News | Seventh-day Adventist Church

New Minor in Spiritual Care Offered At Kettering College

Story by Rebecca Ingle

Kettering College challenges its students with rigorous academic courses and clinicals. And it strives to help students grow to be the spiritually mature people they want to be. The college’s required religion classes encourage students to first know themselves before they serve others.

Students can now earn a minor in spiritual care by taking three religion or humanities credits in addition to the 12 required religion credits. Humanities chair and professor, Cory Wetterlin, Ph.D., is excited about the newly added minor in spiritual care. He says adding this minor to resumes will give students an advantage and a talking point that show a hiring manager the student has worked on critical skills needed to serve others with compassion and care.

Summer Camps Looking for Staff Members

As summer camp season draws closer, many camp administrators are having a hard time recruiting staff for their ministries. "It has been much more difficult this year to find students/staff," say Ray Queen and Julie Minnick, director and associate director, respectively, at Potomac Conference's Camp Blue Ridge in Montebello, Va. “It has also been difficult to get them to commit and even fill out [an] application."

Other directors have reported similar situations. Minnick says that "students are being pulled in so many directions with school [and] career choices, and the biggest distraction is accepting internships," among other issues.

Ascalon Retires After Serving 38 Years in Conference

Andre Ascalon (alongside his wife, Hillary), recently retired after serving in the New Jersey Conference for 38 years.

Story by Cinthia Portanova

Andre Ascalon, who retired at the end of 2022, served in the New Jersey Conference (NJC) for 38 years—20 years as a lay pastor and 18 as a full-time pastor, alongside his wife, Hillary. “My wife has been the most integral part of my ministry. This is a match made in heaven,” says Ascalon. “I think she is everything to my ministry.”

Pennsylvania Schools Receive Gifts of Safety

Leona Bange (right), the conference’s education superintendent, and students from the York Adventist Christian School help to spread new rubber mulch on the school’s playground.

Story by Tamyra Horst

Volunteers recently came equipped with shovels and a commitment to the students at York Adventist Christian School and Harrisburg Adventist School, transforming their playgrounds with new rubber mulch floors.

‘And Forbid Them Not’

Daniel Venegas (far right), pastor of the Buckhannon church, introduces the newest members to the congregation, (left to right) Hanna Welch, Sheri-Lyn Sapp, Alan Wingfield, Benny Shifflett and Vann Parker, following their baptisms.

Story by Liz Bailey

Daniel Venegas, district pastor of Mountain View Conference's Buckhannon, Braxton, and Glenville churches, planned to baptize four people at the Buckhannon church late last year.

One by one, the candidates entered the water, ranging from young to old—the oldest being 91-yearold Benny. As Venegas finished the baptisms, he asked if there was anyone else who wanted to commit their lives to Jesus. A little hand shot up. It was Vann Parker, a first grader who had been raised in the church. Venegas smiled and acknowledged him, stating, “That’s great, we will talk.”

Come With Us!

Editorial by Leona Bange

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men’” (Mark 1:17, NKJV).

Jesus invited Peter and Andrew to follow Him. For the next three years, He taught them about God, to pray and to share the gospel. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, these apostles shared the good news of Christ and “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6, NKJV). Those watching noted that their lives were transformed because they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).

April 2023 Columbia Union Sunset Calendar

Apple blossoms Image by Alicja from Pixabay

122 Columbia Union Students Participate in WAU's CAPITALMUN Conference

Columbia Union participants in Washington Adventist University's 2023 CAPITALMUN event

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

WGTS 91.9 welcomes locals, visitors to the National Cherry Blossom Festival

WGTS Hosts Jerry Woods and Tom Ohio chat with viewers

Story by Jerry Woods

WGTS 91.9 helped welcome locals and visitors to one of the area’s biggest events, the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Each year over a million people, including visitors from around the world, come to the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., to see the burst of color of hundreds of cherry trees.

Lake Nelson Adventist Academy Eighth-Grader ‘Partners for Eternity’ With Neighbor

Jaslyn and Ms Kelly Kelly participate in Lake Nelson Academy's Partrership for Eternity

Story by Jaslyn Valverde

For the last couple of years, I’ve been participating in Partnership for Eternity. Since 2006, this program has been helping cultivate relationships between mentors and students at Seventh-day Adventist academies and elementary schools. The goal of the program is for students and mentors to create relationships and experience the blessing of service together. It has also been created to help retired individuals connect more with youth by build- ing relationships and learning from each other.