S People #043, March 30, 2018 Easter Edition,A Quiet Witness

A Special Easter Message from the Paciﬁc Union Conference—

How has the Easter story become meaningful to you? By what means did the story of the trial, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ become personally signiﬁcant?

In this edition of All God’s People, the focus is on the scenes that make the story so familiar and so important, including that great scene on Sunday morning when the women who followed Jesus were the ﬁrst to arrive at the empty tomb.

On Sunday morning, the women who had been around the cross when Christ died came to the tomb, and seeing someone that thought to be an attendant, asked where the body of Jesus had been taken. The answer rings out

Printed: September 2021 - Page 1 of 12 Article reprint from Adventistfaith.com on September 2021 2021© Paciﬁc Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Copyright, All Right Reserved. across the centuries with meaning and power: “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was cruciﬁed. He is not here; for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead.” Matthew 28:5-7.

Later in the same chapter, the gospel records this timeless message in verses 19 and 20: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

At Easter, the promise is as vivid as the day it was ﬁrst spoken, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

Adventist teen and shooting survivor, Samantha Grady, decides not to participate in weekend demonstrations.

On March 24, 2018, it is estimated that 800,000 protesters* attended the March for Our Lives demonstration in Washington, D.C. Others attended large sibling rallies in cities such as New York, Boston, Atlanta, Houston, Pittsburg, Minneapolis, and Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed during a Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School. During the D.C. demonstration, victims of school shootings and celebrities spoke and/or performed while thousands of teens and young adults attended as advocates for gun-control. Many

Printed: September 2021 - Page 3 of 12 Article reprint from Adventistfaith.com on September 2021 2021© Paciﬁc Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Copyright, All Right Reserved. Christians, including Adventists, attended demonstrations across the U.S., undoubtedly feeling called by Christ to participate.

But one Parkland shooting victim and survivor who has gained some notoriety through numerous, televised interviews wasn’t in D.C. Or in Parkland, for that matter. On that March day, Samantha Grady was a state away from the Florida demonstration.

While Grady is still healing from wounds from two bullets, and even though she has participated in rallies in her community and at her high school, she decided to quietly stay out of the spotlight, not watching the CNN special that aired Friday night, nor attending any marches on Sabbath. That weekend, Grady traveled to Georgia with other Pompano Beach Seventh-day Adventist Church members to participate in a regional Pathﬁnder Bible Experience event.

“After CNN filmed me [for a profile], a group offered to pay our way to the march,” said Grady. “Hotel, airplane, everything. But going just wasn’t the right thing for me to do.”

Instead, she worshiped, prayed, and studied the Bible. A gifted soloist, pianist and viola player, Grady also took time to praise God with her supportive church family.

“My faith has brought me through this trial,” said Grady. “It’s a big part of who I am and I’m not afraid to talk about it or share it.” Grady is also not afraid to live it. For her—and her family—that meant, while casting no aspersions toward others, declining to participate.

“It’s not for us to decide what’s right for others,” said Sally Grady, Samantha’s mother. “For us . . . we will do what we always do on Sabbath. How could we do anything less?”

The Grady family, clear in their faith and reasoning, declared that it wasn’t luck that protected Samantha as the gunman ﬁred shots into her fourth period classroom. “God intervened in her life and that is why she was saved,” said Mrs. Grady.

Samantha’s father agreed. “That’s the reason Samantha can carry on. God’s got plans for her and she knows it,” James Grady said. “It’s our faith in God that brought us here and our faith that will continue to keep us going on.”

“We don’t understand why God permits these things to happen, but He’s still in charge and He loves us,” said Mrs. Grady. “It was a very diﬃcult time and still is, but I know with God’s grace we will get through it. I told Samantha

Printed: September 2021 - Page 4 of 12 Article reprint from Adventistfaith.com on September 2021 2021© Paciﬁc Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Copyright, All Right Reserved. that when darkness comes to her, remember Philippians 4:8.”

