FLAME | Fall 2016

Fall 2016

Igniting a Passion for Living and Serving in Texas

FOSTERING

Young Adult LEADERSHIP PAGE 5

Adventure

THE TIE THAT BINDS PAGE 14

MOBILE MEDIA MINISTRY

A Publication of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Texas

PAGE 17

ChristCentered Crossroads

{Editor's Note} THE THEME OF THE FALL FLAME IS LOVE YOUR FRIENDS. In the third installment of our Love series, we take a look at the mission of mentoring and ministering to those outside of our family. I was recently upset at a friend who I hadn’t spoken to in a while. I resented the fact that she hadn’t reached out to me, although I had contacted her a few weeks prior. I tried to contact her again and was humbled by what happened next. She was discouraged and had been struggling at work. I listened as she broke down and poured her heart out. I encouraged and reminded her how far God had led her, and that He still had great plans in store. I silently prayed for God to give me the right words to lift her spirits.

When I hung up the phone, I was instantly humbled by the experience. Here I was resenting the fact that my friend was ignoring me while God was nudging me to reach out and minister to her. We can have some incredible encounters when we take the focus off ourselves and show love to someone else, especially when we are feeling a bit unloved. This has happened to me before when my “love tank” feels empty. But do you know what happens when I listen to God’s calling? I can practically hear Him saying, “Thanks, Kristina. Thanks for showing that person that I love them. I love you for doing that for me.” If only we weren’t so forgetful and stubborn, we’d experience God’s love for us through our love of others more regularly.

I encourage you to reach out to a friend today. There may be someone you’ve been thinking about recently. Call and invite them out to coffee or lunch. Listen to them, pay attention to their joys and pains and pray for them. Pray with them. God wants to show you love as you love your friend.

Check out our buddy routines in the Fitness section for a little inspiration to get some exercise time in together. Our Living Faith article shares how empowering mentors have shaped the life of one young adult. If you need a friend to reach out to today, why not befriend a young adult at church? In our Feature article, we meet Peilan Johnson, whose journey began in China and took her halfway around the world as she realized that God was with her every step of the way.

As the days grow shorter and the holidays get closer, remember to love. Love yourself, love your family and love your friends. Take time to nurture your soul and your relationships. They are always worth it! On behalf of the Texas Conference Administration and FLAME staff, happy reading!

Kristina Pascual Lockhart Editor

{Contributors}

DWIGHT SEEK is the Senior Pastor of the Conroe Seventh-day Adventist Church. On page 4, he reflects on how taking the time to get to know people can completely change our perspectives about them.

2 | FLAME Fall 2016

JASON BUSCH is the FLAME Associate Editor Communication Director, as well as Texas Conference Associate.

In the Feature on page 12, he tells the story of a woman who experienced God’s leading through the people He placed in her life.

SUZANNA AND TONY FACUNDO are lifelong camping enthusiasts and youth leaders. They share about the various ways camping trips can benefit families and friendships.

SAUL FLORES is a freelance writer and social media vlogger.

In Word of Mouth on page 17, Saul Flores reviews helpful and affordable tools for church media ministry.

THEODORE STEWART is the Director of Pastoral Care at Texas Health Huguley Hospital. On page 18, he shares his experience and advice on dealing with the grief that accompanies significant loss.

In Every Issue 2 From the Editor 4 Leadership Moment 4 Perspectives 9 Partners 17 Word of Mouth 17 Stewardship 22 Calendar 23 Advent Movement

{CONTENTS}

Fall 2016 5 LIVING FAITH

15 BRIDGES

Three tips for engaging millennials in your church.

Discover the not-so-hidden secret of reaching out to your community through public health.

7 MINISTRIES

16 RECIPE

Catching up with Publishing Ministries, one of the longest-operating ministries in the Seventhday Adventist Church.

These seveningredient delicious, crispy hash browns are the perfect side for your fall meals!

8 EDUCATION The professional impact of Adventist education on two of its former students.

18 INSIGHT Few things are as painful as a grieving heart. Read how to better cope with the occasional grief we all experience.

10 FITNESS Four new exercises to try with your workout buddy.

20 HISTORY A look back at the history behind the Adventist Church’s development in the vast territory of West Texas.

12 FEATURE The seed of faith was planted in Peilan’s heart while she was still a young girl living in China.

Throughout her life, she experienced God’s mysterious ways as He placed people in her path to help guide her steps.

14 FAMILY MATTERS

page 12

Exploring the many benefits of camping and the great outdoors.

Aaron Thomas Photography

FLAME | 3 Fall 2016

Leadership Moment

CARLOS CRAIG president

ELTON DEMORAES secretary

EDWIN ROMERO treasurer

Why is it important to be a good friend and mentor?

The Bible reminds us in Proverbs that, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” The longer I live, the more keenly aware I become of God’s plan for men and women to share wisdom and assist those who are also on this journey called life. A friend is there to support in both good times and bad. Ecclesiastes reminds us that, “Two are better than one, for if they fall, one will lift up the other.” We pray for each other, spend quality time together, exemplify ministry to each other, and find opportunities to empathize with each in moments of profound need! When we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us to the benefit of one another, true friendship is found.

To me, friendship is an essential component of being a true mentor and every Christian needs a spiritual mentor. The benefits are invaluable and provide a lifeline in a sea of life that often has far too many storms. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” When Christians spend time together, that sharpening starts to occur. Mentoring can be especially powerful and effective when expertise, experience, wisdom, warnings and the cultivation of healthy habits and mindsets are shared. A spiritual mentor can help you develop a deep sense of the presence of God and assist in cultivating practices for a rich, vibrant life.

During His ministry, Jesus often repeated the words: “follow Me.” As a leader within the Seventh-day Adventist Church, it is important for me to be a spiritual role model, mentor, and friend as I reflect the character of Christ. My commitment to God reciprocates my commitment to those around me. Jesus established a friendship with His followers unlike any other, yet He also mentored them. He actively worked for their good and often put them before Himself. Our friendships should demonstrate Christ in a transparent and powerful manner. We should continually strive to follow Christ’s model by nurturing friendships, by encouraging, and empowering those we mentor to live a life of service for others.

Perspectives

HIPPIE

or Hero?

By Dwight Seek

MANY YEARS AGO, I found myself looking into the lobby of Great Western Bank in Omaha, Nebraska. Through the glass in my office, I saw a male customer enter sporting hair that would have been the envy of any 1960s era flower child. Not far removed from active duty in the Marine Corps, I was not fond of men with long hair. I didn’t try to stifle the thoughts of my imaginary rodeo when he entered the bank the next time. It went something like this: as soon as he entered I would slap a timer, run from my office into the lobby, hit him with an NFL-style tackle, tie together

4 | FLAME Fall 2016

three of his limbs rodeo style, cut his hair, and triumphantly hold the severed hair aloft. I never followed through.

Not long after noticing this particular customer, my two-year old daughter and I made a trip to the grocery store. I tried to keep her occupied while she faced me in the shopping cart. All of a sudden she froze, her gaze fixed on something behind me. After a few seconds she exclaimed, “Jesus!” You can already guess whom she was pointing at when I turned around. Muttering under my breath, I pushed the cart around the next aisle. Luckily, he hadn’t heard; I did not want to talk to him.

The next day at work I shared the story with one of the ladies who had a desk in the lobby.

She chuckled and encouraged me to tell the customer the story the next time he came in. I, however, had no intention of getting that close to the hippie. But God had a different plan.

Several weeks later, he came in again.

He stopped to talk with this same lady and moments later she motioned me over.

