News | Seventh-day Adventist Church

645 Members Inspired to Reach Souls for Christ

Story by Andre Hastick

Orlando Rosales, the conference’s Multilingual Ministries director, and Rubén Ramos, the vice president of Multilingual Ministries for the Columbia Union Conference, recently traveled throughout the Chesapeake territory for Caravan 2020, themed “El Dia es Hoy” (Today Is the Day).

They visited 10 Spanish-speaking churches, and, at each stop, encouraged every church member to pray for five people with the purpose to personally lead at least one person to Christ within the year.

Perspectives: I Would Be True

Editorial by Terry Forde

The senseless death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Monday night gives rise to emotions that are primal and powerful. Anger. Fear. Disappointment. Rage. Sadness. Helplessness. And we experience all of these emotions at once, as collectively we try to grapple with yet another example of injustice and violation of the most basic and fundamental human right: life itself.

One can acknowledge the role of law enforcement and also condemn behavior that flaunts and dishonors the foundational values of our society. I am outraged by what I saw on the video, and also by what has happened since. We must find a way to stop the violence and the abuse.

Watch Graduation Celebrations From Across the Columbia Union

Shenandoah Valley Academy students celebrate the Class of 2020 in an online celebration. Photo courtesy SVA

Graduates from academies across the Columbia Union Conference are continuing to celebrate their accomplishments in socially-distanced ways.

Visit the following links to see celebrations already held and upcoming events:

Ohio Students Excel in Third Annual Geography Challenge

Education Superintendent Rick Bianco (far left) stands with the Geography Challenge emcee, winners, spon- sors and judges.

Story by Heidi Shoemaker

Geography. It encompasses so much more than states and flags and waterways. “It’s about cultures and people, not just about where they live, but about how and why they live,” shared Richard Bianco, Ohio Conference’s Superintendent of Education, during his welcome at the third annual Geography Challenge.

Compartiendo a Jesús a Través de la Salud

Editorial por Jerrmain Clarke

A principios de este año, la Asociación de Nueva Jersey lanzó su programa de bienestar natural titulado “Nueva Jersey Saludable 2020”. La misión de este programa es compartir el mensaje de esperanza, salud y bienestar de Cristo. La visión es educar y entrenar la mente, el cuerpo y el alma a través de la aplicación terapéutica de las Ocho Leyes de Salud de Dios: la confianza de Dios; Aire libre; Ejercicio diario; Brillo Solar; Descanso adecuado; Mucha agua; Siempre templado; y Nutrición (Plan de Dios) para la preservación y restauración de la salud.

Sharing Christ Through Health

Editorial by Jerrmain Clarke

Earlier this year, the New Jersey Conference launched its natural wellness program titled “New Jersey Healthy 2020.” The mission of this program is to share Christ’s message of hope, health and wellness. The vision is to educate and train the mind, body and soul through the therapeutic application of God’s eight laws of health, known as GOD’S PLAN: Godly trust; Open air; Daily exercise; Sunshine; Proper rest; Lots of water; Always temperate; and Nutrition for the preservation and restoration of health.

Students Combat Global Issues

Highland View Academy Capital Model United Nations delegation

Story by Andrew S. Lay

Earlier this year, 20 Highland View Academy (HVA) juniors and seniors joined more than 100 academy students from across the Chesapeake Conference to participate in the second annual Capital Model United Nations (Model UN), held at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md. The high schoolers could not wait to engage fellow students on important and current human rights issues.

Kettering Adventist HealthCare Navigates the Storm

Story by Christina Keresoma

Health care is a constantly changing environment. New technology brings new machines and procedures, and new buildings are designed with efficiency in mind. New diseases and infections are treated, while new viruses challenge the very heart of our health care systems. The coronavirus pandemic—COVID-19—was just that. Kettering Adventist HealthCare (KAHC) in Ohio came together to navigate this evolving threat that is genderless, raceless, faceless, classless, sexless, and nondenominational.

Opportunities of Academy Life: Bringing Her Home

Story by Ausma Kinney

As I strapped my feet securely into the proper placement of my rowing machine, I prayed that God would guide my thoughts as I exercised. My husband had given me until the end of the day to come up with an answer as to where I thought our oldest, Jessa, should attend high school. We had looked at several schools over the years, and now that she was in eighth grade, we had to make a decision. I pondered over my own experience. Blue Mountain Academy had been a lifechanger for me.

How the Visitor Reported the 1918-1920 Pandemic

By Celeste Ryan Blyden

Columbia Union Visitor archives from 1918-1920 provide a snapshot of life and ministry for members of the fledgling Columbia Union Conference, which was only in its 11th year at the onset of the “Spanish Influenza Pandemic.” During a deadly two-year period, some 50 million people perished globally, including 675,000 in the United States. Conference and school reports in the weekly, eight-page Visitor noted its impact on members, ministry, frontline workers and the community at large.