News

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Moving to a plant-based diet has provided Keiva Dennis, a member of Potomac Conference’s Seabrook church in Lanham, Md., many health benefits: she lost 20 pounds, her acne cleared up and her knee pain disappeared. She also says it’s cheaper than her previous vegan diet.

Dennis first began following a whole-foods, plant-based diet more closely after spending time with her sister’s family, who ate that way. “Eating whole foods was so amazingly satisfying that I decided to continue this lifestyle,” she says. (Read more about her journey here.)

Columbia Union President Dave Weigley and other leaders pray over Bibles that were sent around the union.

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Yesterday, pastors and Hispanic Ministries coordinators gathered at the Columbia Union Conference headquarters in Columbia, Md., to pray over and take home (in total) more than 13,600 Bibles and 100,000 Steps to Christ in English and Spanish.

“We pray a special blessing on all these Bibles,” said Dave Weigley, Columbia Union president at the event. “As [the Bibles] go forth, may they be a wonderful light so many people might know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and prepare for the great, soon coming of Christ.”

Kettering College’s Advanced Imaging program

Story by Lauren Brooks

From detecting the early stages of cancer to diagnosing COVID-19 and pneumonia, advanced imaging techniques are playing a critical role in the future of health care. To meet the growing demand for skilled technologists, Kettering College’s Advanced Imaging program is utilizing simulator software that gives students hands-on experience with today’s medical imaging technology.

Glenn Dale Spanish, Chesapeake Conference

Story by Andre Hastick

Recently, Chesapeake Conference's Glenn Dale Spanish group in Lanham, Md., officially transitioned to company status. During a special service, the group prayed and worshipped together to commemorate the occasion. Jerry Lutz, conference president, delivered a sermon to the congregation, emphasizing the importance of continued mission and outreach in the church community.

Ndubuisi Nwade, Thomas Quinlan, Columbus chief police, C. Shaun Arthur, and Keith Goodman

Story by Benia Jennings

Three pastors from the Central Ohio region of the Allegheny West Conference (AWC) recently met with Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan. The meeting, organized by C. Shaun Arthur, pastor of the Beacon of Hope church in Columbus, centered on discussing newly instituted police reforms, in light of the shootings of Andre Hill and Casey Goodson Jr. by local law enforcement. Keith Goodman, senior pastor of the Ephesus church in Columbus, and Ndubuisi Nwade, associate pastor at Ephesus, also joined the meeting.

Perspectives by Miya Kim

Over the past few years, I have been going on an identity journey. This journey has been revelatory in many ways. Very little is known about my origins and beginning. I know I was born in Korea and was in an orphanage in Incheon by the time I was 21 months old. There isn’t a trace of who my birth parents are, but a couple who hailed from the giant state of Texas came into the picture who wanted children but found it impossible to build a family traditionally.                                                                             

John Henri Rorabeck

Join Naturalist John Henri Rorabeck on a virtual walk this Sabbath at around 1:30 p.m. Weather permitting, he'll take us on a tour (via Instagram stories) of part of Patapsco State Park in Maryland.

He'll guide us on a nature walk full of examples of God's creativity and care. Follow the Columbia Union Visitor on Instagram at instagram.com/columbiaunionvisitor.

Email any questions you have for Rorabeck to visitor@columbiaunion.net or DM us on Instagram and he'll answer them on Sabbath.

 

Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

Through one virtual appeal, Allegheny East Conference’s (AEC) Hispanic Ministries team baptized 214 people in six separate locations in one single weekend. In normal circumstances, AEC’s Hispanic congregations—consisting of 32 congregations and eight church plants—would worship together in one location for Fellowship Day. Due to the pandemic, however, they proceeded with a virtual joint service.

Students from the Mountain View Christian School in South Williamsport pray together.

Story by Shawn Shives

As we pray together, God promises to answer. Lives are changed, healing happens, people come to know God. Prayer is one of the most powerful things God’s people can do.

Recently, while I was leading worship at Reading Junior Academy (RJA), I was thinking about a meeting I was headed to afterward. I expected it to be a difficult appointment that wouldn’t end well. So I asked the stu- dents to pray for my meeting. They prayed for God to lead, and God heard their prayers and answered! The meeting went better than I could have ever imagined.