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• • • OFFICE FOR REGIONAL CONFERENCE MINISTRY IN NORTH AMERICA • • •

Telling Our Story SUMMER 2021 https://adventistregionalministries.org

NEW FACES, NEW PLACES THE GREAT ADVENT MOVEMENT

Elder Brooks

Dr. Byrd

Mrs. Collins

Pastor Hoy

Elder Jackson

Dr. Jones

Mrs. Lee

Mr. Palmer

Elder Watkins

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PUBLISHER’S COMMENTARY

An Historic,

Published by the Office for Regional Conference Ministry in the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists 7000 Adventist Boulevard Huntsville, Alabama 35896 (256) 830-5002 Website: https://adventistregionalministries.org PUBLISHER Dana C. Edmond EDITOR Kyna Hinson ASSOCIATE EDITOR Bryant Taylor ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Howard I. Bullard COPY EDITOR Clarise J. Nixon CONSULTANTS Phyllis Ware Lee, Elaine Allston, Wanda Lott EDITORIAL For all correspondence and letters to the editors, write: OFFICE FOR REGIONAL CONFERENCE MINISTRY 7000 Adventist Boulevard Huntsville, Alabama 35896 or fax to (256) 830-5078 We reserve the right to publish and edit your submissions and letters.

REGIONAL CONFERENCE OFFICES

ALLEGHENY EAST CONFERENCE HENRY J. FORDHAM III, PRESIDENT LaTasha Hewitt, Communications Director P.O. Box 266 Pine Forge, PA 19548 (610) 326-4610. www.myalleghenyeast.org ALLEGHENY WEST CONFERENCE MARVIN BROWN, PRESIDENT Benia Jennings, Communications Director 1080 Kingsmill Pkwy. Columbus, OH 43229 (614) 252-5271. www.awconf.org CENTRAL STATES CONFERENCE ROGER BERNARD, PRESIDENT Brittany Winkfield, Communications Director 3301 Parallel Parkway Kansas City, KS 66104 (913) 371-1071. www.central-states.org LAKE REGION CONFERENCE R. CLIFFORD JONES, PRESIDENT Paul Young, Communications Director 8517 South State Street Chicago, IL 60619 (773) 846-2661. www.lakeregionsda.org NORTHEASTERN CONFERENCE DANIEL LAMARTINE HONORÉ, PRESIDENT JeNean A. Lendor, Communications Director 115-50 Merrick Blvd. Jamaica, NY 11434 (718) 291-8006. www.northeastern.org SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE WILLIAM L. WINSTON, PRESIDENT James Lamb, Communications Director 3978 Memorial Drive Decatur, GA 30032 (404) 792-0535. www.southatlantic.org SOUTH CENTRAL CONFERENCE BENJAMIN JONES, PRESIDENT Roger Wade, Communications Director 715 Youngs Lane Nashville, TN 37207 (615) 226-6500. www.scc-adventist.org SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE DR. MICHAEL OWUSU, PRESIDENT Noel Grant, Communications Director 1701 Robie Avenue Mt. Dora, FL 32757 (352) 735-3142. www.secsda.org SOUTHWEST REGION CONFERENCE CALVIN WATKINS, PRESIDENT Taryan Ramsarran, Communications Director 2215 Lanark Avenue Dallas, TX 75203 (214) 943-4491. www.southwestregion. adventistchurchconnect.org 2018 REGIONAL DIRECTORS/COORDINATORS ROSTER Virgil Childs, Director Regional Ministries Pacific Union Conference 2686 Townsgate Road Westlake Village, CA 91361 (805) 413-7100. www.puconline.org Cell: 909-225-6438 Kingsley Palmer, Vice President African American Dept. Arizona Conference Cell: 775-338-0858 | genx58@gmail.com Frederick Anderson, Coordinator African American Ministries | Central California Conference (831) 262-3838 | famar@sbcglobal.net O’Neil Madden, Coordinator African American Dept. | Nevada-Utah Conference Cell 702-875-5979 | pastoromadden@aol.com Byron Dulan, Vice President North Pacific Union Conference 5709 N. 20th Street Ridgefield, WA 98642 (360) 857-7000. www.npuc.org Robert Edwards, V.P. Black Ministries Southeastern California Conference (909) 202-0147 | kinggm@seccsda.org Royal Harrison, Director G.L.A.R. | Southern California Conference (503) 819-1498 | hroyal2@yahoo.com

Dana C. Edmond Director, Office for Regional Conference Ministry

astor Darriel Hoy, Director of Youth, Young Adult, Youth and Children’s Ministries in the Nevada-Utah Conference, was elected the first Communications Director for the Office of Regional Conference (ORCM) and the Regional Conference Retirement Plan (RCRP) on May 4. This position is historic and a first for both of the aforementioned entities. Pastor Hoy, who will report to my office in addition to her work with RCRP, will be intricately involved in the operations of ORCM. This office coordinates all of the joint ministries of the nine Regional Conferences and their affiliate entities, e.g., the Bermuda Conference and the African-American churches in the Pacific and North Pacific Unions. In this manner, ORCM serves as the headquarters of the Regional work and is the functional equivalent of a Union in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. ORCM publishes its own newsmagazine (The Regional Voice). The office provides a near six-figure subsidy to Message Magazine; provides nearly $300, 000 of support to the Breath of Life television ministry; provides financial support in five figures for the programs that Regional Conferences offer jointly, such as the Pastoral Evangelism Leadership Council (PELC), United Youth Congress sessions and the Justice and Conscience Conference. This office also leads out in the initiative to Africa that has connected the African-American leadership with the leadership in the Motherland, where nearly 45 percent of all Seventh-day Adventists live. ORCM organized the first African-American African Summit, known as the “Transatlantic Family Reunion” or “TFR-I,” in 2019 on the Adventist University of Africa campus just outside Nairobi, Kenya. The ties formed in that historic gathering led to several officials from the Regional Conference leadership team being invited back to East and South Africa to conduct an evangelistic meeting and to speak at camp meetings and a constituency meeting. Additionally, ORCM hosted a dinner for the African members of the General Conference Executive Committee when this delegation attended Fall Council in 2019. At the request of Dr. Elie Weick-Dido, President of the West Central African Division, ORCM planned “TFR-II” for April 2020 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Though COVID-19 wiped out this face-to-face session, ORCM organized a virtual meeting between the two groups last month. ORCM also sponsors two summer internships each year designed for Oakwood University students. They earn $5,000 each for the summer and gain valuable experience by working for Regional Conferences. Two current Regional Conference employees were hired as a direct result of their internships in previous years. Additionally, ORCM and Oakwood University co-sponsor the annual Department of Theology

, Exciting Choice Job Fair that brings the Regional Conference leadership to Oakwood to interview prospective pastors. As our office says, we’re “Connecting the people who are looking for jobs with the people who have those jobs.” This year, several ministerial students were hired because of the job fair. ORCM is also constructing a two story, 32,000 square foot building on the campus of Oakwood University that will house ORCM, RCRP, Breath of Life, Message and The Regional Voice Magazines. These are just a few of the responsibilities of this office. What’s historic and exciting about the appointment of Pastor Hoy is that in addition to the vital job of informing our constituents about what is going on in Regional Conferences—who we are, where we’ve come from and why our continuation is so vital—Pastor Hoy will be involved in all of these official activities and will influence how we perform them. We have never had a female official in this capacity, and I am beyond excited. Here is why: 1. We wanted more inclusion on this level, both in terms of age (Pastor Hoy is younger than most of the people in our building and those Regional leaders who will be her colleagues) and gender. But more important than her gender and her age are the qualities she offers as a person. In this edition of The Regional Voice, you can read more about Pastor Hoy and who she is, but here are a few things that I discovered: In checking her references, universally, she received glowing endorsements from the Nevada-Utah Conference Administration. “Please don’t take her,” the Conference Treasurer said. I have been interviewing people for various positions in the church for more than 30 years. I do not know if I have ever encountered someone as thoroughly prepared as Pastor Hoy was when we interviewed her. She also sent a list of questions that she wanted to ask me. In some ways, she interviewed me. She comes with the reputation of having a strong work ethic. She’ll need it—we have a ton of things to do. And I have no doubt that those things will get done. 2. I am also excited because it gives ORCM the opportunity to model what we have said for years: “A diversity of opinions leads to better decisions.” Bringing more people to the leadership table when important ministry decisions are being made does not mean anyone else’s seat at that table is taken away. We simply have to add more chairs and be intentional about diversity: male and female, young and old, peo-

Bringing more people to the leadership table when important ministry decisions are being made does not mean anyone else’s seat at that table is taken away. We simply have to add more chairs.

ple of various ethnicities, etc. In order to reach everyone, you must include everyone. We tried to do that when I was at South Central Conference. Twenty-five percent of our Executive Committee (the governing body of the conference) was made up of young adults, which was the percentage of young adults in the North American Division at that time. That committee also had senior citizens, including one of the last surviving members of the conference from the time it was organized 70 years earlier. This original member of the conference who was on our Executive Committee was a feisty lady from the Birmingham, Alabama, area by the name of Elvira Finley. She passed away a few months after I left office and I still miss her. Our administrative team was gender and age inclusive as well. The Conference Secretary had been my Youth Director when I was a teenager. When our treasurer was a teenager, I had been her Youth Director. It’s hard to get more diverse than that! I would like to believe that the diversity on our leadership team and in our Executive Committee made our conference better—others are better judges of that. But I absolutely know that I was better for it. That type of inclusion usually does not just happen. There has to be a conscious decision to make inclusion happen. I am enormously grateful that the leader of the other entity in our current building, Regional Conference Retirement Plan Executive Director Dr. William T. Cox, shares the vision of intentional inclusion. This historic decision could not have been made without him and without his belief that someone such as Pastor Hoy could contribute to telling the story of perhaps the single most significant thing Regional Conferences have ever done—the establishment of the $300 plus million Regional Conference Retirement Plan. Pastor Hoy worked in the Allegheny East and Central States conferences before she accepted a call to the Nevada-Utah conference. After she wraps up her ministry there, she will join our staff on July 1. You will be seeing her on these pages and on various other media platforms. After you see the kind of work she does and come to know the kind of person she is, with God helping her, you will be convinced—just as I was from the very first time I spoke with her—that “This is an historic, exciting choice.” Welcome, Pastor Hoy. t _______________________________________________ Dana C. Edmond, Director, Office for Regional Conference Ministry, is publisher of Regional Voice Magazine. REGIONAL VOICE • SUMMER 2021

An Historic, Exciting Choice

Meet the newly-elected Communications Director for the Office of Regional Conference (ORCM) and the Regional Conference Retirement Plan (RCRP). She is an historic first in both capacities.

