This Month's Issue

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Charity Stone (pictured with family), whose husband, Tom, is a pastor at the Pennsylvania Conference Kenhorst Boulevard church in Reading and the Pottstown church, and her young family attended iThrive this summer, hoping to get “healthier at setting boundaries in order to protect the overall health of our family,” she says. “As a pastoral family, we love to serve, but sometimes it is necessary to say no to tasks or people in our sphere of ministry so that we can stock up on fresh produce, take a walk when the kids need physical activity in nature or just plain connect as a couple and family.”

She says the retreat offered a way for the family to “to prioritize our spiritual, emotional and physical health. It was really fun to connect with others at the retreat, and we learned so much,” she adds.

Editorial by Celeste Ryan Blyden

Story by Tiffany Doss

Although Potomac Conference's Camp Blue Ridge in Montebello, Va., temporarily closed its doors for regular business hours last season, God didn’t stop using it as a ministry. “Through the renovations and updates at camp, we built great relationships with our contractors,” explains Ray Queen, director. “One [of them] continues to ask questions about Jesus and the Sabbath.”

Feature by V. Michelle Bernard 

Turkey bacon, eggs, cold cereal, cheese, lots of bread and pizza were common ingredients in Jennifer Engelkemier’s daily menu. But since attending Mountain View Conference’s (MVC) Wellness Camp last summer, she’s traded in some of her old breakfast favorites, including turkey bacon, for beans.

Before the camp, Engelkemier (pictured in middle, walking with wellness campers Herb Perrine and Susie Shaver) was overweight, had diabetes and high blood pressure, and also suffered from fatty liver disease. “I just want to get healthy overall,” she said during the first week of camp, where she lost 10 pounds and started walking more regularly.

Story by Celeste Ryan Blyden

This year marks the 125th anniversary of our beloved Columbia Union Conference Visitor magazine. Starting in 1895 in the Ohio Conference as The Welcome Visitor, it has evolved under the helm of 30 known editors.

No editor was listed during the first few years of publication. Copies of the four-page, black and white journal seem to indicate a joint publishing effort by conference leaders. They charged 35 cents for an annual subscription, that was to be paid up front.