Story by Adventist HealthCare Staff
This summer, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center team members welcomed the first patients into the hospital’s new Horizon Tower. The enhanced emergency and critical care spaces are an investment years in the making and a powerful addition to the system’s modern, community-centered healthcare.
At a ribbon cutting on June 5, hospital leaders, physicians, nurses, community partners and donors helped dedicate the much-anticipated six-story building.
Story by Marilyn Scott
As our nation marks its 250th anniversary, it is worth reflecting on what freedom truly means. Fireworks, parades and get-togethers are more than traditions; they reveal a deep desire in all of us to be free. National freedom is worth honoring and expressing gratitude for, yet it also invites us to consider an even greater freedom found in God’s kingdom where celebration never ends.
In this issue we cover the 29th Columbia Union Constituency Meeting and other news from around the Columbia Union Conference.
Read other articles from the July/August Visitor 2026 Issue:
Story by Amanda Blake
The United States’ recent immigration crackdown has impacted hundreds of congregations across the Columbia Union Conference. Earlier this year, church administrators and legal advisors met to discuss the realities unfolding in local churches.
The Department of Homeland Security reported that in 2025, close to 3 million undocumented immigrants departed the United States, including “more than 675,000 deportations.” In a similar timeframe, more than 1.6 million immigrants lost their legal status.
Story by the Visitor Staff / Photos by Ruth Anan and Kylie Kajiura
Story by ADRA International Staff
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is on the ground in Venezuela assessing humanitarian needs after a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the country on June 24 at 6:05 p.m. local time. The earthquake, centered near Morón in Carabobo state, affected some of the country’s most populated areas, including Carabobo and Yaracuy, with millions of people experiencing strong to severe shaking.
As emergency response efforts continue, ADRA Venezuela is working alongside local authorities, OCHA, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church network to assess the situation and identify the communities with the greatest needs. Initial assessments indicate urgent needs for food, safe water, hygiene supplies, emergency shelter, and medical assistance.
Historia de V. Michelle Bernard / Traducción de Domitila Rosette
La Oficina de Educación de la Columbia Union Conference anunció recientemente a los Educadores del Año 2025-26.
Ruth Nino, directora asociada de la Oficina de Educación de la Columbia Union y organiza-dora del programa, afirma: “La labor del maestro es el cum-plimiento de la Gran Comisión a través de la enseñanza. Es ministerio en acción”.
Administradora del Año:
Miya Kim, Directora, Atholton Adventist Academy
Educadora de Primaria del Año:
Historia de Ricardo Bacchus / Traducción para Domitila Rosette
Story by Debra C. Anderson
The Community Praise church (CPC) in Alexandria, Va., hosted a special program recognizing Black History Month and reflecting on the enduring call to justice, unity and faithful leadership. The congregation welcomed Ndaba Mandela, the grandson of the late South African leader Nelson Mandela, for a conversation that challenged attendees to move beyond remembrance toward meaningful action.
Editorial by Marcellus T. Robinson, president of the Columbia Union Conference
Growing up in a large family, my parents always taught us that, although we were poor economically, we were rich in love. Therefore, God always provided enough for us to feed someone else. So, without fail, we always set out an extra plate at the table, expecting that somebody would knock on our door in need of a meal.