According to the Washington Post, during the first three months of 2018, there were at least 11 school shooting incidents nationwide, including the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where 17 were killed. We asked three Columbia Union educators what they think we should do to keep our schools safe.
Dulce Gabriel, principal of New Jersey Conference’s Vine Haven Adventist School in Vineland
On Sabbath, 54 teams, comprised of at least 320 Pathfinders, gathered in Blue Mountain Academy’s gymnasium in Hamburg, Pa., to test their knowledge of the Bible during the Columbia Union Conference’s sixth Pathfinder Bible Experience (PBE), a competition that tests participants Bible knowledge. So far it is the largest Columbia Union PBE event in the union.
Durante años, Tony Liriano tuvo el sueño de comenzar y dirigir una nueva iglesia. Tony y su esposa, Maria, estaban entusiasmados por la oportunidad de plantar una iglesia y difundir el evangelio en Garfield, NJ. Desde que comenzó el proyecto hace más de un año, Tony, quien dirige la iglesia de la conferencia de Nueva Jersey como pastor laico, informa un crecimiento de membresía de 10 a 60 personas. Los miembros invitan fielmente a sus amigos a asistir, se reúnen para una sesión de oración semanal y ayudan a llegar a aquellos que no conocen a Jesús. Una familia de seis miembros comenzó a asistir a la iglesia después de que Tony los saludó en la calle y los invitó a asistir. María dice que la clave de su crecimiento es el ambiente familiar y los miembros que "actúan como Jesús y no juzgan".
Story by Michele Joseph
When Juliana Marson received a call from a woman so depressed she was unable to leave her home, Marson did what she knew would work best—she prayed. Then she invited the woman to her two-week-old church plant, the New Jersey Conference’s Grace Place, in Lakewood.
Jacqueline Lewis didn’t come to church, but she arrived during fellowship dinner.
“I stopped what I was doing, ran and hugged her,” Marson says. But Lewis replied, “You can’t hug me. I’m ugly.”
Story by V. Michelle Bernard / Photos by Jorge Pillco
For years Tony Liriano had the dream of starting and leading a new church. Tony and his wife, Maria, were excited for the opportunity to plant a church and spread the gospel in Garfield, N.J. Since starting the project more than a year ago, Tony, who leads the New Jersey Conference church plant as a lay pastor, reports a membership growth from 10 to 60 people. Members faithfully invite friends to attend, gather for a weekly prayer session and help to reach those who don’t know Jesus. A family of six started attending the church after Tony greeted them on the street and invited them to attend. Maria says the key to their growth is the family environment and members who “act like Jesus and don’t judge.”