Contents Editorial DECEMBER 2008 IAN KELLY In Every Issue Putting My Treasure Where My Heart Is 3 | Editorial y all indications, the state of our Seventh-day Adventist educational system Bis troubling. A cursory look might suggest that the negatives exceed the 4 | Newsline positives. Overall enrollment continues to decline while costs continue to rise. Teachers are marginalized, yet overextended. Facilities are aging and in need 8 | Potluck of repair or renovation. Subsidies are being reduced. Adventist schools are being assailed from all angles, and educators are retreating under calls for accountability, 6 retrenchment, consolidation, and even closure. 21 | Healthcare News Due to this and more, many members no longer support the Adventist philoso- phy on education, and some even denigrate our schools. Many parents are no longer prepared to sacrifice Newsletters for Christian education and view it as a line item expense rather than an investment in their child’s future. These are some of the thoughts that flooded our minds as my wife and I discussed the education of News & Features 25 Allegheny East our young children. Because I’m a longtime Adventist educator, some might deem attendance at “our” 27 Allegheny West schools inevitable. But that did not diminish our desire to provide the very best for our sons. So we 29 Chesapeake considered all the arguments and weighed our options prayerfully. 10 | Looking for Signs of the Times? In the end, it was easy. We made the decision to place our 5-year-old son, SeanLee (left)—our most 31 Columbia Union College precious responsibility—in a small, multigrade, three-teacher, Kermit Netteburg 33 Highland View Academy Seventh-day Adventist school, with an enrollment of 35 students. 35 Mountain View In time his brother will follow. Do you look for signs of Christ’s return in disasters? Do you find comfort in saying that Jesus’ return must be near because so many 37 Mt. Vernon Academy WHY INVEST? bad things are happening? Do you want to warn your neighbors that 39 New Jersey Ellen White said: “In the highest sense, the work of educa- the end is near because the situation is so bad? Read our year-end Education, 41 Ohio tion and the work of redemption are one” ( p. 20). devotional and discover some more important signs of the times. 43 Pennsylvania We have no intention of relinquishing our responsibility or 45 Potomac partnering with others who hold a different philosophy in this 14 | From Punk to Pastor important task. 47 Shenandoah Valley Kara Watkins Like many of you, we want our child to be in an environment Academy that is decidedly spiritual, where educators partner with us as 48 Takoma Academy As police helicopters hovered overhead, parents for his redemption. We want him to be in the care of their searchlights streamed through hole- teachers who daily model the “fruits of the Spirit.” We want well- ridden walls, revealing discarded syringes, 51 | Bulletin Board qualified, certified teachers who will provide him with a strong, educational foundation. We want him to be around Christians Whatrotting am trash, I doing and here? buckets of human waste. wondered runaway- 55 | Last Words who are possessed by the Holy Spirit and biblically grounded. teen Josh Voigt. Read the rest of his story, We want him to develop friendships and relationships with students who share the same faith and val- Edward Motschiedler and find out how this felon found forgive- ues we teach at home. We want him to be actively involved in outreach and soul-winning efforts, and to ness and favor from God. openly share Scripture and prayer in school, not just at church. No doubt, there are imperfections and obstacles that will arise to make us question our investment, 16 | Adventist Facilities Provide but already we are reaping dividends. Not only is SeanLee excelling in academics, he’s grasping spiritual On the Web – themes. We love when he sings hymns and songs he has learned or speaks to us on spiritual matters a Safe Haven for Seniors addressed in the classroom. News – Stay connected to Now, more than ever, we’re thankful Adventists have invested so much in building a strong educa- Regina Reid Clairmont your church family between issues of the Visitor. Stop tional system that can be found worldwide and is the second-largest of its kind. We’re thankful for the Where can you find a supportive and caring environment for by regularly to find news, sacrificial contributions of the teachers who care for our children and go above and beyond the call of the aging in which God’s love and compassion can be experi- videos, podcasts, photo duty. The impact on students like SeanLee will be manifested in two ways—in his earthly success and enced and felt by all? Adventist-owned senior housing is reach- blogs, links to all our his eternal future. organizations, and more. ing a market that is exploding and extending the ministry of the Ian Kelly ([email protected]) serves as associate director of education for the Columbia Union Conference. church. Read about these “safe havens” and use our handy columbiaunion.org Educated at Columbia Union College (Md.), Andrews University (Mich.), and Newbold College (England), he directory to learn more. recently completed a Doctor of Ministry in Religious Education from Howard University (Wash., D.C.). 