Begrudgingly I went out, where she introduced me and asked me to tell him my story. He was amused, but I wasn’t prepared for what came next. He told me the reason he was growing his hair out was so he could donate it to Locks of Love, an organization that creates wigs for children with cancer who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy. I stood there stunned, a thoroughly abashed young cowboy. After my brain rebooted, I muttered something and slithered back into my office. I learned a valuable lesson that day – that a small change in perspective can turn a presumed hippie into a hero.

Dwight Seek is the Senior Pastor of the Conroe Seventhday Adventist Church.

Living Faith

Millenials in Your Church

By Chelsy Tyler

“WELL, SHE LOOKS PROMISING, BUT MAN, IS SHE YOUNG!” That was the general impression of me when my résumé came across the executive pastor’s desk. I had good grades, relevant experience, and high commendations that made me a good candidate to join the pastoral staff. But, my age raised some eyebrows. “She’s twenty-one?

She’s so young! Would she really make a good pastor?” I don’t blame the church leadership for doubting how qualified I was to be a pastor.

Many 21-year-olds can barely handle moving out of their parents’ homes, let alone bearing the spiritual responsibilities of a pastor. All I needed was the chance, and I’d prove it a good decision.

Not many churches are willing to take the same risks with young adults. If they’re not old enough to rent a car, certainly they aren’t old enough to hold a key leadership position. And even if they are old enough, they don’t have enough wisdom to make good leaders.

However, research by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics shows that millennials are the largest generation in the workforce and will even make up nearly 75 percent of the workforce by 2030. Churches will have to engage young adults at some point, including in leadership, or else risk eventual leadership turnover without previous generations’ wisdom. Here’s how the first church I pastored engaged me as a young adult. Perhaps these steps could help you empower your church’s millennials, too.

1.

BELIEVE IN THEM. When I got the call that my first church was seriously considering hiring me as a pastor, I was unsure about it. But when family, friends, professors, and the church staff showed they believed in me, it helped me believe in myself. Their confidence buoyed mine and was the catalyst that pushed me to accept the job and eventually be where I am today. In your sphere of influence, whether in the workplace, in the neighborhood, or in your church, are young adults with potential. When you believe in them and have faith that God could do great things through them, those young adults may be the next great leaders your church needs.

2.

FREE THEM TO FAIL. “I expect you to fail,” the senior pastor I worked with told me. The comment surprised me, but as I continued on in ministry I began to understand why he said that.

It wasn’t that he expected failed projects from me. He was giving me permission to be imperfect. He was freeing me to fail and by doing so, to grow. Knowing that the leaders of my church wouldn’t condemn me for my mistakes made me more comfortable to lead. When you find young adults you believe in, don’t fill

their heads with false hopes or lofty expectations. Tell them you expect excellence, not perfection. Free them to fail so they may be free to grow.

3.

LOVE THEM AS YOUR OWN. The staff I work with aren’t just people old enough to be my parents (well, some of them are, but not all of them). Neither are they just faces in the office. We are family. We joke about what they were doing the year I was born, we vent our frustrations to each other, and we’re real with each other about our hurts. Their love helps me know I’m seen as more than just a colleague. With young adults, it can be tempting to see them as children trying to act like adults and treat them accordingly. But loving them as part of your own family is the best way to engage them. When you love them, they’ll know they have a place in your church and in your community. When you love them, they’ll know they belong.

Young adults may seem to some like simply older kids, but they have huge potential for the Church to tap into. God has used and is using young adults to do great things in reaching out to others.

Believe in them, free them to fail and love them as your own; then watch as they start changing the world as you know it.

Chelsy Tyler most recently served as Children’s Ministry Pastor for the Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church and currently plans to continue her graduate studies at Andrews University.

FLAME | 5 Fall 2016

Being

Light

in a Dark WorlD Please join us

(and invite a friend or two)

for the

Women’s Ministries Retreat

SEPTEMBER 23-25, 2016 at La Torretta Resort, Montgomery, TX Our focus this year is on prayer.

Our keynote speaker will be Janet Page from the General Conference Ministerial Department.

For more information go to www.TexasAdventist.org, click Ministries, then Women’s Ministries. You may also call 817.790.2255 x2210.

ENGAGE LIFE: “IN IT TO WIN IT”

TEXAS CONFERENCE MEN’S SUMMIT

ENGAGE LIFE: “IN IT TO WIN IT”

SEPTEMBER 30 - OCTOBER 2 | CAMP HOBLITZELLE, MIDLOTHIAN, TX

REGISTER NOW @ www.TexasAdventistMen.org

SPEAKERS

Contact Info@TexasAdventistMen.org or (936) 419-6224

WEEKEND COST PER PERSON IS $95

GROUP AND FATHER/SON RATES AVAILABLE LODGING, FOOD AND ACTIVITIES ARE ALL INCLUDED

Richard Davidson “ENGAGE OUR FAITH”

Trevor O’reggio “ENGAGE OUR WIVES”

Carlos Craig “ENGAGE OUR CHURCH”

Gordon Jones “ENGAGE OUR CAREER”

Minner Labrador “ENGAGE OUR CHILDREN”

Errol B. Bryce “ENGAGE OUR HEALTH”

Paul Coneff “ENGAGE OUR BROKENNESS”

Ministries

PUBLISHING Department In 2015, the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists once again established a Publishing Ministries Department in our territory. Previously operated independently through the Pacific Press and Review and Herald publishing houses, this ministry dates back to the very beginning of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The FLAME caught up with director, Freddy Hernandez, to take a look at this legacy ministry and its role in Texas today.

FLAME: What is the mission of the

FLAME: How did you

Texas Conference Publishing Ministries

become involved in this

Department?

field?

FREDDY: The purpose of the Publishing

FREDDY: When I was a

Department is to help spreading the gospel

student at an Adventist acad-

to the entire world through the printed word.

emy, I heard that literature

Echoing this sentiment, the Texas Conference

evangelism was a way of helping subsidize

supports this ministry in its vast territory.

my tuition costs. I thought it would be a

them, studying the Bible together and showing them who Jesus is.

great way to help pay my school debt, as FLAME: How does the Publishing Ministries Department accomplish its mission?

well as help spread the message of life and health to people who needed it. I was able to pay off my studies and have dedicated

FREDDY: We administer resources for our

over 40 years of my life to serving the Lord

territory, which is divided into districts. These

and people through literature evangelism.

districts are led by associate directors who recruit, train and supervise our literature

FLAME: How can churches or members get involved with Publishing Ministries?

FREDDY: Our associate directors regularly visit the churches in their perspective areas, preaching and informing members of the literature evangelism program. If someone

evangelists. Printed material such as books

FLAME: How has this impacted your life?

feels the desire and the conviction to work

and magazines are sent to the associate

FREDDY: Literature evangelism has blessed

as a literature evangelist, they can contact

directors and distributed to the literature

me greatly. From New York to California,

evangelists, who in turn make them available

I’ve been able to bring countless books into

to the public.

homes of people looking for the peace and love that God offers. My greatest joy is vising

our office directly or get in touch with their local pastor. We would love to have them as part of our team. Contact me any time at 817.790.2255 ext. 2141.

folks in their homes, becoming friends with

FLAME | 7 Fall 2016

Education

Adventist Making the Grade Education

By Makala James

CABINET SECRETARIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CITY PLANNERS don’t share much work in common. Yet, Barbara Damron and Reggie Herman do have a lot in common. Barbara is Cabinet Secretary in New Mexico and works for the New Mexico Higher Education Department. Reggie is Associate Vice President for the DFW Environmental Business Unit Leader at AECOM. They both attended Seventh-day Adventist schools for many years.

