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Hispanic Church Evangelism Exchange
Hispanic Church Evangelism Exchange 854 697 Julie Lorenz

Recently, Hispanic pastors in the NCC and the Nevada-Utah Conference (NUC) participated in an evangelism exchange, which continues to impact lives.

In September, NCC pastors held week-long evangelistic meetings in eight NUC churches, and earlier this month, NUC pastors held meetings at the Fairfield, Hayward, Oakland, Richmond, Stockton, Vallejo, and Woodland Spanish churches. (One NUC pastor was unable to come, so Executive Secretary Jose Marin preached the series at the Lodi Spanish church.)

“The evangelistic exchange has borne fruit in a number of ways: 17 baptisms, 60 people who decided to take Bible studies, eight churches in each conference involved, and 16 pastors who have preached the gospel with power,” said Benjamín Carballo, NUC Hispanic ministries coordinator. “In addition, friendships formed between the pastors, and they had the opportunity to meet churches in a sister conference.”

The exchange was the idea of Alberto Ingleton, vice president for Hispanic ministries at the Pacific Union, which provided resources. Other conferences in the union are doing their own exchanges. “I think the idea is wonderful,” said Roman Leal, NCC Hispanic ministries coordinator. “During these difficult times, an exchange encourages the pastors, invigorates the church members, and helps more people become interested in the Good News.”

“We pray that God will continue to bless the evangelistic efforts of both conferences,” said Carballo.

Photo Caption: (Top) NCC Pastor Luís Fernando Manrique preaches in the Nueva Esperanza church in West Jordan, Utah. (Bottom) NUC Pastor Elias Juarez preaches in the Stockton Spanish church.

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Junior/Senior Retreat 2021
Junior/Senior Retreat 2021 720 540 Julie Lorenz

In October, nearly 200 people attended the NCC youth department’s annual Junior/Senior Retreat, designed for academy, high school, and home school juniors and seniors. Because Leoni Meadows is still closed after the Caldor Fire, the retreat was held at Mt. Gilead Bible Camp and Conference Center in Sebastopol. This year’s theme was “Surge,” based on Matt. 11:12, and the speaker was Pacific Union College Chaplain Kent Rufo.

“My favorite part of the retreat was getting into the small groups and talking to new people,” said Omar Martinez, Pleasant Hill Adventist Academy junior.

“The best part of the weekend had to be the worship programs,” said Catrina LeSure, Palo Cedro church associate pastor for youth and families. “Listening to the youth praise and worship together was a little bit of heaven on earth.”

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NCC Organizes First Official Fijian Church in North America
NCC Organizes First Official Fijian Church in North America 1113 870 Julie Lorenz

On Sabbath, Oct. 23, the NCC formally organized the Sacramento Fijian church—the only official Fijian church in the North American Division. The service took place at the Sacramento Woodside church, where the congregation meets each Sabbath afternoon.

Currently about 11,000 Fijians live in Sacramento County—more than in any other place in the United States! For many years, the Fijian Adventists in the area dreamed of having a church of their own. In 2009, a church plant began at the Sacramento Central church. In 2013, the group moved to the campus of Sacramento Adventist Academy. The congregation was formally organized as a church company in January 2015.

Through the years, members have worked to build relationships with the local Fijian community by conducting evangelism and outreach programs for people of all ages. During the pandemic, the congregation has been using social media to connect with Fijians throughout the world. Each of their live-streamed presentations has garnered between 20,000 and 30,000 views.

“As I think about our congregation’s history, one word that stands out to me is ‘Providence,’” said Pastor Joseph O’Connor. “We have seen God moving and blessing.”

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NCC Prison Ministry Day at Sacramento Central Church
NCC Prison Ministry Day at Sacramento Central Church 720 540 Julie Lorenz

On Sabbath, Oct. 23, the Sacramento Central church hosted NCC Prison Ministry Day, an in-person and online event providing inspiration and training. In addition to the morning sermon by Associate Pastor Mike Thompson, some highlights of the day included:

Weimar Campus company member Darren Greenfield gave a presentation about the ongoing efforts of Blade of Hope ministry to build a transitional home for released inmates in the Sacramento area.

Prison Ministries Director Willie Johnson presented Carmen and Victor Beale, West Sacramento church members, with the NCC Prison Ministry Volunteer Award for their many years of outstanding service in ministry and training (pictured).

