2 | VISITOR

14

In Every Issue

3 | Editorial

4 | Newsline

9 | Resource Guide

Newsletters

25 Allegheny East

27 Chesapeake

29 Columbia Union College

31 Highland View Academy

33 Mountain View

35 Mt. Vernon Academy

37 New Jersey

39 Ohio

41 Pennsylvania

43 Potomac

45 Spencerville AdventistAcademy

47 Takoma Academy

51 | Bulletin Board

55 | Last Words

On the Web:Officers from the Columbia Union Conference recently traveled to Africa to review progress of projects funded by the Missions Abroad initiative.

■ See photos from their trip

■ Listen to their AudioVisitorinterview

www.columbiaunion.org

ContentsAUGUST 2006

About the Cover: Pennsylvaniamember Gloria Lithinwaller, whoraised granddaughter JanaGagne, now helps care for hergreat-grandchildren. Photo byDarren Modricker.

News & Features

10 | Parenting—The Second TimeAround: Why More Grandparents are Raising GrandchildrenTanisha Greenidge

Most people know someone who was raised by a grandparent.With 6 million children currently under the primary care ofgrandparents or other relatives, research reveals that this trend ison the rise in America. See how Columbia Union grandparentsare coping with parenting—the second time around.

14 | Camp Meeting Photo BlogCeleste Ryan Blyden

Camp meeting, the annual spiritual retreat coordinated by ourconferences, is just about over for another year. We visited severalcamp meetings to meet Columbia Union members and take pho-tos. In this feature, we take you there via our photo blog.

18 | Temple of Praise:Urban Church Plant Celebrates 25th AnniversarySherry English

The Temple of Praise Seventh-day Adventist Church began as anurban church plant 25 years ago. Read about this growing multi-cultural congregation of 240 members who recently celebrated asilver anniversary.

AUGUST 2006 | 3

CommunionGERALD SMALL

Giving Thanks for Grandmothers and Grandfathers

Iwould like to thank the Visitor staff for featuring grandparents in this issue.Grandparents are very special, and I would like to tell you about the differencethey made in my life. At a very young age, after my father passed away, I ended up spending a lot of

time and years living with my grandparents. And if it had not been for mygrandmother, I am not sure where I would be today.

As I look back, I realize they were not perfect—but they cared for me, lovedme, and helped me along my journey. I have happy memories of my grandfa-ther taking me into his woodworking shop and teaching me how to build birdhouses and othersmall items. It seems that grandparents have the patience for detailed activities like that, and I wasthe fortunate receiver of the benefits of working closely with adults who had time to pay attentionto a young child.

Now looking at my grandmother from my current perspective of raising my own grandchild, Ihave a new appreciation for her patience and energy. She always made me feel that I was her

favorite. Although she must have grown weary trying tokeep me from climbing over and under the pews, shealways saw to it that I got to Sabbath School and churchand learned about Jesus. She was ever faithful in keepingme involved with activities like Pathfinders andIngathering, etc. She even saw to it that I was able to go tochurch school, and after my mother passed away, she sac-rificed to send me to academy. On many occasions, I sawmy grandmother praying for me. I would hear her say thatsomeday I was going to be a preacher. It was during theseyoung years that she helped instill in me a love of Jesus.

When I was in academy I felt the call to become a min-ister. But after graduation, my journey took me severalplaces. Though I became an LPN and spent time in themilitary, I was still determined to enter the ministry. Herencouragement and support through these detours did a

lot to keep me focused on following God’s call. Oh, how happy she was when at last I was able togo to college and become a minister.

WAITING FOR THE DAYIn this last generation, more and more grandparents are being called to the responsibility of raising

grandchildren. Trying to readjust one’s plans for the slowing-down-years to include an active child isnot easy, but the joys of seeing—once again—a little one taking his/her first steps toward Jesus arerewarding. I will always be grateful to my grandmother for being here for me, and am anxiously wait-ing for the day when we can meet in the clouds and I can introduce her to my grandchildren.

Gerald Small is pastor of the Stroudsburg and Easton, Pa., churches. Read more about his family on page 12.

4 | VISITOR

NewslineLAVERNE HENDERSON

Adventist NamedChief of Procurementat National Gallery of Art

Rodney Cartwright has beenappointed the chief of procure-ment and contracts at theNational Gallery of Art inWashington, D.C. Cartwright

brings 21years of federal contractingexperiencefrom theDepartment

of the Navy, EnvironmentalProtection Agency, ResolutionTrust Corporation, FederalDeposit Insurance Corporation,and the Department of Healthand Human Services. He alsoserved in the private sector fortwo years as a contract managerwith AT&T in the FederalSystems Division where henegotiated and administeredmultimillion-dollar informationtechnology and telecommuni-cation contracts with federalcivilian agencies.

In his new role at theNational Gallery of Art,Cartwright will be responsiblefor the corporate procurementand contracts function,staffing, and the entire gallery—whose annual budget is almost $1 billion. He will oversee procurement processes for some of the world’s rarest art collections.

Cartwright, an elder atAllegheny East Conference’sCapitol Hill church in D.C.,attended Oakwood College inHuntsville, Ala., and has twodegrees from the University ofMaryland at College Park. Thenative Washingtonian lives with

his wife Debra and their 7-year-old daughter Taylor.

Church Plants toReceive GlobalMission Grants

Two church planting proj-ects in the Columbia UnionConference territory have beenapproved for grants from theGeneral Conference Office ofGlobal Mission. A total of$22,500 a year for five yearswill go to the PULSE churchplant being implemented byAdventist Community Servicesof Greater Pittsburgh and thePennsylvania Conference aspart of the Pittsburgh MetroInitiative. A grant of $8,000 ayear for three years will go tothe Harrison Mission church inthe Ohio Conference.

“Pittsburgh is one of the 25largest cities in the UnitedStates. Yetwe find only oneAdventist forevery 1,250residents,”remarkedPennsylvania president RayHartwell. “For years we havebeen praying about how toreach people in this great city.This grant will enable us to carryforth a broad community servic-es approach to ministry and laythe foundation for a churchplant in the southern part ofmetropolitan Pittsburgh.”

Ohio president Raj Attikenwas equallythrilled.Upon receiv-ing thenews, hestated: “Weare deeply

grateful to the larger Adventistcommunity for these funds andare anxious to be attentive andresponsive as God unfolds Hisblessings in making theHarrison congregation a trans-formational presence in its com-munity.” Harrison Mission is a3-year-old plant initiated byCincinnati pastor Jeba Mosesand currently led by volunteerpastor Robert Helm.

The notification of the grantscame from the North AmericanDivision to the ColumbiaUnion’s Office of CreativeMinistries, which coordinatesGlobal Mission activities withinthis eight-state region. Thesegrants are funded by offerings,direct donations, and theendowment dedicated to GlobalMission.—Monte Sahlin

Officers ReviewMissions AbroadProjects

Officers from the ColumbiaUnion Conference recently trav-eled to Africa to review progressof projects funded by theMissions Abroad initiative. InSouth Africa, they visited theAdventist Church’s newly completed GrahamstownElementary School, which usedto have 60 students but nowenrolls more than 300. In TheGambia, they visited EbenezerAcademy where funds are beingused to erect a science buildingthat will help the schoolupgrade its curriculum. Theleaders also went to Ghana’sValley View University whereMissions Abroad is funding anew classroom for nurses.

Before heading home theystopped in Liberia, a countrydevastated by years of civil war,

Newsline

to assess need. “The conditionswere deplorable and it broke myheart,” said treasurer Seth Bardu(pictured below), who recalls thatthere was no electricity or run-ning water, not even at CooperAdventist Hospital. Despite theirplight, executive secretary NevilleHarcombe says the people keepsmiles on their faces. “Their spiritis resilient; now that they havepeace, they have hope.” The

team, which included formerunion president Harold Lee,donated Missions Abroad fundsand three computers to the hospital. To see photos, visitwww.columbiaunion.org.—Celeste Ryan Blyden

Kettering Donates$50,000 to OakwoodCollege Institute

The Bradford-Cleveland-BrooksInstitute (BCBI) for ContinuingEducation in Ministry recentlyreceived a $50,000 gift fromKettering Adventist HealthCare(KAHC). The monies were donat-ed in honor of the work andministry of Harold and BarbaraLee. Harold recently retired asColumbia Union Conferencepresident. The gift is earmarkedfor an addition to the BCBI,which is located on the campusof Oakwood College inHuntsville, Ala. “In the years tocome, it is hoped that this giftwill become a reminder to futurestudents and staff of the dedica-tion and tireless efforts of Dr. and

Mrs. Lee,”said FrankPerez, presi-dent andCEO ofKAHC.

Theannouncement was made duringthe recent constituency sessionwhere Oakwood president DelbertBaker expressed appreciation onbehalf of the institute’s name-sakes—Charles Bradford, E. EarlCleveland, and Charles Brooks.

Children’s MinistriesLeaders Join Forces

Columbia Union ConferenceChildren’s Ministries (CM) lead-ers (pictured below) recently metat the union headquarters.Barbara Manspeaker, PotomacConference and Columbia UnionCM director, chaired the meet-ing. According to Manspeaker,the purposes of the meeting wereteam building and to discussways of collaborating on futureprojects. “We came together toshare ideas on things that areworking and express our needson things that aren’t,” she said.

“We also came up with a visionproposal of several items for pos-sible implementation.” Onemajor project will involve joint-training efforts, in central loca-tions, to enable leaders to com-plete their Children’s Ministriescertification. Manspeaker alsoplans to develop a “challenge toexcellence in ministry” seminarfor presenters and lay people.

Prison MinistriesCongress Planned

The Creative Ministries office of the Columbia UnionConference will host a PrisonMinistries (PM) Congress onSabbath, October 28. The event,which will take place at theunion headquarters, is beingplanned by representatives of thePrison Ministry Organization ofthe Potomac Conference and thePrison Ministry Federation of theAllegheny East Conference—theunion’s two PM organizations.The congress is open to anyoneinterested or involved in PrisonMinistries. For more information,or to pre-register, call (800) 438-9600.—Monte Sahlin

Clockwise from top left: Katherine Walton, Allegheny East; CarolineSupensky-Lesko, Ohio; Barbara Manspeaker, Potomac; Lynda Cortes,New Jersey; Jasmine Johnson, Allegheny East; and Julie Cassell,Pennsylvania, are joining forces to enhance Children’s Ministries.

AUGUST 2006 | 5

PotluckCELESTE RYAN BLYDEN

What’s New?

Media >Adventist Churches on Television

A year ago Chesapeake’s Baltimore First church pastor BenBoggess was surprised to get a call from the local television sta-tion representative. She was looking for churches that wanted, fora fee, to broadcast messages of hope. She explained that she’dbeen assigned to call only churches listed in the Yellow Pages withads in bold-faced type. “But our ad isn’t in bold type,” PastorBoggess pointed out. Sure enough, upon second glance, the callerrealized that she’d called the Adventist church by mistake. ButPastor Boggess knew it was no accident. He accepted her offer

and set about finding the funds tomake it happen. With a generousdonation, Take His Word recentlybegan airing every Sunday (9 a.m.)and Wednesday (10:30 a.m.) on Fox’sdigital cable channel 206, whichreaches 400,000 subscribers. The 30-minute small group format, which isdesigned to “proclaim God’s truth,”features Pastor Boggess discussingvarious Bible topics with churchmembers and guests.

Not only did Pastor Boggess secure a program for his church,but he also referred the television rep to Allegheny East’s MiracleTemple church, pastored by Fredrick Russell. For Russell, this callhelped make a long-time dream come true. “We designed our wor-ship center for television,” he says. “Three years ago, our churchengaged in vision-casting that resulted in a goal to use televisionto reach themasses.” They’restarting by tar-geting the 2.4million peoplewho watchBaltimore’sWB54 eachSunday morningat 7 a.m., as wellas those whocan view cablechannel 14.Russell says TheEncounter withFredrick Russell, a professional-quality show produced by churchmembers, is a “teaching ministry” that he hopes to take to thestreets with interviews and on-location preaching.

6 | VISITOR

Only anAdventist …Absolutely lives for theannual ABC sale at campmeeting where they stockup on cases of SwissStake, Smoked TurkeyRoll, Wham, GrillersPrime, Fri-Chik, BigFranks, Dinner Roast, andnumerous other meatlessproducts with funnynames. Thoughall derived fromsoybeans (and salt?), they are thelifeblood ofevery successfulSabbath potluck!

WholeHealth

The Skinny onSupplements

Are you one of the millionsof Americans who trust vita-mins and other dietary supple-ments to improve your healthand decrease risk for disease?

Recent large-scale clinicaltrials on dietary supplementshave been disappointing andleave us confused aboutincluding them in our diets.Saw Palmetto was not found toaffect prostate health. B vita-mins don’t appear to lower therisk of heart attack and stroke.Glucosamine and ChondroitinSulfate don’t relieve knee pain for most people withosteoarthritis. Echinacea doesn’tappear to provide relief from

the common cold. In otherwords, these supplements

failed to show the ben-efits we believed

they offered.So, what’s

the bottomline? Although

these findingsseem disappointing,

they aren’t reason to throw out the supplements. But theydo underscore somethingAdventists have touted all

along: the importance ofhealthy eating. So mom wasright when she said, “Eat yourgreens,” because food remainsthe best source of essentialvitamins, minerals, antioxi-dants, and other nutrients.Supplement your daily dietwith a substantial dose of col-orful plant foods, and be sureto review your need for dietarysupplements with your health-care provider.—Lilly Tryon, BSN,RN, Adventist WholeHealth

AUGUST 2006 | 7

What You Bring to the Table

In the Spotlight >Erica KeithHallmark Card Designer

When God joins two people together, there’s a sweetsureness about their love that warms everyone aroundthem with its light. You two have that radiant glow, andit’s shining especially bright as you consecrateyour oneness in marriage …

These are lines from a newHallmark greeting card recent-

ly designed by an Adventist. Erica(Hall) Keith (pictured), a 1996 grad-uate of Allegheny East’s Pine ForgeAcademy, and writer Dierdra Zollarrecently teamed up to create 52 inspi-rational cards for “Uplifted!,” part of thecompany’s Mahogany line.

“When Dierdra and I were asked to be a part of this line, I asked her if we could pray to thank God forthis opportunity, to [ask Him] to bless this project, and [to ask Him to help us] be a witness and a spiritu-al influence to all consumers,” said Keith, who has been with Hallmark since graduating from TempleUniversity in 2002.

Both ladies say they pulled from personal experiences andfriendships to create the greetings for birthdays, relation-ships, appreciation, and more. The cards were placed instores May 1, and will be available through the summer. Ifthey sell well, they could become a permanent part of theMahogany line.

Look for profiles of Keith and Zollar on the back of eachcard. “Rarely does Hallmark feature a writer and designer onits cards,” says Keith, a former member of Philly’sGermantown church.—Beth Michaels

Keeping Score

125,000Total number of surveys needed for Adventist

Health Study-2

91,462Number completed

(73% of goal)

17,430Number of surveys

needed from Columbia Union members

10,087Number completed

(58% of goal)

Learn more and track our progress atwww.adventisthealthstudy.org.

AUGUST 2006 | 9

Resource GuideNORMA SAHLIN

of the families in our church.Featured are a plethora ofresources to build and maintainfamily treasures such as respect,togetherness, marriage, love, par-enting, relationships, and more.

Churches will gain insight onhow to meet the needs of chil-dren, teenagers, singles, couples,mature adults,and makingthe most ofeach person inthe family ofGod. Includedare steward-ship principlesinvolved inthe day-to-day activities of thefamily, sermon and seminar mate-rials, children’s stories, and muchmore to encourage the ministry ofkeeping families healthy.

To order this resource, at$14.95, contact AdventSourceat www.adventsource.org or (800) 328-0525.

When most people think ofmanaging God’s resources,

or being a good steward, theyautomatically think about money.But it’s more than that. How wemanage or spend our time is justas important. Do we spendenough quality time with ourfamilies, nurturing and preparingthem for God’s kingdom?

Family relationships are oneof the most important responsi-bilities given to us by God.That’s why Managing God’sResources at Home: 2006 FamilyMinistries Planbook was devel-oped by Karen and Ron Flowers,Family Ministries directors forthe Seventh-day AdventistChurch. The way we managethese relationships provides fruitin the way our marriages, ourchildren, and our interpersonalrelationships develop.

This book gives insight andideas on how to balance the dailytasks and pressures of taking care

Managing God’s Resources at Home:2006 Family Ministries Planbook

Bible Graphics StudioAuthor: David Gemmell

Bible Graphics Studio is apowerful yet easy-to-use

graphics factory designed tohelp busy pastors and worshipleaders quickly produce custom-projected graphics. RealisticBible photographs, an intuitivecatalog, a variety of templates,and thousands of graphics makethis a unique graphics library.The powerful search engineallows for searches of Bible char-acters, character grouping, Bibletexts, emotions, backdrops andforegrounds, scalable design ele-ments, action, and objects.

The set includes more than1,200 unique realistic Bible char-acter photographs, hundreds ofstylistically diverse backgroundtemplates, anddozens oforiginalmovie clipsto provide infinite pro-fessional tem-plate designswith your ownpresentation soft-ware. It includes video andgraphic elements for PowerPoint.Lots of tutorials make it easy toquickly learn how to mix ele-ments together for stunning pre-sentations with little effort!

