PAC - Pacific Union Conference : Pacific Union Conference Westlake Village CA

PAC posts - 112

Fundamental Belief Number 5: The Holy Spirit

(También español) As a faith community, our dialogue about the Holy Spirit has been relatively limited. This may stem from a desire to distinguish ourselves from the practices of other Christian groups.

A Report That Deserves to Be Available and Studied

(También español) With his preface, dated May 30, 1988, Fred Veltman signed off on the “Full Report of the Life of Christ Research Project.”

Adventist Pioneers in the West Developments: La Sierra University

(También español) In 1920, five years after the creation of the Southeastern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, the conference and adjacent Southern California Conference realized that their local Adventist school, San Fernando Academy, needed to be replaced and expanded.

The Glory of the Ordinary

(También español) The Gospel of John, after introducing us to John the Baptist, introduces us to the first of the apostles, Andrew (John 1:35-42). Although Andrew was the first of the twelve apostles, he is one of the least known.

The Sabbath Bridge

(También español) At first, it doesn’t seem all that strange. According to the book of Acts, we see Paul, who lived part of his life as Saul, a persecutor of Christians, sitting in a synagogue on the Sabbath.

Meeting Ellen G. White (Again)

(También español) Driving down Silverado Trial in the Napa Valley of Northern California, you pass thousands of acres of lush green vineyards that seem to glow in the sunshine.

Fundamental Belief Number 4: The Son

(También español) Is Jesus the Son of God? One fundamental question we need to ask when we read our Bible is whether that question is true or false. Perhaps we should start by asking if Jesus claimed to be God.

Adventist Pioneers in the West Beginnings: Elmshaven

(También español) In 1900, Ellen White, 72 years old, had just returned from nine years in Australia. Having sold her home in the U.S. before leaving for Australia, she needed to find somewhere to live.

An Idea Whose Time Had Come - Part 3

(También español) That was then, this is now. Randy Hill, who spent part of 1985 working as a Taskforce youth pastor in the Simi Valley church in California, is now vice president for youth and young adult ministries for the Pacific Union. Hill recently provided an update.

The Son of Joseph

(También español) Although, strictly speaking, it is not a religious festival, Father's Day gives us a chance to reflect on a familiar theme in our tradition.

A Mars Hill Reverie

(También español) It was a stifling hot summer afternoon in Athens, Greece, and for the first time in my life, I had just been robbed.

An Idea Whose Time Had Come part 2

(También español) What do Sandra Roberts, executive secretary of the Pacific Union Conference; Tony Anobile, vice president for church ministries of the Southwestern Union, and Ray Tetz, director of communication and community engagement for the Pacific Union Conference, have in common?

Adventist Pioneers in the West Beginnings: At the Forefront of Change

(También español) Even before the first Adventist evangelists stepped ashore in California, there were to be changes in outreach and church methods.

Fundamental Belief Number 3: The Father

(También español) Throughout my adult life, whenever I needed a prayer breakthrough, I called my parents. My wife and I are convinced that my father has a direct link to the throne of God and that God hears and answers his prayers.

“When Mother Tucked Me In”

(También español) Every year during the month of May, I find myself wishing for one more visit with my mother. It has been 22-plus years since she fell asleep in Jesus, and yet I miss my mom on Mother’s Day more than on her December 19 birthday or the anniversary of her death.

“Lest We Forget”

(También español) Do you remember the time when…” That’s the preamble to most family stories—often recounting something embarrassing or surprising.

Birth of a Mission

(También español) Say the word “Pathfinders” to an adult Seventh-day Adventist and an interesting thing might happen to their face. A faraway look captures the eyes as a gentle smile lifts the corners of the mouth.

Dig Deeper, Think Bigger: The Impact of Adventist Higher Education on One Grad’s Life

(También español) When Julie Lee was young, nearly everyone at her church in Bakersfield, California, went to Pacific Union College (PUC). She planned to, as well.

God Kept the Door Open for Me

(También español) May I please, please, pleeeeeeeease come teach a lesson to the three- and four-year-old class at Stepping Stones?” my fifth-grade self asked Shirleen Brown, the daycare director at my church.

Teachers: The Exceptional Humans Who Join Our Journeys

(También español) When Taylor Laurie reflects on her 16-year journey as a student in the Adventist educational system, it takes about two seconds for the names of her favorite teachers to surface—those who “poured into me love and support,”

“They Served Me”

(También español) Liss’ warm smile lit up the screen as she joined our videoconference from behind her desk in northern California, where she holds the position of operations director for Kaiser Permanente Health Connect.

