We Helped Start the First Hispanic Company in Pittsburgh
Editorial by Sergio Romero

Many may associate the city of Pittsburgh with its iconic sports teams, the Steelers and Pirates, but the Allegheny West Conference has decided to cheer for another team in “the Steel City:” Team Hispanic.

The conference shares this territory with the Pennsylvania Conference, and neither had a Hispanic presence in the city. With the help of the Columbia Union, Allegheny West decided to take the city by storm. We recently sent a star player, Pastor Ricardo Castro, to teach and preach the message of salvation to the Hispanic population in that area.

Pastor Castro spent a lot of time in an area with a high density of Hispanics. Every day he stopped by the local Hispanic supermarket, making friends, helping those in need carry grocery bags to their houses and promoting free English classes. As a result, Castro convinced more than 100 people to study the Bible with him.

When asked why he was willing to sacrifice so much time in that particular area instead of being more traditional and spending additional time with his family, his answer was, “Why not?”

In March local churches hosted an evangelistic crusade in the city, and many people attended the nightly meetings. Even the local pastor from the host church attended. Now there is a Hispanic presence in Pittsburgh. A church has been established, and on a recent Sabbath, more than 40 Hispanic people worshipped together in an Adventist company for the first time.

We felt the presence of the Holy Spirit, great decisions were made and now the church is moving forward full steam.

A visit from Rep. Kevin Boyce recently transformed the fifth- through eighth-grade classroom at Columbus Adventist Academy into the floor of the statehouse where bills and laws are debated. Rather than lecture students about the ins and outs of state government, Boyce called them up to the board, had them debate issues they care about and made them rise in support or disdain of those issues. He made them feel like real lawmakers.

Story by Allegheny West Conference Staff

Students learned about decorum and how to express their support or opposition of proposed bills. Boyce, who also serves as the minority whip in the
Ohio House of Representatives, also taught about the structure of state government and how it mirrors the federal government.

The visit made an impact on students. “[Boyce’s] visit was inspiring,” said fifth-grader Dalin Murray, “following the one-hour presentation. This sentiment was echoed over and over again in thank-you letters students wrote to Boyce. Excerpts from some of those letters are below:

• “I thought that this visit would have bored me to sleep, but you made it fun and easy for us to learn about politics. … Because of your coming here, now I don’t think politics are boring any more. Now I want to be a representative just like you.”—Marco Tapia, sixth grade
• “One thing that impacted me is encouraging other people to vote, such as my parents.”—Reginald Ware, Jr., seventh grade
• “What astonished me most is how orderly our government is, because for a long time I thought they all came together and just argued. This was a great experience.”—Nana Ossei-Wusu, seventh grade
• “P.S. Can you see if you can really [have] a ‘no uniforms’ policy enacted? You never know. Arguing over it in the real House of Representatives could be as fun as it was at CAA!”—Romiaun Speed, sixth grade
• “We live in an age where African-American males are getting [hurt] every day, and most of the time it’s by the people who are supposed to be protecting us. … The whole time you were speaking, I was thinking, ‘Wow! It’s amazing to know we still have good African-American males out there who stand for something besides basketball and music.’ Thank you for being the exception to the rule and using your knowledge to influence others for good.”—Morgan Lewis, eighth grade
• “I thought you would just tell us stuff that wouldn’t stick in my brain, but everything you shared did!”—Alayna Crawford, seventh grade

Allegheny West Conference Mourns the Loss of Cheryl Alli

Story by Bryant Taylor

The Allegheny West Conference is mourning the loss of Cheryl Alli, a longtime administrative assistant. April 22, Alli was involved in a tragic car crash while driving home from a lunch celebrating Administrative Assistants Day. She sustained major injuries and underwent several surgeries but passed away May 20. Longtime friend Mario Broussard Sr., pastor of the South Fountain church in Springfield, Ohio, says, “We asked the Lord for restoration but He chose [future] resurrection.”