Publisher: Vervant ProductionsPrice: $299To order: (800) 328-0525 orwww.adventsource.org

Giving Through Shared VisionAuthor: Harold L. Lee

Money follows mission. What is God askingyour church to do in the community to

spread the gospel? If your church knows whatthat mission is, your stewardship education workis made considerably easier. This resource pro-vides worksheets to guide your church board, and other planningcommittees, in writing a mission/vision statement, stewardship objectives, and action plans.

Publisher: AdventSourcePrice: $5.95 (Leadership Guide)Price: $1.95 (Participant’s Guide)To order: (800) 328-0525 or www.adventsource.org

Most people know someone who wasraised by a grandparent. While it’s not atall unusual, research reveals that thistrend is on the rise in America.

According to the Association for the Advancementof Retired People (AARP), 6 million children arecurrently under the primary care of grandparents orother relatives. That’s up from 3.9 million in 2000.

Data from the 2000 U.S. Census identified 2.4million grandparents caring for grandchildren.Of these, nearly half (47%) were Caucasian,

29 percent were African-American, 17 percent were

Hispanic/Latino, 3 percent were Asian,and 2 percent wereAmerican Indian or AlaskanNative. A third (34%) of thesegrandparents live in households with-out the children’s parents, 71 percent are underthe age of 60, and 19 percent live in poverty.

WHY THE INCREASE?Why is this happening? “As the children’s par-

ents struggle with substance abuse, mental illness,incarceration, economic hardship, divorce, domes-tic violence, and other challenges, these caregiversprovide a vital safety net to children inside andoutside of the foster care system,” an AARPspokesman reports.

Minnie McNeil, a departmental directorfor Allegheny East Conference (AEC) agrees:“The indicators of a moderate to high per-centage of grandparents raising grandchil-dren are communities where parents havebeen incarcerated, infected with HIV/AIDS, or

debilitated by alcohol or drug addictions. Theseenvironments often report a high incidence ofpremature death, causing grandparents to becomepermanent parents,” she explains.

Esther Johnson is one such grandparent. The60-year-old grandmother, a member of AEC’sCoatesville (Pa.) congregation, is raising her 15-and 11-year-old granddaughters, and 10-year-oldgrandson because their mother is drug-addicted.So, too, was the daughter of PennsylvaniaConference pastor Gerald Small during her preg-nancy. Now Small and his wife Linda have cus-tody of their 16-month-old grandson while hismother works to rebuild her life.

There are other reasons grandparents raise“grands.” Gloria Lithinwaller reared Jana Gagne,who attends the Reading Kenhorst church in

THE BOOKERS

For the last 10 years, AlleghenyWest Conference pastor andFamily Ministries director AlfredBooker and his wife Louise haveraised two grandchildren. “I some-times say our daughter is living our livesand we are living hers,” states Booker, 64, whopastors the Central church in Columbus. His grand-children live with him because their rural southerntown lacks opportunities. “I take them to work andschool; they’re actually like my children,” heexplains. He appreciates the thoughtful churchmembers who send care packages to an oldergrandchild who is away at college, give money, andvolunteer to babysit for a few hours or overnight.

Tanisha Greenidge

The

Secon

dTim

e Around

PARENTING

In addition, there’s a generational gap to con-sider. “This is an entirely different generation,”Johnson says. “Sometimes I have to deal withrebellion. I spoke to a psychologist and learnedthat because they love their mom, they sometimesmistreat the one who actually cares for them.” Shesays it can be frustrating and that she doesn’t havethe freedom to come and go as she’d like. “Thenthere are times when they tell you how much theylove you, and you just meltand forget all aboutyour strug-gles,” shesayswith a

Pennsylvania, because her mother was unable tocare for her. “My grandmother took me in to keepthe state from taking me away,” says the 27-year-old married mother of two, who didn’t meet herfather until she was older. “It was hard whenother kids would ask why I didn’t have a momand dad. I would say ‘I live with my grandmotherbecause my mother can’t take care of me.’”

Now 75, Grandma Lithinwaller acts as the day-time provider for her 3-year-old great-grandsonand 6-year-old great-granddaughter while theirparents work. That’s another reason grandparentsoften help out—two-career households are thechosen or required norm for many families. “I feellike the Lord put me here for a purpose,” saysLithinwaller who has four children, 14 grandchil-dren, and 12 great-grandchildren. “He gave me abig house, so I do what I can.”

Providing a better opportunity or education isanother reason grandparents take in grandchil-dren. That’s the case of Allegheny WestConference pastor Alfred Booker and his wifeLouise of Columbus, Ohio. His two grandchildrenlive with him because their rural southern townlacks opportunities.

JOYS AND CHALLENGESWhatever the reason, it’s evident that the num-

ber of grandparents taking on the role of parentsfor the second time is increasing in and out of thechurch. And for many families involved, the expe-rience provides much-needed stability and love.

“We’re very close,” says Gagne of her relation-ship with Lithinwaller. She advises grandchildrenin her position to understand that their grandpar-ents’ care stems from love. “The fact that some-one would invest their time, energy, andfinances—when they don’t have to—means thatthey love you very, very much,” she says.

Love is also what motivates Johnson. “They keepme from pitying myself and give me a reason to getup each morning,” says the mother of three andgrandmother of seven who suffers from arthritis.

But rearing the grands is not without chal-lenges. “God gave grandparents instinctive andspecific roles in the family unit that include, butare not limited to, advising, assisting, nurturing,and providing balance,” McNeil explains. Thoughsome grandparents take on the role of parents,they still maintain the grandparenting role, adichotomy she calls “challenging at best.”

Why More Grandparentsare RaisingGrandchildren

AUGUST 2006 | 11

smile in her voice. “I just want other grandparentsto stick with it no matter what.”

CHURCH SUPPORTHelping grandparents stick with it is the reason

McNeil recently organized a program called ROC(Raising Others’ Children). Under the theme“Raising Children in Troubled Times,” it includedweekly support group meetings, monthly work-shops, and five parenting courses on chores, argu-ing, lying, temper tantrums, and fighting.Meetings were held at AEC’s W.C. AtkinsonCenter in Coatesville, Pa. and offered free to thecommunity. “It was good to discuss differentissues with other grandparents,” said Johnson,who was one of the 14 to 18 attendees at eachmeeting that included babysitting services.Recreational and cultural activities for the chil-dren and caregivers, and assistance with paper-work and transportation were also provided. Butperhaps the most crucial elements were the refer-rals to hospitals, health clinics, and physicians;Narcotics Anonymous and AlcoholicsAnonymous; legal agencies; children and youthservices; and family services organizations,churches, and schools.

HOW YOU CAN HELPWhat can members do to minister to the second-

time parents in their congregation? McNeil says it’simportant to remain nonjudgmental. The lastthings grandparents want to hear are, “Why don’tyou put those children in foster care?” or “Don’t letyour [adult] kids take advantage of you; make thempay a babysitter so that you can live your life.”

Instead she suggests these positive ways to

lend support:

For more information on this topic, visit www.grandparentsforchildren.org.

Tanisha Greenidge is public relations specialist atColumbia Union College in Takoma Park, Md.

THE JONESES

Sue Jones* has two adult children and twograndchildren. Her youngest daughter is 23and has a 3-year-old girl. They both live withJones. “I feel okay helping her take care of herchild,” says Jones, who works as a nurse. Herdaughter is a college student, and they bothjuggle their schedules to care for the toddler.Jones would like to see local churches offersupport groups and programs to help parentstake better care of their children.

*Sue Jones is a pseudonym.

THE SMALLS

Pastor Gerald Smalland his wife Linda,both in their late 50s,have legal custody of their 16-month-oldgrandson Dylan. “He’s ahandful, but he’s a joy,” saidSmall, who pastors the Stroudsburg and Eastonchurches for the Pennsylvania Conference.Their daughter was addicted to drugs until latein her pregnancy, but, miraculously, Dylan wasborn without complications. His mom now livesin another state and is trying to put her life backtogether. “Our churches really need to findways of ministering to parents who have chil-dren out of wedlock and to grandparents whoare raising a new generation,” Small suggests.

• Provide a listening ear

• Drop by with a casserole

• Offer tutoring

• Include the children in your family outings

• Offer to babysit or host sleepovers

• Take teenagers shopping or to the mall

• Transport youngsters to and from Adventurer or Pathfinder meetings

• Offer sincere encouragement and accolades to the children

14 | VISITOR

I believeJesussaved my

life because Hehas something Heneeds me to do.—Expedito Vasquez

1. Family Worship There was something for everyone at thisPennsylvania (PA) favorite.It was very inclusive andsomewhat reminiscent ofan Adventist talent show.

2. Cheap Eats Where else can you gethaystacks for $2.50; corndogs for a buck; andBelgian waffles withstrawberries and icecream for supper!?!

3. Prayer Wall On the “throne room” wall at PA, attendeeswrote prayer requests andwords of encouragementfor others.

10TORemember

a

AUGUST 2006 | 15

CAMP MEETING PHOTO BLOGWe are soldiers, in the army/We have to fight, although we have to die/We haveto hold up the bloodstained banner/We have to hold it up until we die. …

I’m not sure where that song came from or who wroteit. I just know that I grew up singing it, and a dozenother songs, at the top of my lungs in the youth tent atcamp meeting. Every year without fail, my family—donning new Sabbath outfits, shoes, and hats (yeshats!)—arose early to journey to the “woods” to be withthousands of Adventists who, in similar high fashion

and despite record heat, came from everywhere for good preaching, music,food, and fellowship. My mother would stay up two nights in a row makingour favorites—crispy-fried Fri-Chik, peas and rice, macaroni salad, potatosalad, eggplant parmesan, and pound cake. After service we, like everybodyelse, would gather under the shade of tall maple trees to feast out of the trunkof our car. Late in the evening following the afternoon programs, ordinationservices, baptisms in the lake, and youth Bible Bowl competitions, we’d pileinto the car and head home—dusty, hoarse, exhausted,and wishing next year was next week! ■ I still love campmeeting. This year I visited five of the eight camp meet-ings sponsored by our conferences and enjoyed everyminute. Though each was unique in terms of program-ming, location, and traditions, all had something incommon—wonderful people who love the Lord.

Meet my newFriends - The followingpages feature people I met at camp meeting.Read their stories andtestimonies, and learnabout their unique ministries.

a. Roughing It: Dawn Cox, who startedattending camp meeting at age 5, nowbrings her sons Dawson, 9, and James, 5.The Everett (Pa.) church member says sheenjoys bunking in “Tent City” where shecooks on a portable grill, sleeps on a metal-framed bed, and hangs out with friends.She generously invited me to her digs for a lunch of burgers and fruit.

b. If it Ain’t Broke: Every Sunday since the1960s, Worthington (Ohio) church deaconDavid Ruth has been making sandwiches forhomeless people in Columbus. Street Beatministry involves teams of three to five mem-bers who gather in the church basement at7:30 a.m. to make sandwiches. Their not-so-secret recipe calls for ground Big Franks orSuperlinks mixed with mayo and pickle relish.“Some weeks we do egg salad or sloppyjoes,” Ruth says, “but mostly, we’ve stuck to this recipe for 40 years.”

c. Using Her Hands: When Kettering (Ohio)church member Diane Leach was asked touse her sewing ability to make baby gowns,hats, memory books, and felt bears for “pre-mies” and stillborn babies at Kettering MedicalCenter, she agreed for two reasons: Sheexperienced the loss of a child who was justthree months old, and it only required the useof her hands. “My hands aren’t disabled,”explains the volunteer who gets around in amobility scooter. “This ministry allows me togive of myself to something I know the momswill treasure. I’ve been through it so I under-stand.” In two years, she and three othershave made hundreds of outfits to comfortgrieving mothers they never meet.

Celeste Ryan Blyden

b

c

4. Women’s Tea From the crustless creamcheese and cucumbersandwiches to the scones,Godiva chocolates, andtea, this was a first-classexperience for Ohio’s sisters in Christ.

5. “That was Sweet!” So said Ohio’s CindyHallett about Soul Café, a breakfast Bible study. Itwasn’t because of the freedanish and juice, but thedaily spiritual discussionsthat fed her soul.

6. Picnic at Pine Forge In every nook and cranny,AEC members broke out thepicnic gear. Coolers, blan-kets, tables, portable chairs,and mini stoves werepacked in the car. Wherethere’s a will ...

16 | VISITOR

d. All Dressed Up: For nearly a decade, Ohio parents have been send-ing their little ones to children’s camp meeting in hopes that they’ll get tohear and act out Bible stories told by the talented and seemingly agelessLettie Ondrizek (back row, center). This Barberton church member sewscostumes, makes props, and paints elaborate backdrops that aredesigned to help kids walk in the shoes of David, Joseph, Moses, andmany other characters.

e. Miracle Man: “I was a mess, then I became a miracle, and now I’m ona mission,” says Xenia (Ohio) member Billy Stroder (seated, center). AnAdventist for only two years, Stroder has overcome drug addiction, incar-

ceration, homelessness, and the lossof family members. He now volunteerswith substance abuse organizations,leads three Bible study groups, andeven preaches in church. All of this isan answer to prayer for Stroder’s child-hood friend and current pastor, WilliamRichardson (pictured with his wife),who directly appealed to Stroder toattend church and accept Christ.“You’re wasting your life,” Richardsonrecalls telling him. “You need to preachthe gospel.” Stroder agreed and

recently completed a Bible worker training program. Already two friends hecontacted have been baptized, and he’s on a mission to reach others.

f. Answered Prayer: They’re known among Allegheny West (AWC)Adventists as the couple who makes delicious vegetarian meatballs, Cajunpasta, mushroom burgers, and more. But what many don’t know is howDavid and Harriett Harmon joined the Ephesus church in Columbus. “Foryears my neighbor, Dorothy Patterson Gregory, kept asking me to come tochurch,” Harriett recalls. “In 1991, after I received a flyer for the RevelationSeminar, I went and was soon baptized. I started going to Sabbath School

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AUGUST 2006 | 17

and prayed that my husband would join me.” In time, thepeople and their prayers won him over. “He started thinkingthese have to be God’s people because they’re so warm andfriendly,” Harriett smiles. Two years later he and their daughterwere also baptized. David, a chef, soon tried his hand at veg-etarian cooking and now caters many weddings, churchevents, and camp meeting meals, etc.

g. Mission-driven: These Glenville “Super Stars” fromCleveland proudly participated in the Pathfinder parade atAWC Camp Meeting. This month they’re in Mississippi help-ing residents affected by Hurricane Katrina rebuild theirhomes and lives.

h. Pathfinder Pioneer: Meet Euliss W. Bailey, a member ofMiddletown, Ohio’s Berea church. He is credited with bring-ing Pathfinders to AWC over 50 years ago. During histenure, AWC had 18-20 clubs with almost 800 Pathfinders.

i. Theme Song: When Pastor Homero Salazar of theWashington Spanish church in Silver Spring, Md., arrived atPotomac Spanish Camp Meeting, he discovered they didn’thave a theme song. So overnight the gifted preacher andmusician composed “Lo Importante es Jesus,” to go alongwith the conference’s theme “It’s All About Jesus.”

j. Not ’Til You Bless Me: Eighteen months ago, José Diazdel Valle (pictured right) of the Glenmont (Md.) Spanish con-gregation became an Adventist. He soon began hosting“hogar iglesia” (home church) on weeknights. Though hetried to share his newfound faith, no one came to Christthrough his efforts. “One day I was very discouraged andtold the Lord that I wouldn’t eat or drink until He blessedme with a convert,” he recalls. “That very day MauricioPineda (left) accepted Christ. He was baptized in March.”

k. Tea Time With God: Ladies from across Ohio—includingMadison member Kayla Matta—wore hats, gloves, and smilesat the annual Women’s Tea, organized by Lucy Cisneros andher Women’s Ministries team.

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8. Drum Corps Pathfinders led the paradeto the youth pavilion whereAWC members enjoyedtop-notch drum corps per-formances and the dedica-tion of the new facility.

9. Not a Pup Tent Potomac’s huge white tent gleamed in the sun as Hispanic members worshipped and celebrated the baptism of 45 newmembers.

10. 50 Years Sandusky members Jimand Lynetta King picturedoutside their huge gray RV(recreational vehicle), havebeen coming to Ohio CampMeeting for 50 years.

18 | VISITOR

At the crest of the hill at 1985 Green Roadsits “the warmest church in Cleveland,Ohio.” Temple of Praise Seventh-day

Adventist Church began as an urban church plant25 years ago in the Allegheny West Conference.With approximately 240 members, the congrega-tion recently celebrated its silver anniversary. Themulticultural congregation espouses a mission toprovide programs and services for every memberand the community.

Temple of Praise was organized January 5, 1980,as an outgrowth of two tent efforts held by pas-tors Jerry Lee in 1978 and Harold Brewer in 1979.Originally named the East Cleveland church,there were only 42 members. The little group“took off” as members were quickly put to work.In fact, they laughingly recall that there weremore members dedicated as officers than were sit-ting in the pews on their first Sabbath! Today,Clara Light, a founding member, holds the dis-tinction of being the first female elder.

