Ohio Conference | Seventh-day Adventist Church

August 15, 2021: All You!

“And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin” (Isa. 1:25, KJV).

I grew up in a nominal Seventh-day Adventist home where guilt abounded. “I’m going to be good,” my cousin and I would say. But we drifted away from God.

At 21, I was sincerely, miraculously converted. For 18 years, I struggled with guilt and could never quite “be good enough.” So I drifted away again.

Fast forward to 25 years of being “in and out of the world.” The tender pleading of the Father’s Spirit—wooing, entreating and drawing this wanderer to the Father’s heart of love—awakened my soul to return to God.

Ministry Does Not Stop

Editorial by Oswaldo Magaña

As we look back at March 2020, our hearts rejoice for how God has continued to bless ministry throughout the Ohio Conference territory.

It was clear that we did not know what the COVID-19 pandemic meant for our future, but we knew it could be devastating for our members, churches and conference. We are convinced today that it was God who took control of our steps and the lives of our department heads as we began responding to the challenging times under our rallying cry: “Though our churches may close, #MinistryDoesNotStop.”

July 29, 2021: God’s Got It

“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7, NIV).

To be honest, when I was first asked to write a devotional, I desperately wanted to decline. I felt my heart beat a little faster and my breath become shorter—symptoms associated with anxiety. The fear of not being good enough was so overwhelming, and I was just about to say no until I remembered 1 Peter 5:7. I’ve heard this verse multiple times, and right at that moment, it stuck with me.

July 25, 2021: He Gives Us Grace to Trust

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3:5–6, NKJV).

This text became especially significant to our family when we planned
to move from Nigeria to the United States, where I was to study in the seminary at Andrews University (Mich.). I applied for a visa for myself, my wife and our little boy. Well-meaning people shared horror stories with us of their visa application denials, and suggested that perhaps I should apply for the visa alone and try to apply for my wife and child later. Maybe we would have better luck that way.

Band, Choir Members Experience ‘Spectacular’ Outing

Story by Lisa Moller

The big screen at Spring Valley Academy’s (SVA) Performing Arts Center flashed sports highlights and dynamic ESPN-style graphics to introduce the theme for the upcoming 2021–22 music season: “SVA Sports Spectacular.”

This theme, a close secret kept by band conductor Donald Huff and choral conductor Cristy Doria, set the agenda for a daylong field trip to Indiana, where band and choir members visited the Hoosier Gym, Lucas Oil Stadium and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.