y the time you’re reading this, another school year has ended, seniors have graduated, and summer plans for many are underway. As I think about our Oakwood University graduates, heading out to start their careers or enroll in graduate schools, I can’t help but ponder the vastly different society they’re moving into and how it will impact them.
I was asked to speak for the dedication ceremony of the graduating seniors of the Department of Communication. As I thought about what to say and the current state of our nation, the Lord prompted me to share with them three principles that would guarantee their success. These are: Know God for yourself and how He operates; know yourself and how you operate; and know what fear is and how it operates.
Of course, knowing God is the foundation that the other principles rest on, and is also intertwined with them. But the principle most graduates, and many of us – especially today, have a real problem with is fear of the unknown. Particularly, fear that results from leaving the familiar and anticipating the outcomes of situations that impact us but that we don’t control.
It’s that last one that I ponder more and more as I watch or read the news – which I can’t do as often as I used to. Many of the “freedoms” that have informed my youth and adulthood are being questioned and dismantled. Lies and perverted narratives are serving as justification for upending constitutional constructs we’ve taken for granted. It’s unnerving and, I must admit, causes me some fear.
That’s why having an intimate knowledge of who God is and how He operates is of supreme importance. We must remember to give Him our fears and focus on His promises to fill us with His perfect peace. That’s the only way that we’ll thrive in the brewing unrest that is steadily growing around us.
InOther WORDS...
Connection
INTENTIONAL
A MESSAGE
OUR SENIOR PASTOR DEBLEAIRE K. SNELL
everal weeks ago, I went to Greensboro, North Carolina, to perform a wedding. After I received my luggage, I went directly to the rental car center to retrieve my vehicle. Once I got settled, my first objective was to pair my cell phone with the car’s audio system.
Because it took several attempts to get my phone synced with Bluetooth, I assumed it was because I was in a parking garage or maybe because the signal was weak, but I discovered it wasn’t just because of my location. After I stopped by the local grocery store and returned to the car, I had to sync the phone again. When I went to the hotel room and came back downstairs, I had the same problem. When I stopped at the mall and came back to the vehicle, I had to be intentional about getting the various devices to remain in sync. I went through the process again, and again, and again.
After two days, one larger truth emerged: Getting in sync requires effort, and staying in sync requires even more. The two devices would not automatically remain paired; I needed to make a constant effort. There was no carryover from the previous connection.
In John 15:4 Jesus says, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (NIV).
In the same way that a branch is completely dependent upon a vine for nourishment and daily support, we are equally dependent upon our connection to Jesus Christ for spiritual nutrition, direction, and clarity.
We have no virtue or spiritual strength separate or autonomous from the true vine, Jesus Christ. What I learned from the car rental experience is also true in my spiritual journey. I have to be intentional about being in sync with Him. Sometimes, connection requires
multiple efforts. And no matter how powerful my connection was on Tuesday, there is no carryover until Wednesday. I’ve got to get in sync through personal devotion and prayer all over again.
Consistent connection is the one thread that binds all people of spiritual strength together. No individual bends toward an eternal or enhanced DNA that craves God. What they all have in common is the willingness to die to self, set aside distractions, and prioritize connection. It must be done daily, it must be treated as essential, and things of lesser significance are laid aside to ensure the safety of the connection. In other words, it doesn’t happen by accident. It is the result of intentionality.
Getting in sync requires effort, and staying in sync requires even more”
As we head into the summer months, I want to encourage us to prioritize connection. Seek it early, often, and operate with the understanding that yesterday’s connection has no bearing on today’s need for Jesus Christ. The good news is that Christ is available. He longs for the connection with greater urgency than we do. If we call, He’ll answer, and if we take one step in His direction, He will make several towards us.
Timothy McDonald By
Do You Know?
Who served as pastor of Oakwood College Church and principal of Oakwood Academy simultaneously?
Which pastor was the first to
Swing at Life’s Curveballs Seen on the Scene
Have you ever felt that the odds were stacked against you until you could see no way out? Ever felt like your prayers are not being answered?
Certainly, we’ve discovered that life has its share of unpredictables we are not prepared for – the untimely death of a loved one; a wayward child; your home burns to the ground; your spouse wants a divorce; your doctor gives you a devastating diagnosis. Life throws us curveballs that push us to our limits.
Some of us think that because we come to church every Sabbath, give money, walk piously, and eat vegan, that our faith is strong. But only trouble – life’s curveballs – will tell. Faith must not only stand the test of time, it must stand the test.
