News | Seventh-day Adventist Church

Alone at Church

Story by Anna Bartlett

When Keyla Laguna and her family moved to the East Coast, they were shocked at what they found. “It almost seemed like they were dying,” Laguna said of the churches her family experienced. With a daughter in middle school and a son in high school, Laguna (pictured in red T-shirt, with Kaylea Newman, left, and Lauren Penkala) and her husband struggled to integrate their family into their new church community, until one day everything came to a head.

Laguna’s son told her about a Sunday-keeping church many of his classmates attended with lots of youth and activities.

Read the September 2017 Visitor

Kettering Medical Center Respiratory Therapist Receives State Award

Story by Kettering Adventist HealthCare

John Hutsell, a critical care specialist at Kettering Medical Center in Ohio, has been named the Ohio Society for Respiratory Care’s Practitioner of the Year for Adult Acute Care. He was chosen for this statewide recognition from among 8,000 therapists.

The award recognizes respiratory care practitioners who exhibit leadership and team-building skills, mentor others, have clinical experience, and are involved in their communities.

Columbia Union Bids Farewell to Treasurer Seth Bardu

Story by Visitor Staff

The Columbia Union Conference is saying goodbye to Seth Bardu, who served as the union’s treasurer for nearly 12 years. “More than managing money and processing payroll, he promoted treasury as a resource center for ministry and mission,” said Dave Weigley, president, in a statement.

Bardu’s resignation is effective August 31. On September 14, Weigley will ask the union’s executive committee to select a search committee to begin the process of finding a new treasurer.

Bardu joined the union officer team in 2006 and previously worked in treasury positions at Northeastern Conference, South Union Conference, Adventist Health System and South Central Conference.

Hagerstown Church Cares For Families Displaced by Fire

Story by V. Michelle Bernard / Photos Courtesy Hagerstown church

Ray Valenzuela, the associate pastor of Chesapeake Conference’s Hagerstown (Md.) church, was thinking about how the church could help families displaced by a fire in the nearby Woodbridge Apartments, when a representative from the Red Cross called to ask if they were willing to open up the church as a resource center.

A Prayer of Commitment for the Adventist Joint Worship Service in Charlottesville

Jose Cortes Jr, an associate ministerial director of the North American Division, and Celeste Ryan Blyden, a vice president at the Columbia Union Conference, lead worshippers in a prayer of commitment during the August 19 joint worship service in Charlottesville, Va.

Adventists Comfort Mother of Slain Charlottesville Woman

William Miller (center) and William T. Cox (right) comfort Susan Bro, mother of Heather Heyer, the 32-year-old woman who died after being struck by a car that plowed into a crowd protesting a white nationalist rally in her city.

Story by Celeste Ryan Blyden, Columbia Union Visitor; Photos by Brian Patrick Tagalog

Adventist Pastor Attends Memorial Service for Heather Heyer

Story by Celeste Ryan Blyden, Columbia Union Visitor

Today Nathaniel Drew, pastor of Allegheny West Conference’s Bethany church in Charlottesville, Va., and the Calvary church in Gordonsville, Va., attended the memorial service for Heather Heyer, the woman killed last Saturday when a car plowed into a crowd of counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville. As an active member of the local Clergy Collective, he and other spiritual leaders joined more than 1,000 people who came to support and comfort Heyer's family, friends and the community.

A JOINT RESPONSE TO THE VIOLENCE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE AND A CALL TO PRAYER

Photo by Teri Lynne Underwood from Flickr

William T. Cox Sr., President of the Allegheny West Conference; William Miller, President of the Potomac Conference; and Dave Weigley, President of the Columbia Union Conference, release the following joint statement regarding the unrest in Charlottesville, Va.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of Heather Heyer and Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M. M. Bates of the Virginia State Police, who lost their lives on Saturday, August 12, during the violent uprising in Charlottesville, Va. We’re also praying for healing for all who were injured and impacted.

Conference Welcomes New Education Team

The Chesapeake Conference Executive Committee recently named Janesta Walker (below) as superintendent of schools, and Michael Jakobsons (right) as associate superintendent. Walker fills the vacancy left by Jacqueline Messenger, who is now associate director for secondary education for the Columbia Union Conference. Mark Walker, the current interim superintendent, is set to retire August 1.

“We welcome both of these educators to the Chesapeake Conference. Their combined training and experience, in a variety of school settings, will prove to be a genuine benefit to our schools,” says Rick Remmers, conference president.