EDITORIAL PERSPECTIVE LET’S TALK MARANATHA FAME RUSH SWORD NORTHWEST ADVENTISTS IN ACTION PACIFIC PRESS PRESENT TRUTH STILL A PRIORITY AUG 2016 VOL.111, Nº8 4 For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, Psalm 116:8 CONTENTS august 2016 NORTHWEST ADVENTISTS IN ACTION 19 12 35 FEATURE CONFERENCE NEWS 4 EDITORIAL 8 Present Truth: Still a Priority 18 Accion 5 INTERSECTIONS 12 40th Convocation 19 Alaska 6 PICTURE THIS 14 NPUC School List 20 Idaho PERSPECTIVE 37 FAMILY 21 Montana 46 Fame Rush 22 Oregon 40 ANNOUNCEMENTS 48 When the Canaries Stop Singing 26 Upper Columbia 41 ADVERTISEMENTS LET’S TALK 32 Washington 50 Sword 35 Walla Walla University 4 36 Adventist Health MAX TORKELSEN Copyright © 2016 POSTMASTER: send all address changes to: Gleaner does not accept responsibility for August 2016 advertisers’ claims. Vol. 111, No. 8 North Pacific Union Conference Gleaner, 5709 N. 20th St., Ridgefield, WA 98642 ADVENTIST® and SEVENTH-DAY Gleaner (ISSN 0746-5874) is published Phone: 360-857-7000 ADVENTIST® are the registered trademarks once per month for a total of 12 issues per [email protected] of the General Conference of Seventh-day year by the North Pacific Union Conference gleanernow.com Adventists®. of Seventh-day Adventists®, 5709 N. 20th SUBMISSIONS: Timely announcements, St., Ridgefield, WA 98642. It is printed LITHO U.S.A. features, news stories and family notices and mailed at Pacific Press Publishing for publication in the Gleaner may be “Shadows on the Alvord Playa” Association®, 1350 N. Kings Rd., Nampa, ID Gleaner STAFF submitted directly to the project manager 83687-3193. Subscription rate: $13 per year. Editor: Steve Vistaunet in Fields, Ore., at the address listed above. Material sent Periodical postage paid at Ridgefield, WA Copy Editor: Laurel Rogers by Mary Lane Anderson, directly to local conference correspondents 98642 and additional mailing offices. Advertising and Project Manager: may be forwarded to the Gleaner. of Forest Grove, Ore. Desiree Lockwood OUR MISSION: Connecting Northwest PLEASE NOTE: Every reasonable effort Digital Media Coordinator: Adventists with an expanding hub of news is made to screen all editorial material Anthony White and inspiration. to avoid error in this publication. The Design: GUILDHOUSE Group 3 august 2016 MARANATHA As you look out across the landscape of our country and our world, it is enough to produce the biblical description of “men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth” (Luke 21:26). haos is evident everywhere. door Bible study work. Our shall hide me in his pavilion” C In terrorist threats and at- targeted trade book initiative (Ps. 27:3–5). tacks, in polarized political has distributed more than a God has promised to contention, in disregard for the hundred thousand truth-filled balance our fear with a great value of human life, and even books. Our Creation Study hope — the blessed hope. “Lay in the increasing extremes of Center is already providing hold upon the hope set before weather patterns. wonderful resources. Multiple us: which hope we have as an Brothers and sisters, fellow evangelistic meetings and mis- anchor of the soul, both sure members of the North Pacific sion trips happen every year. and steadfast” (Heb. 6:1–19). Union Conference, this is Humanly speaking, there’s “I urge you to press toward the indeed a time for Adventists rarely been a more productive mark for the prize of the high to actively share our faith in environment for sharing the calling of God in Christ Jesus” God’s promise of a soon com- gospel. We live in a global (Phil. 3:14). ing Savior. community where desert no- As many of you know, I Eight years ago, when mads have cell phones in their have decided to retire at the I became the NPUC team pockets and South Sea islanders time of our NPUC constitu- leader, I wrote in my firstGleaner message, We cannot let a global epidemic of fear “I’m very much like you. I feel uncertain spread faster than the good news. about a lot of things. My heart longs for peace and have satellite dishes mounted ency meeting in September. I sanity in the midst of a world on their grass shacks. I recall have already served well past that seems out of control. And an observation that the news the Levitical retirement age of I’ve concluded that the only of the 2001 twin tower attacks 50 (see Num. 8:25). I plan to place left to find in New York City was likely stay active in meaningful min- AUTHOR Max Torkelsen unfailing hope known by 85 percent of the istry, but I am looking forward and certainty is by going back world’s population within two to discontinuing my place to the unshakeable foundations hours of