News | Seventh-day Adventist Church

An Interview with Enactus’ Current Student President

WAU senior Heather Alas, a dual major in Business Administration Finance Emphasis and Business Administration Marketing Emphasis, is the new student president of Enactus (2016-2017). This past month she talked to the Visitor about Enactus, and what being a member means to her.

Visitor: How long have you been a member of Enactus?

Alas: I've been a part of Enactus WAU since my freshman year, 2013. This year I am the student president of our team. I am looking forward to enhancing my leadership skills with the team, and building new bridges with the community.

What are you looking forward to most?

Photos: Columbia Union Conference's "Fearless" Camporee

Pathfinders from the Beltsville Brooncos Club strike a pose. Photo by Brian Tagalog

Photos by Brian Tagalog and V. Michelle Bernard

More than 3,000 Pathfinders attended "Fearless," the largest camporee in Columbia Union Conference history, October 6 - 9.

Please note that the Visitor staff is editing several videos of the evening meetings that will be available on columbiaunionvisitor.com next week.

More Camporee Coverage

Columbia Union Pathfinder Camporee Kicks Off

Photos by Brian Tagalog

Pathfinders from around the Columbia Union Conference gathered in Schuylkill Haven, Pa., today for the union's "Fearless" Pathfinder Camporee. The camporee runs until Sunday.

Frank Bondurant, Columbia Union vice president for ministries development, reported that the 3,000 registrants made this the biggest camporee in the union's history.

Camporee News

Underscore: Combating Bullying: How Can We Help the Helpless?

Story by Danielle Tyler

The dictionary defines the term “bully” as someone who uses strength or power to intimidate those who are weaker. Quarrelsome, overbearing and oppressor are common synonyms of a word that describes a systemic epidemic in our communities. In 2015 one out of every four children reported being bullied during the school year.

Physical, verbal, social and cyber bullying isn’t just found in the public school systems. This disease knows no creed, race, age or gender and to stop it from spreading, we must admit there is a problem, educate ourselves and be proactive in enforcing change.

WAU Enactus Team Shares Christ Through Service

Ross Patterson photographed Enactus member Levi Soares and owner Nok Kim in the Rainbow Coin Laundry in Silver Spring, Md.,

Story by Mark Tyler

How do you help a struggling local business quickly become more competitive? Step 1: Change the name. Step 2: Upgrade the appearance.

Washington Adventist University (WAU) students are helping a Takoma Park, Md., laundry owner accomplish both steps through the school’s award-winning Enactus team.

Pennsylvania Conference Hispanic Coordinator Passes Away

Pastor Gabriel Montalvo, Hispanic coordinator for the Pennsylvania Conference unexpectedly passed away October 1. The Pennsylvania Conference issued the following statement.

Dear PA Conference Family:

It is with deep sorrow and personal sadness that I share with you the news that Pastor Gabriel Montalvo has unexpectedly passed away to his rest in Jesus early this Sabbath morning.

Brief conversations with his son this morning gave me these early details. He had been at home recovering from double knee replacement surgery these last few weeks. He suffered a heart attack at home and was transported to a local Philadelphia hospital. Once at the hospital, he suffered another heart attack in the Emergency room of the hospital, and the medical staff were not able to revive him.

Book Release: "The Power of Encouragement" Determinations That Define Your Destiny

Former Councilwoman Deborah A. Hill recently published "The Power of Encouragement" Determinations That Define Your Destiny.

Her book shares encouragement and how your dreams with God's help can take you from your history into your destiny. Hill is an Elder at The Southeast Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. The book can be purchased onlulu.com, amazon.com, and barnes & noble.com. Visit her website at www.deborahahill.com.

Columbia Union Pathfinder Camporee to be Held in Schuykill Haven

Pathfinders from around the Columbia Union Conference will gather at the Sckuykill County Fairground October 6 - October 9 for the union camporee themed "Fearless."

Camporee News

Kettering College Sees Enrollment Increase

Story by Jessica Beans

With a total of 759 students enrolled for fall semester, Kettering College in Dayton, Ohio, has increased its opening enrollment for the 2016 school year by 3.8 percent.

This increase in enrollment reverses a three-year trend of declining enrollment as well as reversing a five-year decline in total credit hours taken by full time students. The number of full time enrolled students is the highest it has been since fall of 2013.

According to the school’s final opening report, 452 full-time and 307 part-time (three-quarter time or less) students had registered for fall classes, for an overall count that was 27 more than fall 2015.

Prayer Helps Open New School in Sheffield Lake

Story by Heidi Shoemaker

Members of seven churches in northeastern Ohio, along with the Ohio Conference, have been on a journey of faith this year. The July/August 2016 issue of the Visitor shared how educational evangelism grew a rural school in Clarksfield. In the last few months, they have outgrown their building. Thus, a united body—including students, parents, teachers, pastors, members and conference leaders—prayed earnestly for a new school.