News | Seventh-day Adventist Church

WGTS 91.9 Says Thank You to Local Heroes

Johnny and Stacey Stone from Afternoons on WGTS 91.9 headed to Adventist Healthcare Shady Grove Medical Center recently to say "thank you" and "we are praying for you" to all of the health care workers there. They arrived at just as the evening shift was changing and kept their distance as they held up signs saying "Heroes" and "Air Hugs" to those coming into work.

"You could see the smiles on the faces of those coming in when they heard thank you or saw our signs," explained Johnny Stone. "Those coming out looked so overloaded but they laughed and waved at us when they heard us saying that they are amazing and that we are praying for them."

Blue Mountain Academy Student Ministers While Distance Learning

Ricardo Bacchus, Visitor newsletter and Visitor News Bulletin editor, interviewed Gwynavere Culpepper, a senior at Pennsylvania Conference’s Blue Mountain Academy in Hamburg, to see how her last semester of distance learning is going and what she’s doing to continue ministering to others.

Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington to Distribute Needed Diapers

Story by ACSGW staff

Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington (ACSGW) in Silver Spring, MD, has recently been designated by the Greater DC Diaper Bank as a COVID-19 crisis hub. The Greater DC Diaper Bank is partnering with ACSGW and other basic need providers in the area to help support families during the pandemic. At ACSGW the program will allow families in need to receive up to 100 diapers per visit.

Spring Valley Academy Introduces 'STEM Buddies'

Mercer Fox, a fifth-grader, holds a “fire snake” during a STEM Buddies session.

Story by Dillon Zimmerman

Ohio Conference's Spring Valley Academy (SVA) is making a concentrated effort to expand their science program this year. One route they have taken is an initiative dubbed “STEM Buddies.” The vision of STEM Buddies involves high school students sharing the knowledge they have acquired in their science courses with lower grades using a method that is both understandable and enjoyable.

How Is COVID-19 Impacting Columbia Union Business Owners?

Story by Michele Joseph, reprinted from the ASI Columbia Union Chapter’s April 2020 newsletter

Daniel Reed could do little as his business “came to a complete stop.”

As the number of positive COVID-19 tests grew and Virginia’s governor called for stricter social distancing measures, customers’ calls to Nova HomeWorks, in Sterling, went from new orders to postponements and cancellations.

Potomac Conference's Tithe Envelopes Answer Questions

Story by Tiffany Doss

When recently redesigning Potomac Conference's tithe envelopes, leaders took the opportunity to bring it life and answer common questions.

“The number one question I get asked when I visit churches throughout the conference is, ‘How is tithe distributed?’” says Tony Reyes, director for Stewardship and Planned Giving. “Since we often don’t get the opportunity to explain this to members face-to-face, we decided to use the tithe envelope as an information/education piece and provide a dynamic breakdown. We also wanted to promote different conference ministries, as well as the Adventist Giving app for those who only ‘speak mobile.’”

Watch Past Visitor News Live Episodes and Stories

How is the coronavirus impacting life, mission and ministry? How are Seventh-day Adventist members, pastors and leaders in the Columbia Union Conference coping with the disruption and uncertainty? Watch episodes of Visitor News Live to see more.

5 Ways Columbia Union Members are Creating Community

5 Ways Columbia Union Members are Creating Community

The Covid-19 pandemic seems to have overtaken every facet of life. Five Columbia Union churches are attempting to ease the heavy load and stress we’ve been carrying by virtually meeting the needs of their community.

1. Chesapeake Conference’s Highland View church in Hagerstown, Md., is delivering communion items to members’ homes Friday to virtually take part in their livestreamed communion service on Sabbath.

An Easter Message from Columbia Union President Dave Weigley

Visitor News Live: Why Are We All So Stressed Now?

“We’re in survival mode right now and it was really sudden. There wasn’t a whole lot of preparation [before the Covid-19 hit the United States], said Marissa Leslie, M.D., chair of Psychiatry at Adventist HealthCare in the Columbia Union Visitor’s “Coping in the Time of Covid-19 conversation series.

“We heard the news stories and it seemed like it was far away. It seemed like as soon as the schools closed, that is when panic set in,” shared Leslie. “And every few days a new restriction would come for public safety, but we just lost the sense of control and when you lose the sense of control psychologically you try to control something. It may be the kids online school or it may be your husband making dinner. Your body starts to feel tenser.”