Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

08 Jun

General Conference Session 2022 – Day 2

By Brenda Dickerson — St. Louis, Missouri … Dr. Ella Simmons, the first woman to serve as a general vice president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, has announced her retirement effective this month. Simmons, a former provost at La Sierra University and former vice president of academic administration at Oakwood University, was elected in 2005 to serve at the GC with responsibilities largely in the area of education.

An educator throughout her career, Simmons has also served as chair for departments of education (Kentucky State University) and as associate dean (University of Louisville).

Simmons has filled the vice president role for 17 years, providing professional leadership education and evaluation, as well as spiritual guidance, to church administrators around the world. In addition, she has chaired the Seventh-day Adventist International Board of Education, whose decisions impact over 9,000 schools serving more than 2 million students worldwide, according to the General Conference website.

Simmons acknowledges that leadership is not easy. “You’re always going to face challenges…it still always comes back to just remembering this is God’s work,” she said in a Columbia Union Visitor interview. “He has it, and He has me, and I need to keep my mind on Him in order to do what He would have me do, and to have peace while I’m doing it.”

TWO NEW VPS

Lowell Cooper, chair of the nominating committee, presented the names of seven individuals to serve as general vice presidents for the coming term. Cooper explained why the vice-presidents were being presented as a block, rather than individually.

The names include five current vice-presidents, Abnor De Los Santos, Artur Stele, Geoffrey Mbwana, Thomas Lemon and Guillermo Biaggi, and two new individuals, Audrey Andersson and Maurice Valentine. Andersson was serving as executive secretary in the Trans-European Division and Maurice Valentine, who was service as a vice-president in the North American Division.

“We would ask the session to accept the report, rather than voting on individual names…The nominating committee has discussed the matter carefully, recognizes the challenges that comes from trying to balance depth of experience with breadth of representation.”

The motion passed with more than 96 percent of the vote.

Elder Gary Thurber, president of the Mid-America Union, stated that Maurice Valentine is “a product of Central States Conference and the Mid-America Union. He served in our territory as a pastor, union ministerial director and vice president for administration, and as CSC conference president. We wish him the very best as he begins his new journey.”

Elder Roger Bernard, current president of the Central States Conference, shared some insights into this year’s Nominating Committee processes. “I am serving on the Nominating Committee for the General Conference Session for the first time, and it has been enlightening,” said Bernard. “I’ve learned how difficult it is for the nominating committee to come to consensus on those that will serve the Seventh Day Adventist church on the General Conference level of this church.”

There are 268 members on the committee, with the North America Division only having 21 representatives. “Everyone wants representation, so you can imagine how difficult of a task it is to get the right people elected. Much prayer is needed before we enter all General Conference Sessions,” Bernard added.

WHERE DOES ACCOUNTABILITY LIE FOR GC LEADERS?

The highest level of authority at each segment of denominational organization is within the constituency session. In addition, each officer is accountable to the organization’s executive committee. An executive committee (or board, in the case of institutions) is entrusted through policies or constitutions and bylaws with authority to govern between constituency meetings. However, the executive committee/board members are ultimately accountable to their constituency. We have checks and balances in place in the constitution to help keep erratic leaders from hijacking the church.

SHAPING THE ADVENTIST CHURCH

“Today, with more people operating across the globe, the Adventist Church’s decisions must be made with increasing care for the massive spectrum of humanity they serve,” said Caleb Eisele in a recent article (Gleaner, May/June 2022). “Policies, leadership and decision-making bodies are a vital part of that process in our modern-day, and they remain an important way a local church member can participate in shaping the Seventh-day Adventist Church for future generations.”

Members who desire to change the church for the better can volunteer to serve on their local church board, conference executive committee or the bylaws committee. These are the most powerful decision-making groups and the most effective means of creating change processes in Adventism.

“I firmly believe the Holy Spirit is leading, and that gives us hope for the future of the Adventist Church, in spite of our shortcomings as human beings,” said Gary Thurber, president of the Mid-America Union Conference. “Right now we all need to be praying for God’s guidance at all levels of the church as we continue to focus on our mission of sharing the good news that Jesus Christ offers hope and healing to everyone.”

QUICK QUESTIONS ANSWERED ABOUT GC SESSION 2022

Why St. Louis?

America’s Center is conveniently located in the heart of downtown St. Louis, close to hotels, dining and public transportation. The city has an international airport and can comfortably house the large number of delegates. The 58th session was also held in St. Louis in 2005, and the 62nd session in 2025 is scheduled again for St. Louis. Only a handful of cities have the facilities to host the GC session.

What’s different this year?

In addition to accommodating virtual participation by delegates, there are no ancillary meetings or exhibits or booths. There is, however, a virtual exhibition hall. “The exhibition hall will be open 24/7 of course, but there will only be presentations and webinars in the booths in between sessions, during meals and throughout the night,” Sharon Aka, GC Virtual Events and Adventist Collective Consultant, explains. “During Sabbath hours, the virtual exhibition experience will be available for attendees. Sales of goods will not be available during Sabbath hours”.

According to Aka, there are more than 150 booths scheduled for the virtual exhibition. Each may have from 2-10 presentations, most being about 15-20 minutes. “We’re looking at potentially 500-750 presentations during the event over the course of six days,” said Aka. “So there’ll be no shortage of content for people to enjoy!” There will also be a poster hall to present academic research and innovation.

The 66,000-seat stadium (America’s Center Convention Complex) is open to the public during the business meetings and on Sabbath. However, due to the pandemic and the change of location from Indianapolis to St. Louis, many of the community service activities and evangelistic events that usually accompany a GC session are not happening in 2022.

