News has reached Adventist Today that the Spencerville Seventh-day Adventist Church, home congregation to the families of many General Conference and Columbia Union officials, has burned.

Silver Spring, Maryland – In the early hours of August 9, shortly after 1:00 a.m. ET, a fire broke out at Spencerville Church, causing significant damage to the building, including the sanctuary. Thankfully, the building was vacant at the time, and no injuries have been reported. The Montgomery County Fire Department responded promptly to the scene and continues to manage the situation. Preliminary findings suggest that the fire was electrical in nature, originating in the audio-visual booth.

Spencerville Church will hold Sabbath worship services on August 10 at 11:30 a.m. in the auditorium of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, located at 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland.

The fire damage to the Spencerville Church sanctuary is extensive. Additional information will be shared as it becomes available. Chad Stuart, Spencerville Church senior pastor said:

“We mourn the loss of the house where the Spencerville family has worshipped our Savior, Jesus Christ, for nearly 45 years. But we do not mourn without hope, because we know that worship of Jesus is not limited to a building and that the church is not a place, but it is the collective people of God coming together—believing that out of ashes Jesus gives life and revival. Thank you for your prayers and join us in stepping forward in our grief as we trust in the new thing God will do that we cannot yet see!”

Jerry Lutz, president of the Chesapeake Conference of Seventh-day Adventists said:

“We are heartbroken by this devastating loss, but have the assurance that the Lord will lead His people through this difficult time. He will provide, as He always does for His Church.”

AdventistToday.org | August 9, 2024

Matthew 25 is an interesting chapter in the Bible. The focus is on the second coming and the end of the world. When Jesus talks about separating the sheep from the goats, He uses a provocative illustration to make His point about those who will be saved and those who will be lost. To the astonishment of the disciples, He says that He was once hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick and even in prison. The shocked men didn’t want to challenge Jesus or call Him a liar, but what Jesus said was absolutely preposterous. They had been with Jesus for a few years and they had never seen or heard about anything He had just said about Himself. Then, Jesus goes on to explain that when people helped those who were in need, it was just like helping Him. The indication was that the separation of the two groups at the end would be based on how they had shown kindness to the “least of these.”

The Longview Heights Community Service Department must have taken those words seriously because down through the years they have tried to help those in need. When the church moved to 685 E. Mallory in 1969, they also purchased 671 E. Mallory, a house next to the church. For a while, the house was just used for storage but it wasn’t long before the idea came to renovate and use it as a place that could help the community.

The Dorcus Society was the original group in the Seventh Day Adventist church that was responsible for helping the needy. It was started by a group of women in Battle Creek, Michigan, USA, in 1874. The name of the group came from a story told in Acts chapter 9. A lady named Tabitha, who was also called Dorcus, was known for doing good and helping those in need. She became sick and died. The apostle Peter was in a nearby town, and they sent for him to come in haste. After Peter arrived, the weeping women showed him the many garments that Dorcus had made. Peter prayed and asked God to restore her life and He did. The people greatly rejoiced and many people believed in the Lord.

Dorcus Societies and Adventist Community Service began to grow all over the country and you could find one in every Adventist church. Activities included making garments and supplying food for needy families, caring for the fatherless and widows, and ministering to the sick. In 1972 the name changed from the Dorcus Society to Adventist Community Service when the two departments were merged.

Because Longview is in a community that has many needs, the Community Service Department has been active in showing the love of Jesus in practical ways. Whenever someone needed food, they could get food, if someone needed clothes, clothes were provided. Whatever the lack, the Community Service Department would try as far as possible to meet it.

At Longview, the Community Service leaders and their teams have always found a way to help even when money was scarce. In the mid 1970’s, Sis. Saundra Brooks was asked to serve as the leader. It was during this time that renovations for the Community Service House began. They continued to distribute food and clothes to many people in the community. One of their notable achievements was compiling a cookbook with healthy recipes. This cookbook is still being used today.

In the late 1980’s Sis. Mary Dabney consented to serve as leader Sis. Maggie Glinsey was her assistant. Additionally, Dr. Elizabeth Martin and other willing volunteers continued to care for the needs of the less fortunate and helped solidify the Community Service House as an integral part of the community fabric.