By Dana C. Edmond

8—Cover Story New Faces, New Places

An unprecedented number of personnel changes have taken place in the Regional Conferences of the Seventh-day Adventist Church over the past few weeks. Read on.

12—Central States Conference Delegates Re-Elect Officials

Delegates from the Central States Conference delegates met at conference headquarters in Kansas City to elect leadership, receive reports and to conduct other church business. By Brenda Dickerson

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4—Publisher's Commentary

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C O N T E N T S

15—In Transition Dr. Michael K. Agyei Owusu Named Interim President of Southeastern Conference Dr. Owusu to serve after tragic death of former President Gregory O. Mack. Coverage from Southern Tidings Magazine

16—In Transition Dr. Colwick Wilson Elected President,The University of the Southern Caribbean

Dr. Colwick Wilson, who has served as Provost of Oakwood University since 2017, has been elected the 29th President of the University of the Southern Caribbean.

23—In Transition Professor Kyna Hinson Retires from Oakwood University

After 35 years of service to Oakwood University, Professor Kyna Hinson will retire from the Department of Communication in June 2021. By Esther Smith

20, 21, 22 —In Memoriam

Elder Saint Clare Phipps pastored in Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. He also served as Special Assistant to the President of the Allegheny East Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Malcolm James Dean served as Dean of Men at Oakwood College, and went on to work with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Rev. Ralph David Abernathy and Congressman John Lewis for civil rights, and for the federal government as an Equal Employment Opportunity Manager. Eula Jo Sain Washington was a masterful musician who worked for many evangelists and for two Regional Conferences, South Central and Southeastern. She also worked as a church school teacher and principal in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada and Tennessee. She was also Associate Superintendent of Schools for the South Central Conference. Tributes by The Phipps, Dean and Washington Families.

24 —Mrs. Phyllis Lee

She is the only person to have served as a Regional Conference President, Secretary and Treasurer concurrently, She has designed the financial plan to construct the new Office for Regional Conference Ministry building—without debt. Now she is retiring as CFO for ORCM and RCRP. Well deserved.

25—Dr. Carlton P. Byrd

The Southwest Region Conference Executive Committee elected Dr. Carlton P. Byrd, Senior Pastor, Oakwood University Church and Speaker-Director, Breath of Life, President of Southwest Region. He succeeds Elder Calvin Watkins, recently elected as Vice President of the North American Division.

28—Pastor Darriel Hoy

Pastor Darriel Hoy is to become the Director of the newly formed Communications Office for Regional Conference Ministries (ORCM) and the Regional Conference Retirement Plan (RCRP).

29—Mrs. Yvonne Collins

Mrs. Yvonne Collins was elected the first Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer for the Regional Conference Retirement Plan (RCRP) Special Reports by Dana C. Edmond

30—Capitol Hill Community Service Meets Pandemic Needs

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Regional News – Special Reports

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The congregation behind this Community Service Department offers “Acts of Kindness” to first responders, distribution of masks for anyone, food, toiletries, a garden beautification project and more. The pandemic did not stop them. Report and Photography by LaTasha Hewitt

34—SCHOLARLY FEATURE Interview of Dr. Milton Brown

Take your time to study this scientific rendering from a great mind at work to battle COVID-19. Conducted by Dr. Bryant Taylor

39 —CORONA Stats

The terrible death toll in the U.S has climbed beyond 600,000. The new delta variant poses serious, deadly dangers, from India to Great Britain to here in North America.

40—Verdict for a Killer

A jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all counts he faced after causing the death of George Floyd. It’s a glimmer of hope.

41 —The Anguish Continues

Less than 10 miles from the courthouse where the Floyd trial was taking place, another young Black man, Daunte Wright, lost his life during a “routine” traffic stop by the police from his community.

44—HOPE SERIES Runnin’ Back to You—The Story of Brian Thomas

He knew God as a child; lost his way as a young man and paid the consequences; found God again; became a mighty instrument in God’s hands, then. . . . Reported by Patrice Thomas Conwell

48—MEMORIES Camp Meeting— The Way It Used to Be

Happy childhood and adolescent memories. Camp life in tents and cabins. Songs and games; memory verses and crafts for children. Grown up discussions for youth. Beautiful music; powerful preaching for all. Whole families came then. The settings are much more comfortable now. Make plans for next year. Make memories. By Kyna Hinson

50—Camp Meeting Schedules 2021

Here are the dates for Regional Conference Virtual Camp Meetings for North America, Bermuda and Convocations in Western states. Compiled by Melonie Gurley

REGIONAL VOICE • SUMMER 2021

RV COVER STORY

New Faces,

New Places The Great Advent Movement

Elder Brooks

B y DA N A C. EDMOND

n unprecedented number of personnel changes have taken place in the Regional Conferences of the Seventh-day Adventist Church over the past few weeks. We are dedicating a significant amount of space in this edition of The Regional Voice to share these changes with you. Here is an overview of the changes: First, in our offices, i.e., the Office for Regional Conference Ministries (ORCM) and the Regional Conference Retirement Plan (RCRP): 1. Pastor Darriel Hoy, Communications Director, ORCM/RCRP: We shared thoughts with you in a blog in the Publisher’s Commentary on pp. 4-5 the reasons behind this historic appointment and what it means for this office and for our church. 2. Mrs. Phyllis Lee, Chief Financial Officer, ORCM/RCRP: Mrs. 8

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Lee is retiring on September 1 after serving our office for 13 years and our church for 38. She will be succeeded by two individuals: Mrs. Yvonne Collins, currently the Treasurer/CFO for the Lake Region Conference, will serve as the CFO for the Regional Conference Retirement Plan. Additionally, a second individual will be selected in the next several weeks to serve in a similar capacity for the ORCM. You know you are special when you leave a position and it takes multiple people to take your place! Both the ORCM Board and the RCRP Board voted to divide Mrs. Lee’s responsibilities and to invite a lead financial person for each entity (ORCM and RCRP). The thinking behind that decision was that while ORCM is the operational arm of the office in Huntsville and carries with it the day-to-day responsibilities of the two organizations, the large assets of the RCRP fund (approaching $350 million) require the stewardship of

Pastor Hoy

Mrs. Lee

Dr. Byrd

Mrs. Collins

Elder Jackson

Dr. Jones

Mr. Palmer

Elder Watkins

You know you are special when you leave a position and it takes multiple people to take your place!

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RV COVER STORY

someone whose sole responsibility is this fund. 3. Elder Calvin Watkins and Elder Stephen Brooks have transitioned from the leadership of the Southwest Region Conference. Elder Watkins served as President and now is Vice President of the North American Division. Elder Brooks served as the Southwest Region Conference Executive Secretary and is now Executive Secretary of the Southwestern Union. They were succeeded by: 4. Dr. Carlton P. Byrd, Senior Pastor, Oakwood University Church and Speaker/Director for the Breath of Life television ministry. Elder Philip G. Palmer, the Treasurer for Southwest Region Conference, was asked to serve as Interim Secretary-Treasurer. A new Conference Secretary will be elected in the coming weeks. Because the now-vacant Senior Pastor for the Oakwood University Church and the Speaker-Director for Breath of Life are technically two separate positions, separate boards/committees are tasked with filling them. That process is on-going.

5. Dr. R. Clifford Jones, Oakwood University, School of Theology: Dr. Jones most recently served as the President of the Lake Region Conference. He returns to his academic roots, having served for a number of years as a Professor at the Andrews University Theological Seminary prior to being elected President of Lake Region. The process for determining a successor for Dr. Jones at Lake Region will be finalized in a few weeks. 6. Elder Jermaine Jackson, Associate Treasurer, Lake Union: Elder Jackson formerly served as the Vice President for Finance at the Allegheny West Conference. A search by President Marvin Brown and his team for a new VP for Finance is underway. Most of these vacancies occurred because other entities tapped into the Regional Conference Administrative leadership team to address their per-

sonnel needs. Though this has created substantial vacancies in Regional Conference leadership, it also speaks well of the caliber of leaders that God has placed in Regional Conferences. And so, “the Great Advent Movement” moves on! t _____________________

Dallas, Texas, home of the Southwest Region Conference Office.

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Dana C. Edmond, Director, Office for Regional Conference Ministry, is publisher of Regional Voice Magazine.

North American Division Headquarters in Columbia, Maryland.

The Bradford-Cleveland-Brooks Leadership Center.

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CENTRAL STATES

Central States Conference D B y BRENDA DICKER SON

l-r] Tonya L. Anderson [vice president for finance], Michael Anderson, Ivona Bernard, Roger A. Bernard [president], Karen Josiah, Cryston Josiah, [vice president for administration]

entral States Conference delegates met in person at conference headquarters in Kansas City on April 18, 2021, for the purpose of electing leadership, receiving reports and conducting other church business.A quorum was established as 265 registered delegates wearing appropriate face coverings gathered in a large tent erected on the conference’s spacious grounds where social distancing could be practiced. Voting was conducted by voice and also through electronic handheld devices. Despite rain showers and chilly weather, delegates fulfilled their roles as local church members di12

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recting the conference’s work. Following an early morning prayer session, Elder Dana Edmonds, executive director for the Office for Regional Conference Ministry, presented a passionate devotional message as the official meetings began.After the vote to receive previously shared written and video reports from CSC administration and departments, delegates to this Fifth Quadrennial and 26th Constituency Session voted with a strong show of support to accept the recommendation of the 19-member Nominating Committee and elected Elders Roger A. Bernard, Cryston Josiah, and Tonya L. Anderson to continue serving as president, vice president for administration, and vice president for finance, respectively,

Following an early morning prayer session, Elder Dana Edmonds, executive director for the Office for Regional Conference Ministry, presented a passionate devotional message as the official meetings began.

Photograph by Hugh Davis

Delegates Re-Elect Officials

Central States Conference Headquarters, Kansas City, Kansas

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CENTRAL STATES

for the coming quadrennial.In his remarks, Elder Bernard thanked the delegates, conference staff, pastors and teachers for their dedicated service. “I am deeply grateful for the honor extended me and am appreciative of the support,” Bernard said. ADDITIONAL LEADERS SELECTED Departmental directors were also elected with strong support, over 90 percent for all positions. New directors are Joann Herrington (Education), Donna Brown (Women’s Ministry), Karsten Rogers (Youth/Young Adult), and Joseph Ikner II (Ministerial) Re-elected directors are Marlon and Denise Johnson (Family Life), Tomas DeGyves (Multicultural Ministry), Rachel Banks (Pathfinders), Bryan Mann (Men’s Ministry), Gary Collins (Personal Ministry, Prison Ministry, Publishing/Message Magazine), Keith Hackle (Community Ministries/Disaster Relief), Cryston Josiah (Public Affairs and Religious Liberty), and Roger A. Bernard (Sabbath School). Thanks was expressed to outgoing directors Byron and Alfredia Conner (Health Ministry) Mark Paris (Ministerial), and Tonya L. Anderson (Stewardship, Trust Services, Children’s Ministry) for their faithful leadership. Departmental positions being referred to the CSC Executive Committee include: Communication, Evangelism, Stewardship, Trust Services, Health Ministry, Van Ministry, Inner City Ministry, and Children’s Ministry. In addition, 23 individuals were voted to serve on the Central States Conference Executive Committee for the coming quadrennial, with representation from each area region, and including 11 lay persons. Re-elected members of the Conference Corporation Board of Trustees are Roger A. Bernard, Cryston Josiah, Tonya L. Anderson, Stephen Williams, Ralph Reid, Dawn Bookhardt, and Charles Osborne III. Representatives from the Mid-America Union Conference were on hand throughout the day to assist, including Elder Gary Thurber, president, Elder Hubert J. Morel Jr., vice president for administration, and Troy Peoples, vice president for finance.