Alli was very engaged in church life and a sought-after wedding coordinator, decorator and singer. She also coordinated the conference’s annual youth cotillion. William Cox, conference president says ,“She will be greatly missed, and the void of her impact on the lives of young people will be felt for years to come. We await the resurrection and look forward to being reunited with Cheryl.”

If you wish to share your condolences with her family, please send them in care of the Allegheny West Conference 1339 East Broad Street Columbus, OH 43205.

The Allegheny West Conference's Glenville church in Cleveland is currently in the middle phase of their Building a Place for Grace campaign to build a multifunctional community facility in the Euclid neighborhood. Construction is set to take place in early 2016. Church members have become more active introducing themselves to the community, including going door to door to meet residents.

Story by Akhil Esdaille

One of their more successful efforts was an inaugural ice cream social in a neighborhood park. Church leaders planned the social to reach the youth and families of Euclid while also providing an opportunity for church members to leap out the its’ brick-and-mortar building and engage the people. Planners also wanted to reveal the grace of Christ through beyond-the-surface conversations as well as free ice cream and exciting games.

“Euclid is a community in grave need of social and cultural transformation, having bared the painful marks of poverty, crime and fragmented families. It is in deep need of God’s grace,” says Pastor MyRon Edmonds. “The ice cream social [helped us] break through spiritual, cultural and socio-economic barriers and bring people from different spheres of life together as brothers and sisters.”

Hundreds of youth and their parents attended the event. The atmosphere was lively, ringing with childrens’ laughter and the booming base of Christian music. Aaron Cammon, youth coordinator, provided the spoken word and led testimonies that included children proclaiming the greatness of God.

Glenville’s church members, young and old, got to know the youth and parents of the community. “The feedback from the event affirmed that when you focus on extending grace, no matter the form, it naturally draws all men closer to God,” says Edmonds. A single mother who attended told a church member, “Sometimes you feel so neglected as a community, and it feels good to know that someone cares about us.” Another neighbor raved about the event and expressed deep appreciation for their church really acting like “church.”

The event was not only a blessing to residents, but also to the church members says Edmonds. He adds, “The opportunity to step out of the confinements of our church building and serve the needs of the people of Euclid brought an unspeakable joy and peace to our souls that can’t be captured in words.”

During the past week, Tara VinCross oversaw the launch of the REACH Columbia Union Evangelism School, based in Philadelphia.

Story by Beth Michaels

The opening included a prayer and training weekend, May 29-31, for participating churches in Columbus, Ohio, where the first session takes place. VinCross, director, reports there are 13 young adults (some pictured with VinCross, far left) enrolled in the first semester, all of whom will partner with Allegheny West Conference’s Pastor John Boston and his Central church members, and Ohio Conference’s Pastor Milt Pruit and his Eastwood church members, to learn effective evangelism techniques.

“It was inspiring to see elders from both churches interceding for the young adult students and the mission of reaching Columbus,” says VinCross, whose REACH team includes Justin Khoe, Taunya Grissom and Jason Vanderlaan. “The students that God led to REACH are exceptional and represent five different conferences. It’s inspiring to see so much collaboration and support from across the Columbia Union.”

Jose Cortez, Jr., Associate Ministerial Director of the North American Division, talks to the winners of the Shark Tank event at the NAD CALLED Ministerial Convention. More than $35,000 were given away during the evenings competition. ©2015 North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. Photo by Dan Weber/NAD Communication

During the recent CALLED Ministerial Convention in Austin, Texas, sponsored by the North American Division, there was a Shark Tank-type competition at the close of each day. More than 130 persons submitted their best innovative ideas for evangelism and church growth, but only 15 individuals were selected nightly for a chance to win one of five cash awards ranging from $2,000 to $20,000. John T. Boston, pastor of the Central church in Columbus, Ohio, and MyRon Edmonds, pastor of the Glenville church in Cleveland, were among the chosen finalists.

Pastor Boston and one of his elders, Joseph Simmons, shared the Central church’s ongoing efforts to disciple children by providing hot breakfast every Sabbath morning in their Kid Central ministry. The two went on to also highlight an unprecedented effort inside two state prisons, where 4,000 inmates will hear the Advent message through a live evangelistic meeting. The event will be streamed to every prison in the state of Ohio with a captive audience of more than 30,000. The Central church is preparing for the harvest by discipling and mentoring the inmates on the inside and their families on the outside simultaneously with two separate teams.

