Each summer, many young lives are touched and changed for eternity at summer camps. Summer 2023 was no exception. Sunset Lake Camp was the host location for Camp 4 Deaf Youth in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, only one Deaf girl, Shakira, came to camp. Counselors were thrilled to see her life change when she [...]
When Heidi Jones started working part-time for the Adventist Community Services department at Upper Columbia Conference, she didn’t quite know what to expect. “As I looked around at my friends, other church members and our community, I was struck by how many of them were working to process grief and loss,” said Jones. Jones is [...]
For the past 27 years, Bob Grady has been the face of Washington Conference's Seniors in Action for God with Excellence. Now, Grady is handing over leadership responsibilities to a new generation of seniors. SAGE is a service organization that provides opportunities for active seniors who love the Lord and want to do something special [...]
On Jan. 1, 2024, Mike Dauncey — better known as just "Dauncey" — will join Oregon Conference as director of a new department, community engagement. Working alongside the outreach ministries team, Dauncey comes uniquely qualified for this new role. Dauncey has spent the past 10 years deeply involved in innovative community service initiatives, including the [...]
In October 2023, a diverse group of individuals gathered at Sunset Lake Camp to embark on a transformative Emotional Freedom Retreat. This unique nine-day program was carefully designed to guide a dozen participants on a journey towards emotional resilience and equip them with invaluable tools to effectively manage stress and life's challenges. One of the [...]
On Oct. 18, 2023, the Walla Walla University campus joined forces to serve the community during fall service day. Participants chose from a variety of projects from thrift store inventory sorting to landscaping work, all designed to meet specific local needs. Students have the opportunity to participate in quarterly service days at WWU to inspire [...]
Editorial Note: Stained-glass windows are living stories of faith and grace, connecting generations through vibrant hues and enduring narratives. Each person, like each pane in the stained-glass window, has a unique role in illuminating the world with the love of Jesus. Together, we create enduring narratives of faith and grace, connecting us in our shared [...]
In countless meetings, I've encountered the recurring phrases: "We don't do it like that," "We've never done it this way before" and "We prefer the old approach." These sentiments are all too familiar within the realm of leadership. This resistance to change isn’t a new phenomenon. Even Joshua grappled with such attitudes among the Israelites as [...]
Two members of Walla Walla University’s Engineers Without Borders club and three faculty sponsors made their second assessment trip to Tanzania in early September 2023 as part of their long-term water supply project in the village of Manda. The team prioritized collecting data and forging strong connections with Manda locals. Intending to provide Manda residents [...]
In the Salem, Oregon, area, members of East Salem Adventist Church have been hard at work serving their community. “We’ve already completed 57 projects so far this year,” shared Derrick Teague, one of the founding members of the ACTS group. ACTS, which is an acronym standing for Affirming Community Through Service, takes inspiration from the [...]