So how do we swing at life’s curveballs? Here are a few tips:
#1 Stay in Touch with the Lord
“You will call on me and I will answer. You will talk to me and I will listen”
(Jeremiah 33:3)
Go to God for wisdom and help to set your priorities right. Trust in His faithfulness. He permits trials to cleanse us from earthliness, selfishness, and Christless traits of character so that we may come forth from the trial purer, holier, and happier.
#2 Let Your Tongue Speak His Praises
“The Lord inhabits the praises of His people” (Psalm 23:3)
Reflect on previous hardships. God helped you then, didn’t He? Acknowledge the sovereignty of Almighty God. Every evening before you go to sleep, name your blessings one by one. Thus, you will cancel out discouragement.
#3 Keep a Song in Your Heart
“Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise His name …day after day” (Psalm 96)
Song is a weapon that we can always use against discouragement (Ministry of Healing, Page 254).
“When the enemy seeks to enshroud the soul with darkness, sing faith, and talk faith, and you will find that you have sung and talked yourself into the light” (CT, pp. 233,234)
Whatever troubles – curveballs – the Lord allows, He will work out for our best good. Anchor your faith in God’s word, and it will not be shaken by circumstances.
“Blessed is the man who stands steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12)
» OUC MINISTRIES IN MOTION
Katherine Davis, OUC Elder by
Spiritual at Alabama A&M Awakening A
During this school year, an evangelistic movement blossomed on the campus of Alabama A&M University (A&M), our sister HBCU across town. Although seeds were sown in 2008, 2025 has seen a larger crop of newly baptized students added to Oakwood University Church (OUC).
Alabama A&M and Oakwood University (OU) have been extrinsically linked as the only four-year HBCUs in the Huntsville area. Their students have always mingled, and their faculties and staff have often crisscrossed between campuses. Now, A&M students are responding to spiritual witnessing of how to live productively through a personal relationship with God.
The movement’s seed was planted in 2008 by then OU student, Jokebed De Canal, and some of her peers who held a couple of Bible studies with students on A&M’s campus. After De Canal graduated, work duties decreased her ministry time.
In 2018, Mrs. Stephanie Johnson-Dingome, then OUC prayer ministries leader, invited De Canal to help her pass out flyers on A&M’s campus advertising revival meetings at OUC. Their efforts resulted in several A&M students being baptized. When Johnson-Dingome left the area, De Canal continued the ministry alone, doing as much as she could until the pandemic derailed her efforts.
After much prayer and fasting, De Canal resumed her ministry at A&M in 2023. In 2024, needing a male presence to engage male students, De Canal invited Justin Rogers and Pastor Chris Dorsey to join her. The team rounded out with OUC member Willicia Brown and OUC interns Andre Jones and DeAndre Hall.
The team met each week with A&M students in four different dorms; one each on Monday and Thursday and two on Tuesday, and they picked up students to attend Wednesday night prayer meetings and Sabbath worships at OUC. A mini week of prayer at A&M resulted in eight students being baptized with more asking to be. This newfound life feels miraculous to freshmen students Taylor Davis and Kayla Fluker.
“After my first Bible study, I felt like a fresh breath of air,” says Davis, a Detroit native studying biology. “It had a positive energy effect on me. As I grew closer to the Lord, I felt the time was right for me to get baptized. Since then, God has been showing me different things I’ve never seen before.”
Fluker, who’s from Kentucky and majoring in criminal justice, concurs. “Hearing Pastors Snell and Dorsey preach in a way that young people can understand made me realize that I needed God to help me get through some personal struggles,” Fluker reflects. I’ve been baptized before, but I wanted to rededicate my life to God and show Him that I’m really trying to be a better person.”
It seems highly unusual for a non-religious campus to allow faith-based community members to bring their beliefs to its students. “When we initially started, I think the administration was concerned that we’d be forcing Adventism on them,” Dorsey acknowledges. “But when they saw that we were using the Bible to provide encouragement for everyday living, along with teaching [students] how to read the Bible, pray, and build a personal relationship with God, the administration relaxed.”
So much so that the VP of student affairs agreed to let the team hold a revival on campus this coming fall, waiving all facility fees and offering whatever help needed to make it happen.
“Ever since I started praying and fasting once a week about this ministry, God has been opening doors left and right,” says De Canal. “And it’s beautiful to know that we’re not just sharing a word with somebody, but we’re changing lives; and within one life, teaching a family and generations to come.”
THE WORD. THE WILL. THE WIN
.
