News
La Sierra University-rooted Ghanaian Seventh-day Adventist Church Celebrates New Redlands Home
It began as a small gathering under the trees on La Sierra University’s campus in June 2003. Nine Seventh-day Adventist Ghanaian students and community members formed a Sabbath worship service, bound together by a shared faith, culture, and desire to connect. The small group began holding Sabbath School classes at various locations — first on campus and eventually at a nearby strip mall. Their numbers gradually grew until they had approximately 80 members in 2024, at which point the congregation decided it was time to acquire their own church building.
Beyond the Pews: 2025 eHuddle Calls Church to Greater Impact
For years, White Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church in Los Angeles, California, was viewed as the church that did not care. In January 2025, everything changed. On Tuesday, January 7, during their week of prayer, Arteaga and his leaders experienced three blackouts from heavy winds. The next morning, they awoke to “images that the city we love, our mission field, our home, was on fire,” Arteaga shared at the 2025 eHuddle — an evangelism and leadership think tank hosted by the North American Division (NAD) Ministerial Association from Feb. 24 to 26 at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Southern Adventist University School of Business Students Excel, Rank as Top Performers
In a simulation of managing a startup company in the MGMT 364 International Business course, one of Southern’s teams placed first out of the five locally competing teams, and in the 99th percentile of more than 1,000,000 simulation teams worldwide in 2024. In another business strategy challenge, three of Southern’s teams ranked as Global Top 50 Performers out of 685 teams from 58 colleges and universities worldwide for the performance of their GLO-BUS business strategy simulations during the week of June 17-23, 2024.
2025 Safeguarding Peace Training Empowers Attendees to Build Safer Churches
From February 9 to 11, 2025, a small but dedicated group of local church, conference, and union leaders, and lay members, met at the North American Division headquarters in Columbia, Maryland, for the NAD’s enditnow® Safeguarding Peace training on abuse prevention and response. Through presentations, pair and group discussions, and hands-on exercises, attendees were empowered to help make our churches safer spaces.
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.
A Dream Come to Life: Pacific Union College Flight Center Builds Custom Simulator
Pacific Union College Flight Center Director Nathan Tasker had the idea to build a type-specific aircraft simulator for his students. Since flight training devices in general aviation tend to be generic, limiting their usefulness, Tasker questioned how he and the program could obtain a simulator to teach basic skills, such as visual ground reference maneuvers and landing techniques. This would allow students to progress efficiently, as these skills cannot be effectively taught in traditional simulators.
“Religious Freedom Is a Reflection of Our Commitment to Dignity and Justice,” Says Key Speaker at the 2025 North American Division Annual Prayer Breakfast
On Jan. 22, 2025, about 80 people from diverse faith traditions gathered for the sixth Religious Freedom Prayer Breakfast hosted by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America and organized by its Public Affairs and Religious Liberty department. The event included prayer for religious freedom, elected officials, the community, the nation, peace, and for unity of spirit.
Walla Walla University Short Film "Color of Threads" Wins International Award
“Color of Threads,” a film produced by Walla Walla University’s Center for Media Ministry (CMM), continues to make waves after its strong start in the independent film circuit. Written by WWU alumna Josie Henderson, the story follows five women who move to the Pendleton Valley in 1909 in an effort to rebuild their lives. London Director Awards, a film festival based in London, England, named Richard L. Ramsay, the director of “Color of Threads,” the best U.S.A. Director of 2025. The short film also won the title of Best Western 2025 at the Los Angeles Short Film Awards.