Sis. Dabney and her team began a campaign to collect new and used clothing to have available for those who needed them. They would wash and repair the donated clothes, if necessary, as well as organize them on clothes racks by size.

Sis. Bernice Washington’s tenure in the 1990’s is remembered for her hands-on approach and tireless dedication. The house next to the church was named the Memphis Better Living Center. The department continued to do the work that had previously been done but it embarked on a new and exciting task. Sr. Bernice Washington and Sr. Edna McNeil along with the rest of the department raised money to send inner city children to camp in the summer. Many of these young people had never been outside of Memphis. The camp was located in Chattanooga, TN. This resulted in bright new faces brought to the camp for many years.

Sis. Shirley Williams is another notable worker who greatly assisted Sr. Washington and the Community Service Department. Although she was not the leader, she initiated an idea that since food and clothing were given, there should be a way to give furniture as well. She solicited donations from various businesses and addressed needs as they arose, such as a house fire. A local news station even did a story on the Longview Community Service Department.

The Seventh Day Adventist church added another responsibility to the Community Service Department. They added the Disaster Response Ministry to assist individuals, families, and communities affected by natural and man-made disasters and unforeseen tragedies. Sis. Washington sent Lillie Buckingham to be trained to head this new arm of Community Service. Whenever there was a local or regional emergency, the Disaster Response team would spring into action. Sometimes they partnered with the Red Cross, Salvation Army or other organizations to respond to the crisis.

After working in the Disaster Response Ministry for a number of years, Sis. Buckingham was asked to serve as Co-Director of Adventist Community Services, with Sis. Barbara Barnes of Tuscaloosa, Alabama for the South Central Conference. With their South Central Conference Strike Team, they make sure that the warehouses of food and clothes are distributed efficiently when a need arises. They also provide training for the volunteers who help make it happen.

Recently, Sis. Buckingham was instrumental in the Longview Community Service Department receiving funds. $2,500 was given from the South Central Conference and $10,000 was given in a grant from the North American Division. This money was given to the Longview Community Service because they are active in providing assistance to the community.

When Sr. Annie Miller was chosen to lead the Community Service Department in the early 2000’s, she began an innovative approach, which included forming partnerships with other businesses and organizations. One notable partnership was with the Mid-South Food Bank. Before the food bank gave out food, Sr. Miller had to be trained to handle the responsibility of collecting and storing the food. After weeks of training, the Food Bank would send clients to the Longview Community Service House to receive food. Detailed records had to be kept to ensure that nothing was wasted and the food went to the people who needed it.

While the people were receiving food and clothes, many other items were still needed. That’s where Sis. Lois Pointer came in. She was previously a leader and was well acquainted with the challenges. In addition to food, clothing she made certain the clients also got toiletries. Even if it meant spending her own money, she would buy the supplies to make sure that the needs were met. Her unwavering commitment to serve demonstrated her spirit of love and compassion.

Rather than wait for people to come to the Community Service House, Sis. Miller, her daughter Felecia, and the team would prepare warm food and take it to the homeless. They could be seen going to the poor and crime ridden areas of the city where homeless people gathered.

With a warm smile and a gentle touch, they offered them not just food but also a sense of dignity and humanity. Socks, gloves, blankets and toiletries were also given. Sis. Miller and the team was a beacon of hope for the homeless, a testament to the power of kindness, and a tireless advocate for those often forgotten by society. Sis. Miller and Felecia would often take food to people in the neighborhood close to the church.

This gesture was appreciated much. Her unwavering commitment to the homeless and those in need earned her numerous accolades, but she remained humble, always redirecting the praise to her team of volunteers and supporters. She often said, "It's not about recognition; it's about making a difference, one meal at a time."

The dedicated volunteers in the Community Service Department was usually made up of women but there were always willing men at Longview who would readily help when asked. They would load and move furniture, handle cases of food and drive their pick-up trucks to support. Some of the men who worked in the department over the years were, Bro. Cenner Pointer, Bro Robert Buckingham, Bro Thelbert Martin, Bro. Calvin Hicks Sr., Bro. James Lee, Bro Kenneth Dabney, Bro. Leo Tate and many other men. Bro. Claude Jones Sr. was once asked to serve as leader in the 1980’s.

