Allegheny West Conference

Story by Tim Allston

According to “American Congregations at the Beginning of the 21st Century,” a Duke University 2006-2007 National Congregations Study, the percent of regular adult participants younger than age 35 in the average congregation dropped from 25 to to 20 percent.

In his July 2008 Ministry magazine article, “Reaching Out: Making a Difference With Young Adults," A. Allan Martin, the teaching pastor of a young adult ministry at the Arlington church in Texas, cites Paul Richardson of the Center for Creative Ministry, with headquarters in College Place, Wash. Richardson reported that the median age for the Seventh-day Adventist community in North America, "including the un-baptized children in church families, is 58 … Among native-born white and black members, the median age is even higher."

The frightening implications of this figure are seen when that median age, 58, is compared to the median ages of the United States and Canada, respectively, which are 36 and 37!

Story by Allegheny West Conference Staff

It’s not often someone walks into a church and says, "If there is a baptism anytime soon, I want to be in it." But that's exactly what Susanne Riddle did. Riddle had been listening to the Amazing Facts radio broadcast for more than a year when, she says, the Holy Spirit convicted her to begin obeying what she had learned. After several attempts she found a Seventh-day Adventist church.

Story by Allegheny West Conference Staff

Pastor John T. Boston, II, and the Columbus Central church family are forging a new path for ministry in the Allegheny West Conference (AWC). After one year of praying and planning, Boston and Sergio Romero, AWC multicultural/church growth director, flew to Campeche, Mexico, and drove Pastor Roman Lopez and his wife, Karina, back to Columbus. Pastor Lopez now serves as the pastor for Hispanic ministries at Central.

Allegheny West Conference and the Glenville church in Cleveland recently made history when leaders installed the first female pastor, Regina Johnson. Johnson is serving as Glenville's administrative pastor.

Story by Allegheny West Conference staff

Johnson graduated from Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md., in May 2012, then joined the WAU Office of Ministry team as chaplain of ministry. While serving at WAU, she led the development of Crossroads, a student-led church service, started several new ministries and helped prepare 85 students for baptism.

El departamento de ministerios multiculturales de Allegheny West Conference (AWC) juntamente con pastores locales y sus esposas (en la foto de arriba) organizó un retiro espiritual para las hispanas miembro. Alrededor de 100 damas se reunieron por tres días para adorar, compartir historias y reavivar su pasión por Jesús y la misión de la iglesia.

Los oradores hablaron de la santidad en el hogar, finanzas personales y cómo lidiar con baja estima propia. El sábado de mañana en el culto divino, Laura Ottati-Romero, la asistente administrativa del departamento de los ministerios multiculturales, compartió la historia de la perla de gran precio en Mateo 13.

“Hoy me he dado cuenta que soy importante y que tengo valor ante mi Dios…ahora he de brillar por mi Jesús”, dijo una de las que asistió.

Las participantes caminaron a lo largo de una senda de oración con estaciones centradas en lecciones objetivas. “Podíamos ver sus rostros al final de la senda, caras de alegría, como paz y esperanza renovada”, dice Sergio Romero, director de los ministerios multiculturales.