Story by Heidi Wetmore
Chesapeake Conference's Spencerville Adventist Academy (Md.) is excited to celebrate 75 years of Adventist education this year! Beginning as a one-room school in 1943, the school has grown to more than 400 students in grades Pre-K through 12th grade.
Story by Tiffany Doss
Camp Blue Ridge, Potomac Conference’s retreat center located in Montebello, Va., recently welcomed Ray and Jannette Queen as their new camp directors. The Queens have served in camp ministries with the Florida Conference for 19 years—four years at Pine Lake Retreat Center and 15 at Camp Kulaqua.
Story by Heidi Shoemaker
Growing Young Adventists (GYA) is a learning journey for local churches and their leaders to help build faith communities that will not only survive but thrive in the years ahead. This initiative is an intergenerational movement which nurtures relationship building and cultural transformation that embraces young people and benefits all generations in the Adventist church.
Twenty-three of the 37 participating Columbia Union Conference Pathfinder teams placed first in the recent union-level Pathfinder Bible Experience event at Takoma Academy in Takoma Park, Md.
Here are the teams that will continue on to the division-level event in April:
Allegheny East Conference
Community Falcons - Team 1
Community Falcons - Team 2
Genesis Jaguars
Living Springs Lions
Maranatha Warriors - Diamonds
Historia de Carlos J. Torres
En la Conferencia de Nueva Jersey, movilizamos nuestro estado al escuchar el eco del imperativo dado por Jesús a sus discípulos: “Id, y haced discípulos a todas las naciones, bautizándolos en el nombre del Padre, y del Hijo, y Espíritu Santo; enseñándoles que guarden todas las cosas que os he mandado; y he aquí yo estoy con vosotros todos los días, hasta el fin del mundo” (Mat. 28:19–20, RVR).
Editorial by Carlos J. Torres
In the New Jersey Conference, we try to mobilize our state by listening to the echo of the order Jesus gave to His disciples: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19–20, ESV).
We believe that the most effective way to make disciples is through small groups. This year the North American Division (NAD) launched GPS Caravan for Life, also known as “Small Healthy Groups for Life,” an initiative whose goal is to reach and teach 15,000 active leaders, who will, in turn, minister in their communities.
Story by Jessica Manantan
Prayer is powerful. I’m sure if you asked most anyone, they would agree with this statement. But how many truly understand the power of prayer and take time daily to plead with God? How many truly claim His promises and persevere in prayer?
My friend and prayer partner, Kathryn Styer, a member of the Romney (W.Va.) church, shares the following testimony: “It’s easy to take on the burden to convert our loved ones; to think, ‘If only I say and do just the right things, they’ll get it.’ I spent many years in this state of mind. Then I started to pray. I put all my hopes and dreams for my husband into prayer and solicited the prayer of others.
Story by Tiffany Doss
Editorial by Rick Remmers
Adam and Eve were literally the “perfect” young adult, newlywed couple. Their Creator served as the officiant at their wedding. A beautiful new Garden of Eden home was given to them, receiving the whole earth as a gift.
Story by LaTasha Hewitt
The Prison Ministries team at Allegheny East Conference's Calvary church in Newport News, Va., partnered with its youth mentoring ministry to play chess at the Newport News Juvenile Detention Center this past fall. The activity was part of the “Play Chess, Change Lives” initiative, an interactive outreach program founded by Don Roberts of WAVY TV, an NBC affiliate in Newport News. The program is designed to engage young men and women in critical thinking. “Our hope is for the young residents to use the skills learned from the game to make better life choices,” shares Rudy Ortega, elder and outreach coordinator at Calvary.