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each other, when they could reach many more people if they would work together,” said Pedersen. The conference is also working to enhance the flow of communication to church members and employees. The NCC website was recently redesigned to help users more easily access a wide variety of information. “I hope people will visit our new website and discover how streamlined it is,” said NCC Communication Department Director Stephanie Leal. “We continue to look for new ways to help people find the information they need as efficiently as possible.” One new feature is the website section devoted to the upcoming NCC Constituency Session to be held on May 18. Nearly all the materials for
delegates will be available online in the coming months. Other communication tools include the NCC Facebook page “Northern California Adventists in Action”— created to help churches, schools and ministries share announcements of upcoming events and news of past events—and the newly redesigned Planned Giving website, www.SDAlegacy.org. With its emphasis on mission and unity, it is difficult to separate Goal #6 from the other goals in the NCC Strategic Plan. “All eight goals are aimed at achieving a united mission throughout the conference,” said Pedersen. “Christ’s gift of salvation unites us all, so we need to work together to be doing what matters for the kingdom.”
“Too often local churches and conferences work independently of each other, when they could reach many more people if they would work together.”
In Memory of Mark Blue
T
he Mark Blue Lecture Series is named in memory of Dr. Mark LaMont Blue, who served the Northern California Conference as executive secretary and as associate superintendent of education. It is the aim of this lecture series to pay tribute to Dr. Blue in a way that continues his life work as a proponent of Adventist education. This year’s theme — “Commitment to the Spiritual Welfare of the Child” — fits well with Dr. Blue’s philosophy of Adventist education. “I’m eager to see us in Northern embrace more completely the ministry of educators,” he said. “Our conference should be a shining example of the complete marriage of what we as Adventists do — minister both in the pulpit and in the classroom.” Born and raised in the Los Angeles area, Dr. Blue graduated from California State University, Northridge with a bachelor’s degree in history. He later earned a master’s degree and an education specialist degree — both in administration and leadership — from Loma Linda University. In 2004, he received a Doctor of Education in administration and leadership from La Sierra University. Dr. Blue began his career as a teacher at Los Angeles Union Seventhday Adventist School (now Los Angeles Adventist Academy). He then served as teaching principal at Madera Seventh-day Adventist School, K-8 principal at Fresno Adventist Academy, and K-6 principal at La Sierra Academy. Dr. Blue served as associate superintendent in the NCC Education Department from 1999-2006, when he took on the role of executive secretary, a position he held until his death in May, 2007. He is survived by his wife Christy and their two children, Christopher and Noelle.
Pacific Union Conference President Ricardo Graham (back) prays, as NCC President Jim Pedersen (left) and CCC President Ramiro Cano (center) stand with pastors and laypeople at the Bridges: Bay Area for Jesus event held in 2013 at the Grand Advent church.
“Our conference should be a shining example of the complete marriage of what we as Adventists do – minister both in the pulpit and in the classroom.”
Check out the new NCC website, which has recently been streamlined to help you quickly find information to help you in your local church, school or ministry: www.ncc.adventist.org.