Pentecost 2025 is a prayer and evangelism movement inviting Seventh-day Adventists in North America to collectively hold 3,000 or more proclamation events throughout 2025.

But what takes this initiative to a higher level than evangelism programming alone is the intentional call to prayer for the Holy Spirit to bring a second Pentecost.

North American Division leadership has asked each union and mission within the division to set aside specified months to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Such a revival comes only in answer to prayer, as referenced by Ellen White, church co-founder, in Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 120.

North Pacific Union has been asked to join the prayer circle and cover the months of October 2024 and July 2025.

The prayer emphasis for October 2024 is “The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our teachers and students.” The emphasis for next July is “The Holy Spirit to make us a loving and caring church.”

On Wednesday, Aug. 14, NPUC executive committee approved a recommendation from John Freedman, NPUC president, and the president’s council to adopt a prayer strategy involving all six conferences and Walla Walla University starting this October.

Each conference will cover four days of the month, praying every third hour at 6 a.m., 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and ending the day at 6 p.m. Conference officials and prayer leaders are encouraged to host a 30-minute prayer call or Zoom at the beginning or end of each day.

Members are to pause and pray individually at the designated prayer times, thereby maintaining a “personal concert of prayer” throughout the day. 

The schedule for October follows:

• Oct. 1 — NPUC Kickoff via Zoom (evening host)
• Oct. 2–5 — WWU
• Oct. 6–9 — Alaska (evening host)
• Oct. 9–12 — Idaho
• Oct. 13–16 — Montana
• Oct. 16–19 — Oregon (morning host)
• Oct. 20–23 — Upper Columbia
• Oct. 23–26 — Washington
• Oct. 27–30 — WWU
• Oct. 31 — NPUC Closing via Zoom (evening host)

In addition to the main prayer emphasis, each conference and institution can add other prayer items specific to their community. Let’s answer the call to pray for rain, now in the time of the latter rain.

White wrote, “We should pray as earnestly for the descent of the Holy Spirit as the disciples prayed on the day of Pentecost. If they needed it at that time, we need it more today” (Prayer, p. 119:3).

Now is the time!

Join in Prayer

Most of the prayer times will be available via the primary prayer Zoom links below. You may join these Zoom calls in audio only mode (muted unless you are praying). Conferences and local churches may have their own established prayer call times; please join whatever prayer call time works for you.

Daily Zoom Link – Mornings

6 a.m. Pacific / 7 a.m. Mountain / 5 a.m. Alaska

Meeting ID: 976 9497 1379

Passcode: 721561

Daily Zoom Link – Evenings

6 p.m. Pacific / 7 p.m. Mountain / 5 p.m. Alaska

Meeting ID: 942 4642 2345

Passcode: 961056

Prayer Reminder Tips

• Save the Zoom link in your calendar
• Set prayer alarms on your phone
• Create a prayer journal to track requests, praises and answers
• Find a prayer accountability partner

Praying for Teachers and Students

Each day of prayer will have a specific scripture and prayer focus. You are welcome to add additional prayers for your family of faith.

Teachers

Pray ...

1. That they know the love of Christ and the fullness of God (Eph. 3:19).
2. That they enter their classrooms strong in the Lord and clothed in the full armor of God (Eph. 6:10–20).
3. That they will understand what is right and just and fair — every good path. That wisdom will enter their heart and knowledge will be pleasant to their souls. Let discretion protect them and understanding guard them (Prov. 2:9–11).
4. That they will trust in the Lord with all their hearts and lean not on their own understanding. In all their ways let them acknowledge the Lord, and He will make their paths straight (Prov. 3:5–6).
5. That the Spirit of the Lord will rest on them — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord — and they will delight in the fear of the Lord (Isa. 11:2–3).
6. That they will each experience the new birth and will help their students experience new birth in Jesus in their classrooms (John 3:3,5).
7. That they will refresh their students and be refreshed themselves (Prov. 11:25).
8. That they will train their students in the way they should go (Prov. 22:6).
9. That teachers receive a fresh anointing of the Spirit that will remain in them and anchor them in Christ (1 John 2:27).
10. That the Word of Christ dwells in our teachers richly as they teach and admonish their students with wisdom and praise to God (Col. 3:16).
11. That our teachers teach with integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech (Titus 2:7–8).
12. That our teachers are committed to truth and diligence in their profession, correctly handling the Word of God (2 Tim. 2:15).
13. That our teachers receive strength through faith in Christ, empowering them to face any and all challenges (Phil. 4:13).
14. That in moments of fatigue and discouragement, teachers will renew their strength and hope as they wait on the Lord (Isa. 40:31).
15. That the blessing, favor and peace of God rests on our teachers, their families and their students (Num. 6:22–27).

Students

Pray ...

1. For their protection (Psalm 17:8–9; Psalm 91:1–2, 9–12; Isa. 54:17).
2. That they feel loved and accepted (Isa. 41:9; Jer. 31:3; Rom. 5:8).
3. That they establish an eternal future (Col. 1:9–10; 1 Tim. 2:3–4; 1 John 5:11–13, 20).
4. That they honor their parents and resist rebellion (Eph. 6:1–3; Isa. 30:1; Prov, 1:8–9; Col. 3:20).
5. That they maintain good family relationships (Matt. 5:9; Psalm 133:1; Rom. 12:18; 15:5–6).
6. That they have Godly friends and role models (Prov. 4:14; 12:26; 22:24–25; Psalm 1:1).
7. That they develop a hunger for the things of God (Psalm 86:11–12; 119:2; Prov. 14:27; Matt. 5:6).
8. That they follow truth and reject lies (Prov. 3:3–4; 12:22; John 14:15–17).
9. That they enjoy a life of health and healing (Isa. 58:8; James 5:16; 3 John 2).
10. That they identify their God-given gifts and talents (Prov. 18:6; 22:29; Rom. 11:29; 1 Peter 4:10).
11. That they enjoy freedom from fear (Psalm 27:1; 34:4; 2 Tim. 1:7; Isa. 41:10; 1 John 4:18).
12. That they receive a sound mind (Phil. 2:5; 2 Tim. 1:7; Eph. 4:17–18, 22–24; Phil. 4:8; Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 10:4–5).
13. That they invite the joy of the Lord (Psalm 35:9; 105:43; 118:24; Isa. 61:3; Rom. 15:13).
14. That they avoid alcohol, drugs and other addictions (Deut. 30:19; John 8:36; Rom. 8:13).
15. That they reject sexual immorality (1 Peter 2:11; James 1:12; 1 Thess. 4:3–5; 1 Cor. 6:13,18; 1 Cor. 10:13).
16. That they grow in faith (Heb. 11:6; Matt. 17:20; James 1:6–8; Gal. 6:9–10).

It’s the time of year to remember what we’re thankful for. This doesn’t mean refusing to acknowledge life’s difficulties. Instead, it means your thoughts are focused on how you can approach life in a positive way. Keeping a gratitude list is even correlated with better exercise habits and fewer trips to the doctor.

Here are four strategies for increasing gratitude:

• Keep a gratitude journal. Studies have found keeping a list of things you’re thankful for has a stronger impact on mental health than writing down frustrations.

• Send thank-you notes. Expressing gratitude to others can make you happier and improve your relationships.

• Pray daily. Prayer is a perfect opportunity to express thankfulness.

• Share gratitude lists as a family. Teach your children early how focusing on the positive aspects of life can help their health and well-being. Keep a family gratitude journal.

Gratitude helps us focus on what we have instead of what we lack. It can help us feel happier and healthier in every way.

On Aug. 10, 2024, Federal Way Hispanic Church Growing in the Church and at Home, a special event organized by Washington Conference Hispanic family ministries and led by Victoria Martínez and Yván Balabarca. 

Some of the topics covered included evangelism to teens, becoming receptive churches and teaching Sabbath School. This gathering brought together more than 90 people, including children’s Sabbath School teachers, parents interested in the spiritual development of their homes and ministry leaders from related areas such as Pathfinders.

The invited presenters, Delia Fernández, Central East Peruvian Conference director of women's ministries and children's ministries, and Nilda Carrasco, Peruvian Union University advisor for international students and admissions, traveled from Peru to share their knowledge and strategies. Their main goal was to strengthen children's worship; share evangelistic strategies for women; provide methodologies for teaching children, juniors and youth in Sabbath School; and teach valuable strategies for managing time in family worship. 

The sessions began at 10 a.m. and continued until 5 p.m. in a dynamic and enriching environment. In addition to the invited presenters, the event featured Wagner Cilio, Washington Conference Hispanic ministries coordinator, and Francisco Brito, Washington Conference Hispanic ministries assistant coordinator, who provided support and contributed to the success of the day.

Martínez, Fernández and Carrasco shared practical strategies and valuable teachings that were highly appreciated by the participants. They shared teaching materials specifically designed to meet the needs of multiple age groups.

Growing in the Church and at Home emphasized the importance of spiritual instruction from childhood, reminding everyone of Prov. 22:6: "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it." This principle was the central focus of the teachings shared during the day.

Participants expressed their satisfaction with this event, stating their desire for it to be repeated in the future. They look forward to using the principles learned to strengthen their faith at home and at church.  

Zariel Zamudio, University of Washington biological oceanography student, is impacting both her field of study and her campus. 

She balances her academic pursuits with a deep commitment to fostering a supportive faith community. Upon starting at UW for the 2023–2024 school year, Zamudio began attending a local Adventist church where she found herself helping establish an Adventist Christian Fellowship club on campus.

Zamudio was introduced to a group of UW students at the church who welcomed her into their community. Through them, she met John Leis, Washington Conference public campus ministries director. Leis, who is dedicated to assisting students in any way possible, became a mentor to her and others. 

After asking for a ride to the dentist, Zamudio was curious about Leis’ role and how he was able to devote so much time to helping students. Leis explained his work as a campus ministries leader and introduced her to the mission of ACF. 

Zamudio became actively involved in founding an ACF club, which officially launched in September 2024 during UW’s Dawg Daze — a time for clubs to introduce themselves and connect with students.

As ACF’s first student president, Zamudio leads worship services, hosts Bible studies at her home and engages socially with students to build a community where they can depend on each other and deepen their faith.

Zamudio’s passion for community building extends beyond her religious activities. During the 2023–2024 school year, she worked in an oceanography lab on UW’s campus. While there, she learned about Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium's Summer Undergraduate Research Program. Zamudio sent in an application and the lab requested the program hire her. She was accepted into the internship.

During the internship, Zamudio collaborated with a graduate student who had cultivated two unique isolates of prochlorococcus from the Oxygen Deficient Zone off the coast of Mexico. Together, they grew the isolates under high light levels and compared them to other known isolates of picocyanobacteria. The results challenged the current theory of the evolutionary process for the picocyanobacteria phylum of prochlorococcus.

After presenting her research at the SURP symposium, Zamudio participated in another project called VISIONS’24 where she worked aboard a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research vessel 300 miles offshore. Zamudio is continuing her studies in biological oceanography while also following the example set by her mother, Blanca Oritz, by volunteering at the UW food pantry. She looks forward to building ACF into a successful and supportive community.

You can learn more about Zamudio’s experience during her summer internship at nwadvent.st/sfc4y.

Follow the daily reading plan and you will read the entire Bible in a year.

Steeped in more than 130 years of Christian academic excellence, Walla Walla University is a gathering point for experts whose understanding is grounded in an Adventist worldview. 

With the vast entirety of the internet in nearly every pocket, we have ever-increasing access to information, but access to information is not the same as obtaining deep wisdom, insight or know-how. 

Faithful faculty with serious knowledge in the fields of engineering, economics, Renaissance literature, special education, faith-based filmmaking, the Reformation, organizational leadership, grief processing and more challenge and grow our students every day. To share this precious resource more easily with its communities, WWU has launched a speaker bureau.

While faculty and staff have a long tradition of professional activity, the speaker bureau is a centralized way for the community to access WWU's teaching talent. 

The bureau includes a few of WWU’s experts who have extensive experience engaging congregations and inspiring audiences across the U.S. and around the world. Speakers expand the educational mission of WWU beyond its walls, pouring into communities across North Pacific Union. 

WWU seeks to convey a wisdom that translates academic excellence into responsible citizenship, generous service, a deep respect for the beauty in God’s creation and the promise of re-creation through Jesus Christ.

For more information about the speaker bureau, visit wallawalla.edu/speaker or contact Pam Cress, WWU vice president for academic administration, at 509-527-2431.

On Aug. 2, 2024, LifeBridge Church held its first-ever Kids Summer Fest in University Place. Although initially intended and planned for 200–300 participants, more than 1,000 people attended.

The idea for the event stemmed from the church’s desire to intentionally connect with local families in a deep and meaningful way. To provide a connection point, Kids Summer Fest 2024 was initiated. Though an event like this is often thought of as secular entertainment, this event was anything but that. It was intentionally designed to embed spirituality and biblical principles in a fun, positive environment.

Kids Summer Fest was action packed with a bounce house, live petting zoo, games, live music and food. Upon arrival at the registration booth, attendees discovered that each festival station was part of the Creation Challenge with an activity for each day of creation.

Day 1: Light

Kids learned about light refraction and played with bubbles while waiting in line to get their pictures taken at a photo booth.

Day 2: Air

Kids enjoyed God’s gift of air by jumping in a bounce house.

Day 3: Plants and Trees

Kids created a nature craft and chose to go on a nature scavenger hunt.

Day 4: Sun and Moon

Kids got their faces painted and enjoyed launching a rocket into the sky.

Day 5: Birds and Fish

Kids played a fish game and listened to a ventriloquist share a story about this creation day.

Day 6a: Animals

Families enjoyed a petting zoo with sheep, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, quail, a camel, an alpaca, a duck and a tortoise.

Day 6b: People

Kids learned about organs and parts of the body by creating people using Play-Doh and clay.

Day 7: Rest, Relationships and Worship

Families experienced Sabbath through rest, relationships and worship with live music and snack booths. Here they gathered, watched Handy Andy perform, heard words of blessing and found out if they won one of the grand prizes.

At the end of each activity, an activity paper was stamped. When all eight stamps were collected, a raffle ticket was given to participants for a chance to win services, gift cards and items donated from local businesses.