Reggie Herman spent 12 years at Burton Adventist Academy in Arlington, Texas. Later, he attended college at Texas A&M to pursue a career in city planning. “At Seventh-day Adventist schools, we can really study in a safe environment,” said Reggie. “Attending an Adventist school and growing up in a Christian home cemented those values in my life.”

Reggie became interested in city planning during a civics class at Texas A&M. From there he applied the hard work to make that career a possibility. “There can be a lot of menial things to do in work,” said Reggie. “People noticed when I was willing to work without complaint. That gave me tremendous opportunities to grow in the field.”

Now Reggie works at AECOM, an international engineering, planning, and architecture form. One of Reggie’s projects includes a two-year plan for infrastructure of terminals at DFW airport, and he works with a team in the midst of planning a high-speed train between Dallas and Houston.

“Living in a Christian home and attending a Christian school taught me values that have given me unbelievable opportunities in the business world,” said Reggie. “I cherish my experiences at Burton, and my wife and I will enroll our kids in the Seventh-day Adventist school system as soon as they are old enough.”

Barbara Damron started first grade at a small Seventh-day Adventist church school in New Orleans. Neither of her parents ever graduated from high school, but both were committed to education.

They helped many children attend school and even played a large part in improving the school building. Dedicated teachers taught Barbara Christian values. “The whole community was wrapped around doing God’s work because He saved us from our sins,” said Barbara.

“That whole teaching culture was priceless for me and continues to guide me throughout my life.”

Seventh-day Adventist teachers from elementary school to college made it a point to prepare Barbara for the future. She studied for two years at Southwestern Adventist University in Keene and two years at Union College, a Seventh-day Adventist institution in Lincoln, Nebraska. She graduated with a nursing degree and immediately began work as an oncology nurse.

She became the first advanced practice oncology nurse in Texas.

With a heart for those suffering with cancer, she went on to work as a

8 | FLAME Fall 2016

government advocate for cancer patients. Then, Barbara joined the Texas legislature, where she would develop the country’s first comprehensive cancer curriculum: the Nurse Oncology Education Program, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary.

This was only the start of Barbara’s career. She earned a PhD in educational psychology at the University of Texas in Austin. Then, Barbara worked at the U.S. Senate for HELP, the highest-ranking health committee in the United States. She was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation congressional Health Policy Fellow and an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow. Now, Barbara is the Cabinet Secretary for the state of New Mexico, where she is in charge of all higher education.

“Adventist education offered me leadership opportunities, great academics, dedicated faculty, friends and colleagues, and a strong work ethic,” said Barbara. “All this is offered in a culture where everything is based on the fact that we are here to do Christ’s work.”

Both Reggie and Barbara work hard, have a solid education, and a firm foundation in Christian beliefs. Those three elements are the marks of a successful Seventh-day Adventist education. “Our teachers really care about students,” said Ellen Thomas, Texas Conference Associate Superintendent of Education. “You can’t make a student learn. You have to help them develop an open heart towards learning.”

There are other stories like Reggie Herman’s and Barbara Damron’s – accomplished professionals who were nurtured through the Adventist education system and are making a difference in the world.

While skeptics of Adventist education may always exist, so do the testimonies of extraordinary individuals who positively impact society and those who dedicate their lives to educating tomorrow’s leaders.

Makala James is a writer and Marketing Assistant at Lake Granbury Medical Center.

Partners

Keep Climbing DENVER 2016

By Daniel Weber

THE SOCIETY OF ADVENTIST COMMUNICATORS was founded more than 25 years ago to help promote professional communication standards, provide training, create networking opportunities and establish a network of communicators working both in and outside the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Produced in conjunction with the Communication Department of the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the convention is open to anyone working, studying or searching to learn more about the fields of corporate communication, public relations, photography, graphic design, radio and television broadcasting and social media.

The 2016 convention will be held at the Hyatt Regency Tech Center in Denver, CO on October 13-15. Information about the convention can be found on the Society of Adventist Communicators website at AdventistCommunicator.org.

This year’s gathering will include workshops by industry veterans in the fields of photography, public relations, graphic design, broadcast television and much more.

The program will start early on the morning of October 13 with two tours of local companies focusing on the fields of broadcasting and media, and advertising/publishing. The first 100 people that register for the tours will be able to take part.

The regular programming schedule will start at 1 pm on the 13th with a special general session where presentations will be made by experts in the communication field as they share projects, trends and new techniques in communication. The day will conclude with a special opening reception on the top floor of the Hyatt Regency, where you can enjoy the sunset on the Rocky Mountains.

Friday’s schedule includes the ever popular Tech Talk, the opening Keynote Presentation and three blocks of workshops that fill up the rest of the morning and afternoon. In the evening, a special presentation will be made that highlights the spiritual aspect of communications.

Saturday, October 15, will start with a short morning devotional and then the convention attendees will load into busses to enjoy a day of hiking at the Garden of the Gods, a spectacular park not far from Pike’s Peak.

The convention will conclude with the SAC Awards Banquet, where awards will be given to those who have excelled in the communication field in 2016.

Registration for the 2016 SAC Convention can be made at AdventSource.org.

Daniel Weber is the Director of Communications for the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists as well as Executive Director for the Society of Adventist Communicators.

FLAME | 9 Fall 2016

Fitness

The Buddy

AB BLAST

By Brock and Courtney Reichert

EXERCISE IS ALWAYS GREAT whether you’re alone or with a friend. Oftentimes, having a buddy can make working out less of a chore. Rather than just chatting on the treadmill, consider the following exercises. These will help maximize your gains, and are guaranteed to hit the entire core and keep your heart rate up.

3

Perform the exercises back-to-back in a circuit and repeat each circuit three more times for a total of four rounds. Aim for 12-15 reps for each movement, staying controlled throughout the entirety of the exercise. When working the abs, it’s important to breathe out when contracting in order to get a deeper squeeze.

Remember to listen to your body and engage in physical activity approved by your physician.

1

MEDICINE BALL TWISTS: Sit back-to-back with your partner with your feet on the ground. Twist around and pass the ball to your partner, then turn to receive it on the other side. Do 6-8 reps that direction, then pass it the opposite direction for another 6-8 reps. Once again, do each movement slowly and controlled to really feel those oblique muscles.

MEDICINE BALL SIT-UPS: Lock ankles with your partner and take turns sitting up and passing the ball back and forth. Try to keep your feet flat on the ground and abs tight through the move.

Aaron Thomas Photography

4

2

PARTNER LEG RAISE: One person lies on their back and grabs the ankles of their partner. As the person on the ground straightens and raises their legs, the standing partner pushes them back down to provide a little resistance. Keep movements slow for a great burn and switch after 12-15 reps.

10 | FLAME Fall 2016

PLANK HANDS-TO-ELBOWS: Start in a pushup position with hands on the ground and back flat. Using one arm at a time, come down to your elbows, then back up to your hands. This movement is one rep. Keep your abs tight and back flat through all the transitions for the same 12-15 reps.

Brock and Courtney Reichert both work at Medical Center Arlington, where she works as a Registered Nurse in the Labor and Delivery Department and he works as a Physician Assistant in the Emergency Department. They attend the Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church.

hope Austin

D2U is a delivery service. If you do not place an order, it will not be on the truck.

Each order will be charged a $5.00 delivery fee Call 800-333-1844 to Order

October 28 - November 11

Soul Winning Festival: Saturday, November 12

Order Deadline for the Austin / San Antonio / Valley Route is Thursday, August 18. Call 800-333-1844 to Order.

CHURCH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT EXCELLENCE FOR GOD

Order Deadline for the Houston Route is Thursday, September 1. Call 800-333-1844 to Order.