This concept won the Central congregation $20,000 on CALLED’s opening night. Additionally, while the prizes were being awarded, one of the finalists was so moved by this initiative that he gave his $3,000 award to Pastor Boston for a total win of $23,000. Pastor Boston reports he will use the funds to defray the expenses for this high-impact initiative that will reach thousands with the truth of God’s love.

John Boston accepts a check from Tara VinCross, one of the "Shark Tank" judges. Photo by Carla Boston

The final evening, Pastor Edmonds presented details on his working vision called the Go Church. This is a process of evangelism that combines elements of traditional tent meetings and contemporary Christian street festivals. The Glenville church is nearly fully engaged in their community by taking the church out of their physical building and into the city. The concept includes full throttle discipleship with Go University and high-level young adult participation. This approach was so well received that, at the end of the night, the Glenville congregation was also awarded a top prize of $20,000.

William T. Cox, conference president, and William Joseph, Ministerial director, were both present to support these members of their pastoral team. When asked what this means to his field, Cox responded, “We have some of the most innovative pastors in the North American Division. Pastor Boston and Pastor Edmonds are two examples of our great ministry team, and we celebrate what God is doing in their ministries. These two have made the entire Allegheny West Conference family very proud and I love them both very much.”

Dave Weigley, Columbia Union Conference president, was also present for the final night and evidently grateful that the union was the only one in the NAD to claim two of top awards.

Feature photo: William Joseph, AWC ministerial director, Pastor MyRon Edmonds, Pastor John T. Boston II and William Cox, AWC President gather  after being awarded $43,000.00 in total for evangelistic initiatives in the two pastors' local churches.

This summer five Allegheny West Conference (AWC) staff members left their posts or retired. William T. Cox, conference president, says, “Their contributions and service have been invaluable and we will miss the impact of their ministry.”

Irene Hale
Photograph by Bryant Taylor

Irene Hale worked for the Seventh-day Adventist Church for more than 41 years. She served as executive assistant to Calvin Rock, when he served as president of Oakwood University (Ala.), before transferring to the AWC where she served for more than 38 years as executive assistant to five presidents: Harold Cleveland, Willie Lewis, Hector Mouzon, James Lewis and Fredrick Russell. She also served as administrative assistant for various departments within the conference office.

Hale looks forward to spending time with her husband, Frank Hale, III, son and grandchild.

Joseph Grider
Photograph by Bryant Taylor

Joseph Grider has pastored for 34 years, including the last three as senior pastor of Ethan Temple in Dayton, Ohio. Grider recently accepted a call to the South Central Conference to pastor in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He will also serve as assistant ministerial director for the conference.

Allen Baldwin
Photograph by Bryant Taylor

Allen Baldwin worked in the AWC for 23 years. He pastored in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio and served as director for the Sabbath School, Children’s and Men’s ministries departments. Baldwin accepted a call to the South Atlantic Conference where he will pastor the Milledgeville and Dublin (Ga) church district.

Yvette Cooper
Photograph by Bryant Taylor

Yvette Cooper worked in Adventist education for 33 years. She spent 16 of those years in Allegheny West during two separate stints. While at the AWC, she served in several roles: education superintendent, Pathfinder director, conference Pathfinder coordinator, Deaf Ministries coordinator, Health Ministries coordinator and Singles Ministries coordinator. Cooper is moving to the South Atlantic Conference to serve as principal of Decatur Adventist Junior Academy in Georgia.

Bryant Taylor

Bryant Taylor served 25 of his 27 years in denominational ministry in the AWC. He pastored in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ohio, and served as communication director for the last nine years. Taylor accepted a call to the Southeastern Conference in Florida to serve as director of communication/technology.