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uring his remarks, Thurber thanked the Nominating Committee for their “thoughtful, prayerful, careful work” during their earlier committee meetings, which had 100 percent attendance. Amber Patterson, who was elected secretary for the committee, presented the names to the delegates. MORE AGENDA ITEMS The administrative and departmental reports focused on the conference’s ministry initiatives during the past quadrennial and summarized membership numbers and financials, including the most recent audit report from 2016-2019 presented by JoJean Birth on behalf of the General Conference Auditing Services.

he Constitution and Bylaws Committee presented six recommendations to delegates. Most were minor word changes, but an important addition to the bylaws was voted in allowing virtual attendance and participation for CSC’s Constituency Sessions. The Bylaw addressing the 10 percent of guest delegates allowed to vote at CSC Sessions was also discussed and narrowly approved by the required two-thirds majority vote. The Conference Association also presented a report, mainly addressing the use of the conference’s grounds and its current property holdings. Other business included establishing 10 new congregations and disbanding five congregations due to lack of members. After a presentation by Elder Josiah based on the North American Division’s 2013 study of ordination report, 83 percent of delegates voted in favor of the following question: Should the Central States Conference be able to recommend to the Mid-America Union Conference for ordination men and women to full-time gospel ministry? As with any large gathering of members, there were differences of opinion among delegates on a variety of topics, with the Bylaws generating the most questions. An orderly process allowed delegates to voice their comments at microphones and the discussions proceeded respectfully.

SUMMER 2021

One delegate, in calling for member commitment to support the conference’s debt elimination initiative, stated, “I want to be a part of the solution, not the problem.” As the 26th Constituency Session closed, special recognition was given in memory of Elder Arvin Topps (who passed on Feb. 10, 2021) for over 30 years of faithful service to the Central States Conference as associate treasurer and auditor. A memoriam video also honored members who have passed to their rest since the last session. BEYOND THE VOTES There was more than business reports and votes at the Central States Conference Constituency Session. The session also highlighted the blessings of the Lord in the past few years in the accomplishments and activities of the departments. In addition, it was an opportunity to consider how best to advance the work of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the conference’s nine-state territory. “It was kind of like camp meeting,” observed one delegate. “This is God’s church and God’s holy business. We are praying for His will to be done,” said Elder Josiah. The Central States Conference is comprised of 9,198 members (as of Jan. 2020) and 35 churches, plus 19 companies. The conference is organized into five geographical areas: Eastern, Central, Rocky Mountain, Great Plains and Great Lakes. The Central States Conference supports two elementary schools: the V. Lindsay School in Kansas City, Kansas, and Saint Louis Unified School in Missouri. t __________________________________ *Reports are available on the CSC YouTube page

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Brenda Dickerson is Communication Director for the Mid-America Union of Seventh-day Adventists and editor of OUTLOOK magazine. She enjoys collaborating with the many talented photographers, designers and writers who help build up the kingdom of God in America's heartland and beyond. Coverage reprinted from OUTLOOK Magazine. Used by permission.

IN TRANSITION

Dr. Michael K. Agyei Owusu Named Interim President of Southeastern Conference

elegates to the 11th Regular Constituency Session of the Southeastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in 2016 elected Gregory O. Mack, pastor, to serve as the sixth president of the Southeastern Conference. After leading Southeastern for almost five years, Mack unexpectedly passed to his rest on Monday, November 10, 2020. While the Conference family grieve the loss of the former leader and president, the workers find comfort in the Word of God concerning those who have fallen asleep, and “sorrow not, even as others which have no hope… they believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him,” 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14. The Bylaws of the Southeastern Conference provide that in the event a vacancy in the office of the president “occurs within six months of the scheduled regular constituency session, the executive secretary shall serve as interim president until the regular session convenes.” On December 6, 2020, at the Southeastern Conference Executive Committee meeting, the Southern Union Conference officers— Ron C. Smith, D.Min., Ph.D., president; Jim Davidson, executive secretary; and David Freedman, treasurer— officially affirmed Michael K. Agyei Owusu, D.Min., as the interim president of the Southeastern Conference. Owusu, who has served Southeastern Conference for more than 25 years, the last four as executive secretary, will serve as president and executive secretary until the next regular

constituency session, at which time the delegates to the session will elect a new president. The constituency session was scheduled for April 24-25, 2021. Owusu’s goal is to create an environment of healing within Southeastern Conference, and a renewed emphasis on the mission-driven initiative adopted by the Conference in 2016 under the leadership of Gregory Mack. He believes: “Mission is the heartbeat of the Church, the very essence of what it means to be the Church of God, the purpose for which the Church exists.” Thus, it is his desire to lead the constituents of Southeastern in a deeper, committed relationship with Christ, and unite the Conference in fulfilling its mission “to reach communities within Southeastern Conference with the Christ-centered message of hope and wholeness.” t _________________________________ Reprinted from Southern Tidings Magazine, February 2021. Used by permission.

Owusu’s goal is to create an environment of healing within Southeastern Conference, and a renewed emphasis on the missiondriven initiative adopted by the Conference in 2016 under the leadership of Gregory Mack.

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IN TRANSITION

Dr. Colwick Wilson Elected President, The University of the Southern Caribbean

ongratulations to Dr. Colwick Wilson, who has been elected the 29th President of the University of the Southern Caribbean. Dr. Wilson has been serving as Provost of Oakwood University since 2017. President Leslie Pollard says, “Dr. Wilson is profoundly appreciated and he will be deeply missed by our Oakwood University community. He has been a tremendous colleague and a remarkable teammate. The gain of our sister institution is our loss. However, we are grateful that Oakwood University will have a strong ally at USC in the work of SDA higher education.” Dr. Wilson will continue in the Provost position at Oakwood University until June 30, 2021, providing continuity in the transitions needed to support accreditation, the delivery of graduate education, and preparation for the full-on ground Fall semester of 20212022. He will assume his duties at USC on July 1. Faculty and Staff bid Dr. Wilson a fond farewell during the Think Tank Strategic Planning sessions in May. t __________________________________ Reprinted from the publication Inside Oakwood, with additional information from the Oakwood University IMPR Office. Used by permission.

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Dr. Colwick Wilson

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OAKWOOD UNIVERSITY OFFERS FOUR MASTERS DEGREES by John Anderson, Ph.D.

In alignment with its mission to transform students through biblically-based education for service to God and humanity, Oakwood University currently offers four graduate programs: • The Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS) is a professional degree designed to foster the spiritual development and integrative practical skills of pastors and lay leaders, with emphasis on the development of Christian identity, integrity, and service to others. • The Master of Arts in Urban Ministry (MAUM) is both a professional and academic degree that emphasizes the role of the Christian Church in ministry in and for the urban community. The MAPS and MAUM degrees are offered in hybrid formats where students complete elements of the coursework online (asynchronously) as well as in real-time settings (synchronously). Both degrees can be completed in as little as 18 months. • The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree prepares current or prospective health professionals with knowledge for providing innovative evidence-based nutrition education to diverse communities. Graduates will be able to articulate cultural approaches to food, nutrition and health with an emphasis on plant-based diets; assess population needs; and evaluate programs and health policies. • The Master of Business Administration in Leadership (MBA) degree is designed for anyone desiring to effectively meet the challenges of the global marketplace with application of sound ethical leadership and management principles, as well as practical skills for using a research-driven approach to address an array of leadership and management issues. The MBA and MPH degrees are offered fully online and can be completed in as little as 18 months. If you have any questions, contact Kenesha Bennett, '16, at (256) 726-8091. Click here to apply to Oakwood University’s Graduate programs, and send the required documents by email to: gradadmissions@oakwood.edu, or by U.S. mail to Office of Graduate Education Oakwood University 7000 Adventist Blvd. Huntsville, AL 35896 ____________________________________________________________________________ Dr. John Anderson is the Dean of the School of Business, and Assistant Provost for Graduate Education and Distance Learning, at Oakwood University.

IN MEMORIAM

St. Clare Monteith Phipps 1928 – 2021

n September 19, 1928, Pastor and Mrs. Frederick C. Phipps welcomed the birth of their first son whom they named after his grandfather, St. Clare Monteith Phipps. He was educated in Seventh-day Adventist schools from grades 1 to 12. When his father succumbed to a stroke in 1949, Saint (as he was often called) left Emmanuel Missionary College, to work and assist in the support of his siblings and his mother. He served two years in the U.S. Army, most of which was at Camp Pickett, Virginia. During his time in the Army, he attended a church in Washington, D.C., where he met and subsequently married Ann Leola Lindsay. They had three children, Gayle (Richardson) Julie (Bailey) and St. Clare, Jr. (Sanky). After Ann’s untimely death, Saint joined in Holy Matrimony with Juanda Phipps (Nesbitt). His church work began when the director of the junior choir (The Choralairs) passed away and St. Clare took over the directorship. He enjoyed good choir music. He was an above-average athlete who excelled in baseball, playing in the shortstop position, basketball, and track. He coached the church’s basketball team. Saint began his working life as an apprentice printer. He held numerous jobs including a long career at the Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, where he served as an EEO counselor, and served his church faithfully as elder. When a nearby church in Hamilton, Ohio, needed a pastor, the conference hired him. He subsequently pastored in Akron and Toledo, Ohio; Charleston, Huntington and Bluefield, West Virginia; Brin-

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In addition to pastoring, he served as a special assistant to the president of the Allegheny East Conference of Seventhday Adventists.

klow, Maryland; Orange, New Jersey; and Newport News and Petersburg, Virginia. In addition to pastoring, he served as a special assistant to the president of the Allegheny East Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Saint was an engaging person with many friends all over the country. He leaves to mourn his loss his wife Juanda; children Gayle, St. Clare III, Julie and Tanya; his grandchildren Grace and Lizzie, brother Frederick and sister Muriel; as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins, and friends. t ___________________________________ Regional Voice Magazine offers special thanks to the Phipps family for this tribute to this beloved leader and family member.

