News

Proclaim, Chesapeake Conference

Story by Evan Knott

The Chesapeake Conference recently launched Proclaim, a new training initiative for pastors and lay leaders desiring to become more effective evangelists.

Organized by the conference’s Evangelism and Church Growth Department, this new training program requires participants to attend four modules throughout the year, focused on different aspects of public evangelism. Participation in the program is invite-only, and all the participants are required to hold evangelistic meetings within the next year.

Winston and Dee Lucombe, New Hope Church

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

Members from the New Hope church (NHC) in Tappahannock, Va., recently partnered with area churches to serve their community. Activities included sewing bibs for a local nursing home, building ramps for older individuals, distributing prayer shawls and Bibles to others and delivering food to homes. NHC also had the privilege of buying approximately $400 worth of undergarments for children, youth, men and women.

Cindy Stalker, Javier Donate

Story by Anthony Baffi

Marriage is a miracle; two very different people decide to live together and begin a home enterprise, echoing the divine command: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen. 2:24, KJV). Each couple has the privilege of being protagonists for God, by assuming the commitment to hold high the banner of the sacred institution of marriage.

Story by Lindsey Gispert

WGTS 91.9 listeners recently assisted 20,000 Ukrainian refugees through a partnership with ADRA International (Adventist Development and Relief Agency). ADRA has maintained a presence in Ukraine since the beginning of their crisis, providing aid and emergency supplies.

WGTS hosted a text campaign encouraging listeners to donate money to help provide SOS kits for refugees. Within two weeks, listeners raised $30,000, which went to filling kits with food, water purification tools, blankets, and medicine.

Huntingdon Valley Christian Academy, Aida Torres

Story by Tamyra Horst

Huntingdon Valley Christian Academy is situated on a large plot of land in the Philadelphia suburbs. School supporters have long considered creating a garden on a portion of the property to benefit the students and community. That desire became a reality this year with the school board’s approval and help from more than 20 local church volunteers and students who dug, built and planted.

Story by Tamaria Kulemeka

While many parents and students were eager to return to in-person learning after the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, Marcus and Chanelle Eveillard found a refuge in virtual learning that extended beyond anything they could have imagined. 

The Eveillards—who are accustomed to moving often because of Marcus Sr.’s military service—continue to send their three oldest children, 13-year-old Marcus Jr., 11-year-old Chawn-donna, and 8-year-old Chameron, to New Jersey Conference’s Meadow View Junior Academy in Chesterfield, though they now reside in Plumas Lake, Calif. 

Story by Evan Knott

A Sabbath School class from the Atholton church in Columbia, Md., recently held a baby shower for an Afghan refugee family that had relocated to the area.

Members from Atholton’s “Three M” Sabbath School class (Mission, Message, Mingling) purchased a bassinet, baby clothes, diapers and other essential supplies for a pregnant Afghan woman. The class became aware of the woman’s needs while volunteering with Chesapeake Conference’s Adventist Community Services (ACS) earlier in the week.

Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center and Stryker hit a home run earlier this summer by bringing health education to the Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie, Md.  

Dr. Rhamee Badr, MD, orthopaedic surgeon at Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center, discussed the latest technological developments in hip and knee replacement, including the use of Mako SmartRobotics, on June 22. 

"With the help of Mako SmartRobotics, we're able to perform less invasive surgeries which means a quicker recovery for patients," said Eunmee Shim, president of Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center. "This addition to our orthopaedic service line further demonstrates our growing commitment to provide the community with safe, effective, and innovative healthcare."