EDITORIAL FEATURE JUST LIKE JESUS PROTEST ASI NORTHWEST THE TOUCH OF GOD MAR 2017 VOL.112, Nº3 You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. Psalm 18:28 CONTENTS march 2017 NORTHWEST ADVENTISTS IN ACTION 22 19 28 FEATURE CONFERENCE NEWS 4 EDITORIAL 8 John Freedman: 14 Accion 5 INTERSECTIONS A Prayerful Journey 15 Alaska 12 ASI Northwest: Fresh 33 FAMILY Direction, Expanded Vision 16 Idaho 35 ANNOUNCEMENTS PERSPECTIVE 18 Montana Thesaurus ADVERTISEMENTS 42 19 Oregon 36 44 A Prophetic Question 24 Upper Columbia JUST LIKE JESUS 27 Washington 46 The Touch of God 31 Walla Walla University 42 32 Adventist Health SETH PIERCE Copyright © 2017 POSTMASTER: send all address changes to: Gleaner does not accept responsibility for March 2017 advertisers’ claims. Vol. 112, No. 3 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 “Last Light” 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 Bandon, Ore., at the address listed above. Material sent Periodical postage paid at Ridgefield, WA Copy Editor: Laurel Rogers by Scott Knight, directly to local conference correspondents 98642 and additional mailing offices. Advertising and Production Coordinator: may be forwarded to the Gleaner. of Battle Ground, Wash. 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 march 2017 PROTEST wasn’t the only one. Some protests are far more organized church confronted I Countless children worthy than my short-lived the princes … if I’d watched through the centuries had effort. They confront us with Nazis rounding up my Jewish tried it and failed. I was moral choices that cannot be neighbors … .” ignorant of such odds. compromised. Such is the chal- But beyond all those As I recall, my mother had lenging climate in which we hypotheticals here’s a better refused to grant some childish now live — both in our nation question. I’m living now. On request, and I was as furious as and in our church. what principles will I act now? a 4-year-old can be. But instead In her book The Great On what matters of conscience Controversy, Ellen White will I speak up now? What hill Am I willing at this moment to describes “The Protest of the is high enough for me to die Princes.” These faithful follow- on now? Am I willing at this stand for the right though the ers of the Protestant move- moment to stand for the right heavens fall? ment were called to appear though the heavens fall? at the second Diet of Spires Even as we ponder the of throwing a useless tantrum, in 1529. They faced a hostile health of the nation, our I stomped purposefully to my church-state alliance that had church also stands in the need room and began to plan my at one point exclaimed, “If of prayer. Union conference escape from totalitarianism. we must choose between the presidents in North America Into a bag went several items Holy Scriptures of God and have been summoned by world of clothing, a harmonica and a the old errors of the church, church leaders to seek a way stuffed animal. we should reject the former.” through a maze of principles, “Where are you going?” Rejecting compromise, the politics and policies. The health asked my mother, who had princes instead drafted a solemn of our collective unity is being quietly been watching from the response that declared they weighed in the balance. doorway. would not “consent nor adhere What could the princes of “I’m leaving,” I retorted. in any manner whatever to the long ago teach us by example? “I’m going away.” This would proposed decree in anything What heavenly core values cause her to retract her harsh that is contrary to God, to his could your testimony or mine stance, I reasoned. She would Word, to our right conscience, now share to encourage the be crushed with remorse and or to the salvation of souls” (p. church to move beyond the sta- grant my wish. 202). tus quo and be fully re-engaged Instead, she calmly said, Sometimes we think to with our Father’s business? “Aren’t you ourselves, “If I had been alive AUTHOR Steve Vistaunet going to take then, I would’ve … . If I’d Steve Vistaunet, Gleaner editor some soap or been in Herod’s palace when a toothbrush?” he called for the head of John Faced with maternal wis- the Baptist … if I had stood dom and a bleak life out on the along the road as Jesus strug- road devoid of toasted cheese gled past with the cross … if I Respond to any Gleaner topic by sandwiches and tomato soup, I had watched the proceedings emailing [email protected]. stayed. at the Diet of Spires when the 4 march 2017 LETTERS Thanks for the ‘Let’s Talk’ Memories I was sorry to read that you for the thought-provok- I’ve only written in once over my time and extremely you will not be writing “Let’s ing articles for the past many before, and that was to com- picky when it comes to reading Talk” in the Gleaner in the years — and for the quality plain/point out an error. And material (I rarely read the cover future. Just wanted you to paper you do every month for yet for the past eight years I’ve articles for any Adventist pub- know that you will be missed. us. enjoyed reading your column, lication). Perhaps that is a curse I always look forward to your Lara Dowie, Vancouver, Wash. your humility, honesty and of a theological education; column every time I receive humor. So when I just read nothing seems subtle enough to hold my attention. But I an issue. While I know your you are turning your back page I have been enjoying always found time to take in replacement and look forward your column “Let’s Talk” for spot over to someone else, I your thoughts. Thank you for to reading his thoughts, I have nine years. I look forward to have to say I am sorry and have sharing with and investing in really enjoyed your pieces it with every issue. Now you very much appreciated your your readership. I’m sure that I because they are always based tell me it is not going to be contributions. Thank you! am one of many who appreci- on some very practical and there anymore. That makes me Loy Dixon, Great Falls, Mont. ates your ministry. down-to-earth ideas. Thank sad. Why can’t we have [Dick you for making the Gleaner a Duerksen’s articles] in addition Just read that you are Joseph Olstad, Whitefish, Mont. great publication. to your column? We need your turning over your back page Myron Whiting, College insight, Steve, and your special to another. I wanted to let Place, Wash. way of showing us the impor- you know that I am jealous tance of different issues. Thank No, no, no! Dick Duerksen you so much for your guidance is a wonderful writer, but add and please consider continuing STEVE VISTAUNET RESPONDS: Thanks to all for such him, don’t ax yourself! I don’t your column. kind words. You’ll love Dick Duerksen’s column this have time to read much of the Dennis J. Whitted, month on that back page, and I’ll continue to put in my Gleaner or even the Review, but Gresham, Ore. I always get your editorial read two bits from time to time in editorials. (and Seth’s and almost always The final words in Steve Martin’s) and feel like I’ve Vistaunet’s January “Let’s gotten food for thought! Could Talk” — “Consider it, instead, you at least write something a free upgrade,” in regards to every other issue? Please? Mr. Vistaunet’s “retirement” Liz Trupp, Battle Ground, Wash. from his column — is not true in my estimation. I will think I just read your “farewell of it as only a change. Please article” in the Gleaner — and let Steve know how much I do remember your first I will miss the tenets of his one about the stinky paper! I articles so wittingly woven in have very much enjoyed your his entertaining stories. It is his articles, and I am sad you are page that I would save for last handing over the reins. But to read — not because it was I know Dick will do a great last, but because I enjoyed it job as well, and I look forward the most. to hearing from him. Thank Adria Hay, Hoquiam, Wash. 5 march 2017 40 days of prayer ended with this. SEE PAGE 25 Prineville SEE PAGE reaches out. 23 Ministering to tomorrow’s SEE PAGE leaders.