News

New members display their baptismal certificates.

Lidia Perez prepares for baptism.Story by Allegheny West Conference Staff

Three years ago, Cincinnati had only one Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist church and one small group. Today Allegheny West Conference (AWC) has five thriving Hispanic churches and two church plants in the city that are about to open. Ohio Conference also has one church plant.

Historia de V. Michelle Bernard

La Unión de Columbia se despide de Seth Bardu, quien sirvió como tesorero de la Unión durante casi 12 años. “Más que administrar el dinero y procesar la nómina, promovió la tesorería como un centro de recursos para el ministerio y la misión”, dijo Dave Weigley, presidente, en un comunicado oficial. 

Bardu se unió al equipo de oficiales de la Unión en 2006 y anteriormente trabajó en la tesorería de la Conferencia del Noreste, la Unión del Sur, el Sistema de Salud Adventista y la Conferencia Central del Sur.

Bardu renunció el 31 de agosto. En su reunión de septiembre, Weigley pidió al Comité Ejecutivo de la Unión de Columbia que seleccionara un comité de búsqueda para comenzar el proceso de encontrar un nuevo tesorero.

Vivangelismo, a celebration of the 2017 ministry in the Hispanic churches across the Columbia Union Conference, will be held December 8-10 at the Ocean City (Md.) Convention Center. Registration is $140 for guests at Holiday Inn Hotel, $135 for guests at Hampton Inn Hotel and $130 for guests at La Quinta, Quality Inn Boardwalk and Quality Inn Oceanfront. For more information and to register, visit vivangelismo.com/.

Historia de V. Michelle Bernard

Vivangelismo, una celebración del ministerio 2017 en las iglesias hispanas a través de la Unión de Columbia, se llevará a cabo del 8 al 10 de diciembre en el Centro de Convenciones de Ocean City (Md.). Visite vivangelismo.com para obtener información sobre hoteles y registración.

Editorial by Dave Weigley

October is Pastor Appreciation Month, a time when we have the opportunity to recognize and affirm the work and ministry of our pastoral workforce who have accepted the call to be “co-laborers” with Christ. What an awesome team of ministers we have across the Columbia Union Conference, and what a joy and privilege it is to serve with them in ministry. Let’s pray for them and encourage them—this month and every month. 

This year our Visitor team chose to highlight women clergy* who serve in our union as pastors, chaplains, religion professors and ministry leaders. In 2012 there were about 20; today there are 40. It’s so inspiring to see how God is working in and through them as they use their unique gifts and talents to build the citizenship of heaven (see pp. 6-9). 

Story by Elizabeth Anderson

Six women leaders in the Seventh-day Adventist Church reflect on their journeys to ministry and leadership lessons learned along the way. 

Teresa Ferreira
Executive Secretary, Maritime Conference

A year ago, if someone would have told me I’d be here, I would have said, ‘No way!’” says Teresa Ferreira, who recently assumed a trifold role with Canada’s Maritime Conference as executive secretary, education superintendent and director of Camp Ministries. “But when I received the call, I was humbled,” she adds. “[My husband and I] prayed and stepped forward in faith.”  

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Hao Ya Jie never imagined she would grow up to help establish a strong Adventist presence in her native mainland China, much less lead a 7,000-member church district.

Hao Ya Jie thought her mother was ridiculous because, whenever she met someone new, she would start preaching and sharing the gospel with them. But after reading several of Ellen White’s books herself, she became convinced her mother was doing the right thing. 

Columbia Union Conference president Dave Weigley speaks during the Fall 2017 Annual Council meeting

Story and photo by Adventist Review Staff/Adventist News Network

Following nearly six hours of discussion and debate, a majority of members of the Executive Committee of the General Conference (GC) of Seventh-day Adventists voted during their Annual Council meeting to send a document entitled Procedures for Reconciliation and Adherence in Church Governance: Phase II, back to the Unity in Mission Oversight Committee for further review. 

Photo by thierry ehrmann on Flickr

Washington Adventist University’s 39th G. Arthur Keough Lectureship recently commemorated the fifth centennial of the Reformation (1517 – 2017). Aleksandar S. Santrac, professor of Religion and Chair of the Washington Adventist University Department of Religion, was the featured speaker.

The first lecture (below), The Legacy of Martin Luther’s Sola Scriptura,” re-examines the ecumenical and postmodern dimensions of the legacy of Luther’s Sola Scriptura principle, the reformer’s revolutionary teaching that the Scriptures are the sole infallible rule of faith and practice.