Columbia • • Unimvisitor the First Two Hundred
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columbia • • unimVISItOr a supplement to the review and herald THE education department of the Potomac Conference cele- brated the Bicentennial with a massive weekend fair on May 1 and 2, 1976. The attendance re- sembled camp meeting, with the police estimating that up to 4,000 people were at the festivities. Titled "The First Two Hun- dred," the two-day program began with a Saturday night musi- cal festival in the Takoma Academy gym, coordinated by Clarence Dunbebin, Sligo Elemen- tary School principal. It featured the Beltsville, Sligo, and J. N. Andrews school choirs with an all patriotic program, and ended with a massed choir of all the par- ticipating schools and a parade of the flags of all 50 States, led by a costumed "Uncle Sam." The Sunday program began at 10 a.m. and ran continuously until 6:30 p.m. The full day was a smorgasbord of events running simultaneously. The fair utilized the facilities of Sligo Elementary School, the Takoma Academy gym next door and the adjacent ball field. Twenty of Potomac's 27 ele- mentary schools participated. Fairgoers chose the activities they wanted to see and circulated be- tween science and art exhibits, the attractive Bicentennial booths, the outdoor field and track events, and the spelling bee in the Takoma Academy gym, directed Wayne Foster presents first-place ribbon to Keri Peterson, semifinalist winner for grade 2 in the spelling bee. The winners were Davy Mayers for grades 1 and 2; Cherie Good for grades 3 and 4; by Selma Bird. and Glenda Umali and Alvin Rhoda, who tied for grades 5 through 8. (Continued on page 2) The First Two Hundred By HERB BROECKEL Communication Director Potomac Conference Prepared by the Columbia Union Conference Department of Communication JUNE 17, 1976 a program become an annual event. Wayne Foster, Potomac educational director, stated, "We were extremely proud of all our young people, and were gratified by the attendance." By FREDERICK C. REISS Special recognition goes to John Communication Secretary Luray Church Wheaton, principal of the Belts- ville school, who was chairman of the First Two-Hundred Commit- ADVENTISTS in Luray, Vir- tee and master of ceremonies ginia, celebrated America's of many of the programs. In ad- Bicentennial with the dedica- dition to those previously men- tion of a new church and the burn- tioned, members of the committee ing of their note on April 17, included Lucille Mathewson, 1976. Jane Cunningham, Linda Porter, The Luray group of 50 to 60 Raleigh Hazen, John Wright, believers was officially organized Martha Leach, Dick Osborn, as a company in April, 1970, Sharon Cumbo, Phil Whidden, under the leadership of James E. and Lillian Smith. Teachers and Curry, pastor; N. W. Dunn, re- parents who drove long hours to tired from the General Confer- A science exhibit. bring the students to the fair and ence Secretarial Department; and who organized all the projects and S. M. V. Sandstrom, of Stanley, The day's events ended in the exhibits are to be commended. Virginia. The group had been at- Takoma Academy gym with the Potomac's Bicentennial Fair tempting to establish a church in final spell-offs, a tumbling per- was an excellent learning experi- Luray since the summer of 1936 formance, and a Bicentennial ence and impressive showcase of and had been aided and encour- play by the Richmond, Virginia, the value of Christian education. aged in their efforts by James Junior Academy students who It highlighted America's history Stanley, evangelist. were dressed in Revolutionary back to 1776 and effectively The new company began hold- Period costumes. Many of those spotlighted Christian education ing Sabbath services on May 2, attending requested this type of in 1976. 1970, in the education building of St. Mark's Lutheran church of Luray, but planned immediately for their own church facility. On July 28, 1970, the members pledged several thousand dollars to purchase land on which to build. A site costing $9,000 was selected on Highway 211 east of Luray and purchased with a down payment made on August 1, 1970. The company was officially organized as a church the following month, on Sabbath, September 12, 1970, with a charter membership of 49. Two committees were appointed: a building committee, chaired by The massed choir N. W. Dunn, and a finance com- that sang Saturday night. mittee, with Gladys Harlan as chairman. Within two months after the organization on Novem- ber 2, 1970, the building site was fully paid for. Clinton Coon (now deceased), former president of the Potomac Conference, retired and living in Luray, contributed $10,000 to the building fund in March, 1971. Potomac's newest school Others followed his example, featured colonial 2v breadmaking in their booth. and by December 31, 1971, $61,- Church Dedicated 458 had