Due to time zone differences that will make Friday in the U.S. actually Sabbath in some countries, the business sessions will conclude on Thursday, allowing four days for business this year instead of seven or eight as in years past.

For more information go to gcsession.org/questions

HOW CAN I GET MORE UPDATES ON WHAT’S HAPPENING?

Watch the live stream at www.gcsession.org

–Brenda Dickerson is communication director for the Mid-America Union and editor of OUTLOOK magazine; photo courtesy of Tor Tjeransen / Adventist Media Exchange

This article was originally published on Outlook Magazine’s website

07 Jun

GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSION 2022 – DAY 1

Monday, June 6th, 2022 marks the commencement of the first hybrid General Conference (GC) Session in St. Louis, Missouri. The day began with opening remarks from Adventist World Church President Ted Wilson, Secretary Erton Kohler, and Treasurer Paul Douglas.

During the morning’s opening worship, Director of Ministerial Association Jerry Page led with prayer and introduced evangelist Mark Finley, Chaplain of the United States Senate Barry Black, and Senior Pastor of Pioneer Memorial Church in Berrien Springs, Michigan, Dwight Nelson, each shared messages under the worship theme of “Seeking the Holy Spirit Together in Prayer, Music and the Word”. There were also several moments for partnered and group prayer during morning worship.

Wilson provided a comprehensive summary of significant events of the World Church since the last GC Session in his President’s Report. He urged delegates to participate prayerfully through voice and vote as their responsibility is a sacred one. Those in attendance, both in person and online, also witnessed and celebrated the baptism of Philippine Army Colonel, Eric Guevarra, and his wife, Leah.

The world church also welcomed 10 new unions into the Sisterhood of Unions in Zimbabwe, Belize, Ghana, Netherlands, Malaysia, and Ethiopia.

Morning Business Session:

The morning business meeting was chaired by Vice-President of the General Conference, Arthur Stele. Secretary of the GC Erton Köhler led opening procedures, making note that the executive committee was in harmony with the GC Constitution (item 102). He also led the reading of the Mission Statement (item 104) and Undersecretary of the GC Hensley Moorooven provided a brief orientation for session delegates highlighting the ethical expectations, responsibilities, and session protocols.

The following motions were voted as approved during the morning session:

Köher moved:
- To adopt the GC Rules of Order as a guide for the 61st GC Sessions (item 103).
- To approve Associate General Counsel of the GC Todd MacFarland as parliamentarian for business meetings of the 61st GC Session.
- To limit the time of delegate speeches due to time constraints of the Session.
- To adopt the daily program (item 105) and Session agendas (item 106) of 61st GC Session.
- To adopt both the Steering and Standing Committees (item 107-108).
- To accept the nominating committee list (item 109).
- To accept the 10 new and reorganized unions (items 111-116), making these unions official members of the Sisterhood of Unions and the GC, providing them the right to participate in the GC Session.

The subject of vaccination was brought up by delegate Jonathan Zirkle who requested to have the Church revisit its statement on vaccines as part of the GC Session agenda. No second was given. Stele encouraged leaving this point out of the agenda due to limited time. Motion was seconded and approved by common consent.

Grace Mackintosh from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada provided a second via Zoom for Zirkle’s request to appeal the discussion of the church’s stance on the Covid-19 vaccine. Elder Wilson urged delegates to stand united in refusing to put this issue on the agenda as it is not a constitution and bylaws issue, not a church manual issue, or a fundamental belief item. Wilson also reminded delegates that the Church’s stance is that individuals have the right to choose for themselves.

Vote was held to stop discussion and resume after lunch.
- 1581 voted yes (84.5%); 291 voted no (15.5%).
Vote was held to add the issue of vaccination to the 61st GC Session agenda.
- 1579 voted no (88.6%); 203 voted yes (11.4%).

Afternoon Business Session:

General Vice-President of the GC Ella Simmons chaired the afternoon’s business session, where the following agenda items were addressed:

Associate Secretary of the GC Karen Porter moved:
- To recognize and record the dissolution of the former Trans-Caucasus Union of Churches Mission in the Euro-Asia Division, effective January 1, 2021 (item 117).
- 1626 voted yes (99.6%); 7 voted no (0.4%).
Undersecretary of the GC Hensley Moorooven moved the following amendments to the GC Constitution and Bylaws regarding the following topics:
- Phrasing and Language Edits:
  - To approve three editorial amendments of GC Constitution and Bylaws (items 201, 202, and 203).
    - Election (item 201) – to include the phrase“General Conference Executive Committee” instead of “Executive Committee”.
    - To alphabetize names of departments (item 202).
    - To use the phrase “electronic conference” rather than “telephone conference” (item 203).
    - 1544 voted yes (98.9%); 17 voted no (1.1%).
  - To approve the editorial amendments of GC Bylaws, Article IV – GC Undersecretary and Associate Secretaries (item 204) and Article V – GC Under Treasurer and Associate Treasurers (item 205).
    - 1563 voted yes (97.4%); 41 voted no (2.6%).
    - Language voted “Authorized Speakers—Only speakers worthy of confidence will be invited to the pulpit by the local church pastor, in harmony with guidelines given by the conference.* The local elders or church board may also invite speakers, in consultation with the pastor, and in harmony with conference guidelines. Individuals who are no longer members, or who are under discipline, should not be given access to the pulpit.”
  - To approve the editorial amendments of GC Constitution and Bylaws, Constitution Article VIII—GC Executive Committee (item 206).
    - Simmons asked that this item, along with delegate discussion and comments be taken back for review and revision.
    - Mooroven agreed to set a time for the Constitution and Bylaws Committee to meet and review this agenda item.
Associate Secretary of the GC Gerson Santos moved the following amendments to the Church Manual regarding the following topics:
- Church Services and Meetings Edits:
  - To amend chapter 10 regarding Unauthorized Speakers (item 401) to clarify who may be invited to speak in the church and address the confusion caused by the implication that a layperson can not preach because they do not hold credentials.
    - 1336 voted yes (90.7%); 137 voted no (9.3%)
  - To amend chapter 8 regarding the confusing term “union school board,” replacing it with “multi-constituent school board” (item 402).
    - 1502 voted yes (99.4%); 9 votes no (0.6%).
  - To replace the phrase “baptismal ceremony” with “baptismal service” to make terminology more consistent throughout the Church Manual (item 403).
    - 1478 voted yes (97.9%); 32 voted no (2.1%).
  - To amend chapter 10, allowing church board members to participate electronically in church board meetings (item 404).
    - 1450 voted yes (98.9%); 16 voted no (1.1%)

