Editorial by Tim Bailey
This April, as the Mountain View Conference (MVC) moves into a newquinquennium, I cannot help but look back and see how far we have come. God has blessed our small conference with many new people who have committed their lives to Him and joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Since our last constituency, we have experienced an almost 10 percent growth in membership, almost double the attendance, and a 12 to 20 percent increase in tithe, depending on the year.
Editorial by Sherilyn O'Ffill, Associate Youth Director, Potomac Conference
At the age of 16, I became a staff member at Georgia Cumberland Conference’s Cohutta Springs Camp, and later at Northern California Conference’s Leoni Meadows Camp. Because of the positive influence summer camp had on me as a child, I wanted to make a difference in the lives of others too. While enjoying my staff roles, which included a kitchen worker, a counselor, the girls’ director and the assistant director, what inspired me the most was being mentored by other staff members. In turn, I learned how to mentor my campers—especially Mary.
Editorial by Charles A. Tapp
When someone reaches the age of 100, we refer to them as a centenarian, and we celebrate this tremendous milestone with much fanfare. This year, the Potomac Conference will turn 100. And as a conference, we, too, will take the opportunity to celebrate. But our celebration will take on a little different tone than merely observing that we reached this important landmark in our journey as a conference.
Editorial by Stephen S. Lee
“Daddy, I have a riddle for you,” my younger son gleefully declared. “What goes up but never comes down?”
Before I could muster a response, he quipped with playful mischief, “Your age.”
If, like me, you resist the inevitability of aging, it might be a subtle sign that you’re already on that journey, as the young eagerly anticipate the swift passage of time.
The 96-year-old elder at my church, a figure I deeply admire, often cautions me with a friendly admonition, “Pastor Lee, don’t you dare grow old.” Despite my sincere attempts to heed his advice, I find the relentless march of time undefeated.
Editorial by Gary Gibbs
I knew I was listening to an exciting answer to prayer as I heard the speaker describe an inspiring initiative called “Back to the Altar.” I had been earnestly seeking God for strategic initiatives for our conference’s new quinquennium, which began after the constituency session in October 2023.
Our team identified several key ideas we felt God was leading us to as conference staff, and pastors met for prayer and planning. We determined that a renewed focus on a personal relationship with Jesus would be one of the more important initiatives. We long for each member to experience a deepening of love for Him and to grow in the qualities of being Jesus’ fully committed disciple.