For Grady, she will continue to pursue her goal of being a pediatrician. And she will continue participation in her school’s Christian club, in her singing ministry, in Pathﬁnders and the Pathﬁnder Bible Experience, and with teaching kids at church.

As the Grady family, and a community, continue to heal in body and spirit, these words come to mind: “God’s people are neither to fear nor to despise their enemies. Putting their trust in God, they are to go steadily forward, doing His work with unselﬁshness, and committing to His providence the cause for which they stand” (Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 645).

* This ﬁgure was reported by March for Our Lives organizers; other groups have estimated the D.C. gathering to have been anywhere from 200,000 to more than 500,000.

— Kimberly Luste Maran is an associate director for the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Oﬃce of Communication; material for this article came from a video interview and conversations with the Grady family; video of the interview coming soon.

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS SUMMIT HELD IN BERKELEY Young people from around the Bay Area gathered for a Young Professionals Summit last weekend at the LIFE Adventist Church in Berkeley, Calif. The day included presentations and discussion time and provided a space for young professionals to discover how to live out their faith in the workplace. During their fellowship, the group also talked about ways in which their faith can be practical and relevant. “I see young people who love the Lord and each other and who every day are facing challenges to their faith, seeking to live with joy and purpose, thankful to have each other, and are engaging their community for God’s kingdom!” said Ron Pickell, Pastor of LIFE Adventist Church. The Young Professionals Summit is a great idea for churches with even a small group of young adults. Join us in praying for the young adults who came together at Berkeley and for all of our young professionals throughout the Paciﬁc Union who are seeking ways to live their faith and be witnesses for the Kingdom of God.

Printed: September 2021 - Page 6 of 12 Article reprint from Adventistfaith.com on September 2021 2021© Paciﬁc Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Copyright, All Right Reserved. Look for more events like this one at the LIFE Church by following their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LIFEberkeley/

********** LIGHT ABOVE CONGREGATION CELEBRATES CHANGE IN STATUS The Light Above group in Pasadena, Calif., celebrated becoming a “company” of the Southern California Conference last Sabbath. The group formed in 2006 with 21 believers and is now up to 107 members who are rallying to support this new company. Congregations change in status depending on the number of members they have, as well as the amount of tithe being brought in. Company status requires 75 adult members and $85,000 in tithe saved. This historic moment for the Light Above congregation is a wonderful demonstration of how God is at work in our midst.

For more information about what the Southern California Conference is doing, visit: https://scc.adventist.org/

******** “THE GOD WE WORSHIP” SYMPOSIUM AT DINUBA SDA CHURCH A special discussion about the Godhead will begin tonight, March 23, at the Dinuba Seventh-day Adventist church in central California. The program, titled “The God We Worship,” will continue on Sabbath and will include a discussion with leading theologians about “The God We Worship according to the Old Testament,” “The Trinity in the New Testament,” “The Amazing Work of the Holy Spirit,” and more.

Watch the symposium promo video at: https://vimeo.com/259957391

More details available on the Facebook event page at: https://www.facebook.com/events/429255094176154/

A recording of the program will be made available following the event at https://www.centralcaliforniaadventist.com/

*********** “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to them and dine with them, and they with Me” (Revelation 3:20)

A wonderful promise for All God’s People.

Del Delker, longtime soloist for Voice of Prophecy, passed away on Wednesday morning, January 31, 2018, in Porterville, Calif., at the age of 93.

Del, as generations of listeners and fellow believers knew her, spent much of her life and ministry in the Paciﬁc Union and ministered to listeners around the globe with her rich and deep vocal talent.

Though known for her musical career, Del is also treasured for the friendship she oﬀered those who knew her. “Del truly loved people,” said Ken Wade, writer and former executive producer of Voice of Prophecy. “She was a much-

Printed: September 2021 - Page 8 of 12 Article reprint from Adventistfaith.com on September 2021 2021© Paciﬁc Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Copyright, All Right Reserved. admired and emulated woman of faith, courage, fortitude, and compassion.”