Evening Business Session:

The meeting chair this evening was General Vice-President of the GC Abner de Los Santos. The following motions agenda items were addressed in Monday’s evening session:

Santos moved:
- Church Services and Meetings Edits Continued:
  - To amend chapter 10 to clarify some of the organizational aspects of the church business meeting (item 405).
    - Francois Louw, SID delegate, asked to place the motion on the table for appropriate consideration of it prior to voting.
    - Santos agreed to take back this item to the committee.
  - To amend chapter 8 to promote the consistency of wording between the sections on elders and deacons/deaconesses and to address some confusion in areas where women are ordained as elders (item 406).
    - Motion to refer the motion to the committee was made.
    - Several delegates spoke in favor and others against the referral of the motion back to the committee.
    - Vote to cease all debate and begin voting.
      - 1251 voted yes (92.3%); 105 voted no (7.7%).
    - Vote to refer the initial motion (item 406) to the committee.
      - 617 voted yes (43.9%); 787 voted no (56.1%).
    - The initial motion was returned to the floor.
    - Vote to cease all debate once again and begin voting.
      - 1278 voted yes (88.5%); 166 voted no (11.5%)
    - Vote to approve the initial motion.
      - 1088 voted yes (75.7%); 350 voted no (24.3%)
  - To amend chapter 8 regarding ordination service for deaconesses (item 407).
    - Vote to refer item 407 back to the committee.
      - 577 voted yes (39.5%); 885 voted no (60.5%).
    - Initial motion was returned to the floor.
    - Vote to cease all debate and begin voting.
      - 1476 voted yes (95.7%); 67 voted no (4.3%)
    - Vote to approve initial motion.
      - 1274 voted yes (82.9%); 263 voted no (17.1%)

The evening session ended with the arrival of the nominating committee report naming Elder Ted Wilson as nominee for President of the General Conference, followed by the vote, which went in his favor.

Delegate vote: 1284 voted yes (74.9%); 431 voted no (25.1%).

The first day of the GC Session concluded with evening worship from Timothy Standish entitled, “I Believe!”

The recorded livestream of today’s opening remarks, worship, and business meeting can be viewed on Youtube here. You can also access more information regarding GC Session, including the session agenda here. For information on the GC Session 2022 app, go to: https://adventist.news/news/2022-gc-sessions-first-official-app-goes-live.

This article was originally was published on ANN website

Photo courtesy of Tor Tjeransen / Adventist Media Exchange

07 Jun

Ted N.C. Wilson Re-Elected as President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists for Third Term.

By Adventist News Network — St. Louis, Missouri … During the final minutes of the business session on Monday, June 6, the Executive Committee of the Seventh-day Adventist Church voted to re-elect Ted N.C. Wilson as president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Church. This will be Wilson’s third term.

Ted N.C. Wilson has served the Seventh-day Adventist Church in a variety of roles throughout his nearly 50 years of ministry. He began as a pastor in the Greater New York Conference in 1974, and quickly moved into administrative and foreign service roles.

Wilson holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Religious Education from New York University; a Master of Divinity degree from Andrews University; and a Master of Science degree in Public Health from Loma Linda University. As president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, this education has served him well as he visits schools, hospitals and various church organizations around the world.

While attending Loma Linda, Wilson met his future wife, Nancy, a physical therapist, and together they raised three daughters, Emilie, Elizabeth, and Catherine, while working for the Church in New York; West Africa; Russia; and Maryland. His administrative experience led the Church in business session to elect him as a General Conference vice president in 2000—a position he held until 2010 when he was elected president.

During the past 12 years of Wilson’s leadership, the Church has adopted ministry initiatives rooted in personal revival and corporate reformation. The Total Membership Involvement (TMI) initiative, a full-scale evangelistic thrust spearheaded in 2016, sparked mission efforts around the world involving every member, every church, in personal and corporate outreach. This has resulted in thousands of people embracing the gospel through the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s understanding of the three angels’ messages.

Under Wilson’s watch, the Church’s strategic plans have focused on church members reaching the world, and inspiring and equipping them to use their God-given spiritual gifts in witness and service for Christ. The current strategic plan, “Reach the World: I Will Go,” outlines specific suggested goals to meet in the Church’s mission to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19, 20).

