Logan Church Burns Mortgage, Ignites Mission
By Karen Schneider
There’s nothing quite like the joy of burning a mortgage. On Sabbath, Oct. 18, 2025, the Logan church celebrated the complete repayment of its church building loan.
The celebration was a heartfelt tribute to God’s provision and the congregation’s commitment to spreading the gospel in the Logan community.
The bilingual service was translated into Spanish by Ivan Porras, allowing all attendees to fully participate in the joyous occasion. Longtime member Terry Griswold, who has been with the church since its founding, shared the church’s history. He recounted the challenges faced when their previous building was claimed through eminent domain, describing how the congregation found hope in Philippians 1:6: “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (NKJV).
“A church is not defined by its walls but by the people within them,” Nevada-Utah Conference (NUC) Treasurer Karen Schneider shared during the celebration. The Logan church family has always created a Christ-like and welcoming atmosphere. It is exciting to see how the resources once used for mortgage payments will now be redirected to sharing Christ even more intentionally in the Logan community.
Elder William “Bill” Werner delivered a powerful sermon centered on the Great Commission. He emphasized the urgency of discipleship with a memorable phrase: “The most important thing is to keep the most important thing the most important thing.” He invited each attendee to personalize the call to action from Matthew 28:19 by inserting their own name into the verse: “Therefore, go and make disciples, baptizing and teaching.”
The service included a symbolic burning of the promissory note, signifying the end of a financial chapter and the beginning of a renewed spiritual mission. Nicholas Streifling stood by with a fire extinguisher, ready just in case. His mother, Debbie Streifling, shared that Nicholas had been especially excited to attend church that morning. Many expressed their hope that the congregation would continue to be energized in its outreach efforts, praying that God would bless their mission to reach every corner of the Logan community.
Leading in Love: Club Ministries Leadership Summit Empowers Youth Leaders
By Neat Randriamialison
From Oct. 24 to 26, youth leaders from across the Nevada-Utah Conference gathered at the West Jordan church for the Club Ministries Leadership Summit. This annual meeting is designed to equip, empower, and encourage those leading in Pathfinder, Adventurer, and Master Guide ministries, as well as teenagers in the Teen Leadership Training program.
A spiritual high point came during Sabbath morning, as Youth Director Michael Jenkins Jr. was officially inducted as a Master Guide, with Pastor Randy Hill from the Pacific Union presiding over the ceremony. Master Guide is the highest level of leadership training within the church’s Adventurer and Pathfinder Club Ministries. However, it’s more than a uniform or a pin; it’s about modeling Christlike leadership to the next generation and helping shape a culture of service and excellence in the church, while also helping them grow as loving followers of Jesus.
This year’s summit had the theme “Leading in Love,” and keynote speaker Travis Sandefur challenged attendees to lead with humility, clarity, and compassion. He reminded leaders that Christ’s love for young people must be both the goal and the motivation behind every act of leadership. This is the kind of love that fosters a healthy culture within the church. The secret, according to Travis, is to have a healthy leadership team.
“If you want to build a healthy culture,” he said, “start by building a healthy leadership team.” In this model, leaders prioritize the mission above personal ego, support one another, and align around a shared vision. When leadership is healthy, the entire ministry thrives.
The leadership summit was truly more than a weekend of training; it pointed back to the sacred responsibility entrusted to leaders in shaping the faith and character of young people.
