News

Andrews University Music Department Receives Instrument Donations
The Department of Music at Andrews University has recently received several generous donations in the form of musical instruments. These instruments will be housed in either Hamel Hall or the Howard Performing Arts Center and will be used by various music students, faculty, and performers.

Bread and Better Life Café to Launch Summer 2025
In late March, the Southwestern Union hosted preview events in anticipation of the launch of a new community outreach initiative, the Bread and Better Life Café. The development of Bread and Better Life Café has been spearheaded by Southwestern Union Health Ministries director Randall Phillips, along with leaders from the union and a partnership with the North American Division.

Washington Adventist University Recognized as an “Opportunity University” in New Carnegie Classification
Washington Adventist University has been officially recognized as an Opportunity College and University (OCU) in the latest Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, a distinction awarded to only 16 percent of more than 3,000 colleges and universities nationwide.

International Concert Pianist, Alumnus Jonathan Mamora Returns as Assistant Professor to La Sierra University
On April 9, Mamora landed among the final field of 30 pianists selected for the Van Cliburn. The extensive selection process began in October 2024 with 340 pianists from 45 countries. Competition performances took place from May 21 to June 7 in Texas, just weeks before Mamora and his wife, Stephanie, were set to embark on a new chapter in their lives. Effective July 1, Jonathan will begin his new role as an assistant professor of music and director of keyboard studies at La Sierra University’s Department of Music.

Promoting Healthy Minds at Southern Adventist University
Experts across America have gathered statistics that point to a mental health crisis for college students. Anxiety concerns have risen from 56 percent in 2013 to 65 percent in 2023, according to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health. The center also found that the number of students seeking help has steadily increased from 2009 until the pandemic. In response to the crisis, Southern Adventist University is working to ensure that students have access to various high-quality mental health resources.

Pacific Northwest Hosts Young Adult LIFE Tour
Who are your people? What is good news to them? Where do my people need me to show up for them? These are the questions that attendees were challenged to answer at the Spring 2024 Young Adult LIFE Tour stop at Pleasant Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church in Happy Valley, Oregon. Young adults, church leaders, mentors, and parents gathered to learn about the unique challenges emerging adults face and how churches can help meet their needs.

In the Middle of It: A Thanksgiving Reflection
It’s easy to express gratitude when the outcome is favorable, when the struggle has passed, and when we can see the fruit of our perseverance. But what if we could learn to give thanks not just at the end of the journey but “in the middle of it”? What if we could cultivate the kind of gratitude that doesn’t wait for the resolution, but chooses to acknowledge God’s faithfulness even while the outcome is still unknown?

Final Day of the North American Division Year-End Meeting Is a Tour De Force Through Ministry Reports and Resources
While the anchor report of the final day of the 2024 North American Division (NAD) Year-End Meeting was the treasurer’s report on the organization’s finances, the thematic focus was on NAD’s major evangelistic initiative for prayer and revival known as Pentecost 2025. On Nov. 4, 2024, NAD ministry departments and other church partners shared reports showing commitment to the initiative.