Wilson, along with fellow officers and church leaders helped lead the church through extremely challenging times, especially during the novel coronavirus pandemic that plunged the world into chaos. Leaders were forced to make difficult decisions to best meet the changing needs of the World Church. These included reducing and eliminating staff travel, establishing public health protocols for employees, reassessing finances and budgets, postponing General Conference Session, promoting virtual meetings, and more. Throughout this ordeal, Wilson has been a reassuring presence with his encouraging weekly videos to the Church, pointing members to Jesus.

That seems to be the overarching theme for Wilson’s life and ministry. As he so succinctly stated in a brief life sketch: “You don’t need to know what the General Conference is or who the president is. All you need to do is know the Lord, attend your local church, be involved in mission, be in relationships, and love people—telling them about God’s love and Christ’s soon coming.”^[i]

The Wilsons covet member’s prayers as they continue in their leadership roles within the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

This article was originally published on ANN website; photo courtesy of Outlook Magazine

^[i] https://adventist.news/news/profile-ted-n-c-wilson

02 Jun

SANDY HODGSON TO BROADEN TEACHER SUPPORT FOR RMC EDUCATION

By Rajmund Dabrowski – Denver, Colorado … Following 24 years as an educator in Rocky Mountain Conference, and 18 years as a teacher, and seven as a teaching principal at Vista Ridge Academy in Erie, Colorado, Sandy Hodgson is moving to a new position as RMC assistant director of education.

“As we look to the future of RMC education, we are blessed to bring Sandy Hodgson’s 24 years of experience to broaden our teacher support. As we increase our professional development opportunities and bring added resources to our small schools, I know that Sandy will be a blessing to our teachers, said Diane Harris, RMC superintendent of education.

Sandy appreciates the invitation to serve in a broader education field. Commenting for NewsNuggets, she explained that as educators, “we are compelled to see our students grow into their God-given ability to become thinking and responsible individuals, and we are challenged to help them to be who they already are.” She pointed out that creativity in education is an element that helps students remember what education brings to their young lives, and it helps them to be creative, too.

Years as a missionary abroad in Italy and Germany with her husband, Greg, have helped her illustrate her teaching, recognizing the diversity and richness of culture and history.

“We are educating kids in so many ways, but the kids are also educating us,” she said.

Among the lessons she acquired from her teaching career is resilience. She recognizes the many differences students represent in their home situations and cultures. Especially during the pandemic, the resilience of the children through difficult times was coming through. It was a learning experience for her to see that “there was an innocence lost, but there’s still a little bit of it and [what you see] is the resilience. There is still that spark of laughter, the sparkle in their eyes. You could see the smiles [even] when we wore masks all the time. You could see the smile in their eyes, and you knew there were things that had brought them joy.”

Hodgson recognizes that the pace of her work will change; she is grateful for the lessons gained in her years in the classrooms that will come with her to the new position within RMC education as she joins the department on July 1.

Harris added that “Sandy has exemplified a commitment to our CHERISH core values and has many years of experience as a teaching principal. Her creativity and experience will be an asset to all of our teachers.”

As she explained her philosophy of education, Sandy could not but refer to the core values which are enshrined in the acronym CHERISH, a foundation for education–– Christ-centered, honor, exploration, responsibility, integrity, service, and heroism all encapsulate her philosophy.

“Obviously, you want the outcomes to be the product of your mission. Don’t we want citizens that are going to take care of each other, that is going to respect and honor each other, that are going to save the planet [through] all those little things? What can they do to make this world a better place?

“Jesus is coming soon, but at the same time, we hold fast, and we keep working until then. We keep building; as RMC president Mic Thurber often emphasizes, “You keep working as though it could last lifetimes and lifetimes. We must be good stewards of the planet.”

“We must also be good stewards of our money. We must be good stewards of our mind and our body. I guess for me, even though I want Jesus to come soon, and I want us to all go to heaven if it lasts another generation and another generation, we need to be prepared to take care of this earth and the people that are on it,” she explained.

Rajmund Dabrowski is RMC communication director and the editor of NewsNuggets. Photo by Rajmund Dabrowski

02 Jun

LEAD PASTORS MEET TO SHARE AND LEARN

By Jon Roberts – Denver, Colorado … Lead pastors from Rocky Mountain Conference churches with multiple pastors gathered in Denver during the month of May for training on successfully managing a multi-staff church and overcoming unique obstacles.

The training, which is the first of specific group training planned for pastors in RMC, was facilitated by Dave Ferguson, lead pastor at the Collegedale Adventist Church. The extensive workshop, held over two days, covered a broad range of topics, including how to improve team communication and clarity, generate team alignment and engagement, build team trust and unity, foster team caring and inclusivity, resolve conflict in a manner that preserves and enhances the team, and network with colleagues who pastor in a similar context.

Reflecting on how necessary the training is to the pastors, Ferguson said, “I think the role of a lead pastor with a multi-pastor staff is just different than if you are solo pastor leading a congregation or district and they can create textures of the job that don’t get discussed much.”

He added, “to have comradery, to be able to talk about what you’re dealing with, to be able to reflect well with people who are walking down similar kinds of roads, it’s a unique opportunity to deal with the issues that you face that are different than when you go to a normal set of pastor’s meetings.”

The training also gave pastors the opportunity to fellowship and share best practices with each other.

“There are certain things [with a multi-pastor staff] that you have to address and deal with that are unique. It gives the opportunity for that kind of support and help to know that you’re not alone. Um, and to grow in areas that aren’t often addressed, said Ferguson.

For Jamey Houghton, Franktown Adventist Church lead pastor, learning from Ferguson, a veteran pastor, was especially worthwhile.

