northwest aDv entists in action OctOber 2010 Vol. 105, No. 10 DistinctiveOur BranD Physically, mentally, of care sPiritually www.Gleaneronline.orG imaGes of creation eacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3:18 (NIV) “Autumn Trees” by Roger Windemuth of Brush Prairie, Wash. P e Ditorial aDventist health: It's Part of Our Mission o you know why Seventh-day Adventists are seeks to restore us to the wholeness for which our Dso focused on good health for themselves Eden parents were originally designed. “Our distinctive and others? Here are a few thoughts. There’s even an element of stewardship to good brand of care We believe good communication builds good health. Scripture says, “Your body is the temple means staff relationships. God communicates with us through of the Holy Ghost ... ye are not your own ... ye members are not our minds and senses. If we want to know God are bought with a price, therefore, glorify God in really well, we will be anxious to keep these chan- your body and in your spirit, which are God’s,” (I only interested in nels of communication as sharp as possible. Good Corinthians 6:19, 20). It is important to care for our finding healing for health plays an important part in our relationship bodies and keep them in optimum health because disease, but also for with God. our usefulness to God, and in fact, our very percep- the whole person — We would agree with Paul Tillich who said, “To tion of God, is greatly influenced by our physical, physically, mentally speak of health one must speak of all dimensions of mental and emotional health. and spiritually.” life which are unified in man.” For these reasons the Adventist church has been Many early Adventists adopted this holistic out- led into a large field of ministry that emphasizes look as our church grew in its spiritual formation. health. We operate hospitals and clinics, train It simply recognizes all factors — mental, physical physicians and nurses, and print publications and spiritual — are inseparable parts of our being. focused on healthy living. Our churches Ellen White wrote in 1887, “Our Lord Jesus conduct health education programs Christ came to this world as the unwearied servant throughout their communities. of man’s necessity ... It was His mission to bring to And by integrating faith with health, men complete restoration; He came to give them Adventist Health organizations have set health and peace and perfection of character. From themselves apart. Our distinctive brand Him flowed a stream of healing power, and in body of care means staff members are not only and mind and soul men were made whole.” interested in finding healing for disease, but also This viewpoint is completely different from what for the whole person — physically, mentally and many believe today — that wholeness can be found spiritually. by looking inward to self. As Adventists, we believe This was the style of care modeled by Jesus. I we must look to, and believe in, an infinite refer- believe it will be part of our Adventist ence point outside ourselves — God. mission until He comes again. Interestingly enough the Greek words for “health” and “whole” are the same. To be an Ad- ventist is not just to belong to a church but to adopt a new lifestyle which affects every aspect of life. It max torkelsen ii North Pacific Union Conference president and Adventist Health board of directors vice chair 3 n ews anD notes new nPUc executive secretary elected John R. Loor Jr., has accepted the invitation of the North Pacific Union Conference executive committee to become the new NPUC executive secretary. Loor, who has served as Montana Con- ference president since 2000, will succeed Bryce Pascoe who retired Aug. 1. He expects to assume these new responsibilities in October. In addition to a master of divinity degree, Loor holds a degree in business administration with an emphasis in management. He has served as a pas- tor in California, Kentucky and Colorado and has helped to direct church ministries, youth, Sabbath School and community services for conferences in California and Southern New England. committee studies nPUc/conference In January 1998, Loor joined the Upper Colum- John R. Loor Jr. structure bia Conference based in Spokane, Wash., where he An NPUC-appointed ad hoc committee held its worked with Max Torkelsen, then UCC president, as assistant to the president first meeting Aug. 26 to explore ways to streamline and communication director. He moved to his most current role as Montana the functions of union and conference leadership Conference president in January 2000. within the NPUC. Dennis Carlson, Walla Walla John and his wife, Susan, have two children: Cindy, who is married, in Loma University vice president for university advancement, Linda, Calif., and Rob, a current student at Walla Walla University. is