After consultation with North American Division (NAD) administration, the youth directors of the nine unions in the NAD, additional consultation from local Oregon health officials, and a discussion and vote from the NAD Executive Committee (NADCOM), the NAD Youth Department is announcing the cancellation of the division-level 2020 Pathfinder Bible Experience (PBE) scheduled for April 17-18, 2020, in Salem, Oregon.
Due to the ongoing uncertainty with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and the fact that the PBE was going to be held in an area of the U.S. that has seen a spike in reported COVID-19 cases, the difficult decision was made to cancel the division-level event. Every effort was made to consider other venues to hold PBE, but this was found to be impossible in such a short time. One final consideration was that the union-level PBE events will be held over the next three weekends, and the clubs that qualify for the division-level event would need to promptly make travel arrangements. There was concern that clubs may incur costs that would not be refundable.
The NAD Youth Department is pleased to announce that an online broadcast will be held on April 18, 2020, at 5 p.m. EDT from the NAD headquarters.* This online event will allow clubs from all over the NAD to tune in and answer a selection of questions from the biblical books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Hosea, Amos, Jonah, and Micah. NAD Youth directors want to acknowledge the hard work put in by Pathfinders and volunteer staff from all across the NAD to learn this year’s selected Bible books. More details about the event will be made available shortly and can be found at www.clubministries.org.
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GYC Canada announced this morning during church service that they’re planning to come to calgary for the victoria day long wknd, may 15-18, and that events will be held in my church…i do hope they can make it…coronavirus is relatively mild in alberta still: we have one case in calgary, from travel on a cruise ship, and one in edmonton, from travel to the states…
of course, given that my church is generally packed on sabbaths, even on cold, miserable days like today, i don’t know where an incoming flood of extra people will be seated…maybe they’ll need to secure a facility downtown, or at one of our universities…
I wonder whether the Adventist Risk Management has received TW’s memo on praying because the GC session is still on. Could TW be in direct contact God and taking orders?
I would however suggest that our local churches around the world learn how to use Zoom, Google Video Chat or FaceTime. Just in case…
This quiz is so easy: The poor victim, the Russian Orange Agent now “occupying” the White House… Now he became an expert in viruses, making the scientists appear pale ignorants when compared to his expertise.
Autch… My bad. I should have waited for the “I was shown” experience before answering…
But when I read, “innocent,” I could only think of Trump…
that’s actually not so far out for up here…one of my students is part of Scouts Canada, and he’s heading out for the boonies soon…apparently dozens of these 12-14 yr-olds will be sleeping in tents outdoors in the cold, and cooking over campfires…the big advantage is that the numerous bears in the area are all in hibernation…of course there are still wolves and mountain lions…but my student is shrugging it all off, saying it comes with the territory…
I always heard that Trump does not drink. Well, he must have been completely drunk during that visit. The other guy was beyond himself, in disbelief with the amount of imbecility being displayed…
How can those guys NOT to laugh in moments like that, of irrefutable idiocy??? What’s next, “If the Democrats stop feeding the virus with Viagra, it will stop reproducing and will disappear quickly?” …
These Pathfinder leaders in North America have joined in a global effort to fight the Coronavirus pandemic. There are literally hunderds of groups who are not tone deaf, Trump-Pollyanish in their realistic approach to this terrible disease. Before the “coronation” of our GC president occurs shouldn’t we listen carefully to our Pathfinders and take notice of what the real world is telling us.
Cisco Systems cancelled Cisco Live Melbourne, scheduled for March 3-6 in Melbourne, Australia, saying in a statement, “Due to ongoing concerns about the current outbreak of Coronavirus, Cisco has made the difficult decision to cancel Cisco Live Melbourne…Our customers, partners and employees are our top priority and we strongly believe this is the right decision given the current circumstances. Our thoughts are with those directly impacted by this situation.”
CERAWeek by IHS Markit 2020 was scheduled to take place March 9-13 in Houston, Texas, but was cancelled on March 1. Approximately 5,500 people were expected to attend. The event organizers said in a statement, "In light of developing circumstances, IHS Markit is cancelling CERAWeek 2020 scheduled to take place in Houston, March 9-13. We do this with deep disappointment. Over the last few days concern has mounted rapidly about the COVID-19 coronavirus. The World Health Organization raised the threat level on Friday, the US government cancelled a summit meeting scheduled in Las Vegas, an increasing number of companies are instituting travel bans and restrictions, border health checks are becoming more restrictive and there is growing concern about large conferences with people coming from different parts of the world. Delegates from over 80 countries were expected to participate in CERAWeek 2020. "
The organizers continued, “Our number one concern is the health and safety of delegates and speakers, our partners, our colleagues and vendors. We have spent the last several weeks focused on this question, established a medical partnership with Houston Methodist Hospital, have been in continuing dialogue with experts on infectious disease, and established an extensive protocol. But the spread of COVID-19 is moving quickly around the world.”
These should be the statements coming forth from a church that has a health message to the world. The World General Conference Session of 2020 should be cancelled.
It is time for the Conference/leadership to enact needed precautions. Without taking these precautions the church could spread the virus and become responsible for the sickness or death of a member.
Stop all hand shaking, instead bow or touch your heart. Stop children taking (touching) cash from the hands of the congregation. Stop passing the offering plate hand to hand. Require hand wipes for before one enters sanctuary. Sanitize chairs and benches before service. Stop self-serving potlucks where all handle food utensils, instead provide gloved servers (better yet no potluck at all for we do not know who prepared the food or may have sneezed on it.)
Instruct all to make an effort not to touch their faces during services. Remove hymnals. Stop hands from taking the communion bread, instead individualize it.
Do not let anyone into the church that has flue symptoms, better to be cautious. Send them home to attend on-line services. Continue phone contact with them so they don’t feel deserved. Love them.
Don’t permit people to crowd together in the church pew. Keep spaces between worshipers. Setup on-line giving and record SS and church on U-tube. Permit phone in comments for SS and afterglow for church service, so everyone will feel involved.
Make sure the restrooms are fully stocked with soap and paper towels. Many church bathrooms are short of these common supplies. Post large notice on door to not exit without a 20 second hand wash. Men generally have poor hygiene.
Let elders/pastor/medical personal monitor the elderly membership with text messages and love. Comment on the Psalms.
Most of all the guard the elderly in poor health–until all this has passed.
This should be a whole church effort–ever member enlisted to play a part in caring for each other. This is something that the local church, as as the local conference is not noted for.
In most regions in Germany meetings, conventions, gatherings of more than 1000 people are forbidden. We are advised not to travel into certain areas if not necessary. Many shops have empty shelves (because of preppers). There is a shortage of toilet paper in some areas, let alone desinfectants, sterile gloves, gowns etc… The Italian - Austrian borders are closed, No flight connections from Spain to Italy and you could go on and on. Intersting developments.
You know Elmer on Friday I was sitting listening to two SDA females who were up in age spend two hours both of which are recovering from broken bones. One a arm and the other had a ankle healing and both spent over forty years in church work. They talked about how God had led them in their lives and while in His hands they fear nothing.
At the end one said to the other that she would not be going to church to avoid the Corona V. I thought something is wrong with this scene. Your telling me that God is not going to go to church with you? I told a few people and some said well God expects us to be smart about things. While I agree with the being smart there seems to be a huge gap between ones stated faith and your real trust. IMO, doubt is never eliminated by faith. Help me out here.
LOL!