NORTHWEST ADVENTISTS IINN AACTIONCTION AUGUST 2011 Vol. 106, No. 8 IMAGES OF CREATION or the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land — a land with brooks, streams, F and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills. Deuteronomy 8:7 (NIV) ‘East Fork of Lostine Valley’ in Wallowa County, Oregon, by Ken Rose of Enterprise, Oregon. EDITORIAL Love, Passion 35 Years of Regional Convocation he history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church sion, and the North Pacifi c Union Conference, they Tis written with the lives of men and women were able to persuade church leadership of the need “Be strong fi lled with a love for God, courage to stand for right, for this appointment. and a compelling desire to see the gospel go to “every In 1977, an NPUC offi ce for African leadership and follow nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,” (Rev. was established to serve the Northwest. One of the 14:6). Th ey possessed limited resources and, at times, duties of the newly appointed regional aff airs direc- through had no support from the establishment. Yet, these tor was to create a venue to bring African-American pioneers forged ahead to fulfi ll a mission placed churches together. Because of this, other ethnic lead- with your upon their hearts by the Holy Spirit. ers were brought on board in later years to support A few years ago, I stood by the grave of Abra- the rapidly growing multicultural work. convictions.” ham La Rue in a little cemetery in Hong Kong. I As the familiar song goes, “It only takes a spark to wondered how this fi rst missionary to Hong Kong get a fi re going ...” Th at initial spark from the Holy felt when the church refused to send him to China Spirit also birtheded our annual Regional Convoca- because they felt he was not qualifi ed. Undaunted, he tion. Each year, duringduring thethe secondsecond weekweek in MayMay,, raised his own money, bought a one-way ticket and people from all overover thethe NorthwestNorthwest andand west-west- boarded a ship in San Francisco heading to Hong ern Canada gatherher at CampCamp BerachahBerachah near Kong as a self-supporting missionary for Jesus. Auburn, Washington,ngton, fforor spirituaspirituall fellowshipfellowship H.M.S. Richards Sr. had the same pioneer spirit and as a venue forfor blackblack churcheschurches to comecome when he proposed using radio to spread the gospel, together. It’s signifinifi cant to note thatthat BeracBerachahhah only to be told by church leaders it was a bad idea. means “Valley off Blessings.”Blessings.” Of course, years later, the success of Th e Voice of I salute the Concernedoncerned CCommitteeommittee whosewhose Prophecy was so overwhelming, even the doubters vision and dedicationcation inspires us still. Pio- claimed they supported it from the beginning. neers like the committee,ommittee, La Rue Th is year we are celebrating 35 years of the and Richards, arere followinfollowingg Regional Convocation. Th is milestone was made Christ’s calling inn countries possible by a compelling drive of four men and two around the worldld todtoday.ay. women who called themselves the Concerned Com- Whatever burdensrdens the mittee. Just what were they concerned about? Th ey Lord places on youryour heart wanted to reach African-American communities in for reaching menn and the Northwest with the Th ird Angel’s Message. And, women with thee ever- in spite of determined opposition, they believed an lasting gospel, bee strongstrong African-American leader in the North Pacifi c Union and follow throughugh Conference was crucial to the success of this cause. with your convictions.ctions. Th rough much prayer, fasting and letter writing to the General Conference, the North American Divi- ALPHONSO MCCARTHY North Pacific Union Conferencee Vice President for Regional Affairsrs AugustAugAAuugu g usustu sts t 2011202 0 111 1 • GLEANERGLEGGLLEL E ANEANA N R NEWS AND NOTES New ASI-Northwest Offi cers Elected Adventist-Laymen’s Services and Industries Northwest chapter held its spring meeting April 28–May 1 on the beautiful shores of Coeur d’Alene Lake, Idaho. Those who attended were blessed and inspired with the prayer-breakfast message by Henry Martin and by featured weekend speakers Steve Wohlberg and Duane McKey. New officers are pictured here, from left: Rod Bar- New Idaho Vice President for tholomew, Barbara Black, Irwin Rogers, Carolyn McHan, Ron Finance Oliver, Janet Evert and Nathanael Martin. John Rogers, most recently Oregon Con- Whoops ference undertreasurer, has accepted the invitation of the Idaho Conference Execu- I appreciate the good work you did on the article about the tive Committee to serve as vice president for Orthodox priest who recently was