The Appeal of Angwin: The Small College Community with a Big Heart

(También español) Driving through the world-renowned Napa Valley along the Silverado Trail reveals breathtaking views of rolling vineyards and lush green and gold trees—all surrounded by coastal mountains.

Shaped for Serving God

(También español) After spending some time studying theology at Pacific Union College, Robert Robinson decided he wanted something different.

A Mother’s Legacy

(También español) My mom always reminded me,” Dr. Wesley Phipatanakul recalled quietly, blinking through his wire-rimmed glasses, “that the most important thing in the world was my relationship with the Lord.”

Some Principles of Christian Education

(También español) Many church members are confused and unhappy about the problem of Christian education.

Thriving: Adventist Education’s Wholistic Development

(También español) The establishment of Adventist education began in the late 1800s after the foundation of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination had been set and its leaders began to look past the immediate structure of the church—both literally and figuratively.

Beyond Textbooks: Students Find Foundation, Transformation at La Sierra

(También español) When senior exercise science major and soccer player Madyson Cornish enrolled at La Sierra University four years ago, she could not have envisioned the difficult turns ahead of her, the resulting groundswell of support she would receive in response, or its significant impact on her life.

Four Teachers Who Changed My Life

(También español) The closest thing to a “family business” in my family is being a teacher. My dad taught science and math and was a small school principal. His parents were both teachers, and so was his sister.

In Search of Proper Education

(También español) To Adventists living in the twenty-ﬁrst century it may seem that Christian education has been central to their church from its inception. That, however, is far from the truth.

Fundamental Belief Number 2: The Trinity

(También español) The Christian belief in the Trinity has always been a challenge—how three can be one is hard for us to understand. It is still a matter of debate for some.

An Idea Whose Time Had Come - Part 1

(También español) As she and her dad traveled in the old blue Nissan sedan along Michigan State Highway 46, Sandra Roberts was trying to imagine what lay ahead. It was the late summer of 1980.

Adventist Pioneers in the West Developments: An Amazing Beginning

(También español) The situation was challenging. The College of Medical Evangelists (later Loma Linda University) was in trouble. Located in what was then a relatively rural area, they were struggling to find enough patients to provide cases for their medical students to study.

The Power of Example

(También español) The day dawned cloudy and gloomy as I peered through the window of my hotel. A certain uneasiness lingered in my heart, knowing that I would be attending a funeral that morning.

Your Daughters Shall Prophesy

(También español) If it weren’t for Grandpa, I may not have felt the call to pastoral ministry. He was the first pastor I knew. I saw his deep love for Jesus and caring concern for people.

The Language of Heaven

(También español) There are many computer and app-based language learning systems. Recently, our daughter Amanda applied some birthday money to the language program “Babbel” to become conversant in Spanish.

Fundamental Belief Number 1: The Holy Scriptures

(También español) When I became an Adventist, I had for the first time the opportunity to read the Bible. I have been an avid reader since I learned how to read.

Adventist Pioneers in the West Beginnings: Black Ministries

(También español) While much of the early work among African Americans was obviously conducted in the South, the West can lay claim to some significant events.

P.G. Rodgers: Builder of Black Adventism

(También español) Dr. H. Claude Hudson, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP, and Charlotta A. Bass, publisher of the California Eagle, Southern California’s leading Black newspaper, were among the guest speakers at Wadsworth Seventh-day Adventist Church in Los Angeles on Jan. 7, 1931.

The Power of Memory

(También español) Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Ironically, most of us either do not know or forgot who said this.

Finding My Purpose

(También español) He was 14 and I was 12 when our relationship began—too young for “serious stuff,” my parents said. But as the years rolled along, through academy and college, the “serious stuff” developed.

The Revitalized Church

(También español) Have you ever visited a church that just exuded life and vitality? Many of us have experienced this type of church in some form, where—from parking lot to pew, in the prayers and the praise, and throughout the program all the way to the potluck table—the glow of Jesus and His love shone through in a palpable and contagious way.

As Time Flies By

(También español) Wherever we turn, we hear people talking about how fast time passes. The psalmist mourns that his days are like a handbreadth and his years are like nothing (Psalm 39:5).

Adventist Pioneers in the West: A Wave of Missionaries

(También español) After the initial emphasis on sending out missionaries directly from the West, the newly formed Pacific Union Conference championed the program with the result that a wave of missionaries went all around the world.

The Preamble to the 28 Fundamentals

(También español) The Preamble to the 28 Fundamentals is probably the least read portion of the official statement. Yet it is essential in order to understand the Adventist perspective on the list of doctrines that follow.

Maranatha

(También español) "The defendant will please rise for the reading of the verdict.” This is the moment of highest drama in the criminal trial. Guilty or not guilty?