The fledgling flock rented the St. Paul EpiscopalChurch for several years. As they grew, they pur-chased their first building at 2250 Noble Road in1983 and changed their name to ClevelandHeights Adventist Church. After moving to thecurrent location in 1988, and holding their firstservice January 7, 1989, they became Temple ofPraise in the late 90s.

MEMBERS AND PASTORS ADD FLAVORTemple of Praise’s list of former shepherds reads

like a history book of Adventist pastors. HaroldBrewer, Tyrone Phillips, Freddie Russell, JoelJohnson, Herman White, and Leighton Palmer eachhad specific gifts and leadership styles. Current pas-tor Edward Brown continues the legacy. “We targetall groups in our church with programs designed justfor them,” says Pastor Brown. “Different pastorsbring their own flavor,” states Marva Hampton, a 16-year member and the church clerk. “We’ve beenblessed with a lively, vibrant worship service. Thanksto all of them, it keeps getting better and better.”

A visit to Temple of Praise is an experience inmulticultural worship. Members come from ninecountries, including Kenya, Jamaica, St. Croix, andCanada. Yet everyone comments on the strongsense of family. “People at Temple of Praise are lov-ing,” says Conrad Williams, a seasoned seniorfrom Canada who’s new to Adventism. Carol Ross,a member for 21 years, agrees. “I got distracted bythe world and lost track of what was most impor-tant,” says Ross, who left the Adventist churchtemporarily. “My love for Jesus brought me back toTemple of Praise. It’s very family-oriented andfriendly; everyone is welcomed and accepted.”

From 42 members to 240, how does this thriv-ing church plant continue to grow? Friendshipevangelism is the key, says Pathfinder leaderAnthony Clemons. A former Baptist, he and hiswife worshipped on both Sabbath and Sunday torespect each other’s faith once she became anAdventist. Although Clemons wasn’t baptized formany years, he came each Sabbath, singing in the

Church ProfileSHERRY ENGLISH

Pastor Edward Brown and his wife Minnie strive to involve allmembers in programs and ministries.

Temple of PraiseUrban Church Plant Celebrates 25th Anniversary

male chorus, helping around church, and attend-ing programs. “The fellowship was great,” he says.“Yes, we meet on Sabbath and often have lunchtogether, but we also connect with each otherthroughout the week. This is what drew me intothis church.” Four years later he loves his work asa Pathfinder leader who encourages the kids toparticipate in community outreach activities.

In contrast, Nozburn Ellington has been anAdventist for 40 years—the last 10 at Temple ofPraise. “My wife’s sister is here, and we wanted toworship with her and her family,” he states.“Temple of Praise is a smaller church, which meansthere’s more time to fellowship, get to know thenames of each member, and participate in churchprograms.” Ellington serves as elder, finance com-mittee chairperson, and Religious Liberty secretary.

A CHILD SHALL LEAD THEMTemple of Praise boasts a variety of successful

children’s programs, starting with the Pathfinders.Over two-thirds of their group hails from thecommunity. “Our kids have witnessed to theirfriends and influenced them to come,” saysClemons. “Now 11 community children spendtheir afternoons at Pathfinder meetings; it’s amaz-ing!” The Adventurers program is experiencingsimilar results. “Most of our kids are notAdventists,” says Beven Simmons, an Adventistfor 15 years and a 10-year Temple of Praise mem-ber. The youngsters have visited local nursinghomes, and distributed socks and served meals atthe City Mission for the homeless. “What makes

our program special is that parents are committedand serve as counselors,” Simmons continues.

Sabbath School is also expanding, according toKim Davis, Sabbath School Council member andkindergarten teacher. A member for 23 years, hermother is a charter member. “Our teachers andclassmates connect regularly with missing mem-bers,” she notes. They send hello, miss you, orbirthday cards, and call members. The result isbigger classes and more teachers.

Following Sabbath School, the younger mem-bers enjoy Children’s Church on each second andfourth Sabbath. The children/youth program alsoincludes socials, bonfires, lock-ins, camp outs,yard sales, and Vacation Bible School (VBS). Lastyear, nine children were baptized through VBS!

The church has also implemented CommunityGuest Day. Last year’s honoree was JoanSouthgate, a 70-year-old woman who walked theUnderground Railroad from Ohio to Canada.There’s also the Elijah Movement—a street cornerministry—and Women’s Ministries.

Through these and other ministries and evangel-ism efforts, Pastor Brown aims to increase member-ship to 300. With “Every talent (or ministry) is wel-come here!” as their mantra, Temple of Praiseshould easily meet that goal. Brown’s wife Minniesums it up well: “Whatever gift He has given is forministry. When you leave you should be preparedto minister, because every aspect of life is ministry.”

Sherry English is the director of College Relations atthe University of Cincinnati College of Law.

Church Profile

Temple of Praise’s youngest members enjoy Children’s Churchevery second and fourth Sabbath.

Graduates of a recent Revelation Seminar proudly display theircertificates.

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AUGUST 2006 | 25

Pastor Samuel G. Campbell (pictured with his wife Vilma) has devoted his life toleading others to Christ. As he retires from his current dual position of Ministerial

director for AEC and senior pastor for Church of the Oranges in Orange, N.J., wewant to review some of the many ways he has served the Adventist Church: ■ Bible and history teacher and interim principal at Kingsway High School and itinerant preacher in the city of Kingston, Jamaica.■ Youth director and Education superintendent for the East Jamaica Conference ■ Math teacher for Worcester Public Schools (Mich.). ■ Bible and photography teacher and vice principal at Pine Forge Academy (PFA),

and pastor of a new church that he helped build there. ■ Pastor of the West Philadelphia church.■ Elected area leader for the Delaware Valley and an ex-officio member of the Conference Executive Committee.■ In 1994 he was asked to pastor Church of the Oranges, and also served as area leader for Northern New Jerseyuntil 2000, when he was elected into his current position.

“The Lord has truly blessed the work here at Church of the Oranges. We have seen over 200 souls baptized,and tithe grew from $300,000 to $70,000 short of a million dollars in 2005,” said Campbell. He added, “AsMinisterial director, I have had the good fortune to rub shoulders, to counsel, to advise, and to fellowship with mycolleagues in ministry. These experiences I will cherish and remember in retirement.”

The Campbells will be moving to Apopka, Fla., “where we will continue to be active in the Lord’s work as vol-unteers specializing in small group ministry, do some traveling, spend time with our grandchildren, and perfect myhobby—photography,” Campbell said.—Beth Michaels

Welcome to New Conference Staff

Farewell to Pastor Sam Campbell

Pastor Colin W. Brathwaite, Jr.(pictured), is the new director ofMinistry Development andCoordination at the AlleghenyEast Conference (AEC). The posi-tion, which he started last month,is a combination of personal min-istries, development, and evan-gelistic outreach.

“My goal in this new position is to make the churchmore ministry minded,” says the pastor who plans to alsoreach people outside the Adventist Church. He added, “Iwould like to develop the church’s spiritual gifts.”

Since starting his pastoral ministry at BereaTemple in Baltimore in 1978, Brathwaite has sinceministered to churches in West Virginia, Virginia, andWashington, D.C., where he served as administrativepastor of Dupont Park church.

Brathwaite himself received a BA in Theology andlater a Masters of Divinity at Andrews University(Mich.). He has been married for more than 25 years toJeanie Potter. Their daughter Courtney is a senior atOakwood College (Ala.).—Marcia D. Omondi

S. Peter Campbell Sr. (pictured),also started in July as the newMinisterial director. Campbelltakes over this position fromPastor Sam Campbell (no rela-tion), who is retiring.

“My goal is to facilitate thekeeping of the spiritual focus ofour ministers, and to help them become even better atgiving service to their membership,” said Campbell.

Campbell is the pastor of the West Philadelphia church,where he has been serving for the past seven-plus years.He has a total of 37 years of service in the church, includ-ing pastoring in Bahamas, Jamaica, Delaware, Maryland,New Jersey, and Dupont Park church in Washington, D.C.He is a former teacher and principal of a high school inWest Indies, and also served as youth and stewardshipdirector in the Cayman Islands.

Campbell graduated from West Indies College, and thenfrom Andrews University with a MA in Religion. He has beenmarried for 37 years to Joanne, and they have three grownchildren: S. Peter II, Andre, and Stacy.—Beth Michaels

AUGUST 2006

26 | VISITOR

Pine Forge Academy Gets First-Ever Renovations

Nearly 30 ladies from the Sharon church inBaltimore got together to build, strengthen, and

renew their relationships during a recent weekendexcursion sponsored by the Women’s MinistriesDepartment. They got to bond and relax at a luxury

home called“Unforgettable” in the GarrettCountyMountains ofDeep Creek, Md.

Robin Scott-Lyles, Women’sMinistries leader,

kicked off the festivities with a crafts project of deco-rating prayer boxes. We also sang songs of praise,worshiped with the members of the Mountaintopchurch, held a fashion show, watched a movie, andenjoyed many other fun activities.—Marcia D. Omondi

Sharon Church Women Enjoy a Weekend Away

With help from Maranatha Volunteers Internationaland numerous other participants, Pine Forge

Academy leaders spent more than two weeks in Junedoing the first-ever renovations to its 50-year-oldadministration building J.H. Wagner Hall.

Thirteen people from Maranatha, and 80 alumni andcommunity volunteers took part in implementing thefirst phase of renovations for the historic school. Therenovations are part of a capital campaign project val-ued at more than $1 million.

The repairs covered in the first phase include centralair conditioning and a new heating system, new win-dows, new flooring, bathrooms made handicappedaccessible, new lockers, additional storage, remodeled

classrooms withbuilt-in teacherstations, renovat-ed science labs,and wiring forclassrooms tohave smartboards and com-puter access.

“We had a vol-unteer come whowas here whenthe schoolopened in 1946.

She came on two occasions and worked like a Trojan.Her name is Gloria Boyd Davis, from the Class of1949,” said Cynthia Poole-Gibson, PFA principal.

Poole reports that although the renovations arenot yet completed, they have remained close to their

budget. “We willneed an enclaveof volunteers torestore the furni-ture and boxes tothe classroomsbefore we go tothe teachers convention inNashville, August6-9,” she states.

Phase II of theschool project isscheduled to takeplace in June 2007, with a financial boost from theschool’s first-ever federal grant. Congressman JimGerlach recently hand-delivered the $200,000 check tothe school, which will be used to construct the firstaddition to the campus since it was established in1946. The Paul R. Jones Complex will house the cafe-teria, student center, auditorium, and library.

“Paul R. Jones was an alumnus who had almost a40-year career in teaching, all at Pine Forge. He was themath teacher, dearly beloved and revered by studentsall over the country,” explained Poole.—Beth Michaels

Allegheny East ConferencePO Box 266, Pine Forge, PA 19548 ■ Phone: (610) 326-4610www.myalleghenyeast.com ■ President, Charles L. CheathamCommunication Director, Robert Booker

Pine Forge Academy(800) 390-9529 ■ www.pineforgeacademy.orgEmail: pfa@pineforgeacademy.orgPrincipal, Cynthia Poole-Gibson

At last month’s camp meeting, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell(left) and Philadelphia Mayor John Street (above), an Adventist,commended the leaders of Pine Forge Academy for the work theyare doing to educate students. During his presentation, Rendellnoted that he was glad to support the grant for the Adventistschool because 95 percent of its graduates go on to college.

AUGUST 2006 | 27

The answering side of prayer is as important as the asking side! We make a whole lot of the praying person, butdo we overlook what is equally important—the answering person? Has it ever occurred to you that God may

want to use you this way? It is possible that you are God’s answer to someone else’s prayer.George Mueller, English evangelist and philanthropist, was known for his amazing prayer life. He prayed literally

millions of dollars into orphanage support. He believed in influencing people through prayer to God alone. Whenthere was a need he told God, never anyone else. And just as amazing is the fact that when Mueller prayed, Godprompted a man or woman somewhere, who was sensitive to His will, and they would respond tothe impulse of the Holy Spirit and answer Mueller’s prayer.

Is it possible that some prayers remain unanswered because the person God wants to use toanswer it is unavailable? Being insensitive to God’s leading may hinder prayer—not only our own,but another’s as well. It is a personal challenge we each face—being sensitive to the voice of theSpirit. It is a challenge we face as a people. Ask the Lord to make you more sensitive to His lead-ing. Ask Him to use you to answer another’s prayers. You will be amazed with what hap-pens. You will also be changed!

Have You Ever Been an Answer to Prayer?

Representatives from the Chesapeake, Potomac,Mountain View, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania

conferences converged at Mt. Aetna Camp & RetreatCenter in Hagerstown, Md., recently for a weekend ofstrategizing and training. Under the leadership of DonBonchack, Columbia Union Disaster Response direc-tor, and four local conference directors, 50 churchmembers from 18 Columbia Union churches receivedthe course completion certificate. Plenary instruction-al sessions were supplemented with breakout ses-

sions and smallgroup activitieswhere partici-pants were givenan opportunityto apply theirclass knowledgeto fictitious dis-aster scenarios.

The goal ofthe weekendtraining was toexplain theunique role theSeventh-day Adventist Church plays in disasterresponse as we collaborate with state and other civicorganizations. Each church in the Columbia Union isencouraged to be prepared and equipped to respondto a local crisis. Kitty Juneau, a Spencerville churchmember and Chesapeake Disaster Response director,said, “It has been extremely exciting to see howmembers from different churches and conferencesare beginning to talk together, plan together, andshare ideas and resources.” Many of the weekendparticipants expressed a desire to go back to theirlocal churches and help develop local disasterresponse plans.

Rob VandemanPresident

AUGUST 2006

Five Columbia Union conferences converged for the recent disaster response training session.

Chesapeake Hosts Union-wide Disaster Response Training Event

Small group discussions gave participantsthe opportunity to role play.

“Standing Together” in Nhlengelo, South Africa

Weekend Retreat Gathers Chesapeake and Potomac Singles

The Chesapeake Conference is partnering with Hopefor Humanity (North American Ingathering fund) to

make a difference for some of South Africa’s HIV/AIDSvictims. A percentage of our conference Ingatheringfunds is being used to nurture a project in theMpumalanga province of South Africa, in the smalltown of Dwarsloop. The project is named “Nhlengelo,”which literally means in Tsonga “standing togetheragainst a common enemy.”

South Africa has the largest number of persons inthe world living with AIDS. One overlooked by-productof this crisis is the number of orphaned children. By theend of 2005, it was estimated that there were 800,000orphans in South Africa.

Chesapeake is “standing together” with Paul andMartha Mawela, retired church administrators who areleading in this project, to take hope to those affected.At Nhlengelo, orphans receive hot meals, as well ashelp with their homework and daily lives. Trained care-givers travel into the surrounding communities bringinghope and help to those living with HIV/AIDS.

In May aconferenceteam revisitedthe Nhlengeloproject. Since2004 the num-ber of day-careproviders hasjumped from 25to more than80. These care-givers are nowoperating in 11villages, upfrom five. With the addition of drop-in centers at fivelocal schools, the number of orphans being ministeredto has dramatically increased. As a result of the region-al pastors training events, which Chesapeake hassponsored, three other centers were recently opened.

Chesapeake Ingathering funds have also helpedfinish a new church for the Mawelas and their mem-bers, build a fence, purchase uniforms for the care-givers and orphans, and construct a lappa (a hut witha waist-high wall).

Chesapeake churches can support this project byreviving their local Ingathering program. Local churchescan get back up to 45 percent of their Ingatheringfunds for local community service, with another 40 per-cent going directly to our South Africa projects. Formore information about this project or how your churchcan become involved, contact Frank Bondurant, con-ference Communication director, at fbondurant@ccos-da.org or (410) 995-1910.

Nhlengelo’s orphans are fed, educated, and given hope for the future.

More than 40 singles from Maryland and Virginia recently gathered atMt. Aetna Camp & Retreat Center (Md.) for a weekend of spiritual

inspiration and warm Christian fellowship. Featured speakers were ForestRandall, vice president and chaplain of Adventist Single Adult Ministries,whose theme was “Jesus, Friend of Sinners,” and Steve Wall, pastor ofthe Reisterstown and Westminster (Md.) churches, and the South Carrollcompany, who focused on “Christianity, What to Take Serious and Whento Loosen Up.” Weekend activities included church service, a slide show,an ice cream social, and lots of music and singing. Time was also setaside for reports on singles’ activities from local churches.

This retreat is just one of many events that has been planned this yearfor Chesapeake single adults. For more information on upcoming events, visit www.adventistsingleadultministries.organd click on the “Newsletters” tab, or contact Annabelle Randall at (240) 432-8790.

Allegheny East Conference members PatKlosky (left) and Shally Johns spend someone-on-one time.

This newly constructed lappa is beingused for the Nhlengelo HIV/AIDS projectin South Africa.

The Challenge is published in the Visitor by the Chesapeake Conference ■ 6600 Martin Road, Columbia, MD 21044Phone: (410) 995-1910 ■ President, Rob VandemanEditor, Frank Bondurant

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28 | VISITOR

New Website Section Caters to Potential Students

Anew section called “Future Students” has beenadded to the Columbia Union College (CUC) web-

site to make content more user-friendly for potentialstudents. The site offers information on traditionalundergraduate programs as well as information aboutthe School of Graduate and Professional Studies.