OUC
Isis Butler By
BIBLE BOWL MINISTRY
“Sanctify them with your truth, your Word is truth” (John 17:17)
OUC’s Bible Bowl Ministry has faithfully gathered over the years to dive deeper into the living Word of God. Under the Holy Spirit’s guidance – and the dedicated leadership of Director Desiree McGann – the ministry continues to thrive.
“I am determined to develop the children and the team[s] into champions of the Word and to nurture a love for the truth of the One who is the Truth,” says McGann. Thanks to God’s favor, the team has traveled across the U.S. and internationally, proudly representing the South Central Conference.
The Bible Bowl Ministry comprises six groups: Pre-Juniors, Juniors, Youth, Senior Youth, Young Adults, and Adults. Each group is currently focused on different books of the Bible in preparation for their upcoming championship in Orlando, Florida in August:
• Pre-Juniors – Exodus and John
• Juniors & Youth – Romans and Esther
• Senior Youth – Jonah
• Young Adults – 1st and 2nd Timothy
• Adults – Colossians
“Iron sharpens iron,” shares Jannine Vidal, a member of the adult team, talking about how all the teams help each other as they study. “We ask the Holy Spirit to apply the Word to our lives – it’s not just about knowledge.”
Yet, their knowledge has paid off. The adult team has won the conference championship for the last five years and a national championship in 2021. In 2024, the pre-juniors team won the conference championship. God lovingly calls us to fellowship, grow, and learn. If you’d like to be part of this ministry, visit oucsda.org/ join-a-ministry.
Patrice Thomas Conwell, Managing Editor
Story by
INTO HEALTH: SPRING
MOVE YOUR BODY, NOURISH YOUR SOUL
Dr. Sherine Brown-Fraser, Ph.D., RD, LDN, CPT Health Ministries Leader
Shantel Wise, OUC Fitness Mnistries Co-Director
It’s time! As warmer days return, now is the perfect time to celebrate the gift of movement. Whether indoors or outside, it’s a great time to reconnect with our joints, muscles, and the Creator. Exercise isn’t just about fitness – it’s a wonderful form of selfcare that strengthens our focus and feeds our soul.
Research shows that just 30 minutes of moderate activity, like brisk walking or biking, can lower your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer. It can also boost your mood, increase clarity, and help reduce anxiety and mild depression.
Make movement fun! Think about performing movements or exercises that YOU enjoy because you will more likely stick with it. Try something new – a prayer walk, water aerobics, pickleball, pickup basketball, gardening, or playing tag with your kids. Grab a partner when exercising if going solo isn’t for you. Moving your body honors the temple God gave you, while bringing those “happy hormones” to many areas of your life. Let’s continue to Live Life Abundantly! (John 10:10).
“This article actually made me want to go and workout and it’s my off day!” - Shantel Wise
to the OUC Family!
Baptisms 3/25 - 5/03
Ohimai Ahonha
Jabari Ampadu
Legend Cadet
Taylor Davis
Seniah Dzah
Antonia Espey
Kayla Fluker
Jaye Griffin
Joné Hairston-Sanders
Jonesia Hairston-Sanders
Earl Hubbard III
Kanesha Humphrey
Jahiara Jones
Lawrence Martin
Sierra Martin
E’miyah Mason
Desyrae Maye
Lakisha Mosley-Toney
Iliana Elsa Liama Mun
Sydni Amina Elise Parker
Skyla Slydell
Larry Snell
Katherine Idapase Sondota
Gabrielle Wade
Allen Williams
Shantel Wise
Spotlights MEMBER Welcome
Originally From: Madison, Florida
Joined OUC: 2005
Why I chose OUC: I was attending a local Pentecostal church here and in 2005 I attended a tent revival led by Pastor James Doggett on the Oakwood College campus. I chose Oakwood SDA because of their teachings and how they were aligned with the Word of God.
Ministry affiliations: Fitness Ministry (Leader), Family Ministries (co-leader), Children’s Ministry (Associate), Women’s Ministry and New Members Ministry
Special skills/interests/accomplishments: I take a special interest in the people in my community. I love and care about encouraging children to do and be their best. I enjoy being of service to the less fortunate, as well as sharing my passion for fitness to help others take care of the temples God has given us.
Originally From: Huntsville, Alabama
Joined OUC: 2023
Why I chose OUC: Oakwood has always been home.
Ministry affiliations: Men’s Ministry Leader
Special skills/interests/ accomplishments: My interests are men’s health, mental health, working with youth, education, and the community.