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IN MEMORIAM

Malcolm James Dean 1925 - 2021

alcolm James Dean was born July 13, 1925, to Joe and Helen Dean in Hendrix, Oklahoma. He was the third of eleven children born to this union. He and his siblings developed a strong work ethic as they worked the fields on the land where their parents were share croppers. The work included picking cotton, pulling corn, bailing hay and harvesting fruits. He was a “Momma’s boy.” He loved to sit in the kitchen, keeping his mother company as she prepared meals for the family while the other children would be outside playing. He truly loved his family and was very helpful in caring for his younger siblings. During World War II, he voluntarily joined the U. S. Army and was inducted on April 17, 1942, at the age of 16. Upon joining the army, he took out a financial allotment which deducted from his pay to be sent to his mother to help with the expenses of taking care of the family. He was a member of the 93rd Infantry Division (one of two all Black divisions in the United States Army at the time) and served on Guadalcanal in the South Pacific as a military policeman for much of his time in the service. He was honorably discharged from the service on January 12, 1946., and came to Oklahoma City, where his parents and siblings were then living. It was during this time that he met and married Thelma Johnson. He and his older brother went to

work for the Santa Fe Railroad Company where their father was employed. While working for the railroad, he obtained his GED and wanted to continue his formal education. In 1950 he made the decision to attend Oakwood College, on the GI Bill. He graduated in 1954. From Oakwood, he went to the Adventist Seminary in Washington, D.C., and earned a Master’s Degree in Archeology and Ancient History in 1955. Upon graduating from the seminary, he received several offers to work in the Adventist denomination, including the Dean of Men position at Oakwood College, which he enthusiastically accepted. He felt that his calling in life was to help young African-American men find their way and reach their potential in life. He was affectionately known by the students and faculty as Dean Dean, a

title which stuck and endured throughout the years. He held that position from 1956 to 1962. At that time he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and worked for the Internal Revenue Service for a brief time. Then he became Dean of Men at Atlanta University in 1964 and held that position until 1970. He was very active in the civil rights movement and local Atlanta politics in the 1960s and 1970s. He worked and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Rev. Ralph David Abernathy, the Rev. Hosea Williams, Congressman John Lewis and other civil rights leaders on many occasions. In 1974, he accepted a position with the federal government with the Defense Contract Administration Services Regional Office, where he served as a Federal Contract Compliance Specialist. Later he became the Equal Employment Opportunity Manager and served in this position until his retirement on June 30, 1996. He was preceded in death by his parents and five siblings. He leaves to mourn his passing sons Stephen J, Dean, Sr. (Karen) and Christopher J. Dean; sisters Josephine Howard, Joyce Coursey, Iris Foster and Doris Greenwood; brother Wiley Dean (Francis); grandsons Stephen J. Dean, Jr and Nicholas J. Dean, along with a host of nieces, nephews and longtime friends. t __________________________________ Regional Voice Magazine offers special thanks to the Dean family for this tribute to his life of service to God, country and fellow humanity.

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IN MEMORIAM

Eula Jo Sain Washington 1939 - 2021

ula Jo Sain was born on November 14, 1939, in Bolivar, Tennessee, and raised by her parents Buford and L. Lucille Sain in Louisville, Kentucky. She attended the Magazine Street SDA Church School from grades one to eight, and was baptized by Elder E. T. Mimms. Eula completed Central High School before attending Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. She reached the last year of her studies, then was tragically injured in a severe car accident on her way home for Christmas. Though unable to complete her senior year of college at that time, she would return to finish. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Oakwood College in 1979. She completed her Master’s Degree in Administration and Supervision in 1997, from La Sierra University in Riverside, California. She would be blessed with dual careers, in music and in education. During this interim she also met and married Raymond Washington, who preceded her in death. They had two children, Wayne and Wanda. Her Music Ministry spanned many summer tent meetings and evangelistic campaigns, with Elders Jesse Wagner, Milton Young, J. P. Willis, Sr., E.T. Mimms, C. R. Graham and T. A. McNealy. She was Minister of Music for the South Central Conference 1993 – 1997, and Camp Meeting pianist for two conferences, South Central and Southeastern. God used her in countless services to touch countless hearts through the beauty of her signature touch. Her educational career was just as 22

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rich. She served as a church school teacher for the Ephesus Academy in Birmingham, Alabama; at her own former school, the Magazine Street SDA Church in Louisville, Kentucky; the Cedarvale Junior Academy in Raytown, Missouri; the Orlando Junior Academy in Orlando, Florida; the Ephesus Junior Academy in Jacksonville, Florida; the Ephesus Junior Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida; Hines SDA Elementary in Jackson, Tennessee and Louisville Junior Academy in Louisville, Kentucky. As an administrator, she served as principal for the Bethany Christian Academy in Montgomery, Alabama, and at Madison Elementary in Madison, Tennessee. She was also Associate Superintendent of Schools for the South Central Conference from 1992 to 1997. She also chose to have a “working

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retirement,” teaching music at the Greater Memphis Adventist Academy in Memphis, Tennessee; returning as principal and music teacher for the Ephesus Junior Academy in Jacksonville, Florida; serving as Inaugural Principal, then later as teacher and Vice Principal for the Abundant Life Christian Academy in Las Vegas, Nevada; serving as principal and teacher for the Atlanta Adventist International School in Forest Park, Georgia; then as principal for the F. H. Jenkins Preparatory School in Nashville, Tennessee, and finally as music teacher at the Douglasville SDA Elementary School in Douglasville, Georgia. She went to her final rest May 6, 2021, and is survived by her children Wayne Washington and Wanda Mack (Travis); siblings Shirley Fordham (Walter); Charles Sain and Lorenzo Sain; grandchildren Ashley Washington, Kyla Mack and Mia Mack, nieces, nephews, and a host of family members and friends. She made it very clear to her family that she did not want money spent on a funeral. After two ZOOM celebrations, she said, “I’ve already gotten my flowers and I am at peace. Just put me in the ground where I’ll be waiting for Jesus to come.” With that in mind, the family held a graveside service in Bolivar, Tennessee. They celebrated her life with joy because she was such a positive, awesome role model to all who knew her. t __________________________________ Regional Voice Magazine offers special thanks to the Washington family for this tribute to God’s servant who worked so faithfully as an educator and as a musician.

IN TRANSITION

Professor Kyna Hinson to Retire From Oakwood University Repor ted by ESTHER SMITH

fter 35 years of service to Oakwood University, Professor Kyna Hinson will retire from the Department of Communication in June 2021. At the beginning of her term, Professor Hinson taught in the Department of English and Communication, instructing in both disciplines. The Departments of English and Communication divided in the early 2000s in order to expand and grow their respective programs. Professor Hinson accepted her assignments to teach courses in journalism, mass communications, multiple levels of reporting, and in editing, her specialty. When asked why her term spanned several decades, Professor Hinson replied, “There was always some new area to investigate and share, or some area in the industry to bring into the classroom.” Students were encouraged to develop good writing skills in reporting and editing classes, and to master basic research skills in foundational classes. It was often her joy to inform graduating seniors that they would now be colleagues in the professional areGIANNA SNELL PHOTOGRAPHY

Dr. Rennae Elliott, Chair, Department of Communication, made these comments regarding Professor Hinson “It is difficult to find the words to express how much she has meant to our students, and to our department.”

na. Many of them have exceeded in the communication field, law, business, education and many other areas as well. Dr. Rennae Elliott, Chair, Department of Communication, made these comments regarding Professor Hinson “It is difficult to find the words to express how much she has meant to our students, and to our department. I do know that her contributions have been

invaluable and that she has had a major impact on so many lives, mine included. She will be missed.” While her term of service at Oakwood University has come to an official end, Kyna Hinson will continue her work in the capacity of editor at Regional Voice Magazine. She will also pursue other interests, and happily make time for relaxation. t __________________________________ Esther Smith, M.A., is the Office Manager for the Oakwood University Department of Communication, and is one of Professor Hinson’s former students who has become a colleague.

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REGIONAL NEWS

Mrs. Phyllis Lee to Retire as Chief Financial Officer for ORCM/RCRP

rs. Phyllis Lee, groundbreaking Chief Financial Officer who served as the only African-American female President of a conference in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and who has served as Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer for the Office of Regional Ministries (ORCM) and the Regional Conference Retirement Plan (RCRP), has announced her intention to retire as of September 1, 2021. Mrs. Lee has served the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the past 38 years. She is a native of Kansas City, Missouri, and has an undergraduate degree from Notre Dame University and a Master’s in Business Administration from DeVry University. She began her ministry in the Central States Conference on June 1, 1983, as an Accountant in the administration of Dr. Sherman Cox, then the President of Central States. She moved up through the financial hierarchy of Central States until she began as the Secretary/Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer of Central States in December 1988. She succeeded Elder Leroy B. Hampton upon his acceptance of the call to serve as Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer of the Northeastern Conference. The position placed her as the second officer of the conference, making her the first African-American female in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in that capacity. 24

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When the President of Central States, Elder J. Paul Monk, tragically succumbed to cancer in 1994, Mrs. Lee became the Interim President, making her the first and only African-American female to ever serve in the office of Conference President. In October 2008, Mrs. Lee added another first to her distinguished resume when she became the first fulltime Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer for both the ORCM/RCRP, a position that she has held for the past 13 years. In that role, she has helped those organizations find the resources for groundbreaking initiatives such as the outreach to Africa, the ORCM summer internships and the building of the two-story, 32,000 square foot ORCM/RCRP/BOL (Breath of Life) Office Complex, which will house the major ministry entities of the Regional Conferences.

