We value (A)dventist education, (C)oaching leaders,
(T)otally involving members in ministry, & (S)piritually growing in Jesus. This is Washington ACTS!
God's Gifts for Your Blue Christmas
by Heidi Baumgartner, Washington Conference communication director
A blog post made its way through my social network this week and resonated with hearts who had loved and lost. Its title: “What Grieving People Wish You Knew at Christmas.”
Maybe this year was your best year. Maybe this was your worst year. Maybe you are searching this holiday season to be comforted. In the midst of festivity, there can be a sense of loss and mourning and blueness. You are not alone.
The reality is: Everyone of us in life will encounter loss and grief in some form at some point. It’s OK to grieve and remember and embrace all the emotions God created.
The two best Blue Christmas gifts I know are prayer and acts of remembrance.
Four conference-run camps in the Northwest each received the Norm Middag Award of Excellence this past week from the Association of Adventist Camp Professionals. Sunset Lake (Washington Conference camp with staff pictured here), Big Lake (Oregon Conference), MiVoden (Upper Columbia Conference) and Ida-Haven (Idaho Conference) won this year's recognition, which measures excellence in six areas of camp operation.
This was a big weekend for Hispanic Ministries with the launch of 130 small groups. Friday night, the group leaders met with a small group ministry expert. For Sabbath, the full team of small groups came together for more training from Pastor Jose V. Rojas. We are eager to see how God will bless and grow these small groups.
North Cascade youth recently had a two-day spiritual rally where four young people were baptized and five more made decisions for baptism. Youth participated in two outreach activities: The Power of One raised money to go and pay for neighbor's groceries and gas because "Jesus already paid it all for us." A second outreach activities featured a musical visit to Country Meadow Village. The church liked the youth rally decorations so much that the congregation left the decor in place for a couple weeks after the rally!
If you approach your holidays (and especially Christmas dinner conversation) with a sense of dread, this month's Stewpot edition provides some relationship tips to help you out.
1. Use Good Manners - Even with Your Family
2. Set Clear Expectations
3. Avoid Favoritism
4. Keep Your Own Traditions
5. Don't Play Mind Games
The Conference Ministries offering as we currently know it (for Education, Evangelism, and Sunset Lake) is changing. Local church representatives affirmed a decision in 2017 to transition this offering to become the new Washington Youth offering to specifically fund efforts to grow young Adventists.
Your last opportunity to contribute to Conference Ministries offering will be in December. Starting in January, our new tithe envelope will feature Washington Youth.
Thank you for helping to instill Hope & Wholeness in the next generation!
