Allegheny East Conference

William Hall, Delaware Valley Area Ministerium leader, welcomes Janene and Ron Williams to the Macedonia church.

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

The Allegheny East Conference's Macedonia church in Chester, Pa., recently held a day of celebration to welcome new pastor Ronald Williams and his wife, Janene. Williams comes to the Allegheny East Conference from the Central States Conference where he served as the director of Men's Ministries and a local church pastor.  Williams has a strong commitment to community ministry and engagement, and earned a doctorate in Urban Ministry from the Theological Seminary at Andrews University (Mich.).

Robert Smith, pastor of the Allegheny East Conference’s First Church in Teaneck N.J., has assisted in recovery efforts for the last five major hurricanes over the last 30 years. And, he’s again helping victims, this time in West Virginia, where floodwaters killed at least 25 and left thousands homeless.

On Monday Smith (pictured above with members of the National Guard) and Lee Kimani (pictured below), pastor of the Angaza Sharon church in Newark, Del., arrived in Lefthand, W.Va., an area northwest of Charleston. Smith reports that they’ve knocked on doors, visited 20 churches of all faiths and have counseled 50 families, provided prayer and connected victims to FEMA and Red Cross resources.

Photo by Howard Lake on flickr

Mountain View Conference’s Adventist Community Services (ACS) staff is actively involved in coordinating relief efforts following floods in West Virginia that killed 23 people and left thousands homeless. The team is working to organize a warehouse south of Charleston, in Belle, W.Va., where victims will receive necessary items.

Belle is about 50 miles from the site of the upcoming Best Pathway to Health event where Seventh-day Adventists from around the country will converge to offer free medical care to community members.