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By Willie Edward Hucks II — Berrien Springs, Michigan . . . As the world’s attention was captured by the asphyxiation death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota, another notable event transpired earlier that same day in New York City. Christian Cooper — a writer, editor, and avid birder — encountered Amy Cooper walking her unleashed dog in a section of Central Park where regulations specified that dogs must be leashed at all times.

Unprovoked by nothing more than Mr. Cooper’s request that she leash her dog, she called the police and told them “there’s an African American man threatening my life.”

Why would she call the police and state that a black man posed a threat to her and her dog, in spite of the fact that Ms. Cooper had to know that the video evidence would prove her claim to be false?

Herein lies the reality that blacks — and black men in particular — face on a daily basis in America. We can be jogging down the street, walking home after buying snacks, sitting at home playing video games with a nephew, or enjoying a nature walk — and still feel psychologically or physically threatened.

Mrs. Potiphar: A Cautionary Tale

In my homiletics courses, I stress the applicability of Scripture to all areas of living in an effort to demonstrate that God’s Word speaks to life today. As Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun” (Eccles. 1:9).[1]

Joseph, a hard-working and trustworthy yet disenfranchised young man, was victimized by the false assertions of Potiphar’s wife (Gen. 39:14). And it worked. It worked because she was the beneficiary of privilege and recipient of benefit of doubt. It worked because Joseph was deemed to be of an inferior heritage (“a Hebrew”). It worked because those to whom she lodged the accusation would believe her privileged word over the word of someone who mocked her (verses 14, 17). Mrs. Potiphar, meet Amy. Amy, meet Mrs. Potiphar.

Verse 15 speaks to planted evidence that led to Joseph’s conviction; but we’ll save that discussion for another article. Suffice it to say, Christian Cooper could well have been George Floyd if things had turned out differently.

Sea Change needed for American Adventism?

Protests in the wake of George Floyd’s suffocation death may be leading to a sea change in terms of how Americans see race relations. Only time will tell. For those who believe transformation is needed sociologically and administratively throughout American Adventism, I pose the question: How do we accomplish such in a way that we relate to others as equal brothers and sisters in Christ, in an effort to present a strong witness to society? I offer a six-step proposal.

We must open-mindedly listen to views that differ from our own. In doing so, we must sideline our stubbornly-held beliefs and give ourselves permission to alter our opinions about the subject matter at hand. We must acknowledge that we possess unconscious biases about race and the “other” that may not be accurate. The truth is there is more than one way to see some things. My understanding does not invalidate your understanding, or vice versa.

A case in point: For years, I assumed the two travelers from Jerusalem to Emmaus (Luke 24) were males until a female challenged me on that presupposition. I possessed an unconscious bias that is not explicitly supported either by Scripture or Ellen White in The Desire of Ages. My initial belief could be correct; hers could be correct. But I needed to be open-minded enough to alter my view.

Too many people base their views of race on what they were taught growing up or what they see on TV. If their views have been shaped otherwise, they have been positively shaped based on a co-worker or neighbor, or negatively on an isolated episode. Intentional, consistent, and heartfelt interactions would prove to expand the database upon which we can re-evaluate our views.

We must be willing to live in uncomfortable spaces. Shifting demographics have led to redistribution of political, administrative, and financial clout. Along with shifting demographics have come diversity of voices and demands for a larger piece of the pie; and a larger piece for one requires a smaller piece for another. This burgeoning reality causes some to hearken back to the theme song from the 1970s TV comedy All in the Family: “Those were the days.” The 21^st century, however, calls us all to live in and adjust to an ever-changing landscape.

See how you may have benefited from white privilege. It is assumed that people are hired or promoted based on qualifications. Many of us know from firsthand experience that it’s not always what you know; rather, it’s who you know. Too many assume that their qualifications earned that job (and not silent discrimination) or they gained their wealth (but not generationally). They believe they earned it themselves, and that others should pull themselves up by their bootstraps just as they did. But some possess boots with frayed laces.

Don’t see one experience as the norm and the other as the anomaly. Society has created the picture that criminality is pandemic and interwoven into the black experience; but crime by whites is anomalous, an exception to the rule. Crime is endemic to all races and ethnicities — regardless of who should be arrested or ends up being convicted.

