This Month's Issue

Helen Keller, circa 1987

Story by Patricia Maxwell

This year Christian Record Services, Inc., (CRS) celebrates 120 years of ministry to the blind. “With the Lord’s guidance, it is the members, donors, volunteers and employees who have made Christian Record impactful all of these years,” says Diane Thurber, president. “To all of you, we say a hearty ‘thank you.’ And we invite those who are just now learning about who we are and what we do to join our community.”

Editorial by Jacqueline Messenger

We are blessed to have a dedicated team of principals across the Columbia Union Conference, and they deserve our gratitude for their commitment and sacrifice.

Serving as a school principal is a tough job. It doesn’t matter what type of school it is, what classes are offered or how many students are enrolled. While attempting to provide a quality education, principals typically spend countless hours at school each day and even more hours on school committees at night; juggle the many needs, issues and requests that arise daily; and attempt to keep the students under their watch safe and happy.

Photo of the Perlas courtesy Calhoun Photography

Story by Tompaul Wheeler/ Photos courtesy Calhoun Photography

In February 2018, Hector and Anissa Perla, who attend several churches in the Washington, D.C., area, were equal parts shocked and thrilled to learn that they were expecting their first child. They felt God had called them to begin a ministry and a family. Throughout the first trimester, they kept the news to themselves. Then, in the twelfth week, the pregnancy ended in miscarriage.

Story by Tompaul Wheeler

“I would just caution about the whole transparency thing,” says Thomas Luttrell, who teaches psychology and counseling at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md. “I do think that tends to be a western value, not shared globally just yet. I’ve been on many online discussion groups where transparency is not always encouraged or people are quickly judged, or [some group members] don’t quite understand the purpose of someone being transparent. Someone who comes from a less transparent culture might be shocked or scandalized by someone opening up about themselves.”