Story by V. Michelle Bernard
News
Story by Benia Jennings
According to Shirley Benton, the Allegheny West Conference Women’s Ministries director, the number one need in the Church right now is connectedness. This is especially true for women. However, with social distancing and the rules that are in place, staying in contact with one another has become more of a challenge.
Story by Heidi Shoemaker
During the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ohio Conference leadership recognized one thing: Ministry does not stop. Woven into their COVID-19 “Ministry Action Plan” are words of encouragement: “Worship is a way of life and has not, and will not, be canceled. Ministry does not stop because we cannot worship together in a building. Ministry can and will continue because of you.”
Pastors, teachers, church members and students quickly adapted to virtual worship and classes, finding innovative ways to remain connected and share Jesus with others. Pastors met weekly via Zoom, sharing what was working within their regions and seeking guidance for difficult circumstances. Innovation and perseverance flourished across churches and schools during quarantine.
Story by Tiffany Doss
A historic groundbreaking ceremony will take place at Potomac Conference's Camp Blue Ridge in Montebello, Va., on October 10 at 4 p.m.—marking the beginning of Phase 1 of the Master Plan for the campus. The Master Plan, designed to improve the overall guest experience and create additional adult housing and meeting spaces—including an adult retreat center—will kick off with construction of a new cafeteria with increased dining space.
Story by New Jersey Conference Staff
Leonel Pottinger, the ministerial director for the New Jersey Conference (NJC), recently retired after nearly 50 years of selfless ministry.
In September the union Executive Committee set up a search committee to replace Rob Vandeman, who plans to retire from that position at the end of 2020. The candidate will serve in an interim capacity until the Union’s constituency meeting July 10-11, 2021, when officers will be elected for the next five-year term.
Read more from that Executive Committee meeting here.
Story by Edward Marton
Story by Jerry Woods
For six years listeners have been enjoying the WGTS 91.9 Summer Concert Series with Tysons Corner Center. It’s the station’s premier summer event on Friday evenings on a large outdoor plaza. This year the pandemic changed everything, but the series continued, albeit in a new format.
Story by V. Michelle Bernard and Jenevieve Lettsome
Many churches across the Columbia Union Conference are still closed for in-person worship due to the coronavirus pandemic, including all churches in the Allegheny East and West conferences. Churches in the New Jersey Conference have experienced 38 deaths as a result of COVID-19. Eighty percent of these churches are now open at 25 percent capacity, reported President Dave Weigley at the September 17 Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee meeting.
Story by V. Michelle Bernard
Pick up an issue of the Visitor magazine, and you’ll find her imprint all over it. Open a program for any Columbia Union Conference event, and you’ll feel her style. Browse columbiaunion.org, and you’ll see her meticulous attention to detail.
Kelly Butler Coe, art director and graphic designer for the Visitor at the Columbia Union, has been an assistant director of Communication since 2000. Today she was promoted to associate director during the Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee meeting.