Norm versus anomaly has been applied to church life, worship and music, and other aspects of living that time and space prevent me from discussing. In short, stereotypes and opinions remain unchallenged if we don’t broaden our horizons.

Stop deflecting, no matter how true. Here are some examples: 1) “All lives matter; not just black lives.” Keep in mind that the father loved the son that stayed home as much as he loved the “prodigal” son. But the son who left home is the one who needed special attention in the parable. 2) “Only the Second Coming will fix racism.” ADRA builds wells and promotes literacy for women overseas. Shall we abandon those efforts while we wait for Jesus to return?[2]

Don’t cross over to the other side of the road (Luke 10:30-32). Ignoring the bleeding victim doesn’t address the issue. Ignoring the bleeding victim is simply another way of saying, “That’s not my problem. Let someone else deal with it!”[3]

Only through the indwelling Spirit and courageous conversations and commitment to genuine growth will we live out the prayer of Christ: “That they all may be one … that the world may believe that You sent me” (John 17:21).

— Willie Edward Hucks II serves as chair of the Department of Christian Ministry and associate professor of Pastoral Theology and Homiletics, Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Photo by iStock.

[1] Unless otherwise stated, all scriptural references are from the New King James Version.

[2] Other examples include: “There is no black race or white race; only the human race” (If race is a sociological construct, then the same applies to the concept of a human race.). “What about segregated conferences….?” (A convenient and sometimes innocent diversion. However, if one were to travel that road, it would be akin to my February 2015 broken wrist that needed to be reset; that is, it needed to be completely broken before it could be reset. That required severe pain before the healing could start.). “All this talk about race serves to divide. We need to heal” (Discussing race doesn’t create division. It brings to light pre-existing conditions.).

[3] In MEDITATION XVII: “Devotions upon Emergent Occasions,” John Donne wrote, “No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”

This article was originally published on the NAD website.

Columbia, Maryland . . .On Sabbath, June 27, 2020, the leadership of the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is asking its members, churches, ministries, and services to join in a special day of prayer for the deep hurt and frustration that racial injustice and inequity have caused in North America. As the conversations on racism in society and in the church continue to grow, we are urging the 1.2 million church members in the territories of Bermuda, Canada, Guam/Micronesia, and the United States to come together and prayerfully seek God’s guidance and leading in our lives, especially in how we relate to one another, and how we can help stop injustice against people of color.

As leaders, we want to ask the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and ears so we may understand and listen to our brothers and sisters, specifically in the Black American community, as they share the pain and anger they have experienced over the years. We want to ask for forgiveness, and we want to ask for compassion and strength to have the tough yet necessary conversations so our church can move forward in healing the wounds that run deep in our faith community.

By coming to God in prayerful surrender to Him, we can become the church God wants us to be to reach out to those hurting in all our communities.

—Newspoints; Photo courtesy of iStock

This press release was originally published on the NAD website.

By Dorie Panganiban — Farmington, New Mexico … When this coronavirus pandemic hit, millions of people were impacted. Sad to say, the Navajo Nation where La Vida Mission’s ministry revolves, has been hit so hard that it had the highest per capita COVID-19 infection rate in the United States, even surpassing hot spots in New York City.

A lockdown, stay-at-home order and nightly and week-end curfews were implemented throughout the Nation to provide safety, but undeniably, it made life harder for our Native people in terms of mobility and securing food for their daily needs, especially on weekends. Add to this the loss of jobs and the resultant income, and you’ll understand why many families were struggling.

One of our activities during La Vida Mission’s lockdown was reaching out to the community through our small “care packages delivery” of fresh fruits, purchased with our limited church outreach funds. To that was added supplies of rice, beans and masa flour from the school cafeteria.

With a delivery from Montrose Adventist Church, as reported in NewsNuggets (May 22, 2020), we prepared not just care packages and food bags, but also food boxes to deliver to our Native friends.

In the first week of May, “when our food supplies run extremely low, we stopped our general food distribution, but left our church’s door open for community’s requests for help,” reported Dori Panganiban, La Vida Mission’s community outreach director.  She added, “I believe that the Lord isn’t done yet with what He wants us to do for His precious Navajo children because by the second week of May, Sherman Mohler, president of  Southwest Paleontological Society, drove up to the Mission with loads of assorted food, groceries, and clothes for the community, along with household appliances for the Mission. He also told us of cash donations from his Go-Fund-Me fundraiser.”