“I would say probably learning from guys who’ve been doing it longer than I have been. Dave’s been doing this quite a bit longer than all of us. Learning from his experience is very valuable.”

Mickey Mallory, RMC ministerial director, hopes pastors are able to understand “that their greatest contribution comes from adding value to their team members.”

Mallory says that future small-group pastor training will be held among pastors that have multi churches and pastors who are the only pastor at one church. He added that he hopes pastors will be able to address issues that can’t be addressed in larger settings.

–Jon Roberts is RMC communication/media assistant; photos by Jon Roberts

02 Jun

Global Missions Delivers Hope, Healing to Ukraine

By AdventHealth — Oleg Kostyuk, a religious studies professor at AdventHealth University, told the story of encountering a woman on Ukraine’s border with Romania. She had fled Odessa, her life packed into two carry-on suitcases. The thing she would miss most, she told him, was not her home but rather the ability to visit the graves of her husband and son. Kostyuk and his wife, Julia, a family nurse practitioner, visited AdventHealth’s Global Missions office in Altamonte Springs, Florida, recently to share the hope – and heartbreak – they experienced during their six-day visit to their war-torn homeland to deliver “seven huge suitcases” of medicines and supplies.

“The war brings the best and the worst in humanity,” Oleg said. “We saw many people where the best was shining through in them. People are filled with love, joy, in spite of everything, and hope in peace.”

The Kostyuks’ efforts are among a growing list of those that have taken place since the war began in February. As the war has continued so has AdventHealth’s ongoing support of the relief efforts in Ukraine. So far, more than 2,200 people have contributed over $230,000 via payroll donations from AdventHealth team members and through the Global Missions website. Team member donations helped buy and equip three vans for use as mobile clinics in March. Global Missions continues to put funds raised to work helping cover the cost of medications and other needed medical supplies.

Donations also have allowed AdventHealth to provide direct relief to refugees for food and other necessities, working through partners on the ground in Ukraine.

“AdventHealth is not a disaster-response organization and yet when things like this happen, we get involved,” said Monty Jacobs, director of Global Missions. “When I got word that Julia and Oleg were going to be traveling to Ukraine and that they needed medications, it was a real easy decision to be able to say, ‘Hey, is there any way we can help?’ And let’s help source some of those medications that are so desperately needed.”

Others who have sought support from Global Missions to aid in their humanitarian missions to Ukraine include:

Central Florida Rabbi Steven Engel from the Congregation of Reform Judaism, along with other rabbis from around the globe, traveled to Poland, where the group delivered much-needed medications – including antibiotics, medicines for diabetes and depression, vitamins and children’s medications – to the Jewish Community Center on the Ukraine-Poland border.
A group of Central Florida pastors left recently to deliver medications to Angelia Clinic. A part of the Seventh-day Adventist health network, the clinic has split operations between its original location in Kyiv and the western city of Chernivtsi.
Erika Havelka is an emergency medicine physician who, as part of her group, works with AdventHealth’s Great Lakes Region hospitals. Dr. Havelka helped facilitate the collection and shipment of donated medicines and supplies for a global response group she’s long been involved with, the Interstate Disaster Medical Collaborative. The medications, along with some hazmat suits that were no longer being used, were intended for Ukraine hospitals where IDMC partners are working.

Leo Ostapovich, a hospitalist for AdventHealth Hendersonville and a native of Ukraine with his own refugee experience, said he felt compelled to go to Ukraine shortly after the war started. When he informed others of his intention, he found support through AdventHealth’s Mission Trip Scholarship program.

“Since we have this resource, I was able to get this scholarship opportunity to Leo and help provide monetary funds to help him travel to Ukraine,” said Carissa Frank, clinical mission integration manager of physician services. “Additionally, I worked with our administration, materials management department and pharmacy to approve and donate medical supplies and medicine to the Ukrainian refugees and local hospitals.”

On Saturday, May 21, AdventHealth team members joined other Celebration-area churches and community volunteers at a food-packing event at AdventHealth Celebration’s Nicholson Center. That day’s effort will provide 200,000 meals for Ukrainian refugees.

In addition to supporting relief efforts in Ukraine, the Global Missions team has longstanding working “footprints” in 12 countries – the latest of which is Paraguay – as well as its continuing support of the heroic work the Angelia Clinic in Ukraine is doing to provide free care to all who are in need of its life-sustaining services.

“We expect to be involved in helping Ukraine for a long period of time,” said Jacobs.

Perhaps the most poignant reminder can be found in the words of Julia Kostyuk: “Even if we’re an ocean away, we can make a difference. We can help save lives.”

To view the video of Leo Ostapovich’s conversation with Victoria Dunkle, director of communications for AdventHealth Hendersonville, click here.

To find out more about AdventHealth Global Missions and to donate to ongoing relief efforts in Ukraine, click here.

–AdventHealth; photos supplied

This article was originally published on AdventHealth’s website

AdventHealth team members join others in the Celebration-area community to package food to be delivered to Ukrainian refugees.

One of the many recipients of free medication donated by AdventHealth.

The Kostyuks ready to go to Ukraine in April to deliver much-needed medications and supplies. They are considering another trip in the summer to include their children.

02 Jun

God Speaks through Introverts Too

By Ashley Jankiewicz — My heart rate increased as I tried to suppress my rising panic. Hot tears pricked my eyes as I listened closely to what the preacher was saying. He was getting close, I could tell. I had learned to expect these things on the last day of a week of spiritual emphasis — the dreaded call.

“Come up to the front if you feel like this is you.”