Shannon Kirkwood was the Community Service leader in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic suddenly erupted on the world and changed life as we knew it. Businesses, schools and even churches were closed. Because many people were out of work, there were food shortages.

Longview’s Community Service Department responded in a wonderful way. They partnered with the Food Bank and other agencies to distribute food to the community. Shannon and her team of volunteers would go pick up the food, bring it back to the church and organize it. Then food and other supplies would be boxed up and made ready for pick up.

Of course, you know that religious tracts, books and information about Longview would be placed in each box. People from the community came and the boxes and bags of food would be place in each vehicle. Cars would be lined up around the block and the food would be given until it ran out. This continued throughout the pandemic years.

When the Sanctuary Choir and the Youth Department decided to give out food baskets for Thanksgiving, Shannon Kirkwood was able to get most of the food from the Food Bank. All that was needed was willing hands to put the baskets together and give them out.

One year, over one hundred baskets were distributed. While many churches struggled to minister during this time, Longview through its Community Service Department, continued to show love and compassion to those in need.

The present leader of the Community Service Department is Faye Brumfield. With a background in social work and a heart of kindness, she expanded the house’s programs to include new services.

However, there are always challenges when doing the work of the Lord. On November 27, 2020 a car going west on Mallory Ave. at a high rate of speed, hopped the curb and crashed onto the house. The driver was not hurt, but got out, called for a ride and left the car there. The house was so severely damaged that it could not be used.

Despite this setback, there were still some blessings. The first blessing is that Kenneth Dabney, who was in the house getting clothes for someone, was all right. He was about to leave and was walking towards the front of the house when the car crashed through the wall. If he and been in that area, he could have been seriously injured or possibly killed. The second blessing is that because of the tremendous damage to the house, it was an opportunity to completely renovate it.

After securing bids to do the work, the construction company operated by two Longview members, James and Patricia Hyman, began the task of transforming the house. Bro. Hyman had years of experience in construction and renovation. Under his guidance, the house was stripped down to its bones and slowly rebuilt. New insulation was added, walls were reinforced, and the electrical system was completely overhauled. The kitchen and bathroom was rebuilt. A new walk-in shower was added. The magnificent tile floors make the house not only functional but also welcoming and warm.

After months of hard work, the renovation was finally complete. The once damaged house had been transformed into a beautiful, vibrant space ready to serve the community once again. The exterior boasted fresh paint and new windows and a ramp, while the interior was a blend of comfort and utility.

The kitchen gleamed with new appliances, rooms were stocked with food and supplies, and the multi-purpose hall was ready to host events and gatherings.

In addition to offering food and clothes, the Longview Community Service House has Community Prayer every Wednesday at noon. Spanish classes are soon to begin. Possible plans for the center include tutoring for children, literacy classes for adults, and job training workshops.

This modest yet bustling hub of activity has been the epicenter of the church's mission to serve its community for over five decades. The story of the Community Service Department is as much about the selfless leaders who have guided it as it is about the countless lives it has touched.

The Community Service House next to Longview Heights S.D.A. Church stands as a testament to the enduring power of faith, compassion, and community. Over the years, its leaders have each brought their unique gifts and vision, ensuring that the house remains a beacon of hope and a pillar of support for those in need. As it continues to evolve, the Community Service Department carries forward the legacy of love and service, reflecting the very heart of the church and its mission.

The Longview Community Service Department indeed took the words of Jesus seriously when He said “When you did it to the least of these, you did it unto me.”

Vacation Bible School 2024 was beyond successful! The theme this year was Thunder Island. We started out with 25 kids the first night and by the third night we had almost 60 kids. The vast majority of the kids were from different neighborhoods. Ranging from Raleigh to South Memphis! We had a Blast! The kids were learning stories of the Bible and applying what they learned in games, arts and crafts, food, and music.

