News
Erton C. Köhler Elected as General Conference President
Erton C. Köhler was elected to the office of the president of the General Conference (GC) on July 4, 2025, during the 62nd GC Session in St. Louis, Missouri. Köhler’s election marks the beginning of his first term as the spiritual and administrative leader of a worldwide movement that spans more than 200 countries and includes more than 23 million members.
Rooted in the Word: Scripture Comes Alive at the 2025 NAD Pathfinder Bible Experience
From April 25 to 26, more than 3,000 Pathfinders, supporters, and volunteers packed the arena in historic Battle Creek, Michigan, for a weekend of worship, Bible knowledge testing, and celebration. And on Sabbath, April 26, 185 teams — the second highest number ever — gathered in person from across North America and beyond. Four teams joined virtually.
Lessons for the Living
I have a confession to make. I have a habit, some might call it a morbid one, but wherever I go, whatever city I’m visiting, I will find myself in the oldest cemetery in town, walking among the dead. I can go to a cemetery, and stay for two hours, three hours, and I walk up and down reading the tombstones. I like to ponder: Who was this person? What was their life?
Help Provided in St. Louis After Tornado Strike
On May 16, 2025, a powerful EF-3 tornado tore through St. Louis, Missouri, and continued into Madison County, Illinois, reaching wind speeds of up to 152 mph and spanning 22.8 miles. NAD Adventist Community Services (ACS) is partnering with the Mid-America Union Conference, local churches, civic leaders, and other Adventist entities to provide ongoing disaster relief.
Norm Middag, Former NAD Pathfinder, Adventurer, and Camp Ministries Director, Passes to His Rest
Norm Middag, former North American Division Pathfinder, Adventurer, and Camp Ministries director, died suddenly on June 23, 2021, in Florida, where he and his wife, Barbara, retired in 2001. Middag was 91.
The North American Division Welcomes New Vice President, New Professional Services Director, and Adventist Community Services Associate Director
Several new employees will soon be joining the North American Division as those called to serve the church in certain positions move to new roles or retire. In June 2021, three positions were voted: vice president for Multilingual Ministries, Professional Services director, and Adventist Community Services associate director.
Robotic Thoracic Surgery Offers Loma Linda University Patients Minimally Invasive Options
Chest surgeons at Loma Linda University Health are the region’s pioneers in combining human skill with advanced technology by wielding surgical robots since 2018 to optimize already 250 patients’ experiences and outcomes from certain chest surgeries. “Loma Linda University Health is the first and only medical center in the Inland Empire to provide patients with this advantageous option for robotic thoracic surgery,” says Nguyen Le, M.D., FACS, a robotic chest surgeon at LLU.
The Sun Still Rises
Marissa Channer doesn’t know the exact moment her disease started, but she remembers a significant turning point with her health. It was in February 2016, around the same time she started her role as a financial services accountant at AdventHealth University in Florida.