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She led the way to the complex being built without requiring any additional monies from Regional Conferences. The construction will be completed in January 2022 without any external debt. Mrs. Lee successfully developed this unique process over the course of more than two years. Approximately seven years ago, Mrs. Lee and her husband took on another first: the raising of a child together. They adopted their granddaughter, A’zyah, 9. This has been an interesting experience for Mrs. Lee, becoming a first-time parent at a phase in life when most people have completed their child-rearing days to enjoy an empty nest. But she has shown the same dedication to the ministry of parenting that she has demonstrated in the ministry of finance. She dove right into parent-teacher conferences, remote schooling and Pathfinders. Her co-workers frequently receive emails and texts in the very early hours of the morning as Mrs. Lee tries to juggle all of her responsibilities. She recently concluded that her time would be best spent in devotion to her most important ministry: that of being a wife and mother. She will spend the time between her formal retirement on September 1 and December 31 of this year providing orientations to her successors (the ORCM and RCRP Boards voted to divide her responsibilities, appointing each entity their own CFO) and serving as a consultant on various projects prior to going into complete retirement on January 1, 2022. Though small in stature (she is 5’1), Mrs. Lee has made a big difference in her groundbreaking ministry these past 38 years. She will be missed. t

REGIONAL NEWS

Dr. Carlton P. Byrd Elected President of Southwest Region Conference

he Southwest Region Conference Executive Committee elected Dr. Carlton P. Byrd, Senior Pastor at Oakwood University Church and Speaker-Director for Breath of Life, President of Southwest Region on May 23. He succeeds Elder Calvin Watkins, who was recently elected as Vice President of the North American Division. Dr. Byrd’s election is somewhat of a homecoming for him. He was born inside the conference territory, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, while his father served as a pastor and his mother as an educator in this conference. Additionally, his uncle, the late Elder W. C. Jones, also served as President of Southwest Region. Dr. Byrd also formerly served as pastor of what was then known as the Houston Belfort SDA Church, now the World Harvest Outreach. Dr. Byrd has served the Seventh-day Adventist Church for nearly 30 years as a pastor in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas and Georgia. He has pastored the two largest Regional Conference churches in tithe-giving: the Atlanta Berean Church and the Oakwood University SDA Church. He has been the Speaker-Director for Breath of Life for nearly 11 years. Under God, approximately 20,000 members have been added to the remnant church through his ministry. Dr. Byrd is a graduate of Oakwood University, with graduate degrees from Tennessee State University (Master of Business Administration) and the Andrews University Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry). He is married to the former Danielle Mounter. They are the parents of three daughters: Christyn, Caileigh and Carissa. t

Dr. Byrd has served the Seventh-day Adventist Church for nearly 30 years as a pastor in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas and Georgia.

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REGIONAL NEWS

Pastor Darriel Hoy Becomes ORCM/RCRP Communications Director

he Regional Presidents Council voted to extend a call to Pastor Darriel Hoy on May 4, 2021, to become the Director of the newly formed Communications Office for Regional Conference Ministries (ORCM) and the Regional Conference Retirement Plan (RCRP). Pastor Hoy currently serves as the Youth/Young Adult/ Children’s Ministries Director for the Nevada-Utah Conference headquartered in Reno, Nevada. She has held this position since 2017. Prior to that assignment, she served in a similar capacity for the Central States Conference from 2014 to 2017. Additionally, she served in Central States as the Community Services Director while concurrently serving as the Pastor of the Topeka-Leavenworth, Kansas district. She came to the Central States Conference from the Allegheny East Conference, where she served as the Executive Director of the Baltimore Adventist Community Services Director from 2003 to 2008. Though Pastor Hoy will report to the ORCM Executive Director, Elder Dana C. Edmond, she will also have work responsibilities to RCRP Executive Director, Dr. William T. Cox. Elder Edmond calls the selection of Pastor Hoy as “an historic, exciting, out-of-the-box” choice. He says that in addition to getting out the word about the things that are happening in Re28

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Pastor Hoy currently serves as the Youth/Young Adult/ Children’s Ministries Director for the NevadaUtah Conference headquartered in Reno, Nevada. gional Conferences around the United States and the continuing need for their ministry, Pastor Hoy will be involved in and have an influence on everything that ORCM supports. The list includes the initiative to Africa, where approximately 45 percent of all Seventh-day Adventists live; the ORCM Summer Internship Program, which has led to the hiring of Regional Con-

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ference students in Regional Conferences; the ORCM/ Oakwood School of Theology Job Fair, which this year led to the hiring of some students to ministerial positions in Regional Conferences, and much more. This is the first time that ORCM, RCRP and our Regional Conferences have had a woman of color to operate in this capacity. The ORCM is responsible for coordinating all of the activities that Regional Conferences conduct together. The office in Huntsville where Pastor Hoy will work is the headquarters of the Regional work and operates to a large degree as a Union Conference office. Pastor Hoy is a native of Yazoo City, Mississippi. In addition to her Master of Divinity degree from the Andrews University Theological Seminary, she holds an undergraduate degree from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. “Pulling up extra seats at the leadership table” to allow more women and people from different age groups to be a part of the decision-making process of our Regional Conference leadership team has been a theme for some time at ORCM. The selection of Pastor Hoy as a part of the ORCM administrative team has enabled ORCM to do what it has urged other entities to do: get some extra chairs around the leadership table and place people from different backgrounds in those “extra seats.” Pastor Hoy begins her serv ice and ministry to ORCM and RCRP on July 1, 2021. t

REGIONAL NEWS

Mrs. Yvonne Collins—New Regional Conference Retirement Plan Chief Financial Officer

istory continues to be made at the Regional Conference headquarters in Huntsville: Mrs. Yvonne Collins was elected on May 27 as the first Treasurer/ Chief Financial Officer for the Regional Conference Retirement Plan (RCRP), whose sole responsibility is the financial stewardship of the RCRP. She joins Pastor Darriel Hoy, who was recently appointed as the office’s first Communications Director, in their groundbreaking appointments. Prior to Mrs. Collins’ election, there had been one CFO who served both entities, but both boards recently voted to divide the single position. That vote and the decision of Mrs. Phyllis Lee— the current CFO for both entities—to retire as of September 1, necessitated the election of two individuals to superintend the finances of the RCRP and the ORCM. Mrs. Yvonne Collins, the Treasurer/ CFO of the Lake Region Conference, was recommended to the RCRP Board by RCRP Executive Director Dr. William T. Cox, and the board unanimously accepted his recommendation. She will assume her role as CFO of the $350 million enterprise in the fall. ORCM plans to complete its CFO search in a few weeks. Mrs. Collins, a native of Montego Bay, Jamaica, has served in the Lake Region Conference for 16 years, the last 13 of them as Conference Treasurer/ CFO. She was the first female to serve in that position in the history of that

Prior to Mrs. Collins’ election, there had been one CFO who served both entities, but both boards recently voted to divide the single position. Conference. She came to Lake Region after working nearly 30 years in finance in corporate America. Perhaps her signature accomplishment that the Lord allowed in the Lake Region was to be part of the administrative team under President Dr. R. Clifford Jones. They moved the Lake Region Conference office from the aging and overcrowded State Street facility to the beautiful, retrofitted office in subur-

ban Chicago a few years ago. Married for 27 years to William Collins of Liberty, Mississippi, Mrs. Collins is the mother of five adult children and grandmother to 17 grandchildren. We welcome her to the RCRP. t ______________________ Dana C. Edmond, Director, Office for Regional Conference Ministry, and Publisher of Regional Voice Magazine completed the coverage of the historic appointments of Mrs. Lee, Dr. Byrd, Pastor Hoy and Mrs. Collins for this issue.

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REGIONAL NEWS

Capitol Hill’s Community Service Shifts to Meet the Pandemic B y L ATA S H A H E W I T T

Prior to the pandemic, they had already planned “Acts of Kindness” days, but the activities shifted after COVID to include focus on first responders.

Young Capitol Hill members make food delivery.

Sewing continues.

Member organizes goods for Ward 6.

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CHC meets D.C. Police.

he pandemic may have caused the Community Service Department of the Capitol Hill Church in Washington, D.C., to do things differently, but it did not slow down their efforts. Prior to the pandemic, they had already planned “Acts of Kindness” days, but the activities shifted after COVID to include focus on first responders. They visited nearby fire and police stations, praying with them, and surprising them with breakfast, inspirational books, and gift cards. Since the pandemic started, they have visited their local police station at least five times. As part of their “Acts of Kindness” series, they also beautified the community garden at the Dupont Park School and created a sewing circle. Individuals made masks to donate to seniors or others in need. Leaders did have to shift a few of their Community Service efforts to be more pandemic-friendly. Instead of cooking a hot lunch and serving it in the dining room at their church, they donated sandwiches to an organization called “So Others Might Eat,” which provides food to the homeless. They also conduct “We Salute You” days where they conduct drive-by visits, other outdoor visits, and distribution of gift bags. Even though the church does not run its own food pantry, they have continued to partner with several non-profit food delivery organizations such as “Food and Friends,” which delivers food to the terminally ill or individuals with a chronic disease. Many of the food distribution projects allowed opportunities for members who wanted to get involved, but who felt more comfortable with no-contact activities. They were able to donate funds, or assemble boxes at home and then drop them off at designated locations for distribution later. “The success of our program is due to dedication of our team. [They] keep [monitoring the] pulse of what our community needs and share ways we can help,” says Karen Hayes, Adventist Community Services director. Once it is deemed safe, they also

More members work for Ward 6 distribution.

Gifts and food for police.

Giving to firefighters.

Food Bank Group.

hope to restart the afternoon BINGO and ice cream social they host at a local senior building, which many seniors enjoyed. t ___________________ LaTasha Hewitt is Director of Communications for the Allegheny East Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

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Dr. Milton Brown—

Inside a Scientific Mind PART I

EDITOR’S NOTE—WE ARE PLEASED TO BRING IN THIS SEGMENT, A CAREFUL, IN-DEPTH STUDY OF COVID-19, ITS POINT OF ORIGIN, ITS EFFECTS, KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, ALONG WITH CASE STUDIES, HISTORICAL REFERENCES AND METHODS OF PREVENTION. GIVE YOURSELF TIME TO READ AND TO REFLECT UPON DR. BROWN’S DETAILED CONCEPTS.

V: Please share your professional background and your areas of study. Dr. Brown: I have a Bachelor of Science from Oakwood University; it was then Oakwood College. Then I went to the University of Alabama at Birmingham and received my Ph.D. in organic chemistry, the first African American [to earn a doctorate] in organic chemistry from this university. From there, I went to the University of Virginia School of Medicine and received a Ph.D. and received an M.D. medical degree. These studies brought my decision to develop a career in experimental therapeutics. I was invited to the faculty as an M.D. [during the] second year at UVA, and I decided to bring the two areas together to do a career in experimental therapeutics. I was appointed as Assistant 34

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Professor in the Department of Chemistry and in the Department of Neuroscience at UVA. I was also tenured there and later promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in [the next few] years. Three years later, I was asked to come to Georgetown University to build the first Center for Drug Discovery and Development. I moved there and was appointed in the Departments of Neuroscience and Oncology and had additional appointments in the Department of Neuroscience in molecular physiology, physiology, and of ecology in biochemistry. I became a full professor at Georgetown University with an endowed chair. RV: You have developed a magnificent series of labs in Washington, D.C. Could you please share the areas of emphasis you and your team studied there? Dr. Brown: We studied making oncology therapeutics. We have studied developing drugs for heart disease, for kidney fail-

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All lectures have been on the development of new therapeutics and drugs, which is my area of expertise. Actually [this] is more than my area of expertise. This is my purpose. This is why I was created.

ure and for COVID-19. There are ledger teams on all of those therapies. RV: Could you list some of the institutions with which you shared your research and study and in turn share the general nature of that research? My research is shared with government agencies [such as] the National Institutes of Health, NIH, and the Department of Defense. For academia, I’ve given almost 100 lectures around the country and around the world at universities in America, Korea, China, Jamaica, and Brazil. All lectures have been on the development of new therapeutics and drugs, which is my area of expertise. Actually [this] is more than my area of expertise; this is my purpose. This is why I was created. RV: Very nice. Specifically what aspects of the Coronavirus have you studied and for how long?