A Facebook fundraiser generated many donations as well. “We used these [funds] to order flour, assorted groceries and toilet paper online for the next food distribution. Neal Kelley and his wife drove down from Montrose with a pick-up load of food from the Sharing Ministry to add to our supplies. Putting all these donations together, we were able to make 150 food boxes that we distributed at one time in our church parking lot on May 28 instead of delivering them to individual houses. “It was strategic to do so and would make these necessary packages reach the people quicker in preparation for the coming whole week-end curfew and lockdown,” Dori added.

But the fun was not over yet. Towards the end of our food box distribution on May 28, “Navajo Strong” from Utah drove up with 80 gallons of hand sanitizer to help with our ministry. “When I returned to my office after the distribution, I received a call from Brenda Maldonado of Colorado Springs Central Church, asking me how their church could possibly help with our community outreach, so we discussed together another relief operation. Coming home that same day, my husband gave me an envelope that he found lying on a bench in our sunroom with a generous check to the church from a local church member appropriated specifically towards our Food Box Distribution Ministry. I could not believe all these happening in just one day,” she reported.

“On Friday morning of June 3, we did another “drive-in food box distribution” in our church parking lot with Pastor Mike Maldonado and his wife Brenda joining us in the fun,” Dorie enthused.

“Just as He made the five loaves of bread and two fishes multiply, He multiplied our small care packages into something bigger to impact our community for Him,” she concluded.

– Dorie Panganiban, office manager and community outreach director, La Vida Mission; photos supplied.

By Alise Weber – Littleton, Colorado . . . The sun peeked through the clouds and shone down on the lawn of the Littleton church just in time for the evening outdoor church service.  Just an hour earlier, wild winds, angry clouds, and a downpour, complete with hail, had touched upon the same ground.

Members were gathering for this evening worship service on June 6 to conclude their seven-week series on Esther, led by pastors Andy Nash and Chris Morris. In the spirit of celebration, as the Jewish nation did when saved from certain death, a Purim celebration was planned directly after the church service.

As the worship service concluded, Nash ended with inspiring words that reflected on the bravery of Esther. The members were challenged “to go forward to make a difference in this world, as Esther did.”

Then, the Purim celebration began!

Individually wrapped baklava with bags of pre-packaged popcorn and bottles of water were handed to attendees ready to rejoice in the spirit of victory. Children volunteered to reenact a play depicting the story of Esther. The script was read, the actors and actresses used their improvisational skills to act out the scenes, and the joyful crowd joined in by offering comedic boos and cheers as each scene unfolded.

Following the skit, the assembly participated in traditional Hebrew dancing. A giant circle was formed on the lawn, wide enough for everyone to social distance.  As the music began, everyone used a grapevine step to the right and then twirled in unison before clapping twice. Several rounds of Hebrew dancing followed before the glow of the sunlight began to fade.

The film, “One Night with the King,” began playing on the screen, and children eagerly grabbed their chairs for a chance to watch.

“It was a beautiful night, that not only revisited the story of the brave queen who saved her people from death but made Scripture come alive by adding a multi-sensory experience that all ages could enjoy,” one of the pastors commented.

—Alise Weber is associate pastor for children’s and family ministry; photos supplied, video by Cesiah Morris

Casper, Wyoming … With all that has been going on in our country over the past few months, including the shut-down of many gatherings, Casper church families requested a graduation appreciation Sabbath ceremony for their many young adults who graduated from high school and college this year. Since Casper Church began drive-in services on May 9 and reopened its regular services on Memorial Day weekend, May 23, they were able to accommodate this request.

Casper was grateful they were able to provide some recognition for their achievements due to most ceremonies being cancelled due to Covid-19, Pastor Shayne commented. The Casper congregation celebrated these 2020 graduates on Sabbath, June 6:  Alexis Dvarishkis, Lacey Evert, Adam Cornett and Timmy and Jeff Pike.

The church also extended recognition to Austin Pedersen (pictured), in their sister church in Wheatland, who graduated this year as well.