been raised. But infla- tion set in, and there were delays in getting material and supplies. The cost was skyrocketing. As the fund-raising continued, the members engaged William Shewell, an associate of Ronald S. Senseman Architects, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to help with plans and furnishings. Finally authorization to proceed with con- struction was given May 27, 1973, and the groundbreaking cere- mony was held July 22, 1973. Robert Clements, church builder for the conference, was employed as contractor. The church was completed about a year later, with opening services held September 7, 1974. A debt of $35,000 remained. From July, 1970, to December, 1975, $215,275 had been raised by the dedicated, sacrificing membership and generous friends around the country. Included in this was $8,500 given for the Allen Organ. The last $12,500 to liqui- date the $35,000 debt was given in just ten weeks. In addition to the dollar cost, much labor had been donated. W. B. Quigley, president of the Columbia Union Conference, preached at the dedication of the church. Leading in the Act of Dedication were Kenneth J. Mittleider, conference president, and Kermit I. Foss, pastor. The note-burning was performed by E. M. Hagele, conference treas- urer, and Henry McNeil and Cecil Deavers, members. The Luray congregation dedi- cated its church to God as a light- house to serve their community in love. Counterclockwise, from left: Kenneth Mittleider and Kermit Foss led the congregation in the Act of Dedication. W. B. Quigley delivering the dedication mes- sage. An interior view of the church. E. M. Hagele, center, and local members Henry McNeil and Cecil Deavers burning the note. Winning trophies for the highest scores in the day's activities were the potornac Herbert Broecke/, Correspondent Sligo Challengers of Takoma Park, Maryland; youth from Staunton; and the Vienna Stars of Virginia. The team will be at Richmond, Vir- Coordinators of the annual fair were ginia, Junior Academy on June 27, at Potomac youth director Norm Middag the Sanitarium church gym, Takoma and his associate, Les Pitton. Danny Park, Maryland, on June 29, 30 and Davis, Columbia Union youth director, July 1, and at the Vienna, Virginia, and Leo Ranzolin, the associate direc- school July 6. tor of the General Conference, were A $25 fee will be charged. Normally special guests and participated in the the charge for this type of testing pro- presentation of awards. gram runs from $75 to $200. Advanced reservations are necessary because of time and space limitations. For further information contact the pastors at each location. Richmond, Rudy Dolinsky, (703) 353-2331; Santarium, Melvin Sickler, (301) 559-0417; and Vienna, John McGraw, (703) 938-8484. Sligo, Staunton, Vienna Win at Pathfinder Fair Dan and Eunice Knauft with their sons, Teddy, Sammy, and Tommy. The treadmill is a prime device for determining THE Burley Middle School in Char- a person's physical fitness and will be used in the fitness evaluations of Potomac people. lottesville, Virginia, was a fitting site Daniel Knauft Is Pastor for the 1976 Potomac Pathfinder Fair For Manassas/Warrenton LLU Fitness Evaluation April 25, 1976. Twenty clubs from all over the conference traveled to "Mr. DANIEL KNAUFT, Schedule Announced E. the new pastor Jefferson's" city, where more than 800 of the Manassas/Warrenton district, A TWENTY-TWO member team of people witnessed a gala day of events, comes to Potomac from the Idaho Con- medical experts from Loma Linda Uni- contests, exhibits, special features; and ference, where he has served since he versity School of Health will offer sampled the tasty offerings at the clubs' received his B. D. degree at Andrews physical fitness evaluations June 27 food booths. University in 1969. He has been the through July 6 in the Potomac Con- Hundreds of award ribbons were pre- pastor at Jerome and Gooding, Idaho, ference. According to Matthew Dopp, sented to the participants in the field the past three years. The Jerome conference Temperance-Health direc- events, with trophies going to the church membership increased 50 per winning food, clothing, art, and booth cent during his pastoral service there. entrants. Dan grew up in Salzburg, Austria, All Potomac youth involved were and in Michigan and Washington, winners. Together with their dedicated where his parents worked. He gradu- leaders, they enjoy camping, crafts, and ated from Walla Walla College in 1967. Christ-centered programs all year long. His wife, Eunice, is from Tharr, Texas. The annual fair is just one of the They have three sons: Teddy, 5, thrills in Pathfindering. Sammy, 4, and Tommy, I. A member of the Sligo Challengers Club proudly displays the first-place trophy for the day's events. Charles Thompson, head of the team of medi- cal experts from Loma Linda University that is conducting the evaluation program.