And so [studying these interactions has been] important [in revealing] why African Americans have susceptibility to this infection, because we have what is called a polymorphism.

Dr. Brown: For Coronavirus, we have found that there is a receptor. The report said [that this] receptor [is the one] that the spike protein binds to. Just to give a little background, the spike protein, the Coronavirus, the COVID-19, is a virus that binds to a protein on your cell. It has been something that I've studied for over 15 years or so. Those receptors involved in the renin angiotensin system have been a target for drugs made in the past. And so [studying these interactions has been] important [in revealing] why African Americans have susceptibility to this infection. We have what is called a polymorphism, which is a change in the ACE receptor in a way that causes us to be susceptible. The ACE receptor bites off a piece of the virus and puts a piece of the virus on the outside itself. And that triggers your immune system to recognize that and something that's not yourself. So if you have a polymorphism in that enzyme, your body will have a slower reaction to processing the virus and subsequently a slow reaction in alerting your immune system that you are infected. African Americans have

this polymorphism, as well as Native Americans, Latinos and other groups. So I've been studying these types of molecular targets for years. I review for the National Institute of Health and have been a reviewer for the NIH for over 20 years. And I was also the reviewer for Scientific Review. I have reviewed the therapeutics that were going to be funded by NIH for the COVID-19. And so my history is rich in regard to COVID-19 therapeutics, in molecular targets that are important in the process to the cells of the kidney, and in the process of the virus gaining entry into [the body]. RV: Could you please explain the nature of the virus in simple terms? Dr. Brown: This virus comes from Wuhan, China. It came into the United States in two places, two different mutations. One came in from Washington state from Wuhan directly and one came in through New York via Europe. When you breathe in a virus, or you ingest it, you can get a form of infection that occurs by the virus [binding it] to yourself. What binds to the cells is the spike protein, [and that is] what I want people to understand. The virus has

this protein. It sticks it into the receptor on yourself, and is called ACE. Now it's almost like a lock and key. The virus takes the key in the receptor in the lot and opens the door. Once it goes in the last door, it doesn't allow any other viruses to come in. And once it's inside a cell, the first thing it begins to do is to replicate, to make many, many, many, many copies of itself. So once it's made millions of copies of itself, then it begins to harvest and will go into the nucleus. When it gets in the nucleus, it turns off the sprinkler systems in the cell. Now use this analogy: a sprinkler system is used to put out inflammation. Inflammation is the fire. So in the body, the virus goes into the nucleus of the cell and turns off the sprinkler system. It stops the ability of the cell to actually put out the inflammation or put out the fire. This virus is very nefarious. It sees an opportunity. It turns off the sprinkler system. The virus takes the opportunity and lights a fire. It causes severe inflammation. When it lights this fire, it sees a can of gas and grabs it. What happens when you throw gas on a fire? It exacerbates the fire.

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The virus increases the inflammation tremendously; it makes an incredibly hot fire. In chemical terms, it causes the release of cytokines from the cell. And when there's enough cytokine release, that causes what is called the cytokine storm. And that's what kills you in terms of a multi-organ, multi-tissue disease. It starts off in one cell and progresses because the virus turns off the sprinkler system. Because of that comes the release of these [destructive] molecules called cytokines. And they cause local tissue and systemic tissue inflammation. So where you once had an infection of the lung, or infection of intestinal tract, now [grows] to an infection of multiple organs, especially kidneys. More than 60 percent of patients who are in the ICU that are on ventilators are also on dialysis. And you can also get an attack of a heart. More than 30 percent of patients who have COVID-19 infections get an inflammation of cardiac tissue in the heart. You get brain fog. More than 30 percent of patients who get COVID-19 get a sense of not being able to think clearly. They get a foggy feeling. Their brains just don't appear to be working. It is an infection of the brain. So, what started in your lungs spread into your kidneys, or your intestines, or your brain from this cytokine storm. Patients who get infected in their lungs get a form of pneumonia. It's a really bad strain, which results in those patients then having to go into the ICU and possibly landing on a ventilator. And the chance of coming off the ventilator is probably 50 percent, which can result in death. We call this acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS. RV: Could you also explain the nature for the viral spread here in the U.S. and around the world? Dr. Brown: So the nature of the spread of this virus is based on personal droplets spread from 36

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respiratory systems. People inhale it, and they catch the virus. They start off with fever, cough, headache, shortness of breath, which means they are beginning to have the lung infection. Many get a loss of taste—probably 30 percent of patients. That means your intestines or the highest part of your intestines are affected. These are the tough cells, the sensory cells of your mouth, which is a part of the intestinal tract. If those are infected by COVID-19, patients complain of lost taste. If you're infected in the GI tract, you begin to get diarrhea. There have been clear reports confirming the virus in the gut. And so the intestinal infections go around the world, spread by viral droplets. Though most are aerosolized [airborne] droplets, droplets can also infect surfaces. Then [people] come along, touch that surface and do not wash their hands. They infect themselves by touching some surface that has been infected. The rate of infection by this method is small, but it does occur. The primary rate of infection around the world is by aerosol droplets. That's why we use barrier protection like [face] masks and social distancing. Being six feet away from each other reduces the chance of inhaling aerosolized droplets of the virus. Now, around the world, we're seeing what is called mutants. These are changes in the virus that can [keep it from being] detected by your immune system. It also “checked” with the key. So the virus is able to mutate. It can present spike proteins that your body can't recognize. And it also makes a change in the spike protein to make a better key for the lock so that they can be more highly infectious. In other words, the mutated virus can get in better. The virus uses the spike protein, and it can elude detection and help it get inside to cause infection at a higher rate. And so we've heard about these

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And so my history is rich in regard to COVID-19 therapeutics, in molecular targets that are important in the process to the cells of the kidney, and in the process of the virus, gaining entry into [the body].

mutants, and let me just be clear: the mutants were only [labeled as such] because this is the sequence for the spike proteins found in [various] countries. So they say that the B 117 is the United Kingdom mutant. And then there's the South African mutant. But that's only because they've detected a unique sequence change in spike protein from those various COVID-19 viruses isolated in those different places. I want people to understand that you don't have to be infected by someone from South Africa to get the South African mutant. The virus in the U.S. can mutate into what was the same mutation in South Africa, or [the one] that they found in South America. That means you can have a mutation from a COVID infection in Alaska. And if that virus is left long enough, it's going to make a mutation that represents the [one in] South Africa. Someone from South Africa didn’t actually have to come to Alaska. I want people to understand we were not only worried about people from another country. In fact, we were also worried about the virus itself making changes. You can not only get exposed to the droplets, but it's also [a concern about] what's in the droplets. Whether it's the original COVID-19 protein, or whether it was a mutant of that protein, [there are concerns]. Various mutants are more highly infectious in different types of people. There are mutants that are more highly infectious in young people and have wreaked havoc in these [groups]. They can cause resistance to the shots. These modern Pfizer vaccine shots, as well as the DNA vaccines of Johnson and Johnson and AstraZeneca, can be overcome because they're all targeting the spike protein. But what do we say? The spike protein is what the virus can use to mutate, right? And it [may not be] detected. So that's why we've seen people get infected

who had the vaccine shots—because these viruses can elude detection due to changes of the spike protein. So to me, [this point] is very, very important. We learned a year ago, back in March 2020, that China told us that we have more than 30 mutants. That time was a struggle because [in the U.S.], we had political challenges. But by September, we learned that we had 12,000 views [to our website to get this information]. By that time, we began to see specifics in the UK, South Africa and Brazil. And we have users that were associated with California and Texas. And then we began to see web pages with a combination of virus mutations. We found that up to seven or eight mutations are similar, though they can be identified from different parts of the world. A mutation can be found in one person because the virus can make the mutation. RV: So you've been sought out by many leaders on many fronts for your findings and advice on how to best handle the circumstances of this pandemic. Beyond the doubt, that advice has saved lives. Could you please summarize any of that advice that will be suitable for our readers? Dr. Brown: Well, first I want to commend the leaders of our conferences and our unions who listen. Their diligence and their attention to the outcry saved many lives. We were discussing this virus back in early March 2020. It was a political time. Major American leaders were saying, “This was going to go away. This is going by summer. This is just like the common cold; like the flu. It is not going to be this serious.” It was not true. And we knew it was not true by a number of experimental reasons. At that time, I had a lot [of opposition riding] against my findings. And so I want to just give our presidents of our Regional Conferences a thank you for listening and for acting. And they actually saved many lives. I've consulted with leaders around the country and have given many lectures on this virus. I have two therapeutics that we're trying to bring forward to inhibit the cytokine storm, the release of those cytokines that causes the death in people. I'm bringing two therapeutics into the clinic.

And I've talked to various countries—on the radio, on Instagram and programs on various types of media formats, including panel discussions— about the COVID-19 infection. [I’ve talked about] how we can protect ourselves from COVID-19 infections, the vaccine shots, the pluses and the minuses, and therapeutics for COVID-19, which I think is going to save the day. RV: So when you speak of therapeutics, are you speaking of a medicine or of a health practice? Dr. Brown: I'm speaking of a medicine. So you get sick. You come to the emergency room. You have a fever and a headache. Do they give you a test and a quick result as positive? Your PCR is positive for COVID-19, so you do have a COVID-19 infection. What do you do? Well, the first thing you want to determine is this: Are you sick enough to be kept in the hospital? Can you return to your home? They want to look at your oxygen saturations. They will take a picture your lungs [to see] if you have pneumonia, to see if your clinical symptoms match what they're seeing by the imaging. If you're not sick enough to stay in the hospital, [they will] send you home. Right now, nothing else. You may take something for your fever. Well, therapy would be something they could give you, and it would keep you from getting the virus or having it progress to become worse. And it would keep you from potentially dying from the infection. And so, if you gave therapy to a person who was admitted to the hospital, it would stop them from being sick, [and stop the progression] so they don’t have to be put into the ICU on a ventilator. This is what medical therapy would be, which is different from a vaccine. A vaccine is preventative; it stops you from getting infected. Therapy stops the progression of the virus that leads to the cytokine storm and release. And so many of the therapies that we're developing, at least in my group, are aimed at developing therapies against stopping the release. First of all, the therapies turn the sprinkler system back on. And that means turning the mechanism of the

cell, which fights inflammation, back on. And that actually happens to be a very important protein, to turn that mechanism back on, and to stop the cell from releasing the cytokines. We've had other approaches as well. People have made therapies for other mechanisms. For example, there is Remdesivir, the antiviral that was made to try to stop the virus. Once it goes on site, the cell locks the door. It makes members of a Scylla test called replication. It was made to stop that replication. It won't allow the virus to copy itself. So that's how that drug worked. Then there's convalesce and plasma, which people would take from other individuals who got better. They recovered from COVID-19, which means they made antibodies. Medical workers take this blood and give it to a person who's sick, give them pre-made antibodies. So that's how convalescent plasma works. And there are new therapies. One type has gotten emergency use or EU authorization as approved by the FDA. It's been approved as a therapy of monoclonal antibodies from Tehran. To generate it, medical workers will inject antibodies into the spine of a patient and try to neutralize the virus by protein. So there are different mechanisms by which these therapeutics are aimed. The hydroxychloroquine that was a malarial drug which people wanted to use as an anti-inflammatory would not work. There are reasons why it wouldn't work. [Even] if the sprinkler system is turned on, how do you get water to the fire? Unless you turn the sprinkler system on, a lot of these antioxidant method-

