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Southern Tidings, Atlanta, GA (2025)

07/21/2025

The second annual Gulf Coast Church Women’s Retreat brought together 20 women for a deeply meaningful weekend centered on the theme “Loved by God,” held April 25-27, 2025, in a peaceful retreat-style setting called Shalom Place in Gulfport, Miss. The event offered time for rest, renewal, and a reminder of God’s unconditional love for each woman present. The keynote speaker, Burnette Gager, women’s ministries coordinator for Bay Church in St. Louis, Miss., shared a powerful message on the depth and constancy of God’s love.

The retreat featured a variety of Christ-centered activities that highlighted personal testimonies and intentional moments of prayer and fellowship. One of the most memorable experiences occurred Saturday evening around the fire pit, where participants shared how they’ve personally encountered God’s love through trials and triumphs. The atmosphere encouraged vulnerability and created deep spiritual connection.

The weekend also included a “Spiritual Spa,” which offered guided reflection, journaling, Scripture meditation, and creative expression through crafts. This component was designed to foster soul-care, and helped reinforce the weekend’s message of divine worth and identity in Christ.

“Watching each woman experience God’s love in a unique way was such a joy,” said Peggy Wagley, women’s ministries leader. “This retreat reminded us that we are never alone — God’s love is always present and transformative.”

Participants left the retreat encouraged and spiritually refreshed, carrying with them a renewed understanding that they are deeply and eternally loved by God.

07/20/2025

After a six-year hiatus, more than 90 young adults from across the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference gathered at Indian Creek Camp, May 9–11, 2025, for a weekend of spiritual renewal, connection, and reflection at the young adult retreat, this year themed “Why Me?”

The retreat had not taken place since 2019, following the COVID-19 pandemic and shifts in Conference leadership. However, Nelson Silva, who was recently given the title of youth director for young adults, public campus ministries, and children’s ministries for the Conference, said focus groups revealed that many young adults were seeking a place to connect.

“[The retreat] came straight from the young adults themselves,” said Silva. “We started with a listening tour, just asking what they needed, and they said, ‘We want our retreat back.’ So, we brought it back with their ideas at the center.”

The “Why Me?” theme, inspired by Ephesians 2:10, was selected after young adults identified purpose, discipleship, and healing, particularly mental health, as their most pressing spiritual and personal concerns. These topics formed the foundation of the weekend’s programming. In addition to this, attendees participated in workshops and general sessions aligned with the three themes, along with recreational activities such as horseback riding, zip-lining, kayaking, and a scavenger hunt. The retreat also featured worship services and music coordinated entirely by local young adults.

“There’s a hunger for connection,” said Silva. “So many of these young adults come from churches where they might be the only person their age. This retreat gives them the chance to meet others like them [and] to know they’re not alone.”

This year, the Conference saw broad representation from across its territory, with 20 churches being represented — marking a shift from previous years, when attendance was largely concentrated in churches just around Nashville, Tenn. Several churches helped subsidize costs for their young adults, while the Conference stepped in to assist those without a home congregation or financial resources.

“Faith grows stronger in unity,” said Bryan Vasquez, a young adult from the Lebanon Hispanic Church and event attendee. “When events like this come up, they’re an opportunity to grow spiritually alongside other young adults who share your faith. This retreat helped me return home with a clearer understanding of God’s plans for my future, and I also made new friends and met some amazing people.”

According to Silva, the retreat is part of a larger effort by the Conference to reestablish and expand its young adult ministries. Future plans include supporting local young adult groups, building connections with public campus ministries, continuing to listen to the needs of young adults through focus groups.

A follow-up training for young adult and campus ministry leaders is scheduled for July 26, 2025, at the Conference office.

07/19/2025

Across the continent, Seventh-day Adventist churches and schools are proclaiming the Gospel through events and Bible studies — many made possible by Pentecost 2025, a North American Division (NAD) initiative intended to mobilize church members for evangelism this year through start-up funds, resources, and training. Pastors, elders, principals, and teachers are not the only local church leaders involved in this widespread evangelistic push though.