The first Kids Summer Fest was an amazing experience and an intentional bridge event that let the community know LifeBridge Church is here to serve and support their emotional, social and spiritual needs. From this event, one family began attending worship gatherings and connected with a small parenting group. As the Kids Summer Fest event continues to be a part of the cycle of evangelism, it will be exciting to see what the harvest cycle has to bring the rest of this year and the years to come.

Camille Garvey was born into an Adventist family. Life got busy, and the Garvey family stopped attending church. When Garvey asked her mother why, she expressed concerns about the judgment and coldness members often displayed.

Although they stopped attending, they still honored the Sabbath by listening to worship music and watching sermons. Garvey and her siblings attended Catholic school, where she developed a fear-based relationship with God due to the legalism and judgment of members.

A close relative eventually lost their walk with God and was determined to disprove Jesus’ existence. Garvey soon came to believe that all she’d been taught was a lie. “To be honest, there was a sense of relief in pulling away from that because I had to — I could drop the guilt,” Garvey said.

As she pulled away from God, Garvey began learning about spiritualism. She developed depression and began having suicidal thoughts and ideation. She couldn’t find peace. “I kept trying to numb as much as I could. Feelings would come up to the surface, and then I would feel so overwhelmed with all the feelings,” Garvey said.

Until the COVID-19 pandemic, Garvey was able to pull herself back from going too far with various vices. Once things got settled and she had time to think during quarantine, she lost all self-control. “It literally scared the life out of me,” Garvey said. She realized she couldn’t keep living this way.

Garvey knew she needed things to change but understood that she couldn’t do it alone. She began revisiting speaking to God as a forgiving father. She began asking God if Jesus was really real, if He had died for her and if He loved her unconditionally. Garvey asked God to reveal the truth about Jesus to her.

“I had a moment in my room where I was at my wits' end and I realized the Holy Spirit was revealing to me all the sin I was carrying and the separation I had from God. And that is what was really killing me," said Garvey. 

"I just laid on my bed and had this real honest, guttural cry like I needed help. I was just dying for that peace and presence for years, and I couldn’t get it. When I finally just asked Him and surrendered, it was undeniable," she continued. "He was just this presence in my room and this love. And that’s when I had my first true encounter with God.”

Garvey began to study the Bible for herself and came to see God as loving and merciful. She began looking for a church. She remembered the Sabbath from her childhood and found Volunteer Park Church in Seattle. The people were kind and welcoming — not judgmental as she’d remembered from her youth. She had finally found a loving God with a loving family.

Garvey has taken on a personal mission to spread the news of the loving God she knows. She does this through VPC’s community outreach programs and volunteering at a crisis center. She prays that God speaks through her to those who need Him. 

Earlier this year, Medford Adventist Church members came together to crowdfund a pastor’s salary. 

While being led by Dan McCollough, volunteer interim pastor, the need for an additional pastor to lead Medford Church's large, active youth program couldn’t be ignored. Through donor matching and pledges, the church has committed to a two-year associate pastor’s contract. 

Kenton Gonzalez, who graduated from Andrews University Theological Seminary in 2020 with a Master of Divinity degree, accepted the contract and was dedicated during the church service on Aug. 10, 2024. Recently, Allie Morse, 12-year-old Medford Church correspondent, sat down with Gonzalez to get to know him better.

Q: God calls everyone to minister in some way. When and how do you feel God called you to be a pastor?

Gonzalez: This is a tricky question for me because, honestly, I've always wanted to be a pastor! When my friends and other kids my age were dreaming of being firefighters, astronauts or zoologists, I knew I wanted to be a pastor. My dad actually tells a story of finding me at age 3. I had lined up all of my mom's stuffed animals in a row and was "preaching" my Sabbath School lesson to them. It has always been something that I've known God wanted for my life, and so that's what I did.

Q: As you are going to be working with the youth, what do you envision for them? How can we as a church support that?

Gonzalez: I think the biggest thing about working with youth is getting them involved — and not just in easy background tasks; I mean putting them in charge of things! This church is already doing such a great job at that, so I want to continue that and see where I can empower the youth to start to take charge and make this their church.

Q: You are a young pastor with a young family. How can young families find connections and ways to serve when life with kids is so busy?

Gonzalez: I once got a piece of sage advice when I started pastoring. I was told, "Remember, your family are your first church members." Sometimes we feel the need to give, give, give to those outside our family, because that's what you're supposed to do, right? Help out at church, go to the programs, lead and participate. These are all good things. 

Church is there to not only be a blessing to ourselves but for us to be a blessing to others. That being said, though, I think the most important thing families can do to serve the church is to make sure they're staying connected to God as a family. Family worship, reading, learning and serving together — it all comes back to the family unit.

Q: What do you see as being some of Medford Church's strengths, and how can we grow in other areas?

Gonzalez: Since coming to the Medford Valley, I've noticed that Medford Church in particular is very giving — financially, of course, but also of their time and person. I also love how the church is so friendly; there really is an atmosphere of love and acceptance when you walk through the doors of the church.

Medford Church is so grateful for Gonzalez's and his wife, Kayla’s, ministry, and for God’s goodness in providing them with a pastor.

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is a solid biblical teaching — one of our core fundamental beliefs — that forms a major part of our identity as Seventh-day Adventists.

In Matt. 24, Jesus takes a lot of time to describe the signs which reveal the time of His Second Coming is near, however, He told us the “day and the hour no one knows … but the Father only.”

He reveals what the Second Coming will look like, so that we are not deceived by false teachings. Jesus tells us plainly that there will be a “delay” in His return. There will be “wars and rumors of wars … nation will rise against nation … famines, pestilences, earthquakes … tribulation … persecution … false prophets.” Because of lawlessness, “the love of many will grow cold” (Matt. 24:6–12).

Jesus clearly and honestly reveals that the world will be a dangerous place — a mess — until He returns. This is not good news for us now. But does this mean our only hope lies in waiting for His Second Coming?

The good news for us now is Jesus Christ! His death for our sins, His burial and His resurrection are our only hope.

On the cross, Jesus took our sin, guilt and shame upon Himself. The consequence of carrying our sin was death. His burial buried our sin, shame and guilt forever separating them from us.

We have been set free and there is now “no condemnation” to those who believe in Jesus and walk by His Spirit. Christ burst forth from the tomb conquering death and sin. The grave could not hold Him. Christ’s victory became our victory.

We have been set free from bondage to sin and are now empowered to live an abundant and victorious life in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us.

Christ’s transparency of a delay in His return is refreshing. Even more powerful is the reason for the delay that we find in the writings of Peter.

“Scoffers will come in the last days ... saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’ … The Lord is not slack concerning His promise ... but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:3,4,9).

The purpose of the delay is for the salvation of as many people as possible! This is our mission.

Matt. 24:14 is often quoted as a sign of the Second Coming, but it also points to our mission: “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations and then the end will come.”

In this world, during the delay of the Second Coming, we are to preach, share and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why? Jesus is our only hope in this world. God wills that none of us are lost, but that all should receive salvation.

Sharing the gospel is our mission! We find it repeated in Matt. 28, Acts 1 and Rev. 14.

We are first and foremost the children of God. Our life finds purpose when we are accomplishing our mission. We find joy and peace in moving forward our mission for the salvation of those who have not yet experienced the truth about our loving and merciful God.

The holiday season — Thanksgiving through New Year — is an incredible time to show gratitude for the kindness of God by showing kindness to others.

Just as God gave us the ultimate gift of His Son, this is a wonderful time to give gifts to others. The most powerful gift God gave was Himself, and that gift has impacted us more than anything else.

The Father sent the Son to take on our human flesh, become one with us and die for our sins. He poured out the Holy Spirit who willingly lives in those who believe in Christ as the Son of God.

God’s desire is for us to know Him and spend time with Him. We are invited into a transformative relationship where we are changed into the very image of God, one day at a time.

Others need to see God in the flesh — through our grateful lives. They also experience God when we give small gifts, whether through acts of kindness or the gift of time and appreciation. Some of the best gifts you can offer are simply listening, inviting people into your home and sharing your life with them. It doesn’t need to be fancy or lavish. Pour yourself into others, listen to their hearts and appreciate them. These gifts are priceless.

As the Holy Spirit lives in you, He will give you the words to point others to Jesus. When people see Jesus in your everyday acts of caring and kindness, they will be more open to receiving the God you know.

In light of this, consider participating in the Pentecost 2025 evangelism initiative, a movement inviting believers to share their faith through proclamation events. These are powerful opportunities to share the hope and love of Christ in meaningful ways, leading others into the same transformative relationship with God. By allowing God to work through us, we can help bring others closer to Him.

As parents, we always try to help our kids navigate the world with patience, kindness and love. 

Paul tells us in Gal. 5, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Knowing this verse is easy, but modeling and teaching these fruits to our children can be difficult — I'm not going to lie, my church family. 

It’s important, as parents, to teach and model these fruits for our kids, especially toward neurodivergent kids. Your kids will come into contact with neurodivergent kids and it’s important that they show Christ-like love to their peers.

What is Neurodivergent?

Neurodivergent is a term used to describe people whose brains process information differently than most people. It's not a medical diagnosis, but rather a way to describe people without using terms like "normal" or "abnormal." For example, children with ADHD, autism or learning disabilities may be called neurodivergent. 

There are many children in our neighborhood, church and school who are neurodivergent, so my kids have plenty of opportunities to learn how to treat other kids who are different from they are. Believe me, we have had lots of conversations about this.

Col. 3:22 tells us, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

It’s important to have open and honest talks with your children about neurodivergence and what it means, as well as why it’s important to practice kindness and patience with their neurodivergent peers. Every child is valuable — make sure your kids understand that.

5 Ways to Teach Compassion Toward Neurodivergent Peers

Active listening: It might take neurodivergent kids longer to respond. They might take longer to process information. Teach your kids not to interrupt or try to mind read. Encourage them to be active listeners. Practice this skill with them — it’s an important life skill to learn for all communication.

Offer help: It’s okay to offer help but realize that help might not be needed. Practice this question with your kids: “Would you like my help?” Neurodivergent kids might accept your help with explaining the rules of the game more slowly or organizing their classroom materials. Don’t assume neurodivergent kids aren’t capable though.

Inclusiveness: Neurodivergent kids can sometimes be left out, so teach your kids to be inclusive. Invite kids to play and modify games if necessary. Kids just want to feel like they belong somewhere. Rom. 15:7 tells us, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

Be patient and flexible: Because some neurodivergent kids take longer to process information, kids need to practice patience and flexibility. That’s not always easy. Practice at home what patience and flexibility look like. Talk about actual situations and explore ways to do better. Your kids are also still learning.

Use kind words and encouragement: Teach your kids to use positive and encouraging words to build others up. We all love a kind word given to us. Teach your kids practical ways to build up their neurodivergent peers. Eph. 4:29 tells us, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up.”

You are your kids' best teacher. Model compassion to them. Show them what it looks like, sounds like and feels like. 

Communicate well with your kids. Discuss and reflect on their social interactions and help them do better in love. Pray for your kids and their peers — God created us and we are all valuable to Him. 

Psalm 139:14 says, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” As best you can, with the Holy Spirit as your helper, show Christ-like love in all your interactions with your spouse, your kids and your neighbors — and let your kids see this. 

On a farm in Boring, Oregon, a Gresham Spanish Adventist Church member has been hard at work in her community. 

Around two decades ago, Maximina Hernández Reyes moved to the U.S. from Oaxaca, Mexico. New to the area and still learning English, Hernández Reyes faced many challenges as she settled into her new life in Gresham. She found that there were many barriers to local services, like hard-to-access information and a lack of Spanish-speaking staff.

In 2012, she came across a community garden in Gresham’s Vance Park. Back in Oaxaca, Hernández Reyes' family were farmers, so when she found contact information, she decided to reach out. She learned that Outgrowing Hunger provides plots at a small cost to immigrants and refugees to help them provide for their families and earn a sustainable income. Along with her family, Hernández Reyes began to farm a small plot in the community garden.

“What motivated me to start farming was seeing the need in our community. Many families didn't have access to fresh vegetables, especially when the pandemic hit,” Hernández Reyes shared. “Stores had no fresh vegetables; everything was empty. And with my small garden, I helped families and my neighbors, even if it was just with five tomatoes or peppers or a squash left on their doorstep. There was a real need for fresh fruits and vegetables during that time.” 

Gesturing to her now flourishing crops, she continued, “If we had had all this back then, we could've helped so many more people. So, I thought, ‘If I could help many families with that small space, why not have a larger one?’ I began working harder to provide my produce to the community by working with churches and organizations that were willing to buy my vegetables and give them away to others for free. That was what motivated me the most.”

Initially, Hernández Reyes gardened in addition to working at her local McDonald's. As the years passed, she found herself becoming a leader in her community through her gardening work where she began to teach others how to farm the land and grow fresh food. A couple of years ago, she moved from her community garden plot to a one-acre farm in Boring, thanks to a partnership with Outgrowing Hunger. She began selling her produce, and last year she was able to leave her job at McDonald’s to work on the farm full time.

Hernández Reyes now serves as Outgrowing Hunger’s board of directors vice chair and coaches other women on how to turn farming into sustainable income through a program called Guerreras Latinas. 

Hernández Reyes' faith plays a major role in how she views her work. She said, “What I enjoy most is serving others. So, if I’m going to do this anyway, why not use it to bless other people? That’s my motivation — to keep working to help others, whether through food or teaching, in whatever ways that I can, for my community and those in need of help. That’s what Jesus did for us! He loved us, so why shouldn’t we share that same love with others? He gives us everything we have. Why shouldn’t we give all that we can to others, too?”

As the 2023–2024 school year was ending, Aubrey Fautheree, Skagit Adventist Academy principal, knew that the school urgently needed an answer to prayer.

“We had been making prayer an important part of the school year,” said Fautheree. During the previous school year, SAA worked with an organization that aimed to increase school enrollment. As a result, the school budgeted for an increased student population for the 2023–2024 school year. 

Unfortunately, the increase did not happen as planned and there was a decrease of about 10 students. “So, we were 25 students short,” added Fautheree. 

Around February 2024, Fautheree felt a strong conviction to take this matter to prayer. Inspired by Pavel Goia’s talks at a prayer conference and his reading of Debleaire Snell’s book, Get Unrealistic, Fautheree challenged the school board and staff to join in 40 days of prayer.

