News

Story by WAU Staff

Washington Adventist University (WAU) recently welcomed Anwar Ottley to the Music Department where he serves as adjunct professor and leads the Columbia Collegiate Choral and the Pro Musica. 

Ottley currently serves as pastor of worship at Potomac Conference's Takoma Park (Md.) church where he has served for the past nine years. He holds a Master of Music degree from Andrews University (Mich.), a Bachelors of Music degree from Columbia Union College (WAU) and He is currently completing coursework toward the Doctor of Worship Studies degree offered at Liberty University (Va.). Ottley is married to Sharlene, and together they have a newborn. 

A flash flood in 2015 destroyed this bridge, making it nearly impossible for 13 Pigeon Creek families to get access to food and medical care.

Story by Valerie Morikone

You cannot watch today’s news for more than a few minutes before coming to the conclusion that we, as human beings, do not show much love for each other. Not only here in the U.S., but around the world we see turmoil and strife on a very grand scale,” says Larry Murphy, pastor of the Weirton and Wheeling (W.Va.) churches, and Adventist Community Services (ACS) director for the Mountain View Conference.

Story by Bryant Smith

Sim Fryson, an Allegheny West Conference Shiloh church member in Huntington, W.Va., recently experienced a miracle driving on a busy highway in Charleston, W.Va. He saw a woman standing on the side of the road with a baby in her arms, frantically trying to flag someone down. Fryson stopped, saw that the child was not breathing and administered CPR. Thanks to his quick action, the child survived.

The police department in Fryson’s hometown of Charleston honored him, and the local TV station ran the story, naming him a “Hometown Hero.” When presented with an award, Fryson responded, “The Lord blessed me to be at the right place at the right time, so I give Him all the credit for that.”

Photo by Geralt on Pixabay

Story by V. Michelle Bernad

What might Ellen White, one of the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, say to addicts today? Cheri Peters, founder of True Step Ministries, recently edited White’s classic book Steps to Christ with what she thinks is the answer to that question. “It’s crazy that nobody has done it before,” says Peters, who aimed to update the book into modern language and added specific recovery jargon to the text.

For 60 years WGTS 91.9 has served Washington, D.C., and shared Christ. See a timeline of their history here.

1957
WGTS is the first non-commercial radio station to start operating in the Washington, D.C., area.

1960
The station’s power increases from 10 watts to 10,000 watts, and another power increase is completed in the mid-1960s.

1966
WGTS is the first non-commercial radio station to broadcast in stereo in Washington, D.C.

1972
Don Martin, WAU alumnus and current board member, becomes the first full-time manager of the station.

1982
The station starts broadcasting 18 hours a day.

The WGTS 91.9 staff and volunteers from the community celebrate a successful 2017 fall fundraiser that yielded more than $1.2 million.

Story by WGTS Staff

On May 8, 1957, in the basement of the men’s dormitory on the campus of then Washington Missionary College, WGTS 91.9 started broadcasting on a 10-watt transmitter, covering a scant square mile in Takoma Park, Md.

The call letters—WGTS—echoed the college’s motto “Gateway to Service.”