This Month's Issue

Editorial by Jacqueline Messenger

We are blessed to have a dedicated team of principals across the Columbia Union Conference, and they deserve our gratitude for their commitment and sacrifice.

Serving as a school principal is a tough job. It doesn’t matter what type of school it is, what classes are offered or how many students are enrolled. While attempting to provide a quality education, principals typically spend countless hours at school each day and even more hours on school committees at night; juggle the many needs, issues and requests that arise daily; and attempt to keep the students under their watch safe and happy.

Photo of the Perlas courtesy Calhoun Photography

Story by Tompaul Wheeler/ Photos courtesy Calhoun Photography

In February 2018, Hector and Anissa Perla, who attend several churches in the Washington, D.C., area, were equal parts shocked and thrilled to learn that they were expecting their first child. They felt God had called them to begin a ministry and a family. Throughout the first trimester, they kept the news to themselves. Then, in the twelfth week, the pregnancy ended in miscarriage.

Story by Tompaul Wheeler

“I would just caution about the whole transparency thing,” says Thomas Luttrell, who teaches psychology and counseling at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md. “I do think that tends to be a western value, not shared globally just yet. I’ve been on many online discussion groups where transparency is not always encouraged or people are quickly judged, or [some group members] don’t quite understand the purpose of someone being transparent. Someone who comes from a less transparent culture might be shocked or scandalized by someone opening up about themselves.”

Story by Jaymie Pottinger

After a yearlong search, the Allegheny East Conference Pine Forge Academy (PFA) Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the newly appointed principal for the 2019–20 school year, H. Clifford Reynolds, III.

Serving as the 22nd principal of the boarding academy, Reynolds will be joining the PFA community with his wife, Charlyce, and two children, Carissa and Hayden, from Ohio.