UPCOMING ROUTES East Texas/Louisiana East Texas/Arkansas Austin/San Antonio/Valley

September 19-22 October 31-November 3 November 28-December 1

WANT MORE INFORMATION? Check out our website at www.abckeene.org · Food Specials · Complete Food List · D2U Route Info · Monthly Book Flyer ADVENTIST BOOK CENTER | 201 S OLD BETSY RD | KEENE, TX 76059 817.558.0100 | TOLL-FREE 800.333.1844 | D2U.ABC@TXSDA.ORG

JULY 23 » VALLEY AREA

McALLEN CENTRAL VALLEY SPANISH CHURCH

THIS YEAR DEACON AND DEACONESS TRAINING INCLUDED!

JULY 30 » AUSTIN AREA

AUSTIN SPANISH FIRST CHURCH

AUGUST 06 » HOUSTON AREA

SPRING BRANCH SPANISH CHURCH

AUGUST 13 » SAN ANTONIO AREA SCENIC HILLS CHURCH

AUGUST 27 » DFW AREA

ARLINGTON CHURCH

4 PM - 6 PM FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT MINISTERIAL@TXSDA.ORG OR CALL (817) 790-2255 EXT. 2123

WWW.TEXASADVENTIST.ORG SPONSORED BY THE TEXAS CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS MINISTERIAL AND HISPANIC DEPARTMENTS

GOD’S CHINA, 1966: Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong launches what’s called the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, leading to property seizure, harassment, deposition of numerous political enemies, and displacement for millions of Chinese.

Coming off the back of the country’s Great Leap Forward and the massive famine that accompanied it only a few years prior, China was in a state of extreme flux. It was in this China that young Peilan was born.

Aaron Thomas Photography

Feature

Mysterious Ways

By Jason Busch

G

rowing up in the aftermath, Peilan was fortunate to have parents with government positions in Beijing. Worries like having enough food, water, or heat were far from her mind.

She attended the best schools China could offer at the time, but concedes that her everyday routine was simple and highly structured. Life for many students has continued to revolve around academic achievement.

“Going to school, doing homework, and taking endless exams were routine,” says Peilan. “Everything was centered on going to a better junior high, high school, and college.”

A self-admitted rebel when it came to challenging ideas learned in school, Peilan would get ample opportunity when a long-lost aunt reconnected and changed her family’s lives forever. During the Cultural Revolution, any relationships maintained overseas could be interpreted as treason. Once the country began opening the door to increased relations with the United States following President Nixon’s 1972 visit, however, Peilan’s aunt saw her chance to find the family she had left behind during her move to America.

“My parents still had concerns about China’s willingness to let us reestablish that relationship, but they were thrilled to get in touch with her,” says Peilan.

Arrangements were made for Peilan’s father to spend a year with her aunt, while her mother visited for three months. It was during this time that Peilan’s aunt, a devout Christian, was able to introduce them to God’s message of hope and love. Peilan’s parents accepted that message and chose to be baptized before returning to China.

This, Peilan confesses, was a well-kept secret that she didn’t learn of until years later.

After her parents returned, Peilan remembers them beginning to talk about “strange” ideas like creationism. Since this went against all she had learned, it provided the perfect chance to begin questioning her teachers. Noticing her enthusiasm, her parents bought additional resources to study that eventually taught her most of the foundational Bible stories. Suddenly, her parents’ “strange” ideas didn’t seem quite so strange anymore. The seed was planted.

After starting college in China, Peilan decided she would eventually study in the United States. One day, her father saw an advertisement in one of China’s newspapers for free English lessons via correspondence. Peilan jumped at the opportunity and wasted no time in studying with her tutor. As it turned out, Peilan’s tutor was also Christian and sent reading and comprehension materials taken from the Bible. But even though these resources helped strengthen Peilan’s burgeoning beliefs, she still had a long journey ahead of her. After

a year of constant English study, in addition to a full-time college schedule, Peilan was accepted at the University of Nebraska and began preparing for life outside of China.

Peilan remembers as if it were yesterday: “I arrived in Lincoln on January 1, 1995. It was eerie coming from a city with millions of people to one with two hundred thousand. Nebraska had just won [college football’s] Orange Bowl and the town was deserted.”

Nevertheless, she was excited for the change of pace and the ability to attend church on Sunday. Still, she had a lot of questions that no one seemed able to answer. That is, until she met Steve.

Steve was a fellow Cornhusker, as well as the man who would become her husband. It all started on the bus one day between classes. Peilan was conversing in Chinese with a friend when Steve overheard.

Interested in learning the language, Steve approached Peilan and asked if she could teach him. After a few minutes of talking, she learned he was a Christian and struck a deal – he’d give her Bible studies if she taught him Chinese. As it happened, Steve was Seventh-day Adventist and answered many of the questions Peilan had about the Bible.

All the information accumulated over the years began shifting into place and she finally decided to be baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Peilan admits that she got the greater end of the deal they made.

“Steve is a much better teacher than I am,” laughs Peilan. “He still doesn’t know Chinese.”

When Peilan learned of her parents’ acceptance of Christianity so many years before, she wasn’t surprised; she had already seen the changes. They talked about God more, they donated parts of their salaries to the poor, and seemed more thankful than she had ever remembered. In looking back, Peilan realizes God put people in the right place at the right time throughout her entire life. From her aunt who wasted no time in sharing the Gospel with her parents, who then gently introduced God in her home, to her English teacher who watered her budding Christian beliefs, and her husband who continuously answers each new question, Peilan has been surrounded by God’s loving hand since childhood. Even while she lives and works in the United States, her heart still goes out to the country of her youth. Whether she’s translating sermons into Chinese or simply giving Bible studies during her annual visits back home, Peilan is driven by one simple philosophy: “We need God in China and we need Him desperately.”

God put people in the right place at the right time throughout her entire life.

Peilan and her husband, Steve, live in Conroe, TX where she works as a financial analyst and he works as a university professor. They have two teenage children and attend the Conroe Seventh-day Adventist Church. Jason Busch is the FLAME Associate Editor and Associate Communication Director for the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

FLAME | 13 Fall 2016

Family Matters

the

Great

OUTDOORS

By Tony and Suzanna Facundo

CAMPING IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS. Falling asleep under the stars with a cool breeze blowing into your tent or hammock is the kind of thing money just can’t buy. Getting away from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life and driving to a campground, whether it’s just a few miles from home or several hours away, is like giving yourself a mini-vacation full of rest and relaxation. Our family has been camping together for so long that our college-aged kids can’t even remember their first time. The next time you’re struggling to think of an activity the entire family can enjoy, consider the following benefits of camping.

Despite the obvious benefits of exercise and fresh air, camping provides hours of uninterrupted opportunities to talk to your kids about what is going on in their life. At home, everyone may be running in different directions. It’s hard enough to even have a meal together. Being in nature is the perfect time to have one-on-one conversations as you are hiking, cooking over the campfire or just hanging out.

One of the things we love to do when camping is to sit around the fire and share how we have seen God that day or that weekend. Our only rule is that everyone shares even if just to say, “I’m blessed because God woke me up this morning.” We have seen the quietest people give some of the most profound insights when utilizing this idea.

A favorite activity of ours is taking our teens on a two-day backpacking weekend. We park the car at the beginning of the trail and hike to where we eventually set up camp. The tricky part is that if you need something before Sunday, you have to carry it the entire time.

But the rewards are worth it! Having a devotional on the highest spot you can find usually becomes the highlight of our family’s weekend.

Afterward, we will stop for lunch at another gorgeous spot and have another small devotional thought shared by one of the kids. The best part is that cell phone service is often nonexistent out there, so all electronics get ignored for a few hours while we spend quality time

14 | FLAME Fall 2016

together. For the adventurous, you can even incorporate an overnight canoe trip into your backpacking weekend.

