News | Seventh-day Adventist Church

What Does it Mean to Be “Warned” By an Annual Council Vote?

Photo of Walter Carson by Ricardo Bacchus

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

“To be warned is better than to be publicly reprimanded,” said Walter Carson, vice president and general counsel for the Columbia Union Conference, at the November Executive Committee meeting, talking about the Annual Council’s recent actions.

Carson explained to the group that a 2018 Annual Council action in Battle Creek, Mich., adopted a compliance document (link to it) that imposed sanctions or discipline on entities found to be in violation of various church documents or actions taken by a General Conference session.

The four disciplinary steps in the document were outlined:

Women Pastors and Chaplains Gather for Fellowship

Story by Visitor Staff / Photo by LaTasha Hewitt

Earlier this month, women pastors and chaplains from across the Columbia Union Conference gathered with union and conference administrators for the second time in two years. Before supper at the Sheraton Hotel in Columbia, Md., the attendees took part in a debriefing about Annual Council 2019 where Columbia Union President Dave Weigley shared what the newly issued “warning status” means, and what it does not mean.

Akron Church Increases Refugee Awareness

Terri Saelee, North American Division coordinator for Adventist Refugee and Immigrant Ministries, shares a "Loss Simulation' exercise with the Junior/Earliteen class.

Story by Heidi Shoemaker

For several years, Ohio Conference's Akron First church has actively served refugees from Burma, Thailand, Rwanda, the Congo, Uganda and Kenya who have settled in the community.

Debra Brill, Longest-Serving Vice President at the North American Division, Retires

Story by Kimberly Luste Maran /NAD Communication / Image by Pieter Damsteegt

“It’s been my great joy to work with gifted leaders who love God and His church!” said Debra C. Brill, who retired on October 1, 2019, after serving the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (NAD) as a vice president for 21 years.

Kettering Adventist HealthCare makes key leadership transitions

Story by James Buechele

Kettering Adventist HealthCare is making two key leadership transitions.

George Lewis, president of Kettering Physician Network, has been named executive vice president of Physician Enterprise for Kettering Health Network. This new role combines the leadership of Kettering Physician Network and Kettering Physician Partners, Kettering Health Network’s clinically integrated network. Lewis will be responsible for advancing the network’s primary care services, including rural health clinics and On-Demand Care clinics. Lewis joined Kettering Health Network in 2013 as president of Kettering Physician Network.

How I Give Thanks

Basket of Punkins 10-14 by Don Graham from Flickr

Story by Valerie Morikone

Mountain View Conference staff asked three members to share what Thanksgiving Day means to them. Enjoy a peek into their recollections and memories that point to the Giver of all gifts—Jesus Christ:

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. My parents taught their children to love each other and care for others. If my parents knew of a person without a family, they joined us for a huge dinner. No one was to be by themselves on Thanksgiving Day.

Columbia Union Hosts ‘Sola Scriptura’ Leadership Summit

Story by V. Michelle Bernard / Feature photo by Stephen Lee

Last weekend some 170 students, local, conference, health care, education and union leaders attended the Columbia Union Conference 2019 Leadership Summit, held in Columbia, Md. Attendees discussed and dissected the role of sola scriptura in guiding the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s development and organization; local church life; and their personal lives.

WGTS 91.9 Listeners Provide Socks for D.C.’s Homeless

A young WGTS listener dropping off her socks for the homeless.

Story by Jerry Woods

WGTS listeners just finished celebrating Socktober. Socktober was created after team members at the station talked with the Salvation Army and Central Union Mission and found out one of the biggest needs in the homeless community is warm socks, especially as colder weather sets in.

El Comité Ejecutivo de la Unión de Columbia Vota Respuesta a la Advertencia del Consejo Anual del 2019

Allegheny East Conference representative Cheryl Chavers speaks during the Executive Committee meeting.

Declaración votada el 17 de noviembre del 2019

At Alumni Weekend, Pine Forge Academy ‘Forges the Future’

Story by Tracey Jackson

Bags were packed, gas tanks full and the anticipation of seeing old classmates and sentiments of nostalgia grew, as more than 1,000 people recently traveled to Pine Forge Academy’s (PFA) 44th Annual Alumni Weekend, themed “Forging the Future.” Reaching back to the rich history that begins with an iron mill to the current goals of restoring the campus, PFA eagerly celebrated 74 classes of graduates. Special honor was given to the Class of 1969, as they celebrated their 50th anniversary.