chairing the committee, which includes 18 mem- Loor is excited to begin this new role. “I’m truly honored,” he says. “Susan and bers from around the Northwest. Carlson expects I have had ten wonderful years serving the folk in the Montana Conference, and the group to meet several times before submitting I feel God has led us in this decision. I’m humbled to be used by Him to forward observations or recommendations to the NPUC His work here throughout the North Pacific Union. The neat thing about accept- constituency session in September 2011. Here are the ing this call is that we don’t have to say goodbye to our current friends. After all, members of the committee: Dennis Carlson, chair; Montana is part of the North Pacific Union!” Harold Altamirano; Jim Bergland; Sandy Eichmann; Ruth Farnsworth; Gary Fogelquist; Bob Folkenberg Jr.; Russell Gilbert; Ruth Harms; Tanya Huether; oops Lanny Hurlbert; Steve Libby; Don Mead; Mickey In the September GLEANER, on page 21, the camp meeting audience/speaker Meyer; Richard Parker; Bob Paulsen; Mark Remboldt; picture caption reads that Ron Clouzet was pictured. It’s actually Terry Johnsson Tom Russell; and Alvaro Sauza. who is pictured speaking before the Washington Adventist Camp Meeting audience. Pacific Press holds constituency meeting Pacific Press Publishing Association based in Nampa, Idaho, held its quin- quennial constituency meeting on Thursday, Aug. 12. Lowell Cooper, board chair, called attention to a management report detailing four areas of recent growth: 1) affirmation of a mission to uplift Jesus Christ; 2) improving the quality of all products; 3) promoting increased efficiency; and 4) reducing costs through new money-saving processes. The report also noted more than one million Magabooks have been distributed since the last quinquennial session, literature evangelists have given more than 28,000 Bible studies and the Home Health Edu- cation Services program has reported more than 850 baptisms. The constituency approved a 28-member board with strong representation from laity with business or publishing experience to deal effectively with chal- lenging trends in the print industry. The board voted to reappoint the manage- ment team: Dale Galusha, president; Don Upson, vice president of finance; Chuck Bobst, vice president for production; Doug Church, vice president of mar- Newly reappointed PPPA executives. keting and sales; and Jerry D. Thomas, vice president for product development. 4 Gleaner • OctOber 2010 l etters national vs. local GLEANER There were many nice 5709 N. 20th St. photos of the GC Session Ridgefield, WA 98642 in the GLEANER. However, I was disappointed to see it so focused on this event that it missed an important opportunity to minister to the state of Oregon, most how God is leading specifically to the Portland our educational work in remote and Salem areas. The missed locations. community opportunity was not including Our K–8 school in with enthusiasm and Better Life Camp Meeting/ Dillingham, Alaska, is remote thanksgiving. Because of this Convocation in the GLEANER in the extreme sense of the program we’ve grown until we and making [readers] aware word! We are approximately need a full-time third teacher, not true in our situation, where of the new [Portland area] TV 300 air miles from Anchorage whom we’ve recently hired. we are adding more students station and what is needed to and the nearest Adventist The money received from through our commitment get it on the air. But since the school. This is an outreach- the Remote and Necessary to outreach yet not seeing a GLEANER is supposed to cover focused school fulfilling assistance is vital to keeping significant increase in church the Oregon Conference news, it an enormous need in the our doors open. Unfortunately, membership. seems this would be a priority community for Christian due to our growth and the While I understand that item. education. More than 90 addition of our third teacher, regulations are put in place — Gloria Wilson, percent of our students come we are soon to lose this source for a purpose and that money Grants Pass, Ore. from non-Adventist homes. of funding. The current is scarce in these difficult GLEANER responds: Perhaps There is never enough money regulations state that a remote economic times, please consider a couple articles in the on the books, but somehow it and necessary institution is a giving our school special print magazine, as well as always stretches to cover our one- or two-teacher school. consideration. numerous blurbs in our weekly expenses, including the high In most cases, a third teacher — Debbie Reiswig, GleanerNOW! E-newsletter and cost of heating fuel. At the close indicates church growth and Dillingham, Alaska the GLEANER website have of the 2008–09 school year, an increased tithe base. This is not been enough.