Numerous summer camp directors and counselors have also plunged into Pentecost 2025, utilizing nearly 5,700 sets of sleekly designed, highly relevant children’s lessons: the Discovery Mountain Expedition Bible Guides. Created by the Voice of Prophecy (VOP), these studies feature a compelling continuous story set in Discovery Mountain Camp, a fictional summer camp familiar to fans of VOP’s popular Bible-based audio drama, Discovery Mountain.

The Pentecost 2025 planning committee did not originally intend to include summer camps in their initiative, said Rick Remmers, assistant to the president at the NAD. Plans shifted when camps expressed interest in joining. Leadership chose to supply them with Bible studies.

The NAD’s Youth and Young Adult Ministries Department already had Momentum, a Bible study series for teens. But, the NAD didn’t have a resource geared toward the majority of summer camp attendees, junior-aged children. That changed when Remmers spoke with Alex Rodriguez, an associate speaker and the evangelism director for VOP. The media ministry is one of Pentecost 2025’s official partners.

Rodriguez recommended the Expedition Bible Guides — 14 lessons that not only introduce readers to key doctrines of the Adventist Church but also immerse them in the world of Discovery Mountain, which releases fresh spiritual content each week, and reaches hundreds of thousands of young listeners around the globe.

“The Expedition Bible Guides are more than just lessons,” said Rodriguez.

“They’re supported by the Discovery Mountain holistic universe, and with them, we have the opportunity to provide a support system especially for campers who are not Adventist, and will not be returning home to Adventist churches or schools.

“Discovery Mountain could become their ‘family,’ ” said Rodriguez, “and we hope that the things they learn in these guides and through Discovery Mountain programming will continue sparking a flame in their hearts until the day that the Lord gives them an opportunity to take their place in the army of God. These Bible guides are the only guides I know of that can offer this larger system of belonging.”

When the NAD announced their offer to supply camps with children’s Bible studies, orders poured in. More than 30 camps — multiple from the Southern Union — requested Expedition Bible Guide sets, often by the hundreds. With their appealing graphics and solid biblical context, these guides will enable camps to easily infuse their activities with spiritual content, said Remmers. He’s also excited to see how these guides will equip counselors.

“A really neat aspect of this camp Bible study initiative is that the people who will be doing most of the teaching will be Adventist young adults, collegiates, and older high school students,” said Remmers. “Being a camp counselor already challenges them in a lot of ways; giving Bible studies will keep nudging them forward spiritually — and it becomes easy when you have a guide like Expedition, which walks you through the process.”

Jean Boonstra, Discovery Mountain’s executive director and a VOP associate speaker, further described how these guides perfectly fit the camp environment.

“The Expedition Bible Guides are a wonderful resource for small group study or one-on-one baptismal studies, and the boxed set comes with clear instructions for leaders and students,” said Boonstra. “Each guide begins with a summer camp story — so the context will be meaningful for campers — and that story ends with a cliffhanger so the student will want to read more. I hope campers grow with God this summer by using these studies.”

Tracy Woods, director of youth and young adult ministries at VOP, expects each camp to utilize the Expedition Bible Guides in a way that blends with their unique operations. Some will use the guides during cabin devotional times, others in Bible study sessions, and still others during rest periods and before bedtime.

“There is one thing that all of our 60-plus Adventist camps do well with,” said Woods, “and that is sending campers home with rich spiritual experiences and lifelong memories.”

Elizabeth Rodriguez, youth assistant director for the Gulf States Conference, explained that Camp Alamisco in Dadeville, Alabama, found itself in need of Bible studies last year, but her team didn’t know which ones to choose. When they learned about the Expedition Bible Guides, they were thrilled — especially due to the lessons’ unique design and content.

“The Expedition guides are the perfect fit for our camp environment,” said Rodriguez. “They speak the language of our campers — visually, spiritually, and personally.”