“We designed the website so that all the informationa potential student could need would be in one place,”said Randy Preston, assistant director of Enrollment forWeb Development. “We wanted to make sure peoplecould find the information quickly.”

Viewers can see photo galleries, watch video clips,take a virtual tour of the 10 top spots on campus, andread the CUC blog. This arrangement allows potentialstudents to get a better understanding of CUC.

“The blog is a new, fun, and less formal way to getinformation out about what is happening on campusand around town,” said Jonathan Scriven, executivedirector for Enrollment Services.

The new webpage lists enrollment counselors andprovides a link to their email addresses so potentialstudents can easily contact the counselor for their ter-ritory. Developing the new section was a team effortby several offices on campus. Surveys were given toCUC and high school students about the effectivenessof the website, and changes were made based on the

recommendations of the participants. “The new section has made our department more

efficient,” said Preston. “People have given us posi-tive feedback.” Visit the new section at www.cuc.eduand click on “Future Students.” For questions about enrollment, send an email to enroll@cuc.edu.—Rachel Ponder

AUGUST 2006

Megan Pegado, a sophomore Public Relations and BroadcastJournalism major, is among many students profiled on the newwebpage.

The CUC Department of Education is now providing its students with the opportunity to earn a dual certificationin elementary and special education. This certification is offered through the traditional program and the

School of Graduate and Professional Studies. “One reason our program exists is to fill the need in Montgomery County (Md.) public schools for teachers that

are certified in the area of special education,” said Jeannette Rogers-Dulan, PhD, department chair. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of special education teachers is expected to increase

18 to 26 percent for all occupations through 2014. For this reason, such teachers should have excellent job prospects. Rogers-Dulan goes on to explain that it is common for students with disabilities to be placed in regular class-

rooms. “The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) mandates that a student with special needs progresses inthe regular curriculum,” she said. “Those who complete our dual certification program are familiar with generaleducation curriculum and understand how to structure programs for children with those needs.”

NCLB assures that students with special needs are not isolated, but instead given more opportunities to par-ticipate with the general population. “People often think that if a student is identified with a special need, theycan’t do the same things a child in the general education program can,” said Rogers-Dulan. “But one or evenmultiple disabilities do not define a person ; children with special needs are more like us than they are different.”

Dual Certification Program Targets Special Education Teachers

AUGUST 2006 | 29

30 | VISITOR

Professor Earns PhD in Computer Science

New Dean of Men Chosen for Morrison Hall

Michael Lee (pictured), associate professor in the Department ofComputer Science, recently received his PhD in Computer Science

from the University of Maryland, College Park. Histhesis “Spatial Modeling Using Triangular,Tetrahedral, and Pentatopic Decompositions” is atheory that uses computer programming to gatherspecific information on a topic and display it in aneasy-to-read index.

Lee hopes to use his theory to secure grants forthe college and motivate students to get excitedabout computer graphics. He has worked at CUCfor five years and teaches upper division courses.—PR Staff

Students Take Enriching Trip to Italy

Recently more than 23 CUC stu-dents, family members, staff, and

teachers traveled to Italy for an intro-duction into Italian lifestyle and cul-ture. Students watched a glass-blow-ing demonstration, relaxed on a gon-dola ride through water passage-ways, and visited Vatican City wherethey were awestruck by the architec-ture of the Sistine Chapel. Severalstudents from the intercultural com-munications and media productionclasses completed papers and proj-ects to receive academic credit for their experience.

“My favorite memories were seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa up close,and the boat ride in Venice,” said Jeremy Gadarowski (’06), who receivedthe tour as a graduation gift. This is the second year in which CUC profes-sors have collaborated with Education First Tours to give students a viewof the world. According to David Miller, a professor in CUC’s Departmentof Communication and Journalism, and sponsor for the trip, the tours arean affordable and organized way to see a foreign country.—Alexis Goring

CUC travelers pause in front of the papalapartments in Vatican City.

Tim Nelson (’98, pictured) was recently chosen as the new dean of men atMorrison Hall. Nelson graduated from CUC with a Bachelor’s degree in

Counseling Psychology and has worked as an assistant dean in the residence hallfor 13 years. Nelson feels blessed to be a dean because it gives him a chance tobuild personal relationships with the men who live in the dorm.

“I want every man that lives in Morrison Hall to know that they are a child of God,and that they are loved and valued,” said Nelson. “Hopefully they will not leave thesame as they came.”

Nelson is originally from Virginia and a member of the Christian music groupJakob’s Night. As head dean, he plans to build community in the dorm and encourageresidents to develop a closer relationship with God.—Rachel Ponder

August

1-17 Capital Summer Session

15 Success Night—School of Graduate and Professional Studies Takoma Park, Md.

16 Success Night—School of Graduate and Professional Studies Gaithersburg, Md.

23-27 Freshman Registration and CUC PreviewFirst Year Experience

September

4 Labor Day

5 Last Day to Enter Classes

8 December Graduation Contracts Due

CALENDAR

Gateway is published in the Visitor by the Columbia Union College 7600 Flower Ave., Takoma Park, MD 20912Phone: (800) 835-4212 ■ www.cuc.eduRandal Wisbey, President ■ Exec. Dir. ofMarketing and Communication, ScottSteward ■ Editor, Tanisha Greenidge

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August is upon us, and for many families this is a time to toss out a few old things and look toward a newbeginning. Last year’s school shoes may be too tight and that old calculator might not have enough buttons

for your child’s new math class. It is time to get rid of the old, worn out items and bring home new supplies. From kindergarten all the way up through college, school shopping was always an exciting event for my three

boys. Whether shopping for a new computer, new soccer shoes, or just a few mechanical pencils and a binder,the excitement of bringing home something new was always fun and memorable.

Every school year at Highland View Academy (HVA) offers wonderful things for our students: a vibrant spiritualclimate, active and involved campus ministries, vigorous and challenging academics, amazing friendships, awe-some memorable events, and a deepening spirituality. But let’s face it, school is hard. By the end of the year ourstudents are exhausted and deserve a break. I’m sure it is refreshing to put the old school year behind them anddive into their summer. However, many of our students work full-time during this break, so by this time of year thestaff and I are just hoping they are as excited and ready for the new school year as we are. Welook forward to welcoming new and familiar faces to a fresh start, with clean grade books, per-fect attendance records, and a renewed will to succeed.

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; theold has gone, the new has come!” (NIV) What a wonderful, almost inconceivable gift—newness.God has reconciled each one of us to Himself, not counting our past sins against us, but makingus new through the blood of Jesus Christ. May we the teachers, students, and parents of HVAembrace this new school year with gratitude and love for one another by first being madenew through Christ.

Toss Out the Old, Bring in the New

NEWS

Randy NomuraPrincipal

Commitment Weekend Jump Starts the School Year At HVA, the first weekend of the school year

(August 25 and 26) is Commitment Weekend. It con-sists of Friday and Sabbath meetings emphasizingthe importance of committing all areas of our life toGod. The Sabbath church service will include a con-cert by faculty praise group Coram Deo and a dedi-

cation of all HVA employees.

The HVA faculty and staff would liketo invite allChesapeakeConference con-stituents tospend some timein prayer for theschool duringthis weekend.Please prayalong with us

that God will richly bless the school year as well asevery student.

HVA Exceeds Goal for African Well ProjectAs reported in the June issue of Highlander, HVA

students prayerfully committed to raising $12,200during second semester to provide a well to a remoteAfrican village. During the graduation ceremony onMay 28, Stephen Herr, Campus Ministries director,announced that this goal was met! As a matter offact, in addition to providing this village with a much-needed water source, enough money was raised toprovide Bibles for its villagers.

We know that this well will be built in Ghana, but theprecise village has not yet been determined. You cancheck for updates at www.highlandviewacademy.com.

The school’s administration, faculty, and studentswould like to sincerely thank the parents, ChesapeakeConference churches, and other generous donors whomade reaching this goal possible.

AUGUST 2006

www. h i g h l a n d v i ew a c a d emy. c om

Student association officers led a spirit-filled song service for HVA students duringCommitment Weekend last school year.

HVA Faculty Anticipates New School Year

Each year about this time, thosewho work in the education field

are generally filled with a variety ofthoughts, feelings, and expecta-tions. August brings the excitementof starting a new school year, thejoy of welcoming back studentsand meeting new ones, and theever-so-popular question, “Wheredid the summer go?”

The faculty and staff at HVA areanxiously awaiting the arrival of stu-dents for the 2006-07 school yearand share some of their thoughts:

“One of the greatest joys of teachingis to see my students having fun andgetting excited about learning.Having just purchased $5,000 worthof new lab equipment, chemicals,and kits—funded by a grant throughthe Commonweal Foundation—I amespecially excited about my scienceclasses this year. We’ll have evenmore opportunities to learn and donew things.”—Ophelia Barizo,Science Teacher

“I love walking to school on the firstday, knowing my classroom is full ofeager students ready to learn. It issuch an idealistic time when stu-dents are excited, teachers are feel-ing fresh, and an enthusiasm forlearning pervades the air. God hassomething special planned for eachof us, each school year, and I cannotwait to find out what it is this year!”—Jennifer Payne, English Teacher

“As the school year approaches, Iwonder if I’m ready for the excited,eager faces of our new freshman?Am I prepared for all the challengesof academy life? Am I prepared toreassure parents as they entrusttheir precious children to our care?I don’t feel ready, but I know that aswe place HVA in His care I can trustthat Jesus will make me ready.”—Kim Brown, Registrar

“One of the joys of teaching for meis meeting new students and seeingformer students now out in the ‘realworld.’ I like seeing what I have

HVA faculty, geared up and ready to go (left to right): Sandy Iverson, Food Service director;Celinda Bauer, Spanish teacher; LouAnn McCain, Food Service assistant; Debra West,girls’ dean; Andrew Choi, business manager; Stefanie Johnson, Business Office assistant;Sol Han, groundskeeper; Jenny Harlow, English and ESL teacher; Gary DeVore, boys’dean; Susan Scoggins, Business Office, Accounts Payable; Jennifer Payne, Englishteacher; Jesse Benton, history teacher; Robby Herr, math and computer teacher; StephenHerr, Bible teacher; Ophelia Barizo, science teacher; Sheri Tydings, vice principal; KimBrown, registrar and administrative assistant; Dan Lindow, maintenance; Randy Nomura,principal; Monty Murdoch, science and math teacher; Rob Knipple, music teacher.

August

16 Registration, Community Students

20 Registration, Dormitory Students

21 First Day of School

25-27 Commitment Weekend

September

4 Student Association Picnic Day

14-17 Spiritual Academy Leadership Training (SALT)Camp Blue Ridge, Va.

22-24 Boys’ & Girls’ Club Campouts

October

27-29 Fall Bible Retreat

CALENDAR

Highlander is published in the Visitor by the Highland View Academy 10100 Academy Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21740 ■ Phone: (301) 739-8480 Fax: (301) 733-4770 ■ Editor, Sheri Tydingswww.highlandviewacademy.com

taught them is useful and appreciat-ed. I hope my zest for lifetime learn-ing is continued in them.”—MontyMurdoch, Science and Math Teacher

“My foremost goal for the schoolyear is to give students opportunitiesto choose Christ in their lives. Wemust show each student that a lifewith Christ is awesome, enjoyable,and meaningful. If I don’t show thatto students, then teaching doesn’thave much meaning.”—StephenHerr, Bible Teacher, CampusMinistries Director

32 | VISITOR

AUGUST 2006 | 33

Ihave a dream that Mountain View members understand and practice Christ’s method of winning souls—see The Desireof Ages, pp. 151-153. “He reached the hearts of the people by going among them as one who desired their good.” I see our Adventist believers meeting people at their vocations and manifesting an interest in their daily lives. I

see members sensitively reaching out to people of all classes. I see members who, by sympathetic and caringservice, win their neighbors’ confidence and then invite them to partake freely of the Water of Life.

In my dream I perceive God longing for the spirit of service to take possession of the church so that all are work-ing for Him according to their ability. I see members who, by putting self aside and making room for the working ofthe Holy Spirit upon the heart, become so united with God that there is no limit to their usefulness as His agents.

I have a dream in which I see churches throughout Mountain View heeding the apostle Paul’sadmonition in 2 Corinthians 13:5 to examine ourselves and lay aside all activities that do not fos-ter the growth of God’s kingdom. I see our churches conducting worship services filled with thevitalizing power of God’s grace and Spirit. I see church families working harmoniously togetherand the angelic host blessing their every effort.

As a result of all this I see healthy, growing churches as they follow the biblical laws of naturalchurch development as set forth in Mark 4: 26-29; Acts 2 and 3; 1 Corinthians 12 and 13;and Ephesians 4. In my dream I see us coming awake to our high calling in Christ Jesus.

Dreams, Visions, and God’s Glory Over Mountain View, Part 3

Valley View Holds Third Graduation

Larry BoggessPresident

Valley View Adventist School in Bluefield, W.Va., cel-ebrated its third academy graduation in late May,

and it was a privilege to have all of the alumni present.Six students graduated from the middle school and fiveseniors from academy. Three seniors will go on toSouthern Adventist University (Tenn.), and one to theUniversidad de la Plata in Argentina.

The packed Sabbath service was filled with vocaland instrumental music. The graduates had each com-posed their own psalm and presented these as part ofthe morning service.

Sunday morning the graduates marched into thechurch, academy seniors in white or classic navyrobes and caps, and middle school students inmatching outfits. The programs included tributes toloved ones, and the young people gave out roses astokens of their appreciation.

The speaker of the morning, Phillip Wright, project-ed the unforgettable picture of six American soldierscourageously planting the flag on embattled Iwo Jima.He highlighted the fact that most of the men wereunder age 20 and under the command of a man onlyage 24. An even greater challenge faces our youngpeople today.

Awarding of diplomas revealed that of the five seniors,one graduated with honors and three with high honors.

Two of them, Jeremy Pepper and Steven Stockil, receivedthe West Virginia “Top of the Mountain” certificate inrecognition of outstanding academic achievement. Thesecertificates, signed by Governor Joe Manchin III, are givento those whose performance in the ACT test is in the top10 percent in the state.—Alice Cronje

AUGUST 2006

Valley View graduating Class of 2006: (back row, left to right)Steven Stockil, salutatorian and class treasurer; Jeremy Pepper,president; (front row, left to right): Martha Meyer, secretary; CalieMills, sergeant at arms; Rebecca Robbins, valedictorian andvice president.

34 | VISITOR

Moorefield Church Blossoms With New Life

Moorefield, W.Va., is a small butgrowing town where new

roads, houses, and businesses arerapidly taking form. With all of thisdevelopment, Moorefield church isalso growing. A recent influx ofLatinos coming to work at the localpoultry plant has sparked most ofthis growth.

It all started when one preciousgentleman came to church in July2004. In our conversation withhim—made difficult by our lan-guage barrier—we learned that heis a third generation Adventist fromPuerto Rico.

It wasn’t long before anotherMoorefield couple visited ourchurch. Quelman and AnitaQuieroz, originally from Panama,love the Lord and are eager to help.They started using their bilingualskills to help us converse with otherHispanics interested in visiting.

At first we provided our Hispanicbrethren with a place and separatetime to worship, but the Lord wasleading us closer together. Bothgroups joined one another’s Sabbathservices, and our board voted to

designate the fourth Sabbath ofeach month for Spanish-led serviceswith English translation. Severalbilingual members living in Virginiacame to help us.

Next it seemed timely to reachout with an evangelistic effort for thelocal Hispanic population. Fluentlybilingual Abelardo Rivas, pastor-evangelist for Weirton/Wheeling,came to Moorefield for a two-weekseries. Assistance with music, transportation, and other arrange-ments came from far and near, allwith perfect timing.

At the end of our series, five pre-cious souls took a stand for Jesusand joined the Adventist church atMoorefield. Three others are contin-uing to study with us. We now typi-cally have more than 30 people inattendance each Sabbath, and agrowing number of visitors.

We have some challenges tomaster with our two cultures andtwo languages, but our church fami-ly has resolved to stay united as onebody of worshipers, one extendedfamily in the household of faith.

We are building bridges into

Pastor Abelardo Rivas (right) introduces two newly baptized members of the Moorefield (W.Va.) church.

August

11-13 Pathfinder Workshop

21 Mt. View Schools BeginExecutive Committee

September

5 Departmental Council

15-17 Youth and Children’s Ministries Leadership Training

22-24 Mt. View Bible Conference

October

6-8 Women's Retreat

Mountain Viewpoint is published in theVisitor by the Mountain View Conference 1400 Liberty Street, Parkersburg, WV 26101 ■ Phone: (304) 422-4581President, Larry BoggessEditor, Brian Jones ■ www.mtviewconf.org

Mountain ViewE V EN T S

the Hispanic community that willprovide all seekers a spiritualhome rather than a mere meetingplace for segregated services andfellowship. We plan to offer class-es in ESL at the church, a conver-sational Spanish course for ourmembers, and vegetarian cookingclasses (open to the public) thatinclude specialties from our vari-ous cultures.—Phyllis Jeffers

AUGUST 2006 | 35

During the past five years, Mount Vernon Academy (MVA) has experienced some extensive changes to its phys-ical campus through the completion of the revitalization program. During the last two years, we have worked

hard to evaluate and improve our curriculum. These efforts have resulted in increasing not only our Ohio standard-ized test scores, but also raising our ACT score average by more than two points. With the work and sacrifice thathave gone into both of these efforts, we are grateful for what the Lord has done.

