and place of their choice. Registration fees will include a bib, medal, tech shirt, mask and donation to Adventist Community Services.

Find more information and register at runsignup.com/race/md/columbia/visitor5K.

Story by Alicia Tucker

Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington (ACSGW) in collaboration with several Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Silver Spring and Takoma Park, Md., and Montgomery County Government will hold a food distribution at Takoma Academy (8120 Carroll Ave.) this Friday from 3-6:00 pm.

The grab-n-go, drive-through style distribution was organized to help families who are suffering from food insecurity due to the COVID-19 crisis. 

The Harbor of Hope Food Pantry in Benton Harbor, Michigan, is one of the ACS centers that will receive help as part of the ADRA/ACS partnership. Photo by Victor Rayno

Story by Kimi-Roux James / Image Courtesy Adventist Community Services

In partnership with Adventist Community Services (ACS) of the North American Division (NAD), the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), the global humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has provided funding to expand the services of more than 200 Adventist food pantries across the U.S.  

Bible image by Savio Sebastian from Flickr

¿Cuál es tu versículo bíblico favorito y cómo ha impactado tu vida?

En preparación para el 2021 "Año de la Biblia" de la Unión de Columbia, los líderes, pastores, estudiantes y miembros están invitados a escribir y enviar devocionales breves sobre uno de sus versículos bíblicos favoritos y lo que significa para sus vidas. Reflexione sobre la obra de Dios en su vida y su mensaje de esperanza. Revele cómo lo ha bendecido, cambiado y cómo ha crecido espiritualmente en su caminar con él. Comparta pensamientos e ideas sobre Dios, exprese su agradecimiento a Él y admita su necesidad de Él.

Image by Free Photos on Pixabay

Editorial by Dottie Jones

My daughter, Tammi Thomas, was baptized into Pennsylvania Conference’s Pocono Grace church in East Stroudsburg on January 4, 2020. Her journey toward God began three years ago as she watched her younger sister lose her battle with cancer. After her death, Tammi left to go home, and I gave her some Bible Studies, and she took them to heart. She completed the Focus on Prophecy and “It Is Written” Bible Studies and has been working on Amazing Facts, while also reaching out to her coworkers.

Give Image by Tim Green from Flickr

Story by Benia Jennings

This year the Allegheny West Conference (AWC) has adopted the theme “Worship Through Service & Sacrifice—Giving and Living His Calling.” Conference leaders charged members and churches to join in renewed commitment to the service of others by engaging in acts of sacrificial kindness to impact lives throughout the territory.

Image by Shutterbug on Pixabay

Editorial by Gary Gibbs

A few months ago, due to the coronavirus, our churches moved worship and ministry online. Uncharted territory for many, it turned out to be a gold mine for ministry!

When we launched our Reach and Connect online evangelism initiative last year, we had no idea that God was preparing us for this moment. We just knew we had to be online because that’s where the people are.

When the virus hit, our Hispanic pastors streamed a live Easter week evangelism series on Facebook, drawing nearly 200 viewers each night. Many decided to be baptized, including our coordinator’s uncle who watched the meetings 3,500 miles away in Peru!

Image by PublicDomainPictures on Pixabay

Editorial by Rick Remmers

As the coronavirus pandemic engulfs our world, I wanted to take a moment to encourage you with the words of Jesus we find in Matthew 28.

He says, “Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations” (verse 19, NKJV). And then He ends with a prom- ise that is especially relevant to us today: “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (verse 20).

Story by Vicki Swetnam

Kelly (Peach) Long (’98) didn’t know she would be designing things for her alma mater when she began her job at Kettering Adventist HealthCare (KAHC) in 2017 as a graphic designer.

Most of her work as the graphic design manager in the KAHC Marketing and Communications Department on the Ohio campus involves designing and overseeing the design of materials for her employer. However, due to the ongoing generosity of KAHC toward Spring Valley Academy (SVA), she soon found herself designing for SVA periodically.