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19 Aug

La Vida Mission’s First Drive-In Church Service

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By Dorie Panganiban – Farmington, New Mexico … For the first time since March, La Vida Mission Church welcomed, August 8, some 25 community members on to worship together again.

While New Mexico eased the restrictions on gatherings in June, the Navajo nation remained under a stay-at-home order on weekends to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

On August 6 when restrictions were eased, places of worship were allowed to resume Saturday gatherings since the lockdown was still in place from Saturday evening through Monday morning. The gatherings, however, had to be drive-in services.

La Vida staff immediately began to plan and organize the first-time-since-March event to welcome the community back to the mission. Word of the gathering began to spread around the reservation.

The staff received an early morning text message on Sabbath asking if church was still happening.  When an affirmative reply was sent back, a new message was received: “We’re coming. When I told my husband that La Vida is doing a drive-in church service, he jumped in and said, ‘We’re going’”.

As cars arrived for this unique event, their occupants were greeted by the sight of a flat-bed trailer used as a platform. With a portable sound system installed and a keyboard configured, La Vida worshipped God amidst the surrounding nature.

“I feel so blessed that I can worship with my fellow church members even if it’s just in my vehicle. I’m so happy to be able to sing again and listen to a live sermon,” a community visitor said.

When an offering appeal was made, people left their vehicles one at a time and dropped their offerings in the basket on the flat-bed trailer.

During the service, people waved their hands out car windows and honked their horns to show appreciation for once again being together to worship their Creator.

After the worship service, fellowship lunch boxes were given to attendees allowing them to fellowship together even if they couldn’t sit around the same table, but remained in their cars.

The La Vida Mission Church plans to hold drive-in services through the month of August.

When hearing how the staff talked about the August 8 Sabbath service, you could not miss an excitement in their voices about seeing their fellow faith community believers together and worshiping as a family once again.

–Dorie Panganiban, is La Vida outreach director; photos supplied.

19 Aug

ESCAPING THE RAINSTORM BIKERS RIDE INTO THE CHURCH

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By Jamey Houghton – Franktown, Colorado…Sitting in his office at the Franktown church on a Friday afternoon Jamey Houghton, Franktown pastor, was just putting the final touches on his sermon.

Outside it was a beautiful day–white fluffy clouds in the sky. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder filled the office, followed by the sound of rain pounding the roof.

Suddenly the unmistakable roar of Harley Davidson motorcycles filled the empty church.

“As a motorcycle rider myself, I knew exactly what was happening—some riders were trying to get out of the heavy rain and were coming under the porch by our front door to try and stay dry,” Jamey Houghton, said.

Meeting them outside a conversation followed.  Soon, the couple revealed they lived very close to the church. They began asking questions about the church and what Seventh-day Adventist believe. As the conversation grew the topic of the Sabbath arose.

During the continuous rain a Bible study on the benefits of the Sabbath continued.

As the storm was coming to an end the man expressed, “I think God sent the rain so we could meet you and find this church”.

Mounting their bikes an invitation to attend the next day was given.

“As I preached, I scanned the audience and didn’t see them,” Houghton said with disappointment.

“The next Sabbath though, as I was walking up to the front pew to start the announcements, some people waved at me—I went over and they said “Hey! We are the motorcycle people,”’ Houghton added with excitement.

The couple has become regulars at the Franktown gatherings, studying the Bible and becoming involved in the Biblical Foundations Sabbath School.

The family is excited to share with everyone they meet how a rainstorm changed their outlook on life and opened new doors of faith to them.

“On that beautiful Friday, I believe God knew these dear people were searching for Him, and sent the rain to steer their Harley Davidsons right up to the front door of the church,” Houghton concluded.

–Jamey Houghton is pastor of the Franktown church, Colorado; photo courtesy of Franktown Facebook page.

19 Aug

NAD Executive Committee Recommends Name for New Division Secretary

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Columbia, Maryland … The Executive Committee of the North American Division (NAD) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church voted on August 18, 2020, to recommend the name of Kyoshin Ahn for the position of NAD executive secretary. Ahn’s name was presented to the executive committee by the nominating committee, which met on Aug. 17. G. Alexander Bryant, officially voted in to the position of NAD president on July 9, 2020, chaired both committees.

