Story by Valerie Morikone
Ginelle Edmondson recently became the new Health Ministries director of the Mountain View Conference.
Born in Guyana, South America, and raised in Queens, N.Y., she always expressed an interest in health. Feeling led to study nursing for her undergraduate career, Edmondson was drawn to public health and mission work. She graduated with a Master in Public Health from New York University (NYU), then traveled to study abroad in Cape Town, South Africa.
Rising coronavirus infection rates are causing many families and churches to reexamine their holiday plans. However, the socially distanced show must go on and many Adventist schools and churches are already preparing their virtual holiday programs.
Let us know about your church or school’s virtual program so all Columbia Union Conference members will have the chance to enjoy the holiday cheer.
Email the program title, time, date and link to vmbernard@columbiaunion.net, and we’ll share on our social media accounts and website.
by Lisa McDowell
After four months of online church services, the Dale Wright Memorial church members in Germantown, Ohio, organized their first drive-in worship service in the parking lot. Service participants, wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing protocols, stood under a small tent, while church members stayed in their cars, forming a semicircle around the tent. Worshippers tuned into the service on 88.3 FM, watched on their phones via Zoom or listened from their cars. Some members even brought lawn chairs and sat in front of their cars.
by Heidi Wetmore
Charis McRoy, a senior at Spencerville Adventist Academy, has enjoyed writing poetry to express her emotions and experiences ever since the third grade. Through the years, she decided to author a book on the Bible story of Esther. Remembering what she had learned about Esther in Sabbath School, she wanted to journey deeper into that Bible story.
Editorial by Terry Forde
Nearly 100 years ago, in 1921, Chinese essayist Lu Xun wrote, “Hope is like a path in the countryside. Originally, there is nothing –but as people walk this way again and again, a path appears.”
If you come across a path in a woods, or across a field, you may ask: “Where does this path lead?” or “Why is there a path here?”
Paths don’t just come out of nowhere. Sometimes they exist because people started walking there for a shortcut. Sometimes they exist because someone planned them out on a map and set about creating them. In either case, someone had to pave the way.
Story by Salena Fitzgerald
Takoma Academy (TA) began the year in a virtual learning setting. Faculty and staff continue expanded opportunities for students to learn in a rigorous, yet accommodating structure. Teaching and learning in a remote environment, however, can pose challenges. TA recognizes these concerns and spent the summer bolstering their ability to offer effective virtual learning and additional supports for students academically, spiritually, socially and emotionally.
En septembre dernier, 212 personnes ont participé à la marche/course virtuelle du Visitor 5K / 1 mile. Tenue dans le cadre de la célébration du 125e anniversaire du magazine Visitor, les recettes liées à cette activité ont totalisé 6 000 $ visant à soutenir les Services Communautaires Adventistes à travers l’union.
« Il était important pour nous de trouver une organisation qui fait la différence sur tout notre territoire et qui crée un impact sur nos communautés auxquelles nous pourrions retourner ce que nous avons reçu », déclare le président du comité de course, Candace Nurse, secrétaire/trésorière du Fonds Renouvelable de l’Union de Columbia (CURF).
Story by Visitor Staff
Columbia Union Conference President Dave Weigley opened the Columbia Union Executive Committee year-end meeting today, noting that mission is continuing despite coronavirus pandemic restrictions. He also shared that the union leadership is looking forward to celebrating 2021 as the Year of the Bible, with resources and a special event planned in February.
Fred Manchur, CEO of Kettering Adventist HealthCare shared the following report in the November Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee meeting.
Story by Visitor Staff
Today the Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee elected Rick Remmers to serve as the union’s executive secretary. He plans to start his new role in January to fill the vacancy left by Rob Vandeman, who announced retirement as of January 1, 2021.
Remmers, a fourth-generation Seventh-day Adventist pastor with more than 30 years of experience, has been president of the Chesapeake Conference since 2011. He previously served as the conference’s executive secretary.