News
Story by Jerry Woods
Story by Visitor Staff / Photo by Leandro Lima
Nine students from academies within the Columbia Union Conference recently received the Office of Education’s annual Caring Heart Award. The following graduates were nominated for demonstrating a personal commitment to service and witnessing.
Blue Mountain Academy – Lorena D. Alves
Highland View Academy – Catarina Sanches
Lake Nelson Adventist Academy – Brendan Sierra
Pine Forge Academy – Jonathan Williamson
Richmond Academy – Wendy Reyes (pictured above with Principal Nancy Malashenko)
Shenandoah Valley Academy – Pedro Teste-Pereira
Spencerville Adventist Academy – Favour Ogbue
Spring Valley Academy – Janelle Richardson
Takoma Academy – Taylor A. Gordon
Editorial by Emmanuel Asiedu
As Christians, we possess the head knowledge about God’s promises and plans for our lives. We understand that all things work together for good, as indicated in Romans 8:28. However, many times our belief in His care and protection doesn’t translate into our response to life’s difficulties.
Story by V. Michelle Bernard
Standing on the podium to receive the 2018 International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Adult Female Blue Medium-Heavy World title this spring, Kayla Dehm was able to be “present in the moment and enjoy how far God had taken her,” she says—a much different place than where she was last year.
Story by Edwin Manuel Garcia/ Images by Brian Tagalog, Kristi Rutt, Marving Alegria, Goodness Mcfiberesima and Tracey Brown
Story by Betty Klinck
Adventist HealthCare's Washington Adventist Hospital (WAH) has received a national award for its high-quality care of heart attack patients—one of only 203 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.
The American College of Cardiology’s NCDR ACTION Registry honored WAH with the 2018 Platinum Performance Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients.
Editorial by Bill Miller
The book of Acts recounts the church’s ability to function together, as well as the struggles and successes encountered when a church body attempts to fulfill the Great Commission. While their involvement took some prodding from the Holy Spirit, they became active agents for the mission of heaven. In Acts of the Apostles, Ellen White reminds us that “one common interest controlled them—the success of the mission entrusted to them” (p. 70).
Story by V. Michelle Bernard
This week the Supreme Court of the United States of America decided in favor of Jack Phillips, a Christian baker in Colorado, who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple because of his religious convictions. The case, watched closely by religious liberty experts, highlighted the tension between gay rights and same-sex interests and the rights of those with religious convictions who feel that providing certain services to same-sex individuals violates their right to practice their religion.
The couple filed a charge of discrimination, saying that Phillips violated the public accommodations law of Colorado that prohibits businesses from discriminatorily refusing services to protected classes, which include sexual orientation.