We recently spent a large portion of time assessing our overall program and developing our mission statementas a faculty and staff. Mission, Vision, Action—inspired by Herb Pritchard, MVA alumnus—is our focus for theupcoming school year. We want to clearly state our mission and vision for the academy and putboth into action.

Our mission: MVA is a Seventh-day Adventist Christian environment devoted to the preparationof students as disciples of Jesus Christ through spiritual development and academic excellence.Our vision: to develop every student through our seven objectives—spirituality, relationships, aca-demics, work ethics, character development, fitness, and fun—to be responsible citizens for suc-cessful living in this life and for eternity. Our challenge: to intentionally and effectively putour mission and vision into action as we prepare our students for His soon coming.

Academy Students Help Teach Hispanic Culture

Mount Vernon Academy’s Spanish department islaunching a new program, and we are very excited

about upcoming events for the new school year. Weare involving the Mount Vernon Seventh-day AdventistElementary School with our Spanish III and IV classes.Academy students will be assisting instructor AyleneAmador in teaching the elementary students theSpanish language and using their knowledge to broad-en the Spanish culture in the lives of community chil-dren. Our goal is to promote cultural diversity and cre-ate an atmosphere that is sensitive to the ever-chang-ing world around us.

Research has shown that the younger the person is,the more flexible the mind is to grasp and retain a for-eign language. Evidence suggests that children whoreceive a second language are more creative and arebetter at solving complex problems. Research has alsoshown that children who study a different languagehave increased cognitive ability and exceed normalclassroom expectations (Foreign Language inElementary Schools, Sarah Dicker).

In 1992 a profile of the Scholastic Aptitude Test(SAT), College Entrance Examination Board, and theAchievement Test Takers reported that students whoaveraged four or more years of a foreign languagescored higher on the verbal section than those who

studied four or more years on any other subject. Wheninterviews were done at randomly selected elementaryschools in the 2000-01 school year, the students hadpositive things to say about learning another language,and most of them wanted to continue learning.

By bringing foreign language studies to elementaryschools, we are helping society by educating studentsto respect other cultures.—Aylene Amador

David DanielsPrincipal

SpiriTM O U N T V E R N O N A C A D E M Y

AUGUST 2006

Our New (M)ission, (V)ision, and (A)ction

MVA junior Eleni DeCastro practices teaching Spanish to elementary children who attended camp meeting: (left to right)Michaela Anderson, Daniel Sullivan, Jessie Lee, and Cassidy Cross.

36 | VISITOR

This is How We “Rock & Roll”

Two of the biggest news issues of the past year wereHurricane Katrina and the growing rate of obesity in

America. These are two issues I can personally relateto. As a former resident of New Orleans who relocatedto MVA as a result of Katrina, I am reminded of what isimportant in life—family, faith, and community. With myfamily safe and my faith strengthened post-Katrina, it istime to invest in the local community.

Fitness has always been a matter of personal commit-ment to me, and now it is time to share this blessing withmy MVA community. The fitness program “Rock & Roll”was introduced to MVA during the fall of 2005. “FitnessWitness Rock & Roll” is a fitness DVD where MVA stu-dents and staff demonstrate and discuss the benefits ofa healthy lifestyle. The “Rock” stands for muscle buildingexercises and the “Roll” is for cardio exercises.

The school’s video production class, under thedirection of Aaron Myers, technology teacher, selectedMVA staff members who they felt best demonstratedfitness and wellness. The video features students par-ticipating in many different activities with staff memberslike playing golf, jogging, snow skiing, basketball, andpersonal workout sessions. The workouts were fol-lowed by sit-down interviews where the staff sharedinteresting facts about themselves, such as who partic-ipated in extreme sports in high school and who went ayear without eating any processed sugar.

MVA’s commitment to health and fitness has notbeen overlooked by the Ohio Department of Healthwho recently awarded the school $450, as part ofHealthy Ohioans-Buckeye Best Healthy SchoolAwards, to continue programs such as “Rock & Roll.”

This summer the students of MVA are sharing thehealth message in their own communities by takingcopies of the “Fitness Witness” DVD to share with their

local churches.They will also beproducing theirown videos thatwill feature theirindividual “sum-mer workout rou-tines.” Thevideos willinclude inter-views with theadults from theirown churchesabout the bene-fits of living a healthy lifestyle.

We plan to edit and compile all of the fitness videosmade from our area churches into one DVD that will beused to encourage all members of the Ohio Conference.Our desire is to have the Ohio Conference constituentsexperience a healthy lifestyle that includes physical fit-ness. If your church would like to be a part of the DVD,please contact Shaun Dixon, video editing teacher anddirector of the Fitness Outreach Program, at t4ce@com-cast.net or at (740) 397-5411, ext. 234.—Shaun Dixon

Senior Bethany Braun demonstrates “Rock & Roll” fitness byworking out with some weights during the recent OhioConference Camp Meeting.

Sophomore Reggie Miller spots seniorMamush Djaleta as he builds some muscle.

Spirit is published in the Visitor by Mount Vernon Academy525 Wooster Road, Mount Vernon, OH 43050 ■ Phone: (740) 397-5411 ■ www.mvacademy.org ■ Principal, David DanielsEditor, Margaret Sutton

SpiriT

calendareventsof

August13 Freshman/Parent Orientation

Freshman Report to School15 Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors

Report to School—Dorms Open at 3 p.m.16 Classes Begin25 Echolier and Handbell Retreat31-Sept. 1 Senior Survival

September3 Sunday School4 Fall Picnic

Home Leave Begins at 4 p.m.Spiritual Academy Leadership Training (SALT)Camp Blue Ridge, Va.

18-22 Fall Week of Prayer

AUGUST 2006 | 37

We grow in life through different experiences, both in the physical and spiritual realm. The tiny little seed that isplanted in the ground in the spring becomes a plant ready to be harvested at this time of the year because it

received all of the elements necessary for growth. The warmth of the sun and the moisture of the rain releasingthe nutrients of the soil all make development possible.

The elements necessary for Christian growth are spending time in prayer and reading God’s Word, dwelling uponthe matchless love and compassion of Jesus. Jesus is our warmth of the Son, and the Holy Spirit waters our soul,releasing the nutrients of God’s Word and empowering life. We grow up in Christ by spending time thinking about“Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising theshame …” (Heb. 12:2).

The joy of our Christian life comes from knowing it is well with our soul, because we are awareof the presence of Christ with us and in us. The love we have for one another is but a reflectionof the love of Christ in us. This expression of the love within us contributes to growing up inChrist. As we spend time reflecting on the cross of Calvary, as we remember Jesus dying for oursins so that we might have immortal life, we feel compelled to share it with others. As we shareHis love with others we will find it necessary to spend more time with Jesus, and the cycleof the Christian life repeats itself and growth will result.

Growing Up in Christ

NEWS

LeRoy FinckPresident

Mt. Holly Church Youth Sponsor “Free” Car Wash

The Mt. Holly church Adventist Youth Society, underthe direction of Tracy Edlund, recently sponsored a“free” car wash. The children set up a table in thechurch parking lot to provide healthy snacks and handout dozens of pieces of literature to the drivers as theywaited. One book was Ten Commandments TwiceRemoved by Danny Shelton and Shelly Quinn, in lieu ofTen Commandments Day.

The highlight of the day was that $345 in dona-tions was collected for the local children’s home.Pastor Bob Hoyt has agreed to meet with officials atthe home to find out what the church can do to furthersupport them.—Bob Hoyt

Meadow View Students Host Annual Car ShowStudents from Meadow View Junior Academy in

Chesterfield, under the direction of Mt. Holly churchPastor Bob Hoyt, conducted its sixth annual carshow and flea market in June. A record profit wasraised for the event, providing approximately $3,500for the school.

While 109 classic cars registered and showed up forthe car show, more than 300 cars filled the generalparking area to inspect the antique cars and visit the20 flea market tables.

Thanks to Browns Mills church members TracyVoorheis and Kathy White, the flea market was a majorsuccess, raising nearly $400. Table holders also hand-ed out a good amount of literature.

Beth Randall, the Voorheis family, and Mari-LouZollins, also from Browns Mills church, managed thevegetarian food booth that brought in well over $400.Several folks who had never experienced vegetariancooking hesitated to try them, however, most weresoon seen enjoying second and third helpings.

While most of the classic cars were supplied bylocal businessmen, Pastor Hoyt brought his 1950Studebaker, and Mt. Holly member Wally Zollins includ-ed his 1972 Chevy Chevelle.

In all, as many as 700 people frequented theshow, and many opportunities were presented forvisitors to learn more about the Seventh-dayAdventist lifestyle and schooling. Many thanks to thevolunteers.—Bob Hoyt

AUGUST 2006

38 | VISITOR

Toms River Church Seminar and Baptisms

Tony Reyes, Union City church Pathfinder director, along with assistantdirectors, instructors, counselors, the Adventurer Club, friends, family,

and Union City Spanish church members were present during a specialday held recently for the “Estrellas del Maestro” Pathfinders Club. GodwinCarmenatti, former Union City church member, was also present with his

puppets dressed inPathfinder and policeofficer clothing, givingvery important mes-sages to the childrenand youth. JonathanNino, teacher of theWaldwick ElementarySchool, offered aheartfelt meditation.—Claudia Garcia delPuerto, MD

Union City Spanish church Pathfinders salute the flag during the special Sabbath celebration.

Pastor Wayne Hancock of the Toms River church recently held a seminartitled “Unlocking the Signs.” As a gift from the Lord, two precious souls

were baptized, and more souls are being prepared for baptism. Mel Cain (pictured below with Pastor Hancock) is the grandson of two sets

of Adventist grandparents and the son of Adventist parents with brothers andsisters who are Adventist, not to mention aunts and uncles who are all mem-bers of the church. As a deep thinker, Cain had the need to learn more beforejoining the path of his family. The seminar held Cain’s attention, but what cap-tured his heart was a sermon by their own physician member Doug Berchardwho preached, “God wants you in heaven with Him.”

Strawler Bankston (pictured right with Pastor Hancock), better known as“Mr. B,” is no stranger to baptism.His mother, father, sisters, and broth-ers are all dedicated Seventh-dayAdventists, and he was baptized atage 10. As a young man he began acareer in the U.S. Navy, during whichtime he was acquainted with anotherAdventist sailor for a short period.Mr. B visited our church for manyyears, and made the decision todedicate his life to Christ during ourrecent seminar.

“Mr. B” dedicates his life to Christ.

Pastor Wayne Hancock prepares tobaptize Mel Cain.

August

1 ADCOM

1-18 Conference Mission Trip to Mexico

6 Youth Day at Mountain Creek

ABC open, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

6-9 NAD Teachers’ Convention

8 ADCOM

Directors Advisory

8-17 Youth Mission Trip to Belize

13 ABC Open, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

15 ADCOM

17 Finance/ABC Committee

21 K-12 Teacher In-Service Meeting

22 ADCOM

New Teacher In-Service Meeting

TVRC Board

Mentor/Mentee Meeting

Principals Council

24 Association Board

Executive Committee

Pathfinder Olympics

29 ADCOM

New Jersey News is published in theVisitor by the New Jersey Conference 2160 Brunswick Ave., Trenton NJ 08648Phone: (609) 392-7131 ■ President, LeRoyFinck ■ Editor, Aura Garcia ■

www.njcsda.org

Union City Spanish Church Holds Pathfinder Sabbath

AUGUST 2006 | 39

“The Resistance” Youth Summit Grows Leaders

You are probably thinking that “The Resistance” mustrefer to some underground activist movement dur-

ing World War II, but think again. This year MountVernon Academy’s (MVA) campus was host to a youthsummit that instructed Adventist teenagers on how tobecome leaders in their church, school, and community.

More than 350 students from MVA, Blue MountainAcademy (BMA) and Takoma Academy participated inthe event. The summit itself lasted only Friday andSaturday, but its effects are thought to have a muchlonger-lasting impact.

Students attended seminars led by various speak-ers, but all taught the same message. The main mes-sage of Sergio Manente and Dave Ferguson, the pri-mary organizers of the summit, was teaching the youththat, “Leadership is not by position. Instead it is bypermission.” This showed the students that no matterwho they are or what their background is, they arealready leaders.

I attended a two-part seminar led by Manente andFerguson; however, since it is a conference based onleadership, students and youth were encouraged totake over and lead themselves.

“Most of the time youth are told that they are the‘leaders of tomorrow,’ but we are here to tell them thatthey are already leaders; they just don’t know it,” saidManente in his seminar.

The youth were also taught that leadership is aboutinfluence and is not necessarily an outcome or a posi-tion. They were told that each person has their ownindividual way of leading.

“We are giving the kids the permission to lead, notnecessarily giving them instructions on how to lead.Too often they don’t feel like they are allowed to thinkfor themselves or step out and make a difference,”said Ferguson.

During the large meetings, students took part in cap-tivating song services, laughed at the Skit Guys, and lis-tened intently to the messages. The Skit Guys are twoyoung men who portrayed moral lessons through bothcomedy and drama. “The Skit Guys were my favoritepart,” said Sarah Rechichar, a junior at MVA.

All song services were led by a band from Houstoncalled C2W—which stands for Call 2 Worship. An ener-getic band from Maryland called Jakob’s Night per-formed Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. KendallPayne, a female recording artist, performed onSaturday night to close the event.

So why was it called “The Resistance”? Manenteexplained, “We are teaching kids to resist what theyknow is wrong. We also want to show them that onceyou know Christ, His character is irresistible and itwill be easy give up what the world has to offer.”—Jacob Miller, ’06

AUGUST 2006

More than 350 students from around the Columbia Union worshiped and praised the Lord together.

Mount Vernon Academy students Bethany Braun (left) andCaroline Dengel enjoy the fellowship, music, and messages during “The Resistance” weekend.

40 | VISITOR

Mission Ohio is published in the Visitor by the Ohio Conference ■ P. O. Box 1230, Mount Vernon, Ohio 43050Phone: (740) 397-4665 ■ President, Raj Attiken ■ Editor, Bette Toscano ■ www.ohioadventist.org

Nature Serves as Classroom for Seven Elementary Schools

Save the DatesOhio Conference Women’s RetreatOctober 13–15, Deer Creek Resort

“In His Hands … In His Time—Daring to Become theWoman God has in Mind!” is the theme of this year’sOhio Conference Women’s Retreat. Guest speaker

Clarissa Worley (pictured), Oregonpastor and musician, will teachfrom her own personal journey.Her unpacking of Jesus’ directivesfor our lives is practical and easilyunderstood.

Other special features include“The Spinner’s Gospel” presenta-tion with Debbonnaire Kovacs,

Millersburg church member, craft maker, and author.Nancy Stehulak, a community development educator innorthwest Ohio, will present a seminar on “Birth Orderand Its Impact on Personality.”

Teen Girls Retreat October 20–22, Camp Mohaven

This is a retreat referred to as, “A weekend that lov-ingly values and awakens the hearts of our teen girlsthrough the transforming power of our Lord and Savior,Jesus Christ.” It will be three days filled with music,drama, guest speakers, and fun!

There will be a Saturday Western theme party, so bring your best cowgirl gear. Topics covered will be “Relating to Me,” “Relating to Life,” and “Relating to Relationships.”

For more information about either event, or for anapplication, log on to our website at www.ohioadven-tist.org, and click the “Events” button, or call (740) 397-4665, ext. 165.

Mount Vernon Elementary student Celia Capote (left)and Eastwood Junior Academy student Taylor Antelmake homemade toothpaste.

Joshua Parker from Mount Vernon Elementary

studies pond life.

Outdoor Education at Camp Mohaven in Mount Vernon was the class-room setting for seven of Ohio’s elementary schools recently. Eighty-

five campers enjoyed the experience of classes that focused on the natu-ral resources of the state.

J. Carlos (center), teacher at Eastwood Junior Academy (Columbus),leads a song service with the seventh- and eighth-grade students.

AUGUST 2006 | 41

My wife Jeanne and I recently visited one of our Pennsylvania churches. There was a warm and friendly atmos-phere among the 45 people present. I was impressed with the stories that several members told about their

return from an overseas mission trip. After the service, the lay pastor greeted us and with a joyful heart pointed out various people in attendance

who were not members, but coming regularly. “Pastor Hartwell,” he said enthusiastically, “I have to tell you thatthis ‘friendship evangelism’ really works. We are excited about what God is doing here in ourchurch family and the folks who are interested in becoming members, going through Bibles stud-ies, and taking part in the mission of our church.”

Friendship evangelism is a powerful way to be answering Christ’s mission in Pennsylvania.Ministry of Healing, p. 470 says, “The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving andlovable Christian.” Isn’t that the way Jesus worked when He walked this Earth? And we can too.

What a mighty force each of our churches can be for Christ in Pennsylvania, if we usefriendship evangelism.

Friendship Evangelism Works!