Pastor Shayne joined them in his own Andrews University regalia, preaching on “How to Overcome Fears,” and encouraging each graduate to pursue their calling by facing failure as a normal part of learning and growth.

“The churches in Casper and Wheatland are very proud of their accomplishments. We pray that God will continue to bless and walk with every single one of them,” Pastor Shayne added.

—Casper Church Communications; photos by Anca Vincent, Traci Pike & Liz Cornett, and Cynthia Pedersen.

By Karla Klemm — What makes up the fabric of a life? How can I explain my love for cooking, enjoying a walk in the woods and reading a good book, especially poetry? These traits most assuredly come from a variety of people in my life, especially my maternal grandmother, Millicent “Milly” Doleman Barrett.

She was born February 3, 1907 to a young mother in northern Idaho who, for an unknown reason, was not able to care for her. In the same town, there lived a couple, John and Agnes Doleman, who had three teenage boys–James, Horrace, and Frank.  They had always wanted a girl, so as my grandmother recounted to me, “when they heard of this homeless baby, they took her into their home and adopted her”. Her older brothers loved her dearly and doted on her. There were always interesting things to do on their ranch–horses to ride, cows to herd and chickens to feed. One of the boys had a goat and he would hitch it to a wagon and give Milly a ride.

As she grew, she decided to become a teacher and attended Walla Walla College for two years. She later recounted to me her pride in the fact that she was adopted by a Seventh-day Adventist family. Her parents had joined the church when their three boys were quite young.

My grandmother met Raymond Barrett in Oregon at a bus junction and they later eloped in 1928, much to the chagrin of both sides of the family (they went on to be married for 58 years). They had one daughter, Joanne, my mother. As I grew up near my grandparents, they were like second parents to me and my brother and sister. We had many lazy summer days playing in the nearby woods, reading books aloud and running around the perimeter of the house to see how high we could get our heart rate to go. I can still taste the homemade bread and Tillamook cheddar cheese sandwiches she would make for us after climbing the hill from the bottom of the driveway where the school bus dropped us.

My grandmother would have been most interested if there had been ancestry.com when she was alive. The mystery of the origin of her birth family was a consistent presence in her life, yet how fortunate she felt to have been adopted by her family. This makes me reflect on how awesome and special adoption can be.

In the words of Jon Piper, “Adoption is the visible gospel.”

I have huge appreciation and admiration for those who are able to adopt children. From what I’ve read and heard, it swells the heart beyond measure. I look forward to the day when I might know the full origins of my family tree. In the meantime, I’m so thankful for the family who made room in their hearts for my dear grandmother.

—Karla Klemm is a member of the Grand Junction, Colorado church; she facilitates church community events.

Pictured (left to right) is James, John, Frank, Agnes and Horace with young Milly.

By Ron Price — Farmington, New Mexico . . .This week I’ve been thinking about the joy that is to be found in getting out of ourselves to focus on being a blessing to others.

May this video inspire you to think about who you can bless this week.

To watch the video please click here

–Ron Price is a member of the RMC executive committee from Farmington, New Mexico. Email him at: [email protected]

By Jon Roberts – Denver, Colorado . . . “Everyone has a story” was the message heard among a group of 20 Seventh-day Adventist church members, leaders, and pastors who joined a city-wide protest at the State Capitol in Denver, Friday, June 5. They came from Aspen Park, Boulder, Castle Rock, Fort Lupton, LifeSource, Littleton, and Newday.

Some joined a racially diverse group which had gathered, while others joined to stand in solidarity with friends and individuals who has been disenfranchised and mistreated for years.

A member of the Boulder church, Becky De Oliveira came with her two young adult sons, Joshua and Jonah. She said, “I enjoyed attending the march for social justice with a group of Adventists from Greater Denver. Many of them I’d never met.”

“The protest was peaceful and filled with hope. I truly do hope for lasting change and healing for our country,” she added.

Joining marches and standing up for equal rights was part of the mission of the early Adventist church.

“We [Adventists] were on the cusp of the abolitionist movement, women’s suffrage, and we had involvement in a living wage before a minimum wage was in existence,” Nathaniel Gamble, pastor of Fort Lupton and Aspen Park churches commented. “It’s important to stand up for our brothers and sisters.”

Homemade signs included artwork or just words written with a sharpie pen, each with its own message: “With liberty and justice for some??” “All lives matter only when black lives matter.”