On Thursday, Aug. 20, the General Conference Executive Committee will meet to vote the name recommended by the NAD Executive Committee. The NAD executive secretary, along with the two other NAD officer positions of president and treasurer, are voted by the General Conference Executive Committee and then assigned to work for the North American Division.

The division’s nominating committee is termed a standing committee appointed by the NAD Executive Committee in 2015. The nominating committee has recommended the names of individuals to the executive committee for vote during the past five years in order to fill division vacancies.

Kyoshin Ahn is currently serving as undersecretary for the NAD, a position he’s held since February 2016. He also served the division as an associate secretary from 2013 to 2016.

Before coming to the division, Ahn served almost eight years as executive secretary for the Illinois Conference.

Ahn began his pastoral ministry in 1995 in the Potomac Conference, and served there until 2001. He was then president of the Korean Churches Association in North America from June 2001 to October 2005.

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Sahmyook University in Korea, followed by a Master of Divinity from Andrews University Theological Seminary in Michigan, U.S., and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Early Christianity from Vanderbilt University.

**This article was originally published on the North American Division website.

13 Aug

HE’S STILL ON HIS PURSUIT

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By Nestor Soriano … My family and I travelled to Indonesia in the spring of 2019. Katherine, my wife, was thrilled to go back to her native country. We flew to the popular island of Bali and enjoyed the beautiful beaches and delicious food. We also flew to Singapore to enjoy the sights and sounds of the bustling country. After a few days, we returned to Indonesia and spent the remainder of our vacation in Jakarta, the capital city where Katherine grew up.

On our last Sabbath in Jakarta, I had the privilege of preaching at Katherine’s home church. I preached in English and Katherine translated my sermon to Indonesian. I preached on how Jesus is the Good Shepherd from John, Chapter 10.

After the church service, I found some youth who played and sang popular Christian tunes. After reveling in our music, our family was ready to leave, and I told them I’d like to say goodbye and thank their pastor for the opportunity to preach at his church. I noticed the pastor was speaking with an elderly gentleman who was a member at his church and a young woman in her 20s. When I approached the pastor to say farewell, and he said, “Please sit down. You need to hear this story.”

Then the pastor introduced me to the young woman whose name was Nuryl. She didn’t speak English, but the pastor and his friend shared her story with me. Nuryl grew up in a Muslim home. Her father was a Muslim leader and she attended Muslim schools. But then they shared something spectacular: Nuryl had recently been having dreams of a man in white. She was convinced that this man was Isa, the name for Jesus in the Quran. She said she came to this church for the first time to learn about Isa, or Jesus from the Gospels. She wanted to study the Bible with a pastor, become a Christian, and be baptized. I was ecstatic when I heard this story! I affirmed her in her search for Truth. I then had a special prayer for her journey with Jesus.

I learned an important lesson from this experience: Jesus is still in the business of drawing people to himself. Jeremiah 31:3 says, “I have loved with you an everlasting love; therefore, with lovingkindness I have drawn you” (NKJV). It was quite obvious to me that Jesus was using dreams to draw Nuryl to Himself.

The English poet Francis Thompson wrote the poem entitled the “Hound of Heaven,” a 182-line poem that describes the endless pursuit of man by God:

The name is strange. It’s startling at first. It is so bold, so new, so fearless. It does not attract, but rather the reverse. But when one reads the poem, this strangeness disappears. The meaning is understood. As the hound follows the hare, never ceasing in its running, ever drawing nearer in the chase, with unhurrying and unperturbed pace, so does God follow the fleeing soul by His Divine grace. And though in sin or in human love, away from God it seeks to hide itself, Divine grace follows after, unwearyingly follows ever after, till the soul feels its pressure forcing it to turn to Him alone in that never ending pursuit. 

May we never forget that the Hound of Heaven is still pursuing us.

