News

Story by Michele Joseph

As a school psychologist and the lay pastor of Liberty Mission Seventh-day Adventist Church in Washington, D.C., Donald Ross always looks for ways to connect with people. 

Teaching Against Rage and Guns while Embracing Talents and Social Skills—called T.A.R.G.E.T.S.S.  —  was created to do just that for students whose environment leaves them a witness to gun violence. 

Through this program, he and his team—which includes his wife, home-based business owner Karen, and Maria Williams, the church Community Services director —give teens tools to build a better life.

In December, the church held its second graduation for the six-week course, which is funded by a city mini grant.

Zaida Galva with Pastor Tim Harley at Shenandoah Valley Academy

Story by Zaida Galva (’24)

I can definitely say coming to Shenandoah Valley Academy (SVA) was a God-worked plan. My name is Zaida Galva, and I am a senior from New York City, a place where you are confronted with lots of challenges on a daily basis. City life is extremely fast-paced, and you never really have a chance to establish deep relationships with those around you. That all changed when I arrived at SVA.

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

Many churches meet obvious needs for people with disabilities by providing services such as wheelchair ramps or sign language interpretation.

But, hidden physical disabilities are often over-looked and can impact the attendees’ abilities to participate in service and community life. April 20 has been designated as Adventist Possibility Ministries Day.

Photos by E.B.Gray/Gerry Chudleigh Collection, subjects and camps

Feature by Nicole Dominguez

Preteens are taking over Sephora. The conversations and complaints about young adults invading spaces outside their maturity level and price brackets like the aforementioned cosmetics store go beyond the generic gripe of “kids today,” revealing a deeper need: third places.

Editorial, Potomac Conference, Sherilyn O'Ffill, ‘Look Up at the Sky’

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.

Pathfinders at the 2024 Columbia Union Conference Pathfinder Bible Experience | Photo by Shane Hochstetler

Images by Shane Hochstetler

Last weekend, 23 of the 37 teams participating in the Columbia Union Conference level 2024 Pathfinder Bible Experience (PBE) placed first.

During the event, held in Tranquility, N.J., Celeste Ryan Blyden, Columbia Union executive secretary, and Emmanuel Asideu, treasurer, announced that the union will give $2,000 to all the teams placing first to aid in travel expenses to the upcoming North American Division event to take place in Colorado.

Congrats to all the participants!

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

La General Conference ha designado el 13 de abril como el Día de los Amigos de Esperanza o Día del Visitante. ¿Qué tipo de eventos inspirarían a un miembro de la comunidad a visitar su iglesia? 

  Aquí hay un par de eventos a considerar que están relacionados con las temporadas, además de un servicio amigable para los visitantes: 

  -Invitar a la comunidad a un sorteo de árboles jóvenes o plantas nativas (el Día de la Tierra es el 22 de abril) 

-Proporcionar un concierto que destaque los talentos musicales de su escuela adventista local. 

-Planifique una comida compartida o una demostración de cocina vegetariana saludable y distribuya recetas gratuitas. 

Story by V. Michelle Bernard | Photos by Kelly Butler Coe and Kylie Kajiura

This week, some 776 attendees, including pastors and their spouses, gathered in Hershey, Pa., for the “I Am With You” Columbia Union Evangelism Workshop. 

“This is the third ministerium we’ve had in the Columbia Union since 2000; may this be the last. May this be the one you say, ‘I was there, and I went looking for the Holy Spirit to empower me, and the Spirit fell upon me,” said Dave Weigley, Columbia Union Conference president, during the first meeting of the event.