Thoughts for the New Year

(También español) Although in one sense the first day of the new year is no more to God than any other day, yet He often puts into the hearts of His children at that time a desire to begin the new year with new resolves

What Christmas Means to Me

(También español) Christmas has different meanings for different people. For some in the business sector, for example, Christmas is merely an opportunity for profit.

A White Christmas

(También español) Most people would not choose the Christmas season to visit the small town of Washington, New Hampshire—home of the first Sabbath-keeping Adventist congregation.

Adventist Pioneers in the West: Arizona - The Early Years

(También español) The beginnings of Adventist work in Arizona are a little hazy. Certainly there were Adventists in Arizona by the 1880s—there is an entry in the Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook for 1884, but with no details.

From Joy to Mourning

(También español) It was to be a day of joy and celebration. Every year, the Jewish religious cycle concludes with the completion of the reading of the Torah and a celebration known simply as “rejoicing in the Torah.”

God With Us

(También español) A million miles away from our planet orbits the massive James Webb Space Telescope. This marvel of astronomical engineering has amazed both scientists and the general public with dazzling pictures of our universe.

A Welcoming Place

(También español) My wife, Jennifer, and I were walking with our granddaughters on a beautiful fall afternoon. Macy had shared her scooter with one of the neighbor boys, and now he had suddenly zoomed away.

The Big Question

(También español) The Lord Jesus had spent several days with His disciples by the Sea of Galilee. While they were there, the Pharisees and Sadducees came to tempt Him by demanding that He show some sign to authenticate His claim to be the Messiah.

The One Who Had Mercy

(También español) In Deborah Stone’s book, The Samaritan’s Dilemma, the issue of a panhandler in her hometown of Henniker, New Hampshire, was brought up at a town hall meeting, highlighting the current state of our society.

When the Church Invests: The Value of Student Leadership Conference

(También español) When Marc Woodson, president of Northern California Conference, was in high school, the faculty yearbook sponsor gave him an opportunity that perhaps solidified his life’s trajectory to land him as a leader in the church: He sent Woodson to the union’s Student Leadership Conference.

Fill My Cup, Lord

(También español) I am on a self-care journey that has had its hills and valleys, its highs and lows, over the years.

We Are His Treasure

(También español) What is your most loved treasure? We all have something. And I don’t mean something costly like a car, a painting, a sculpture, or gold and silver possessions. I mean those things that tug at our heart: a childhood photo or toy, baby’s first shoe, a graduation memento, a postcard from a loved one.

Adventist Pioneers in the West: Touching Hearts in Hawaii for Jesus

(También español) The Hawaiian Islands were formerly known as the Sandwich Islands. Visited by Captain James Cook in 1778, he named them after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich.

The Real HIRAM EDSON

(También español) Time has greatly altered the perception of Hiram Edson in the minds of many.

The Legacy of Ellen White’s Ordination

(También español) The history of Ellen White has been distorted to fit not who she is but who some people think she ought to be.

How to Belong to the Church and Still Be Yourself

(También español) Make no mistake, the church is legitimate. It is Christ’s idea. He started it when He declared, “On this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18).

The “Last but First, Least but Greatest” Conundrum

(También español) What is the purpose of a parable? In the Gospels of the New Testament, parables were stories told by Jesus to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. In Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus tells the parable of the vineyard workers.

Adventist Pioneers in the West: James and Ellen White

(También español) Ellen White’s role in the West began before she ever visited! In 1868, before evangelists J.N. Loughborough and D.T. Bourdeau had even boarded their ship for San Francisco, Ellen White had a vision in Battle Creek as to how to work in California.

The Power of Preaching the Gospel Through the Written Word

(También español) Even before becoming Seventh-day Adventists, Pietro and Cecilia Peverini began keeping the Sabbath after reading Les Signes des Temps (The Sign of the Times in French) in 1885.

Stewardship Series Part 5: Depending on God

(También español) Studies show that the fear level in our present society is one of the highest that humanity has ever experienced.

Stewardship Series Part 4: In the Image of God

(También español) What does it mean to be created in the image of God? This idea of reflecting God’s personality and character—being a representative of the Almighty—is so crucial for the believer that Paul suggests that God Himself is leading the charge.

Stewardship Series Part 3: A Relationship with a King

(También español) The Creation account promotes the often elusive joining of human beings in mind, body, and spirit. Relationship, both earthly and divine, is the second perpetual monument established in Eden, right after the Sabbath.

Stewardship Series Part 2: Worship

(También español) The day after Adam was formed out of wet clay and became a living human being was unlike any other day of Creation week.

Stewardship Series Part 1: Who Am I?