We encourage you to plan a weekend camping getaway and see the beauty God has for you and your family. Consider inviting some extra young people or others from your social circle to tag along and see how they are blessed by the experience, as well. We find great locations and ideas by visiting state park websites and Pinterest. As the weather begins to cool, take advantage of this fun and rewarding ministry!

Suzanna Facundo is an Administrative Secretary at the Southwestern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Tony works as a hospice nurse for Universal Health Services, a home health agency.

Bridges

Health

Equals Hope

By Jason Busch

GREEK PHYSICIAN HIPPOCRATES WROTE that, “Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.”

For the Mansfield Seventh-day Adventist Church, health provides an opportunity like no other to impact their community. On Father’s Day weekend, this suburban church was transformed into a makeshift hospital, offering free medical care for any who needed it.

Dozens of volunteers from Southwestern Adventist University, Texas A&M, Baylor College of Dentistry, and others around the country set up stations for eye exams, dental cleanings, x-rays, and health maintenance screenings for blood pressure and diabetes. The Mansfield Church organized the clinic in partnership with Adventist Medical Evangelism Network, an independent ministry that supports the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

“I was amazed by the team spirit and the amount of volunteers present as well as the outpouring of hard work by a large group of medical professionals and volunteers,” said visitor Sally Atari. “They all came because of flyers on cars, announcements in churches, Facebook advertisements, local Christian television, schools and word of mouth – all for something bigger than each of them individually.”

For Shawnah Shelton, Coordinator of the AMEN Health Clinic in Mansfield, the six months of planning were worth it many times over. “My biggest fear was to show up in the morning on clinic day and not see a single patient,” said Shawnah. “I kept thinking ‘What do I do if no one shows up or there are more volunteers than attendees?’”

But come they did. By the end of the weekend, the AMEN Clinic served over 500 patients. A true reflection of Jesus’ ministry on earth, Mansfield attended each visitor’s physical needs before addressing their spiritual ones by offering chaplain services at the end of service for those interested. “We want the City of Mansfield to know we are here to help with their whole person care,” said Sean Harris, pastor of the Mansfield Church. “Not just their physical wellbeing, but mental, emotional, and spiritual as well.”

Going forward, the AMEN Clinic in Mansfield understands the

tremendous opportunity available to them and sees it as a potentially annual event. Despite the work involved in putting it together, the chance to show God’s love to the people around them is too great to pass up; and not just to the attendees, but also to volunteers. One dental student who helped give care said, “I have never done anything like this before, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat. This seems like the kind of work all churches should be doing.”

Serving others is what the message of Christianity is all about. The AMEN Clinic in Mansfield was not a success because of the numbers of visitors or volunteers. Even if there had been only one patient, it still

would have been successful because of so many who came together to serve those who could offer nothing in return. “Seeing the faces of people we helped, whether they were free from pain or simply proud of their new glasses, was the best form of payment for us,” said Shawnah. “Knowing we had a part to play in their happiness was icing on the cake.”

The AMEN Clinic and its caregivers donated a weekend of health so its visitors could experience a lifetime of hope.

Jason Busch is the FLAME Associate Editor and Associate Communication Director for the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

FLAME | 15 Fall 2016

Recipe

CRISPY

hash brown

STACKS

With the cooler weather comes fair and festival season! Instead of indulging in too many fried goodies like those at the Texas State Fair, consider these seven-ingredient hash brown stacks with corn and fresh parsley as a wholesome, tasty alternative.

They pair well with eggs for breakfast or with your favorite veggie kabobs for a BBQ or cookout.

INGREDIENTS: • 4 cups finely grated russet potatoes • 1 shallot, very thinly sliced • 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley • 1/2 cup corn • 2 Tbsp melted butter or coconut oil • 1 Tbsp cornstarch • 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

16 | FLAME Fall 2016

1.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and arrange a rack in the center of the oven.

Generously grease a standard muffin tin with oil of choice.

2.

Add potatoes to a large mixing bowl with shallot, parsley, corn, melted butter, cornstarch, salt and pepper and stir to thoroughly combine.

3.

Divide mixture evenly between 12 muffin tins, filling each tin with about 1/4 cup of the potato mixture. Press down gently to form. Sprinkle the tops with a pinch more salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes.

4.

At the 20-minute mark, increase oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake for 10-12 minutes more, or until the tops and edges appear golden brown.

5.

Remove from oven and let rest for five minutes, then loosen sides and gently lift out with a fork.

6.

Best when fresh. To freeze, arrange baked hash brown stacks in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Store in a freezer-safe container up to 3-4 weeks. Reheat in the microwave or a 350-degree oven until completely warmed through.

MinimalistBaker.com

Word of Mouth

Ministry Videos Made Easy

By Saul A. Flores

Reviews for books, movies, gadgets and apps that help enhance ministry and spiritual growth.

More and more ministries are using video to tell which means that it picks up sound equally from all members or visitors what’s happening within their around the microphone. It’s compatible with iOS local churches. For those videos to sound good, and Android devices, as well. Anyone with a smartphone or tablet can use this device for any church a lavalier microphone is essential. So here is one ministry video. The SmartLav+ comes in lavalier microphone that comes at a great at around $79. price and has equally great quality.

Now, is there mobile-compatThe SmartLav+ from Rode ible video editing software out Microphones has broadcast there that doesn’t cost $200? quality audio that records Yes, there is! Better yet, it directly to smartphones and can be used by anyone that tablets. It’s also extremely easy has an iPhone with iOS 9.O to use. Just plug it in, clip it or later (there is video editing on the subject’s shirt, push the software for Android but this record button on the smartphone or tablet and start talking. review focuses on iOS devices).

RØDE Microphones It’s that simple.

The software that can be used The SmartLav+ is small and lightfor editing is called iMovie and, if not weight, which makes carrying it a breeze. It comes already on your iOS device, can be obtained with a small leather bag to store when not in use for free from Apple’s App Store. What makes so it won’t damage or rip, a microphone mounting iMovie so great is that it is user-friendly and clip to be used on the person talking, and a pop doesn’t require much technical proficiency. And, filter that helps minimize ambient sound. The if the person editing the video has a MacBook at microphone is an omnidirectional condenser, home, they can continue working on the same

project on their laptop via iCloud.

Both the SmartLav+ and iMovie can be used in conjunction to create great video content for church ministries around the world. The best part is that it can all be done inside a phone or tablet, which makes it ideal for a quick turnaround. The price for both the SmartLav+ and iMovie is about $85. Awesome audio and video for under $100?

It doesn’t get better than that. Scan the QR Code below to see Saul use the SmartLav+ mic and visit SmartLav.com and Apple.com/iOS/iMovie to learn more about these tools.

Saul Asiel Flores is a freelance writer and member of the San Antonio Tres Angeles Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Stewardship

Give It All You’ve Got

By Minner Labrador Jr.

I recently saw a thought-provoking Internet exchange between a young man and young lady. They are strangers to me but the young man obviously was frustrated as he wrote, “I gave you $10, he gave you $20. You like him more because he gave you more.

But he had $200 and all I had was $10.” I could almost hear the pain in the young man’s words, because he had given this seemingly ungrateful young lady all he had.

