News

During Hispanic Heritage Month, a Seventh-day Adventist Church in Houston Distributes Special El Centinela Magazine Edition to Community
Each September, in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month in the U.S., the El Centinela team at Pacific Press Publishing Association prepares a special bilingual issue of the magazine for distribution around the North American Division. This year, 450,000 copies were printed and sent to conferences and churches to use in outreach during the month.

Pacific Union College Climbs U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges List
Pacific Union College was again lauded for its excellence in higher education, ranking high among the region’s top institutions in the U.S. News & World Report 2023-24 Best College list released today. U.S. News & World Report heralded PUC as the No. 2 Best Value School among colleges in the larger Western region, a jump from No. 6 last year. In California alone, PUC is first.

La Sierra University President Resigns
Effective Sunday, September 17, 2023, Joy Fehr, La Sierra University president, resigned her duties as president of the university following discussions last week with the Board of Trustees.

Robert Burrow Elected to the Historic Role of NAD General Counsel
The North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists (NAD) is pleased to welcome Robert (Bob) Burrow in the new role of NAD General Counsel. On June 27, 2023, the NAD executive committee elected Burrow to serve in this capacity; he officially began in August.

General Sessions Uplift and Edify Teachers at North American Division Educators' Convention in Phoenix
Within the three full days of North American Division Educators’ Convention, which ran from Aug. 7-10, 2023, in Phoenix, Arizona, were dozens of breakout sessions hosted by experts and educators, each with specific topics for dedicated teachers to enjoy. The five general sessions, however, gathered all 6,000 attendees in one room to listen to dedicated speakers and to worship.

ADRA Canada and Local Churches Rally in Support of Canadian Wildfire Crisis
With roughly 40 percent of its land covered in forests, Canada is no stranger to annual wildfires, particularly in its western regions. However, 2023 has marked the most devastating wildfire season in recorded Canadian history, spanning east to west and causing significant air quality issues and hazy skies across Canada and the United States. Wildfires have scorched more than 133,000 square kilometers (51,351 square miles) of land, and 200,000 Canadians have had to evacuate their homes. Presently, there are more than 1,000 active fires across Canada. Amid these natural disasters, ADRA Canada has been collaborating with local churches to provide supplies and funding as needed.

Indiana Youth Escape Maui Fire Now Assisting Relief Efforts
Jolted from his sleep, it was 3 a.m. on August 8 when a phone call woke Kamil Metz, senior pastor of the Evansville Seventh-day Adventist Church. The caller was Dallas Matthew, one of his members serving this summer as a student literature evangelist on the island of Maui in Hawaii. Dallas's news was grave. He called to report that deadly wildfires had engulfed Lāhainā, the town in Maui that Metz had left the week prior.

“Why We Teach”
On the morning of the fourth and final day of the 2023 NAD Educators' Convention, teachers who would step into classrooms that following week felt anticipation, exhilaration, and appreciation. Nicole C. Mullen set the tone through her music. Then G. Alexander Bryant, president of the NAD, rose to speak. He addressed the teachers, recognizing their oft-overlooked efforts to invest in their students and uphold the tenets of Adventist Education.