(También español) You look in the mirror and wonder. Who am I? Why am I here? What am I supposed to do? Such philosophical questions have challenged members of the human race since Eden.

The Sign of Stewardship

(También español) When our son Tyler was 3 years old, he and his big sister were watching Sesame Street on the local PBS station. Suddenly Bert and Ernie cut away to a smiling man who obviously didn’t live on Sesame Street.

Adventist Pioneers in the West: William Ward Simpson

(También español) William Ward Simpson was born in Brooklyn, New York, on August 1, 1872, to English parents. The family moved back to England shortly afterwards and then returned to the U.S. when he was 11.

Just a Teacher Who Loves His Kids: Teryl Loeffler Retires After 46 Years

(También español) I always knew teaching was what I wanted to do, and it was the impact of my own teachers on my life that influenced me,” explained Teryl Loeffler, associate director of education for the Pacific Union Conference.

The Seeds of Greed

(También español) The term “greed” could be defined by relating it to several examples: the excessive desire for riches, a desire to satisfy sensual appetites, and even the fervent craving for something good.

When Faith and Work Are One and the Same

(También español) There is no line of distinction between faith and work. As assistant vice president for community partnerships and director of the Institute for Community Partnerships at Loma Linda University Health, I live out my faith in the work of enriching people’s lives through outreach, education, and mentorship.

Celebrating 18 years of Service, Student Growth, and Happy Memories

(También español) In 2023, Susie Oliva celebrated 18 years of service as a teacher at Victor Valley Seventh-day Adventist School in Victorville, California, in the Southeastern California Conference.

The Sabbath, a Symbol of God’s Love

(También español) The fourth commandment, which asks us to keep the Sabbath day holy, has a deep spiritual significance that goes beyond simply being a promise with a reward.

Divorce by the Book

(También español) When is it lawful, in the eyes of God, to divorce a spouse? Jesus uttered one major saying concerning that subject. His words were reported by three New Testament Gospel writers

Blind Camp Coming to Cedar Falls

(También español) This July, for the first time since 2001, staff will welcome an anticipated 15 -20 blind campers to Camp Cedar Falls in Angelus Oaks, Calif., for an integrated junior/blind camp.

Elder Rich DuBose Retires from Church Support Services

(También español) The Pacific Union Conference has announced the retirement of Elder Rich DuBose, director of Church Support Services (aka Creative Ministries).

Lord, please forgive my sins.

(También español) I would like to open up about a spiritual impulse that came into my soul many years ago regarding the miracle of God’s forgiveness

Learning to Trust God Through the Storms of Life

(También español) I will never forget the day of April 27, 2011. It was a day when I experienced firsthand that God was looking out for me. My name is Santiago Hernández. I am majoring in religion with an emphasis in health sciences at Pacific Union College, where I also play soccer.

“Drawing From a Fountain Ever Fresh”

(También español) I recently flew over much of the state of California and was awed by the bright green hills and the snow lingering in the mountains this late in the year.

Your Target: To Be Like Jesus

(También español) Of all the requests that the gospel makes of us, the most difficult are those that have to do with physical suffering. We are willing to leave father, mother, siblings, spouses, children, home, possessions, and homeland for the gospel.

Sowing the Seeds and Reaping the Harvest

(También español) What happens when you mix a passionate calling for evangelism with a church that actively works on sowing the seed of Christ’s gospel in their community? Miracles! Miracles happen!

Angel on the Road to Santa Cruz

(También español) The torrential downpour and deafening thunder echoed through the pitch-black fields as I trudged along the rocky dirt road to my next assignment.

“I Will Return”

(También español) Luke 15:18 tells of a transformational moment toward which the prodigal son has been heading for years. His arrival at this moment was not planned, but it was scripted. Every act of this young man’s life was leading him directly to this moment.

The “Everything Else” About Adventist Education

(También español) One of the weekly assignments in fifth grade, alongside handwriting and spelling lessons, was to submit a “newspaper”—a simple, three-column blank sheet that we could fill with whatever we wanted.

An Adventist School Is A Place Where . . .

(También español) Youth are immersed in the Word of God and are taught the real gospel. They get a true picture of the character of God as a loving heavenly Father, come to understand the plan of salvation, and personally decide to accept God's invitation.

God Is in This Story

(También español) As a second grader, Colin moved in with his grandma, Pamela. They lived in Paradise, California, where Pamela worked as a nurse.

Source and Aim of True Education

(También español) True education means more than the pursual of a certain course of study. It means more than a preparation for the life that now is. It has to do with the whole being, and with the whole period of existence possible to man.

