Southwestern Union Record for 1986
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
RSOUTHWESTERN UNION ecor MARCH 14, 1986 'exvi/ c47-tieilat, "tisk w note) oft, ci low Pen-Pal To Shut-ins See Story on page 3 Southwestern Union It's Good to Know... The Southwestern Union Confer- office building are organizing as ence office staff is involved with groups, which will have monthly lun- and committed to the objectives of cheon meetings for experience shar- Harvest 90. A Spiritual Life Commit- ing and outreach planning. tee of five persons has outlined a Each quarter the entire staff will program of spiritual and outreach have an agape gathering outside of John McFarlane, chairman, Spiritual Life activities to involve all of the staff office hours for spiritual emphasis. Committee. members. An annual week of prayer will bring The program was presented at the a selected speaker for spiritual renew- regular morning worship on Febru- al, and the staff and their families The emphasis of the office staff ary 13, and was adopted to be put will participate in an annual weekend program is in keeping with the spirit into effect at once. spiritual retreat. of Harvest 90, which is one of spirit- The daily office worship will A daily Bible reading plan is ual growth in the church, as well as involve everyone in a study of the recommended for individual devo- outreach activities aimed at book, Preparation for the Latter Rain. tional development, with a daily time increased conversions and additions Those who work on each floor of the set aside for personal participation in to the church. the intercessory prayer objectives of the office group. The Spiritual Life Committee will promote personal spiritual interac- tion by making periodic short visits to staff members in their offices for encouragement and prayer. Specific plans for intercessory prayer and for outreach activities will be presented as they are developed. gen/ gat to, Shut- ths, by Steve Morris When most of us figure our announcements, and hospital monthly expenses, we begin by lists published in several listing items such as food, hous- newspapers. ing, and transportation. But for She always encloses a gospel Bessie Rolnicki of Mountain tract or free Bible course offer Home, Arkansas, postage stamps with each piece of mail that Bessie Rolnicki, busy with her correspondence. come near the top of her list. leaves her house. "You never For the past 17 years, Mrs. know how the Lord can use scrapbook." Mrs. Rolnicki Rolnicki has spent much of her something simple like that to recalls. "She said, 'you should free time and limited budget change a person's life," she have seen her eyes light up sending cards and letters to explains. when she saw all those babies.' " elderly shut-ins and others "who Once a lonely woman she had Besides belonging to several need a word of encouragement." written to, wrote back saying shut-in clubs and helping out at She tries to limit herself to that she had been ready to area nursing homes, Mrs. Rol- $50 a month for postage but commit suicide just before Mrs. nicki is a community services finds she frequently exceeds Rolnicki's letter arrived. The volunteer for the Mountain that amount. She also volun- woman read it and changed her Home Seventh-day Adventist teers her time to help local nurs- mind, she said. Church and the local Sunshine ing home residents with letter A retired secretary from the Coordinator for American Asso- writing, sewing and other Chicago area, she now enjoys ciation of Retired Persons. activities. spending her days typing letters Like the mail, it takes a lot to When asked why she does it, that bring joy to others. "When- keep Mrs. Rolnicki from her Mrs. Rolnicki, who was 78 on ever I feel like quitting, I get a appointed rounds. Three years January 14, 1986, states she is letter from someone that lets ago she slipped on some icy just practicing the golden rule. me know I'm not supposed to steps and took a bad fall. The "It all started when I was visit- quit," she said. result was a leg fractured in 10 ing my father in a nursing Visitors to her home find her places that took four and a half home," she recalls. "A resident doing more than simply writing hours in surgery and a six- there told me that her relatives letters and addressing enve- month stay in the hospital and a had not been to see her once lopes. She also gathers pictures nursing home to mend. since her arrival. I thought there of flowers, animals, and other "My letter writing dropped off must be a lot of people like this, items from magazines and sends some while I was laid up," she so I began visiting her and them when requested to nursing remembers. "But as soon as I others at the home." home residents who are making got home, I had to start writing By the time Mrs. Rolnicki scrapbooks. again. There was so much mail moved to Mountain Home 12 Recently, she received a to answer." years ago, she was not only visit- request for pictures of babies ing shut-ins on a regular basis from a nursing home in Lincoln, but writing to them as well Illinois. One of the residents, a from her list of over 10,000 woman who had lost a baby names. when she was younger, had Many of her names come received a scrapbook as a from birthday lists published by Christmas gift. Mrs. Rolnicki shut-in clubs. But she also clipped baby pictures from gleans names from obituaries, magazines and sent them to the engagement and anniversary woman. "A friend of the lady wrote to let me know how much she Steve Morris is staff writer for The Baxter appreciated getting them for her Bulletin, Mountain Home, Arkansas. This article appeared in that newspaper on January 13, 1986. 10,000 names of shut-ins are in her files. March 14, 1986 / RECORD 3 Southwestern Union Union Elects may seem best to someone currently studies and plans for a nursing home serving on the Union staff. to be built in the vicinity of Huguley New Secretary Delegates were named to the con- Memorial Hospital in Fort Worth, The executive committee of the stituency session of the Southwest- Texas, was presented, and approval Southwestern Union Conference ern Union, which is to meet in Hous- was given for proceeding with such elected Clayton R. Pritchett as secre- ton, Texas, May 5-8. A list of the plans, further details to be presented tary of the Union at its regular meet- delegates will be published in the later. ing on February 19, 1986. This fills next issue of the Record Two junior academies, one in Dal- the vacancy caused by the Texas A plan for an Adventist radio net- las and the other in Houston, were Conference's election of Bill May as work that might reach many parts of given permission to add the eleventh president. Pritchett has filled various the Southwestern Union was grade next year, looking toward departmental posts in the Union dur- approved in principle. This network becoming full day academies, when ing the past four years, most recently would beam the broadcasts of a cen- they pass the necessary inspections serving as director of the newly tral radio station on the campus of and receive clearance from the Gen- organized Church Ministries Southwestern Adventist College to a eral Conference Board of Regents. Department. communications satellite, which in The union committee is composed To head the Church Ministries turn would relay them to automated of 44 members, of whom four are Department, the committee elected translater stations in many places. church pastors and 12 are lay per- Robert Wood, formerly secretary of Implementation of the relatively sons (not denominationally the Texas Conference. inexpensive project depends upon employed). The committee authorized the contributions of interested persons. The next meeting of the committee Union administration to assign the (See the back cover of a future issue is April 9. leadership of the Department of Pub- of the Record for more details.) Charles R. Beeler lic Affairs and Religious Liberty as A progress report on preliminary Managing Editor Southwestern Adventist College New Board Chairman Miller: We learn from the past, and SAC: How can Southwestern meet I'm grateful that my life has been the challenges of rising costs in Shares His Views a part of the history of South- private higher education? SAC: Elder Miller, your roots in lead- western Adventist College. I know Miller: SAC's tuition is the lowest in the ership at Southwestern Adventist where we are today and how we denomination. We must keep it college go back to 1947-48 when got here. I believe this will enable that way by first keeping our- you served as student association me to recognize past pitfalls, and selves trim. Second, we must find president. Could you briefly hopefully avoid them as we look more support from the church, reflect on your experience as a to the future. and from nonchurch sources such student at the college, and how it SAC: You've had the privilege of see- as foundations, corporations, and helped to prepare you for your ing Southwestern Junior College individuals. I'm very pleased with present work? become Southwestern Adventist the work of our advancement Miller: My student experience at College. What has contributed to office at the college, and I believe Southwestern Junior College was the college's growth in the past, that it will be even more outstand- wonderful. I attended public high and what will it take to continue a ing in the future.