The Allegheny West Conference (AWC) Multicultural Ministries department, together with local pastors and their wives, recently organized a spiritual retreat for the conference’s Hispanic women. Nearly 100 ladies met for the three-day event at a hotel in Cincinnati to worship, share stories and reignite their passion for Jesus and the mission of the church.

Story by Allegheny West Conference Staff

Early each morning, attendees spent significant time in prayer as they sought to connect with Jesus in a more personal way. They also shed tears, mended hearts and were filled with the Holy Spirit, Who came down and filled the room, says Sergio Romero, Multicultural Ministries leader.

Presenters spoke on sanctity at home, personal finances and how to deal with low-self esteem. For the Sabbath morning divine service, Laura Ottati-Romero, administrative assistant for the Multicultural Ministries department, shared the story of the pearl of great price in Matthew 13. The sermon especially resonated with one attendee, who shared, “Today I have realized that I am important and that I have value before my God, I understand now that I’m a pearl even though my pearl was dirty and dull. Now I will shine for my Jesus.”

Sabbath afternoon attendees got an opportunity to walk along a prayer path with stations that focused on object lessons, which gave the ladies yet another way to draw closer to God. “We could see their faces at the end of the path, faces of happiness, peace and renewed hope,” says Romero.
Event planners made sure that attendees also got opportunities to interact during the weekend. During three small-group sessions, attendees shared personal stories and watched video presentations, one of which was about Tamar (see Gen. 38) that opened up many hidden wounds but allowed for healing. One attendee says, “I thought I was never going to be able to take this heavy load from my heart. I thank God because the whole group was very supportive. I’m free now, and I’ve been able to forgive and forget."

Feature photo: Several pastors’ wives organize a spiritual retreat for the conference’s Hispanic women.

El departamento de ministerios multiculturales de Allegheny West Conference (AWC) juntamente con pastores locales y sus esposas (en la foto de arriba) organizó un retiro espiritual para las hispanas miembro. Alrededor de 100 damas se reunieron por tres días para adorar, compartir historias y reavivar su pasión por Jesús y la misión de la iglesia.

Los oradores hablaron de la santidad en el hogar, finanzas personales y cómo lidiar con baja estima propia. El sábado de mañana en el culto divino, Laura Ottati-Romero, la asistente administrativa del departamento de los ministerios multiculturales, compartió la historia de la perla de gran precio en Mateo 13.

“Hoy me he dado cuenta que soy importante y que tengo valor ante mi Dios…ahora he de brillar por mi Jesús”, dijo una de las que asistió.

Las participantes caminaron a lo largo de una senda de oración con estaciones centradas en lecciones objetivas. “Podíamos ver sus rostros al final de la senda, caras de alegría, como paz y esperanza renovada”, dice Sergio Romero, director de los ministerios multiculturales.

Allegheny West Conference and the Glenville church in Cleveland recently made history when leaders installed the first female pastor, Regina Johnson. Johnson is serving as Glenville's administrative pastor.

Story by Allegheny West Conference staff

Johnson graduated from Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md., in May 2012, then joined the WAU Office of Ministry team as chaplain of ministry. While serving at WAU, she led the development of Crossroads, a student-led church service, started several new ministries and helped prepare 85 students for baptism.

Johnson has also been actively involved in service and outreach around the world. She led an evangelistic series in Uganda, which led to the baptism of more than 200 people. In India she led a group of students who graduated more than 2,300 children from Vacation Bible School. She most recently traveled to Brazil, where her mission group restored and renovated an ex-drug rehabilitation center, conducted a “world cup tournament” and helped form a cheerleading squad for children in a low- income neighborhood.

Pastor Johnson encourages all to “stop trying to understand God and understand that He knows what He’s doing.” She says she “loves the Lord, and has realized that listening to His voice is the best thing you could ever do.”

MyRon Edmonds, Glenville's senior pastor, says they couldn’t be happier to have Johnson on their staff.

Story by Gene Singleton

In a surprise visit to Ethan Temple church in Dayton Ohio, U.S. Rep. Michael Turner of Ohio visited the church to present the Congressional Community Service Award to longtime member Don G. Black. The award included an American flag that had flown on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Black has been an active church member since his youth, and has had a long and distinguished career in business and community service. His background in public relations, photography and as founder and publisher of Dayton’s longest published African-American newspaper, the Dayton Weekly News, is well documented.