Trusting that God would answer their prayers for financial sustenance, the group continued praying beyond the 40 days until the end of the school year. “We just laid the school before the Lord and said, ‘Look, this is Yours. You take care of it,’” said Fautheree. 

Throughout this process, Fautheree also prayed with conference administrators and let them know of the school’s financial needs. It was estimated that SAA would be about $80,000 short. 

On Aug. 20, 2024, the prayers were answered. Fautheree was scheduled to have a routine prayer visit with the conference treasurer, but instead he was visited by the administration team. 

To his surprise, they handed him a check for the exact amount the school needed. It was the first check of a larger amount that had been designated to SAA from a matured will. A generous donor had chosen the school to be a beneficiary. Unbeknownst to Fautheree, while he and others were still praying for a miracle, God had already chosen the way to provide for that need.  

“What a blessing it is that people value Adventist education and are willing to support it,” said Fautheree. Through this generous donation, SAA can continue to operate and continue its mission of educating children for eternity.

Regarding this prayer experience at SAA, Fautheree added, “This is not our battle. This is not. This is His school. We get to come alongside and allow Him to work. We serve a big God. He’s capable and not limited.” 

For more information about how you too can bless God’s work through planned giving, visit washingtonconference.org/giving.

Positive Life Radio listeners once again made a significant impact in the fight against hunger across the Northwest during the 25th annual Christmas in July Food Drive. As part of their Hands and Heart program, PLR listeners and volunteers came together to collect more than 14,000 pounds of food and cash donations for local food banks from Portland, Oregon, to Lewiston, Idaho.

“It was particularly encouraging to see listeners donate more food than last year while grocery prices are so high,” said Chris Gilbreth, PLR general manager. 

This community effort is particularly crucial as food banks nationwide continue to face challenges due to the lingering effects of the pandemic, inflation and a decline in support during the summer months. The generous contributions from PLR listeners will help replenish dwindling supplies and provide much-needed support to families in the Northwest.

PLR is a non-profit Christian radio network based in Walla Walla, Washington. They have multiple signals across the Northwest and its flagship station has been on the air for 60 years. They believe in creating nurturing and enduring friendships through active involvement in the local community, local and international humanitarian projects, and sharing encouraging music.

As technology and digital devices become deeper embedded in the lives of most Americans, a group of Adventists between Umpqua Valley and the Oregon Coast has been working to provide Remote Adventure Camp, a unique, offline experience that reconnects kids with nature, each other and Jesus. 

Church members of Bandon, Coquille and Coos Bay Adventist Churches have led RAC for almost two decades.

Joy Ross, camp director, first found herself volunteering with RAC when her former pastor approached her to teach a class there. 

“One day he came to me and said, ‘I want you to teach the cake decorating class!’ Every year after that, I helped. Then, one night in a board meeting, my pastor said, ‘I want to nominate Joy to be the new director of RAC,’" shared Ross. "I really enjoy doing this. I think it’s a wonderful project and it’s something I can get behind because it’s an outreach that’s so needed today.”

“I’ve seen changes in kids' lives,” Ross shared. “Some of them are from far away and I may never even see them again, but we’re doing whatever we can to show them that we love them. It really makes a difference in their lives."

"A lot of these kids are used to having cell phones in their hands, games that they play all the time and TVs they watch, so for them to choose to come here for a week without any of those things and without sugar and treats, that says something to me," Ross continued. "They want to be here. And if they want to be here, there’s a reason. I want to provide the best reason for them to be here — to show them the love of God.”

RAC is held near the end of each summer for one week and serves many families who may not have access or exposure to larger camp settings. If you or someone you know would like to get involved in 2025, contact Ross at joyshammot@gmail.com or through the camp's Facebook page at facebook.com/RemoteAdventureCamp.

From across the country, we witness the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene as search and rescue operations continue and response efforts grow in the Southeastern U.S.

“With wind damage to homes; downed trees and power lines; flooding; and collapsed highways, roads and bridges, Helene, as a tropical storm, has likely been the most catastrophic storm that this region has ever experienced,” said Leslie D. Louis, Carolina Conference president, in a Facebook update.

Louis, in his Sept. 30, 2024 Facebook posting, reported that Mount Pisgah Academy is closed for two weeks as power and water are anticipated to be restored to the area. One church — Swannanoa Spanish Church — suffered severe damage and will undergo a major reconstruction operation.

“While we are grateful that there were no known casualties in our churches from the recent storm, our heartfelt sympathies extend to many in our communities who lost loved ones in this devastating event,” Louis said. “It is in times like this that we cling to the assurance that our gracious God has provided for us in His promise: ‘So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand,’ (Isa. 41:10).”

Phil Wilhelm, Fletcher Academy principal, titled his weekly Fletcher Focus e-mail for Sept. 30 with a single word: “Unprecedented.”

“My mind is boggled at the destruction that has occurred all around our school. Despite being relatively protected from the effects on the campus, the chaos all around us is a bit overwhelming,” he wrote. “So many people have wells that require power to pump water out, and their supplies are either gone or almost gone. Stores can’t open yet without power and supplies. People are still trapped in their homes, especially those who live far off the beaten path. Many homes and businesses near a creek or river have been flooded. Others are trapped by washed-out bridges and culverts.”

Wilhelm further reported that almost all dormitory students had made it home. CERT-trained students from Highland Academy and 2Serve volunteer crews were on site to aid with response efforts. Carolina Conference Community Services is also actively responding to local needs.

The Fletcher Academy community rallied, Wilhelm shared, to provide the school with a loaned Starlink and then a gifted Starlink to allow satellite internet communication for coordinating efforts through a local command center.

W. Derrick Lea, North American Division Adventist Community Services executive director, reported in an update on Oct. 1 about various response efforts throughout Southeastern states.

“South Atlantic and Carolina Conferences have decided to work as one, as the affected area is too large for one single conference to cover,” Lea shared. “This partnership has been extremely effective and both South Atlantic and Carolina Conference volunteers have risen to the call as we away goods and a building to house them in for distribution.”

A distribution site in Ashville, North Carolina, was later secured on Oct. 1.

Lea further shared how Georgia Cumberland Conference is currently setting up a warehouse in Georgia in addition to operating two shower trailers for state of Georgia shelters run by American Red Cross.

Elsewhere, Florida and Southeastern Conferences are also working together to aid in response efforts in the state of Florida.

“Please keep us in your prayers, as the work is just beginning and will go on for months and months,” Lea said. “We understand this will be a long-term recovery effort and we’re securing names of conferences and people that are interested in helping in the future.”

Derek Lane, Washington Conference ACS-DR director, plans to stay connected with Southern Union Conferences about ways Pacific Northwest volunteers can be supportive in long-term recovery needs.

“Tune in for updates from disaster response leaders on the most appropriate ways to begin response and recovery efforts,” Lane said. “We are NOT in the Recovery Phase yet, we are actively responding (search and rescue efforts, setting up shelters, providing emergency rescue, etc.) We are encouraging individuals to refrain from traveling to the affected areas at this time.”

Lane continued, “If you have received Community Emergency Response Team or Emotional and Spiritual Care training and would like to assist, we encourage you to be on stand-by on how best we can mobilize our efforts if needed. Check periodically at [your] conference website on additional ways we can assist.”

ACS posted the following message on their website: “ACS Disaster Response is actively responding to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. We are setting up relief centers where people can receive essential supplies. Your contributions, prayers and support make a real difference. Together, we can bring hope and healing to the affected communities.”

Financial donations can be made at communityservices.org. In-kind donation needs are currently not specified. Trained Adventist Community Service and disaster response volunteers are encouraged to connect with their local conference ACS director for further opportunities to assist.

In July, several members of Richland Spanish Adventist Church traveled to Brazil on a mission trip through ShareHim. 

The first words you’ll hear from us about Brazil are unbelievable, caring and loving — unbelievable experiences, caring congregations and loving details. We felt love not only of God but of the people. 

With smooth flights to Brazil and no delays, we arrived on time. We were blessed to stay at a hotel located in front of the iconic Ponte Estaiada in São José dos Campos. Throughout our stay, we were continuously blessed.

On nights when we were nervous, we prayed. How could we as first-time preachers fulfill our mission of 10 sermons each in one week? Our answer came as a feeling of being illuminated by God’s presence. 

Goose bumps tickled our skin as we felt the Holy Spirit work through us. We thank God for the calm that wrapped around us as we stood before a crowd. The more we prayed to touch people’s hearts, the more love seemed to be poured over us each night.

Our respective church families smiled across tables as we tried new foods like a cashew drink, palmito and acai. Fruit like bananas and papaya were sweeter and grape juice was richer. 

Food wasn’t the only blessing we experienced. Laughter, testimonies and wisdom woven into each conversation satisfied a hunger deeper than the rumbling of our stomachs. 

Members lovingly reached out to us, prayed for us and thanked us for a sermon they identified with most. They marveled at how young we were, some as young as 16. We in turn still marvel that our Creator connects us despite our cultural differences. Through conversations, we understood how large the Adventist family really is and how our beliefs and ideals pull us together globally. 

If we did anything, it was surrendering ourselves to God — allowing Him to use us to comfort and show kindness. By living under His hand, we inspired other teens to try preaching about God in a different country. We witnessed seven baptisms. What was once ink on paper tucked inside our Bibles has now become something we breathe and touch. 

Our eyes have been opened and we now see something we were only told about before. We are important to God. He finds it important to use us to influence others. And the beautiful part of this revelation is that it came through people including pastors, elders, translators and church members. Their smiles, tears and hugs spoke louder than ink and proved the quote true: “To love another person is to see the face of God."

Tom Sanford, Project Patch founder and dedicated advocate for thousands of troubled teens, passed away in the early morning hours of Aug. 4, 2024 at the age of 80. He longed for heaven and spoke of it often, even as he struggled with advancing dementia.

Sanford knew hard knocks but also hard work. After a tough childhood, which he wrote about in his autobiography, The Wounded Healer, he graduated from Indiana Academy and worked his way through Andrews University where he met and married Bonnie Fike in 1966.

He took a few extra years to get through school while working full-time but, after graduating with a theology degree, Sanford began his pastoral ministry in Montana Conference in 1968 and was subsequently ordained in 1973.

It was there, while pastoring several multi-church districts, that he started recording one-minute health radio spots at the local radio station. Never one to shy away from asking, he proposed to the station manager that his spots could precede Paul Harvey, knowing he’d have an audience. It was a request that was granted and an early example of how Sanford negotiated his way through life.

The communities he pastored in also benefited health-wise when Sanford helped recruit Adventist physicians to the local hospital.

Sanford obtained his pilot’s license while in Montana to make visiting his parishioners easier. This skill would later be used to help him transport young people to foster homes and serve in the Civil Air Patrol as a chaplain and search pilot for nearly 20 years.

Sanford was an advocate and always had an ear for hurting teens. Receiving a call to pastor in Oregon Conference in 1975, Sanford found himself continually being asked to help young people who needed respite or out-of-home living arrangements.

He would offer to go to court with/for young people and was someone who became connected with the court system, eventually becoming Juvenile Services Commission chairperson in Hood River County. He became further involved in helping teens in crisis when he and his wife signed on as a secured home to house runaways through the Jail Alternative Program until a court hearing could be scheduled.

At one point in his ministry, he surveyed all the pastors in the conference to find out how many Adventist teens needed help. In the back of his mind, however, was the idea that he would request to transfer to whatever church didn’t have these problems, but God had a different idea.

Sanford was a dreamer who placed unwavering faith in God to do big things. Taking the first big leap of faith, and with approval from conference administration, he left pastoral ministry in 1984 to start Project Patch.

One administrator said he’d probably help all the Adventist kids who needed help in a year and then he could come back to a church pulpit. That didn’t happen. It was a small and shaky start to a ministry that has grown and blossomed over the last 40 years into a fully licensed and accredited residential behavioral treatment facility for ages 12–17.

Sanford always said he wanted to “make an event to cause people to rally!” He worked tirelessly to make that happen. Project Patch, to date, has helped thousands of young people with the support of individuals who have come alongside and partnered with him through the years.

Sanford is survived by his wife, Bonnie; daughter, Kelly Hagele, and her husband, Chuck; son, Craig and his wife, Eniko; brother, Dale; sisters, Diana and Beverly; five grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for Sanford will be held at Adventist Community Church, 9711 NE St. Johns Road, in Vancouver, Washington, on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 3 p.m. Livestreaming will be available on the Project Patch website. Memorial gifts in Sanford’s name may be made to Project Patch. Learn more at projectpatch.org/tom.

Drawn by an inspiring lineup of church leaders and special guests, approximately 500 people gathered on Sabbath, Aug. 17, 2024 at Brandt Center at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Pacific Press Publishing Association.

The event — themed "Proclaiming God’s Love for 150 Years" and hosted by Dan Matthews, Adventist media ministry veteran, — highlighted Pacific Press’s rich history and ongoing mission with a program featuring Ted Wilson, General Conference president, G. Alexander Bryant, North American Division president, and Debbie Kling, Nampa mayor, among many other distinguished guests.

“The presence of both General Conference and North American Division presidents showed the importance of Pacific Press and publishing work during the past 150 years and also the importance of this ministry to the life of the world church,” explained Dale Galusha, Pacific Press president.

Attendees enjoyed stirring music from Christian Edition Men’s Chorus, heartfelt video tributes from around the world and special presentations, all commemorating 150 years of spreading the gospel through the printed page. The celebration was an opportunity to reflect on the history of Pacific Press and its impact on the church. It was also an opportunity to look forward to the future of Pacific Press and its continued ministry.

“We’re so thankful for the numerous messages of appreciation from our sister Adventist publishing houses around the world,” Galusha said. “We value the cooperative relationships we have with these institutions. It’s a privilege to serve as one of the church’s leading publishers in fulfilling the mission of the church.”

Established in 1874 by James White in Oakland, California, with a modest manual printing press on his dining room table, Pacific Press has dramatically evolved from that first issue of Signs of the Times. “In those times, the Adventist Church was on the cutting edge of using technology,” said Bryant. “I believe God has called us to be on the cutting edge of using technology today.”

The organization’s devotion to its mission has remained steadfast through all the changes. “My great-grandparents, James and Ellen White, got the presses rolling,” said Charles White, pastor and family representative. “Here we are, 150 years later, celebrating what they started.”