My thoughts immediately went to the story in Mark 12 of Jesus and His disciples who sat and observed people putting their money into the temple treasury box. Perhaps it seemed that the heavier the pouch, the more ostentatious the offering. As Jesus watched, knowing by what means much of the money had been acquired, He gave a scathing analysis of what He was witnessing. He said in verse 40, “They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

Suddenly, moving hesitantly to the treasury came one of the poor widows of whom

Jesus had been speaking. She had neither pouch nor purse. Hoping to be unobserved, she simply dropped two small ‘mites’, worth only a few cents into the box, and quietly moved away. The widow’s contribution would have been nothing but spare change compared to the offerings of the rich people who had preceded her. But the miniscule offering represented enormous value to her, because it was all she had. Giving her two mites probably meant that she would be unable to buy a crust of bread the next day and had to trust God to provide for her. The widow went unnoticed by all but Jesus. He knew her story, He knew the measure of her gift, and He loved her.

Sometimes our church ministries can overlook givers of small gifts while praising the givers of large donations, forgetting that God places moral rather than economic value on all our offerings. No offering, large or small, goes unnoticed as Jesus understands our motives for giving.

One of my most meaningful fundraising experiences was during my time at the

Charlotte Sharon Adventist Church in North Carolina. The theme of our successful fundraising event was, “Not equal giving, but equal sacrifice.” Every offering was valued for the loving sacrifice of the giver. Because of that attitude, the financial goals were surpassed in unprecedented ways.

Our offerings aren’t measured by the amount, but by the sacrifice and motive behind our giving. When we give what we have to God, He knows our story and the measure of our gifts.

Minner Labrador is Vice President for Ministries, as well as Ministerial, Men’s Ministries, Sabbath School and Stewardship Director for the Southwestern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

FLAME | 17 Fall 2016

Insight

The

of Grief Gift

By Theo Stewart

PRIOR TO MY MOTHER’S DEATH, I saw her decay from an intelligent, controlled, strong woman to a frail, incoherent, dependent person. It was a painful transition for me. However, before she lost her ability to communicate, I spent significant time with her talking, listening and reminiscing about her life, family and her impending death.

I remember feeling scared to approach her on these topics because we “weren’t supposed to talk about such things” with sick or dying people. One often hears, “it’s too depressing, won’t we make it worse for them? Will it not make them sad?” I found the opposite to be true. My mother was more than happy in her lucid moments to share more of herself. It was as if she was longing for someone to hear her innermost feelings. We spent time in prayer, reading her favorite Bible passages, singing songs and talking about family memories.

Doing this really helped me when she eventually died. No matter how much I prepared for her death, I still grieved her loss. I felt the numbness, shock, sadness, anger, and denial. But all of these feelings are healthy for someone experiencing grief.

In Heartache and Healing, Larry Yeagley compares our understanding grief to our earlier understanding of the common cold: “Just forget about it and it will go away.”

He notes, however, that medical research now knows that the common cold can lead to serious complications if proper care is not given. Grief is common to all people and is the process of bringing us back into focus after a great loss. Yet it can lead to very serious disorders without proper supportive care. There is a Turkish proverb that says, “He that conceals his grief finds no remedy for it.”

Pause for a few moments and think about your earliest experience of loss. Now, think about your most recent loss. Having

18 | FLAME Fall 2016

thought about those, take a moment to write down what changes you experienced as a result.

As you reflect, I’d like to suggest that all change results in a loss and all loss results in grief. In other words, grief is the total human response to any significant loss.

It is the result of what happens to the one who suffers the loss, bereavement or separation. Something or someone of great importance is lost to the individual; a part of life has been torn out, leaving great pain. It is that emotion that we call grief. Nevertheless, grief and mourning are not the same experience.

Grief is the thoughts and feelings that are experienced within

yourself when we experience a loss. Therefore, it is the internal meaning we give to the experience of bereavement.

Mourning is taking the internal experience of grief and expressing it outside of ourselves.

The specific way we experience mourning is influenced by the customs of our culture.

Mourning is “grief gone public” or “sharing one’s grief outside of yourself.”

My theology of grief causes me to see grief as God’s gift to humankind, the means by which we can comfort ourselves after a loss. I believe that God is active in this process, I get this sense when I read Isaiah 43:2, which reads, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire the flame shall not consume you.” And again in Exodus 33:10, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Both verses suggest the importance of presence when someone is in trauma, and I have found them particularly comforting to families during death calls on my rotations as a hospital chaplain. The minister providing pastoral care to a family in grief will find the focus of his or her power in their ability to make Christ

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire the flame shall not consume you.

Isaiah 43:2

present to the individual or family in grief by being present with them. Not in doing or fixing but in being with. Demonstrate your love by letting the grieving one know that you might not know what to say or do for them to bring them some comfort. You may not know what they need or how to help them in their pain, but you want them to know that you love them and will be there regardless.

For me, this is the theology of presence.

In one of our final conversations, I asked my mother, “Mom, you have been sick for such a long time and have said you’re tired and ready for the end. How you are coping with this and what do you want from us?”

Then, I sat on her bed as she taught me her philosophy of facing death. That final lesson has blessed my ministry and me more than I could ever know.

Theodore Stewart is Director of Pastoral Care, Mission and Ministry, and Association of Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor at Texas Health Huguley Fort Worth South. He is an ordained Seventh-day Adventist pastor and has served as a chaplain for 23 years, 15 of those at Huguley.

IF YOU COULD DO ANYTHING FOR THEM YOU WISHED, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Would it be to do everything in your power to continue to “…train them up in the way they should go”?

By supporting the ministries of our churches and schools, you are leaving a legacy that will continue to provide opportunities for spiritual growth in the years to come.

One simple way you can do that is through an IRA Rollover.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WISH FOR YOUR LOVED ONES?

If you are 70-1/2 or older, you are allowed to roll over up to $100,000 from your IRA to the church without paying any federal income tax on your gift. Contact us to learn more about how an IRA rollover gift can help both you and the mission of the church.

Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists • Department of Trust Services P.O. Box 800 • Alvarado, TX 76009 • Phone: 817-790-2255 Toll Free: 800-847-2792 • Fax: 817-783-2698 Email: trust@txsda.org • www.TexasConferenceLegacy.org

History

A Lone, Forgotten CHARACTERISTICALLY RUGGED, arid and in formerly hostile Comanche territory, West Texas, the part of Texas extending west from a line drawn between Fort Worth and Del Rio, took Texans quite a while to settle. This was true for Adventists, as well. By the end of the 19th century, Roby, a small town about 60 miles northwest of Abilene, was the lone Adventist outpost in the vast territory.

Roby traces its history to a land grant extended to the Texas War for Independence veteran Thomas H. Cosby who, in 1885, sold over 4,000 acres of that land to relatives of his second wife, D. C. and M. L. Roby. The Robys quickly spurred development by donating land for churches, schools, a park, a cemetery, and to settlers who would commit to building homes within ninety days. Their strategy worked. By 1890, the population was estimated to be 300 and grew to 712 a mere ten years later.

Adventists were among those who took advantage of the opportunity to establish homesteads in Roby. In 1898, William Arnold McCutchen, then president of the Texas Conference, organized the first Adventist congregation in West Texas with eight members and close to 20 weekly attendees who lived within a 20-to-50-mile radius.

Former Baptist minister Nathan Jackson Etheredge, one of the first Adventists to be baptized in West Texas, became church elder.

That had to have a been bittersweet moment for McCutchen.

Etheredge had joined the church after evangelistic meetings he held in nearby Hamby, Texas, but it was the work of McCutchen’s deceased younger brother, John, that first reached the Baptist minister. While working as a literature evangelist in Mills County, John sold a copy of the book Daniel and Revelation that eventually fell into Etheredge’s hands. Seven years later he accepted the Adventist message in February 1894.

