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The Southern California Conference has canceled its 2024 summer camp program, stating that camp facilities—the playing field, sports courts, restrooms, and cabins—”require attention.” The conference also indicated that recent leadership changes in the conference youth department set back camp readiness in programming and staffing.
SCC holds summer camp at Camp Cedar Falls in the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles. After assessing the camp facilities, conference leaders determined they could not “run an excellent and safe camp for our children.”
The conference has experienced high turnover in the youth department (which oversees summer camp operations), previously split into senior youth and young adult ministries and youth ministries.
After Camp Cedar Falls was closed a year and a quarter because of the 2020 pandemic, the camp reopened its weekend family camp in 2021 under interim youth ministries director Kevin Morris. Salvador Garcia became youth ministries director in December, 2022, but only remained in the position until November 2023, according to his LinkedIn page. He was not replaced.
In May 2022, Iki Taimi left the role of SCC senior youth and young adult ministries director to join La Sierra University Church as lead pastor. One year later, Geoffrey Sewell, a former physician, moved from Hawaii to Southern California to serve as director of youth and senior youth/young adult ministries.
SCC anticipates reopening summer camp in 2025, and for parents who had planned on sending their children to camp this year, the conference recommends vacation Bible school programs at local churches and the international Pathfinder camporee in Gillette, Wyoming in August.
—Southern California Conference
Jared Wright |Oregon Conference’s 2024 camp meeting is the latest casualty of financial readjustments dating back to October, 2023, when the conference announced 20 percent staff cuts.
On April 19, the Oregon Conference executive committee disclosed plans to suspend this year’s English and Spanish camp meetings, stating that holding the events “would have required the conference to borrow approximately $380,000.”
In March, Oregon Conference president Dan Linrud survived a no confidence vote stemming from the conference’s budget shortfall that required dramatic belt-tightening measures. Historically low church attendance and inflation were blamed for the conference’s inability to meet its budget. The conference has offered pastors early retirement buyouts.
Now, with camp meeting suspended, Linrud says preliminary talks have begun to provide “regional convocations” to fill the summer programming gap. “More prayer and conversation will need to take place in this regard,” the conference said.
Citing looming teacher and pastor shortages, the Lake Union has pledged $1 million in new scholarships to help Andrews University students train for those vocations. Union president Ken Denslow named money as a key factor for those considering church work. “As educators move or retire, we notice it is increasingly difficult to fill these roles,” he told the Lake Union Herald. “There are young people who would be open to the call of being educators and pastors, but cost gets in the way.”
The Lake Union anticipates “dozens” of K-12 teaching vacancies next school year. And while the union projects few pastoral openings, across the North American Division, the number is high—as many as 2,000 positions may need to be filled.
The Lake Union looks to recruit from Andrews University within its territory when positions open, but rising tuition costs may cause prospective students to reconsider. Union vice president for multicultural ministries Carmelo Mercado sees challenges and opportunities for immigrant families in particular. “Many of our youth are interested in serving the church,” Mercado said, “but as first-generation students they don’t have the resources to attend our universities.” He called the union’s promised scholarships “a blessing to them.”
The Lake Union said a steering committee of union, conference, and university leaders will establish criteria for apportioning scholarship money.
Jared Wright |“Spinning at Spectrum,” a playlist of the latest music in and around our community. Curated by Maxwell Aka.
If we recognize that there is fallibility to knowing, and are suspicious of certainty, doubt can be a welcome relief. But we sacrifice our innate curiosity when we cling to comfortable beliefs, and with it, lose the freedom to think beyond current orthodoxy.
Is it ok to question our faith? This week’s Sabbath school lesson opens a conversation about idolizing church policy and doubting our faith. (Commentary on the Adult Bible Study Guide for April 13–19.)
In many ways Jesus answered what it means to be truly pro-life in the gospels. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who use you badly,” he said.
We have two goals: first, sharing information about current research in the United States—including Berrien County—surrounding informed care for LGBTQ+ individuals. Second, we’d like to invite community comments.
Don Barton reviews a film about a man possessed by a demon on death row. A psychologist must figure out if this man is sane or not.
The General Conference proposes creating a new assistant to the president or field secretary in every world division who will oversee hiring religion faculty and directing theological education curriculum. The GC will fund the position for the first year before the cost shifts to the division.
Pulse features challenging articles, humor, inspiring quotes, poetry, quizzes, reviews, and links to interactive videos and podcasts. The magazine’s tagline is “A Collaboration of Adventist Activists.” With topics both timely and timeless, the tone is more advocacy than accusation.
In China we cannot teach United States history, U.S. government, or religion. In place of that we have modified our curriculum so that we can offer an approximation of these subjects and still be on the right side of Chinese law. We don’t want the government to shut us down, after all.
European Adventism is numerically very small, and also quite divided linguistically and culturally. But there is a cultural view of life and history that distinguishes Europeans, and consequently European Adventism. It involves attention to “small local realities.”
Growing up in Moldova, I was blessed to be surrounded by strong women who embodied resilience, compassion and purpose. My grandmother, a nurturing matriarch, not only ran a successful flower business but also cared for our family with unwavering love and dedication. Her life was a testament to the power of purpose-driven work.
