JUNE, 1985 SOUTHERN OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SOUTHERN UNION CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS Georgia-Cumberland Academy Shelly Litchfield (right), associate out- reach sponsor, enjoys a good time with Eddie Meeks, of Whitwell, Tennessee, and Julie Sturtevant, of Monteagle, Ten- nessee, and their "little sister." More Than Education With A Few Christian Frills by Jim Epperson Photography by Chris Klinvex Cover by F. Clifford Port s, drove between the beautiful pink and white all, but was dispersed all over the City of Calhoun and dogwoods that line the entrance to Georgia- Gordon County. They were involved in Witnessing Cumberland Academy I expected to see stu- Night. This is not some activity occurring once or twice a dents walking in the warm spring sunshine. At year, nor an exercise planned to occupy time, but it is an this season when nature is so vibrant it was my assump- effort that requires hours of planning, arranging, tion the students would be enjoying the fresh air that scheduling vehicles, drivers, and programs. This event is prevails over the campus. the philosophical base of a Christian school. As I neared the ball field I expected to see enthusiastic Witnessing Night takes place every Wednesday night players and fans in the midst of athletic activity. I had not during the school year at Georgia-Cumberland seen students on the beautiful campus, nor in the Academy. No other campus activities are scheduled for cafeteria, or the gymnasium, chapel, or classrooms. that evening—not because of a school rule—but be- Only a few lights were lit in each dormitory and only two cause there would not be enough students on campus to or three students loitered in the lobbies. Why were participate. Eighty-five percent of the student body there so few students on campus? Because tonight, comprises the nine different witnessing activities. Wednesday night, was a very special evening at Christian education is sometimes labeled as such by Georgia-Cumberland Academy. offering the same academic programs consistent with The majority of the student body was not on campus at nonChristian schools but with a little fringe of Christian- TWO ity added to the side. But that is not the case with Georgia-Cumberland Academy. Christian living has been made the foundation, influencing the entire weekly cycle. Church and Sabbath school services at Georgia- Cumberland Academy are different from the conven- tional type programs because they are designed for stu- dent involvement. One unusual activity particularly noticed is that Christian living and active Christian in- volvement in the lives of the students is reflected in every phase of the program. One might hear experi- ences such as how Janie met a new friend on her "share-a-loaf" project on Wednesday evening and how that friend is sick with the flu and Janie would like special GCA clowns, Lora Darbo, (Calhoun, Georgia), Stephanie Elkins, (Cal- houn), Susan Shaffer, (Carrollton, Georgia), and Joy Kitchen, (Cal- prayer in behalf of her Christian friend; how Jeff might houn), cheer a patient. talk about the children he is tutoring in reading from a local school, and the trouble the children have in their home life. The children express their feelings to Jeff how they wish "Mom and Dad wouldn't fight," and Jeff asks for special prayer for his young students to find assur- ance in Jesus. Students in this school are not just performing acts or putting frills on the educational process. They are totally occupied in Christian witnessing to the point that it influences the entire educational program at Georgia- Cumberland Academy. What a thrill it would be if this school's philosophy carried over into the Seventh-day Adventist churches across the Southern Union so that the pews would not LeClare Litchfield (right), outreach sponsor, sorts clothing for com- only be filled but that individual hearts and minds would munity families with Danny Song and Bobby Kim, of Atlanta, Georgia, be occupied with the work of the Lord every day. What a and Alan Connelly, of Calhoun, Georgia. deep impact Christian involvement would make in our local communities. What a transformation would come about in the public image of what Seventh-day Adventist Christianity really is like. Wednesday evenings at Georgia-Cumberland Academy will continue to leave the campus deserted because it is obvious that Christian education at that school is more than education with a few Christian frills. Jim Epperson is superintendent of education for the Georgia-Cumberland Conference. GCA students, David Song left, (Atlanta, Georgia), Shannon Born, (Gainesville, Georgia), and Jamie Miller, (Chicago, Illinois), com- Irena Dunn (Rome, Georgia) and Bob Overstreet (Statesboro, Georgia) municate with children at San Silo Orphanage in Haiti during the share a Thanksgiving basket with a family. mission work project in the summer c; 1984. Volume 79 SOUTHERN TIDINGS (USPS 507-000) Number 6 Published monthly. Second-class postage paid at Collegedale, Tennessee 37315. Subscription rate—five THREE PnCTMARTFR send form 3579 to SOUTHERN TIDINGS, Box 849, Decatur, GA 30031. by Herb Crawley Dedication to Excellence Jlount Pisgah Academy's Bill Wolcott will bring out the loss—Forest Lake Academy's absolute best in the students gain. who are part of the Forest Lake The ending of an era for Academy gymnastics team. one—the beginning of an era That's the way Bill will want it. for the other. It happened April So, too, will the able staff he 27. It was the Home Show, the left behind at Mount Pisgah final performance of the season, Academy, Doug Tallman and for the Mount Pisgah Academy Arne Nielsen. gymnastics team. The conclusion The end of one era—the of the program marked the end beginning of another. From of Bill Wolcott's tenure as the Mount Pisgah Academy to Forest coach of the gymnastics team. Lake Academy ... but still in For 10 years Bill Wolcott had rapidly. The team went from the Southern Union. been at Mount Pisgah Academy. one pyramid to another, from Thanks for staying, coach! For 10 years he had been the one tumbling exercise to organizing and motivating force another. All too quickly it was behind the gymnastics team. He over. At the conclusion the had been the heart and soul. team presented Dean Wolcott During those 10 years students with a cookie the size of a had come from all over the pizza to let him know they Southern Union just to be part loved him and wished him good of the Mount Pisgah Academy luck. They also presented him gymnastics team. They came with a plaque with their names because they wanted to be part and picture on it. Bill Wolcott, of the best. Bill Wolcott wanted as usual, gave a beautiful it that way. He challenged his performance. It wasn't easy and kids and brought out the best he even said it, but he made it in them. through. It was an enjoyable, During the recent Home Show yet sad, evening for everyone the gymnastics team achieved present. four three-highs at one time. And now it's on to Forest The three-highs were topped off Lake Academy. There Bill by the second and third man Wolcott will be part of the doing a hand-to-hand. Many gymnastics team—no doubt college teams would be happy about it. Once you get it in to accomplish that. your blood you can't stop. And The evening progressed I'm sure, in the years to come, FOUR late news ifithe conferences PROPHECY LECTURES are being held at the Olde Providence Road School in Matthews, North Carolina. They are being sponsored by the newly organized MattheWs church (for- merly known as Southside). John Earnhardt, pastor of the Albemarle and Concord, North Carolina, churches, is leading out in the lectures. The pastor of the Matthews church, Paull Dixon, is opening the meetings each night with a 10-minute health talk. A PRISON MINISTRY has just been started in the Avery County Correctional Institute in the mountains of western North Carolina. Five members of the Banner Elk church are helping out in the prison ministry. The pastor of the church, John Huskins, received a request from a prison inmate, John Leffingwell, for instruction on how to better understand the Bible. The inmate had picked up a piece of SDA literature, was interested, and has been studying for about one year. HAMMERS AND PAINT BRUSHES have been busy in the Asheboro/Pittsboro, North Carolina, district. Waldo Greene, pastor, says the pews have been recushioned and the floors have been recarpeted in the Pittsboro church. He also indicates that the annex building in Asheboro has been recarpeted and repainted, and the storage building which houses the Dorcas has been repainted and carpeted and two baths have been added. Daisy Blackburn, a member of the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, church, felt that the Lord was calling her to a special RADIO MINISTRY. For the past several months gow, Daisy has broadcast a 15-minute program entitled "A Look Into the Bible" every Sunday afternoon. She talks openly about the Sabbath and other distinctive truths on station WVSL in Loris, South Carolina. There has been good listener response, as well as some opposition by other radio preachers. She is currently studying the Bible with three individuals in their home. On April 11 a SCIENCE FAIR was held by the fifth-and-sixth-grade class of Asheville- Pisgah church school, taught by Candis Elliott. First place was awarded to Jeremy Edmonds for his model of a canal lock system. Jill Stilwell won second place for her model of a solar house.