When John and Janelle Rivera decided to work with the Laurelwood church youth again, they only planned to revive the Pathfinder club. However, they ended up leading a group of young people of varying ages, from juniors to young adults, many of whom did not grow up in Seventh-day Adventist homes or didn’t take their faith seriously.

Story by New Jersey Conference Staff

The Deptford church’s Laurelwood Lions Pathfinder Club sometimes functions more like a youth group, combining aspects of Pathfinders and Adventist Youth (AY) mixed with a dose of practical life lessons. Recently, the Riveras challenged members to create a $1,800 monthly budget for living on their own.

Highland View Academy’s STEM certificate program launched this year with approximately 30 students enrolled. These students benefit from an intensive but well-rounded education that especially prepares them to pursue STEM-related college majors. New STEM classes include integrated STEM, anatomy and physiology, project-based learning, robotics, iOS app development and a pilot of Maryland’s new advanced placement Computer Science Principles course.

Story by Lori Zerne

Do you believe in a literal, six-day creation? Why or why not? Read more about this topic in the September Underscore article, and read responses from some of our Facebook followers below—and add your own.

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Do you believe in a literal seven-day creation week? Why?

Posted by Columbia Union Visitor on Saturday, August 1, 2015

Posted by Columbia Union Visitor on Saturday, August 1, 2015

Read and share these stories from the September 2015 Visitor:

Learn more about how mentors at Allegheny East Conference’s (AEC) Calvary church in Newport News, Va.,  do their part to inspire and uplift young men in their church and community in our September Visitor cover story. Watch an AEC video spotlight of the group below.

CROP from AEC Media Center on Vimeo.

Read and share these stories from the September 2015 Visitor:

Is it possible to forgive your child’s murderer? In A Time to Forgive, Darold Bigger explores the closure only God could bring after the slaying of his daughter, Shannon Marie Bigger, a young intern at Washington Adventist Hospital in Silver Spring, Md. Bigger resides in Walla Walla, Washington where he attends Walla Walla University Church.

Interview by Dawna-gene Milton

Visitor: What made you want to share such a personal experience?