Story by V. Michelle Bernard
Ileana Espinosa, who worked as the associate director of elementary education in the Office of Education at the Columbia Union Conference for more than 10 years, retired June 30.
With experience in Seventh-day Adventist education, including time in the elementary classroom, as an education superintendent and associate superintendent, Espinosa brought more than 40 years of experience to her role.
By Elizabeth Anderson
Who knew art classes could warm hearts? Megan Garcia, who attends Mountain View Conference’s Charleston Boulevard church in West Virginia, is learning that sharing her gift of creativity comes with a lot of prayer, personal investment and waiting.
During her art classes held at the church, Garcia leads several types of projects—including a geode class. It doesn’t hurt that a four-course meal is part of the package, she says.
“There’s tons of people who come for the first time who would never set foot in a church, but it’s like a safe place,” Garcia says, noting that she is intentional about creating a positive family-style environment that is informal, yet Christ-centered.
Feature by Elizabeth Anderson / Photos by Jay Alignay and Brad Barnwell
The words “evangelism” and “witnessing” might resurrect memories of knocking on strangers’ doors, clanking ingathering cans and distributing tent revival or Revelation Seminar invitations. Those traditional methods of sharing the Seventh-day Adventist message still have their place, however, some members from the Columbia Union Conference are learning that being the “salt and light” can show up in different flavors—like pickleball. These members are allowing Christ’s love to breathe through this hobby and passion to bring about organic, yet intentional friendships.
Pickleball Flavor
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Story by Elizabeth Anderson
Jimmy "Jay" Alignay, aka "Coach Jay," a member of Chesapeake Conference's New Hope church in Fulton, Md., is spreading the news about pickleball to anyone who will listen, so it’s not surprising he convinced Dawn Stem, a work colleague, to get on board.
Pickleball, however, is just the latest thing on Stem's activity list with Alignay.
Story by Elizabeth Anderson
Scott Kabel, who currently resides in Hawaii, has ties to Pennsylvania Conference’s Blue Mountain Academy where he taught a class—and played tabletop games with his students—while doing dissertation work for his education doctorate.
These days, playing games with the community in Hawaii is his passion. Kabel owns a trove of tabletop games and started hosting a weekly game night at the Hawaii Conference office in August of 2022 “with mostly church friends,” Kabel says. “But then I started playing in more areas around town. Now maybe [only] a third of the group is Adventist. Sometimes fewer.”
Story by Bob Cundiff
Story by Costin Jordache
Adventist HealthCare earned a spot on The Washington Post’s list of Top Workplaces 2023 in the Washington, D.C., area. Adventist HealthCare was the only hospital system on the list of 199 honored employers from public and private industries, nonprofits and government agencies. Beyond the healthcare sector, Adventist HealthCare was one of only 17 organizations that The Post honored in the largest company category.
WGTS 91.9 welcomes Mercedes Rich as the evening show producer. Rich comes to WGTS from 88.3 The Journey on the campus of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. She’ll work on the air and behind the scenes with Evening Show Host Suzanne Cheesman. Her first show was on Friday, June 9.
Every year, the Columbia Union recognizes outstanding students at its senior academies with the Worthy Student Award.