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From Insecure to Self-Assured in Christ

By Tamaria L. Kulemeka

Tamyra Horst, founder of the Pennsylvania Conference’s Princess Tea events, grew up a shy, fearful girl into an insecure teen and young woman. “I didn’t believe in myself or have any confidence at all,” Horst says. “But God loved me. And His love and learning to believe that He loved me and had a plan, began changing me.”

Her experiences and support system—encouraging women who cheered her on—coupled with working with other women who had battled similar issues inspired Horst to help others.

Horst started organizing teen conferences, tackling relevant teen topics that pointed them to God. Since that time, Horst has written numerous resources for teen ministries and hosted many Princess Teas. Horst has witnessed girls grow into teens and then women, some of whom she has had the opportunity to share in their success. One of the greatest joys through this process has been working with her own niece, Kaleigh, who helped her produce the first princess devotional booklet; Kaleigh, who was 7 at the time, illustrated the booklet. Now 9, Kaleigh can’t wait until she and her aunt write more books together.

Read these articles from the September 2016 Visitor:

September 2016 Feature: Guiding Girls to God

Autumn Stankay photographed Sarah and Megan Defrick in her studio in Greensburg, Pa.

By Tamaria L. Kulemeka

On any given day, girls are bombarded with images and messages portraying how they should look, walk, talk, act and think. Dove’s 2008 report titled Real Girls, Real Pressure: A National Report on the State of Self-Esteem, uncovers the self-esteem crisis among America’s girls. According to the report, this crisis “pervades every aspect of a girl’s life, including her looks, performance in school and relationships with family and friends.” One statistic highlights that 78 percent of girls with low self-esteem have a difficult time feeling good at school because they already think so poorly of themselves.

Strategies Local Churches Can Use for Soul-Winning

Saylis Fuentes, a member of the Fairfax church in Fairfax, Va., has introduced more than 800 people to God. She has made soul-winning her purpose in life. Here are her strategies for soul-winning:

1. Make a prayer list of family members, friends, or coworkers you want to reach.

2. Get to know them on a personal level.

3. Share your light in a Christlike manner.

4. Find the right opportunity to serve their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

5. Invite them to follow Jesus.

Read these articles from the September 2016 Visitor:

Feature: Guiding Girls to God

Editorial: Down Through Generations

Educators Receive Columbia Union Conference Outstanding Educator Awards

More Than 4,000 WGTS 91.9 Listeners Attend Summer Concert with Colton Dixon

Story by WGTS Staff

The inaugural WGTS 91.9 Summer Concert drew a large crowed in the Washington D.C. suburb of Tysons Corner.  More than 4,000 people showed up for the outdoor show with Colton Dixon, a former American Idol contestant.  The show was held on a brand new plaza suspended 43 feet in the air between the Tysons Corner Mall and three large buildings across the street.

“It was an amazing venue for a concert.  While thousands showed up with tickets, many others came just to find out what was happening and ended up staying for the whole event,” says Jerry Woods, WGTS morning show host and promotions director,.

Educators Receive Columbia Union Conference Office of Education Outstanding Educator Awards

Story by Ricardo Bacchus

Two teachers recently received the Columbia Union Conference Office of Education Outstanding Educator Award: Carla Thrower, the principal of Potomac Conference’s Takoma Academy in Takoma Park, Md.; and Vail Bigelow Mason, 1st and 2nd grade teacher at Chesapeake Conference’s Mt. Aetna Adventist School in Hagerstown, Md.

By presenting this award, the union’s education officials “seek to promote the recognition and appreciation of outstanding educators who have demonstrated consistent excellence,” they say.

Allegheny East Conference Camp Meeting Takes a Different Spin

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

Instead of attending afternoon seminars at the 2016 Allegheny East Conference (AEC) Camp Meeting, campers participated in service opportunities in nearby Pottstown, Pa.

Service activities included: sponsoring a community kids’ health fair, volunteering at a local community garden, distributing flowers in a nursing home, writing encouraging letters to prisoners and distributing balloons with words of encouragement. AEC even sponsored a “senior prom,” complete with boutonnieres and corsages at another nursing home.

Macedonia Church Welcomes New Pastor

William Hall, Delaware Valley Area Ministerium leader, welcomes Janene and Ron Williams to the Macedonia church.

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

The Allegheny East Conference's Macedonia church in Chester, Pa., recently held a day of celebration to welcome new pastor Ronald Williams and his wife, Janene. Williams comes to the Allegheny East Conference from the Central States Conference where he served as the director of Men's Ministries and a local church pastor.  Williams has a strong commitment to community ministry and engagement, and earned a doctorate in Urban Ministry from the Theological Seminary at Andrews University (Mich.).

45 Baptized in 120 Days of Power Campaign

Pastor Pedro Simpson baptizes the Martinez family as evangelist Julio Chazarreta looks on

Story by Heidi Shoemaker

Forty-five people decided to surrender their lives to Jesus in a baptismal ceremony held at the conclusion of what Pastor Pedro Simpson calls a revolutionary campaign named 120 Days of Power.

Pedro Simpson, district pastor and Hispanic Ministries coordinator for the Ohio Conference, and Spanish District of Cleveland leaders led members on a spiritual and missionary journey which included 40 days of prayer, followed by 40 days of witnessing and another 40 days of preaching intended to gain 40 new souls for the kingdom of Heaven.