A Legacy of Mission

From its current location on a sprawling 61-acre lakeside campus in Nampa with 102 full-time and more than a dozen part-time employees, Pacific Press operates state-of-the-art technology. Despite technological advances since its humble beginnings, the core mission persists: to glorify Jesus and share the message of salvation and His imminent return. This mission is embodied in the array of books, magazines, sharing materials, music and multimedia resources that Pacific Press produces and distributes.

This year, Pacific Press commemorates 50 years in Idaho and North Pacific Union, having relocated in 1984 from Mountain View, California, to better manage costs. Over its 150-year history, Pacific Press has navigated numerous challenges, including natural disasters, economic fluctuations and pandemic-related supply chain issues. The resilience of its dedicated employees, sound business strategies and unwavering commitment to its spiritual mission have been pivotal to its enduring success.

Review and Herald and Pacific Press approved a massive restructuring of the Adventist Church’s publishing ministry in 2014, consolidating the printing operations of the two massive plants into a single location in Nampa, Idaho. At the same time, Pacific Press transitioned from a General Conference institution to North American Division. This allowed it to focus on serving the North American constituency while still supporting the global Church’s needs through printing services and collaboration with other Adventist publishing houses around the world.

Multilingual Outreach

A significant facet of Pacific Press’s ministry is its multilingual outreach, which continues to grow. Pacific Press publishes materials in many languages and serves as the official Spanish publisher for North American Division. The extensive selection of Spanish-language books and El Centinela, the Spanish counterpart to Signs of the Times, serve this large and growing segment of the Church in North America.

Behind the Scenes

Producing a book is a multistep process. The acquisitions committee convenes periodically to evaluate new manuscripts and book proposals, beginning with a prayer for guidance. Each year, hundreds of manuscripts are submitted, each requiring thorough review.

Post-approval, manuscripts move through several stages: editing, proofreading and final approvals before formatting. Concurrently, the book cover is designed — a collaborative effort involving the title/cover committee and a graphic designer. Once finalized, both the cover and manuscript are prepared for printing.

The printed components are then bound, trimmed and moved to inventory. Meanwhile, the marketing department promotes and publicizes new releases via email, social media, the AdventistBookCenter.com website and various printed catalogs and flyers mailed to customer homes and churches.

Distribution and Delivery

Activity at the loading dock is constant as boxes — and sometimes entire shipping containers — are loaded onto trucks for distribution across the U.S. and around the world. These shipments include Spirit of Prophecy books, Sabbath School materials, union magazines and bulk orders for retail stores, each destined to bring hope and encouragement to recipients.

From producing evangelistic materials and sharing resources for churches to ensuring children’s Sabbath School classes have Our Little Friend, Primary Treasure and Guide magazines, Pacific Press’s unwavering dedication to its mission is evident in all it does.

Pondering the work of the publishing pioneers, Bryant wondered, “What if we were them? What sacrificial measures would we employ to reach the world with the present truth using the tools we have now? They would use everything, and God has called us to use everything. What if we were them?”

This enduring commitment to spreading the gospel has sustained Pacific Press for 150 years, and it continues to shine brightly in its service to God’s work.

Elijah was a bold leader for God. He stood up against kings and mighty men. He prayed for fire to come down from heaven — and it did! Then he ran as fast as a horse when rain finally fell in Israel. But he hid when the wicked queen tried to hurt him.

Why did Elijah hide? He was tired and lonely. God knew Elijah needed a friend to work by his side. So God asked Elijah to anoint and mentor Elisha. A mentor helps someone learn and grow. Elijah would mentor Elisha to take his place.

Called By God

Elisha loved God. He was humble and kind. He worked hard on his father’s farm. He finished what he started, whether a job was big or little. He was cheerful and cared for others. Elisha was ready to be trained as the next leader for God.

Elijah walked where God told him to go. He saw Elisha plowing a field. Elijah threw his cape over Elisha’s shoulders. Elisha gladly followed him.

Elisha was Elijah’s helper for 10 years. He went wherever Elijah went. He watched Elijah pray. He heard Elijah tell people about God. Elisha was happy to learn how to serve God.

As Elijah and Elisha worked together, they trusted God more and more. One day, God brought Elijah to heaven to live with him forever. Elisha was ready to take over Elijah’s job as prophet and leader.

God talked to Elisha, just like He had done with Elijah. God talks to you, too, by His Spirit and through mentors.

When you want to sass your parents but a voice in your mind says no, that’s God’s voice! When you feel a nudge inside you to make friends with a new kid in school, that’s God’s voice too. When a teacher or parent prays with you and helps you make good choices, they mentor you.

You can be a mentor too. You can spend time with other kids. You can be kind, tell them Bible stories and pray with them.

You can read 1 Kings 18:30–39,44,45 and 19:3–21 for family worship.

The group of 11 backpackers from Amazing Grace Academy had 2 more miles to walk before reaching their campsite. 

They were out for three nights in a paradise of ocean, mountains and rainforest in Seward, Alaska. Everything was working out for the group. That’s when two families — a total of nine hikers — appeared. 

The immediate concern of Ryan Rogers, Palmer district pastor and group leader, was that both groups planned to stay at North Beach for the night. While he didn’t mind sharing, he knew that not every group of strangers is appropriate for a Christian youth group to share a campsite with.

The new hikers weren’t strangers for long. Both parties shared the beach and adventured as one group of 20 hikers until they said goodbye in the parking lot at the end of the trip. Meals were shared and the kids spent every bit of free time together. 

They planned goofy team challenges, times of solitude and scripture reflection, group discussions and a Sabbath worship experience that included singing in the rich acoustics of a World War II bunker. The group of nine joined the AGA hikers for all of it. Currently, one of the kids they met on the backpacking trip is now a student at AGA!

It was not how they had planned it; it was better. The Palmer outdoor ministry setting was ideally suited for delivering those unexpected blessings that could never really be planned.   

In February 2024, North Pacific Union and Alaska Conference granted $20,000 of Spark Tank evangelism funds to Palmer Church and AGA for outdoor ministry. The ministry has welcomed 40 backpackers, ranging from ages 8–78, on three separate multi-day backpacking trips. Groups have paddled glacial rivers, summited mountains, snowshoed in negative temperatures and shared priceless moments of worship and spiritual conversation.

The church and school are grateful to NPUC and Alaska Conference for having the vision to see this kind of ministry as evangelism and for supporting it with funds to get started.

Learn more about the outdoor ministry at palmersda.org/ministries/outdoor.

As part of the annual Southcentral camp meeting in Palmer, Alaska, the impact of Arctic Mission Adventure was shared. Members and a network of volunteers support AMA and emulate the hands and feet of Jesus in Alaska villages. 

The camp meeting theme was “Loving God” as directed in Deut. 6:5. With this idea in mind, AMA wanted to demonstrate this love and decided to have a back-to-school supply drive as part of the camp meeting experience. The goal was to fill 500 backpacks and send 100 each to the villages of Kotzebue, Nome, Dillingham, Bethel and Utqiagvik.

AMA backpacks were ordered and the supply drive was promoted across the state. There were two ways to participate: Supporters could bring donations to camp meeting or place orders online to be delivered to the conference. Along with standard supplies — crayons, markers, rulers — personal hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and feminine hygiene products were collected as well. 

Members responded to the call and all that remained was filling the backpacks. Colette Reahl, former Bethel AMA worker, and her children took on the challenge of filling more than 300 backpacks for transport. In addition to the school supplies, extra backpacks and lunchboxes were also donated. When the backpacks were complete, more than 1,000 pounds of school supplies were ready to mail.

Tobin Dodge, AMA director, and family shipped the supplies to the villages of Bethel, Dillingham/Togiak and Utqiagvik. What an impact this simple act of kindness is making. Eric Fanene, Utqiagvik AMA worker, reported that the backpacks would be distributed in conjunction with a community outreach project with the Lyons Club. 

Josephine Gosuk, Dillingham preschool teacher, shared that along with Gina Parker, co-teacher, and Aaron Dasher, AMA worker, they planned to distribute backpacks to schools in Dillingham — both the public and Adventist schools — as well as to students in the neighboring villages of Togiak and Manokotak. With each donation, whether a pack of pencils or a notebook, Alaska members' generosity made a big difference!

North Pacific Union has designated the Nov. 30, 2024 offering to support AMA. Thank you for your continued prayers and support of this donor-funded mission field in Alaska.

Delegates to the 19th Alaska Conference constituency session gathered Sept. 22, 2024 to receive ministry reports, elect leaders and process church business.

Financial Challenges

Alaska Conference, like many others, faced various post-pandemic challenges affecting staffing, infrastructure, services and finances. 

Financial difficulties were highlighted by the 2021 audit, which was disclaimed, preventing a full audit. In a cascading effect, the 2022 audit resulted in a split decision, an unqualified balance and a disclaimed financial statement. Fortunately, the 2023 audit achieved a qualified opinion, putting the conference on a better accounting footing.

“Progress is being made in correcting the issues we've had in our record keeping,” said Bob Sundin, interim treasurer from North Pacific Union. “God has provided us with what is needed to move into the future on a positive basis.”

Amid the challenges, Mark Remboldt, NPUC vice president for finance, praised the Alaskan membership for their strong tithe, their top-tier tithe per capita and a solid working capital fund.

Ministry Engagement

Alaska churches continue to enhance their digital engagement, including monthly online evangelism and discipleship training. The introduction of Starlink in 2022 provided high-speed satellite internet to underserved Bush communities and now supports 26 low-power radio stations statewide.

Working with NPUC and It Is Written, Alaska Conference coordinated a successful statewide evangelism series in 2024. From 2020 to 2023, God blessed Alaska Conference with 232 baptisms, 33 professions of faith and 143 membership transfers.

Alaska Conference is home to 36 churches and companies, five Adventist schools, 14 pastors, 12 teachers, 10 administrative staff, two Arctic Mission Workers and 3,817 members. There are also 161 students and a territory covering 665,384 miles. In the last four years, 75 mission groups from the Lower 48 have come to assist with humanitarian and outreach projects.

Leading Forward

This summer, Alaska Conference asked for feedback on perceived successes, challenges and suggested actions for the future. Three key themes emerged: a call for more active listening to constituents, improved financial accountability and increased communication between the conference and its churches.

The following leaders have been reelected to incorporate these themes into their work: Ashwin Somasundram, vice president for administration; Garrett Holmes, vice president for finance; Tobin Dodge, Alaska camps and Arctic Mission Adventure director; Brenda Campbell Johnson, communication director and educational support; John Winslow, education director and youth and young adult director; and Daniel Jean-Francois, ministerial director.

After serving eight years as president, Kevin Miller was not renominated. Delegates honored Miller with a standing ovation as a gesture of thanks for his dedicated service. NPUC will now lead a process in the coming months for electing a new president.

As they look ahead, leaders emphasize the importance of moving forward "Together in Mission." By embracing new opportunities and uniting in purpose, Alaska Conference can navigate challenges, foster community and make a positive kingdom impact.

Disappointment is a natural feeling when things don’t turn out the way we expect. When something happens to derail a much-anticipated event — such as the weather's impact on the Pathfinder Camporee this summer — how we deal with that disappointment can be an opportunity for growth.

Sarah Lundy, Adventist Health Portland licensed clinical social worker, shares four things adults can do to help kids cope with disappointment.

1. Recognize disappointment as a grief process.

“It’s important to validate and support kids to normalize what they’re feeling,” Lundy said. “A personal example can give kids permission to feel sad and talk about their experience. Try saying something like, 'You know, I’ve had things unexpectedly change. When that happens to me, I feel really sad or frustrated.'"

We can unintentionally put judgment on kids’ feelings by making “at least” statements such as, “At least you got to see your friends for a few days,” or “At least you made it home safely.”

“When we do this, we can inadvertently send a message that minimizes their experience,” Lundy added. “It’s important to show kids that all feelings are welcome at the table. They can say as much or as little as they want, but their feelings are not too big for grown-ups.”

The key is to make space for what they’re feeling without having guilt about those feelings.

2. Reduce anticipatory anxiety by building the sense of “I can handle this.”

“What happens in anxiety, particularly for children,” said Lundy, “is a belief that if something bad happens, I won’t be able to handle it. We can’t tell kids something like that won’t happen again, because we don’t know. Instead, we can talk about what we could do if that were to happen.”

Lundy suggested starting a conversation with, “I really believe you can get through that. Let’s talk about what that would look like. What would you need? What are your ideas?”

Start with the child’s natural ideas or sense of ability, and then help them be curious about what they could do. To conceptualize this, have kids write down 10 things they could do if something happened, such as 1. Call Mom and Dad, 2. Find a grown-up, 3. Find a friend, etc. 

Keep the list of what they come up with. Place it in a location where kids can be reminded that if something unexpected happens they have a plan.

3. Be together and talk.

If a group of kids has negatively experienced something together, follow-up conversations can help them look forward to positive future moments. “You can help them repair negative experiences by looking toward experiences in the future,” Lundy said.

Facilitate conversation by having kids write on index cards one thing they missed about not having the get-together. Maybe they missed a game they love, swimming in the lake or a certain food.

Then, Lundy said, “Collect the index cards and read them to the group without naming who wrote it. As you go along, have kids raise their hands if they also missed that thing. Invite them to say something about what they missed and why.”

4. Recognize it’s okay for kids to struggle.

“As grown-ups, we want to solve things when kids are upset or have hurt feelings. We feel OK when they’re OK,” Lundy explained, “but it is a potentially rich learning experience for kids to go through disappointment and learn they can support each other and have a positive experience next time." 

"Allowing kids to be uncomfortable, to feel sad and to cry with no clear solution is actually a really wonderful opportunity to build life skills and resilience over time," Lundy said.

Jason Williams was ordained to the gospel ministry at Cloverdale Church in Boise, Idaho, on July 27, 2024. Idaho Conference has made it a practice to ordain pastors in the churches where their ministry is occurring. It gives the members a greater opportunity to witness and celebrate this high moment in their pastor’s life.

Williams was born in Jamaica and became an Adventist. He began his ministry journey in 2006 and has served in door-to-door evangelism, as a Bible worker and in pastoral ministry. He joined his wife, Wendy, in Idaho in 2016 and began working as a locally funded pastor at Cloverdale Church. Williams was hired full-time as associate pastor there while working on a master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Andrews University Theological Seminary. 

