Adventist in the News

[Don777]

Jennifer Scott accepts invitation to be senior pastor at Keene Adventist Church

July, 2013

Quote:

Pastor Jennifer Scott has accepted the position as senior pastor at the Keene Adventist Church, search committee chair Steve Stafford said.

Scott was offered the position today by Texas Adventist Conference president Carlos Craig after the conference personnel committee supported a recommendation by the 25-member Keene Church Senior Pastor Search Committee to offer the position to Scott...

Scott and her husband, Robert “Bob,” have two children: Camryn, 13, who will be in the eighth grade, and Caeden, 10, a sixth grader.

Scott's name was at the top of a list of about 50 potential candidates who were asked to submit resumes...

Scott is a 1991 graduate of Columbia Union College (now Washington Adventist University) with two degrees, and earned a master's degree in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadina, Calif., in 1997.

She has served as an associate pastor at Loma Linda University Church in Loma Linda, Calif., and Green Lake, Wash.

She has a website at www.jenniferscott.net.

Scott grew up in Maryland where her mother's side of the family were members of the Adventist Church.

Source:

http://www.keenestar.net/news/ci_23677242

Observations:

1. I wonder how many females are senior pastors in a multi-pastor Adventist church.

2. This type of appointment does not seem to be controversial with General Conference leaders. Certainly a novice would not be given this responsible task. How can she have the confidence of the organization and not be ordainable?

3. It would have been interesting to hear the discussion of the search committee.

[Don777]

Maryland, New community center offering inmate video visitation

July 22, 2013

New community center offering inmate video visitation

Beltsville Adventist Community Center pilots first-in-state program

By Jamie Anfenson-Comeau Staff Writer

Pictured: Glenn Holland, pastor for community ministires at Beltsville Seventh Day Adventist Church, sits in the video conferencing room in the church’s community center that is being used for a pilot program of video visitation between inmates and their family members through the Maryland Department of Corrections.

Greg Dohler/The Gazette

The Beltsville Adventist Community Center is not yet a year old, but it is already piloting a first-in-the-state program connecting prison inmates with families.

“We’re very excited to be piloting this,” said Glenn Holland, community pastor for BACC, which is operated through the Beltsville Seventh Day Adventist Church.

The pilot program uses video conferencing software and equipment to allow family and friends to schedule an appointment at BACC to see and speak with inmates at Jessup Corrections Institution eligible for visitation at no cost, Holland said.

Holland said he learned about video conference visitation being used in Virginia through the regional conference of Seventh Day Adventist churches. Holland said Virginia is the only other state to provide the service.

“It seemed like something we ought to be doing in Maryland,” Holland said.

Holland said he contacted the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and last September, a plan began to create the free pilot program.

“We think this is better for safety and it is easier on families in that they do not have to travel as far,” Martha Danner, DPSCS deputy director of Community Supervision Support.

Jessup is currently the only prison participating, but if the pilot is successful, it would be expanded to other state prisons, Danner said, adding that several Baltimore area churches have expressed an interest in participating.

Inmates are more likely to be successful after prison if they have strong family support, but many families cannot make the journey on a regular basis, Danner said.

“If somebody can visit from a remote location and maintain closer contact with the inmate, that inmate may well do better when he or she gets out,” Danner said.

There are 22 prisons in Maryland and JCI is closest to Prince George’s County.

Capt. Anthony Lewis, pilot project coordinator for JCI, said the benefits include not having to search visitors for contraband or worry about visitor safety inside the facility.

“Jessup Correctional Institution was pleased to be chosen by the DCPCS to pilot this video visit program,” said Lewis. “This is a wonderful program and I would like to see it expand throughout the DPCPS.”

The first video visitation was held July 14.

“It went great,” said Holland. “They were really excited to be the first ones to try it.”

The inmate and visitor wished to remain confidential, Holland said.

Video visitations must be scheduled at least a week in advance, by calling the Beltsville Seventh Day Adventist Church. Currently, they are only scheduled for Sundays, as the church observes the Sabbath on Saturdays and hosts a daycare program weekdays, but if demand increases, it may be extended to weekday evenings as well, Holland said.

Holland said the prison video visitation is just one example of ways churches and government can cooperate.

BACC provides other services such as counseling, a computer lab and a food pantry.

“Both churches and government need to be working together to meet the needs of the community that we both have a mutual interest in serving, and that’s what we’re doing here,” Holland said.

http://www.gazette.net/article/20130722/...emplate=gazette

[Don777]

Muslims protecting an Adventist Church

Llewellyn Edwards, president of the Adventist Church in Egypt and Sudan:

“There are local Muslims here who contact the academy (Nile Union Academy) staff each day to assure them of their safety.”

http://news.adventist.org/en/archive/art...protest-marches

This link dated August 21, 2013 includes a wonderful picture of Muslims protecting an Adventist church by circling it and joining hands.

[Gail]

And I do believe there are some Christians who are doing the same for a mosque

[phkrause]

This reminds me of my Grandsons SS lesson last quarter. His memory verse was "work together as a team." Beautiful how God works with us win people work together!