Our camp counselors were: Noah Boyd, Camryn Cowan, Cayden Cowan, Niobi Elliott, Sandra Johnson (taught the parents class), JaZyria Kemboi, Kimberly McDonald, Joseph Morris and Reginald Owens, II. Our assistants were Arecko “AJ” Barksdale, Cowan, Elder Brenda Cowan, Chanteria Gladney, Pastor Alex Horton, Claude Jones, Tomesha Mason and Kendra Wilburn. Our runner, Ayana Boyd. Our evening snack facilitator, Zipporah Ray. Our registration table was run by JaKaila Gladney. And our camera person, Moriah Brown. Last but certainly not least, Edra Boyd. She put everything together.

Based upon the past Vacation Bible School camps, this has been the best one yet. We had so many non-Adventist kids who attended and it was just amazing, to say the least! Let’s see if we can do better next year! See you all there!

Welcome our newest baptized members to the family of God: Kimiyah Adair, Terraniah Adair, Savannah Butterfield and Tibias Key. May God continue to bless each of you. Welcome.

They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Revelation 12:11

To encourage and uplift one another during these trying times, please send in testimonies you would like to share. Send them to theview685@gmail.com.

As I reflect, the biggest blessing of my testimony is that the Lord kept me alive amid my stroke experience in March of 2020. When I went to bed that night, I had no idea I was going to suffer a stroke in my sleep. I woke up the next morning with a left arm and hand that would not move, and I immediately knew something was very wrong. Adding to the complexity of my situation was the fact that the pandemic had literally just begun the same weekend and emergency rooms were filled to capacity with COVID-19 patients, so I delayed seeking medical attention; not knowing I had even suffered a stroke. What happened next is truly provision from God.

Over the course of the next week, I suffered what was termed as an evolution of a stroke, in which the stroke actually finished its full course. At that point, I had no choice but to go to the emergency room, where tests confirmed I had indeed suffered a stroke that left me with left-sided hemiparesis. I was unable to open my left hand or raise my left arm. My left leg was also impacted. I could not walk without an assisted device. I felt shock and sadness all at once because nothing can prepare you for your life to change in such a dramatic way, all in an instant. But when I look back over it all, I am thankful that the Lord allowed me to open my eyes that next morning because I could have died in my sleep. But I did wake up, praise God, despite some impairments and challenges.

However, God has provided me with the blessing of physical therapy and occupational therapy. Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint though, and I am working to overcome each day. But the fact that I am still able to use the present tense about my life and my situation is the greatest blessing of all. I claim Philippians 4:13, which says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Even though I still have some health challenges, I recognize that I have, in the present tense, the ability to face those challenges. So instead of looking at it as hemiparesis, I realize I can do all things through HIM-iparesis, because He is my rock and the One who ultimately strengthens me. I am thankful for each, and every prayer I have received, and I encourage anyone going through something challenging to just keep holding on, because HE is able!

Alicia Jenkins-Johnson

Kamala D. Harris is the Vice President of the United States. She always fights for the people – from her barrier-breaking time as District Attorney of San Francisco and Attorney General of California, to proudly serving as a United States Senator and the Vice President.

On January 20, 2021, Kamala Harris was sworn in as Vice President – the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected to this position.

As Vice President, she has worked to bring people together to advance opportunity, deliver for families, and protect fundamental freedoms across the country. She has led the fight for the freedom of women to make decisions about their own bodies, the freedom to live safe from gun violence, the freedom to vote, and the freedom to drink clean water and breathe clean air. While making history at home, she is also representing the nation abroad – embarking on more than a dozen foreign trips, traveling to more than 19 countries, and meeting with more than 150 world leaders to strengthen critical global alliances.

The Vice President has been a trusted partner to President Joe Biden as they work together to deliver monumental achievements that are lifechanging for millions of Americans. Together, they have invested in the economy to create a record number of jobs and keep unemployment low. Their work has led to more small business creation in a two-year period than any previous administration.

They capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month for seniors, cut prescription prices, and improved maternal health by expanding postpartum care through Medicaid. They passed the first meaningful gun safety law in three decades. Forming a bipartisan coalition, they enacted a $1 trillion investment in the country’s infrastructure to remove every lead pipe in America and make the most significant investment in public transit, repairing bridges, and high-speed Internet in history.

