Today the North American Division sent out a NewsPoints update that included some interesting leadership changes at several of its departments. 

1. The Washington Post includes Pathfinders in an article about the growing interest in alternatives to the Boy Scouts of America.

2. Recently, the Pacific Union Conference officially recognized Pacific Union College religion professor Jean Sheldon, Ph.D., as an ordained minister.

3. Dr. Jay Sloop of Yakima, Wash., has disappeared in Kiev, Ukraine, where he was on a medical mission. The 77-year-old retired obstetrician was last seen about 6:45 a.m. local time Tuesday after he left a church compound for a morning walk, said Jay Wintermeyer, communications director for the Upper Columbia Conference.

The Society of Adventist Philosophers is inviting submissions for papers and panels to be presented at its annual symposium. The title of the November 21, 2013, conference will be: Essentialism: Adventism and Questions of Race and Gender. 

The keynote speaker this year is George Yancy, Professor of Philosophy at Duquesne University and the editor of the book Christology and Whiteness: What Would Jesus Do? 

In a recent NewsPoints press release, Elder Daniel Jackson, President of the North American Division, and G. Alexander Bryant, NAD Secretary, "videotaped a short message concerning the reasons behind the decision to close the Adventist Media Center in Simi Valley, Calif."

The following "statement regarding equality and ordination" was voted at the Danish Union session, May 12, 2013.

According to the Seventh-day Adventist Church's belief in creation, as witnessed in the Bible, God has created mankind – man and woman – in His image and therefore equal.

 

1. New director of the North American Division's Office of Volunteer Ministries, plans a barrage of marketing and recruiting at all North American Adventist colleges.

2. Southern Ghana Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church plans to construct 40 churches in rural areas. 

BuzzFeed, the voracious chroncile of what's interesting to some people online, recently turned its attention to Adventist culture. On May 3, BuzzFeed Fellow Ashley Perez compiled a list of "31 Signs You Grew Up Seventh-day Adventist". Thus far, it has 39 comments and over 140,000 total views.  

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ashleyperez/31-signs-you-grew-up-seventh-day-adventist