baptized [May 2011, Ortho- finance. Rogers has spent the past 20 years dox Priest Baptized in Coeur d Alene Church]. I’d like to make a in treasury work at the North Pacific Union correction. I was identified as a Northwest evangelist. Actually, I Conference and Oregon Conference offices. am the evangelist with Life Discovery Series, which is associated Rogers, his wife Tonya, and their three chil- with the It is Written ministry. dren hope to make the transition to Idaho residency and work by the first of August. Thanks, Elder Jim Reinking Evangelist/Revivalist Dear Counselor: Do You Have a Question? Dying for a Good Relationship? My husband and I Do you have an issue or question to send have a niece at the to “Dear Counselor?” Email it to talk@ John Gottman, relationship local college. Since gleaneronline.org. Your identity will be guru, says 69 percent of all her parents are at kept anonymous but the content of your couples have relationship issues a distant location, question will be shared with the WWU that are not resolvable. we have “adopted” School of Education and Psychology so her and often invite they can prepare an appropriate answer “But the Masters of relation- her to our home for meals or to for you and other GLEANER readers. ships do just fine despite their come along with us on outings. differences,” Gottman says, More recently, we have found her Cheri Corder and the “while the Disasters of relation- rather distant and turning down Surprise Message... ships crash and burn.” our invitations. We have not changed our attitude at all, but it Read Mike Jones’ After a stressful week, Cheri August column seems that she has. What should was happily amazed to receive we do? at the GLEANER a huge bouquet of flowers. Blog to discover Read good advice from the She was also amazed at the five steps to be- staff at the Walla Walla Univer- attached card. The sender had come a Master at sity School of Education and intended to say one thing — your relationship. Psychology this month on the but the florist didn’t get it quite right. What GLEANER Blog. did the card say? Read about it in Cheri Corder’s column on the GLEANER Blog. Add your comments to the GLEANER blog at www.GleanerOnline.org. 4 GLEANER • August 2011 GLEANER 5709 N. 20th St. Send let Ridgefi to t ters, eld, WA 98642 alk@ stor glea ies, nero pho Adventists Supported Hitler? nlin tos e.org. You wrote [Let’s Talk, June 2011] that some Adventists ... aligned with Hitler. Did I understand correctly? It’s not going to change my love for my church because I am were] ... of Jewish origin to themselves so learning to be grounded on the Word that they were delivered to imprisonment, of God. I just want to make sure in case exile or death.” In addition, some Adven- someone from a different denomination tist congregations there expelled members Affi rmation for Child-care Stance brings it up. I am sure many others did of Jewish heritage. The statement goes on the same. The way you put it is like the to make an important conclusion for us As an Adventist working mom, I read Sue organization was behind Hitler. Please tell all: “The obedience we owe to the state Patzer’s interview [Free as Lambs, July me who from our church was enthusiastic authorities [should] not lead to giving up 2011] with great interest. I really appreci- with this leader. biblical convictions and values.” ated her compassionate, thoughtful views Teresa Hayden, Clayton, Washington on child care in the 21st century. She’s In spite of the intense pressures of those right! Child care is now an essential thread GLEANER: In our research, it appears the times, there were Adventists, such as in the social fabric; it definitely is in our world church did not subscribe to Hitler’s John Weidner, who worked tirelessly to family. Our one-year-old is enrolled at agenda, yet some local leaders of that era rescue many from the Nazi regime. For a Discoveryland in the Mt. Tabor (Portland, did. A statement of apology published by fascinating read, check out the article from Oregon) Church, and my husband and I Adventist church leaders from Austria the Adventist Review available online at: are so grateful that such a wonderful and and Germany in May 2005 acknowledges http://www.adventistreview.org/article. obviously Christ-centered place exists. local Adventist congregations “excluded, php?id=92. separated and left [church members who Marianne Altman, Portland, Oregon FROM THE GLEANER ARCHIVES Can You Tell Us Where This Is? We need your help. Do you recognize any of these faces? Do you have an idea of where and when the photo was taken? Help us identify this photo in our archives. Add your comments to the August Archival Photo on the GLEANER Blog at www.gleaneronline.