Story by V. Michelle Bernard / Photos Courtesy Hagerstown church
Ray Valenzuela, the associate pastor of Chesapeake Conference’s Hagerstown (Md.) church, was thinking about how the church could help families displaced by a fire in the nearby Woodbridge Apartments, when a representative from the Red Cross called to ask if they were willing to open up the church as a resource center.
Story by Celeste Ryan Blyden, Columbia Union Visitor; Photos by Brian Patrick Tagalog
William T. Cox Sr., President of the Allegheny West Conference; William Miller, President of the Potomac Conference; and Dave Weigley, President of the Columbia Union Conference, release the following joint statement regarding the unrest in Charlottesville, Va.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of Heather Heyer and Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M. M. Bates of the Virginia State Police, who lost their lives on Saturday, August 12, during the violent uprising in Charlottesville, Va. We’re also praying for healing for all who were injured and impacted.
The Chesapeake Conference Executive Committee recently named Janesta Walker (below) as superintendent of schools, and Michael Jakobsons (right) as associate superintendent. Walker fills the vacancy left by Jacqueline Messenger, who is now associate director for secondary education for the Columbia Union Conference. Mark Walker, the current interim superintendent, is set to retire August 1.
“We welcome both of these educators to the Chesapeake Conference. Their combined training and experience, in a variety of school settings, will prove to be a genuine benefit to our schools,” says Rick Remmers, conference president.
Story by Elizabeth Long
Kettering Adventist Healthcare is the first in Dayton to offer a more accurate, less painful breast surgery procedure. The procedure, called radioactive seed localization, is a new approach to pinpointing breast lesions.
Breast imaging technology has become more refined, allowing many breast abnormalities and cancers to be detected before they can be felt with a physical exam. While early detection allows for treatment to begin sooner and the patients to have better outcomes, it also presents a greater challenge in precisely locating and removing smaller or deeper lesions.
Story by Dinah Jordan
Pine Forge Academy is happy to welcome several new team members for the 2017-18 school year. Each new faculty and staff member is uniquely gifted to help PFA achieve its mission, vision and strategic initiatives.
Story by Donna Bigler
Washington Adventist University (WAU) in Takoma Park, Md., has been approved to implement a new Bachelor of Music Therapy degree program. WAU is the first institution in the State of Maryland and currently the only Seventh-day Adventist institution in North America to offer this degree.
“We are thrilled beyond measure to be gaining this important new program on our campus, as it prepares students to use music as a vehicle for service and outreach,” says Cheryl Kisunzu, WAU provost. “It is a wonderful addition to this university which has, for more than a century, functioned as a gateway to service for those who seek to help others.”