As President of the Senate, Vice President Harris set a new record for the most tie-breaking votes cast by a Vice President in history – surpassing a record that had stood for nearly 200 years. And her votes have been consequential. This includes casting the decisive vote to secure passage of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment ever in tackling the climate crisis. She also presided over the unprecedented vote to confirm the first Black woman, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, to the Supreme Court while working alongside President Biden to achieve historic representation of women and people of color among nominees at all levels of the federal government.

“At every step of the way, I've been guided by the words I spoke from the first time I stood in a courtroom: Kamala Harris, For the People.” - Kamala Harris, August 19, 2020

Fighting for the people is nothing new for Vice President Kamala Harris.

In 2017, she was sworn into the United States Senate where she championed legislation to fight hunger, provide rent relief, improve maternal health care, expand access to capital for small businesses, revitalize America’s infrastructure, and combat the climate crisis. She questioned two Supreme Court nominees while serving on the Judiciary Committee. She also worked to keep the American people safe from foreign threats and crafted bipartisan legislation to assist in securing American elections while serving on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

In 2010, Vice President Harris was elected Attorney General of California where she oversaw the largest state justice department in the country. She took on those who were preying on the American people, winning a $20 billion settlement for Californians whose homes had been foreclosed on and a $1.1 billion settlement for students and veterans who were taken advantage of by a for-profit education company. She also defended the Affordable Care Act in court and enforced environmental laws.

In 2004, Vice President Harris was elected District Attorney of San Francisco where she was a national leader in the movement for LGBTQ+ rights, officiating the first same-sex wedding after Proposition 8 was overturned. She also established the office’s environmental justice unit and created a ground-breaking program to provide first-time drug offenders with the opportunity to earn a high school degree and find employment, which the U.S. Department of Justice designated as a national model of innovation for law enforcement. And years earlier, in 1990, she joined the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office where she specialized in prosecuting child sexual assault cases.

Vice President Harris was born in Oakland, California. As the daughter of immigrants, she grew up surrounded by a diverse community and a loving extended family. She and her sister, Maya, were inspired by their mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a breast cancer scientist and pioneer in her own right who came to the United States from India at the age of 19 and then received her doctorate the same year that Kamala was born.

Both of the Vice President’s parents were active in the civil rights movement, and instilled in her a commitment to build strong coalitions that fight for the rights and freedoms of all people. They brought her to civil rights marches in a stroller and taught her about heroes like Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and civil rights leader Constance Baker Motley.

Vice President Harris went on to graduate from Howard University and the University of California Hastings College of Law. In 2014, she married Douglas Emhoff, a lawyer. They have a large blended family that includes their children, Ella and Cole.

As a trailblazer throughout her entire career, the Vice President is committed to fulfilling her mother’s advice: “Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you are not the last.”

Although several dozen of these seeds can be held in the palm of your hand, they contain a plethora of nutrients that affect your health in several different ways. Sunflower seeds contain essential fatty acids such as linoleic acid and lecithin, which lowers your cholesterol and reduces the risk of blood clots, making it great for your arteries. It also serves to slow down the aging of your skin and even help soothe the nerves. Sunflower seeds are helpful for people suffering from stress, depression, insomnia, and other nervous disorders.

Sunflower seeds are packed with protein comparable to meat, and also rich in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium. This can help people who are suffering from anemia, and malnutrition.

“Sunflower Seeds.” God’s Farmacy, Meet Ministry, 2013, pp. 54–55.

Mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking and/or behavior. Mental illnesses are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities. It is not uncommon for the family and caregivers to be under great stress as they care for a loved one with a serious mental illness. Further, stigmas can lead to feelings of alienation, embarrassment, and isolation for the one suffering, the family and caregivers.

The degree of impact of a mental illness can vary from day to day, thus the person’s needs for support for assistance can change over time, even daily. Because of the stigma associated with mental illness, many sufferers will not openly admit their needs, which inhibits access to medical and psychological therapies and resources that are available.

