News

Adventist Community Services Prepares to Help After Tornadoes Strike Missouri, Kentucky, and Wisconsin
Yesterday afternoon, a devastating tornado struck Kentucky and St. Louis, Missouri. In Kentucky, 14 are reported dead. In St. Louis, five deaths have been reported, along with widespread damage. At least 20 blocks of the city sustained damage. More than 5,000 properties are without power, and local emergency services are actively responding. As ACS begins to respond, they urge members to pray for those impacted and those providing assistance.

Union Adventist University Receives Grant for Culinary Medicine Teaching Kitchen
The Ardmore Institute of Health has awarded Union Adventist University’s Master of Public Health Program a grant to establish a culinary medicine teaching kitchen (CMTK). The $35,000 will purchase six commercial-grade mobile workstations, each including the culinary tools and appliances to support two students at a time, enabling the university to host classes of up to 12 students in the teaching kitchen. Any remaining funds will support a student garden that was established by the university’s first public health cohort last year.

Mid-America Union Conference Executive Committee Appoints New Communication Director
During its regular spring meeting, the Mid-America Union Executive Committee voted to approve a recommendation by MAUC’s administrative team outlining a leadership transition for the union’s communication department. Following the vote, then-director Brenda Dickerson became the associate director, and then-associate director/digital media manager Hugh Davis became the new director, effective May 1, 2025. This transition of titles, initially proposed by Dickerson, serves as a model for succession planning and smooth leadership transitions in appointed positions.

James P. Willis II Elected as New Vice President for Education for the Pacific Union Conference
The Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists has elected James P. Willis II as its new vice president for education, effective July 1, 2025. He will succeed Dr. Berit von Pohle, who is retiring after a distinguished career spanning 46 years in Adventist education

Final Day of YEM Yields Opportunities for Mission Expansion for Immigrants and Refugees
On Nov. 6, 2018, the North American Division Executive Committee voted to launch a two-year study to evaluate the needs and ways to serve immigrant and refugee groups. The body also heard reports on Verified Volunteers, Church Planting, Education, Adventist Learning Community, Children’s Ministries, Youth and Young Adult Ministries, Stewardship, Ministerial, Communication, and the Pacific Press Publishing Association.

Following NAD Year-End Meeting, AdventSource Ministry Supply Center Becomes Division Institution
AdventSource, the official ministry supply center for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America, became an North American Division institution on Nov. 9, 2018, following a vote by the NAD Corporation Board.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America Issues Joint Statement on Thousand Oaks, California, Shooting
Members of the Seventh-day Adventist church family mourn all loss of life, but especially cry out against mass violence such as took place last night in Thousand Oaks, California, very close to our headquarters for the western United States, the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

After Discussion, Prayer, the 2018 NAD Year-End Meeting Writing Committee Presents NAD Response to Recent GC Voted Document
On Nov. 4, 2018, the morning business session of the North American Division Year-End Meeting was devoted to a discussion on the voted General Conference document titled “Regard for and Practice of General Conference Session and General Conference Executive Committee Actions.” The GC Executive Committee, at its Annual Council meeting this past October, approved the creation of a new compliance process to assist with the need to implement church policies and voted actions.The process is outlined in the voted GC document to which the NAD was responding.