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ologies will not work. And so people have done a high dose vitamin D, say an antioxidant. Didn't work. It works if you give it before you get infected. That's important. That's useful. But after you get infected? No. RV: That’s okay, and that’s a lot of information concerning prevention of COVID. But what can help those who've had severe to moderate cases? Dr. Brown: If you have severe to moderate cases at the moment, all we have is the monoclonal antibody which was being given in the case of this severe patient to try to keep them from progressing. Now, that one has also been given in the emergency room when people first come in with sickness to sending them home with something—they send them home with monoclonal antibodies. So that's the first therapy, really, that has been provided for hospitals to give to people when they go home. Now we have monoclonal antibodies, but the primary treatments have been remdesivir. In the United States, we think it has some benefit. But when you look around the world, [studies show] it [remdesivir] didn't have any effect on hospital stay or mortality. So it really didn't have an impact. But in the U.S., that's what we use. Convalescent plasma is the second one, as explained [earlier in this article]. But this actually proved not to be effective as well in large clinical studies. And then there is vitamin D. People have tried high dose vitamin D, but a recent clinical study using 200,000 [people] was shown not to have any impact on the virus. RV: Okay, good. So what do you say to those who have lingering effects of the disease? To those who become the COVID long haulers? Dr. Brown: That's a problem that we have. The long haulers have been a source [to show] potentially how a virus begins to mutate. People who are infected for a long time [went beyond] the standard 14 days. Those long haulers have high levels of viral load. We believe that those patients [may also] have been the source of some of these 38

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mutations. The problem with anybody who has been infected with COVID-19 is that the virus has some long-term effects and will have longterm consequences. In some cases, there are inflammatory problems regarding the heart. We’ve begun to see a lot of athletes with these problems. One team member, who plays for a big school in the United States, got COVID. I noted that in two to three weeks, he could possibly have heart inflammation. I asked, please get his cardiologist for his team to test his blood and take his cardiac enzymes. And sure enough, in three weeks, he had levels that were the level of a heart attack! This young 20-yearold, high-end athlete who lives [a healthy lifestyle], works out, runs and plays. So this virus can cause a lot of other things. There are people who are three months out, maybe six months out [from the time of their infection], still having problems breathing because the virus may have destroyed their lungs. The actual tissues in the lungs are destroyed from the pneumonia. So they'll need a lot of respiratory therapy to help them regain their ability to breathe. But there are going to be hard issues besides respiratory and cardiac. I believe infertility problems. We find live virus in sperm. And so because you find live virus in sperm, then there is potential for fertility problems. Also, if you know some history of viral infection, [especially] if you're a historian of viral infections, you will know that during the 1918 pandemic, or the Spanish flu, there were a large number of patients who got a Parkinson's-like syndrome. So we don't know what the downstream effects from this virus will cause. We'll have to see as the years progress. There are patients who have had disease [past the standard 14 days] who we call long haulers. But there will be other patients down the road who will have additional problems caused by this virus as we learn more about it. We called this virus the novel Coronavirus. We've dropped the novel part; now, we just call it COVID-19. We don't say

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novel because that means this is a virus that we've never experienced before. We're learning about what this virus can do to those who it infects. And that's why I'm making this plea. And that's why I was so proud of the presidents of Regional Conferences and their request to keep people protected—not only the workers but the constituents, the members. They decided to do things, to implement policies, that would keep people from being infected. If you can keep people from being infected [in the first place], then they will be safe from some of these very deadly and very problematic toxicities. And I want to say that's for people who have taken the [vaccine] shots versus people who have been infected. Shots don't keep you from getting infected. So even though people may believe there is maybe less death, that [remains] to be seen. So I'm making this point. We have to continue to wear masks. The best mask is the N95. The second-best mask is the KN95 mask. The 3M standard N95, the Asian equivalent, is a very good mask. The next highest form would be the N95 mask with a face shield. The next highest would be a KN95 mask with the face shield. Next below that would be a surgical mask. I’d ask for three-ply masks or surgical masks with face shields. And then below that, the lowest form would be “homeboy masks,” “bank robbers’ masks” or handkerchiefs. Those things don't really provide you any protection. The best protection to keep yourself from being infected would be to wear N95 mask with a surgical mask on top of that. t Dr. Brown offers specific plans for leaders and congregations as churches reopen after the pandemic. We conclude the series in our next issue with Part II. _______________________ Dr. Bryant Taylor, Associate Editor, Regional Voice Magazine, coordinated this coverage and conducted this interview. Mr. Howard Bullard, Art Director, Regional Voice Magazine, coordinated the photography for this coverage.

U.S. COVID 19 STATS

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC THE LATEST STATISTICS GLOBAL AND USA VIEWS

173,331,478

GLOBAL CONFIRMED CASES

3,735,571

GLOBAL CONFIRMED DEATHS

216

COUNTRIES, AREAS OR TERRITORIES WITH CASES Last update:June 8, 2021 DATA PROVIDED FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

USA 33,042,622 CASES

CDC | Updated: June 16, 2021 10 PM EST

USA 595,301 TOTAL DEATHS (At 600,000 mark) CDC | Updated: June 16, 2021 10 PM EST

303M

TOTAL VACCINE ADMINISTERED

147.8M

FULLY VACCINATED CDC | Updated: June 16, 2021 10 PM EST

TOP 19 STATES - CASES Jurisdiction

Total Cases Over Seven Days _______________________________ Wyoming 80.7 Colorado 69.8 Florida 62.3 Nevada 61.3 Washington 55.3 Missouri 54.3 Idaho 53.3 Montana 51.7 Utah 51.3 Louisiana 50.8 West Virginia 46.2 Oregon 45 Kentucky 43.8 North Dakota 38.3 Maine 38.2 Arizona 37.7 Arkansas 36.9 Indiana 35.1 Delaware 29.9 CHC JUNE 8, 2021

TOP 20 STATES - DEATHS State/Territory

Death Rate Over Seven Days ________________________________

Florida 2.1 Montana 1.9 Wisconsin 1.9 Missouri 1.8 Delaware 1.6 West Virginia 1.6 Georgia 1.4 Kentucky 1.4 Illinois 1.2 Washington 1.2 Maine 1.1 New Mexico 1.1 Pennsylvania 1.1 Arizona 1 Ohio 1 Virgin Islands 1 Idaho 0.9 Indiana 0.9 Louisiana 0.9 South Dakota 0.9

CDC JUNE 8, 2021 REGIONAL VOICE • SUMMER 2021

RV NEWS: FLOYD VERDICT

George Floyd Killer—GUILTY

n Tuesday April 20, 2021, a jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all counts he faced after causing the death of George Floyd. Floyd was killed when Chauvin pressed a knee into his neck on a city street for more than nine minutes, May 25, 2020. The killing set off global outrage, protests and more than a year of scrutiny and times of reckoning for police and any racist practices of authorities.Chauvin, 45, was found guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.Chauvin while wearing a surgical mask, watched with no visible emotion as the verdict was returned. Judge Peter Cahill thanked the jury members for their “heavy-duty jury service.” Chauvin was remanded into custody as the jury was dismissed. A deputy handcuffed Chauvin and escorted him to a side room. Philonise Floyd, George’s brother, was seen praying in and outside the courtroom. He had faithfully attended most of the trial, using space allotted for family members. Space for the media was limited as well. One reporter from a designated pool would gather information in court and share with others in the media afterward. When a pool reporter asked what he had been praying for, Philonise Floyd answered: “I was just praying they would find him guilty. As an African American, we usually never get justice.” The jury consisted of six people of color: three Black men, one Black woman, and two women who identified themselves as multiracial. There were two White men and four White women. The two alternates were also White women. t ______________________________________ This report consists of facts gathered in April 2021, from National Public Radio, The Washington Post, and CBS This Morning direct accounts, live from Minneapolis by Gayle King. 40

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RV NEWS: DAUNTE WRIGHT

Daunte Wright –

The Scourge Continues

efore the George Floyd jury could even render their verdict, another Black man was shot and killed by a police officer less than 10 miles from that courtroom on April 11. Daunte Wright, 20, a biracial man who was also the father of a son almost 2, was shot and killed by Kimberly Potter. At the time, Potter was then a police officer in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The initial reason he was stopped was because the registration sticker for his auto tag had expired, and because of air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror, which violates Minnesota law. Potter, who had been on the force since 1995, was also a training officer at the scene. She and two male officers pulled Wright over for the violations, then routinely looked up his records. When they found an outstanding arrest warrant against him for failure to appear in court after fleeing from police and because of a gun charge in a previous incident, they tried to arrest him. A struggle ensued and Potter shot Wright with her weapon while shouting “Taser! Taser! Taser!” Wright then drove a short distance after the shooting, and hit another car and a concrete barrier. His only passenger, his girlfriend, was injured in the collision. When the car stopped, the officers pulled Wright’s body out and tried to revive him with CPR. He was pronounced dead at the scene. On April 13, Potter and Tim Gannon, Brooklyn Center Police Chief, both resigned. Gannon had stated it was believed that Potter had accidentally discharged her weapon. Wright died of a single gunshot to the chest

Officer Kimberly Potter

Former Chief Tim Gannon

at close range. He was unarmed at the time of his death. On April 14, Potter was arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter. She was released on bail of $100,000. More outrage. More protests. More curfews. The scourge continues. . . . t

__________________________________ This report consists of facts gathered in April 2021, from an Associated Press article by Denise Lavoie, ABC Good Morning America accounts, along with police and court documents.

REGIONAL VOICE • SUMMER 2021

Cliff Harris DAP Co-Director

The miracle God worked for this man, God has worked for others. He can work a miracle for you. Call Us Anytime: 256.232.4400 Email Us at:

dapcalif@aol.com

Visit Our Website:

www.drugalternativeprogram.org

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The J. L. Moran Alumni Chapter is a member of the Original Oaks Alumni Association This Association is independent from and not aﬃliated with Oakwood University. This Association may not and does not raise funds for or on behalf of Oakwood University. This Association raises funds for alumni activities that the Association sponsors. The Association also raises funds to donate directly to students who now attend, will attend, or have attended Oakwood University to provide assistance with educational expenses.