He has also received numerous awards and citations from many other local, regional and national organizations and groups. Aside from being a newspaper publisher and editor, he is host of a weekly television talk show, News From A Different View, shown on local public television.

Black is married to Glenda and they have two adult children, Shronda Smith of Atlanta, Ga., and Donerik Black of Dayton. They have two grandchildren, Taylor Black and Carlos Karrington Smith.

William Cox, Allegheny West Conference president, gave the sermon during the service.

Story by Allegheny West Conference Staff

Pastor John T. Boston, II, and the Columbus Central church family are forging a new path for ministry in the Allegheny West Conference (AWC). After one year of praying and planning, Boston and Sergio Romero, AWC multicultural/church growth director, flew to Campeche, Mexico, and drove Pastor Roman Lopez and his wife, Karina, back to Columbus. Pastor Lopez now serves as the pastor for Hispanic ministries at Central.

The trip from Mexico took five days, and the church received the Lopez family (pictured with Boston and Romero) with tremendous support. "The Central church believes that the world should know us by our love. The division that exists in our church because of ethnicity and language are barriers for those seeking Christ," says Boston.

Lopez and Boston speak in different parts of the facility for the English and Spanish-language worship experiences, but communion and baptisms are bi-lingual. All young adult, youth, teen and Children’s Ministries programs are also bilingual.

Central has already experiencing growth because of this multicultural/multilingual approach to ministry in a diverse city. After the church’s first bilingual evangelistic effort April 2-16, 13 people from the African-American and Hispanic community got baptized.

"When we began to talk about this ministry idea, I immediately knew we had to figure out a way, and God has been with us the entire journey” says Romero. “We dream of many churches in many more cities following the same idea and concept, in such a way that we will have color-, culture-, race-blind churches.”

The Central church also plans to launch a Haitian, Amharic and deaf language worship experience. The members are excited about the growth. Ian Bruce, a teen member, adds, "I feel like my church looks more like God wants it to look now."

Story by Allegheny West Conference Staff

It’s not often someone walks into a church and says, "If there is a baptism anytime soon, I want to be in it." But that's exactly what Susanne Riddle did. Riddle had been listening to the Amazing Facts radio broadcast for more than a year when, she says, the Holy Spirit convicted her to begin obeying what she had learned. After several attempts she found a Seventh-day Adventist church.

Riddle decided to go to the closest church in Cumberland, Ohio, 10 miles away, but says that the Spirit told her to go to a church 45 miles away in Zanesville, Ohio. She drove 45 miles and discovered that there were two churches to choose from. But the choice was not difficult to make, as the name of the church Hillside impressed her. The pastor was away at his other church; but Riddle heard a stirring sermon delivered by Rosalind Beswick, the first elder. The sermon sealed her decision and confirmed that she had chosen the right church.

Following the sermon, the elder asked those who were scheduled for baptism next Sabbath to stay by for some last minute instructions. Riddle stood, introduced herself and wowed the congregation with the declaration," If there is a baptism next Sabbath, I want to be in it." She then proceeded to inform the church that she had been listening to Amazing Facts. Convinced that this was God's true church, she came to join.

The next Sabbath, she, along with four others who had been taking Bible studies, were baptized. Riddle still makes the 45-mile drive, and is the first one to arrive at Sabbath School. She also stays after service for Bible class. "I want to learn all I can, as quick as I can, because I want to share what I've discovered with others," she shares.

Story by Tim Allston

According to “American Congregations at the Beginning of the 21st Century,” a Duke University 2006-2007 National Congregations Study, the percent of regular adult participants younger than age 35 in the average congregation dropped from 25 to to 20 percent.