“Not about looting a target; not about being one either.” “We’re not trying to start a race war; we’re trying to end one.”

Nearly half of the Adventist group were young adults. For some, this was the second march they attended that week.

“I was proud to join voices with the RMC Youth who stepped up and spoke out as a force for good within our broken system.” Kiefer Dooley, youth leader from Rocky Mountain Conference commented.

“It’s been a tumultuous season in America. In the wake of the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd at the hands of police officers, our country settled into a deeper level of unrest than that spurred by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. It became clear to us that the systemic racism that dwells in many of the structures and organizations in our country can go on no longer.”

Interactions between Adventist participants and community members were seen throughout the grounds of the capital. Others from the group stood on the sidewalk holding signs.

Horns honked in solidarity, while community members were handing water bottles and popsicles to the children in the crowd. Several local restaurants provided food, including vegan and gluten-free options, to make sure everyone in the community could enjoy themselves.

The gathering had a street fair feeling with something for everyone. If you wanted to protest, you could.  If you wanted to stand silently as an onlooker, you could.  If you wanted to listen to each other’s story, you could. It was obvious that the participants came for a reason: racial justice for all.

This was not like a protest you normally see on television; this was a chance to come together as one community to take a stand against an issue that has divided America for far too long.

“The difference I see here is that so many Caucasians are participating. Usually the marches are African-Americans stating ‘look how bad we’ve been treated,’” Robert Davis, member of Newday said. “This one is not about grievances; instead, the message is, ‘We are tired of the racial divisions. Every life doesn’t matter till black lives matter.’”

The message was loud and clear. Hope lives. Love wins in the end.

“While it was a moving experience to join our voices with others seeking reform and justice, it’s clear that our involvement cannot stop with a protest or a march. We must unite together in daily actions that bring justice to the downtrodden and freedom to the oppressed,” Jessyka Dooley, RMC assistant youth director, commented. “We are called to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. We are called to leave the 99 to bring rescue to the 1.”

“The march was such a clear demonstration of the tenacity of hope — we believe that wrongs can be set right, that change can come, and that humanity can grow in its understanding and interaction,” Jenniffer Ogden, pastor of the Boulder church said. “The march showed me once again that humans believe in hope and are looking for ways, they can actively participate in making change happen for the betterment of all.”

—Jon Roberts, is communication/media assistant for the Rocky Mountain Conference; photos Rajmund Dabrowski, Jenniffer Ogden, and Jon Roberts.

Columbia, Maryland . . . “To my African American brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I am deeply sorry. I am saddened that you have experienced prejudice and bigotry — even in the church — and that there have been times when you were not allowed eat in the same cafeteria or go to the same washroom as whites.” stated Daniel R. Jackson, President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America.

To watch the full statement please click here

This video originally appeared on the NAD website.

By Don Reeder – Loveland, Colorado . . . “We understand that many of our students have been faced with acts of racism during their lives.” stated Don Reeder, principal Campion Academy.

Campion’s full statement below:

“In response to recent events, I want to assert that Campion Academy stands firmly against racist acts and racist speech. Our campus enjoys a culturally and ethnically diverse population. We consider that diversity as one of our strengths. We encourage the celebration of that diversity in providing ways for our students to share their culture and embrace their differences. It is with an especially heavy heart that we watch these current events, knowing it greatly impacts our students and alumni of color.

We understand that many of our students have been faced with acts of racism during their lives. We are committed to continue making Campion Academy a safe, respectful atmosphere for our students, regardless of ethnic background. Racism divides and is used by the forces of evil to keep the knowledge of God from reaching the world. It hurts His children, impacting their growth and success. We will not tolerate racism.

Campion seeks to follow the charge given by Jesus to go into all the world and lift up Jesus as stated in John 12:32, as well as the assertions in Galatians 3:28 and many other verses that we are ALL one in Christ. We celebrate being a part of the most ethnically-diverse Christian faith in the United States and will continue to teach our students to uphold those values for our brothers and sisters of all ethnicities.

In support of this commitment, Campion Academy will work with our African American students and alumni to hold ourselves accountable, and to ensure that our campus remains supportive in the ways they need. Please join us in doing all that we can to root out racism.”

–photo supplied