His acceptance into the seminary program was an answer to prayer. Williams explained he was never a great student and wasn’t certain that ministry was his calling. God had other plans. Williams continues to pursue ministry growth by attending conferences and workshops such as Voice of Prophecy School of Evangelism.

Williams is a dynamic preacher and is a favorite of the earliteens at camp meeting. He is passionate about discipleship, Bible studies and outreach. Introducing people of all ages to Jesus Christ is his primary aim. Williams is also devoted to creating a vibrant and inclusive church community where all members can grow in faith, support and experience the joy of their journey in Jesus. His enthusiasm for ministry is evident in everything he does, including serving as a guide in Meridian Adventist Church’s Journey to Bethlehem during the Christmas season.

David Bullock, head elder, opened the ordination service with prayer. Barry Curtis, Idaho Conference ministerial director, introduced Williams. Troy Haagenson and Marlon Seifert, his mentoring pastors, each participated in the service. David Salazar, Idaho Conference vice president for administration, invited the ordained ministers in the congregation to come forward and surround Williams and his wife during the prayer of ordination. 

Williams provided beautiful special music with Samantha Barragan, one of his church members. David Prest Jr., Idaho Conference president, presented the ordination charge to Williams. Salazar and Oscar “Michael” Sanchez, Idaho Conference vice president for finance, welcomed Williams to the gospel ministry and presented him with his ordination certificate. 

Miguel Valdivia, Pacific Press Publishing Association representative, presented Williams with an Andrews Study Bible. Steve Echelmeier, who served as a locally funded pastor at Cloverdale Church with Williams, closed the service with prayer.

Cloverdale Church showed overwhelming support for their newly ordained associate pastor. After the service, everyone was invited to the HUB365 building, the church’s community service center, for a delicious meal.

After many meetings of analysis and dialogue with church leaders initiated in mid-2022, Forest Grove Spanish Adventist Church landed with its strategic plan at the beginning of 2023. 

The church defined its mission and vision, proposing to "be an active and friendly church that reflects on, lives and shares the Word of God with Christian love." The acronym summarizing the church's strategic mission is FRIL which stands for Friendship: An active and friendly church; Reflectivity: Reflective Bible study; Integrity: Living the Bible; and Love: Sharing its experience with love.

Having built an active and friendly church that reflects on Bible study and lives what it preaches, it was time to share the Christian experience with love. This year, the evangelistic project titled Decisions: Determine Destinies was launched with renowned preacher Joel Flores, Nuevo Tiempo evangelist and pastor.

The evangelistic plan started with small groups meeting in different homes every Friday night. Additionally, evaluations were conducted every three months through small group festivals.

Next, the Gift a Bible plan was launched. Each member was encouraged to think of a person to gift a Bible. Over 10 weeks, Gluder Quispe, Forest Grove Spanish Church pastor, recorded 20 lessons via YouTube and Facebook. The congregation's task was to share the lesson links with the recipients of the Bibles and follow up with them.

The evangelistic campaign took place from July 15–20, 2024. Three weeks prior, 200 invitation cards were distributed to those who had received Bibles and other friends. These cards featured a QR Code to identify the invitee and other details. Two Saturdays before, invitation flyers were distributed, knocking on doors in Forest Grove and Cornelius neighborhoods.

A month before the date, each commission team had clearly defined responsibilities. Lighting arrangements were made and a giant screen was set up. The entire church was involved in a commission. The program included a gift for guests; a mental health topic presented by Yeny Quea, Quispe's wife; praises and intercessory prayers; and a sermon by Flores.

During the campaign days, more than 50 new people attended. Most of them continue to follow the Faith of Jesus course. Finally, the Holy Spirit convinced eight new believers to be baptized. There are commitments from others on the following Saturdays.

What started as an idea quickly materialized into a phenomenal outreach for four churches in Upper Columbia Conference. The churches in Brewster, Omak, Oroville and Tonasket joined forces to present a seminar series from April 2–27, 2024.

“It was a big step of faith when our speaker, Brian McMahon, suggested that I consider doing a multi-church meeting,” said Dan Cole, Omak, Oroville and Tonasket pastor. McMahon is a speaker from Prophecy Unsealed.

“I was not confident that all the churches would buy in, but one at a time they joined in enthusiastically as the Holy Spirit moved them,” continued Cole. “UCC and North Pacific Union came through with evangelism funds in a great way!”

Omar Rodriguez, Brewster Church pastor, brought his congregation on board and work quickly began with more than 80 volunteers.

“We have had local church prophecy seminars before and had some success, but this is the first time we have done a county-wide meeting before,” said Cole. 

The first night had an attendance of 206 at Okanogan County Fairgrounds' Agriplex. The event featured a children’s ministry and was also streamed online.

Through the event, more than 75 individuals recommitted their lives to Jesus. Twenty-six of those were decisions made for baptism, to join the church by profession of faith and/or be rebaptized. Of those 26 decisions, nine have been baptized, one has joined by profession of faith and three have been rebaptized so far. 

“We had one baptized at Oroville Church — Kaiza El-Haj, who was prepared for baptism by her grandpa, Bill Hughes, and filled out a decision card for baptism during the meetings,” added Cole.

Two individuals are preparing to join by profession of faith, four individuals are planning to be rebaptized and three teenagers and one individual will be baptized in the next couple of months.

“My faith has grown as I’ve watched God work in the lives of men, women and children who have chosen to accept Christ and be baptized,” said Cole.

Several other individuals have attended some of the churches and are taking Bible studies in English and Spanish — all thanks to the series the churches hosted together.

“We continue to praise God from whom all blessings flow as the Holy Spirit clearly was poured out and so tremendously blessed our Okanogan Countywide joint outreach,” said Cole.

A video documentary was made on the seminar series and can be viewed at vimeo.com/941670927. 

Idaho Conference delegates met Sept. 15, 2024 for a special constituency session to process an unsolicited offer for land surrounding Gem State Adventist Academy.

In additional actions, 286 delegates also reaffirmed guidelines for the GSAA Operating Endowment and reallocated 4 acres of land for a new Caldwell Adventist Elementary School.

“We believe these actions will help maintain a strong GSAA and Adventist Christian education system for our youth throughout the conference for the foreseeable future,” said David Prest Jr., Idaho Conference president.

Back in the 1950s, two visionaries, C.M. Munsey and Dean Dennis, bought a sagebrush turkey farm that would become what is today known as the current GSAA campus.

“The original donors of this land intended it for farming [as an industry to support Adventist education] — a vision that made sense in its time,” said David Salazar, Idaho Conference vice president for administration. “While we are no longer positioned to compete in the agricultural world, we are still called to steward this land faithfully for the benefit of our students.”

Through the years, GSAA stakeholders have held ongoing conversations about how to best steward the GSAA legacy, including exploring a K-12 program located on GSAA’s campus, upgrading school facilities, investing in well-functioning endowments and retaining sufficient real property.

A land use committee was established to explore, within defined parameters, how to best utilize GSAA land assets of 385 acres. Among other activities, the committee negotiated farm leases, commissioned a variety of studies and cooperated with a sale of 4 acres to the City of Caldwell for a pathway project and 24 acres to Vallivue School District.

Previously, GSAA sought to retain enough land for present and future academy needs and sought to solicit potential buyer(s). Constituents were favorable to this recommendation at a special session on May 21, 2006, and interest remained at 2011 and 2015 constituency gatherings to seek enhanced revenue-producing options.

The intervening years were spent preparing the land for sale and taking care of any problems prior to offering the property for sale. When market conditions changed dramatically in 2015, the property was taken off the market. Offers continued to come in and were reviewed. Most were ultimately rejected as not being in the best interest of the school.

In May 2021, Idaho Conference received an unsolicited offer for approximately 288 acres of academy land. Leaders noted how in the three-year negotiating process how much prayer was involved and how God never shut the doors.

“The Idaho Conference secondary education program was begun with vision and continued with vision, and we are faced with another opportunity to continue that vision,” said Eve Rusk, Idaho Conference planned giving and communication director. “When we go with God, we have no fear of going forward in the future.”

Family stories have a way of living on, both poetically and practically. Such is the story of Grandpa’s violin.

When he was a young boy, Stephen Butler from Battle Ground, Washington, first remembers seeing his grandfather DeForest Bliss’ violin near Ashland, Oregon, in November 1956 when the family gathered for Grandma Cora Belle Davis Bliss' funeral service. Butler was 5 at the time.

After Grandpa’s death in December 1957, one of the two violins Bliss owned was inherited by grandson, Orville Butler, who managed to play it some. The second violin was inherited by a cousin.

The violins were special to the family because of their generational connections and memories, and they wondered if one of the violins with a Klotz brand had extra value.

“There is a sticker inside that implied the violin was made by the Klotz family,” Butler said. “There is an engraving on the back that says 'Klotz.' I vaguely remember the folks taking the violin somewhere and them coming home rather disappointed.”

The violin eventually came into Butler’s possession from his brother, Orville. He decided to search the Internet to find out more about the violin’s history.

“There were a lot of imitation Klotz violins around and it was rare to get a real Klotz,” Butler recounted. “My search led to an expert in the Portland area by the name of Paul Schuback who owns Schuback Violin Shop in Newburg, Oregon.  I sent him pictures for his initial reaction — obviously an imitation.”

Butler went ahead and made an appointment for an in-person review. The evaluation revealed that the neck is too thick, the paneling pattern on the back is painted on and that a real Klotz never had a brand on the back.

This was a “Sears Catalog” variety, Butler learned. Several thousand of these were made each year.

Recently, Butler reached out to his family network to see who would like to next inherit Grandpa’s violin. Within a short amount of time, the violin had a new owner: great-grandson, Alex and his children.

Along with the violin and its associated family heritage over five generations is a meaningful poetic expression written by the daughter of DeForest Bliss and the mother of Stephen Butler. This undated poem provides the family, and now NW Adventist readers, with a sacred reminder to be prepared for heaven’s grand chorus.

Dad’s Old Violin

by Blanche Bliss Butler (1922–2016)

Long ago this violin belonged to my dad;
It is one of the two I remember he had.
It's old and it's worn and it stays in its case,
But, to me, it brings memories time can't erase.
There were days, I remember, when I was small,
Perhaps in the springtime, or summer, or fall,
We would live in our tent in a big campground
Where people from all over were gathered ‘round.

As I walked 'round that camp on a Sabbath day,
I could hear the violin from far, far away;
And I knew that my dad was playing the tune,
That implored the Saviour to come very soon.
"He's coming, coming," is what the hymn said,
Coming to get us, and raise up the dead.
And the violin sang of that wondrous day
When Jesus will come to take us away.
As I walked on I noticed the folk of that camp
Were listening as Dad played, and some eyes were damp
But some people sang with notes loud and clear,
The hymns as Dad played of his Jesus so dear.

"The Old Rugged Cross" was one that he played,
And the people knew from it they had strayed.
"On a hill far away," but he brought it so near,
As he played in that camp where the people could hear.
I'd join folks who gathered to sit on the grass.
Each with his own thoughts as the hours would pass.
And my daddy would play all the hymns that he knew —
And they'd sit quiet and listen, or sing along, too.
Sometimes they would ask him to play something more,
And he'd play the same tune that he'd just played before,
About a place called "The Sweet By and By,"
Where no one will ever get sick and die.

Or perhaps the song would be "Face to Face,"
As someone's guitar would pick up the pace,
Or maybe a mouth harp would then join in
As my daddy played on this old violin.
As I hold it today his memory is dear;
I wish he could play it again so I'd hear
All those hymns he played when I was a child,
That turned people's thoughts to Jesus so mild.
For some of those people were hard rugged men,
With thoughts of nothing but evil and sin —
And then they would hear my daddy play,
As he cherished the hours of God's Sabbath day.

And I know hearts were softened, at least for a time,
As my daddy played that music sublime.
It happened over and over wherever we stayed —
Glory given to God by the music Dad played.
As the Sabbath day's sun set in the west,
He'd play a hymn I have always loved best;
About the day being over and night drawing nigh,
As the shadows of evening stole 'cross the sky.
And now as I hold this old violin.
I know my Dad will never play it again'
But the memories it brings are to me very sweet,
And I'll keep on remembering 'til this life's complete.

Someday in Heaven's great golden land,
Beside my dear daddy again I will stand —
At that time, I, too, will be able to play
The harp the Lord gives me on that blissful day.
In heaven's grand chorus we both then will sing
And praise our dear Saviour, the eternal King.
That's why I show you this old violin —
For it helps me determine to see my dad again!

Follow the daily reading plan and you will read the entire Bible in a year.

Oct. 1: Isa. 64–66
Oct. 2: 2 Kings 20–21
Oct. 3: 2 Chron. 32–36
Oct. 4: Nahum

Oct. 6: Zephaniah
Oct. 7: Jer. 1–3
Oct. 8: Jer. 4–6
Oct. 9: Jer. 7–9
Oct. 10: Jer. 10–13
Oct. 11: Jer. 14–22

Oct. 13: Jer. 23–25
Oct. 14: Jer. 26–29
Oct. 15: Jer. 30–33
Oct. 16: Jer. 34–37
Oct. 17: Jer. 38–40
Oct. 18: Psalm 74, 79

Oct. 20: Habakkuk
Oct. 21: Jer. 41–45
Oct. 22: Jer. 46–48
Oct. 23: Jer. 49–52
Oct. 24: 2 Kings 22–25
Oct. 25: Lam. 1–3

Oct. 27: Lam. 4–5
Oct. 28: Ezek. 1–3
Oct. 29: Ezek. 4–8
Oct. 30: Ezek. 9–12
Oct. 31: Ezek. 13–15

Our Bible reading plan leaves Sabbath as a time to share and reflect on your readings for the week. Find creative ways each Sabbath to share your reflections with others on what God is teaching you from your Bible reading time!

Follow us @NWAdventists on Instagram and Facebook.

If you ever visit Medford Adventist Church and go upstairs to the balcony where the cradle roll classroom is, you will likely hear the sound of a piano tinkling joyfully and a cheery voice singing a merry little welcome song. As you step inside, you will be greeted by Arlena Harmony, the person to whom the cheery voice belongs. Harmony has been a member of Medford Church for years and she is a highly valued member of the church family.

