Story by V. Michelle Bernard
2018 proved to be an interesting year in Seventh-day Adventist Church news, with a strong interest in the General Conference Administrative Committee’s proposed new system of compliance and uniformity in the world church.
This year, when news happened, the Columbia Union Visitor provided the local angle. See which stories our readers visited the most in 2018.
Story by Doug Walker
“Why the Pursuit of Happiness is a Bad Idea” was the provocative opening talk presented recently at the 40th annual G. Arthur Keough Lectureship sponsored by the Washington Adventist University (WAU) Religion Department, located in Takoma Park, Md. This year’s Lectureship featured keynote speaker Jennifer A. Herdt, the Gilbert L. Stark Professor of Christian Ethics and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Yale University Divinity School.
Story by Benin Lee
Story by Jerry Woods
WGTS listeners helped the ministry end 2018 strong with a successful year-end fundraiser. Over the course of the four-day event, over 2,000 listeners took the station to more than 110 percent of the total goal. In addition, listeners also helped to provide over 26,000 meals to people in the Washington D.C. area through local food banks.
The Bible is chock full of stories about people of all ages that can relate to and experiences that make us laugh and cry. Such stories teach us about God's great love and plan of salvation. They also teach practical life lessons that keep us grounded and prophecy that keeps our focus heavenward.
Editorial by Jorge Aguero
The reason for both Jesus’ birth and the Seventh-day Adventist Church have something in common. His birth was not to divide history into two time periods—B.C. and A.D., nor was the birth of the church created to divide Sabbath keepers from Sunday keepers. The commonality is that the birth of Jesus was prophesized by Old Testament prophets and the Adventist church was born of a prophetic movement.
Story by Betty Klinck
Adventist HealthCare Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park, Md., has been ranked in the top 7 percent of hospitals nationwide for the quality care it provides patients who undergo coronary bypass graft surgery, the most common type of open heart surgery in the U.S.
Last month, the hospital received a Three-Star rating–the highest possible quality rating–from the Society for Thoracic Surgeons. The organization analyzes many national cardiac surgery data categories to determine which hospitals meet the stringent Three-Star criteria.
Editorial por Jorge Agüero
El nacimiento de Jesús y la iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Dia tienen algo en común. El propósito de su nacimiento no fue para dividir la historia en dos períodos—A.C. y D.C., así como el nacimiento de la iglesia no fue para dividir a los guardadores del sábado y del domingo. El punto en común es que el nacimiento de Jesús fue profetizado por los profetas del Antiguo Testamento y la iglesia Adventista nace de un movimiento profético.
Story by Tiffany Doss
To celebrate the hard work Potomac Conference pastors accomplish, leadership quietly selected and recognized two candidates at the annual Pastors’ Meeting, an event for team building, personal reflection and growth. The conference recognized Darry Campbell, pastor of the Galax, Mountain View, New River Valley and Wytheville churches in Virginia, and Don McFarlane, pastor for administration at the Sligo church in Takoma Park, Md., for their excellence in ministry. This recognition included appreciation videos in which members shared how the ministries of Campbell and
McFarlane have personally touched their lives.
Editorial by Mike Hewitt
Recently our pastors asked if I would consider setting up a prayer group where they could pray together, share each other’s burdens and connect with Christ as a ministry team. This is a fantastic idea! Prayer is the lifeblood of our walk with Jesus, and the depth of our pastors’ relationship with Christ is vital to their own spiritual well-being. It is also vital for successful ministry in their churches and the forward movement of our conference mission.