Allegheny East Conference

Photo by Joel Springer

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Nellie Dakanay had been a Seventh-day Adventist before attending Allegheny East Conference’s Breath of Life church in Fort Washington, Md., but she was new to American life.

“I would not have known how to eat kale or collard greens, pastas or salads,” says Dakanay, if she hadn’t started attending Breath of Life. Originally from the Philippines, Dakanay and her family moved to the U.S. in the early 1980s. Prior to arriving to the U.S., they served as missionaries in Nigeria.

It was at the Breath of Life potlucks, in the predominantly African-American congregation, that the Dakanays learned how to cook American and vegetarian meals.

Mid Atlantic Regional Robotics Tournament

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

Allegheny East Conference’s (AEC) Department of Education will be hosting two robotics events this spring at the Jessie R. Wagner Adventist School (JRW) and Pine Forge Academy (PFA). The goal of the tournaments is to expand robotics throughout the North American Division schools and to expose students to STEM-related careers. The FIRST LEGO League Junior Showcase and Expo, held at JRW, is for kindergarten through fourth grade. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Robotics Tournament, held at PFA, is for students fourth through eighth grade. All Adventist schools are invited to participate.

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

The Allegheny East Conference (AEC) recently launched its new 24-hour prayer line, a place where constituents can leave prayer requests and concerns. Henry J. Fordham, III, conference president, greets callers and invites them to leave an audio recording, detailing their prayer request. Upon receipt, the prayer team, consisting of AEC office staff, listen to the message and pray together for the specific request.

Callers also have the option to leave their name and number for someone to call them back to pray with them over the phone. Someone will respond to these requests within 24 hours. Individuals can also email their prayer requests to prayer@aecsda.com.