—Nestor Soriano is associate pastor at Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church

13 Aug

2020 – Creativity and Flexibility Required

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NewsNuggets invited Brodie Philpott, head elder and Board chair of Littleton Seventh-day Adventist Church, to share his thoughts about worship during the pandemic and how church has changed in the new normal. We welcome pastors and leaders in our congregations to share their experiences with worship alternatives and innovative activities in their churches. Ed Barnett, RMC president, challenges us to consider “how we can do church better” This applies to opening up ourselves to the needs of the community and making our worship fresh, attractive, and inviting.

What is needed to thrive in 2020 is the ability to adapt quickly and pivot plans to fit the ever-changing realities of our situation.

I love plans–making plans, thinking about plans, executing well-thought-out plans, and looking back and seeing how well my plans worked out. This year, God has His own plans for us, which included some teachable moments regarding my plans and how insignificant they are.  However, God has also shown that He has a way of showing up big.

In early March, the Rocky Mountain Conference appointed two new pastors to serve the church–Andy Nash, lead pastor, and Chris Morris, pastor of worship, youth, and visitation. They joined Alise Weber, who had been serving Littleton as pastor of families and children.

Nash began his ministry at Littleton on March 20, two days after in-person worship services were suspended throughout the Conference. Because of this, Nash didn’t have an opportunity to hold his first in-person service till late May.

Being innovative, we began the pandemic weeks by holding online services from home. The worship leader would sing songs from home and then transition over to Andy’s home where he would share a message. After a few weeks of this, we began holding the online services from the church.

This continued for several weeks till we pivoted to drive-in church (stay in your cars), outdoor church (both at our church and at Mile High Academy), and finally indoor church with two services, a first for us.

We recently ended a week-long Vacation Bible School with a return to outdoor church.  Looking back, I realize that over the course of the past five months, we held church in six unique ways!

“Being adaptable in ministry in 2020 reminds me of how the early church also adapted their ministry, Pastor Nash said. “When they could no longer meet in synagogues, they met in homes. When they could no longer gather in Jerusalem, they scattered to all the world.

This adversity caused the disciples to depend more fully on Christ, and to bring the gospel to more people.”

Worship leader Russell Palmer III added, “We have definitely learned to be flexible as a worship team. One week we are in a parking lot, the next we are in a field behind the church, and the next we are doing two services inside the church. Two services is definitely a time commitment for everyone involved, but it is so worth it to be able to worship together as a corporate body again.”

“At first, it was sad for me to look out into the congregation during praise music and see everyone wearing a mask, but then I was encouraged and so blessed to hear our church singing through their masks as loud as they possibly could,” Palmer said.

In addition to the weekly services, we launched nightly family worship times online, something that we had never done before. A different family lead each night, allowing us to stay in contact with each other even though we were apart. We were able to involve many believers, including college students, worship leaders, elders, and others.  I seem to recall someone wearing Mickey Mouse ears during one of the nightly gatherings.

We received hundreds of views each night, sometimes reaching 600 to 1,000 people. I was excited to see people commenting online that hadn’t been to church in years, and new people engaging with us. I mentioned to a fellow elder that we truly seem to be a church in diaspora. Although we are not being sent out physically during the stay-at-home lockdown, we were sent out digitally, and reached more people each week than would’ve physically visited our building.

As a final example of the creativity and fellowship involved, in April, during the worst of the pandemic, we held a wedding, limited to 10 people, inside the church. However, we invited members to drive to the parking lot and honk their horns as the newly-wedded couple came out of the church. What a blessing it was to be able to share this moment with the new couple.

God has been with us on this journey which we call the “new normal”, and there will be times that I will look back on fondly (although it may take some time).

I urge us to remember that the church is the Lord’s–not ours. He is in control and knows what He is doing. He has established His church, and nothing will prevail against it. Nothing will snatch us from His hands. My advice is to do your part, be flexible, and love everyone in His name.

“I don’t think our Littleton church family will ever forget the challenges of 2020, but as we’ve worshipped together in seemingly every possible way, I think we’ve become resilient and stronger for the future.  After six different settings for worship, we’re ready for the seventh,” Nash said.

–RMCNews

12 Aug

MHA RECEIVES GRANT FROM ADVENTHEALTH FOR SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS

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By Karrie Meyers — Highlands Ranch, Colorado … Mile High Academy was recently awarded a grant from the AdventHealth Secondary Education fund. These funds were allocated for security enhancements, which were installed at the school during the summer.

