News

120 Children’s Ministry Leaders Called to a Reckless Pursuit of God and Ministry
From January 15-18, 2025, roughly 120 participants, including leaders at the local church, conference, and union levels, met at Falls Church, Virginia, for the annual North American Division Children’s Ministries retreat. Themed “Reckless,” the event encouraged attendees to pursue God and ministry goals with bold faith. For busy leaders, “Reckless” offered spiritual renewal, equipping, and fellowship through worship, practical training, and social activities.

North American Division Adventist Community Services Calls for Prayer Amid Tornado Recovery Efforts
A massive storm system tore through the central and southern United States the weekend of March 14, 2025, spawning roughly 66 tornadoes across seven states and claiming the lives of at least 37 individuals. Mississippi, Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, and Louisiana experienced widespread destruction, with hundreds of buildings in ruins. The North American Division Adventist Community Services (NAD ACS) is monitoring the situation in partnership with ACS directors in affected states.

Strongest Participation of Adventist Scholars at 2025 Annual American Society of Church History Meetings
In this Pentecost 2025 year and beyond, Adventist scholars can “witness” by accurately and dispassionately sharing with other scholars who Adventists are and what they believe. Over the past 15 years, a steady uptick of Adventist historians have regularly participated in meetings of the American Society of Church History, one of the premier academic organizations in the world for the study of religious history. This year’s meeting ran from January 3-6, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois. Themed “Legends,” it featured research by eight Adventist scholars, including two panel sessions focused on Ellen White and the Adventist experience.

North Carolina Governor Tours Multi-Agency Warehouse During Adventist Community Services Training
The North Carolina state disaster relief warehouse in Statesville has recently become a critical training ground, equipping Adventist Community Services (ACS) teams from around the North American Division with the skills necessary to manage disaster response operations effectively. This initiative, held throughout March, focuses on preparing volunteers to oversee multi-agency warehouses (MAW) that receive and distribute essential supplies to disaster survivors in their communities.

North American Division Adventist Community Services Calls for Prayer Amid Tornado Recovery Efforts
A massive storm system tore through the central and southern United States the weekend of March 14, 2025, spawning roughly 66 tornadoes across seven states and claiming the lives of at least 37 individuals. Mississippi, Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, and Louisiana experienced widespread destruction, with hundreds of buildings in ruins. The North American Division Adventist Community Services (NAD ACS) is monitoring the situation in partnership with ACS directors in affected states.

They Also Served: A Podcast Uncovers the Lost Stories of Women in Adventist History
In 1940, the Review and Herald Publishing Association published a book with a dark blue cover that you have probably never seen — They Also Served — by Ava Covington Wall. Written roughly 80 years after the founding of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, it was the first book to detail the many women who contributed to the church's founding and growth. This now-elusive book has been out of print for more than 80 years, and many stories of women in the early Adventist denomination remain largely unknown. Thus, historian Dr. Heidi Olson Campbell created the podcast They Also Served: Stories of Adventist Women, using historical research and expert interviews to reveal how American Christianity and the Seventh-day Adventist Church were shaped by these women's contributions.

Bill Payne Embraces New Challenges as North American Division’s Director of Sabbath School and Personal Ministries
The North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is thrilled to welcome Bill Payne as the new director of Sabbath School and Personal Ministries. Payne officially assumed this role last November after being elected by the NAD executive committee on September 6, 2024.

Scholarship Encourages Excellence in Senior Care for Southern Adventist University Student
Southern Adventist University commends Fred Hutagaol, sophomore business administration major with a focus on health services and senior living, as the recipient of the Morning Pointe Scholars Endowment for the 2025-2026 school year. He grew up assisting his grandparents with household chores and lived with and assisted a family member who was passing due to cancer, leading to his interest in the healthcare field. He has held leadership roles in his church, as well as serving as head of logistics for a student entrepreneurial project with Enactus.