Pastor Vince Dolan to Retire

Ray HartwellPresident

Because Vince Dolan (pictured) believes and desiresJesus to come, he always felt that anything the

church asked him to do was a call to service for God.He has been serving thechurch in some capacity, andusually in more than one, for aslong as he can remember. Hestates, “There was always timefor doing something for God,who did so much for me.”Dolan was a member of the

Elmira, N.Y., church for 26years, where he and his wife

Nancy raised four children and served the church invarious leadership positions. After their children weregrown, they moved to Williamsport and quicklybecame involved in the local church. Dolan recalls,“For some reason, unknown to me, I enrolled in the

Lay Pastor Training program offered by the confer-ence, which proved to be another step in the processthat God was preparing for me.”

This next step was to serve as a part-time associ-ate to Pastor David Reinwald, then pastoring theWilliamsport and Loch Haven churches. Then just asDolan thought of taking early retirement in December2000, he was asked by the conference to serve as thefull-time pastor in the Everett, Altoona, and Six MileRun churches. After more than five years of pastoralministry there, Dolan sees once again that God knowsbest and sent him where He knew he was needed.

Dolan is retiring from full-time pastoral ministry inSeptember, but not from serving God. He says, “I amsure my wife Nancy and I will continue to be of serviceand minister according to God’s will as we continue tolook forward to ‘His glorious appearing.’”

AUGUST 2006

Western Pennsylvania Camp Meeting Planned Western Pennsylvania Camp Meeting will be held September 22-23 at Laurel Lake Camp in Rossiter, Pa. The

featured speaker will be Tony Moore, a committed follower of Jesus Christ since 1972, when he was converted ata Rolling Stones concert. He has served as a Bible instructor, church planter, Pittsburgh Project coordinator, sen-ior pastor, and the North American Division Evangelism Ministries director for It Is Written. He now serves asfounder, speaker, and president of The Biblical World, a nonprofit teaching ministry (www.biblicalworld.org).

The weekend will also include music, prayer, fellowship, and activities for children and young people.Applications are available at www.paconference.org, in local churches, and in the August issue of the You Makinga Difference conference newsletter.

42 | VISITOR

Ordination and CommissioningService for Three at Camp Meeting

Neville Harcombe, executive secretary for the Columbia

Union Conference, was the featuredspeaker at the ordination of twoPennsylvania pastors Alberto Balioand David Livergood, and the com-missioning of teacher Jennifer Miller.

Born and raised in SantoDomingo, Dominican Republic,Alberto Balio (pictured below) cameto the United States in 1985, and itwas here that he committed his lifeto Christ and was baptized at theLawrence Hispanic AdventistChurch (Mass.). Balio led out in the

church four years but felt the Lordcalling him to full-time ministry. Oneday his wife Yesenia told him,“Don’t make God wait any longer.He is calling you to be a pastor.” Afew months later he left for AntillianCollege in Puerto Rico where hereceived his BA in Theology. TheBalios pastored in two districts inPuerto Rico before coming toPennsylvania. They currently pastorthe Philadelphia Spanish 1,Maranatha Spanish, and LawndaleSpanish churches.

David Livergood (pictured) wasborn into an Adventist home inSouth Lancaster, Mass. Despite hisparents’ best efforts and prayers,he fell away from the church untilhe was a senior at ShenandoahValley Academy (Va.). About thattime, he went on a mission trip withthe school to Mexico. Near the end

of the trip Livergood gave his heartand life to Jesus Christ, committingto be used by Him in whatevercapacity. He spent the next fouryears at Weimar College (Calif.),graduating with a degree in pastoralministry. While on another missiontrip to Mexico during his senior yearin college, Livergood received a callto pastor in the PennsylvaniaConference and has been servinghere since 1995.

Born and raised in Pennsylvania,Jennifer Miller (pictured below)grew up attending another denomi-nation and always wondered why achurch she drove past was open onSaturday. While in high school shemet her future husband, Doug

Miller, Jr., who took her to that verychurch, the Allentown Seventh-dayAdventist Church. Miller graduatedwith a Bachelor’s degree inElementary Education fromKutztown University of

August

19 Church Planting Summit

25-27 NCD Coach Specialty Training Conference Office

September

1-4 Pathfinder Fall Camporee,Laurel Lake Camp

1-3 Hispanic Youth Retreat Halifax, Pa.

15-17 SALT Training Bedford, Pa.

22-23 Western Pa. Camp MeetingLaurel Lake Camp

October

8 PennsylvaniaConstituency Blue Mountain Academy

Pennsylvania Pen is published in theVisitor by the Pennsylvania Conference 720 Museum Road, Reading, PA 19611Phone: (610) 374-8331, ext. 210President, Ray Hartwell ■ Editor, TamyraHorst ■ www.paconference.org

Pennsylvania. Since that time shehas taught in both public andparochial schools and is now teach-ing at the Lehigh Valley Seventh-day Adventist Elementary School inWhitehall. She has completed herMaster’s in Special Education andwill complete her principal certifica-tion this summer.—Jeanne Hartwell

AUGUST 2006 | 43

Pull out your paper, pencil, and calculator and let’s do the numbers. With God’s blessing, PotomacConference’s membership in 2005 climbed to 27,972, with tithes reaching approximately $28.1 million. This

averages $1,005 per member. Of these funds, $5.3 million was designated for educational ministry.What would happen if members who are not currently tithing found it in their heart to give back to God what rightfully

is His, increasing the tithes by even 30 percent? The total for tithe could grow to $36.5 million and education wouldreceive $7.4 million. What possibilities would that bring to a smaller elementary school like Powell Valley Christian (Va.)or for larger schools in the Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia/Maryland area? What about Tidewater, Richmond,Tappahannock, and Shenandoah Valley areas and all the other churches blessed by one of our 25 K-16 schools?

Do you know a church or district that would benefit from an Adventist school? Do you know of a school boardpleased with their teachers and students, but wrestling with finances that threaten the program?Do you know of a family who desperately wants Adventist education for their children, but findthe tuition out of reach?

“The work that lies next to our church members is to become interested in our youth … The churchis asleep, and does not realize the magnitude of this matter of educating the children and youth … Leta fund be created by generous contributions for the establishment of schools for the advancement ofeducational work” (Counsels to Parents and Teachers, excerpts from pp. 41-45).

Christian education is God’s idea. Let’s faithfully give of our tithes and offerings soPotomac education can remain strong!

Please Join Me in Mathematics 101

The Manassas church strongly believes in Christianeducation. As a matter a fact, Pastor Joey Pollom

would like to see every child who desires one to begiven that chance, regardless of financial deterrents.

This year at Shenandoah Valley Academy (SVA),there were several graduates from the Manassaschurch, but one in particular was extra special toPollom and his wife Sara. Over a year ago, JessicaRitchie came to live in their home due to circumstancesbeyond her control. The Manassas church familystepped in to provide Ritchie and her sister Heatherwith an Adventist education after the unexpected deathof their father in 1995. There are numerous people whohave contributed toward the education of these girls atSVA this school year.

Ritchie desires to attend CUC this fall and is prayingfor God’s leading of how to make that financially possi-ble. Currently, the Manassas church contributes to theeducation of 20-plus worthy students who either attendthe local church school or an academy. Of their churchbudget, 67 percent is earmarked for education.

As a result of the positive influences provided bythe Pollom’s and SVA, Ritchie is a changed youngwoman, both emotionally and spiritually. PastorPollom takes God’s command seriously in John 9:4,

which says, “As long as it is day, we must do thework of Him who sent [us]” (NIV).

Why not invest in a young person in your church?Your investment could have eternal results and make adifference in someone’s life!—Jeanie Allen

Shenandoah Valley Academy senior Jessica Ritchie (center)poses with Manassas church pastor Joey Pollom and his wifeSara during graduation.

AUGUST 2006

Manassas Church Invests in Adventist Education

Larry D. MarshVice President for Education

Maranatha Helps Rebuild Richmond Spanish Church

Potomac People is published in the Visitor by the PotomacConference ■ 606 Greenville Ave., Staunton, VA 24401Phone: (540) 886-0771 ■ www.pcsda.org ■ President, Vacant ■

Comm. Asst., Jeanie Allen

Newly Formed Cornerstone Church is Dedicated

Things are looking up for the Richmond Spanish churchwhose facility was destroyed by an arsonist in

September 2001, just three days after 9/11. For nearly twoweeks in May, 17 participants from Maranatha VolunteersInternational (www.maranatha.org) representing seven dif-ferent states, as well as 60 members from Richmond andother area churches, students from Richmond Academy,and employees from the Potomac Conference convergedon Richmond to help rebuild the church.

“Our dream is becoming a reality thanks to donations,Maranatha’s help, the courage of our church, and thehelp of the conference,” explained Richmond Spanish

Pastor Luis LiñanOlivera. “Soon wewill be celebratingthe inaugurationof this great proj-ect, which will bea combination ofa church andbilingual acade-my, with thecapacity to tendto the socialneeds of ourcommunities.”

Oliverareported that thecenter, located on nine acres, will have recreationalfields for soccer, volleyball, basketball, tennis, etc.,but will mainly be used to organize new congrega-tions in Virginia.

Karl Schwinn, project manager for Maranatha, andhis wife Katie Jo will stay in Richmond to see the proj-ect through completion.—Jeanie Allen

Richmond Spanish church and evangelisticcenter after Maranatha and other volunteershelped raise the walls and put on the roof.The center is expected to be ready for busi-ness by October.

Kurt Allen (back row, second from left), conference vice presidentfor finance, with the Maranatha Volunteers International team.

The Cornerstone Church of Seventh-day Adventists was organized anddedicated in Herndon, Va., recently. During this dedication Sabbath

service, 53 people signed up to become members. Cornerstone originates from two different Adventist companies:

Northern Virginia Christian Fellowship (NVCF) and True Life Community(TLC). These congregations were merged in April 2005 with an interimname of NVCF-TLC. All four current and previous pastors were present forthe special dedication service.

Jane McDonald, a previous NVCF member and one of the 53 newCornerstone members, said the Lord’s leading was evident through eachchurch plant, and is evident now with the uniting of these two congregations.During the dedication, Patrick Williams, current Cornerstone pastor, showed a powerful video vignette and challenged the congregation to build up thechurch, to transform lives by the power of the Holy Spirit, and to proclaim thesecond coming of Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of our faith.—Jeanie Allen

Roger Weiss (left), conference vice presi-dent for Administration, presents theCertificate of Organization to Cornerstonechurch pastor Patrick Williams and his wifeMaureen, and to Louise Wetzel (far right),Cornerstone church secretary and clerk.

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Southwest Virginia Camp Meeting PlannedThe Southwest Virginia Camp Meeting will be held September 8-10 at the Rural Retreat Fairgrounds in Virginia.Keynote speaker will be Dave Weigley, Columbia Union Conference president. Wildwood Lifestyle Center’sCarol Bearce, dean of Education, will promote hands-on techniques toward better health and will providehealthy lifestyle counseling. Special music will be given by the Arkansas bluegrass gospel group Simply His.

44 | VISITOR

AUGUST 2006 | 45

Irecently ate at a restaurant that attracts teenage crowds. I was dressed quite formally and stuck out like a sorethumb. Schools in the area had just let out for the summer, which contributed to the number of teens both inside

and outside the restaurant. I found a corner and placed myself in a position that allowed me to casually observethe culture.

As I observed their verbal and nonverbal interactions, I was surprised by two very distinct emotions that Ibegan to feel. The first emotion was tremendous relief that my son attended Spencerville Adventist Academy(SAA). Our Adventist schools are not perfect, but there is a spirituality, innocence, and safety generally found inour hallways and classrooms that cannot be duplicated anywhere else.

The second emotion was a tremendous sense of concern. I was faced with the realization that Satan’s attackon our youth is in full swing. He knows that his days are very short and he is not pulling any punches. Today’syouth are immersed in a culture that floods them with Satan’s messages around the clock. Thesemessages come to them through cell phones, computers, music, television, and high-speedInternet access.

I cannot erase the images in my mind from that day at the restaurant, but what I can do is usethose images to remind me that we are in a battle that has eternal consequences. Each day that Iunlock the doors to SAA is another opportunity to lift up Jesus Christ. Let us take courage inJohn 12:32 where Jesus says, “And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me.” Each day thou-sands of Adventist teachers across the world will be “lifting up Jesus Christ.” Pray forthem today. The results are eternal.

Lifting Up Jesus Christ

Spencerville Graduates Class of 2006

Brian KittlesonPrincipal

The 26 members of SAA’s senior class enjoyed anevent-filled weekend that ended their high school

career when they received diplomas on June 4. As theirclass text they chose Joshua 1:9, “Have I not com-manded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not beterrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your Godwill be with you wherever you go” (NIV). Their class aimwas, “To go forward ever, backward never.” They wereencouraged to “make the right choice” by Greg Taylor,their Bible teacher and Commencement speaker.

The Class of 2006 is a very talented group of youngpeople. Many of them demonstrated excellence inmusic, drama, sports, and leadership as well as aca-demics. Over half of the students graduated with GPAsof 3.0 and higher. There were 11 members of theNational Honor Society, 19 students were four-yearseniors, and seven students received their entire edu-cation at SAA. We are extremely proud of our gradu-ates and wish them continued success.

Spencerville Adventist Academy’s Class of 2006 poses withsponsors.

AUGUST 2006

46 | VISITOR

SAA Performs Seventh Major Broadway Musical My Fair Lady

Recently SAA’s drama team per-formed eight stellar performanc-

es of My Fair Lady. The studentstook their roles very seriously; frommastering the challenging cockney

accent to learning all their linesbefore Thanksgiving break.

Junior Ryan Rickenbach playedthe arrogant, confirmed bachelorHenry Higgins. Junior HeatherBrockett played a compelling andlovely Eliza Doolittle. The very savvyColonel Pickering was justly playedby junior Jarrod Lutz. There were 32cast members representing grades

6-12. This was the first year thatthe orchestra was parent-directedand involved only students from sixarea schools. Constant applausewas heard for the wonderful music.

The drama began with auditionsthe first week of September, and con-tinued throughout the school yearwith weekly rehearsals. Not only werethe students active with extracurricu-lar activities, including a mission tripto Belize, but they also managed tomaintain academic honors.

There were alumni representedin the orchestra, behind the curtain,and doing make-up. Even theassistant director Madison Bahr(Class of 2004) volunteered whilestudying full-time at HowardCommunity College (Md.).

Director Jane Lanning, head ofthe school’s music department,claims that a highlight of this wholeexperience was to witness all thecast and crew holding hands andpraying in a circle before every per-formance. “The harmonic bond thatforms throughout the group epito-mizes the Christian educationalexperience,” she said.

With each new annual produc-

Hours of rehearsals by talented students such as (left to right) Dain Wood, Matt Collett,and Heather Brockett resulted in eight stellar performances of My Fair Lady.

Juniors Heather Brockett and RyanRickenbach delighted audiences with theirportrayals of Eliza Doolittle and ProfessorHenry Higgins respectively.

(Left to right) SAA students JustinCalhoun, Steven Blondo, Tyler Starr, andChris Ng mastered the challenging cock-ney accent for their roles in My Fair Lady.

August

14 Middle and High School Orientation

16 First Day of School—12:15 p.m. Dismissal

19 Education Sabbath—Teacher Dedication

25-27 High School Spiritual Retreat, Mt. Aetna Camp, Md.

September

4 Labor Day—No School10 Student Council Beach Day14-17 Spiritual Academy

Leadership Training (SALT) Camp Blue Ridge, Va.

30 Senior Dedication

Please visit our website atwww.spencervilleacademy.org for amore extensive listing of dates.

Spotlight is published in the Visitor by the Spencerville Adventist Academy 15930 Good Hope Rd., Silver Spring,MD 20905 ■ Phone: (301) 421-9101 www.spencervilleacademy.orgPrincipal, Brian KittlesonEditor, Heidi Wetmore

CALENDAR

tion the bar is continually raised asto what is expected of the dramateam. Lanning claims the greatestreward is seeing all of the kids“come back!”

AUGUST 2006 | 47

Wow! It is August and we are getting ready for school once again. The North American Division has calledevery teacher to Nashville, Tenn., for meetings. It is always a pleasure to rub shoulders with others in the

teaching profession. What a tremendous blessing and responsibility to teach young people and to educate themfor eternity.

Welcome back, Takoma Academy (TA) students and staff. I know it is early, but the blessing is we will get outearly this school year: June 1, 2007.

This school year I desire for every student and staff member to draw closer to Christ. It brings us one yearcloser to the Lord’s second coming. Praise the Lord. Questions that I ask myself are, “What will Ido this year to make sure my calling is sure?” “How can I make sure that I ‘always’ speak ofChrist and am an example of His love?” “What ‘words’ will I say, spoken and unspoken, that willlead someone to Jesus Christ?” I believe that we must evaluate our relationship with the Masterand recommit ourselves to the ministry.

Returning TA students, welcome back. New students, welcome to the ministry of TakomaAcademy. Staff, once again we have the opportunity to, and we will, make a spiritual differ-ence with each student that we come in contact with. May God bless all of us to His glory.

Draw Closer to Christ, Be an Example of His Love

NEWS

Annette Maisu Succeeds Joan Wilson as Registrar

Registrar Joan Wilson (pictured) has been with TAfor six years, but has decided totranspose her skills to GriggsUniversity & International Academy,formerly Home Study International.What a blessing it has been for allwho work with “Joanie,” as we affec-tionately call her. She brought a lovefor the students, and a willingness to

make sure the details of the position were done effec-tively and with professionalism.

