September 2016

About this issue:

Read highlights of how God’s mission has advanced in the Northwest during the past five years. You’ll find them in the special NPUC Constituency edition of the September Gleaner.

Feature

Presidential

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts After 44 years of ministry for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Max Torkelsen is retiring, effective Sept. 25, 2016, at the North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) constituency session. During his role at the NPUC, Torkelsen … read more
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More Features

Creation Study Center

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts Our Creation Study Center in Ridgefield, Washington, includes two large wall … read more

Literature Ministries/SOULS Northwest

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts Our efforts have delivered more than 235,000 books and 1.3 million pieces of … read more

What About Those Auditors?

August 30, 2016
Every Northwest Adventist institution has an obligation to carry out its mission with … read more

Walla Walla University

August 30, 2016 | Kim Strobel
Faith and Learning A Report to the Constituency of Walla Walla University At Walla … read more

Secretariat

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts Broke the 100,000 membership mark on June 30, 2016. Is the only union in the … read more

Treasury

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts $678,022 was given by the North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) for Hispanic … read more

Communication

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts More than 2 million pages are printed each month to provide the Gleaner to … read more

Native Ministries

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts Monte Church travels more than 120,000 miles every year to visit far-flung … read more

Ministerial

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts In the Northwest, there are about 14 million people and 100,014 Seventh-day … read more

Northwest Religious Liberty Association

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts The Northwest Religious Liberty Association (NRLA) works within legislative … read more

Planned Giving, Trust Services

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts $29 million in trusts and annuities are administered annually, representing … read more

Regional, Multicultural, Youth

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts The Regional Affairs Office celebrated its 40th annual Convocation in May … read more

Education

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts This past school year (2015–2016) there were 515 certificated, full-time K– … read more

Hispanic Ministries

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts Hispanic membership and tithe have both increased 15 percent over the last … read more

Information Technology

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts iPhones and iPads account for 74 percent of mobile devices connecting to … read more

Legal Counsel

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts Andre Wang has served as North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) General … read more

Disaster Response

August 30, 2016
Fast Facts Washington Conference Adventist Community Services (ACS) aided and consulted … read more

Editorial

Introduction

August 30, 2016
Dear fellow members: The North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) was organized 110 years ago to help members and local conferences share our Adventist message in the Northwest. That mission still binds us together toward a common purpose … read more

Intersections

Constituency FAQ

August 17, 2016
With the North Pacific Union Conference constituency session coming up Sunday, Sept. 25 … read more

Let's Talk

Goats

September 24, 2016 | Steve Vistaunet
Scripture makes it plain. Some people are going to be sheep and some goats. There doesn … read more

Perspective

Sermonic Bingo

September 25, 2016 | Seth Pierce
Last month I commented on some practices church members participate in, which elicited … read more

Perspective

Access to God's Presence

September 24, 2016 | Martin Weber
Come with me to the Oval Office, the most powerful place in the world. The year is 1962 … read more

News

Acción

Desafíos Victoriosos

September 23, 2016
Son las 9:30 de la mañana y la congregación canta “Firmes y Adelantes” unánimes y con … read more

Adventist Health

Living Our Mission Every Day

September 24, 2016 | John Ellison
When Jane* came to the Adventist Health Medical Group Rockwood Urgent Care in Portland … read more

Alaska Conference

Selawik Holds Baptism

September 23, 2016 | Jim Kincaid
For years, Marie Savok looked forward to the day her husband, Peachy, became a baptized … read more

Alaska Conference

Palmer Church Holds VBS

September 22, 2016 | Melony Coleman
The excitement was high at the Palmer Church during the month of June, in anticipation … read more

Idaho Conference

God's Miracles Bring Meridian Mortgage-Burning

August 30, 2016 | Karen Pearson
If there is one thing members of the Meridian Church know, it is this: The story of how … read more

Montana Conference

Montana Youth Rush Partners With Local Churches

August 30, 2016
The Montana Youth Rush program partnered this summer with local churches to reach their … read more

Oregon Conference

Student Lives Changed at Milo

September 24, 2016 | Chad Reisig
Kolby had been running from God most of his life. In fact, he actively sought ways not … read more

Oregon Conference

Grants Pass Youth Baptized

September 23, 2016 | Jennifer Burkes
Four youth of the Grants Pass Church marked new beginnings in July by committing their … read more

Oregon Conference

Big Lake Staff Member Dies in Fall

August 31, 2016 | Dick Duerksen
Big Lake staff member Brian Robak, 28, fell to his death while returning from the … read more

Oregon Conference

PAA Summers Mean Learning, Working

August 31, 2016 | Liesl Vistaunet
Every summer at Portland Adventist Academy (PAA), sports camps, international student … read more

Oregon Conference

Kids Can Be Missionaries Too

August 31, 2016 | Warren Rushold
Ethiopia is almost halfway around the world from Portland. When Lucy Russell found out … read more

Oregon Conference

'The Incredible Race' Held in Grants Pass

August 30, 2016 | Jennifer Burkes
Fifty children were part of the Incredible Race Vacation Bible School at the Grants … read more

Oregon Conference

A Glimpse of Camp Meeting

August 30, 2016 | Dick Duerksen
Each morning about 10, I walked through the Gladstone campground to the Junior tent … read more

Upper Columbia Conference

Thousands of Books Shared During UCC Youth Rush

August 31, 2016 | Robert Koorenny
"I had a young man stop at my house” wrote Mrs. C, a Spokane, Wash., resident who was … read more

Upper Columbia Conference

Bible Comes to Life for Pathfinders During Fair

August 30, 2016 | Anita Lebold
Where would you expect to find hundreds of young people and adults dressed in khaki and … read more

Upper Columbia Conference

Torkelsen Passes Torch at UCA

August 30, 2016 | Tamara Michalenko Terry
Linnea Torkelsen is a name synonymous with Upper Columbia Academy (UCA) in Spangle, … read more

Washington Conference

Dollar Club Ministers at Gas Station

September 25, 2016 | Natalie Dorland
I stood in the hot sun, shielding my eyes and looking out at the Fred Meyer gas station … read more

Washington Conference

Camp Meeting Generously Shares Hope, Wholeness

September 25, 2016 | Heidi Baumgartner
Elmo should be dead or at least in serious condition at the hospital, but not at camp … read more

Washington Conference

Chehalis Steps Into the Sanctuary

September 24, 2016 | Heidi Baumgartner
Jennifer Hubbard’s sons were playing outside about a week after Vacation Bible School … read more

Washington Conference

Bellevue's Continuing VBS Legacy

September 24, 2016 | Carrol Grady
Vacation Bible School is a big thing at Bellevue Church. Over the past 20 years, as … read more

Washington Conference

Four Northwest Members Totally Involved in Rwanda Evangelism

September 23, 2016 | Mark Trethewey
Four representatives from the Pacific Northwest — Cami Oteman, Mendy Corwin, David … read more

Washington Conference

Southeast Seattle Community Connects Through Health Seminar

September 23, 2016 | Eddie General
Only 52 percent of Seattle's population is affiliated with Christianity, according to … read more

Washington Conference

Port Angeles Runs For God

August 30, 2016 | Gary Ledbetter
The Olympic Discovery Marathon came to Port Angeles on June 5. This event, which … read more