News
Here I am Lord: The Choir that Said Yes to Singing at GC Session
“I had rehearsal right up until three days before I gave birth,” she said without much fanfare. Koo is the director and co-founder of the Emmanuel Missionary Choir, a group made up of children ages five to 19, mostly from the Living Word Fellowship Church in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Since 2022, the choir has grown from 18 to 47 members, representing youth from 16 countries including South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Brazil, Romania, Peru, Russia, Israel, Pakistan, Venezuela, Mexico, Taiwan, Samoa, and the United States.
Snapshot of the Man Behind the Official Portraits
As lead photographer for the Adventist Review, Sherwin is responsible for capturing all the official portraits of newly elected leaders, often just minutes after their lives have been upended by a vote. It is a role that demands both technical skill and a gentle respect for the weight of the moment.
Adventist Retirement Garners National Praise with Creative, Christ-Centered Vision
Tucked away in a secure area of the North American Division headquarters, the Adventist Retirement team is hard at work. More than crunching numbers, they are constantly looking for innovative ways to help 74,000 participants — current and former employees of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America — retire with confidence and peace of mind. In recent years, their efforts have made waves on the world stage. In 2024, Adventist Retirement earned four internationally recognized honors, including a Viddy Award, an Eddy Award, and two Gold MarCom Awards, recognizing excellence in retirement planning and financial wellness communication.
Together in Mission: North American Division Ministries a Unified Presence at 2025 GC Session
In 2020, the North American Division voted “Together in Mission” as its strategic focus for the next five years: a call for every entity, ministry, and department to work together to share the gospel. Five years later, at the 2025 General Conference Session in St. Louis, Mo., visitors to the NAD’s exhibit space were met with a striking visual representation of this theme. The first stop, and perhaps clearest showcase of this unity, in the NAD’s GC Session home was a first-ever combined ministries booth.
Southern California Conference Moves Quickly to Mobilize Outreach as Wildfires Descend
Around 5:30 a.m. on January 8, 2025, the alert sounded on John Cress’s phone. He and his wife would have to evacuate their home in the Glen Oaks neighborhood of Glendale as the Eaton Fire charred a path toward them. The sky was black with smoke and tinged with red and orange.
Walla Walla University Engineering Majors Chosen as Competition Finalists
During their senior year, Luke Graham and Avianna Alvarez, Walla Walla University engineering alumni, were two of 16 student finalists chosen for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Pressure Vessel Piping Conference student paper competition.
Jack Blanco, Author of “The Clear Word” Bible Paraphrase, Passes to His Rest
Jack J. Blanco, former dean of the Southern Adventist University School of Religion and professor emeritus, and author of The Clear Word Bible paraphrase, passed peacefully to his rest on Sabbath, January 11, 2025. He was 95.
Adventist Partnerships Prioritize Relief for Southern California Residents
Adventist Health Glendale and Adventist Health Global Mission are partnering with the Southern California Conference and the Pasadena Seventh-day Adventist Church to begin offering help (and hope) for residents of Altadena and Pasadena affected by the ongoing fires. The initial phases of response began Jan. 10, 2025, and will continue during the coming months.