In an intergenerational church that loves music where southern gospel songs often follow contemporary praise songs in the worship set, Harmony is an influence who encourages everyone to sing along. In fact, Harmony’s passion for music reaches everyone from babies to senior members. She was a music teacher in many different schools for 28 years before retiring and opening her home for private lessons. Harmony has taught private lessons for more than 50 years and says everyone is a delight.

Allie Morse, 12-year-old Medford Church correspondent, has been taking piano lessons from Harmony since she was 7. In the last four years, Morse has not only learned piano and music theory but also how to play ukulele, how to harmonize and how to play up front comfortably. To start her time as church correspondent, Morse decided to learn more about this wonderful lady who is her music teacher and friend and to share Harmony’s ministry of music.

MORSE: Miss Harmony, how many children are you currently teaching in your music lessons?
HARMONY: This year, the Lord has given me 16 amazing students to teach in my home on Wednesdays and Thursdays. They range from 7 to 14 years old, from beginners to advanced level. We play Christian and classical music. They attend different Adventist churches in the Medford area, and many of these students share what they are learning in the music lessons with their congregations in their church services.

MORSE: Your love of music is contagious and you’ve taught me and your other 15 students to see it as a gift. You also sometimes lead praise and worship singing at church with your Sabbath School class. What exactly does music mean to you?
HARMONY: God created us with the ability to sing and make music. Music is important throughout our entire lives — singing soothing lullabies for babies, playing instruments in the school band or orchestra, singing songs in a choir concert, playing background music in a ballet performance, marching in the band in a parade or at a sporting event, hearing beautiful music as we walk down the aisle at a wedding and finally at the end of our lives during a memorial service.

Music has been called “the universal language” because it’s used and performed in every country and it can unite us in a common cause. Music is a very important part of worship and praise to God in our church services around the world. Music is mentioned many times in the Bible. In 2 Chronicles 5:13 it says, “The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang, 'He is good; His love endures forever.’"

MORSE: One thing we learn in our lessons is that music is meant to be shared and used to uplift other people. How do you use your musical talents to serve others?
HARMONY: God has given me the talent of music mainly to teach classroom singing, piano, guitar, ukulele, recorder, percussion, stringed instruments, choir and band students in elementary, middle and high schools. God has also blessed me with the talent to play piano in church services, Sabbath School, community talent shows and events like weddings and family reunions. I really have enjoyed playing instruments, singing with adult choirs, sharing songs with people at nursing homes and at Christmas parties, and singing songs around the campfire with my relatives. It’s so fun and rewarding to share music with other people!

MORSE: Even though many musicians begin learning at a younger age, is it ever too late to learn how to play a musical instrument?
HARMONY: No. Even older adults can learn how to play an instrument! Some of the benefits for playing an instrument at any age are:

• It can boost IQ levels and improve your brain function and concentration.
• It uses both sides of the brain, which can strengthen your memory and improve your spatial reasoning and reading skills.
• It can reduce your stress levels, lower your blood pressure and make you feel more relaxed.
• It can help you block out distractions and stay focused, which can improve your creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
• It can improve hand and eye coordination and listening skills.
• It can boost your confidence in many ways, especially when you play in a concert or for your family and church family.
• It can teach you self-discipline, patience and time management, as you play your instrument each day and have a practice schedule.
• It can teach you how to be part of a team when you play with other people.
• It can help to bring other people closer to Jesus when you play beautiful music in your church.

MORSE: I’ve certainly enjoyed learning to play different instruments. Thank you for answering my questions! Any final thoughts?
HARMONY: I look forward to singing and playing piano in church every Sabbath to worship and praise the Lord. And I look forward to someday making music with the multitude of angels, as we honor and thank the Lord for making a plan of salvation for us, so we can be with Him in Heaven.

It is never too late to learn how to praise God with music. Let’s thank Him for His gifts and love.

The peace and quiet of Milo Adventist Academy’s summer vacation was interrupted by a large group of volunteers from Maranatha Volunteers International, a supporting ministry of the Adventist Church. 

A 67-member team saved the Oregon school a large amount of money by completing several maintenance projects free of charge. Their work is especially appreciated by school staff who don’t have the spare time to do the projects themselves and students who are enjoying a tidier campus.

Volunteers spent most of the project’s two-week duration painting Milo’s cafeteria and boys' dorm. They also squeezed in other projects, like landscaping and repairing termite damage. 

“The volunteers who come on these projects are very driven and motivated,” said Edward Jensen, project coordinator. “They understand the benefits we’re providing to Milo. They have very Godly attitudes about it that rub off on each other.”

In addition to adult volunteers, roughly 20 teenagers worked to make the project a success. 

“They were very energetic kids and they did a really good job,” remarked Jensen. “We turned them loose on [painting] the boys' dorm halls, and they knocked out several halls.” 

Volunteers of all ages worked seamlessly together, inspired by a common goal. Jensen was impressed by the way service seemed to bridge a generational divide. “There’s no pushing back really,” he recalled. “The ones who are really experienced are willing to help the ones who aren’t experienced.”

Maranatha has worked to make a difference at Milo since 1989, completing 14 volunteer projects over the years. Nestled in the southern Cascade Mountains, the campus is surrounded by beautiful natural scenery. The volunteers’ firm belief in Milo’s mission draws them back again and again. The school provides a Christ-centered community, which helps students discover their individual interests and gifts and prepares them to answer life’s calling.

Many volunteers also join Maranatha projects, like the one at Milo, because of the connections they make with mission-minded individuals. 

“They just love the experience of working with those folks,” said Jensen. “We enjoy seeing each other every year and making our connections.” 

Having served on countless projects with Maranatha over the years, Jensen has experienced the community they cultivate as well as anyone. “I’ve probably met more people in my entire life working for Maranatha in my retirement than I did the whole time during my career.”

Each year, Maranatha works with organizations in the U.S. and Canada to provide volunteer labor for various construction or renovation projects at summer camps and retreat centers, schools and churches. Work ranges from renovations of existing buildings to new construction and saves thousands of dollars in labor costs.

Recent studies by Barna Research and Pew Research indicate that many people who have left mainstream, evangelical and Catholic churches over the past 25 years are open to returning.

Approximately 40 million people have left churches in the past 25 years, a number greater than the total who joined during the last Great Awakening.

Not all churches are revitalized and ready to receive these returning children of God, but those that are Christ-centered and outward-focused provide a welcoming environment for them to thrive.

No Condemnation

We are living in a polarized American culture of condemnation — condemnation of those who don’t look, talk or believe the same as ourselves. This has added to the widespread loneliness and the lack of safe communities for people to thrive in — even in religious gatherings and churches.

The good news is that God wants the local church to be a safe place for His children — a place unlike what the world offers.

People need safe spiritual communities where they can thrive and learn about a loving God who deeply cares for them. The Bible gives us counsel on what a Christ-centered church looks like. Notice the theme here:

Rom. 8:1 — Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 

John 3:17 — For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Rom. 8:34 — Who is He who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Rom. 8:35, 38–39 — Who shall separate us from the love of God … neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 John 4:18 — There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.

If nothing shall ever be able to remove God’s love from His children, then we should not remove our love from His children. 1 John 4:21 says,“This commandment we have from Him; he who loves God must love his brother [and sister] also.”

Condemnation, hatred and fear is the work of the evil one. God does not condemn. True, He does not approve of evil actions, behaviors and motivations, but He loves the person. God hates the self-centered selfishness that condemns and hurts others, but He loves the sinner. 

Yes, He will hold people who commit evil accountable in this life — there are consequences for doing wrong. In the final judgment, if there's no response to God’s love and grace, He will let us go in love.

In love, He will correct us. In love, He sends His Holy Spirit to convict us. In love, He will empower us to change our selfish behavior and motivations — all while free from condemnation.

Morris Venden wrote in Faith That Works, “It is the peace with God that gives you the power for your life to be changed. Peace does not come from trying hard to get your life fixed to claim victory — victory comes from peace. It's the feeling that you are rejected that keeps you in your sins and failures. Loving acceptance paves the way for growth."

All Hands On Deck

The theme of this month’s Gleaner is women in pastoral ministry. The early and latter rain of the Holy Spirit is preparing people to return to church. We need all hands on deck to get ready for an in-gathering.

I’m grateful for the abundant evidence of faithful Adventist women working under the leadership of the Holy Spirit in pastoral ministry, offering not only their gifts of compassion, empathy and community building but also their profound spiritual and theological leadership.

These gifts are just what the church needs now, more than ever. These women in pastoral ministry need the support of their local church family. As we work together to create loving, accepting, Christ-centered communities, the Spirit will lead those searching for safe spiritual spaces to our doors. The time for acceptance and love for others is now.

The return of Christ is nearer than when we first believed. For those who are in Christ, there is no condemnation. This is exceptionally good news, offering hope and assurance to all who believe now and all who will believe in the future!

"I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong — that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith."

Rom. 1:11–12 motivated Portland Adventist Academy to visit Las Palmas Children's Village — a cluster of 10 orphan homes in the Dominican Republic established by International Children’s Care — in March 2024. While short-term 
mission trips often focus on helping less fortunate brothers and sisters in materially poor countries, Sus Manos, the outreach arm of PAA's Spanish program, takes an
 asset-based and collaborative view.  

Nine PAA students spent several months preparing their hearts and minds for this cross-cultural service-learning experience. Preparation included developing a daily 
quiet time of Bible reading and prayer, building cultural awareness and strengthening Spanish skills.

At Las Palmas, PAA students painted a house that will receive orphaned and vulnerable children sent by the government court system. However, their focus was not on the physical work but on recognizing and supporting assets already in place at the village: loving parents, dedicated
 administrators, Christian teachers and energetic children.

ICC Las Palmas Children's Village is divided into six homes of 10–12 children. PAA students spent time each day with families observing how the loving and patient houseparents blessed the children who had come from difficult and often traumatic backgrounds. ICC hires local houseparents to nurture the children in their cultural context.

The assets at Las Palmas — the buildings, land, school and wonderful staff who care for the children — are made possible by generous donors from NPUC and throughout
 the world. Caring donors, especially those who provide monthly through sponsorship and systematic giving, create a nurturing haven for children who would otherwise
 have nowhere to turn.

Ana Burgos, PAA senior, said, "I thought we were going to see only poverty ... but it wasn't the most important part; there were beautiful kids with joy and happiness all over the place!"

Rita Barrett, PAA Spanish teacher, presented workshops for teachers and parents, underscoring the importance of pleasure reading for academic growth. The group donated more than 400 new books in Spanish to the campus library. The Las Palmas librarian proved to be another great asset, with her passion for connecting children and
 teens with books that will motivate a life long love of reading.

Participation in Las Palmas' annual Family Olympics games and outings to the beach and waterfalls were additional opportunities for building relationships between PAA students and Las Palmas children and teens. One local teen said, "They taught us to be more united."

Chelsea Rose, PAA junior, shared, "I really valued seeing all of the openness that people had with their belief and relationship with God. I haven't always experienced being in a place where believers are open about their relationship with God and what they're studying. Sharing with our group every morning and seeing how the kids loved talking about God really stuck with me. It was a reminder that you don't have to have the 'perfect thing' to say or the best theology to talk about God with others. I think I can make sure this sticks with me by reflecting that in my own life by sharing what I learn from God with the people around me."

Playing, working and worshiping together, visitors and hosts found opportunities to encourage each other's faith and to grow stronger together.

Jackie Langi, Auburn City Church associate pastor, joined the ministry team in August 2024. Washington Conference had a Q&A with her to hear what she plans to do in her new role.

Q: What brought you to join the pastoral team at Auburn City Church?

LANGI: Pastoral ministry to me is like a door that God has opened for me that I did not foresee as being part of my walk with Him. Through much thought and prayer, I was able to decide to accept the invitation to join the pastoral team here at Auburn City Church. I’m truly excited to work alongside Kyle Barrow and my husband, Ofa Langi, to continue reaching families in our community.

Q: What pastoral role are you taking on?

LANGI: My role at Auburn City Church will be as an associate pastor, specifically working with children and families. I hope to bring a fresh perspective and new energy to our programs and work together to continue growing our church family and the kingdom of God.

Q: Have you always wanted to be in the ministry?

LANGI: I can't say that I have “always” wanted to be in the ministry. I can say, however, that I've “always” loved people and service. As an elementary school counselor, I got to help kids navigate big issues and learn how their minds and bodies worked and then connected it all with how much God loved them and wanted the best for them — that was ministry. 

I later transitioned to serve the girls and families as dean of Grace Hall at Auburn Adventist Academy. To some, this may have seemed like a regular job, but on the inside, it was a lifestyle. We were a family full of ups and downs, questions and lessons, nurture and love, safety and boundaries, and trial and error. I walked alongside our girls as they traversed through their high school years — that was ministry. 

My most important work has been mothering my own four precious kids. So much goes into raising our kids for the kingdom. It's a daily surrender to the One who loves them most and prayers that what we give will be enough — hallelujah, this, too, is ministry! The heart of service God has placed within me has naturally pushed me into pastoral ministry and I'm thankful that He has considered and given a way for me to co-labor with Him.

Q: You are also going to be leading a conference-wide ministry. What is Mates in Ministry?

LANGI: Mates in Ministry is a place to find connection and friendship for pastoral spouses. I want to help facilitate a support system of community with opportunities for pastoral spouses across the conference to connect and build trusted friendships with each other. If you know me, coming together for meals, fellowship and laughter are vital to a happy life!

Q: What biblical character do you relate to most? Why?

LANGI: I relate to Moses the most because he first looked at his inadequacies and it took God reminding and empowering him to lean on Him. Despite his excuses, God always provided and fulfilled His promise that He’d never leave nor forsake him. I’m thankful that God has promised me that when I’m weak, He’s strong. This has always helped me push past my human excuses and move forward in faith, knowing God has my back.

Q: What are your biggest goals with your new role?

LANGI: My biggest goal would be to point people to our Father in heaven who loves them more than they could ever imagine and to make the best decision to
follow Him with their whole hearts.

Every transition of life brings bittersweet feelings. During this time of transition, as I let go of one and grasp another, I will continue to pray for guidance and hope for God’s will to work in my life and bring continued blessings to those around me. I am beyond humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve in this new role.

