The highlights for August are:
Most of our teachers attended the North American Division Educators Convention in Phoenix, AZ. They had the opportunity to join the 6,000 Adventist educators across North America and abroad in worshiping, listening to plenary sessions, participating in hundreds of break-out sessions, and meeting old friends or making new ones. We are grateful to God for our team and we wish them God’s blessing for another successful school year.
Hispanic Ministries, led by Pastors Evelio Miranda, Freddy De Los Santos, Asael Sanchez, Samuel Latouche, and Cristofe Guzman organized their annual camp meeting at Camp Wakonda. Hundreds of members across the state gathered for spiritual, emotional, and physical rejuvenation. Pastor Omar and Nessí Grieve, and Pastor Jochy Jamel were the main speakers and Sampaguita Bahena was the musician for the retreat.
Dr. Amir Gulzar, our new Executive Secretary/Treasurer, and I attended the Lake Union Officers Retreat. The emphasis of the meetings was Adventist Outreach in the big cities of our Union: Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Milwaukee. We already have great dreams for the Milwaukee area. We will soon meet with all the pastors and local church leaders to pray and plan for the best present and eternal impact on the community.
AdventHealth celebrated its 50th anniversary. More than 83,000 individuals provide whole-person care in medical facilities nationwide in nine states. We have our AdventHealth hospital in Durand, WI, and are grateful for their influence and healing ministry in their community.
Referring to the importance of the medical ministry, Ellen White wrote the following relevant statements:
“Wonderful has been the working out of God’s plan in the establishment of so many health institutions. Intemperance of every kind is taking the world captive, and those who are true educators at this time, those who instruct along the lines of self-denial and self-sacrifice, will have their reward. Now is our time, now is our opportunity, to do a blessed work.”—Letter 50, 1909.
Titus Naftanaila, Wisconsin Conference President