New NCC Director Barry van Iderstein
On Sept. 1, the NCC Executive Committee voted to invite Barry van Iderstein to serve as director of Adventurer ministries, children’s ministries, and family ministries. He will begin his new position in November. “With his strong background in educating young children and his passion for ministry and service, we are excited to have Barry take on this new role,” said President Marc Woodson.
Van Iderstein (pictured with his wife, Joana, and their two youngest kids) is currently the assistant to the NCC superintendent of schools, a role he has held since 2006. “For the past 15 years, as I’ve been helping educators reach thousands of kids for Jesus, I realize that I enjoy planning events, conducting trainings, and providing other ministry support,” he said. “I’ll miss working with the teachers and principals, but I know that they are in good hands with the NCC education team.”
Before coming to the conference office, van Iderstein was a teacher. Over the course of 15 years, he taught every grade level from 1-12, serving at White Memorial Adventist School in Los Angeles, Hilltop Christian School in Antioch, and Pleasant Hill Adventist Academy, where he also worked as the registrar. “I see this new job as an opportunity to take all the skills I’ve learned from my previous career and put them all into one,” he said.
Van Iderstein holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Master of Arts in education from Pacific Union College. He also spent a year studying at the Adventist college in Sagunto, Spain. Fluent in Spanish, he has worked as a Spanish teacher, preached in Spanish, and translated for evangelistic campaigns in many countries.
He looks forward to working with parents, grandparents, and others who want to share their faith with the next generation. “We need to be intentional about all aspects of our children’s spiritual lives,” he said. “Everything we do should be intentionally supportive, helpful, kind, and educational – as we all grow together.”
His own family has benefited from NCC programs for children and youth. “I have three sons in their 20s, as well as a nine-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter, so I have participated in many Adventurer, Pathfinder, Sabbath School, and VBS activities over several decades,” said van Iderstein. “I look forward to helping families share their spiritual journey with their own children and others.”
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NCC Disaster Relief Fund Helps 69 Families
Since the beginning of August, the NCC Disaster Relief Fund has helped all 69 families identified by NCC churches and schools that were forced to evacuate their homes due to the recent fires in Northern California.
Many compassionate donors have contributed $23,990 to the fund, including the Fairfield Korean group, which recently donated more than $7,000! The fund helps NCC members as well as people connected to NCC churches and schools.
Communication and Development Director Laurie Trujillo wants donors to realize how much their gifts mean to those forced to evacuate. “When Dolly Milholland, teaching principal at the Clearlake school, gave $100 to one of the families from her school, they broke down in tears of gratitude,” said Trujillo. “The gift was very meaningful to a family that felt alone and uncertain about the future.”
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El Dorado Adventist School 9/11 Memorial Ceremony
Every September since 2002, El Dorado Adventist School in Placerville has held an annual service to pay tribute to the first responders of 9/11, as well as the first responders in their own community. On Sept. 10, the school gathered around their flagpole once again.
A number of students participated in the short program. Josh Overton, Matthew Riddle, and Jake Stewart read the poem, “We Are America.” Dagan Duchscherer and Jaxon Stallings raised the flag, and Daniel Durrett led the Pledge of Allegiance. Eden Gibson rang a bell in honor of responders who lost their lives in service to their communities.
Students had the opportunity to meet a number of first responders and give them letters, drawings, and other gifts. “We want to inspire our kids to appreciate our public servants – these people who put their lives on the line every day,” said Bonne Daggett (pictured at lower left above), who has planned the service for many years.
El Dorado County Fire District Chief Tim Cordero was the event’s speaker. Last year was the first time he attended the program. “In previous years, his men had talked about how meaningful the event was, so he said he just had to come,” said Daggett. “We are touching hearts.”
Retired NCC Pastor Craig Klatt served as the program narrator, and a number of community people participated, including Placerville Mayor Dennis Thomas.
Daggett hopes that the students will learn to appreciate public servants and aspire to serve in their own ways. “Mr. Rogers once said, ‘When bad things happen, look for the helpers,’” she said. “We want the kids to know that they can be helpers, too.”
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Arcata-McKinleyville Church Served as Evacuation Shelter
At the end of August, as the Knob Fire advanced in Humboldt County, the American Red Cross moved families from its shelter in the community of Willow Creek to the Arcata-McKinleyville church. Read the local news article.
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Upcoming Events
Oct. 2 - Don’t miss the upcoming dialogue between Christians with diverse views, which will be broadcast on the NCC YouTube channel and Facebook page: Finding a Way Forward: Vaccine Mandates & Religious Liberty. Moderated by Steve Allred, NCC religious liberty liaison, the online discussion will feature several physicians and attorneys, along with NCC President Marc Woodson.
Oct. 8-9 - The NCC African American Ministries virtual convocation, Engaging the Vision, Living the Dream, will be a time of inspiration and encouragement. Wesley Knight, pastor of the Revision church in Atlanta, will be the guest speaker.
Oct. 22-24 - Juniors and seniors in academy, high school, and home school are invited to attend Surge, this year’s Jr/Sr Retreat with speaker Kent Rufo, Pacific Union College chaplain.
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Adventist Book Center
Expect great things from God as you discover what praying big looks like and see His great plans for your life. Find the book Pray Big: God Can Do So Much More! for $12.74 at the NCC ABC.
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Thank you, Stephanie Leal, for the beautiful new design for Northern Lights! |
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Northern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
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