Q: What was one pivotal moment in your faith journey?

LANGI: The unexpected loss of my dad hurt worse than anything I had ever experienced, and for a time I lost my joy and hope. The lifelong relationship that I’ve had with God helped me to lean into my faith like I had never before. In turn, my faith grew even stronger and I learned what it meant to be a child of God.

Q: Who were/are your biggest spiritual mentors? Why?

LANGI: I’ve been blessed to have a life partner in my husband whom I’ve always been able to confide in, trust and be vulnerable with in my spiritual walk.

Follow the daily reading plan and you will read the entire Bible in a year.

Sept. 1: Jonah
Sept. 2: 2 Kings 1–7
Sept. 3: 2 Kings 8–11
Sept. 4: 2 Kings 12–13
Sept. 5: 2 Chron. 24–28
Sept. 6: 2 Kings 14–19

Sept. 8: Micah
Sept. 9: Isa. 1–7
Sept. 10: Isa. 8–12
Sept. 11: Amos 1–5
Sept. 12: Amos 6–9
Sept. 13: Psalm 48

Sept. 15: Isa. 28–30
Sept. 16: Isa. 13–17
Sept. 17: Isa. 18–22
Sept. 18: Isa. 23–27
Sept. 19: 2 Chron. 29–31
Sept. 20: Hosea

Sept. 22: Psalm 46, 135
Sept. 23: Isa. 31–36
Sept. 24: Isa. 37–39
Sept. 25: Psalm 76, 80
Sept. 26: Isa. 40–43
Sept. 27: Isa. 44–48

Sept. 29: Isa. 49–58
Sept. 30: Isa. 59–63

Our Bible reading plan leaves Sabbath as a time to share and reflect on your readings for the week. Find creative ways each Sabbath to share your reflections with others on what God is teaching you from your Bible reading time!

Follow us @NWAdventists on Instagram and Facebook.

In 2018, Eleanor Hetke, Clark County Adventist Community Services Center director, invited Marilyn Puccinelli to develop a garden on the center's property. The freshly grown organic produce supplements other food and clothing given to clients who come for special assistance. 

Volunteers from Adventist Community Church of Vancouver and other Adventist and non-Adventist churches in the area care for the 3,000-square-foot garden. Their efforts have significantly impacted the local community by providing fresh, organic produce to those in need.

The garden is grown through an organic approach. The harvest of the large variety of plants is bountiful. The center teaches classes for the community that explain how and why each gardening step is done. A teacher at a nearby school brought students to see why the center’s garden was doing well when theirs was not. Vancouver’s mayor has strongly supported the center’s influence in the community.

The garden is grown through an organic approach, which helps control diseases and pests without using chemicals. The harvest of the large variety of plants is bountiful and, many believe, sweeter-tasting. The center teaches classes for the community that explain how and why each gardening step is done. A teacher at a nearby school brought students over to see why the center’s garden was doing so well when theirs was not. Vancouver’s mayor has strongly supported the center’s influence in the community.

Word had gotten out about the success of the garden. In 2024, Clark County Green Neighbors invited the center to participate in its annual Natural Garden Tour. The self-guided tour included nine different gardens in the county and more than 130 people visited the center’s garden. The tour brought excited affirmation, not only for the well-planned garden but for the service it provides for the community. Behind it all, however, is a sense of gratitude for the Creator who invited them to garden in the first place.

The Pacific Northwest is witnessing a significant boost in public campus ministry with the launch of Adventist Christian Fellowship activities in the region.

This initiative connects local and regional efforts to a robust network of more than 100 ACF chapters across North America, enhancing support and networking opportunities for campus ministries.

Traditionally gathering annually for the ACF Institute, this year each union hosted its own training gatherings.

Fittingly themed, “The Launch,” this year’s institute marked a historic first in the Pacific Northwest, drawing more than 25 public campus university students, pastors, leaders and church members.

Represented campuses included Montana State University, University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Washington State University, University of Idaho, Green River College and University of Washington's Seattle and Tacoma campuses.

"ACFi is pivotal in fostering a sense of community and spiritual growth among Adventist students on non-Adventist campuses,” said Rob Lang, North Pacific Union youth and young adult ministries director. “It empowers student leaders, pastors and church members to effectively minister in these unique environments.”

The NPUC ACFi convened in late June at the University of Washington Seattle campus. Activities included a bowling night and networking, followed by intensive learning sessions and a visit to Pike Place Market.

Guest speakers Ron Pickell, Pacific Union campus ministries director, and Joshua Guerrero, Wisconsin Conference ACF coordinator, as well as John and Sarah Leis, Northwest ACFi hosts, shared their expertise in campus ministries.

Topics included how to mingle with, minister to and reach students with the gospel. Evangelism on campus and ACF advocates were also presented in practical, easy-to-use terms.

“One of my favorite aspects of this weekend was having deep conversations with mentors and leaders,” said Ashok Willmott, Springfield/Storyline intern associate pastor whose church is near University of Oregon. “I have little experience in public campus ministry and hearing their challenges prepped me for whatever challenges are ahead of me.”

To provide follow-up support, an ACF Cohort is now established to offer monthly meetings for supporting and training each new ACF club. This cohort is designed to launch, grow and sustain ACF clubs on non-Adventist campuses across NPUC.

“As our students are spiritually nurtured and connected, they become even more capable of sharing the love of Jesus on their campus,” said Lang. “By building strong ACF chapters, we can reach the campus and change the world, one student at a time."

“This ACFi has encouraged me because it showed me there are others out there with the same heart for college campuses as me,” reflected Daniel Gorton, a participant from Oregon Conference with a passion for campus ministries. “I sense God is raising up more leaders on public college campuses across NPUC to lead students to the knowledge of how much God loves them and to live influential, impactful lives.”

Next year is the 20th anniversary of ACF within North American Division. Washington Conference and NPUC will be co-hosting this division-wide event on the University of Washington Seattle campus July 22–26, 2025.

Are you a student, pastor or church member who is interested in learning more about this mostly untouched mission field? Email john.leis@wc.npuc.org for more information and how you can become involved. 

Seeking to reach people outside their walls, more than 200 Adventist churches across North America, including several in Washington Conference, hosted the short mental health series, MindFit, this past spring. Voice of Prophecy produced the event to empower churches to be practical and spiritual resources for their communities in battling a continent-wide mental health crisis.

“On a global scale, 1 in 8 people struggle daily with mental illness — 1 in 5 in North America. The implication is clear: It is nearly impossible to live on this earth and not be affected by mental illness,” said Alex Rodriguez, Voice of Prophecy associate speaker.

Each session of MindFit, a four-part event, commences with audiences watching a 30-minute episode of a docuseries hosted by Rodriguez, who traveled across North America to speak with mental health professionals and patients. The series sheds light on the history and prevalence of mental health challenges. It emphasizes that effective treatments are available and amplified by biblical principles. After each episode, a local church leader guides the audience through a provided study and discussion.

Karen Hackett, Enumclaw Adventist Church elder, and Kaori Ominato, Enumclaw Church health ministry director, coordinated MindFit at their church. Both witnessed the event impact attendees in powerful ways.

“Many who came were really helped,” Hackett explained. “Some didn’t realize the statistics of how many people have mental illness, and it was good for them to hear that there are resources out there. Even those who may not struggle were happy to receive the information to help others they knew.”

Ominato was impressed by the audience’s engagement, stating that several people — including herself — felt encouraged by the docuseries and discussions.

“We had a very good interactive follow-up,” Ominato said. “We broke up into groups after the video and people really opened up their hearts. We had prayers. Those were very powerful experiences.”

Nearly 60 people attended the event, and approximately 10 were non-members. Hackett wants to hold the series again, hoping to draw in even more.

MindFit brought in a record number of event attendees to Bellevue Adventist Church, according to Ritchie Hammen, Bellevue Church health director, who organized the series for his local community. Each session averaged 80 people and about 10 came from the community.

“Eighty was unheard of in our church, at least in the 20 years I’ve been here,” Hammen enthused.

Hammen was also excited about the hunger his audience had for the presented material. A non-Adventist couple came to each session, even driving an hour and a half one night to attend. Some attendees expressed interest in helping with other mental health–related church events. One regular churchgoer approached Hammen one night and opened up about a traumatic experience.

“It was a very special moment when the person said, ‘This is the horrible stuff that I went through, but I feel like I’m already healing. And this event has just helped that journey even more,’” Hammen recalled.

“I’ve always expected quality from Voice of Prophecy,” he continued, “and this was a quality program — something people outside the church would pay to watch. I appreciated how the spiritual elements were presented in a way that was compelling and evidence-based. They didn’t feel forced. I was floored with the quality of the presentation, the content, the shots — I thought, ‘Our church needs more of this.’”

For churches interested in hosting the event and receiving an advertising boost to draw in more community members, Voice of Prophecy will conduct a continent-wide MindFit campaign on Sept. 19–21, 2024 and again on Jan. 2–4, 2025. In the weeks leading up to these dates, host churches will benefit from a mass social media campaign promoting the series.

“With approximately 6,500 Adventist churches dotting the landscape of North America, our denomination is uniquely positioned to be a center of healing for those who are struggling,” Rodriguez observed. “We filmed MindFit to place churches at the forefront of the mental health conversation. May the love of Jesus be reflected through us as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in bringing physical and spiritual healing to a world perishing in hopelessness.”

Visit MindFitEvent.com/host to join the myriad churches serving their communities through this unique evangelistic event.

The mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ who live as His loving witnesses and proclaim to all people the everlasting gospel of the Three Angels’ Messages in preparation for His soon return.”¹ Due to each person’s uniqueness and individuality in Christ, we need a variety of people — men and women of all generations and walks of life — to carry out that mission.

In the Bible, God’s intent is clear: He created both man and woman in His image. One is not superior to the other. Eve was not formed from the ground like Adam but was instead formed from Adam’s rib. This difference does not promote inequality between the genders but rather introduces the idea from the very beginning that man and woman are to stand side by side as equals.²

Jesus reaffirms this in the gospels by directing people back to God's original plan "from the beginning" (Matt. 19:8). While Jesus didn’t alter the Jewish cultural practices of the time by selecting women to be His immediate disciples, His kindness and respect for women revolutionized the way they were treated and set an example for future generations.

Fundamental Belief 14 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Unity in the Body of Christ, says, “In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture, learning and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality or reservation.”³

According to this fundamental belief, all are equal in the eyes of Christ, and all are called to serve Him — in hospitals, in community service, in pastoral ministry and in third spaces. We need all people, united in the body of Christ, to work together to "Reach One More."

During a time where the roles and rights of women in pastoral ministry within the Adventist Church are being debated, God continues to call women from each generation to serve as pastors. They answer His call and serve Him, focusing on the mission and preparing for His soon return.

How do we provide our women pastors with the support they need to reach one more for Christ? Join us in a conversation with five women in pastoral ministry throughout North Pacific Union as they share their stories, feedback and insights.

God has promised a special gift to His church and His people living in the last days. This promise is illustrated in a very familiar passage found in Joel 2:28–29: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit." This promise is for us today — for all people.

As we prepare for the Pentecost 2025* evangelism initiative, there is a need to reiterate this promise and to clarify that God is inviting young people, old people, men and women to receive His Spirit and to teach and preach as a witness for Him in these last days.

In the Seventh-day Adventist Church, we believe in the priesthood of all believers — all have been called to proclaim the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. To be clear, women are a part of this calling and our youth are a part of this calling. We need everyone to finish the work that God has entrusted to us. The Adventist Church still believes God has called women to play a significant role in the advancement and the finishing of His work. The church still calls women to serve in leadership roles in the local church as pastors, elders and departmental leaders, as well as conference, union, division and General Conference leaders.

I want to take this moment to celebrate and thank all the women who have served this church so faithfully over the years. I also want to acknowledge that this church would not be where it is today without women leading in various capacities and the pivotal role they have played in the advancement of our mission.

God calls us to make disciples in Matt. 28:18–20 and promises in Acts 1:8 that He will grant the power of the Holy Spirit upon us to be His witnesses. When the Christian church began, we see in its infancy a marvelous display of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Acts 11:15–17 says, “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them [Gentiles], as upon us at the beginning ... Forasmuch then as God gave them the gift as He did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?" The disciples discerned that the same Holy Spirit that fell upon them had also fallen upon the Gentiles. God was fulfilling His promise. He was, and still is, pouring out His Spirit upon all flesh.

It is my prayer that we earnestly pray for the outpouring of God’s Spirit upon all of God’s people. May His gift be seen in each of us! As we prepare for Pentecost 2025, the shaking time and for the final and rapid movements of God, may the words of the prophet Joel be lived out in God’s church: “I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.”

Let us pray fervently for the outpouring of the latter rain and let us use everyone that God is calling to preach the everlasting gospel as a witness to all nations so that the end will come and we can see our Lord and Savior face-to-face. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

*Pentecost 2025 is an evangelism initiative spanning NAD that encourages churches, schools and members to pray for the Holy Spirit’s power in conducting at least 3,000 proclamation events.

This article also appears in the October 2024 Adventist Journey.

Have you ever changed your mind on something important? I have.

Changing your mind about a fundamental issue or belief can be one of the hardest mental shifts to go through.

Perhaps you’ve adopted a new system of beliefs, experienced a 180-degree shift in thinking or reconsidered an issue or topic after learning more information.

One of my major life mind shifts is related to this issue’s topic — women in pastoral ministry. I’ve come to understand that God calls both men and women into pastoral ministry, but I didn’t always have this understanding.

Growing up, I assumed that pastoral roles were for men, like my father, and teaching roles were for women, like my mother. They followed God’s leading so well in their life and ministry that this made the most logical sense to me.

In my early adulthood, I encountered women in pastoral ministry and was initially skeptical, thinking their motivations were personal ambitions rather than a divine calling.

Then God began to change my perspective. Through personal and professional encounters with female pastors, my viewpoint gradually shifted. I witnessed the strength of their conviction in God’s calling and purpose in their lives. 

I learned from the depths of their sermons, Bible studies and small groups, and I experienced a new level of pastoral care. Over time, I listened to their advice, disagreed occasionally and grew in my overall appreciation for their Spirit-led mentoring.