The afternoon’s training focused on three areas: how to recognize your call and establish your ministry; the importance of respecting prison chaplains and officials; and the do’s and don’ts of prison and jail ministries.

At the end of the day, a number of people expressed their desire to become prison ministry volunteers, and plans are being made to train them in the near future. “I was impressed that prison ministry—a mandated work by our Savior—will grow in our conference,” said Johnson. “And Jesus can continue to say, ‘You visited Me!’”

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Capitol City Church Hosts Baby Shower for 100 Families
Capitol City Church Hosts Baby Shower for 100 Families 1080 810 Julie Lorenz

Last month, the Sacramento Capitol City church partnered with the Meadowview Birth & Beyond Family Resource Center to host a drive-through baby shower for 100 community families. Some church members purchased baby clothes, shoes, books, and learning toys, while others donated money to buy presents. The center’s staff brought diapers, baby wipes, and other gifts.

The congregation was excited to support new mothers in the community. “The church is supposed to be the light in the city,” said Carol Herbert, the church’s mission council leader. “We should find all the ways we can to reach people.”

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Market Street Church Hosts Drive-in Communion Service
Market Street Church Hosts Drive-in Communion Service 864 366 Julie Lorenz

On a Sabbath afternoon in February, about 75 cars – filled with people from around the East Bay – lined up in the Golden Gate Academy parking lot for the outdoor communion service hosted by the Oakland Market Street church.

Since the pandemic began, the church has held four outdoor communion services, which include music, prayers, and a short sermon. The pastors encouraged people to wash their family members’ feet at home before coming to receive the bread and grape juice in prepackaged containers.

Participants appreciated the opportunity to see each other, even at a distance. “People are so excited about coming that they start arriving an hour ahead of time,” said Senior Pastor Edwin Brown. “They bring their kids and wave at each other.”

Membership Assistance Fund
Membership Assistance Fund 576 330 nccsadmin

Blessed Are the Merciful
“The Lord Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.’ There never was a time when there was greater need for the exercise of mercy than today.” – Ellen G. White, Welfare Ministry, 15.1.

Encourage Love and Mercy
“In the providence of God events have been so ordered … that there may be a constant exercise in the human heart of the attributes of mercy and love. [People are] to cultivate the tenderness and compassion of Christ.” – Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, June 13, 1892.

“We recognize the severe economic impact that COVID-19 has had on our church members’ lives,” said Northern California Conference President Marc Woodson. “Members have been unable to work for several months and struggle to pay for housing, food, bills, gas, and other expenses.”

In response to the high number of church members in financial difficulty, the NCC administrative team recently established the Membership Assistance Fund . “We want to help our brothers and sisters in Christ as much as we can,” said Woodson. “We can’t remove their burden, but we can come alongside them and help carry it by offering some financial support.”

The Membership Assistance Fund will be completely supported by donations.* The initial goal is to assist 200 NCC family households with up to $100 each  – to be used for their greatest need.

“We recognize the need is great, and the funds we can provide are limited,” said Woodson. “However, once this goal has been reached, the plan is to continue raising support and distributing it to the local churches for as long as funds are available and the need still exists.”

Local church pastors/leaders will be requesting the funds from the conference for members of their congregations. (NCC administration is encouraging them to utilize a committee to approve the identified families.) The pastor/leader will submit a request form with the following information:

  • Total number of family households (as defined by the local pastor/leader)
  • Total number of people in each family household
  • Total amount of assistance requested for each family household

In order to protect the identity of the families, the pastors/leaders have been asked not to provide any identifying information to the NCC. Consequently, the pastor/leader will be responsible for distributing the assistance directly to the families in his/her congregation.

“We ask our church members to pray about making a gift to help struggling family households in the Northern California Conference,” said Woodson. “A donor may choose to support one family with a gift of $100, five families with $500, or 10 families with $1,000.”

Feel called to help? Give now to the Northern California Conference Membership Assistance Fund.

“And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, ‘I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.’ … And He directed the people to sit down on the ground; and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.” – Matthew 15:33-36

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*All donations will remain anonymous, and the relationship will be maintained by the NCC Communication and Development Department in a secure relationship management system. Donations will be acknowledged within 48 hours. As appropriate, a donor report will be sent that shows the total amount raised and total family households served within the given time.

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