its occurrence. on more than 30 boards and of our values and beliefs.” I So, bearing a heavenly committees and focusing my believed it then and still commission, we cannot let a time, attention and energy on do today. The only differ- global epidemic of fear spread active, personal involvement ence is we are eight years faster than the good news. with ministry. closer to that grand Second God’s people have not been My prayer is that we will Advent. given a “spirit of fear; but of remain faithful to the mission God’s work has moved power and love” (2 Tim. 1:7). God has given us and He will forward. He has blessed “Fear thou not; for I am with keep us fruitful in our ministry us with significant prog- thee: be not dismayed; for I am until Jesus comes. ress. Our membership has thy God” (Is. 41:10). “Though Maranatha. surpassed the 100,000 mark. an host should encamp against SOULS Northwest is training me, my heart shall not fear … Max Torkelsen, North Pacific people for effective door-to- for in the time of trouble he Union Conference president 4 august 2016 SHADOW EMPIRE SERIES IMPACTS THE NORTHWEST n today’s media-saturated, on-demand land- Iscape, is it even possible to get people to walk through the doors of a church? From April 28 to 30, the Voice of content included ultra-high-definition LETTERS Prophecy’s Shadow Empire series re- aerial footage using a quadcopter, and vealed the answer is a clear “yes!” Hun- Boonstra taped his segments on loca- What About the Laptop? dreds of churches across North Amer- tion in countries such as Serbia, Turkey Interesting article on grace by Pastor ica — including many in the North and Italy. Weber in this month’s issue of the Gleaner Pacific Union Conference — held this Through a partnership with [Perspective, June 2016]. But what he four-part event, which focused on the SermonView, an evangelism market- didn’t tell us was whether he found his compelling life of Constantine and his ing ministry in Vancouver, Wash., laptop! continued impact on religious liberty hosts had access to a range of effective Ken James, Camas, Wash. today. promotional resources, including direct WEBER RESPONDS mail and social media. And It was never found, but insurance totally through the use of the series’ covered the cost of a new replacement. accompanying book, Shadow And, finally, somebody found my passport Emperor, and Shadow Empire in a garbage bin, and the police returned it to my apartment quickly. Thanks for caring Bible lessons, attendees about the outcome of my calamity, which received additional resources surely God worked for good according to for deeper study. His promise. “For a long time, I have wanted to be involved in evangelism,” explains Traci What About the Carothers, a member of the Volunteers? Pendleton (Ore.) Church. I enjoyed seeing the article about the “However, I have no Russian church [“Parousia Completes training or experience, nor House of Prayer,” June 2016]. The only can I afford time away from disappointment was the Maranatha volun- my family for some sort of teer group that actually built the structure evangelism training. The was not even mentioned. Voice of Prophecy made it Arland Sanborn, Redmond, Ore. In addition to documentary-style easy for someone with no experience to GLEANER RESPONDS segments featuring Shawn Boonstra, become fully engaged and involved in Thank you for this reminder. We need to sa- Voice of Prophecy speaker and director, reaching out to the community.” lute all volunteers, the unsung heroes who half of the program was led by the local Due to the overwhelming response work behind the scenes for the glory of God. pastor, which enabled guests to get to to the series and feedback from church- know their local church and register for es, Shadow Empire will return this follow-up Bible studies. Lyle Arakaki, fall, from Sept. 15 to 17. If your church Forest Park Church pastor in Everett, couldn’t participate the first time Wash., says he really “appreciated the around or would like to host it again, opportunity Shadow Empire gave the your chance is coming. Please have local pastor to have a significant role in your pastor visit shadowempire.com/ each presentation.” event for all the details. “Even though this was a seed-sowing event, some churches have already seen Michele Stotz, It Is Written Television amazing results, including baptisms,” public relations director reports Boonstra. The engaging 5 august 2016 The original Pacific Press. SEE PAGE A 40th anniversary convocation. SEE PAGE 8 12 6 august 2016 SEE PAGE Hispanic camp meeting reaches out. 29 Robotics team goes to national meet. Read Read Conversation in memory care.