Returning students and families will notice the enhanced door security, including the addition of new doors going from the lobby to the lower school hallway. Access control has been added to the new lobby doors, cafeteria doors, gym and storage areas, providing card access that will secure the campus during day-to-day operations and during a lockdown situation. The school has increased the number of cameras, covering the perimeter of the campus in addition to several key areas inside the facility. A new phone system was installed, adding more paging speakers for alerts and announcements and communication from administration, plus the ability to integrate voicemail to email and other call-handling options.

“Safety has always been a priority for Mile High Academy,” said Jocelyn Aalborg, MHA vice principal for Finance and Development. “The administration, teachers, board and the Rocky Mountain Conference are keenly aware our students and families need to feel safe during their time on campus. And we continue to research and implement ways to increase school safety. We are humbled to partner with AdventHealth, and through the grant, we were able to implement many security upgrades for the 2020-2021 school year.”

The most noted change is the BluePoint Rapid Emergency Response systems installed. The system operates like fire pulls and instantly notifies emergency responders and building occupants of an emergency situation, expedites a rapid response, and triggers emergency management protocols. Because of the funds received through the grant, MHA was able to purchase seventeen pull stations, six horn/strobe lights, three mobile pendants and all the necessary software and installation.

In addition to the new security enhancements, MHA will continue to utilize the Raptor Visitor Management System that compares government-issued ID information to a database containing registered sex offenders from all 50 states. The school also has walkie-talkies turned on in each classroom throughout the day and conducts random lockdown/lockout drills so students, teachers and staff are prepared if a situation arises, requiring such measures to take place.

“We are thankful to have the support from organizations such as AdventHealth who understand the importance of providing a campus where students feel loved and safe while continuing their Christian education experience,” Aalborg said.

—Karrie Myers is Mile High Academy’s communication assistant; photo supplied

12 Aug

CAMPION ACADEMY OPENS WITH RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE

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By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … Campion Academy welcomed 142 students back to campus for the new school year on Sunday, August 9.

Students and staff are following coronavirus safety guidelines by wearing masks and social distancing both during the in-person classes and throughout campus.

“I’m glad to be back on campus and see all of my friends again,” commented Sami Hodges, senior. “I’m thankful that the Campion Academy staff has made it possible for us to have in-person classes because having to do school online wasn’t ideal.”

Besides wearing masks and social distancing, everyday activities look a bit different this school year. Registration and move-in were done by appointment and spread out over three days to avoid large groups being together. All chapels and group gatherings are being held outside on center campus, and desks are spaced apart in classrooms. Even the cafeteria has spaced out tables six-feet apart and is only accommodating fewer than 50 people at a time.

Despite all the regulations, students are feeling positive about returning. Haley Enochs, senior, explained, “Sure it’s uncomfortable to wear a mask and not be right next to other people, but in the end, it is worth it to get that face-to-face communication with my teachers and friends.”

Students were welcomed into the new school year at the not-so-traditional “Handshake” event. The Student Association (SA) officers provided cut-out paper hands on popsicle sticks for staff and students to use to “high-five” each other in the line that stretched out to circle the entire green on center campus. Classes still competed against each other in creative games that allowed for social distancing while building camaraderie.

During worship, Kylie Wehling, SA Spiritual vice-president introduced the theme for the year: Rise. The theme was inspired by the verse Micah 7:8, “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light” (NIV).

“Our SA team chose this theme because we want students to go to God to be able to rise above the circumstances, we have this year,” said Tiffany Dien, senior.

–Jill Harlow is communication director for Campion Academy; photos supplied

11 Aug

DURANGO HONORS CONSTRUCTION CREWS

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By Tiffany Chacon – Durango, Colorado . . . Durango church members gathered on Sabbath, July 25 to honor the men and women who worked tirelessly during the month of December to ensure their community outreach preschool could open in January.

After the church and school were flooded In November 2019 when the sewer backed up and contaminated both buildings, Best Restoration Services and Triple Eagle Construction came to the rescue by working throughout the month of December, even on weekends, to ensure the school could open safely in January.