There it was.

Other students around me slowly stood up and filtered to the front. I was caught between my desire to answer the call and my fear of going up front.

Deep in my heart, I screamed for God to understand that I was answering the call on the inside, begging Him to take away the fear of what others thought.

Sometimes I would go up, hunched, trying to make myself invisible. Other times I guiltily went when I saw my friends. Without fail, the preacher would say, “Don’t think about anyone else. Do it for you.” But I couldn’t.

I felt as though I was betraying God, that I couldn’t do this one simple thing that others found so easy and uplifting; that I couldn’t do it for God when early Christians walked to the lions in front of stadiums of roaring Romans.

I felt as if an altar call, doing what the pastor had said, such as coming up to the front, was imperative for my answer to be legitimate.

This was my thinking for years, until one memorable Saturday (Sabbath). Back then, my home church consisted of 3,000 members, and the pastor had issued a call. I started getting stressed and fidgeting in my seat. Surely I couldn’t go up front in view of all these people? I looked over at my mum in horror, and somehow she understood.

“You don’t have to go up,” she whispered.

“I don’t?” I said in surprise. This was when I realized that I didn’t have to respond in any other way other than in my heart for my faith to be real.

When I was a child, I would watch the charismatic pastors up front, including my dad, excited to share their faith and openly proclaim their love for God, and I knew that that would be me one day. However, as I grew older, I became painfully aware that it would not. I could never raise my hands during song service like some. I couldn’t tell a children’s story about a Jesus moment in my life. I couldn’t even lead a Bible study. I knew that I loved God and wanted to have a relationship with Him and live a godly life, but I didn’t know how to put that into action when I couldn’t even talk about my relationship with Jesus with my friends or pray out loud in a way that felt real. The change where I would become like all those extroverted people on stage at church never came. As I entered adulthood, I wondered what was wrong with me.

In my mind, there seemed to be only one way, the public way, to approach God; and because I repeatedly saw this one way, I assumed it was the right way. One day, as I was reading Philip Yancey’s book Reaching for the Invisible God, I read a paragraph that drastically changed my perspective:

“I wonder whether people naturally divide into various ‘faith types’ just as they divide into personality types. [As] an introvert who approaches other people cautiously, I approach God the same way . . . why should we expect to have the same measure or kind of faith?”

I had never considered how personality might influence a relationship with God, and that it could also influence how others perceived someone’s relationship with God. I realized that those loudly proclaiming the love of Jesus and what He was doing in their lives found this easy because they generally loudly proclaimed most things about their lives. They felt comfortable with that. I never noticed those who were like me because, well, they were like me!

This launched me on a journey of learning that God understands the introverts of the church.

One of my favorite Bible stories is the calling of Moses. Face to face with the presence of God within a burning bush, Moses is hesitant when God calls him to go back to Egypt. He asks, “Who am I that I should go to Pharoah?” (Exodus 3:11, NKJV), and “What if they do not believe me?” (4:1, NIV). Finally, Moses argues that he is “slow of speech and tongue” (verse 10, NIV). God again assures Moses that He will be with him; however, Moses continues to balk, begging God to send someone else. Now, remember that Moses had lived in the desert for 40 years. I found it difficult to hold a conversation after just a few months in lockdown, but after 40 years, to storm the palace and accuse the Pharoah? I’d be begging God to change His mind too.

Finally, God says, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and teach you what to do” (verses 14, 15, NIV). Did you catch that? God says Aaron is already on his way to meet you! God knew He was calling someone who felt inadequate, who was afraid to speak, to stand up and fight for his God. Because God understood Moses’ strengths and weaknesses, He had already set in place the help Moses needed.

Introverts bring a very different set of skills to the church than extroverts do. Both have strengths and weaknesses, and both are equally important. While the extroverts may be the greeters who welcome everyone at the door or the worship leaders who get the congregation clapping their hands, the introverts are working behind the scenes. It may be the introvert who greets that one quiet, awkward person who is sitting alone, overlooked by others. It may be the introvert who plans the worship service. The introverts may prefer to write rather than to talk, and to play guitar rather than sing. And the introvert’s quiet thoughtfulness may bring new insight to a Bible study. We are all a part of the body of Christ, and while some of us might be the mouth, others might be the ears. All are equally needed.

Now, I don’t go up for calls if they make me feel uncomfortable. I answer them in my heart, knowing that God understands. I feel closest to God when alone, or in nature, and have recognized that it’s OK not to feel close to God when praying out loud in a large group, so I don’t force myself to. And instead of bemoaning my lack of confidence to lead a Bible study, I focus on one-on-one discussions with people. I’ve learned that what introverts bring to the church is equally important to what the extroverts bring. Most importantly, I’ve learned that God understands.

While I still hang back, I also try to push myself, however. I try to talk about my relationship with God when I can. I’ve discovered ways of being up front that don’t inspire panic, such as drama and music. And I’m learning to share my faith through writing.

If you perhaps are like me, I encourage you to lean into your strengths rather than trying to be like those you feel you should be like. God knows your heart, and He will show you ways of following Him and of being a fisher of men, even when you’re afraid of those men and would rather be hiding under the nets.

— Ashley is a secondary education major at Avondale University in Australia who has a vivid imagination and a passion for writing. Photo supplied

The original version of this commentary was posted by Adventist Record.

01 Jun

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO US?

What you do in the present—by painting, preaching, singing, sewing, praying, teaching, building hospitals, digging wells, campaigning for justice, writing poems, caring for the needy, loving your neighbor as yourself—will last into God’s future. These activities are not simply ways of making the present life a little less beastly, a little more bearable, until the day when we leave it behind altogether. They are part of what we may call building for God’s kingdom.

