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Emmanuel Worship Center Reads Bible in a Month

Photo by Sincerely Media

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

The Emmanuel Worship Center in Alexandria, Va., recently hosted a Bible reading marathon, in which members were charged to read the entire Bible in one month. Members developed a reading schedule that included reading together during Sabbath School and the worship service and reading individually during the week.

At the conclusion of the marathon, many—including three prospective members—requested more in-depth study of various books of the Bible. Now the church is studying the book of Acts on Wednesday nights, Romans on Sabbath mornings and Revelation on Sabbath afternoons.

Kettering Health Nombra Nuevo Director Ejecutivo

Historia de V. Michelle Bernard

Después de una búsqueda de cinco meses, Kettering Health invitó a Michael Gentry a liderar el próximo capítulo del futuro de la organización como director ejecutivo. Gentry es un líder de atención médica impulsado por una misión con experiencia ejecutiva en los principales sistemas de todo el país. Su primer día oficial en Kettering Health es el 3 de julio.

Recientemente, Gentry se desempeñó como director de operaciones en Sentara Healthcare, con sede en Norfolk, Virginia.

Cosas Que Deberías Saber

Historias de V. Michelle Bernard

Los miembros del Comité Ejecutivo de Columbia Union se reunieron recientemente para escuchar los informes de los ministerios y entidades de toda la unión:

• Dave Weigley, presidente de Columbia Union, enfatizó el propósito de la iglesia: servir a nuestra comunidad y llevar el evangelio al mundo. Señaló los planes para dos próximas iniciativas de evangelización: una en Cincinnati, apoyada por las conferencias de Allegheny West y Ohio, y otra en Baltimore, apoyada por las conferencias de Allegheny East y Chesapeake.

Espinosa Retires, Nino Joins Columbia Union Team

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Ileana Espinosa, who worked as the associate director of elementary education in the Office of Education at the Columbia Union Conference for more than 10 years, retired June 30. 

With experience in Seventh-day Adventist education, including time in the elementary classroom, as an education superintendent and associate superintendent, Espinosa brought more than 40 years of experience to her role.

Art With Heart

Photo by Ethan Garcia

By Elizabeth Anderson 

Who knew art classes could warm hearts? Megan Garcia, who attends Mountain View Conference’s Charleston Boulevard church in West Virginia, is learning that sharing her gift of creativity comes with a lot of prayer, personal investment and waiting.

During her art classes held at the church, Garcia leads several types of projects—including a geode class. It doesn’t hurt that a four-course meal is part of the package, she says.

“There’s tons of people who come for the first time who would never set foot in a church, but it’s like a safe place,” Garcia says, noting that she is intentional about creating a positive family-style environment that is informal, yet Christ-centered.

Evangelism—With a Pickle on the Side

Feature by Elizabeth Anderson / Photos by Jay Alignay and Brad Barnwell

The words “evangelism” and “witnessing” might resurrect memories of knocking on strangers’ doors, clanking ingathering cans and distributing tent revival or Revelation Seminar invitations. Those traditional methods of sharing the Seventh-day Adventist message still have their place, however, some members from the Columbia Union Conference are learning that being the “salt and light” can show up in different flavors—like pickleball. These members are allowing Christ’s love to breathe through this hobby and passion to bring about organic, yet intentional friendships.

Pickleball Flavor

Colleagues Team up to Play Pickleball

Coach Jay Alignay (left) and his wife, Becky, have become good friends with Jay's colleague, Dawn Stem (right), and her daughter, Jordan Delong.

Story by Elizabeth Anderson

Jimmy "Jay" Alignay, aka "Coach Jay," a member of Chesapeake Conference's New Hope church in Fulton, Md., is spreading the news about pickleball to anyone who will listen, so it’s not surprising he convinced Dawn Stem, a work colleague, to get on board.  

Pickleball, however, is just the latest thing on Stem's activity list with Alignay.

A Tabletop Stop

Scott Kabel (right) plays weekly board games with church and community members. Photo by David Butterfield

Story by Elizabeth Anderson

Scott Kabel, who currently resides in Hawaii, has ties to Pennsylvania Conference’s Blue Mountain Academy where he taught a class—and played tabletop games with his students—while doing dissertation work for his education doctorate.

These days, playing games with the community in Hawaii is his passion. Kabel owns a trove of tabletop games and started hosting a weekly game night at the Hawaii Conference office in August of 2022 “with mostly church friends,” Kabel says. “But then I started playing in more areas around town. Now maybe [only] a third of the group is Adventist. Sometimes fewer.”