News

A Statement Regarding the Tragedy in Pittsburgh

“May Your unfailing love be my comfort” (Psalm 119:76, NIV).

Our Columbia Union Conference family grieves for the families of those killed and wounded in the senseless and tragic shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. These fellow Sabbathkeepers were exercising their right to gather and worship God with liberty of conscience and freedom.

We denounce the hatred and evil behind this attack, and join our voices with those who are calling for an end to the violence that has torn the families of these faithful worshippers and too many other families apart.

When one hurts, we all hurt.

Cave Entrance by Michael Coghlan from Flickr

Editorial by Mario Thorp

At the beginning of the summer, families worldwide were captured by the rescue operation of a 12-member soccer team and coach from Thailand. When the team failed to come home after practice, the city and government launched a search and rescue operation. Days of agony and uncertainty worried their parents and the public.

What a relief when, 10 days later, rescuers found the boys, and eight days later, everyone was safe. It was an amazing process and joint effort to free them from the Tham Luang Nang Non cave.

Three hands by waferboard from Flickr

Editorial by Rick Remmers

What is important to you? What are the things you most want to accomplish? The Chesapeake Conference has established our priorities, and the first is very simple: Evangelism and Outreach.

Why would this be a top priority? Is it because everyone is excited to hit the proverbial sawdust trail and become a public evangelist? Or maybe people are eager to go door to door distributing literature and enrolling people in Bible studies. Perhaps members in your church are ready to open up a soup kitchen and start a tutoring program.

Story and Photos by Christopher C. Thompson

The Breath of Life Television Ministries recently concluded its 2018 Fall Revival, resulting in 70 individuals choosing baptism and joining Allegheny East Conference’s North Philadelphia church. This evangelistic campaign, a joint effort between Breath of Life and North Philadelphia, featured Carlton P. Byrd, Breath of Life speaker/director, who, for two weeks, preached nightly on the foundational doctrines of the Seventh-day Adventist message.

Story by Jaymie Pottinger

Pine Forge Academy (PFA) recently kicked off the 2018–19 school year with the theme “You Matter.” Kris Fielder (pictured), interim principal, says, “As a Christian boarding school, it is our responsibility to ensure that every student feels a sense of belonging as they develop into the leaders that they were created by God to be, with a sense of purpose, direction and confidence.” In expressing his optimism for the upcoming year, Jaymie Pottinger, vice principal, described his excitement as he watched “brilliant young scholars from across the country stake their claim on the successes that are imminent if they submit to God’s divine calling while enrolled at this excellent and historic institution.”

Story by Mario Thorp

Members of the Cherry Hill church recently celebrated as eight young people, aged 10–16, chose to make their commitment to Christ public through baptism.

Willie Bonilla, church elder, shares that the young people are all members of the same Sabbath School class. When they began talking about baptism, he started a baptismal class. They met together every other Sabbath afternoon from January through July, 2018. Bonilla says, “They all wanted to be baptized to demonstrate their love for Jesus. ... They are excited to begin this new part of their walk with the Lord!”

Sabemos que muchos en nuestra unión se sienten decepcionados con el voto que se tomó en el Concilio Anual para implementar un nuevo sistema de conformidad para las entidades de la iglesia en todo el mundo. Nosotros también. Y si bien somos una parte fiel y leal de la Iglesia de Dios, nos cuesta ver su mano en esta decisión. Nuestra preocupación continúa por la creciente centralización de autoridad en la Conferencia General y la extraterritorialidad administrativa resultante.

Muchos se preguntan qué pasará ahora. En dos semanas, la junta directiva de la División Norteamericana discutirá y decidirá cómo abordar esta situación desafortunada. A su vez, la junta directiva de la Unión de Columbia se reunirá a mediados de noviembre para evaluar cómo abordaremos esta nueva realidad.