She added that her Camp Alamisco team decided to join this Bible study initiative because they aim to never miss an opportunity to share the Gospel in meaningful ways. The camp’s ultimate goal is to lead each camper toward making a decision for Christ.
“We’re grateful for ministries like the Voice of Prophecy that provide tools for evangelism in the camp setting, where personal conversations are happening every second,” said Rodriguez. “The Expedition Bible Guides are more than just a tool. They’re an answer to prayer.”

Shelina Bonjour, Kentucky-Tennessee Conference youth director for club ministries and youth director for Indian Creek Camp in Liberty, Tennessee, expressed a similar sentiment about her camp’s plans to use the Expedition Bible Guides.

“At Indian Creek, we’re not just planting seeds — we’re sending campers home with tools in hand to keep growing,” said Bonjour. “Every camper who asks for Bible studies this summer will leave equipped to dive in, dig deep, and keep building a stronger walk with Jesus.”

Several camps plan to send the guides home with campers. That way, any child who wants to continue studying the Bible will have a resource to read while waiting for additional study arrangements to be made with their local Adventist church.

07/18/2025

Top: “Eighteen students graduated from Fletcher Hospital’s School of Nursing May 16. Fletcher Hospital, Fletcher, North Carolina, maintains a three-year nursing program.”

Bottom: “Captain Gilmore School, Fletcher, North Carolina, held open house and was directed May 18. Glen Marlow, superintendent of education for Henderson County, was the keynote speaker.” – Southern Tidings July 1975 Issue

07/17/2025

Paige Phillips Parnell, a former Miss Alabama and first runner-up to Miss America, was living the American dream in Arizona when two Adventist teenagers knocked on her door and gave her a copy of The Great Controversy. She didn’t read the book right away, but put it in a box for later reading. Decades passed. She moved back to Alabama, and at her lowest point, struggling with alcohol addiction, she cried out to Jesus for help. The very next day, she had a desire to clean out the attic, and that’s where she found the old, battered box containing the book given to her by those Adventist teenagers.

Parnell read The Great Controversy from cover to cover. She then shared the truths with her husband, Hayes. They were baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 2018.

When asked how her life changed after becoming an Adventist, Parnell answered with joy, “Well, first God gave me the power to overcome addiction. My diet changed to a healthy one, and we moved to the country where we grow our own food. I stopped wearing jewelry, and now I wear very little makeup. I love the simplicity of this new lifestyle, and being a member of a Church that keeps the commandments of God and has the testimony of Jesus. I’m so thankful for those Adventist teenagers and for Ellen White’s writings.”

The Parnells are members of Floral Crest Church in Bryant, Ala. Their home church has a school, Floral Crest School, which has been in continuous operation since 1905. However, in 2023, Floral Crest School faced the threat of closure due to low enrollment. These problems inspired Parnell to start “Train His Lambs,” a 501(c)3 supporting ministry.

She explained her goal of increasing enrollment in Adventist Church schools. “Numerous church schools have closed in Alabama and Mississippi, and the cost of tuition is the main reason.” The Train His Lambs students earn their tuition scholarships by training in literature evangelism, then going out weekly into the community to distribute copies of The Great Controversy. Since we began providing these tuition assistance scholarships in 2023, enrollment has doubled in 2025. In only two years, we’ve seen amazing results. Praise the Lord!”

In March 2025, Train His Lambs partnered with Streams of Light, a supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, dedicated to proclaiming the three angels’ messages by training missionaries and equipping lay members through innovative outreach programs to reach large cities, help distribute 50,000 copies of The Great Controversy in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Parnell warmly recalled her gratitude to those Adventist teenagers who gave her a copy of The Great Controversy.

“I’ve come full circle with this ministry. Just as those two Adventist teenagers gave me this life-changing book, now our Adventist students go out into the community spreading these books like the leaves of autumn. I’m thankful to be a part of such an important work in these last days of Earth’s history. Jesus is coming again!”

07/16/2025

"With hearts full of sorrow yet overflowing with gratitude for a beautiful life, we announce the passing away of Kathy Russell, beloved Children’s Ministries Director for the Carolina Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Kathy fell asleep in Jesus on Tuesday, July 15 at 11:34am after a life lived in service to God, to His children, and to the mission of the Church she so deeply loved."

