News and information from around the Ohio Conference
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NAD Administration Provides Guidance for Church in North America During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Release from the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists
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The leadership of the North American Division of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (NAD), in consultation with the leaders of the nine union conferences in the NAD, is providing some guidance for the churches and schools in our territories regarding the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
As Christians we have a responsibility to care for each other and ourselves. With the World Health Organization now declaring COVID-19 to be a pandemic, we should be seen as part of the solution rather than potentially becoming part of the problem.
In seeking to limit the potential impact of COVID-19, the NAD administration has voted that all staff should cease all travels immediately. Administration has prohibited work-related travel until June 24, 2020.
In addition, NAD administration has voted to cancel NAD-sponsored events and meetings scheduled to take place before June 24. The NAD Human Resource Services Conference and Union and Local Secretaries Council, scheduled for April 26-28, has been cancelled. The CALLED Pastors’ Family Convention, scheduled for June 20-24, 2020, has been rescheduled for the summer of 2022. Cancellation notices for several NAD events have already been issued, including the
Pathfinder Bible Experience
and
Sonscreen Film Festiva
l
.
We, in support of our unions and local conferences, are asking our churches and schools to follow guidelines being established by their local and state governments regarding public meetings and size limits on gatherings. Many state governments are limiting the size of gatherings to 250 people or less. Some areas are even reducing that number to 100 people.
In light of these restrictions, and to maintain a healthy environment for our local communities, we are supporting our unions and local conferences in suggesting that churches and schools strongly reconsider the need to meet over the next two weeks. If churches have live-streaming capabilities, those options should be utilized to provide virtual church services for their members.
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Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Ohio Conference Schools
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Earlier this week, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced all schools in Ohio would have a "
three-week spring break."
This was not unexpected, and is part of the state's effort to slow "community spread" of the highly infectious COVID-19 virus, by decreasing human contact.
As Ohio Conference Education Superintendent Richard Bianco shares in this video, our conference education team has devised a "game plan" for each community. "Our student families can know that while this period of time will be challenging for them, we will do whatever we can to ensure their child is still being provided a worthy educational experience under the circumstances."
Bianco also shares multiple suggestions on how communities can come together to assist young people in their immediate spheres of influence. "We can show Jesus through our actions...to our students, our parents, our church community, and our community at large. Let our people be the people who are 'showing the way' during this dark time in our history...I know we can do this Ohio. Le's show Jesus to all our community and let's do it together."
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Coronavirus and the Ohio Conference
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As news surrounding the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) continues to rapidly develop, the Ohio Conference leadership are taking prudent steps to keep our conference family healthy.
We will release regular updates on status changes as they become available through
Faithpoints
,
Facebook
,
Twitter
,
and
Instagram
accounts, direct emails to local church leaders and pastors, as well as our dedicated
webpage
.
Our hope is that these actions will help slow the spread of COVID-19, and to help avoid overwhelming local medical facilities, as demonstrated in the graphic shown.
Members are asked to remember this is an emerging, rapidly-evolving situation. The Ohio Conference will adjust their recommendations and guidelines accordingly.
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The Power of a Small Group
Pastor Michael Stough II, Springfield First, Delaware, New Carlisle District
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As the long march began, the captives looked around at what was left of their once proud capital. Not only was this city viewed as the capital of the nation, it was the heart of their religion. The temple at its center was the House of God. Instead of divine blessings, it appeared as if God forsook everything He said He was protecting. Many would never return, those who did, would weep from the memory of what stood before. Everyone was uncertain about the future which lay ahead, as step by step they inched closer to their new lives in Babylon.
Among the war-torn group were Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael. This group of four were to stand out from all the other Jewish captives in a unique way. All received wisdom and knowledge, and to Daniel the ability to understand visions and dreams. So great was this wisdom and knowledge, that in their final exams, King Nebuchadnezzar found them ten times better than all the other sages in the Babylonian Empire.
The Bible confirms God gave these four Jewish young men their wisdom and knowledge, but I believe it was their small group fellowship which allowed them to gain the confidence and strength needed to stand boldly in the Babylonian courts. Solomon understood this when he writes about the value of two being better than one in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, especially when he ends this section of wisdom by saying “a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
[1]
I believe individually they each possessed the resolve to be faithful to God, but how much easier their resolve regarding Nebuchadnezzar’s commands about the food they were to eat and the image they were to worship were made because they found strength and encouragement with each other. Daniel, when grappling with the visions and dreams put before him put the issue not just before God in isolation but brought them as matters of prayer and study to his group (see Daniel 2:17-18; 8:27).
