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Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

Through one virtual appeal, Allegheny East Conference’s (AEC) Hispanic Ministries team baptized 214 people in six separate locations in one single weekend. In normal circumstances, AEC’s Hispanic congregations—consisting of 32 congregations and eight church plants—would worship together in one location for Fellowship Day. Due to the pandemic, however, they proceeded with a virtual joint service.

Students from the Mountain View Christian School in South Williamsport pray together.

Story by Shawn Shives

As we pray together, God promises to answer. Lives are changed, healing happens, people come to know God. Prayer is one of the most powerful things God’s people can do.

Recently, while I was leading worship at Reading Junior Academy (RJA), I was thinking about a meeting I was headed to afterward. I expected it to be a difficult appointment that wouldn’t end well. So I asked the stu- dents to pray for my meeting. They prayed for God to lead, and God heard their prayers and answered! The meeting went better than I could have ever imagined.

Story by Valerie Morikone

Tuesday morning, April 6, 2021, the Mountain View Conference (MVC) Executive Committee met to begin the work of selecting the next president, a position left vacant when Mike Hewitt accepted a call to the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference. Dave Weigley, Columbia Union Conference’s president, chaired the meeting at the Parkersburg (W.Va.) Seventh-day Adventist church. Thirteen committee members, along with department leaders prayed, discussed, and went through the names that had been submitted by MVC constituents and folks from other conferences. Elder Rick Remmers, Columbia Union Conference Executive Secretary, gave the devotional.

In Joshua 3, God promised that after the priests' feet touched the water, it was then that the water would be stopped and they’d see God had everything under control. Isn’t that the way it works sometimes? We feel the weight of the world on us, and obstacles before us seem too much to handle. But God says “If you step into the water, there’s rest on the other side.”

 

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Story by Anthony Baffi

Jonathan Carrillo joins the New Jersey Conference as the new pastor of the Camden Spanish, Pine Hill Spanish, Gibbsboro Spanish company and Mt. Holly Spanish churches.

Carrillo received his bachelor’s degree in theology from the University of Montemorelos (Mexico). He served as chaplain at the University of Navojoa and associate pastor in the Alamos church and the Central church of Navojoa before moving to pastor in the Rocky Mountain Conference.

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“And Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him’” (Matt. 8:7 NKJV).

“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented” (Matt. 8:6, NKJV), the Roman centurion said to Jesus. “But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed” (verse 8), because he believed. The story ends by saying: “And his servant was healed that same hour” (verse 13).

There are two lessons I receive from this wonderful story: First, Jesus has the power to heal no matter the severity of the illness. And second, Jesus can use anyone to bless another person who needs help.

Washington Adventist University's MusicFest 2021 "Virtual-oso Final Concert" features participating high school ensembles from around the Columbia Union schools and beyond. It culminates in a remarkable collaboration of Adolphus Hailstork's "He's Got the Whole World In His Hand."

Congrats to all the students who received music scholarships to Washington Adventist University during the event:

WGTS general manager & president Kevin Kruger announces the new station's expansion from the Ocean City boardwalk.

Story by Jerry Woods

Since 1957, WGTS 91.9 has been the message of hope to the nation’s capital. That mission is expanding, as the station just announced it’s in the process of purchasing a new, full-power signal to reach the Delmarva Peninsula of Maryland and Delaware. WGTS has signed an agreement with American University to purchase NPR affiliate 88.3, WRAU. This 50,000-watt, Class B station is licensed in Ocean City, Md.

Xavier Mouton Photographie via Unsplash

Editorial by Renee Humphreys

When my sons, Austin and Jaren, were little, they had two places of comfort and love that they readily chose. Without hesitation, they found rest in the caring and loving arms of their daddy and mommy. I still cherish the days when they would place their heads close to our hearts. It was a special place of rest and peace, initiated
by God’s love.

Burnside's Bridge at Antietam National Park, Sharpsburg, Md. Photo by Peter Chacalos on Pixabay

The weather is getting warmer—making it the perfect time to get out there and enjoy nature!

We’ve compiled a list of great Sabbath walking/hiking spots around the Columbia Union. Email your favorites to visitor@columbiaunion.net so we can add them to the list.

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