For more than ﬁve decades, Del Delker was the Voice of Prophecy soloist. She traveled the world with Elder HMS Richards, Sr. and Elder HMS Richards, Jr.—and at thousands of events, she shared the musical billing with Brad and Olive Braley and The King’s Heralds. Adventists around the world fell in love with her contralto voice, and her quick- witted humor and dedication to ministry impressed her associates and audience alike.

Her music career began in 1947 when she joined the Voice of Prophecy as a secretary and musician. Despite feeling inadequate due of her lack of training in music, Del blossomed in her role. In 1948 she learned to sing in Spanish, opening a door to reach out to the Latin-American and Hispanic community. Del later learned to sing in Vietnamese and 12 other languages, and she sang of the love of Jesus in countries around the world, including the Philippines, Australia, and Brazil.

By 1951 she was ﬁnishing her ﬁrst of over 40 albums. In 1958 Del graduated from La Sierra University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, after which she devoted her life to a ministry of music to others through song and her work with the Voice of Prophecy. She was a favorite artist at camp meetings and convocations, and she frequently collaborated with other musicians and groups.

“Perhaps Del, along with the HMS Richards family and the King’s Heralds, helped bring out the softer side of Adventism by talking and singing about the goodness of God,” Wade said.

Though she retired in 1990, Del Delker continued to travel with Voice of Prophecy as her health permitted.

Many employees of the Paciﬁc Union remember Del fondly and were inspired by her work. “Del Delker touched more people around the world with her music and her testimony than any other single person I know,” said Connie Jeﬀery, associate communications director for the Southern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

More details about Del Delker, the independent spirit and musical visionary who graced the world with her poise and sincere devotion to Jesus, were shared in the Friday, February 2, 2018, episode of All God’s People.

Printed: September 2021 - Page 9 of 12 Article reprint from Adventistfaith.com on September 2021 2021© Paciﬁc Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Copyright, All Right Reserved. Printed: September 2021 - Page 10 of 12 Article reprint from Adventistfaith.com on September 2021 2021© Paciﬁc Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Copyright, All Right Reserved.

In a ruling issued Wednesday morning, January 17, 2018, the Tenth Circuit US Court of Appeals reversed a summary judgment for Kellogg’s, sending a Sabbath discrimination case back to the lower court for trial.

Richard Tabura and Guadalupe Diaz worked at a Morningstar Farms plant in Clearﬁeld, Utah, until they were both ﬁred in 2012 for accumulating attendance points, largely on account of their Sabbath observance.

Kellogg’s had argued that their religion-neutral scheduling system, which permitted employees to use vacation or sick leave or to ﬁnd swaps to obtain religious accommodation, satisﬁed its legal obligation. The Appellate Court

Printed: September 2021 - Page 11 of 12 Article reprint from Adventistfaith.com on September 2021 2021© Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Copyright, All Right Reserved. rejected that argument. The Court concluded that “an employer cannot take refuge behind a neutral policy if something more is required reasonably to accommodate a religious need.” Even so, the Court declined to adopt a “per se” rule that a reasonable religious accommodation must “eliminate” the conflict between the religious practice and the job requirement. As a practical matter, the decision makes it very difficult for employers in future cases to avoid jury trials on the reasonableness of any accommodation. The Court clearly said: “Determining what is reasonable is a fact-specific determination that must be made on a case-by-case basis.” Fact determinations are reserved for the jury.

The Court also expressed doubt about Kellogg’s claim that providing the accommodation would result in an undue hardship, citing the lack of evidence in the record. The Court reminded Kellogg’s that it had the legal burden to prove undue hardship.

The case was ﬁled by the Church State Council, with local counsel Eric Strindberg of the law ﬁrm of Strindberg & Scholnick. Appellate expert Gene Schaerr handled the appeal on behalf of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.