I think another important lesson for us as Seventh-day Adventists today, is the relation of Daniel’s stories and prophecies dealing with time of the end events. How much we need to be in small group fellowship not just to gain strength in challenging times, but to study God’s word together. The world is full of many theories and ideas regarding what is taking place around us, some are correct, many are not. Do you know the difference? If Daniel didn’t believe it wise to trust merely to his own wisdom and understanding regarding the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, why would we believe it is safe to understand things in a vacuum?
The power which comes in a small group is great. It is even greater when it is connected to God. Are you missing out on this power today?
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Bowling Green Church "Plants" Church In Unlikely Place
by Karen Griffith
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In 2018, the Bowling Green Church embarked on a bold journey that tested their faith and resolve in what God can do with such a small congregation. Twenty-one members intentionally developed Mission and Vision statements which would set the stage for their outreach, and was grand enough that it would be beyond their ability to accomplish without God’s intervention, which was Pastor Roy Lawinsky’s challenge to the congregation.
The Mission Statement motivates the church to proclaim the everlasting gospel of the three angels of Revelation 14 and to prepare people for the soon coming of Christ. While this statement may not seem profound on its surface because it is the Gospel Commission, it also acts as the impetus to the members to believe the Vision Statement is possible.
“To be active witnesses for Jesus by fully using our talents in Bowling Green and Northwest Ohio and to plant a new church every seven years until Jesus comes.”
For some 17 years the Bowling Green Church has ministered to a local nursing home through a singing ministry. The first Sabbath of each month, members go to the nursing home after their potluck meal and sing hymns and tell inspirational stories.
About nine months ago, after a “first Sabbath” singalong, a resident waited outside the activities room to ask a question of Randy Underwood, who leads out at these outings. Her question was, “what do you believe happens when you die?” He asked her if she would like to study this question from the Bible. The next Sabbath the first study commenced with two ladies seeking to know God’s truth on death.
After that first study, the ladies were eager to start at the beginning and go through the entire series. Then these two ladies became “disciples” to other residents, and each week others came to study. Today, the group is on lesson 21, and has been as large as seven residents some weeks. Each truth, each new concept that shatters their long held believes has been accepted because Randy and Jane Underwood do not deviate from
sola scriptura.
On January 18, 2020, the first afternoon worship service was held in the nursing home’s chapel. The regulars to the study were there and a couple of other residents as well. Residents were thrilled with the sermon presented by Caleb Kurtz and the church plans to continue the afternoon worship services on the third Sabbath of each month.
What the members of the Bowling Green Church discovered was an unlikely place to “plant” a church, but this is a rewarding field. To most people, residents of a nursing home might seem a “too late” field of mission, and the group has seen the passing of two of its regular attendees, but they were individuals in love with their Lord. Perhaps the most amazing thing about these residents is that they come from a generation that has been well churched but as long as they see it from scripture, while they might struggle with long held beliefs, they cannot refute the Truth.
Currently three residents have completed their lessons, and at least one is desiring baptism. It is certainly true that if you make your vision greater than you can accomplish yourself, God will amaze you with His moving hand.
Editors note: Please remember this unique ministry in your prayers. Due to recent restrictions on nursing homes in the state of Ohio related to COVID-19, this ministry will likely be suspended until further notice.
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Options When Worshiping From Home
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The Ohio Conference is fortunate to have many churches who live-stream their worship services.
During this time where many churches across the state have suspended in-person worship services, we will share a rotating selection of Ohio Conference churches where you will be richly blessed and spiritually fed each Sabbath. Enjoy their archived services throughout the week as well!
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Ohio Conference treasurer Roy Simpson presented December 2019 financials to the Executive Committee last Sunday.
Simpson shared encouraging financial news. Ohio tithe passed $12 million for the first time in history. Working capital is over 100%.
“This suggests a Ohio is financially strong conference,” shared Emmanuel Asiedu, Columbia Union Conference Treasurer.
Also during the meeting, a check for $50,000 was presented to conference administration by Finance Committee chairperson Vince Waln on behalf of the Columbia Union.
As reported by the Columbia Union Visitor
, Columbia Union Executive committee members voted this tithe reversion to conferences for mission and evangelism.
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Hispanic Ministries Retreat
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This Hispanic Ministries Weekend Retreat scheduled for April 11-12, 2020 at Deer Creek has been cancelled.
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Read the Current Issue of
Mission Ohio
in the Columbia Union Visitor
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Highlights of this issue include new Ohio Conference treasurer, Roy M. Simpson and his wife Melissa; Ohio Conference high school students being "ReCharged," and how a growing church plant changes lives in Massillon.
Read these articles and more in the current issue of
Mission Ohio
in
Visitor
magazine.
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Heidi A. Shoemaker, Communication Director
Ohio Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
1251 E Dorothy Ln, Dayton, OH 45419
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