— NT Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church

We were having lunch near the Washington National Cathedral. There were three or four of us–two high-level clergy of another Christian denomination, and two Seventh-day Adventist Christians. As we concluded a conversation on ways to cooperate in international aid and development and how we could work jointly in combating poverty, it was time to plan a timeline for our efforts.

Deciding on who would research what, one of the bishops asked, “So, shall we meet and report our findings in three months?”

“Did you actually mean three weeks?” I asked.

Turning to his colleague, the bishop commented, “Look, let’s remember that we are meeting with Seventh-day Adventists. They are a missionary church. We can learn from them. That’s why they continue to grow, and we are standing still. They have no time to lose.”

It is always better to be told by others than to brag about our own success. Their reaction reminded me of a comment by a Vanderbilt University professor, Paul K. Conkin in his book American Originals: Homemade Varieties of Christianity: “It is worth noting that no other American-based denomination have ever attempted to transform itself so fully into a worldwide fellowship.” (p. 144).

Reflecting on my Adventist journey for several decades, I must not overlook the essence of our church witness. It was usually called “evangelism,” but mostly “witnessing” to … other Christians.

It was perhaps 60+ years ago when this experience happened that stands out in my memory. My father held a series of evangelistic meetings about a premier Adventist topic: “The Last Day Events.” A woman came to our door (the meetings were held in a church, and we lived on the second floor of the same church building) and as it appeared, she had responded to an invitation to have a Bible study.

My father ushered her into our living-room, and I eavesdropped from a bedroom next door. I will never forget how the conversation went between our guest and my father.

“What brought you to our meetings? Were you invited by someone?” he asked.

“I heard about your church. I was searching for a church that would teach what I also believe. You Adventists resent Catholics. I do, too,” she answered.

That’s what she said. Her comment was rough, but genuine. Obviously, she spoke about a perception many people have developed about our church, a reputation assigned to a Protestant faith community in a Catholic country. Whether she was right or not, my own perception developed along similar lines. For many, an evangelist’s concentration mostly on teachings and practices of Catholicism would contribute to it all.

I grew up in such an evangelistic atmosphere. Over the decades, I also learned what Ellen G. White wrote: “There are many who need our sympathy and advice, but not that advice which implies superiority in the giver and inferiority in the receiver.” (Testimonies, vol 3, p. 534) When you say that you have the truth, they hear that you are better than they are.

She also said, “There are many among the Catholics who live up to the light they have far better than many who claim to believe present truth, and God will just as surely test and prove them as He has tested and proved us.” (Evangelism, p. 144)

And since my youth, I have learned even more. Our Christian call is to share Him who sends us into the world with the Gospel of Good News. Just as the Twelve, whom He sent into the world, we are to preach and teach the world about Jesus. Jesus alone. And the church will grow. Until He returns.

Rajmund Dabrowski is the editor of Mountain Views and RMC communication director. Email him at [email protected]

01 Jun

LIFE AFTER BAPTISM

Desertification

The desert of the Sahara is spread out like an eternity. The vast expanse of nothingness is large enough to fit the entire U.S. inside of its 3.6 million square miles. According to Smithsonian Magazine, new research is revealing that the wasteland was once lush and green. Evidence includes satellite imaging revealing hidden rivers, deltas, and settlements underneath the endless sands. Archeologist David Wright hypothesizes that, “Through overgrazing, the grasses were reducing the amount of atmospheric moisture and vegetation.” Leading to soil failure and desertification.

This same evidence is likely what destroyed the once fertile lands of ancient Mesopotamia. Overgrazing along the ancient Tigris River led to soil degradation, making Babylon unfarmable. The Persian Gulf then filled in with nutrients that should have been going to the fields, leaving the once-prosperous waterfront city of Sumar, land locked and lifeless; not unlike what we are doing to the Mississippi today.

Learning from these hypotheses, China’s Chongqing Jiaotong University has been experimenting with reclaiming their northern deserts and valleys through redirecting grazing lands and soil reclamation… and it is working. Valleys that were dying are now green again. Deserts that were encroaching upon cities have now been pushed back by miles with self-sustaining reclaimed soil.

Systems Theory

The term I use to define all these various issues is called Systems Theory. It’s a social work term describing the importance of resolving problems holistically, rather than just at the point of the issue itself. Webster defines “system”, as an interdependent group of items forming a unified whole. Cake is a good example. It is a collection of ingredients that, should you leave certain elements out, it would cause the cake to either collapse or to taste terrible. Each individual part is just as important as the other.

A car is an example of a mechanically-based system. A computer is an electronic system. A building is a structural system. A plane is a redundancy of systems. A society is also a system that includes individuals, families, communities, cities, and the state. And so then, religion is also system of many parts making up a whole.

And as a system, Adventism has a sort of butterfly-effect taking place in the arena of evangelism. As David Trim’s research on Adventist attrition rates has shown, “Our net loss rate is 39.25%, which means 4/10 of church members have slipped away over the past half century.” If we are collectively losing nearly half of all our members, then there is a systemic problem, not just a local church issue.

Let’s be honest, 40% is an immoral number. Based upon attrition, our churches could be twice the size they are. And while there are a multitude of contributing factors, there is one issue I would like to address: Our existing members are people too! Simply said, if we are evangelizing the prodigal, we should also be sharing the good news with the elder! As Sky Jethani said in his book, With, “We have missed the whole point of the prodigal story: What mattered most to the father was neither the younger son’s disobedience nor the older son’s obedience but having his sons with him.”