As time went on, it became clear to me that personal biases often overshadow theological understanding in discussions about women in pastoral ministry and women's ordination.

God used first-hand encounters to change my viewpoints and connect me with a tribe of multi-generational female pastors and spiritual leaders. It's often been this group that receives my first phone call or text message on my darkest days. Time after time, these dedicated pastors have followed God’s promptings to offer specific encouragement, often before I even knew I needed it.

Maybe this topic of women in pastoral ministry isn’t a sticking point for you, but there may be another spiritual, relational or theological area you struggle with. The same principles apply: As we follow God’s leading, He can transform our mindset through scripture study, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, prayer, reflection and daily interactions.

We have a sacred mission to "Reach One More," and this requires all of us — men and women, young and old, pastors and members — to work together with the Holy Spirit.

Let us remain open to how God works in our lives to broaden our understanding and perspective, allowing His truth to shape our hearts and actions as we grow together in faith.

Table Talk Prompt

Is there a belief or perspective in your life that the Holy Spirit might be prompting you to reevaluate? How open are you to embracing a change of view?

In Kelso, Washington, Jim John, Journey Adventist Church pastor, has spent the past few years working to return to the Acts 2 example of evangelism.

John first found Jesus in his 20s after getting out of the military but did not take the call to pastoral ministry until around 10 years ago. 

“I’m no great preacher, but I do know this,” John shared, “I always want to make sure that what I share is affecting people’s lives on Monday morning. When I think about ending a message, I think, ‘What’s the big idea? What can we do with this? How can we integrate this into the mess of our world? How does it work in daily life?'” 

It was from this line of thinking that Journey Church began to change the way they did things a few years ago. It started with a small group of dedicated leaders and some training. 

As the group studied, grew and prepared to lead community groups of their own, John shared there were several key factors in setting the groups up for success. Creating a space of safety and vulnerability was a top priority for Journey Church. Facilitators were trained in how to engage and create room for voices who may be talked over or missed otherwise, as well as how to work with those who would attempt to dominate the conversations. 

“Small groups have been done forever — and they’re good — but they haven’t been done like this. No one is teaching in these groups," John explained. "There’s a facilitator that ensures the group stays on task and that you don’t have group killers overwhelming the conversations.” 

Now, there is a community group led by Journey Church members every day of the week other than Sabbath. “Nine groups are meeting right now. Every day of the week except Saturday night there is a community group happening anywhere from Castle Rock down to Ridgefield!” enthused John. 

Another key element for Journey Church group leaders has been a consistent group cycle. At church on Sabbath, John shares a message that will be discussed at the community groups throughout the week, and the groups meet for eight to nine weeks before taking a break. 

“We take breaks during the holiday season for almost two months for Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as a month off for spring break," John said. "That allows people to say, ‘You know, I can do just about anything for eight or nine weeks.’”

“We work all year long toward an open baptism,” said John. “These are people who are being discipled. They’ve been in groups together. They’re relationally connected to other people in the church. When we see someone new at church now, we don’t just say ‘Hey, nice to see you! Come back next week!’ We say, ‘Would you come to my house this week for some food and to meet some new people?’" 

John continued, "When they come over, they hear someone share a story about their lives because these are vulnerable groups. We let them know that what they share will stay there because it needs to be a safe place. So, when they do come to church, they’re connected. They recognize someone and go sit with them.”

“In the past 18 months we have had 44 people come to Christ without an evangelistic series,” said John, “This is a direct result of sermon-based community groups allowing the Holy Spirit to do this — and being willing to do something different.”

North Pacific Union executive committee has embraced the vision for Pentecost 2025, an evangelism initiative that seeks to encourage 3,000 evangelism proclamation meetings throughout North America.

In their most recent meeting on Aug. 14, 2024, the committee approved the promotion of Pentecost 2025 across the six ministry conferences in the five Pacific Northwest states. The committee’s decision includes three key actions: inviting churches and schools to participate, setting a prayer goal for participation and allocating additional funding to support the initiative.

The prayer goal is to engage at least 400 churches and schools in these proclamation events, which will include Bible study groups, evangelistic meetings, weeks of prayer and other opportunities spanning five days or more to specifically invite people to accept Jesus.

“The Holy Spirit is a promise to the church,” remarked John Freedman, NPUC president. “I’ve seen churches that have turned around through prayer.”

Boise Valley Adventist School is pleased to revive its sports program to support a lifetime of habitual exercise, to teach sports skills and to glorify God through sporting activities.

The revived program includes girls’ volleyball and girls’ and boys’ basketball, which are organized and facilitated by Jamie Miller, athletic director and seventh- and eighth-grade teacher.

Here’s a Q&A interview with Miller to share more about this revived sports program.

Q: Why did you want to revive the middle school sports program?

MILLER: Students thrive when given opportunities to choose in learning. It's important for our students to have experiences that are rich in academics, creative in the arts and music, and active in sports. 

Q: What was your goal for implementing the sports program?

MILLER: My goal was for middle schoolers — sixth through eighth grade — to have the opportunity to glorify God through exercising their bodies, to make new friends, to implement a lifetime of habitual exercise, to develop volleyball and basketball skills, and to develop healthy competition with other schools. 

Q: Sports also help with academic performance, social skills, teamwork, leadership skills, discipline and health. What benefits did you see through the implementation of the sports program?

MILLER: I believe these goals drive students to be successful in relationships with God and others, in academics, in arts and music, and in navigating daily life.

Q: Students were able to scrimmage with area Christian middle school and homeschool leagues. Which schools participated in the program?

MILLER: This school year, students from BVAS and Caldwell Adventist Elementary School practiced and played volleyball and basketball games against other middle schools in the valley. 

Q: Who coached the teams?

MILLER: Girls' volleyball was coached by Courteney Mace, BVAS Pre-K/Kindergarten teacher, and Ariel Fuentealba, a church friend. Girls' and boys' basketball were coached by Peter Smith, a church friend.

Q: I heard the girls were so excited about the startup of the new sports program that 16 showed up to volleyball practice on the first day. Did you receive parent support, as well?

MILLER: Yes! Parents and family members volunteered to carpool students to the games, run the money table and provide new uniforms for the girls’ volleyball team. Teachers and students volunteered to run the scoreboard for basketball and volleyball games. In addition, church members volunteered to help coach the various teams.

Q: The implementation of this sports program has been a great opportunity for students to become familiar with the game and build skills for future sports. What is your hope for the future of this program?

MILLER: My hope for the future is to join Gem State Adventist Academy as their middle school team in the Western Idaho Conference League.

Backpacks and binders, colored pencils and calculators — it’s back-to-school time for the thousands of students attending North Pacific Union Adventist schools. They will be served by teachers who are trained to ensure the Christ-focused development of the whole student, a hallmark of Adventist education.

Walla Walla University believes Adventist education is more important than ever. To encourage more students to consider teaching as a career, two years ago WWU partnered with NPUC to offer the NextGen Teacher scholarship. WWU is also offering innovative new programs and collaborative services to support even more Adventist teachers as they inspire academic excellence and faith in God.

“Almost 30 years ago, I was walking into a hotel near LAX International Airport to join the Marines,” shared José Galvez, Stayton Church, Silverton Church and Molalla Church pastor. 

“I had done pretty much all I needed to do; I just needed to get through the physical and sign on the dotted line. I was only a few days away, but my mom was really upset about it. She had gone through civil war in El Salvador and she did not want to see her son go to war. I didn’t want to break my mom’s heart, so I asked God for direction and ended up pulling out at the last minute,” said Galvez.

Instead of joining the military all those years ago, Galvez followed a call that had been on his heart for a long time — the call to pastoral ministry. He has served as a pastor since 2000 and has served local churches in Oregon Conference for the past 18 years. 

In 2017, Galvez found himself once again grappling with the impact the war in El Salvador had had on him. “We took a trip to Israel in 2017 with the conference, and at one of the checkpoints we were passing through we were stopped and asked for our passports," Galvex remembered. "For some reason, I could not find mine. I panicked. My buddies who were with me that day still remember it. But I finally found it, everything was cool and we had a good laugh about it."

"When I went to the hotel that night, I couldn’t get my mind off of what had happened," Galvez continued. "It reminded me of the times we had been pulled over in El Salvador and asked for papers. Back then, if you didn’t have your papers your life was on the line. You might never be seen again. So it was this experience of PTSD. I struggled that night to get to sleep.”

“When I woke up the next morning, I prayed about it. I realized that I have a unique story — a unique set of skills and experiences that could be used to help empathize and work with individuals in the armed forces,” shared Galvez. “I waited about a year before I approached my wife. We prayed about it and around three years ago I made the call to contact a recruiter. It’s been a long process, but we feel that God has opened the doors the whole way.”

In June 2024, Galvez was commissioned as a Navy chaplain — a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy working with the Navy Reserves. “I’ve been blessed to have veterans in each of the churches I serve, and they’ve been so encouraging in their belief that this work would help to give me more ministry tools to apply to both the military and the local church,” he said.

“I want people to know I’m not leaving local church ministry, I’m simply expanding my ministry. I’m allowing God to use my skill set and experiences to be able to touch others who I wouldn’t normally have access to.” As for what ministry means to Galvez, that remains the same — and it doesn’t just happen during the church service. 

“Ministry really happens on a one-to-one basis," said Galvez. "It’s when you show up for the birthday parties, weddings and funerals. It happens on the golf course and when you’re down helping pull weeds. Whatever it might be that you’re doing with people, it’s those connections that really lead to deeper relationships where people can feel comfortable talking about their wounds and traumas. We all have those, a lot of times we just cover them up.”

Please pray for Galvez and his family as he continues to grow his ministry here in Oregon Conference.

Some mission trips are far away from home, and others are closer to home.

After months of planning and preparation, members from Abundant Life Adventist Church in Wenatchee, Washington, went to "Serve One More" by helping a fellow church in Grand Coulee with facility renovations.

Grand Coulee Adventist Company had a previous location with multiple sets of stairs to access any level of the facility. They found a new single-level location to meet for worship services, but it required some big renovations.

The pandemic halted much of the renovation process. When Abundant Life members approached Grand Coulee members about a potential partnership, Grand Coulee welcomed the help.

Volunteers arrived to serve from March 31 to April 5, with a few key volunteers arriving a few days earlier to help with project preparation. They helped install new siding on the sanctuary and connecting areas, as well as painting the entire building. Next, Abundant Life members helped drywall, mud, sand, prime and paint the sanctuary. Additional tasks included landscaping and building a new platform.

Grand Coulee members reported feeling grateful for all the help provided by Abundant Life members, friends and extended family members who joined in the week of volunteering.

Marlene Oddie, Grand Coulee treasurer, shared a gallery of images from Abundant Life’s week of mission service.

“There is still a lot more work to do, but we were grateful for the opportunity to have such an angelic experience,” Oddie said.

Have you ever met someone new? Maybe you went to a new classroom or visited a new town. That’s what Paul and his friends did.

They went to a city they had never been to. It was Sabbath, and there was no church to worship in. Paul knew that small groups met in homes or by rivers, so he went out the city gate and walked along the river.

Paul and his friends wanted to share the good news about Jesus. They saw a group of women singing and praising God on the riverbank. Paul sat down and talked with the women. One of them was Lydia.

Lydia worshiped God, but she did not know about Jesus. God opened her heart to accept what Paul told her. She and all the people living in her house were baptized in the river.

Many people knew Lydia. She owned a business that sold purple cloth and dye. The cloth cost so much money that only rich people could afford it.

Lydia was also kind. She had Paul and his friends stay in her home. She helped them tell people about Jesus. Many people learned that God is love. Soon, her home became a worship center.

Paul was the new kid in town and Lydia welcomed him. They talked about Jesus and became friends.

Now think about a new kid coming to your school or Sabbath School class. Do you suppose they might need a friend? How can you welcome them?

You can be a good friend and a good leader like Lydia. Anyone — boy or girl, rich or poor — can be a worker for Him. He will help you tell others about Jesus and make friends for Him.

For family worship, you can read more about this story in Acts 16:11–15.

I hear a lot of stories from people about how they hate their boss or how their supervisor is super hard to please and get along with. I, too, have worked for people through the years that have made life harder and less pleasant. An unpleasant boss can make work a miserable experience — one we often stick with only because we need the paycheck.

Although there are days I am exhausted and low on positivity, and although I am not the best at always listening to my boss, I can honestly say that by doing pastoral ministry I have the best “boss.”

Some of you will say that the main reason I’m so positive is because I get to do ministry with my husband. It’s true that working with him is the best pairing for coworkers — we do enjoy each other’s company, work very well together and get along better than most colleagues. I am truly blessed to be able to do ministry alongside my spouse, but this isn’t the work relationship I’m referring to. 

The boss and leader I report to first is Jesus Christ. 

As a pastor, I have the amazing opportunity and blessing of working for Jesus. My calling to be a pastor is one I received from God at a young age. Try as I might to resist this call, it has continued to burn in my heart. It's a calling that drives me to share Jesus with those around me and work to lead a church to the best of my abilities. 

When God put a call on my heart and gave me a passion, I couldn’t ignore it. When He provided ways — even outside the normal routes — for me to work for Him, I must obey and follow that call. This doesn't mean that my calling — pastorate — is without challenges and difficulties. Any profession has its hard parts and difficult days, but I can honestly say there is nothing in this world I would rather do as a job and profession. 

I am so blessed to be able to do pastoral ministry and share Jesus with people. I have been and continue to be blessed with a church family that affirms my calling into pastoral ministry. I want to seek to follow God’s call in my life for as long as I live and, hopefully through my ministry, be a blessing to others.

​For those of us who have chosen to follow the call of God into pastoral ministry, I would implore you to remember this verse with Jesus' words spoken to humanity.

Matt. 11:28–30 says, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

​We are never alone in this world and in the challenges we face. Whether a pastor or not, these words should be remembered. Jesus wants to carry our burdens and make our load light; He wants to help us through life.

​If you are working in a non-pastoral position, you are truly working in the mission field. Remember Jesus' words, He wants to carry your burdens and give you rest. Take time to acquaint yourself with the best “boss” you can ever serve.

​If you are a pastor, I would plead with you to find time to be connected with Jesus Christ. He should be the first being you report to each and every day. Don’t forget the calling God placed on your heart that led you into pastoral ministry. He still wants to do great things through you.