The initial hearty enthusiasm expressed by the church members in Roby notwithstanding, the congregation apparently dwindled in short order. Reorganized again in 1902 as a home church with just six

20 | FLAME Fall 2016

Outpost

By Lee-Roy Chacon with Alfredo Vergel

members, it soon tripled and quadrupled in size through evangelistic efforts. Likewise, modest tithe contributions multiplied tenfold by the end of the following year. That financial success, however, apparently led to a rift culminating in the separation of some members.

In 1904 the church in Roby ceased to exist, having merged with a congregation in Buffalo Gap, about 66 miles away, where construction of a church building soon started. The church in Roby lasted only six years. However, its members regrouped, readjusted and recommitted themselves to share the message they loved so dearly in West Texas.

While there is no Adventist church in that small community any longer, the work that started there launched the expansion of the Adventist message into West Texas and the Panhandle, where thousands of church members gather weekly in many churches today. The lonely outpost in Roby may be gone, but the work they began in that vast territory will never be forgotten.

Lee-Roy Chacon is President of the Texico Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and is part of a team working on a forthcoming history series on the Texico Conference.

Alfredo Vergel is the Public Services Librarian, as well as Ellen White Research Center Director for Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, TX.

kidz korner

Mom, Mud & Me

By Omar Miranda, Explorer and Mud Chef

Here is some stuff to do when you get bored. Some you can do on your own, but you need permission and help from an adult for others.

1. PLAY PAPER PLATE RING TOSS

Cut paper plates into giant rings.

Place a water bottle on the ground, ten steps away, and try to toss the paper plate onto the bottle. See how many you can get in a row!

2. WEAR POPCORN SHOES.

Fill two plastic cups with popcorn and fasten them to your shoes. See who can go the farthest without letting popcorn fall out! To tie a cup to your shoe, ask your mom or dad to use a scissors to cut a hole on each side of the cup and pull yarn through the bottom.

3. PASS THE WATER.

Stand in a line with friends, each holding a large cup. The first person in line should have his or her cup filled with water. Try to pass the water from cup to cup without spilling. Each time you reach the end of the line, you have to hold the cup a little farther away!

4. NAME THAT ANIMAL.

Clap a steady rhythm with your friends while standing in a circle.

Each person should try to name an animal in alphabetical order. (For example: Antelope… Badger… Cat…) If you can’t think of a name in time, then you are out until the next game!

times, During Medieval idered bathing was consactivity. s a very dangerou bathing People believed body, could weaken a d even an causing sickness lt, most death. As a resu redibly people were inc carried stinky. Some eventhe smell. sk potpourri to ma

I grew up in what you might call a jungle.

There were so many green things that if you weren’t careful, you could get lost in my backyard for days! To a little boy it was like heaven on Earth.

I also loved to make mud pies. I would take several old metal pie pans to our backyard near the chicken coop since it offered easy access to a water source to make mud.

Armed with my Dad’s machete, I would chop down some plants and add them to my own “recipes.”

One day in particular, it rained really hard and the ground was gloriously mushy and perfectly muddy!

I had forgotten that my mother had informed me earlier that we had some friends visiting that afternoon and she didn’t want me making mud pies. Well, as you can already imagine, I only remembered her instructions the moment she called me in to the house.

Feelings of dread and fear washed over me like sugar glaze on a hot Krispy Kreme donut! What would I do? Where could I run and hide? I quickly thought about washing myself off with the water hose, but that would have made an even bigger mess. I had no choice but to come when called and take my mother’s full wrathful judgment and my rightful punishment.

As I shuffled slowly up to the back door—dripping from head to toe with the muskyearthy combination of mud and sweat; caked with bits of foliage and smelling like a billy goat—I looked directly at my horrified and rightfully angry mother and softly, but politely, said to our guests, “Hello, thank you for coming today. I’m so glad you came to visit.” Then I just stood there and, as little boys who are in trouble and know what they’ve got coming to them often do, I began to softly sob.

For what seemed like hours there was no movement or sounds emanating from my mother or our guests. Then my mother silently got down on her knees, lifted my grungy, dirty face, looked me in the eyes, kissed my disgustingly dirty forehead, wrapped her arms around me, picked me up, took me inside, peeled my clothes off (and probably burned them), and shortly thereafter, re-presented me to our guests as clean, combed, well-dressed, and smelling much better.

Looking back on that incident, I can think of no better example of what God has done for you and me. The Bible says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Today, take some time to thank God for loving us enough to die for us, and in effect, get our mud on Him, clean us up from the filth of our own sinful rebellion, and dress us in His spotless robes of righteousness.

Do you have a story? Share it with us!

Send us your story and we may use it in the “kidz korner” of the next FLAME issue! Email stories, 400 words or less, to FLAME@txsda.org

FUN FACTS

tub The average bathllons uses 35 to 50 ga inute of water! A 10-m shower with low e ly us pressure may on ter.

25 gallons of wa

Some parts of th Great Wall of Ch e ina were built using layers of mud.

Although nearly 2,000 years old, these sections are still intact!

Pigs, w elepha arthogs, rhinos nts, and all in mu bathe cool, slid! The cools th my, dirt temperaeir body tu hot dayre on s.

Calendar

Events ENGAGE LIFE: “IN IT TO WIN IT”

TEXAS CONFERENCE MEN’S SUMMIT

AUGUST

13 | Church Leadership

Summit at San Antonio Scenic Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church.

ENGAGE LIFE: “IN IT TO WIN IT”

SEPTEMBER 30 - OCTOBER 2 | CAMP HOBLITZELLE, MIDLOTHIAN, TX

28 | Donations Operations

14-15 | Retiree’s

Class at Mesquite Seventh-day Adventist Church.

SEPTEMBER

9-11 | Spanish Women’s

Convention at Texas Conference Office.

SPEAKERS21-23 | SENT School of

30-Oct 1 | English

REGISTER NOW @ www.TexasAdventistMen.org Contact Info@TexasAdventistMen.org or (936) 419-6224

WEEKEND COST PER PERSON IS $95

14 |

Donations Operations Class at Houston International Seventh-day Adventist Church.

GROUP AND FATHER/SON RATES AVAILABLE

Ministry Retreat at Embassy Suites San Marcos.

TEXAS CONFERENCE AND SOUTHWESTERN UNION

MARRIAGE RETREAT

19-21 | Spanish Men’s

LA TORRETTA LAKE RESORT & SPA MONTGOMERY, TX

Ministry Retreat at Camp Hoblitzelle in Midlothian, TX.

SEPTEMBER 16-18, 2016 EARLY BIRD RATE $198 EXTENDED TO AUGUST 31ST

19-21 | Glad Reaper Youth

Evangelism Training at Lone Star Camp in Athens, TX.

Richard Davidson “ENGAGE OUR FAITH”

Trevor O’reggio “ENGAGE OUR WIVES”

Carlos Craig “ENGAGE OUR CHURCH”

Gordon Jones “ENGAGE OUR CAREER”

Minner Labrador “ENGAGE OUR CHILDREN”

Errol B. Bryce “ENGAGE OUR HEALTH”

Men’s Ministry Retreat at Camp Hoblitzelle in Midlothian, TX.

LODGING, FOOD AND ACTIVITIES ARE ALL INCLUDED

PER COUPLE (Includes: 6 meals, photo shoot and materials)

SAVE $50

WHEN REGISTERED BY JUNE 30 AUG. 31ST

16-18 | ForeverONE

LODGING $119 + TAX PER NIGHT

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL (817) 790-2255 EXT. 2108

Marriage Retreat at Lake Torretta Lake Resort and Spa.

30-Oct 2 |

Master Guide Camporee at Lake Whitney Ranch in Clifton, TX.