Discipleship

Each individual part is just as important as the other. The system cannot work without every single one of us. Therefore, God needs every hand on deck. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So, it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.”

We are all part of the Spirit. We are all individual ingredients needed in the cake. Authentic evangelism, the kind without attrition, needs a hope centered in Jesus, and friendships based in genuine love. We need to put a tourniquet of love on the bleeding body by feeding the sheep that are already here.

Because mentoring is how people grow into mature Christians. It’s how they learn to avoid the ditches of extremism. It’s how they learn to use the Bible for themselves. Modeling shows them how to love better. How to break the chains of their family dysfunctions. How to follow through with commitments. How to be stable. Discipling shows them through example, how to live in the Spirit, how to know God for themselves.

That’s how the dying wastelands can become green again. How the encroaching deserts can be pushed back. Because the entire body will be authentically sharing joy with others. As it says in Acts 2:46-47, “Day by day continuing with one mind … breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Shayne Mason Vincent is lead pastor, Casper Wyoming District. Email him at [email protected]

01 Jun

GOD’S METHOD OF EVANGELISM

Although He was not on any conference payroll and never held an official church office, unequivocally, Jesus was the greatest evangelist that ever lived. How He so effectively reached those who were outside the main focus of the church in His day is something the church of our day needs to fully grasp if we are ever going to finish the gospel commission.

One of the most important theological issues we seldom focus on may be the key to reaching a broader people group than we could ever imagine. Let me start by asking you one important question: Have you ever reached a point in your life when you seriously doubted God? “Why God?” is a question that often seems to have no answer. I personally believe the reason many people don’t identify with organized religion and are skeptical when they receive a colorful flyer inviting them to a prophecy series, is because they don’t have a right concept of who God really is and, therefore, don’t trust us with answers regarding their eternal future.

Let’s be honest, in today’s world, many people don’t look favorably toward the church in general. Theology aside, they question our integrity— many popular church leaders have given them adequate reasons to do so—moral failures and self-exalting leaders taking advantage of the vulnerable and abusing their sacred trust readily come to mind.

So, how did Jesus break through the hypocrisy that filled the church in His day and reach the disenfranchised masses? Well, for one convert at least, it happened unexpectedly. She was not prepared to attend church that day. In fact, she had other plans, plans that did not resemble anything close to what a member in good standing may be seen doing. In fact, at the moment she first met Jesus, her life was being turned upside down. Devious men had manipulated her in order to trap Jesus. And, according to the apostle John’s account, she was in immediate danger.

Looking around, I’m certain she must see angry eyes and hear ugly, hurtful words spoken about her. “You’re an adulteress, you deserve to die,”1 they boldly declare! As this nightmare unfolds, she must have been wondering, hoping, praying that someone would intervene, someone would care enough to stop this madness! As we ponder this situation let’s ask ourselves one question: What does a person in her situation need most? If they received that beautiful flyer we sent advertising our evangelistic series, how are they going to respond?

The short answer is clear, yet not so simple. When someone’s world is falling apart, when God appears to be absent, when everyone around them has forsaken or turned against them, they need to know the church—yes, our church, the one excited about sharing evangelism—is really going to be there when urgently needed most. Do we exist to share prophetic truth? Or, more importantly, do we exist to show the true love and character of God—a God they may not really understand or accept?

So, what did Jesus do when He was introduced to this precious, sin-stained woman? He defended her. “Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her.”2 Unlike the church she is accustomed to seeing, the first thing she learns about Jesus is that He is just and fair and can be trusted. How do we portray this in our ministry? If we are going to effectively share the Three Angels Messages of Revelation 14, then we need to exemplify their true meaning. The same Jesus who is standing right now in defense of His people in the Heavenly Judgment, as depicted in Revelation’s prophetic message, is the same God who defends this woman. Like millions of hurting, lost souls—those who also stand accused—caught red-handed in shameful, sin- compromising lives, our God has commissioned us to proclaim the message of His eternal love—a love so great that even “…while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!3 As people see and understand that we exemplify this kind of ministry and integrity in our lives, they will learn to trust us with other eternally important doctrinal truths.

The power of our prophetic message is found at the heart of Jesus’ ministry. For the woman who is condemned to die, He utters those life- changing words, “Where are your accusers? Is there anyone left to condemn you? I don’t condemn you either. By my grace you are forgiven and forever set free!”4 There are countless numbers of hurting and lost souls who need to hear these life-changing words. To effectively share prophecy’s final warning to this world, our evangelism outreach needs to focus on God’s love and the transforming power of His grace. Thankfully, Jesus has shown us how to incorporate this into our daily lives and ministry, and this woman exemplifies what others so urgently need at this final hour of Earth’s history. Understanding who the beast powers of the Book of Revelation are only important once we personally know who the Savior of the entire Book is.

The bottom line, as we focus on connecting people with Jesus, is that God sets His children free to live the life Jesus died to give. Once they have experienced that freedom, they will eagerly ask for more. The heart’s door will open wide to learn other the prophetic truths—truths that are unfolding right before our very eyes.

Steve Nelson is a pastor of the Worland, Wyoming district. He has a passion to help hurting people find hope and healing through the transforming power of Jesus Christ. He can be reached at [email protected]

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1 John 8:4-5 (Authors’ paraphrase).
2 John 8:7 (GNT).
3 Romans 5:8 (GNT).
4 John 8:10-11 (Authors’ paraphrase)

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