Six Goals in Ministering to Populations With Mental Illness:

• Accessibility. The point of this goal is to provide an environment in which everyone feels welcome and has access to all areas of church life, regardless of her or his mental condition. Although in many cases the individual with this type of illness will have full physical access to church and church activities, there may be cases in which individuals impacted more severely by their illness may not be able to drive and may need transportation assistance to attend church services.
• Education. Considerable misinformation about mental disorders may be present among church members. It is critical that educational outreach address issues of fear and stigma surrounding worshipers with these illnesses.
• Encouragement. The focus of this goal is to promote participation in appropriate areas of church life. Providing a safe, loving environment within all levels of the church for all people is the privilege of every Christian.
• Accommodation. The goal is to help God’s family be inclusive in principle and practice. Possibility Ministries promotes the inclusion of qualified persons with special needs in church committees, forums, volunteer service opportunities and other ministries.
• Support. Often family members of those who struggle with mental health need support. The kind of support needed varies but local resources need to be identified and offered.
• Ministry/Service. A major goal for each Possibility Ministry is to work towards restoring a sense of dignity and personal worth in the individuals served. Linked with this objective is both the discovery of hidden talents and the use of one’s talents in the service to others. The example of Jesus was clearly reaching out with understanding, hope, and belief in the individual while opening doors of opportunity for service. Restoring meaning to life is at the heart of all forms of Possibility Ministries.

Conclusion. Social stigmas associated with mental illness are powerful and can prevent individuals from fully participating in a church community. The church should be one place where a person with a mental illness knows they will be welcome and intentionally included in appropriate activities. We must reach out to this population and share with them the gospel message and the love and peace only Jesus can offer. The families of these members should also find or know where to find the coping support they need.

Adventist Possibility Ministries

The past two years have been filled with grief and loss. Beyond the pain of losing a loved one, many are still processing the confusing swirl of emotions that come with careers upended, plans curtailed, and dreams unfulfilled in the chaos of the current pandemic. Pressing through the fog of these realities can be difficult.

After a sudden and significant death in one of my congregations, my mind gravitated to a statement that once hung on a wall in my in-laws’ home—the cherished words, penned by Adventist Church cofounder Ellen White after burying her husband and ministry partner, were framed and visible to give encouragement after a tragic accident claimed one of their friends.

Could Ellen White’s personal experience and inspired counsel provide direction for those struggling to process their own losses? I wondered.

THE CRUSHING WEIGHT

As Ellen White rode in a carriage from Battle Creek to Charlotte, Michigan, for a weekend speaking engagement with her husband, she was impressed with how God had restored him. He had experienced significant setbacks because of a stroke 16 years prior, but was now thinking clearly, moving freely, and speaking powerfully.

She records him saying, “Now that God has given me renewed physical and mental strength, I feel that I can serve His cause as I have never been able to serve it before.”¹

Plans were made to travel to Colorado and the Pacific coast, offering ample time to write. Beyond this, Ellen White stated, “We hoped that we might stand together to witness the triumphant close [of God’s work at the second coming of Jesus].”²

James suffered a bit of cold exposure from an unexpected storm on that summer trip, but didn’t think anything of it. The following Sabbath he opened services in the Battle Creek Tabernacle with song and prayer. By Monday, however, he had become ill, and, after six days in the sanitarium, breathed his last.

Hopes dashed, Ellen White mourned, “The chosen protector of my youth, the companion of my life, the sharer of my labors and afflictions, was taken from my side, and I was left to finish my work and to fight the battle alone.”³ “The shock of my husband’s death—so sudden, so unexpected—fell upon me with crushing weight,”⁴ she wrote.

THE PERSPECTIVE OF ETERNITY

This was not the first time Ellen White had confronted significant loss. Her youngest son, John Herbert, died as an infant in December of 1860. Just three years later James and Ellen lost their oldest son, 16-year-old Henry. Both parents and the two surviving sons deeply mourned the youngest branch of their family tree, as well as the oldest, whose sweet songs were keenly missed.⁵ With each occurrence of loss, however, Ellen White fixed her eyes on the resurrection at Jesus’ second coming.

Following Paul’s counsel to the church in Thessalonica, Ellen White did not grieve “as others who have no hope” (1 Thess. 4:13). She knew humanity’s state in death and the promise of the resurrection. She fixed her eyes on the reality that death’s earthly sleep will soon be reversed for those who love Jesus

.