Faith believers sang praises and had prayer at the worship service honoring the work completed by both companies.

During the service, Durango’s pastor, Gary Force presented representatives of the restoration companies with their final installment checks along with homemade cards signed by church members.

Waiting on payment since January because of the processing of insurance and loan paperwork, the companies agreed not to pursue collections for payment.

“I felt touched and moved by the congregation’s appreciation and gratitude,” said Andrew, a representative of Best Restoration Services.

Russ from Triple Eagle Construction shared how his business was blessed during the last six months and he believes it is directly related to his faithfulness and patience with the situation.

Even though the companies were waiting for payment, they were on campus during the first two months of 2020 fixing details and making small touch ups as they were discovered.

As reported in the June 16 NewsNuggets an initiative by the northern Wyoming churches helped Durango financially with many different faith communities donating more than $15,000 so far.

The Durango members expressed their gratitude to everyone who helped them during this difficult rebuilding process.

— Tiffany Chacon, Sunflower Christian Preschool director; photos supplied

11 Aug

REFLECTIONS ON THE BEIRUT EXPLOSION

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Middle East and North Africa Union Mission President Richard McEdward shares his thoughts after the explosion that destroyed and damaged much of Beirut including the union headquarters and Adventist University.

Please continue to pray for the people of Lebanon.

 

***Video courtesy of Middle East and North Africa Union Mission Facebook

10 Aug

How Positive Thinking Affects Your Health

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Some days, bad news seems to be everywhere we look – from our phone and TV screens to our social media feeds. And other times, the “bad news” starts with the thoughts in our heads. No matter the source, all that negativity can feel unavoidable, like living in an endless “ring of uncertainty.”

But look to us, because we have some tips to start looking up.

“Outlook”, the seventh pillar of our CREATION Life model, refers to how we approach the world and our lives. Optimistic thinking often used interchangeably with positive thinking, is vital to complete overall health.

At times, difficulties may arrive in our life, but when we ground ourselves in positive thinking and our own sense of spirituality, we are given the strength and tools necessary to face tough situations and see the brighter side with resilience.

Take Advantage of Positive Thinking Day

Positive Thinking Day gifts us with a designated, 24-hours to recognize and turnaround our negative thoughts. Thinking positively does not mean that you ignore life’s less pleasant situations, it just means that you approach unpleasantness or strife in a more positive and productive way.

For example, if you are running late to work because you ran into traffic due to a car accident, stop to be thankful that you are safe and extend positive thoughts to those involved in the misfortune. Then, you might be less apt to huff and puff your way into your meeting a few minutes behind.

You Hold The Power

Turning negative thoughts into positive ones is not easy, because negative thoughts can bring strong emotions with them. Once more, negative thinking may also become a “habit” of sorts. But through time and practice, you can recognize when you are in a negative thinking pattern and form healthier habits of thinking positively, even under stress and during trying circumstances.

Our brain is our most powerful asset, and we must nurture it with positive, wholesome thoughts. This takes acknowledging that negativity is a choice and we hold the power to our thoughts. We can actively choose to look on the bright side, and replace pessimism with optimism. Actively and intentionally strengthening our positivity ‘muscle’ means it will become increasingly easier over time to naturally look at challenges or negative situations with a fresh perspective.

The Health Benefits of Positive Thinking

Research shows that our attitude toward life can impact our health. For example, prolonged stress can speed up the progression of certain diseases. The positive thinking that frequently comes with optimism is a key part of effective stress management. And effective stress management is associated with many health benefits. If you tend to be pessimistic, don’t despair – you can develop positive thinking skills.

Researchers continue to explore the effects that positive thinking and optimism have on our health. According to research, here are some of the many health benefits that stem from positive thinking:

  • Increased life span
  • Lower rates of depression
  • Lower levels of distress
  • Greater resistance to the common cold
  • Better psychological and physical well-being
  • Better cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
  • Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

Interested in boosting your positive thinking brain power? Take Positive Thinking Day to learn more about your outlook and our CREATION Life philosophy.

***This article was originally published on the AdventHealth website

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