News Articles

This February, the Armenian congregation in Glendale, California, made history as the first Armenian-speaking Adventist congregation officially organized in the Western hemisphere. Los Angeles is home to the densest population of Armenians in the United States, with more than 40 percent of the 200,000-plus people in Glendale claiming Armenian ancestry.

The students call her Miss Chrissie, Mama Weis, Rental Mom, Queen Christine, Lady Weis, or, most often, simply “Mom.” But without question, they all agree: Christine Weis is pure gold. In addition to feeding students, giving them advice, and being a "second parent," Weis started an endowed scholarship fund in honor of her friend, Wes Stoops (‘89), who was killed in a car accident. The scholarship rewards one SWAU student each year who demonstrates a desire to learn, contributes positively to the learning environment of the campus, and who is in need of financial assistance to stay in school.

More than 300 human resource professionals across the North American Division attended the three-day HR conference virtual edition on April 25-27, 2021. The event, themed “RefocUS,” centered on training workshops, policy update sessions, panel discussions, and daily devotionals.

The Executive Committee of the North American Division held a business meeting on April 29, 2021 to hold elections, vote on policy, amend bylaws of the NAD corporation, and vote on a revised statement from the writing committee which, according to the document’s preamble, “addresses issues specific to the NAD, and contextualizes the [General Conference’s] ‘One Humanity’ document into the North American setting.

Three vice presidents, two directors, an associate director, Liberty magazine editor, and the president of the Guam-Micronesia Mission have been newly elected to serve the North American Division until 2025. The election on April 29, 2021, took place during a meeting of the NAD Executive Committee; the date was chosen by the same governing body through a vote on Feb. 25, 2021, after the postponement of the 2021 General Conference Session.

Southern Adventist University’s Enactus team placed third in the nation at the Enactus United States National Exposition. The team has previously ranked second in their league several times, but this is their first year to advance through the competition to the final round, which included the top four schools in the U.S.

On April 15, 2021, the North American Division administration voted to reinstate mission deployments through the NAD Office of Volunteer Ministries (OVM). This reinstatement includes long-term missionary volunteers (two months or longer) from North America who serve around the world.

The Prayer Ministries department of the North American Division organized a virtual, two-day event that facilitated continual prayer and highlighted testimonies from church leaders and members. The 2021 World Prayer Convention took place April 9-10 on Facebook Live.

It has been a year since we were deeply impacted by the dreadful coronavirus pandemic. Each of us can recall what it felt like as we watched, in almost stunned disbelief, the country shut down—offices closed down, churches closed, restaurants closed, professional sports canceled, children sent home indefinitely from school, citizens required to stay home, grocery stores running out of basic items, hand sanitizer in short supply, and toilet paper being fought over in the aisles. We've experienced an economic downturn, and social injustice and inequality. ... What sense have you made of it as a Seventh-day Adventist? Is God concerned about this world? What is He saying to us?

Randy Robinson, North American Division treasurer, shared his experience getting a COVID-19 vaccine at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, in a video showing the event. "I feel so strongly that we should be responsible in getting our vaccines. I think we protect ourselves, we protect those around us — our loved ones and those in our community," said Robinson.