07/16/2025

At the recent South Central Conference executive committee meeting, Benjamin Jones Jr., president of the South Central Conference, shared news that marks the end of an era. After serving this incredible Conference for 54 years, Jones announced his decision to retire at the end of December 2025.

In a heartfelt address, Jones reflected on his ministry journey, which began in the Dothan, Ala., district before taking him through Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and other areas within the South Central region. “It has been a wonderful journey,” said Jones, “I have enjoyed a tremendous ministry and made wonderful friends.”

Jones expressed deep gratitude to his administrative team, including Toussaint Williams, Ph.D., Conference executive secretary; Sonja Crayton, chief financial officer; and countless staff members, pastors, teachers, administrators, and laypersons who have supported him over the years. “This year marks my 54th year of serving South Central,” said Jones. “You’ve given me your all, and I’ve tried to give you my all in return.”

While preparing to retire, Jones assured the South Central family that he plans to remain active within the Conference. He intends to serve as a deacon at his home church, First Church in Huntsville, Ala., and continue supporting the ministry in various ways. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m not leaving until the end of December 2025,” he emphasized. “Even after retirement, I will still be a member of South Central and plan to stay involved.”

Jones expressed gratitude to the Conference family for their unwavering support and prayers throughout his ministry. “Please pray for me, and I’ll pray for you,” he said. “You’ve been a blessing to me, and I hope that the ministry I have enjoyed with you has also been a blessing for you.

As Jones prepares to close a remarkable chapter in December, his legacy of dedication, service, and faith will undoubtedly continue to inspire generations to come in South Central and beyond.

07/16/2025

Georgia-Cumberland Academy (GCA) is committed to providing students with a whole person education, one that cultivates each student’s spiritual, social, emotional, physical, and academic development. A boarding school environment lends itself to this type of educational environment with its wide variety of extracurricular activities, including mission trips and study tours.

Every March, GCA takes students on an international mission trip and study tour. This year the mission trip was to Brazil, and the study tour went to Japan. The mission group assisted Global Thinkers Now, an Adventist missionary couple working in the Amazon, with building a boardwalk for the mission house, a wall around a local church, conducting Vacation Bible School, and providing dental care to the community. The international study tour went to Japan and immersed themselves in Japanese culture, including visiting Buddhist temples, reflecting on the history of Hiroshima, and seeing the beauty of Mount Fuji.

Shelby Miller, a senior who asked to be baptized in the Amazon this year, has been on three mission trips during her time at GCA. “Every time I come back from a trip, I am more thankful for what I have. The people from the church had been praying for 15 years for a wall to protect their property, and we were able to build it in a week and a half. Seeing how big of a difference we can make in their lives is really meaningful.”

Mission trips are a great opportunity for spiritual growth. “I think mission trips create spiritually fertile ground. The experience of traveling, working, sweating, worshiping, and serving together opens up students in ways that regular life often doesn’t allow,” said Josh Woods, GCA chaplain. “These trips help students see the world through God’s eyes.”

In a similar way, study tours help students to see the similarities and uniqueness of other people groups and that all are God’s children. “I love how international study tours offer our students an opportunity to build on their academic understanding while expanding their worldview. The experiences on these trips create empathy, curiosity, and insight in a way no classroom can,” said Serge Gariepy, GCA principal.

“I think it’s always good to see how the rest of the world functions,” said Aidan Paez, a senior at GCA. “It was interesting learning about their religions. We were learning in real time about world religions, and not just through a textbook.”

07/15/2025

On the final day of GC Session 2025, the Parade of Nations (which took place during "Mission on the Move") reminded us that the Seventh-day Adventist Church spans the globe — many cultures, many languages, but one faith, one mission, and one Savior.

What a joy to belong to a worldwide family grounded in the hope of Jesus!

