EDITORIAL PERSPECTIVE JUST LIKE JESUS MOVING FORWARD DEFENDING THE FAITH BENEATH THE HOODIE TOGETHER NORTHWEST ADVENTISTS IN ACTION NITE UON AND ETERNAL JUL ChurchMISSION and School Partnerships 2017 VOL.112, Nº7 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Psalms 32:1 CONTENTS july 2017 NORTHWEST ADVENTISTS IN ACTION 22 29 42 FEATURE CONFERENCE NEWS 4 EDITORIAL 8 United on an Eternal Mission 22 Acción 6 PICTURE THIS 14 Caring Heart Award Winners 23 Alaska for 2017 50 FAMILY 24 Idaho 18 Northwest Adventist Schools 52 ANNOUNCEMENTS 27 Montana PERSPECTIVE 53 ADVERTISEMENTS 58 Defending the Faith 30 Oregon 60 An Autopsy of Our Death 37 Upper Columbia LET’S TALK 43 Washington 62 Beneath the Hoodie 48 Walla Walla University 4 49 Adventist Health JOHN FREEDMAN Copyright © 2017 POSTMASTER: send all address changes to: Gleaner does not accept responsibility for July 2017 advertisers’ claims. Vol. 112, No. 7 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 “Morning on the 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 Alvord Desert, 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 Production Coordinator: 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 july 2017 v Moving Forward Together hen I was a newly baptized point in any direction. But ence (GC) mission statements. W Seventh-day Adventist when you line up another post This important consistency of young adult, I had family and then another and another, mission cannot be overstated. and friends who were not the direction becomes crystal Aligning our mission at all in the church. The Holy Spirit clear. levels of the church will point had poured the love of Christ In similar fashion, I us in the same direction as we into my heart, and my first believe it’s important to honor seek to lead people to faith in impulse was to share with each the unity of truth as it’s found Christ Jesus. of them the eternal good news point by point in the Scriptures Intentional alignment I had found. and to align ourselves and ev- states clearly that we are all Fortunately, I had a pastor ery element of our church with on the same team. It means who was willing and eager to common beliefs and world- we find our unity in mission teach me how to give a Bible wide mission. and direction, not in methods. study. One of the illustrations So, I am delighted that Unity in mission is not strict he shared with me was about our North Pacific Union Con- uniformity in action — it wel- lining up ference (NPUC) executive comes the implementation of AUTHOR John Freedman fence posts. committee has voted a revised ministry approaches uniquely When we mission statement to bring appropriate to each region of look at one fence post, he said, us more into alignment with our territory and the world. we don’t really know how it the North American Division None of us want to be like will eventually line up. It could (NAD) and General Confer- David struggling to go to battle ARE WE PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION FOR HIS GLORY? Much can be accomplished when Christ’s followers STEP 1: An Aligned Mission Statement At their regularly scheduled meeting in May, the NPUC collaborate on the common executive committee members approved a revised mission mission, when they embrace statement. The new wording is adapted to align with a set of shared priorities and the REACH component of the North American Division statement and with the mission of the world church. values in answer to His call. Our mission: “To reach the North Pacific Union The North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) Conference, North America and the world with the is taking steps toward a collaborative approach to distinctive, Christ-centered, Seventh-day Adventist mission, priorities, core values and strategy. message of Hope and Wholeness.” An expanded version of this mission adds the following words that further resonate with the world church mission: “This mission statement is a concise expression of the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which is — ‘to make disciples of all people, communicating the everlasting gospel in the context of the Three Angels’ Messages of Rev. 14:6–12, leading them to accept Jesus as their personal Savior and unite with His remnant church, discipling them to serve Him as Lord, and preparing them for His soon return.’” 4 july 2017 v WE FIND OUR UNITY IN MISSION AND DIRECTION, NOT IN METHODS. in Saul’s armor. Pastors, teach- mission to educate committed glory?” Are we ers and outreach workers, I’ve workers for the church. aligned on mission found, are most effective when In addition to approving in every conference, wearing their own armor. a revised mission, our church and school to The mission of our church executive committee has also move forward together in our in North America and around adopted three strategic priorities divine calling? the world is best accomplished for 2017–2020, based on this Methods may vary, but as a partnership of each area of mission and the advice of our my prayer is that we will find our organization. But where local conference leaders. Right our unity in a common focus the proverbial rubber really at the top of those priorities is a on God’s divinely appointed meets the road is within the focused effort to reengage with mission. May each of us be local conference level at the young adults as vital partners in fully engaged with effective, front lines of local churches and Seventh-day Adventist mission efficient and united efforts schools. So, a central purpose and ministry. to share our “distinctive, within our NPUC mission is Here below are the steps Christ-centered Seventh-day to serve as a resource center we are taking to pursue our Adventist message of hope and for each Northwest conference Savior’s mission throughout wholeness” throughout the to support our collective the Northwest. Northwest and the world. world mission through local Let’s prayerfully and per- ministries. We also aid Walla sistently ask, “Are we pulling John Freedman, North Pacific Walla University (WWU) in its in the same direction for His Union Conference president ARE WE PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION FOR HIS GLORY? STEP 2: Recognition of Top Priorities PRIORITY 3: TOTAL MEMBER INVOLVEMENT The executive committee also affirmed three priorities the NPUC We believe in our world church focus on members in ministry and each local conference will use to guide more detailed strategic and Ellen White’s exhortation that “the work of God in this earth can planning. These priorities embrace not only scriptural mandates but never be finished until the men and women comprising our church also world church efforts and regional Northwest concerns. membership rally to the work and unite their effort with those of PRIORITY 1: YOUNG ADULT ENGAGEMENT ministers and church officers.” All are called, all are needed, all are We believe active young adult partnerships in the life and gospel welcome to engage with the mission. mission of the church are critical to our present and future mission. and Onward … And because there has been such a hemorrhage of collegiate and STEP 3 Core values and strategies to accomplish mission and address post-collegiate ages from church engagement, this must become a these top priorities will be prayerfully developed throughout the specific area of study, prayer and action. summer and fall. More information will be shared in the months ahead PRIORITY 2: UNITY IN CHRIST through the Gleaner channels and within each conference. We believe that when we are centered in Christ and in the daily work of lifting Him up, our human opinions no longer divide us. In the context of our unique Seventh-day Adventist calling, we are free to mirror the priority of Jesus from John 17:22–23, that “they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me — so that they may be brought to complete unity.” 5 july 2017 An outdoor SEE PAGE adventure. 29 Together as One. SEE PAGE 9 6 july 2017 Pink for a purpose. SEE PAGE 30 A Chris Tomlin SEE PAGE surprise. 32 TVA fossil hunters. SEE PAGE 31 7 july 2017 NITE UON AND ETERNAL ChurchMISSION and School Partnerships 8 july 2017 UNITEDChurch and School Partnerships Pastor Glenn is up early Karen Carlton, LCAS prin- most mornings. His day cipal, does not take this demands an energetic relationship for granted. “One start — quality time with the reason I love it here is this part- Word and his treadmill.