In his July 2008 Ministry magazine article, “Reaching Out: Making a Difference With Young Adults,"A. Allan Martin, the teaching pastor of a young adult ministry at the Arlington church in Texas, cites Paul Richardson of the Center for Creative Ministry, with headquarters in College Place, Wash. Richardson reported that the median age for the Seventh-day Adventist community in North America, "including the un-baptized children in church families, is 58 … Among native-born white and black members, the median age is even higher."

The frightening implications of this figure are seen when that median age, 58, is compared to the median ages of the United States and Canada, respectively, which are 36 and 37!

So how do we catch and retain un-churched Millennials? MyRon Edmonds, pastor of Allegheny West Conference’s Glenville congregation in Cleveland, steps outside the boat and casts a net on the other side. Watch the interview or read the interview with the article author below:

Tim Allston: Pastor Edmonds, one of the major challenges facing our church is the retention of Millennials. In your congregation and in your work, have you been successful at it and, if so, why?

MyRon Edmonds: We’ve been improving, as this is definitely not a molehill but a mountain of an issue to solve. A lot of people just assumed that we’ve lost Millennials, (but) we’ve lost at least three generations of Adventists. And, so we’re trying to rebuild that.

Part of this is that you have to rebuild—and I’m going to use modern terminology—we’re going to have to “re-brand” the culture of your church, as one of a grace orientation. A lot of the folks that left, and I hear the stories all the time, simply because they weren’t loved, or they got pregnant, or they made a mistake and were disciplined by the church … for whatever reason, they just didn’t feel like the church was a place of acceptance and love.

It is critical that we start making our churches to resemble the character of Jesus Christ.

TA: How does our Christ differ from what we say we’re modeling?

ME: Interestingly, Christ was always getting into confrontation with the church in antiquity. We’re kinda seeing the same thing now, from the standpoint of what a church values. For the most part, many churches value history, they value tradition and they don’t really value people, and it’s just hard to hide that. People will know, especially folks who are not a part of “church culture,” they can get a general sense if this is a place of a loving environment—where they really value people more than they value their policies. And that’s a haaaaaard sell to a church that has history like mine.

But over time, through preaching and teaching, as well as through evangelism, you begin to see that break down.

TA: A few years ago, you developed a bit of mild controversy with your application of Noah’s Ark. Tell us a little bit of what you did in Cleveland, and what was the after-effect with that movie?

ME (grinning broadly): Yeah, so, there’s this thing we have a passion about in Cleveland that we have with our young adults. … One of the things that we’re seeing is that the agnostic and the atheist population has increased significantly over the past few years, so we’re not dealing with a Christian or a theocentric mindset.

For the most part, the mindset that a lot of our young adults and Millennials are dealing with is a very indifferent mindset toward God—some are even angry at God. So, your evangelism approach has got to change a little bit. [For example], a Revelation seminar is not going to really appeal to them because they don’t believe in the Bible. So you really have to consider: how do I get people to be interested in the Bible who really have no reference for Scripture?

So the big thing now is, people love film. So, when the Noah’s Ark movie came out, we kinda told our congregation from the beginning that “we don’t believe that any movie can tell the story of the Bible; that’s just not what movies do. Movies are for entertainment. But, we do think that we can use this movie as a talking point—even with the error—to invite friends and families and co-workers from our areas of influence to come out.”

And that night, we had about 350 people [attend], two-thirds of which are “un-churched.” After the movie was over, we had a conversation about what the Bible actually says about Noah. As you know, the movie was a gross misrepresentation of what the Scripture says.

But, even in that negative, we were able to make a positive by then exposing them to what the Bible says. And, it was a great success.

TA: How do you measure that success?

ME: [It] is not based on the number of people that came but based upon the number of relationships that were fostered and maintained from there. [For example], we saw about five people [get] baptized as a result of that, and we saw a continuation of residual relationships, where we have had other events where these people, who don’t normally come to church, are actually starting to get comfortable hanging out at Glenville. That’s a win.

TA: So, it’s about relationships over memberships?

ME: All day, you said it! It’s relationships all day. That’s the lesson we need to learn from Christ.

TA: So, what now can we expect from Glenville under your leadership, in terms of reaching that Millennial audience?