07/14/2025

Millie Rodríguez wasn’t supposed to be at work yet. After a quiet lunch with her husband one October afternoon, she was torn between heading home or arriving early at the Hobgood Elementary School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where she works as a bus driver.

“I was closer to my house,” said Rodríguez, who is a member of the Murfreesboro Hispanic Church. “But I heard a small, quiet voice say, ‘No, go to work.’ Though I thought it was too early, I listened.”

That decision — which she says was led by God — would change the course of someone else’s life.

When Rodríguez arrived at the school, she noticed something odd. The parking spot she always uses was already taken by someone she knew only in passing: Geneva McKnight, a school crossing guard.

Trusting her instinct, Rodríguez pulled in beside McKnight and walked over. When she asked if everything was all right, McKnight responded that she didn’t feel well and believed she was having a heart attack.

What followed was a blur of adrenaline. McKnight tried stepping out of her car, but Rodríguez told her to stop.

“I was nervous, but I just thought, I need to get help,” said Rodríguez. “I walked her into the school and told them, ‘Call 911.’”

Emergency crews arrived and rushed McKnight to the hospital. Doctors later confirmed she was in the middle of a heart attack. Following the incident, she had to spend one week recovering at the hospital.

Now, as McKnight reflects on the experience, she says she’s grateful for Rodríguez’s presence.

“It wasn’t even time for her to be there,” said McKnight, continuing, “but I think God intervened. [Rodríguez] was my little guardian angel. It’s in moments like that you realize how fragile life is, and how powerful God is.”

In the weeks following the incident, the two women grew closer. Rodríguez also received recognition by her workplace, news outlets, and even strangers who heard her story. However, she continues to give all the glory to God.

“[McKnight] gave me a wind chime that says, ‘My Guardian Angel,’” said Rodríguez. “But I told her, ‘No, your guardian angel is Christ. I was just the instrument.’”

07/13/2025

This morning inside the Dome at America’s Center, we were able to capture a photo of several Southern Union delegates and special guests gathered for the 62nd GC Session.

We’re deeply grateful for their commitment to our Union, their faithfulness to the global Church, and their willingness to serve during this important moment in Adventist history.

07/12/2025

AdventHealth’s mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ reaches far beyond its immediate geographical footprint. It’s a mission not limited by borders, and for those of us with deep ancestral ties to other lands, the impact feels especially personal.

In April, a moment of pride and gratitude unfolded within my own family. My eldest brother, Errol C. Greene, permanent secretary in Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness, shared a photo with our siblings. In it, Audrey Gregory, Ph.D., R.N., senior executive vice president and CEO for AdventHealth’s multi-division delivery network, is seen presenting a significant donation of 70 hospital beds to Jamaica’s Department of Health. It was more than a gesture of support; it was a symbol of compassion that reaches across oceans.

This act of generosity is not the first of its kind. About a year ago, while in Jamaica to officiate the funeral of a beloved 103-year-old relative, I learned that during his final hospital stay at Spanish Town Hospital, located a few miles west of the capital Kingston, he had been cared for in one of the very beds previously donated by AdventHealth. That experience led me to visit the hospital and meet with its CEO, Jacqueline Ellis. She shared the staggering reality the institution faces: built in 1952 to accommodate 277 patients, the hospital now often sees upward of 500 inpatients.

“On the very first day the beds arrived, there was a need,” Ellis told me. “We are happy for partnerships like these because it helps us to deliver the care that we want to deliver.”

This support in Jamaica isn’t only about physical healing. In September, through AdventHealth University, the organization extended its mission to also nurture spiritual well-being. Eight refurbished notebook computers were donated to chaplains serving in the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the country’s national police, empowering them to provide spiritual care to law enforcement personnel.

Jamaica is just one of many global communities touched by AdventHealth and AdventHealth University’s commitment to service. For those of us connected to the island by heritage and heart, it is deeply affirming to witness the organization living out its calling to serve God and the world.

In a world often defined by limits, the reach of these two organizations — and the healing ministry it embodies — reminds us that love, service, and compassion know no bounds.

Southern Tidings

07/21/2025

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