Story by Debra Anderson
It was a historic moment in April 1924, when the Virginia Conference, with 21 churches and 677 members, and the District of Columbia Conference, with 12 churches and 1,523 members, combined to form the Potomac Conference. At its beginning, Potomac had 33 churches, 2,200 members and 14 ministers.
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.
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.
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.
Story by Samuel Girven ('25)
A growing crowd milled around me, exchanging greetings and hugs—signs of friend groups reuniting. I sat alone in the lobby of Twomley Hall at Shenandoah Valley Academy (SVA). It was handshake day, and I was a new student.
Several days earlier, I moved from my native Michigan, met by the heat and humidity of Virginia, to attend SVA. It was an abrupt change from how I had envisioned my last two years of high school.