Take a Closer Look at Adventist Schools

(También español) Every year I look forward to the special “Education Issue” of the Pacific Union Recorder. Since 2018, the April issue has focused on the ministry and powerful work that takes place in the Seventh-day Adventist schools across the Pacific Union.

“He Knows Me by Name”

(También español) It was when I was a 14-year-old high school student at Golden Gate Academy in 1958 that I realized that Jesus loves me and knows me by name—including how to correctly pronounce Trujillo.

Unto These Hills

(También español) I am reminded of Ps. 121 when I look at the hills around me. My Camarillo, Calif., home is surrounded by hills—hills that were dry and brown because of the drought; hills that were scarred by the aptly named “Hill Fire” in 2018

Ministering to “The Chosen”: Building Bridges Through Jewish Ministries

(También español) Sometimes we forget that Jesus’ command to share the gospel with “every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6, NKJV) includes the very people whom He called His own special people, the Jews.

Love in Action: A Story About Families and Healing

(También español) Losing one parent when you’re an adolescent is devastating, but human words fail to describe the pain of losing both parents nearly back-to-back. Yet that was the harsh reality Fiona and Gared Lin faced at the ages of 13 and eight, respectively, when they lost both of their parents three years apart, in 2016 and 2019.

The Powerful Name of Jesus

(También español) “If I’m successful I’ll be happy.” A recent article in the Harvard Business Review begs to differ. One study finds that 72% of successful CEOs and entrepreneurs are depressed and suffering with mental health issues.

THE BULLETIN - March 3, 2023 Special Report

Alan Reinach Opinion Article in Newsweek Magazine Alan J. Reinach, Esq., has been the executive director of the Church State Council, the religious liberty educational and advocacy arm of the Pacific Union Conference, since 1994.

Sharing Christ No Matter Where He Leads

(También español) When I’m asked why I chose to become a pastor, I’m not sure how to answer. It's not something that I chose; rather, it chose me. Up until a certain point in my life, I had never dreamed or even thought of being a minister.

Black Adventist Women Clergy Advancing the Gospel, Part 1

Part 1 Republished - Women have worked to advance the gospel from our earliest days as an organized church, yet when discussing their role, an important sub-group is often excluded from the story. White women are often overrepresented, while the accomplishments of Black women and other trailblazing women of color are less recognized.

Countdown Time

LEA ESTE ARTÍCULO EN ESPAÑOL There was a mountain waiting for me to climb, and I decided it was my time to try. At 14,505 feet, Mount Whitney is the...

THE BULLETIN - February 3, 2023

Union News Pacific Union Camporee: Hundreds of Pathfinders Give Their Hearts to Jesus Approximately 3,700 Pathfinders descended on Lake Skinner near...

All God's People

January 2023 begins with our 263rd episode of All God’s People, the video blog launched in May 2017 as an experiment in weekly, short, newsy, inspirational...

Important Rules

I am a compulsive list-maker. To-do lists cover my refrigerator and are stuck on my laptop via Post-it Notes. There is always a grocery list and various...

All God's People

January 2023 begins with our 263rd episode of All God’s People, the video blog launched in May 2017 as an experiment in weekly, short, newsy, inspirational...

Family Ministries: Helping Families and Marriages Thrive

My first exposure to what we would call family ministries was observing my father conducting pastoral visits when I was a young boy in Venezuela. Sometimes a...

Executive Committee Focuses on Mission Initiatives

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them Matthew 18:20, KJV The Lord’s presence was felt as leaders...

The Comrades: Running the Race Together

Somehow, the marathon, that iconic race of 26.2 miles, hadn’t been enough. I was running in the Comrades, the oldest ultra-marathon in the world. This...

All God's People

January 2023 begins with our 263rd episode of All God’s People, the video blog launched in May 2017 as an experiment in weekly, short, newsy, inspirational...

Pacific Union Camporee: Hundreds of Pathfinders Give Their Hearts to Jesus

Approximately 3,700 Pathfinders descended on Lake Skinner near Temecula, Calif., for the Pacific Union Conference Pathfinder Camporee the first weekend of...

The Priceless Bargain

Jesus told two little stories in Matthew 13:44-46 about men who unexpectedly discovered something, which they then gave up everything to obtain—a treasure...

We Have Seen His Star

Ah, the holidays! Cookies, pies, pine trees, jingle bells, presents, garlands, mistletoe, nativity scenes, Christmas lights, and caroling! Christmas is usually all of these things. Somehow, they all remind me of home—of all the houses I have called home.

Bringing Sweetness to Church, Home, and the Kingdom of God

A church without children is like a buffet without dessert—not very fun. Through their energy, curiosity, and laughter, children bring life to any church...