ME: So, the biggest thing right now that we’re starting to realize is that [in] modern tradition[al] church, especially in the black church, there’s way too much emphasis on the pastor. [Therefore], what we’re starting to do now is to train lay pastors in our congregation to start house churches. We feel like house churches [are] … the best way to reach the Millenniala, [those who have] a lot of misgivings about going into an institutional church.

So, we kinda feel like a young adult who’s a lay pastor (who has been trained), has a home (and), on a Tuesday night or a Sunday night or a Friday night, has a meal and a religious or a spiritual discussion about the Bible, [one] about God [that is] open, non-judgmental … then that’s an entry point to invite them to before you invite them to church.

As a matter of fact, we made a rule: don’t invite anybody to church before you invite them to your home. And, we feel like, if they grow comfortable with our members in their homes and in informal environments, and can see them living out the gospel, [then] it’ll be nothing to see them in church on Sabbath, and then ultimately making a decision [for Christ].

TA: Then let me ask an old-fashioned question, Dr. Edmonds: is there scriptural validation for this approach that you’re using?

ME: Oh yes, m’brotha. As a matter of fact, this is primitive godliness! The Book of Acts sets the model for us on small groups. Ellen White has a lot to say about small groups being a method, not only to maintain members, but also to reach those who don’t know the gospel.

It’s relational ministry. This is the ministry of Christ, and it was the ministry of the apostles. It was under this ministry that the church grew most exponentially.

—Full-time freelance writer and consultant Tim Allston is a co-founder of the Alabama Christian Chamber of Commerce and author of the upcoming book, 7 Steps to Manage Ego Problems: the How-to Guide for 'Somebody Else’

Story by Allegheny West Conference Staff

Mamie H. Clemons, the “prayer warrior” of the Hillcrest church in Pittsburgh, recently received the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) Legacy Award from the Rankin/Mon Valley, Pittsburgh, Pa., area NCNW. The organization held a luncheon this spring at the Hosanna House in Pittsburgh.

Clemons was one of five women who received the Legacy Award. Legacy awards are presented to women who show the spirit of civil rights leaders Mary McLeod Bethune and Dorothy I. Height. Bethune was the founder of the NCNW, and Height was the fourth elected national president of the NCNW. She served until 1998, when she became chair and president emerita.

Clemons says she was grateful to have been chosen for such a prestigious award. Her legacy and leadership spans a 24-year career as an educator in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. She was a teacher, director of curriculum and principal. Her students became distinguished among their peers as members of the Junior Courtiers and Junior Misses. Former students say she supported and loved them.

Her great passion, however, has been as an intercessory prayer warrior. Clemons says that her parents taught her to pray. Her prayer ministry includes daily prayer for more than 1,000 friends. Because of her leadership in prayer, she is training a cohort of mature students in the power of prayer.

Candace King, the mistress of ceremony, read the proclamation given to Mamie H. Clemons from Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolfe, and says she was astounded when she found out that Clemons is 99.

Clemons received a standing ovation from the audience when given the award, but humbly gave God the honor for all her accomplishments. She added, “I am a prayer warrior and I will give you the seven steps to prayer.” Immediately, the banquet room had become reverent. Clemons then reiterated the steps for assurance and said, “If you are in need of prayer, call me.”

Violet Greene, a longtime Allegheny West Conference member, recently turned 110 years old. Greene celebrated her June 4 birthday at the Hyde Park Health Center in Cincinnati where she resides.

Tara Groves, activities director at the center, says that she baked bread every week until she turned 100 years old. She added, "Violet is very spiritual and believes that God has blessed her with long life because she honored her mother and father."

Yesterday Allegheny West Conference's Hilltop Community Worship Center and the Westside Community Health Advisory Committee convened a Safety Forum for the public at the church at 2622 Sullivant Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43223.

The forum came as a response to the serial rapes and gang tagging that occurred in the neighborhood in late May. “With summer coming, we want to discuss ways the community can stay safe when more people are outside,” according to Jason Ridley, Hilltop’s pastor and Dru Bagley, chair of WCHAC.