Annette Maisu (pictured) will takeover the tremendous responsibility ofregistrar and front office supervisor.Maisu has been at TA since 2000, firstassisting in the auto shop, then in thebusiness office. Maisu is a verydetailed person who loves the students of TA.

50 Seniors Travel to Florida and Bahamas Fifty of the 74 graduating seniors decided to go to

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and on a day cruise to Freeport,Bahamas, for their class trip. Leaving on May 29 andreturning on June 2, all had a joyous time as they

looked forward to their upcoming graduation. Class sponsors Marquita Halstead, art instructor, and

Virginia Mathis, applied arts instructor, provided a sur-prise for the seniors on their last evening in Florida. Theyrented a Hummer limousine for a trip to the CheesecakeFactory. It required three trips to get all 50 seniors to therestaurant, but everyone enjoyed the experience.

AUGUST2006

C. Dunbar HenriPrincipal

Seniors Richard Raboteau, Jr., and Shadé Harris prepare for asurprise ride in a Hummer limousine during their class trip.

74 Seniors Enter a New Life Chapter

To see students reaching andcompleting this tremendous

pinnacle in their lives was a truejoy. We were so fortunate to wit-ness the Banks’family enjoyingthe last of sixchildren to grad-uate from TA,and Toria Banks(pictured) wasclass valedicto-rian. What a testimony of commit-ment to Christian education.

Anthony Medley, co-pastor ofthe Capitol Hill church (D.C.) and

father of senior Mylon Medley,spoke for Baccalaureate about“Dreams.” Renee Battle-Brooks,assistant state attorney for PrinceGeorge’s County (Md.) and chief ofthe Child Abuse and Sexual AssaultUnit, was the Commencementspeaker. As an honorary graduateof the TA Class of 1977, she spokeclearly about never giving up andallowing God to lead in the direc-tion of one’s life.

As we say goodbye to theClass of 2006, we’d like to thankour senior class officers for theirleadership: Michelle Shaw, presi-dent; Bethany Anderson, vicepresident; Kerayl Bonner, treasur-er; Mallory Pollard, secretary;Kathleen da Silva, pastor; PatriciaLeSane, sergeant at arms; BrandiVicks, Student Council president;Courtney Hannum, StudentCouncil representative; andMichael Gaskins, Student Councilrepresentative.

We graduated 74 seniors andare sending many off to ColumbiaUnion College, Oakwood College(Ala.), and various other institu-tions of higher learning. We wishGod’s continued blessings oneach of them.

August

14 Freshman and Sophomore Orientation, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

15 Freshmen Day, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Junior and Senior Orientation, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

16 First Day of School—Noon Dismissal

18 Spiritual Dedication Service, 7 p.m. in Chapel

19 Student Council Handshake

28-30 Spiritual Emphasis28 Back to School Night,

7-9 p.m.

September

4 School Closed22 Fall Picnic 25-26 ITED Testing—

Noon Dismissal30 Fine Arts Fund-raiser

TA Today is published in the Visitor by Takoma Academy ■ 8120 CarrollAve., Takoma Park, MD 20912 ■ Phone:(301) 434-4700 ■ Principal, C. DunbarHenri ■ www.ta.edu

TA Events

Takoma Academy graduates AlainaCarpenter and Derek Bridges march in the processional.

Prince George’s County (Md.) assistant state attorney and honorary 1977 TA graduateRenee Battle-Brooks, TA principal Dunbar Henri, and Columbia Union president DaveWeigley were some of the participants in the special day.

Washington, D.C.’s Capitol Hill church co-pastor Anthony Medley was the speakerfor Baccalaureate.

48 | VISITOR

AUGUST 2006 | 51

Bulletin Board

EMPLOYMENT

THE REVIEW AND HERALDis looking for a skilled mechanic/machinist. Qualified applicantsshould have prior mechanic/machinist experience and be ableto diagnose and repair all types ofprinting equipment. If interested,please apply to Lori Williams, 55West Oak Ridge Drive,Hagerstown, MD 21740; (301)393-4025, (301) 393-4026 (fax); or email lwilliams@rhpa.org.

WEIMAR INSTITUTE HAS THE FOLLOWING PERSONNEL NEEDS:Executive chef for teaching VeganCulinary Arts Program, mainte-nance personnel, cafeteria personnel, male massage thera-pist, women's dean, men's dean,massage therapy instructor (CMT),health education instructors (RN,MPH, MD). All ages considered,volunteers appreciated. ContactDorothy Potterton, (530) 637-4111, ext. 7013.

WANTED: NURSING FACULTY,Oakwood College Huntsville, Ala.Three positions available: medical-surgical, critical care, and pediatricnursing, beginning July 1.Theoretical and clinical instructionin a NLNAC accredited baccalau-reate program. Masters degree innursing and eligibility for AlabamaRN licensure required. Contact Dr.Carol Allen, (256) 726-7287; (256)726-8338 (fax).

DIRECTOR OF NURSINGneeded for 50-bed nursing home in country setting. Requires a Tenn.Registered Nursing License ingood standing; a minimum of twoyears long-term care experience ispreferred. (423) 775-0771.

WHITE MEMORIALMISSIONARY COLLEGE,a distance education, not-for-profit,liberal arts college emphasizinghealth professions, is seeking general education faculty as well as RRT respiratory therapy instructors. All faculty work fromhome. Visit www.wmmc.info formore details.

PROGRAMMERS JAVA/J2EEDEVELOPERS NEEDED.Exciting, growing company seeksJ2EE developers and project leaders. Stafford and Reston, Va.,and Rockville, Md., locations. Youcan obtain a secret and/or TSclearance. To apply: recruiting@platinumsolutions.comor call (703) 471-9793, ext. 215;www.platinumsolutions.com.

ASSOCIATE TREASURER.Southeastern CaliforniaConference has an opening for an associate treasurer in theareas of accounting, conferencebudget, payroll, church receipting.Bachelor's degree (BA/BS) inaccounting or business relatedrequired. An MBA or CPA desired.Five years experience includingsupervision required. ContactHuman Resources at (915) 509-2352.

POSITION AVAILABLE:ADVENTIST RISKMANAGEMENT, INC.,a General Conference institution, is looking for property and liabilityinsurance professionals. If youhave underwriting or similar expe-rience, please email your resumeto Dorothy Redmon, HR Director,dredmon@adventistrisk.org or call(301) 680-6810.

WILLIAMSPORT RETIREMENT VILLAGE,a 98-bed, long term care facility, is presently accepting applica-tions for a full-time assistantdirector of nursing. Candidatesmust have proven experience in a comprehensive care setting,outstanding people skills, creativeproblem-solving techniques,demonstrated leadership ability,and a strong desire to serve theaging population. This individualshould be currently licensed as aregistered nurse and a strongmanager who cares about staffand residents. Specialized trainingand/or graduate degree viewedas a plus. Excellent compensationand benefits package. If interest-ed, please submit your resume to emcfarland@bgf.org or mail to154 N. Artizan St., Williamsport,MD 21795.

NEEDED: ASSISTANT TO ADMINISTRATIONfor Investments & Operations(equivalent to associate treasurerclassification). SoutheasternCalifornia Conference has anopening for an assistant to thetreasurer, president and secretaryfor the management of invest-ments, IT and Web coordinator,special projects, and clergy evaluation. MBA or CPA and pastoral training desired. Minimum10 years combined experience ininvestment management, churchadministration, and pastoring.Contact Human Resources at(951) 509-2352.

MISCELLANEOUS

FLORIDA GENERAL DENTALPRACTICE FOR SALE.Established in 1962. Dentist retiring. Located in central Florida,Avon Park. 12-grade churchschool and 111-bed Adventisthospital—Florida HospitalHeartland—nearby. Phone toll-free (888) 774-2561 days or (863) 453-6102 evenings.

BECKER SUBARUhas special pricing for memberson new Subaru vehicles and used cars. Choose from 300 newSubarus or 150 used cars. Dropshipment available on orderednew cars anywhere in the UnitedStates. Call Becker Subaru (800) 671-3636. Ask for membersales.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTINUE YOUR EDUCATION,BUT NEED FLEXIBILITY?Consider an online course fromSouthern Adventist University’snew Virtual Campus! Fall semester online courses include statistics, earth science, healthfor life, personal finance, educa-tional research, introduction todrawing, and life and teachings of Jesus. Classes begin August28. For more information, call (800) SOUTHERN or visit www.virtualcampus.southern.edu.

STUDENTS NEEDED:spiritual atmosphere, quiet coun-try setting. Learning opportunitiesinclude CNA, dietary, housekeep-ing, auto mechanics, buildingtrades, gardening, landscaping,and—more while getting an academy education. Natural setting includes waterfalls,canyon, rock formations. (423) 775-3339.

PREPAID PHONE CARDS:Multiple types and rates for the Continental United States and international countries. Multipletypes ranging from 1 cent to 1.5cents per minute (no connectionfee). Consider using these for your missionary endeavors, gifts for students, or travel. Call LJ PLUS,(770) 441-6022 or toll-free (888) 441-7688.

Advertising Guidelines and RatesThe Columbia Union Visitor accepts classified advertising as a service toits members. Announcements such as church-sponsored events, legalnotices, obituaries, and retirements of church workers will be printedwithout charge on a space-available basis. The Visitor reserves the rightto refuse any advertisement or announcement and does not guaranteethe integrity of any product or service advertised.

First-time advertisers who are members of the Seventh-day AdventistChurch must submit a letter of recommendation from their pastor orconference leadership. First-time advertisers who are not membersof the Adventist church must submit letters of recommendation frombusiness members of their community or credit bureaus.

Payment must accompany all advertisement(s). We do not bill for clas-sified or display advertising and tear sheets are not provided unlessprior arrangements are made. Checks and money orders are accepted.Make checks payable to Columbia Union Visitor and mail together withclassified advertisement and recommendations (if applicable) to:Sandra Jones, Columbia Union Visitor, 5427 Twin Knolls Rd.,Columbia, MD 21045, and display advertising to Celeste Ryan Blydenat the same address.

Rates for classified advertising are calculated on a per insertion basis inour 12 issues. Minimum charge is $40 for 50 words or less for ads orig-inating within the Columbia Union Conference, and $50 for all others.Additional words: 60 cents each. A 15 percent discount is given for 12insertions, a 10 percent discount for six insertions, and a five percentdiscount for three insertions. A column ad (classified ad in a box) is$105 inside the union and $125 outside the union, with a maximumword count of 75. Ads must be placed a minimum of four weeks beforethe issue date, which is the first of every month.

Word count is based upon the spaces between words in normal usage.

Display Advertising: For rates and information, go to www.columbiaunion.org or call (888) 4-VISITOR and ask for CelesteRyan Blyden at ext. 220.

HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

NEEDED

Shawnee Mission MedicalCenter (SMMC), a Seventh-dayAdventist community service,

has a variety of openingsfor healthcare professionals

interested in immediate placement. SMMC is a 383-

bed, acute care facility locatedin beautiful Johnson County,Kansas. This family-friendly

community offers a safe andrelaxed atmosphere, high quality

schools, and easy access tomuseums, cultural arts, and professional sports teams.

Please contact the job line:

(800) 845-6212or click onEmployment:

www.shawneemission.orgfor a listing of open positions.

For more information, contact:

Brad HoffmanAdministrative Directorof Human Resources (913) 676-2020

Resumes may be faxed to:

(913) 676-2019

52 | VISITOR

Bulletin Board

REAL ESTATE

ADVENTIST-REALTOR.COMis a nationwide real estate referralservice, helping church membersand employees to buy and sellhomes. Our network of nearly 100Adventist realtors is ready to serveyou. Call us at (888) 582-2888 and ask for Linda Dayen. Are youan agent or broker? Call us to participate.

PHYLLIS NEWMAN SELLSMARYLAND REAL ESTATE ...for both buyers and sellers. Call(800) 586-4669 Re/Max RealtyCenter, Inc. See our website atwww.homesdatabase.com/realestate. This site gives you MLSaccess by state, county, zip code,price range, bedrooms/bathrooms,etc. Call me or email phyllisnewman@realtor.com.

BEAUTIFUL HOMES FOR SALE IN KENTUCKY.Currently offering a lovely threebedroom, two bath ranch for$108,000. Will build to suit onremaining lots. Many with excep-tional views. Friendly, conservativeAdventist church and community.Call (606) 787-6778 or visit ourwebsite atwww.KentuckyLandDevelopment.com

READY TO RELAX?Apartments and rooms available for healthy, active seniors. FloridaLiving Retirement Community,13.5 acres near Orlando. Pool,walking trail, activities, vegetariancuisine, alcohol/smoke free.Transportation/ housekeepingavailable. Conference owned. Call Jackie at (407) 862-2646 ortoll-free (800) 729-8017; emailJackieFLRC@aol.com.

SERVICES

MARYLAND ADVENTIST DENTIST.David Lee, DDS, PA, has a comprehensive dental office inSilver Spring and in Ellicott City. He is excellent with children andadults, and is highly trained in cosmetic dentistry and implants.For appointments call: SilverSpring (301) 649-5001; EllicottCity (410) 461-6655. Mention thisad and receive 10% discount onall services (excludes third party payers). Our office is a participat-ing provider with Adventist RiskManagement.

SINGLE AND OVER 40?The only interracial group exclu-sively for all singles over 40. Stayhome and meet new friends in the United States, with a pen palmonthly newsletter of membersand album. For information, senda self-addressed, stamped envelope to ASO40 or EBONYCHOICE ASO40, 2747 Nonpareil,Sutherlin, OR 97479.

CHRISTIANSINGLESDATING.COMFree 14-day trial! Join thousandsand thousands of active Adventistsingles online. Free chat, search,detailed profiles, and match notifications! Date chat, two-waycompatibility match, 10 photos,and confidential online mail.Witnessing opportunities to theworld through articles, friend-ships, chat, and forums. Since1993. Adventist owners.Thousands of successful matches.Top ranked.

MARYLAND ADVENTIST PODIATRIST.Dr. Scott Nutter, highly trained,experienced, and board certified, is available in several locations tohelp your foot/ankle problems,including arthritis, heel pain,spurs, diabetes, callouses,ingrown nails, sprains, fractures,warts, bunions, etc. Surgery, if itis needed, at Adventist hospitals.Laurel (301) 317-6800; Greenbelt(301) 345-5200; or Columbia(410) 531-6350.

MOVE WITH AN AWARD-WINNING AGENCY.Apex Moving & Storage partnerswith the General Conference toprovide quality moves at a dis-counted rate. Call us for yourrelocation needs. Adventist beliefs uncompromised. CallMarcy Dante� at (800) 766-1902for a free estimate. Visit us atwww.apexmoving.com/adventist.

SINGLES.Introducing Adventists discreetlyand confidentially since 1987. We are dedicated to helping singles meet in a comfortable/secure online environment. Enjoychat, message boards, photos,profiles, uplifting articles, muchmore. We have a personal com-munity for creating relationshipsfrom companionship to friendship,romance to marriage.DiscoverChristianSingles.com.

ARE YOU MOVING SOON?Before you rent a U-Haul and doit yourself, check our price andsave yourself the hassle. Planahead now and reserve a timeslot. Fast, direct, and economical.Contact Gary Erhard, ErhardFurniture, 6681 U.S. 31, BerrienSprings, Mich.; phone (269) 471-7366 evenings from 8-11p.m., EST.

FOOT AND ANKLE MEDICAL OFFICE.Premier Podiatry Services is eager to help you get "back on your feet." Dr. Rhonda Nelson, anAdventist podiatrist seeks to provideyou with exceptional podiatric carewhile relieving your foot and anklediscomfort. Flexible office hours areavailable. Office location: Largo, Md.; (301) 773-1199.

MOVING?Special Adventist rates and guar-antees! Air Van northAmerican is anationwide mover. Whether you'removing a few items or a truckload,don't move before calling Air Van. It will assure peace of mind and acost-effective move. Please call(800) 525-1177 to speak with arepresentative.

PLANNING AN EVANGELISTIC SERIES OR HEALTH SEMINAR?or SHARE HIM/Global Evangelismseries? If you need affordable, professionally prepared handbills,brochures, supplies, signs, banners, and mailing services, call Daphne or Ray toll-free at (800) 274-0016 or visit www.handbills.org. Your friends at Hamblin's Hope offer first-rate,on-time service for all your evangelism supply needs.

TRAVEL/VACATION

CAPE COD VACATION. An Adventist family will rent weekly,biweekly, etc., their lovely, fairlynew, spacious, and semi-contem-porary vacation home on beautifulCape Cod, Mass.Three bedrooms,one and one-half baths, Jacuzzitub, washer/dryer, cable TV, dish-washer, microwave, and a greatroom with a cathedral beam ceilingand skylights, an outdoor shower,a huge deck, and fenced-in backyard with a small swing set and asandbox on one-half acre, just 900feet from a great beach. Call (301)596-9311.

RVS!Adventist owned and operated RVdealership has been helpingAdventists for over 30 years. Hugeinventory. Courtesy airport pickupand on-site hookups. SatisfiedAdventist customer list available.Call toll-free (888) 933-9300.Lee's RV City, Oklahoma City. Visitour website www.leesrv.com or email LeesRVs@aol.com.