2 | VISITOR DECEMBER 2008 | 3 Newsline Newsline TAASHI ROWE Former Columbia Chesapeake Medicine/Cardiology at Duke Men Transformed Union President Conference Names University Medical Center; Passes Away New Treasurer and Harold G. Koenig, MD, at Faith Retreat Wallace O. Coe, co-director of Duke’s Center president The Chesapeake Conference for Spirituality, Theology, and of the Columbia Union Executive Committee recently Eduardo Muñoz Health. They shared research Conference elected confer- series of transformations about the Lord today and make that supports the value of treating A from 1978- ence treasurer. He replaces A. recently took place at the Him our choice,” he says. the whole person—mind, body, 85, recently Ramon Chow who accepted Mt. Aetna Camp and Retreat Keynote speaker Pastor and spirit. passed away a call to serve as executive Center in Hagerstown, Md., Damien Johnson (below) at the age secretary and treasurer of during the third annual of Potomac Conference’s of 85. His Adventist-laymen’s Services Maryland Men of Faith (MMOF) Pennsylvania Avenue church in 43-year and Industries, the ministry- Conference. The one-day retreat Capitol Heights, Md., presented create a Maryland chapter, ministry in the Seventh-day focused association of Seventh- not only revealed to Christian which he did in 2006. Adventist Church included day Adventist business owners. men the key elements to priest- Accompanied by Williams pastoral and administrative Muñoz came to Chesapeake hood, but also challenged them and Bobby Smith (below, right), leadership in the Georgia- to serve as associate treasurer in to reprioritize and focus on another Atholton member, Cumberland, Alabama- 2000 from the Texas Conference, obtaining a Godly atmosphere in these leaders firmly believed in “There are some people who Mississippi, Carolina, and where he functioned in a simi- their homes and communities. the positive domino effect gen- say that spirituality doesn’t play a Florida conferences. He also lar role. He holds an MBA from Sponsored by the Personal erated from this type of min- role in the healing process,” says served as president of the Southwestern Adventist Ismael Gama Ministries departments of istry. Marriages, prayer life, (above, right), asso- Northern and Central unions; University (Texas). Chesapeake Conference’s and mentoring are just a few ciate vice president of Mission and as general vice president “The confidence in Eduardo messages that opened many areas they sought to revitalize. Integration and Spiritual Care for of the worldwide Adventist expressed by the executive com- eyes and helped the brethren Later that year, the trio put WAH’s parent company, Adventist Church. After retiring to mittee was rethink their motives and objec- together and executed the first HealthCare. “However, medical Florida, Coe served eight years gratifying,” tives. “My goal is for you to go MMOF Conference. A retreat research says differently, and it is as vice president of Spiritual says presi- home with a new desire to be a filled with one-day’s worth of nice to see science catch up with Ministries for Adventist dent Rob better husband, father, and instruction and relief became something that the Seventh-day Health System. Vandeman. minister,” Johnson explained. an annual protocol. Adventist Church has long His work in the Columbia “He has a ––Jennifer Gilroy Today the MMOF Conference believed.” INSPIRED BEGINNING Union, where he led in build- servant’s (mmof.org) continues to ing the union’s current office, heart and will carry on the tradi- Inspired by the Michigan recharge men emotionally and was marked by “membership tion of capable, qualified financial From the Baltimore First and Atholton Men of Faith Conference in 1998, spiritually. Organizers envision growth and other significant leadership in this conference.” Pulpit churches—located in Ellicott Atholton church’s Arnold Moore a chapter in every state and contributions” noted Dave ChesapeakeRead more Challenge about Muñoz in the City and Columbia, Md., (below, left) became determined would like to expand overseas. Weigley, current union presi- —Samantha Youngnewsletter on “The currency of today’s culture respectively—this year’s event to not only enhance his own In the meantime, they’re grow- dent. Even to the end, Weigley page 29. is image. The church is the only consisted of six seminars and relationship with God, but also ing the program locally and said, Coe was “still passionate Washington Adventist organization still trying to commu- two presentations.