Columbia Union News | Seventh-day Adventist Church

Send Artwork for the 2019 Visitor Calendar

Story by Miranda Alverez

The Columbia-Union Visitor is accepting children’s art to be featured in the 2019 calendar. This year’s theme, “Let the Children Come” will tell various Bible stories through the eyes of the union’s young ones, helping us all remember the beauty of childlike faith and keeping God’s Word fresh in our minds, says Celeste Ryan Blyden, Columbia Union Conference vice president for communication and editor of the Visitor.

All children or youth, ages 5 – 15, need do is create a two-dimensional piece of artwork that reflects their favorite Bible story. Then, with the help of an adult, submit their creation to the Visitor staff, with the accompanying submission form by September 30, 2018.

Students Receive Caring Heart Awards

Story by Visitor Staff / Photo by Leandro Lima

Nine students from academies within the Columbia Union Conference recently received the Office of Education’s annual Caring Heart Award. The following graduates were nominated for demonstrating a personal commitment to service and witnessing.

Blue Mountain Academy – Lorena D. Alves
Highland View Academy – Catarina Sanches
Lake Nelson Adventist Academy – Brendan Sierra
Pine Forge Academy – Jonathan Williamson
Richmond Academy – Wendy Reyes (pictured above with Principal Nancy Malashenko)
Shenandoah Valley Academy – Pedro Teste-Pereira
Spencerville Adventist Academy – Favour Ogbue
Spring Valley Academy – Janelle Richardson
Takoma Academy – Taylor A. Gordon

Members Help Clean Up Flood Damage

During an event to help clean up Baltimore homes impacted by recent floods, Derrick Lea (left), director of Adventist Community Services (ACS) Disaster Response (DR) at the North American Division, and David Franklin (right), pastor of Allegheny East Conference’s Miracle City church in Baltimore, pray with Dionne, whose home was one of the hardest hit properties on Frederick Avenue.

Growth Spurt: How Demographic Shifts Are Impacting How We Minister

Members from Chesapeake Conference’s Atholton church—Sarah and Anna Singalla, Janet Keng Asare, Pastor Shawn Paris, Jasmin Elliott and Jair Parada—were photographed by Brian Patrick Tagalog in Columbia, Md.

Story by Edwin Manuel Garcia/ Images by Brian Tagalog, Kristi Rutt, Marving Alegria, Goodness Mcfiberesima and Tracey Brown

What Does the Baker Supreme Court Case Mean for Adventists?

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

This week the Supreme Court of the United States of America decided in favor of Jack Phillips, a Christian baker in Colorado, who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple because of his religious convictions. The case, watched closely by religious liberty experts, highlighted the tension between gay rights and same-sex interests and the rights of those with religious convictions who feel that providing certain services to same-sex individuals violates their right to practice their religion.

The couple filed a charge of discrimination, saying that Phillips violated the public accommodations law of Colorado that prohibits businesses from discriminatorily refusing services to protected classes, which include sexual orientation.