OCTOBER

Paul Coneff “ENGAGE OUR BROKENNESS”

Evangelism at Houston Central Seventh-day Adventist Church.

23 |

Central Texas Area Clerk’s Training at San Marcos hope Church.

Seventh-day Adventist

Austin Octubre |28Adventurer - November 11 28-30 Family Camp at Lake Whitney Ranch.

Soul Winning Festival:

6-9 | Freshman Bible Camp

Saturday, November 12

at Riverbend Retreat Center in Glen Rose, TX.

DRS. CLAUDIO & PAMELA CONSUEGRA NAD FAMILY MINISTRIES DIRECTORS English Sessions

21 | Women’s Ministries

Leadership Training, Level 2 at Texas Conference Office.

Being 9|

18 | Valley Area Clerk’s

Women’s Ministries Leadership Training, Level 1 at Athens Seventh-day Adventist in Church. a Dark WorlD

DRS. CESAR & CAROLANN DE LEON FOUNDERS OF TU FAMILIA PRIMERO Spanish Sessions

www.BeForeverONE.org

Light

Training at McAllen Spanish Valley Central Seventh-day Adventist Church.

CHURCH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

Please join us for the

Women’s Ministries Retreat

SEPTEMBER 23-25, 2016 at La Torretta Resort, Montgomery, TX Our focus this year is on prayer.

Our keynote speaker will be Janet Page from the General Conference Ministerial Department.

For more information go to www.TexasAdventist.org, click Ministries, then Women’s Ministries. You may also call 817.790.2255 x2210.

JULY 23 » VALLEY AREA

THIS YEAR DEACON AND DEACONESS TRAINING INCLUDED!

McALLEN CENTRAL VALLEY SPANISH CHURCH

JULY 30 » AUSTIN Summit atAREAArlington Seventh-day Adventist Church. 4 PM - 6 PM AUGUST 06 » HOUSTON AREA AUSTIN SPANISH FIRST CHURCH

SPRING BRANCH SPANISH CHURCH

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT MINISTERIAL@TXSDA.ORG OR CALL (817) 790-2255 EXT. 2123

AUGUST 13 » SAN ANTONIO AREA

WWW.TEXASADVENTIST.ORG

SCENIC HILLS CHURCH

AUGUST 27 » DFW AREA

28 | Women’s Ministries ARLINGTON CHURCH

23-25 | English Women’s Ministry Retreat at La Torretta Lake Resort and Spa in Montgomery, TX.

13-15 |

Society of Adventist Communicator’s Convention in Denver, CO.

NOVEMBER

6 | Houston Area Clerk’s

Training at Houston Central Seventh-day Adventist Church.

12 |

MOREAustin SoulWinning Festival location TBD.

SPONSORED BY THE TEXAS CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS MINISTERIAL AND HISPANIC DEPARTMENTS

Leadership Training, Level 2 at Houston Central Seventh-day Adventist Church.

28 |

Dallas-Fort Worth Area Clerk’s Training at Texas Conference Office.

22 | FLAME Fall 2016

MOREAustin Evangelism at local area churches.

(and invite a friend or two)

EXCELLENCE FOR GOD

27 | Church Leadership

29-Nov 11 |

13-16 |

Southwestern Union Pathfinder Camporee at Lake Whitney Ranch.

Want more info?

Registration, information and more events on the Texas Conference website at TexasAdventist.org.

Advent Movement

FLAME A publication of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Texas.

EDITORIAL Publisher..............................................Carlos Craig Editor.......................................Kristina P. Lockhart Associate Editor.................................... Jason Busch Assistant Spanish Editor.................Osvaldo Rigacci Layout Design....... Madelein Terreros, Sora E. Yañez Translation Coordination.........Kristina P. Lockhart Translators.............. Michelle Rojas, Jorge Ordoñez,

ADVENT Employees of the Adventist Church often change leadership positions and areas of responsibility. This section is to help you keep up with who’s where in Texas.

Nathan Krause:

English Evangelism Director Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Senior Pastor Fort Worth First Church

Adam Keating:

Associate Pastor Keene Church

Roderic Bishop: Pastor Galveston and Brazosport Churches

Ed Cook: Pastor College Station and Prairie View Churches

Vitali Prolinski: Senior Pastor San Antonio Scenic Hills Church

Jerome Masilamony: Youth Pastor Dallas First Church

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

movement

Dan Serns:

Pastor Sugarland Access and Rosenberg Churches

Jackie Martinez, Angelo España

Travis Patterson:

Rigoberto Weekes: Pastor Texas City Church

Brian Carter: Pastor Missouri City Church

Gustavo Veloza: Pastor Austin Spanish Oltorf, Austin Spanish Central, and Austin Spanish East Churches

Hadiel Perugorria: Pastor Kyle Spanish and Austin Spanish Pan Am Churches

Christian Ponciano: Associate Pastor McAllen Spanish Valley Central Church

Orland Rosales: Associate Pastor Keene Spanish Church

Saul Flores: Pastor Houston Spanish Little York

Carlos Valencia: Pastor Dallas Spanish Southeast, Waxahachie Spanish and Waxahachie Churches

Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church Texas Health Huguley Hospital North American Division Feature images by Aaron Thomas Photography

Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists P.O. Box 800, Alvarado, TX 76009 Phone: (817) 790-2255 www.TexasAdventist.org

ADMINISTRATION President...............................................Carlos Craig Executive Secretary.........................Elton DeMoraes Treasurer...........................................Edwin Romero

PRINTING & MAILING Director...........................................Mario Ledezma Pressman .......................................... Miguel Gomez Designer.............................................. Rachel Ortiz Print Shop Assistant............................Doug Denny Administrative Assistant...................Erica Manzano

Samuel Altez: Pastor San Antonio Spanish Tres Angeles, San Antonio Spanish Southeast, and San Antonio Spanish Northwest Churches

Leovanis Aguilar: Pastor San Antonio Spanish Northeast and San Antonio Spanish North Central Churches

The FLAME is a publication of inspiration and education of the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. It is sent free of charge to all members of the Texas Conference on a quarterly basis.

It is our prayer that you will find the stories in these pages inspiring and empowering so that together we can share the flame of Christ’s love with those around us, both in Texas and beyond.

If you have questions or comments, please email: FLAME@txsda.org

FLAME | 23 Fall 2016

TXCSDA FLAME P.O. Box 800 Alvarado, TX 76009

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Ft. Worth, TX Permit No. 3310

TEXAS CONFERENCE AND SOUTHWESTERN UNION

Join a team of family life specialists as they make this event an unforgettable experience for you and your spouse

MARRIAGE RETREAT

LA TORRETTA LAKE RESORT & SPA Saturday night MONTGOMERY, TX

couple’s date night & dinner will be on your own!

SEPTEMBER 16-18, 2016 EARLY BIRD RATE $198 EXTENDED TO AUGUST 31ST

PER COUPLE (Includes: 6 meals, photo shoot and materials)

SAVE $50

WHEN REGISTERED BY JUNE 30 AUG. 31ST

LODGING $119 + TAX PER NIGHT

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL (817) 790-2255 EXT. 2108

DRS. CLAUDIO & PAMELA CONSUEGRA

NAD FAMILY MINISTRIES DIRECTORS English Sessions Visit our website for weekend details and registration!

www.BeForeverOne.org

For questions call (817) 790-2255 EXT. 2108

DRS. CESAR & CAROLANN $ LEON DE 199 Early Bird (per couple)

+ Lodging

FOUNDERS OF TU FAMILIA ($109 per night + tax) PRIMERO • includes three meals per person, seminar materials, and a special gift Spanish Sessions

www.BeForeverONE.org

• deadline july 15 extended to september 15 ┃ children not allowed