At one point in her ministry, Ellen White counseled a grieving minister who “hugged the grief to [his] bosom, . . . loved to dwell upon it, and . . . allowed [his] mind and thoughts to be seriously occupied with [his] grief.”⁶ Finding herself in the same position, Ellen White wrote, “I keenly feel my loss, but dare not give myself up to useless grief.”⁷

Ellen White did not deny the reality of grief in the experience of others or even her own. She did not minimize the importance to work through these complex feelings. She did, however, make a distinction between the tendency to mourn loss in a self-centered, obsessive grief for which there is no remedy, as opposed to mourning in the light of God’s promises, which are intended to give hope that days of sorrow will be transformed to joy. By faith in God’s Word, this is an experience we can have today.

TAKING UP THE WORK AGAIN

White came to the place where she could “look with pleasure upon his resting place”⁸ as she anticipated that her sleeping husband would soon be brought forth from the grave. With this newfound peace, she determined to honor her husband’s memory by continuing the work God had given her to do.

While at the beginning of her account she mourned the reality of moving ahead without her companion, at the conclusion she resolved to “take up my life work alone, in full confidence that my Redeemer will be with me.”⁹

Indeed, she did take up her appointed work. Ten years after James’s passing, she boarded a ship for Australia, where new ministries were established and important books were written. More than just accomplishing tasks, she desired that her ministry be characterized by kindness, gentleness, and patience. Her own bereavement made her more sensitive to the struggles of the living.

A CHALLENGE TO THE LIVING

Ellen White addresses two practical ways we can process grief. First, she commends us to greater resistance against sin and the powers of darkness, which have brought the sting of death and loss. Second, she encourages us to serve Christ more passionately, knowing that the scars of human grief will be fully healed only when the Sun of Righteousness arises with healing in His wings (see Mal. 4:2).

During a time of widespread grief and loss, those words my wife’s parents memorialized in the form of a portrait offer a challenge and a positive step on the journey to healing: “The best way in which I and my children can honor the memory of him who has fallen,” Ellen White says, “is to take the work where he left it, and in the strength of Jesus carry it forward to completion.”¹⁰

We too can honor those whom we have lost by moving forward with renewed purpose, desiring to see their faces again, and chiefly, the face of our Redeemer, who makes this possible.

¹ Ellen G. White, Life Sketches of Ellen G. White (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1915), p. 249.

Adventist Possibility Ministries

The overall theme for Children’s Church this year is “Fruits of the Spirit”

Below are the dates/themes for each Month this year:

January 13th | Joy

February 10th | Love

March 9th | Faithfulness/ Resurrection

April 13th | Peace

May 11th | Gentleness/Mother’s Day

June | No Children’s Church Skip due to Camp Meeting

July 13th | Patience

August 10th | Self-Control/Back to School September 14th = Kindness

October 26th | “Fall 4 Jesus” Trunk Show November 9th = Goodness/Wrap-Up

December | No Children’s Church due to Children’s Day

The View would like to include all birthdays, anniversaries and special events in the church newsletter. Please send photos, videos and information to theview685@gmail.com.

Claude Jones, Jr.

Sabbath School Advisors

Brenda Cowan | Alicia Steele

Sabbath School Program Director

Micheal Cleveland

Sabbath Morning | 11:30 a.m. In-Person

Sabbath School Overtime 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Kindergarten | Ages 0-4 | Kristina Johnson

Primary | Ages 5-10 | Mary Tate | Alice Conley | Tammy Sims

Juniors | Tanya Elliott

Teen & Youth | Joseph Morris | Reggie Owens

Young Adults | 18+| Brian Johnson | Lanita Johnson

Adult Teachers | Herbert Brown, Jr. | Florine Jones | Gwen Simon | Sandra Johnson | Charlean Seay | Roger Turner | Claude Jones, Jr. | Brenda Cowan

Email: theview685@gmail.com

Website: https://longviewheightstn.adventistchurch.org/
Location: 685 East Mallory Avenue, Memphis, TN, USA
Phone: 901-774-5431

Sabbath Service 10:30 am

Sabbath School 11:30 am