LEGAL NOTICES

MIDTERM CONSTITUENCYSESSION OF THE ALLEGHENYEAST CONFERENCE OFSEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS

Notice is hereby given that theMidterm Constituency Session ofthe Allegheny East Conference ofSeventh-day Adventists will convene Sunday, September 24,2006, at 9:30 a.m., in the Myers

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE SICK.Retired Adventist pastor shareshis personal "fight back plan."Request free CD entitled WinningIs More Than Wishing. Emaileast@usit.net. Write: Lifestyle,420 Rogers Rd., Rogersville, TN37857.

FREE MISSION AVIATION STORIES!Send your name, email address,and street address to info@flyaway.org, or mail yourrequest to Adventist WorldAviation, Box 251, BerrienSprings, MI 49103, or you cansign up for our free newsletter atwww.flyaway.org.

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AUGUST 2006 | 53

Bulletin Board

Auditorium of the Martin LutherKing Communication Arts Center atBowie State University, Bowie, Md.

This meeting is called to reviewthe progress of the Allegheny EastConference and to transact anyother business that may comebefore the Conference at that time.The delegates of the QuadrennialSession of the Allegheny EastConference are delegates of thissession.

Charles L. Cheatham, PresidentHenry J. Fordham, Secretary

ALLEGHENY EASTCONFERENCE ASSOCIATION MEETING

Notice is hereby given that thelegal meeting of the Allegheny East Conference Association ofSeventh-day Adventists will beheld in connection with the Midterm Constituency Session ofthe Allegheny East Conference at 2 p.m., on Sunday, September 24, 2006, at Bowie StateUniversity, Bowie, Md.

The purpose of this meeting is to review the progress of theAllegheny East Conference and to transact any other business thatmay come before the Associationat that time. The delegates of theQuadrennial Session of theAllegheny East Conference aredelegates of this session.

Charles L. Cheatham, PresidentHenry J. Fordham, Secretary

MEETING OF THE PINE FORGEACADEMY CONSTITUENCY

Notice is hereby given that ameeting of the Pine ForgeAcademy Constituency will be held in connection with theMidterm Constituency Session of the Allegheny East Conferenceof Seventh-day Adventists in theMyers Auditorium of the MartinLuther King Communication ArtsCenter at Bowie State University,Bowie, Md., on Sunday,September 24, 2006, at a timethat will be called by the chair. This meeting is called to review the progress of Pine ForgeAcademy and to transact anyother business that may comebefore the constituency at thattime. The delegates of theQuadrennial Session of theAllegheny East Conference are delegates of this session.

Charles L. Cheatham, PresidentHenry J. Fordham, Secretary

PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCETRIENNIAL SESSION

The triennial session of thePennsylvania Conference ofSeventh-day Adventists will convene at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday,October 8, 2006, at Blue MountainAcademy in Hamburg, Pa.

The purposes of this meetingare to elect officers for the ensuingterm, to receive reports, and totransact such other business asmay properly come before this fullconference in session at that time.

An Organizing Committee toselect the Nominating Committeeand nominate the Constitution andBylaws Committee will meet at 10a.m. on Sunday, August 20, 2006,at the Harrisburg First Seventh-day Adventist Church inHarrisburg, Pa.

Raymond C. Hartwell, PresidentBarry J. Tryon, Secretary

ADVENTIST HEALTH MINISTRIES TRIENNIALSESSION

Notice is hereby given that theregular session of the AdventistHealth Ministries constituency willbe held in connection with the triennial session of thePennsylvania Conference ofSeventh-day Adventists at 9:30a.m. on Sunday, October 8, 2006,at Blue Mountain Academy inHamburg, Pa.

This meeting is called for theelection of trustees and for thetransaction of any other businessthat may properly come before the session at that time. Every delegate to the Pennsylvania triennial constituency is a memberof this session.

Raymond C. Hartwell, PresidentBarry J. Tryon, Secretary

PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCEASSOCIATION TRIENNIALSESSION

Notice is hereby given that the triennial session of thePennsylvania ConferenceAssociation of Seventh-dayAdventists will be held in connection with the triennial session of the PennsylvaniaConference of Seventh-dayAdventists at 9:30 a.m. onSunday, October 8, 2006, at Blue Mountain Academy inHamburg, Pa.

The purposes of this meetingare to elect trustees and transactany other business that may comebefore the association at thattime. Delegates to thePennsylvania Conference sessionare recognized as delegates to the association meeting.

Raymond C. Hartwell, PresidentBarry J. Tryon, Secretary

PENNSYLVANIA HEALTHSERVICES FOUNDATIONTRIENNIAL SESSION

Notice is hereby given that the regular session of thePennsylvania Health Services

Foundation will convene at 9:30a.m. on Sunday, October 8, 2006,at Blue Mountain Academy inHamburg, Pa.

This meeting is called for theelection of officers and for thetransaction of any other businessthat may properly come beforethe session at that time. Everydelegate to the Pennsylvania tri-ennial constituency is also amember of the session.

Raymond C. Hartwell, PresidentBarry J. Tryon, Secretary

ANNOUNCEMENTS

MARANATHA VOLUNTEERSINTERNATIONAL’S 2006CONVENTIONwill be held September 29-30, in the Portland, Ore., area. All areinvited to attend this inspirationalweekend. Featured speakers areMark Finley, general vice presi-dent of the Seventh-day AdventistChurch; Ron Watts, president ofthe Southern Asia Division; PaulRatsara, president of theSouthern Africa-Indian OceanDivision; and Leonel Lozano,president of the Ecuador UnionMission. For more information,contact Maranatha VolunteersInternational at (916) 920-1900 or www.maranatha.org.

BLYTHEDALE JUNIORACADEMY/ SUSQUEHANNAADVENTIST SCHOOL ALUMNI.Join us October 21 in commemo-rating the 85th anniversary of ourschool. The celebration will beginat 9:15 a.m. and will continuethroughout the day at theBlythedale church, 36 BlythedaleRd., Perryville, MD 21903. We are interested in stories, pictures,and alumni/teacher addresses.These can be mailed to theabove address c/o AlumniCommittee. For more information,phone (410) 378-4343.

COME AND REMINISCE WITH OLD SCHOOL FRIENDSFROM DAA/PVA/SRAat the alumni gathering at DakotaAdventist Academy, Bismarck,N.D., October 6-8. Honor classes: ’02, ’97, ’87, ’82, ’77,’67, ’57, ’52, ’47. Contact JudyLiebelt, alumni president, (701) 428-3382, if you have any questions.

50TH YEAR CELEBRATIONat University Seventh-dayAdventist Church in East Lansing,Mich.; September 15,16. RogerCoon, pastor in 1967, will be thespeaker for the worship service.See the church website for moreinformation:www.universitysda.com. If youplan to attend, emailJoan48840@earthlink.net.

SUNSET CALENDAR

Aug. 4 Aug. 11 Aug. 18 Aug. 25 Sept. 1

Baltimore 8:15 8:07 7:58 7:48 7:37

Cincinnati 8:47 8:40 8:31 8:19 8:09

Cleveland 8:41 8:32 8:23 8:11 8:00

Columbus 8:42 8:34 8:24 8:14 8:03

Jersey City 8:08 8:00 7:50 7:38 7:29

Norfolk 8:09 8:01 7:53 7:43 7:34

Parkersburg 8:35 8:27 8:17 8:07 7:57

Philadelphia 8:11 8:03 7:53 7:43 7:32

Pittsburgh 8:31 8:23 8:13 8:03 7:52

Reading 8:15 8:06 7:57 7:47 7:36

Richmond 8:15 8:07 7:58 7:49 7:39

Roanoke 8:24 8:17 8:08 7:59 7:49

Toledo 8:49 8:40 8:30 8:19 8:08

54 | VISITOR

Bulletin Board

UNION COLLEGE ELEMENTARYLAB SCHOOL TURNS 30.George P. Stone ElementarySchool will celebrate its 30th year of providing multigrade experience for elementary teachers under the direction of the education department at Union College. Special eventsmarking the occasion will be heldAugust 27-31 in Lincoln, Neb. Allformer stdents, staff, and studentteachers are encouraged to send stories and pictures of their time at the multigrade lab school.Information can be sent to theDivision of Human Development at Union College or by email humandev@ucollege. edu to theattention of Dr. Joseph R. Allison,principal.

LONNIE MELASHENKO WILLBE THE GUEST SPEAKERat the homecoming reunion weekend of the Willow BrookSeventh-day Adventist Church inBoonsboro, Md., October 21.Former pastor Don Klinger willteach the lesson. Don’t miss theFriday evening musical concertand the walk down memory laneon Sabbath afternoon. For moreinformation, call (301) 797-8808.

THE GREATER BOSTONACADEMY ALUMNIASSOCIATION will hold its annual reunionSeptember 29-30, at the academy located at 108 Pond St.,Stoneham, Mass. Honor classesare those ending in 1 or 6. For further information, contact alumni president Arthur Barnaby at (951) 359-4344 or email afbarnaby@juno.com. See also the alumni website at www.gba.myfamily.com.

RELAX, RELEASE, RENEW—Women's Retreat. Is it time torefresh your mind, body, and soul?This retreat experience is what youneed. Jekyll Oceanfront ClarionResort, along the Georgia coast, isthe setting for this year's unforget-table weekend, October 6-8, featuring worship services on thebeach, workshops, and spa treatments. For more information,call (770) 471-9611 or email information@relaxreleaserenew.org.

CELEBRATING 83 YEARSOF COMMITMENT, SERVICE, AND FAITH,the Ethan Temple Seventh-dayAdventist Church in Dayton, Ohio,is celebrating its 83rd anniversaryin a Homecoming Weekend,October 6-8. For additional information on this exciting week-end celebration, contact JeanieAnderson, (937) 835-3183.

OBITUARIES

HARE, Peter E., born April 14,1933, in Maymyo, Burma; diedMay 5, 2006, in Daytona Beach,Fla. He was a member of the New

Smyrna Beach (Fla.) church and along-time member of Sligo churchin Takoma Park, Md. He graduat-ed from Pacific Union College in1954 and taught chemistry therefor three years. He was one of the original members of theGeoscience Research Institute in1958. Peter completed his mas-ter’s and earned a PhD in organicchemistry in 1962. The next yearhe began a 35-year rewardingcareer as a research scientist forthe Carnegie Institution ofWashington's Geophysical Lab.He also taught for Home StudyIntl. and was an adjunct teacherfor Columbia Union College. He issurvived by his wife Patti Hare ofDaytona Beach, Fla.; his daughterCarol Pack of Laurel, Md.; his sonCalvin Hare of Orlando, Fla.; andthree grandchildren, Stacey Pack,Brian Pack, and Travis Hare; andhis brother Leonard Hare ofBerrien Springs, Mich.

VISITOR SUBSCRIPTIONINFORMATION

Would you like to receive theVisitor, or are you on the mailinglist but have an address change?

Please email or call toll-free:

visitorlist@columbiaunion.net(888) 4-VISITOR

or mail to:

Columbia Union Visitor Subscription Services5427 Twin Knolls RoadColumbia, MD 21045

Please include the name of the conference where your

membership is held and yourtelephone number. If you havean address change, also sendyour previous address as listed

on the magazine label.

If you live outside theColumbia Union Conferenceterritory, a year’s subscription

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Please make your check payable to:

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are received, on a space-available basis.

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AUGUST 2006 | 55

Last WordsMONTE SAHLIN

Trends in Small Group Ministries

Irecently obtained some good news aboutSeventh-day Adventist churches that will bepublished in the FACT 2005 study (Faith

Communities Today). Over the last five years, small group

ministries have continued to grow in Adventistchurches across the United States. In 2000, just half of localchurches (51%) reported that small groups for Bible study werekey activities. By 2005, this had jumped to 58 percent. That is agrowth rate of about three percent a year.

Although the numbers are still small, the growth of churchesoffering supportgroups is evenmore impres-sive. It hasincreased by 50percent over thepast five years.This is morethan three timesthe rate ofincrease in Biblestudy groups.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?More and more churches understand the need for small group

ministries as one of the most effective outreach and nurture toolsavailable. There is an urgent need for churches to offer supportgroups that help people deal with specific needs their lives. Theseare sometimes called “self-help” groups, although in a churchcontext they all begin by recognizing their utter reliance on Godto attain their goals. The most well-known are AlcoholicsAnonymous, although now there are many, many other types. Inthe Adventist denomination they are supported by a networkand materials called Regeneration Ministries.

At the same time, prayer groups seemed to have peaked as asmall-group method. It is not that study groups and supportgroups do not include prayer. It’s just as James writes (2:16): “Ifone of you says to him, ‘Go, I pray for God’s blessing on you;keep warm and well fed,’ and does nothing about his physicalneeds, what good is it?” I’m glad to see there is a growing recog-nition in our congregations of the very real needs that we mustmeet if we are serious about ministry in Christ’s name.

Monte Sahlin, vice president for Creative Ministries for the Columbia Union Conference, enjoys your questions/feedback. Contact msahlin@columbiaunion.net or at (800) 438-9600.

Celeste Ryan Blyden ■ Editor

LaVerne Henderson ■ Associate Editor for News & Features

Beth Michaels ■ Associate Editor for Newsletters

Kelly Butler Coe ■ Art Director & Designer

Sandra Jones ■ Copy Editor & Bulletin Board Editor

Monte Sahlin ■ Publisher

PUBLISHING BOARD: Dave Weigley (chair), Celeste Ryan Blyden (secretary), Raj Attiken, Seth Bardu, Larry Boggess,Charles Cheatham, LeRoy Finck, J. Neville Harcombe, RayHartwell, James L. Lewis, Monte Sahlin, Rob Vandeman

MISSION STATEMENTThe Visitor provides news and information, resources for effectiveministry, and insight on issues with a spiritual focus to help peoplecelebrate God's transforming grace in preparation for His return.

COLUMBIA UNION CONFERENCEOF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS

5427 Twin Knolls Road, Columbia, MD 21045(301) 596-0800 or (888) 4-VISITORhttp://www.columbiaunion.org

Free to Columbia Union members. All others—$15 per year.

COLUMBIA UNION CONFERENCE

Dave Weigley PresidentJ. Neville Harcombe Executive SecretarySeth Bardu TreasurerHamlet Canosa Vice President/EducationWalter Carson Vice President/General CounselMonte Sahlin Vice President/Creative MinistriesCeleste Ryan Blyden Asst. to the President/CommunicationHarold Greene Information TechnologyCurtis Boore Plant ServicesWalter Carson Trust Services/PARLPeggy Lee Revolving FundCarol Wright Undertreasurer

CONFERENCES

ALLEGHENY EAST: Charles L. Cheatham, President; Robert Booker,Visitor Correspondent; P.O. Box 266, Pine Forge, PA 19548.Tel. (610) 326-4610 ■ www.myalleghenyeast.com

ALLEGHENY WEST: James L. Lewis, President; Bryant Taylor,Visitor Correspondent; 1339 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43205.Tel. (614) 252-5271 ■ www.awconf.org

CHESAPEAKE: Rob Vandeman, President; Frank Bonderant,Visitor Correspondent; 6600 Martin Rd., Columbia, MD 21044. Tel. (410) 995-1910

MOUNTAIN VIEW: Larry Boggess, President; Brian Jones, VisitorCorrespondent; 1400 Liberty St., Parkersburg, WV 26101.Tel. (304) 422-4581 ■ www.mtviewconf.org

NEW JERSEY: LeRoy Finck, President; Aura Garcia, Visitor Correspondent; 2160 Brunswick Ave., Trenton, NJ 08648. Tel. (609) 392-7131 ■ www.njcsda.org

OHIO: Raj Attiken, President; Bette Toscano, VisitorCorrespondent; P.O. Box 1230, Mount Vernon, OH 43050. Tel. (740) 397-4665 ■ www.ohioadventist.org

PENNSYLVANIA: Ray Hartwell, President; Tamyra Horst, VisitorCorrespondent; 720 Museum Rd., Reading, PA 19611. Tel. (610) 374-8331 ■ www.paconference.org

POTOMAC: (vacant), President; (vacant), Visitor Correspondent;606 Greenville Avenue, Staunton, VA 24401. ■ Tel. (540) 886-0771 ■ www.pcsda.org

COLLEGES

COLUMBIA UNION COLLEGE: Randal Wisbey, President; Scott Steward, Visitor Correspondent; 7600 Flower Ave.,Takoma Park, MD 20912. Tel. (301) 891-4000 ■ www.cuc.edu

KETTERING COLLEGE OF MEDICAL ARTS: Charles Scriven,President; 3737 Southern Blvd., Kettering, OH 45429. Tel. (937) 395-8601 ■ www.kcma.edu

HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS

ADVENTIST HEALTHCARE: William G. “Bill” Robertson, President & CEO; Ray Tetz, Visitor Correspondent; 1801 Research Blvd.,Suite 400, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel. (301) 315-3030www.adventisthealthcare.com

KETTERING ADVENTIST HEALTHCARE: Frank Perez, President& CEO; Kenneth Chaij, Visitor Correspondent; 3965 SouthernBlvd., Kettering, OH 45429. Tel. (937) 395-8167www.kmcnetwork.org

Published by the Columbia Union Conference of Seventh-dayAdventists. Printed at the Review & Herald Publishing Association.

Volume 111 ■ Issue 9