News

Story by Lillian Torres

Jesus’ prayer for all of His disciples in John 17:21 is “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us” (NKJV). Unity brings strength, and if the church is to give the last warning message with power, we must seek to answer Jesus’ prayer for unity.

The Holy Spirit brings unity as we worship together, pray together and do mission together. The book of Acts records multiple incidences of the power of God manifested upon its people when they were united in one accord. The Pennsylvania Conference seeks to be intentional in uniting its leaders and members through its “In One Accord” five-year evangelism initiative. Each year of this quinquennium will intentionally focus on a specific part of evangelism in which to unite:

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Editorial by Stephen Lee

I am honored to introduce our new vision and mission for the New Jersey Conference (NJC), guiding us to fulfill God’s calling. Our new vision, “A World Without Strangers,” embodies a God-given dream to create a community where everyone feels welcome, valued and loved. In Matthew 24, Jesus’ disciples ask Him about the signs of His coming. Jesus describes signs in the natural, political and religious worlds, but adds, “The end is not yet.”

Image by WikiImages from Pixabay

Bob Mitchell, Adventist Community Services and Disaster Response coordinator for the Potomac Conference, shared the following to help encourage people how to best help those impacted by Hurricine Helene:

It is appreciated that our members are so giving and supportive of those in need. However, it is requested that all collection efforts be coordinated for best results.

There are frequent national and state Zoom calls and direct communication with local and state government officials that include our Potomac Conference ACS Disaster Re- sponse Coordinator. There are also official news releases by the governments of the states involved, including Virginia.

WGTS 91.9 joined with Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center in June to bring the community together. The wellness fair and outdoor concert provided an opportunity for attendees to focus on personal health, enjoy free ice cream, meet the WGTS 91.9 team, pray together at the When We Pray tent and receive the blessing of a free Christian music concert.

“White Oak Medical Center is grateful to partner with WGTS 91.9 on this delightful event that draws more than 3,000 people and connects our community around
health and wellness, prayer, fellowship and uplifting music,” said Anthony

Story by Kettering Health Staff

Kettering Health Behavioral Medicine recently expanded its services to better meet the needs of south Dayton residents by creating an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) at Kettering Health Miamisburg. The program allows for more collaborative care between behavioral health, primary care, and emergency services and builds on services offered at the IOP at Kettering Health Behavioral Medical Center in Moraine.

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

Trevor Kinlock was recently selected to serve as the new president of the Allegheny East Conference (AEC). Though new to the role, Kinlock is not new to AEC. He was the senior pastor of the Metropolitan church in Hyattsville, Md., from March 2016 to June 2024. Previous to that, he served at the Emmanuel-Brinklow church in Ashton, Md., and the Calvary church in Newport News, Va. We recently sat down with Kinlock to get to know him better.

AEC: What do you value?

Story by Katelyn Pacylowski (’24)

It is hard to put into words how much Shenandoah Valley Academy (SVA) means to me. I am so thankful for the time I have spent on this campus. Four years ago, the world shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While most schools had virtual learning, SVA stayed open. As a freshman, I was able to go to school and interact with friends and teachers. Who would have thought that being able to go to class would be something to be so thankful for?! Students at SVA were able to meet with mentors, have Bible study with pastors and thrive with in-person classes.

Story by Tamyra Horst

When the Pennsylvania Conference purchased a 150-acre farm outside of Smithport, Pa., in the spring of 1954, it was a dream to create a camp facility for children and families. Leaders would buy additional properties and add to the new camp, and in December 1954, it was voted to call this new ministry Laurel Lake Camp.

Organizers held a four-day summer camp in 1955 for 30 boys from the community. The following year, the conference offered two weeks of “summer training camp,” inviting churches to send children to this new summer camp program.