Napoleon Bell, a former police officer and a former director for the City of Columbus Community Relations Commission, moderated the Forum.

Three others panelists included: Officer Brian Newsome, community liaison officer of the Columbus Division of Police; Carly Mesnick, program manager of the Crime and Trauma Assistance Program at the Mount Carmel Hospital System; and Bryttani Barker, anti-human trafficking coordinator of the Salvation Army of Central Ohio. The forum also included a question and answer time with the audience.

Click here to see a story from a local news station about the event.

Historia de Allegheny West Conference Staff

El Pastor John T. Boston, II, y la familia de la iglesia Central de Columbus están forjando una nueva vía de ministerio en la Asociación Allegheny West (AAW). Después de un año de oración y planificación, Boston y Sergio Romero, director de Ministerios Multiculturales y Crecimiento de Iglesias de la AAW, viajaron a Campeche, México, para invitar al Pastor Román López y su esposa Karina. López aceptó y actualmente es el pastor de Ministerios Hispanos de la iglesia Central.

“La iglesia Central profesa que el mundo nos debería conocer por nuestro amor. La división que existe en nuestra iglesia, por la amplia variedad de etnicidades e idiomas, es un obstáculo para los que buscan a Cristo”, dice Boston (en la foto con el Pastor López celebrando el bautismo de Janeen Bravo).

La iglesia ya está cosechando sus frutos. En abril, 13 personas african-americanas e hispanas fueron bautizadas como resultado del primer esfuerzo bilingüe de evangelismo de la iglesia. “Soñamos que una gran cantidad de iglesias en muchas ciudades más sigan la misma idea y concepto”, dice Romero. La iglesia también tiene planes de iniciar cultos de adoración en criollo haitiano, amhárico y en la lengua de señas para sordos.

Ian Bruce, un miembro adolescente, dice, “Siento que ahora mi iglesia se ve más como Dios quiere que se vea”.

Read this story in English.

Story by Tiffany Doss

“We are here, because talking saves lives,” said Jose Rojas at the opening of We Stand For All, a forum at Potomac Conference’s Sligo church in Takoma Park, Md., designed to discuss if the church should have a role in social justice—a question that has become more prevalent following a rally on the National Mall where nearly 1,000 Adventists stood together for prayer and peace. 

Growing up in one of the poorest families in an impoverished, Los Angeles neighborhood, Rojas shared the injustices he witnessed firsthand, the stereotypes surrounding his childhood and how people of different races and walks of life saved his family. “These folks left the safety of the residential area to do justice. I am the product of the work of justice. This is not a political thing. It’s a people thing.”

Rojas encouraged the more than 400 attendees to lay their politics aside to hear and discuss the role of the church as it is meant to dispense mercy and walk humbly with our God.  Rick Remmers, Henry Fordham and Bill Miller, conference presidents of the Chesapeake, Allegheny East and Potomac conferences, shared their experiences with racism and discrimination and their journeys through their own prejudices, anger and hurt. These three men also comprised a panel in which attendees could ask questions or share their opinions with by stepping up to an open mic or submitting questions on a comment card.

"It is easier for us to calculate ten percent than to take the time to build relationship, to understand what it is to be just," said Miller. "It is easier to pass judgment on somebody I don’t know than to take the time to care… Let’s go deeper and take the time and the energy because we care enough for one another to do justice. That is why we’re here."

Rojas added, "As we’ve heard tonight, social justice isn’t about us and them, because that’s when it becomes political. Doing justice isn’t something you do after church—it’s a way of life. When you live social justice, you err on the side of compassion, because you love mercy and walk humbly with our God.”

Listen to the event in its entirety at http://sligochurch.org/webtv and join the conversation.

This article first appeared on pcsda.org

Former Councilwoman Deborah A. Hill recently published "The Power of Encouragement" Determinations That Define Your Destiny.

Her book shares encouragement and how your dreams with God's help can take you from your history into your destiny. Hill is an Elder at The Southeast Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. The book can be purchased on
lulu.com, amazon.com, and barnes & noble.com. Visit her website at www.deborahahill.com.