August 26, 2004

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1. Leighton Holly, secretary of the Texas
Conference, has been elected president
replacing Steve Gifford who has retired.

2. Over 30,000 people camped in Oshkosh,
Wisconsin, for the Pathfinder Camporee.
Hundreds made commitments for a new relationship
with Jesus, including many decisions for baptisms.

3. More than 400 philanthropy professionals
and SDA leaders from around the world gathered
in Fort Worth, TX, July 24-27, 2004, for the
largest fundraising conference in Church
history. The conference was jointly hosted
by NAD and PSI. The purpose was to educate,
inspire, and provide attendees with "best
practices" ideas for philanthropy that
they could take back to their institutions
and implement.

4. The 2004 ASI Convention in Cincinnati,
Ohio, had a Sabbath attendance on August 7
of more than 3000, plus 500 children attending
their own meetings. The Sabbath offering was
in excess of 2.2 million dollars for special
projects. There were 275 exhibiters showing how
they share Jesus in their market place. The
pre-ASI Youth Evangelism thrust reaped about
100 baptisms with more ongoing studies.

5. Joe McCoy, president of South Central
Conference, has accepted a call to become the
manager of the Regional Conference Retirement
Program.

6. Dr. Jack Provonsha has died. Dr. Provonsha
has a long history in the Loma Linda area.

7. Elder Merrill Mills has passed away. During
his long career, Elder Mills was president of the
Southern New England Conference and Division President
in Africa.

8. Kermit Netteburg. North American Division
Assistant to the President for Communications,
has accepted a call to be the administrative pastor
of the Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church in
Takoma Park, MD.

9. We are all aware of the devastation by Hurricane
Charley in Punta Gorda & Port Charlotte, Florida.
The Adventist Community Services Disaster Relief
is currently working in the area. The Naples and the
Forest Lake Seventh-day Adventist Churches both
responded by taking their Pathfinder chuck wagons
and setting up in the Scotty's parking
lot, to provide hot meals for breakfast, lunch,
and supper. On Friday alone, Aug 20, they served
over 2000 meals. The Adventists are known to
have the best hot breakfast in town. Volunteers from
the Naples Church and Forest Lake Academy have been
working daily. What is left of the Punta Gorda
Seventh-day Adventist Church complex is being used
as a food warehouse for food donations.


August 27, 2004

1. If you would like first hand information,
updated daily, about the work that the Seventh-day
Adventist Church is doing in the aftermath
of Hurricane Charley, go to http://www.adventist-fl.com.

2. Yesterday, the New York Conference Committee
elected Stanley Rouse to be president. He has been
serving the New York Conference as Secretary and
Superintendent of Schools. Stan follows Steve Gallimore,
who accepted a call to become the president of Life
Talk Radio.

3. Correction & Update: Elder Merle Mills, long-time
denominational administrator in the North American
Division and Africa, died on Monday, August 23, at
the Loma Linda University Medical Center
of West Nile Virus. Memorial services will be held at
the Loma Linda University Campus Chapel at September
11, 2004, 3:00 p.m.