HOPE SERIES

Runnin’ Back to You— The Story of Brian Thomas Repor ted by PATRICE THOMA S CONWELL

“BUT WHEN HE CAME TO HIMSELF, HE SAID…I WILL ARISE AND GO TO MY FATHER, AND WILL SAY TO HIM, ‘FATHER, I HAVE SINNED AGAINST HEAVEN AND BEFORE YOU, AND I AM NO LONGER WORTHY TO BE CALLED YOUR SON. MAKE ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR HIRED SERVANTS’” (LUKE 15:17-19, NKJV).

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Each time Brian escaped physical, bodily harm or a court case that would’ve sent him to jail for a long time, he congratulated himself.

Speaking for God during the Grace Tour.

s Brian sat on the church pulpit looking at the expectant faces of those waiting to hear a word, it was surreal. This was a far cry from the company he’d kept just a year or two, before. This building didn’t look like the places where he’d pick up drugs or party with friends. Feeling inadequate, yet energized by his new God-driven purpose, he got up to deliver his very first sermon, on God’s redemptive power in his life. Born in Huntsville, Alabama, Brian Dewitt Thomas, II, or “De” as his family called him, grew up in a two-parent, Seventh-day Adventist home, with his younger sister. His father’s work as a rubber chemist resulted in the family moving quite a bit. Each move meant more money but a new adjustment.

Brian often struggled to “fit in” and to be accepted by other kids. When the family moved back to Huntsville, Brian and his childhood posse were starting high school at a small, faith-based private school. Although Brian could be a good student (he won a local and regional science competition, and placed in the top nationally) being accepted by his friends meant more to him. His constant need for approval led Brian to experiment with petty theft, smoking, sex and drugs. Recalling those days Brian said, “I could’ve chosen to be a leader, to be different. But I fell victim to my feelings. I wanted to do the average thing, and be the best ‘average’ person I could be.” The day that his father quit his job to work full-time on a project he believed God had given him, Brian descended into a world he never imagined. His “model” family disintegrated. Now,

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE THOMAS FAMILY

meeting their basic needs depended on the generosity of others. It was both confusing and humiliating. When his parents divorced, Brian took the reins as “head of the household” and turned to drug dealing for fast, easy money. To keep his mom from knowing where the money came from, he’d “sneak” it to her by leaving it in the mailbox or using other tactics. On one hand, this new lifestyle glittered—the clothes, the women, the parties. On the other hand, life was dark—the arrests, jail, court. Nothing was constant except the unrest and guilt that he felt. Each time Brian escaped physical, bodily harm or a court case that would’ve sent him to jail for a long time, he congratulated himself. But in his heart, he knew it was God’s doing. Brian’s lifestyle took a toll on his parents, his friends, his daughter, and himself. He wanted to change but he didn’t

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HOPE SERIES

Grace Tour Team takes a break.

Brian and Sophy Thomas.

Brian and daughter Taiya.

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I felt like heaven and hell, life or death came down to the choice I would make at that moment and I decided I would choose God.”

know how. Sitting in a cell, Brian asked God to deliver him. He said, “I felt God’s Spirit telling me to choose what side I was going to be on. I felt like heaven and hell, life or death came down to the choice I would make at that moment and I decided I would choose God.” Brian embarked on dismantling his old, dangerous life and rebuilding a new one. He reached out to a friend who’d experienced a reconversion, and asked for his help. He got re-baptized and worked with a church’s evangelistic outreach team. When his friend invited Brian to join him and two others to tour the country ministering to youth, Brian jumped at the chance to share the changes God was making in his own life with others. The Grace Tour traveled to every major city from east to west over three years, with these earnest friends sharing their testimonies. Hundreds of church and community youth were baptized. In between touring, Brian mentored youth at several Huntsville high schools and organizations. He also trained high school faculty on working with the disadvantaged youth population. He was known for his transparent, energizing motivational talks focused on leadership and accountability. He encouraged people to “plug into God” as their source for successful living. He loved taking his message to the community, feeling that when “you meet the people where they are, they’re more receptive.” And he chronicled his journey in his book, The Plug. Through the Grace Tour Brian met Sophy, who became his wife and ministry partner. But the devastating consequences of Brian’s past interrupted their new life when he received a three-year sentence for drug charges from three years earlier. Even then, God tempered the severity of the outcome. Instead of being sent to prison, Brian was accepted into a work-release program keeping him close to his wife, his children and extended family. He used that time to minister to inmates and to provide an example of reformed living. Although a four-time felon, Brian worked hard to prove himself worthy of the trust he garnered from all of his work bosses. After completing his sentence, Brian

and Sophy were excitedly preparing to embark on ministry full time. But it was not to be. Brian lost his life in a tragic car accident. Brian’s voice may be silenced, but his testimony lives on through his book, The Plug, and numerous videos which chronicle his powerful conversion. His admonition to anyone struggling to make a decision to live God’s way is, “just ask God to help you make it. He’s the only Teacher I know who will teach you a lesson. . . .The whole time [He] has the answers, and will give them to you.” t ________________________ Patrice Thomas Conwell is a freelance writer for her own business, PeeTee Communications, LLC. She resides in Huntsville, Alabama, with her husband and son. Brian’s book, The Plug, may be ordered through www.briantheplug.com.

Brian meets high school group.

REGIONAL VOICE • SUMMER 2021

CAMP MEETING MEMORIES

E.E. Cleveland

Neal C. Wilson

We would delight in learning songs and Bible verses and being trusted to offer prayers— and even more, to perform those songs and verses and prayers at the Big Tent the last Thursday morning of the session for all of the Big People.

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Robert Pierson

he South Atlantic Camp Grounds in Hawthorne, Florida, hold the earliest memories of Camp Meeting. The ones that come to mind appropriately take place in the early morning. We lived in canvas tents with the clean scent of fresh sawdust spread on plank floors (ruled out as fire hazards now). The tents were pitched close together, delighting toddlers and children who could safely and freely pop in and out of each other’s homes at any given time for fun and games, a second breakfast bowl of cereal, or a quick swipe of insect repellent on bare arms or legs from all of our mothers. If we were already dressed, we would be escorted to the Children’s Tent, filled with tiny chairs surround-

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Charles D. Brooks

ing a rostrum designed just for us, where there would be worship services. We would delight in learning songs and Bible verses and being trusted to offer prayers—and even more, to perform those songs and verses and prayers at the Big Tent the last Thursday morning of the session for all of the Big People. Our mosaics or finger paintings or potholders would also be on display, and afterward we could clutch them home to our tents (and later cabins), proud of more accomplishments. We may have been small, but we mattered. Faithful teams which included Mrs. Mildred Parker and Mrs. Jean Woodfork remembered to “Suffer the little ones” year after year, to nourish us. As we grew old enough to attend the Junior and then the Teen Tents, the “curriculum” changed. Now we had questions that needed answers. Youth leaders wisely led us into serious dis-

Camp Meeting, The Way It Used to Be By K YNA HINSON

cussions on real issues that made deep impressions. We would tuck them away in our minds for closer examination later when we talked with each other and when we were alone with our own thoughts. These were also the years of our first Camp Meeting jobs—we could be cafeteria workers, store clerks, Book and Bible House workers (now the ABC, Adventist Book Center), and the really glamorous workers were life guards! There were Youth Choirs and Senior Choirs formed just over those 10 days, offering beautiful renditions. There were singing groups from all over the conference and from all over the country. Elder Charles L. Brooks rang out “Until Then” in his beautiful tenor. The music of Elder Walter Arties and the Breath of Life Quartet, along with the riveting preaching of Elder Charles D. Brooks, brought a new sense of contemporary life to Christianity. Elder

H.M.S. Richards and the King’s Herald Quartet from the Voice of Prophecy radio broadcasts brought sound gospel preaching and great musical harmony. The great evangelist Elder E.E. Cleveland would come with the same piercing insights God used to convert so many hearts. Great leaders from the General Conference, black and white, would come—Elder W.W. Fordham, Elder Calvin Moseley and Elder C.D. Henri, before his return from mission service in Africa. Elder Robert Pierson and Elder Neal Wilson, both GC presidents, were often present and gracious. The grounds have changed, of course. The tents for living and for worship have been replaced with fullscale homes, modern cabins or motel-style dwellings. Now there are spacious, climate-controlled pavilions with comfortable seating for thousands.

But today, our packed, modern schedules make a difference in our Camp Meeting attendance. Whole families would attend in years gone by and would stay for the entire 10 days, using their vacation time. Now, with so much more vying for our attention and time investments, rarely do families make these types of Camp Meeting commitments. So maybe it’s time to think about this. When we safely reach our postCOVID days, this time next year, it may be a great idea to take some time for spiritual enrichment with our families, wonderful fellowship with each other, as we gather at Camp Meeting once again. t ______________________ Kyna Hinson is Editor of Regional Voice Magazine.

REGIONAL VOICE • SUMMER 2021

CAMP MEETING SCHEDULES

REGIONAL CAMP This year’s Regional Conference Camp Meetings will be virtual. Below are the dates and themes: 1. Allegheny East, June 26-July 3, “Undefeated” 2. Allegheny West, June 16-19, “We Are Nearing Home” 3. Central States, June 9-12, “One Step Closer” 4. Lake Region, June 23-26, “Go Share Jesus Now” 5. Northeastern, June 26-July 3, “The Church Built on The Rock” 6. South Atlantic, June 11-19, “Christ for the Crisis” 7. South Central, June 6-12, “We’ve Come This Far by Faith” 8. Southeastern, June 19-26, “Sharing Hope in Times of Uncertainty” 9. Southwest Region, June 10-12 (Spanish) and June 17-19 (English), “I Will Go” Additional Camp Meeting Dates for Bermuda and West Coast 10. Bermuda, June 30-July 3, “In Christ Alone” 11. Northern California Conference, October 8-9 12. Northern Pacific Union Conference, May 14-16 __________________________________ Melonie Gurley is Executive Assistant for the Office for Regional Conference Ministry.

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SUMMER 2021

Photography by Rita Vicari

MEETINGS 2021

REGIONAL VOICE • SUMMER 2021

KIA ANNOUNCEMENT: DO YOU NEED A CAR? IF YOU HAVE FINISHED A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY WITHIN ONE YEAR, OR IF YOU ARE IN YOUR LAST SEMESTER AT A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY, YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP TO APPLY TO AN AUTO PURCHASE FROM KIA MOTORS OF AMERICA. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT YOUR LOCAL KIA DEALER.