About 250 Kansas-Nebraska Conference pastors, teachers and family members gathered last August at Westgate Branson Woods Resort in Branson, Missouri, for their first joint retreat since 2019. Held under the theme Building God’s Kingdom Together, the event brought two groups with different daily roles together around a shared mission. That sense of togetherness began on the very first evening. When the piano failed on opening night, guest musician Gale Jones Murphy led worship a cappella. Her personality, energy and connection with the room quickly drew people into singing. Once a keyboard was available for the remaining meetings, Murphy continued using creative icebreaker songs to invite participation before moving into worship. Many conference pastors serve districts that include an Adventist school. The retreat gave pastors and teachers time to see how their work connects. Education may be a different field, but it remains another arm of pastoral ministry. Their roles are different, while their purpose of helping people know Christ is the same. Morning worships were led by Greg King, dean of the School of Religion at Southern Adventist University. In the evenings, Lola Moore Johnston preached from the book of Nehemiah. In one message, she focused on Nehemiah’s response when he learned that Jerusalem remained in ruins. Although the destruction did not threaten his own livelihood, the news left him distressed. Johnston challenged listeners to care about needs even when the problem does not affect them personally. Pastors and teachers also met separately for professional development. Alicia Patterson, a grief coach and educator, led the pastoral sessions on grief, listening and resilience. Jeff Bovee, Kansas-Nebraska Conference education superintendent,  worked with teachers through review, discussion and group activities. The teacher breakouts focused on assessing learning in the standards-based classroom. Educators met in professional learning communities organized by grade bands and secondary subject areas to explore how classroom assessments can more effectively guide instruction. Schools also had time to work through their individual pre-session agendas in preparation for the new academic year. “The education breakout was a relaxed professional development time where teachers had an opportunity to meet in person with their professional learning communities and delve deeper into learning how to most effectively use classroom assessments to drive instruction in their classrooms,” said Bovee. “We ended our last breakout of the retreat with a challenge for the new school year to ensure that all students know they are loved and valued and God has a plan for their lives.” Afternoons gave families and friends time to enjoy Branson together. Participants visited local attractions, shared meals and spent time with people they may not often see during the year. By the final evening, Murphy’s opening song had become a family affair. She invited children to the front to lead “I’m In Right, Out Right, Up Right, Down Right,” drawing the room into the motions. The moment captured what the retreat had been designed to do: bring pastors, teachers and their families into the same room as one ministry team.

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Imagine sitting in an eye doctor’s office and hearing words that change your life forever.  “You have an irreversible eye disease.”  “You’re losing your sight.”  “There’s nothing more we can do.”  For many people, that moment marks the beginning of fear, isolation and uncertainty. Questions about work, independence and the future quickly replace confidence with anxiety. But Dr. Dexter Thomas, president of Christian Record Services, also sees it as the moment when the church has an opportunity to share something medicine cannot provide—hope.  “Faith gives people a new story,” Thomas said during a recent conversation with OUTLOOK. “God isn’t finished with me. He still has work for me. I am still His child.”   That conviction is at the heart of Christian Record Services, a ministry that has served people who are blind or experiencing vision loss since 1899. Through free Braille, large-print and audio Christian resources, summer camps, and a nationwide ministry known as PhoneFaith, the organization helps individuals remain connected to Scripture, community and the hope found in Jesus Christ.   For Thomas, the ministry’s mission is deeply personal. Growing up legally blind, he remembers what it was like to long for access to God’s Word. Christian Record Services provided him with the Bible in Braille and on audio recordings—resources that ultimately helped shape his calling to ministry. “I believe it led to me becoming a pastor,” he said.  Today, Thomas serves as the first blind president in 100 years, a role that allows him to encourage others facing many of the same fears he once experienced.   One of the ministry’s newest initiatives addresses what Thomas calls the “Quiet Crisis.” More than eight million Americans are living with irreversible eye diseases. Too often, after receiving a diagnosis, patients leave their doctor’s office with little more than medical information. Christian Record Services is working to change that by placing ministry resources directly into eye care clinics across North America.  The goal is simple: become the first voice people hear after receiving life-changing news. Instead of hearing only what they have lost, individuals discover there is still hope, purpose and a community ready to walk beside them.   That hope extends far beyond printed resources. Christian Record Services hosts camps where children and adults who are blind or have low vision experience activities many never imagined possible—from horseback riding and canoeing to forming lifelong friendships. PhoneFaith connects participants across the country through Bible studies, prayer groups, health programs and fellowship—helping combat the loneliness that often accompanies vision loss.   New opportunities Technology has also opened remarkable new doors. Thomas carries hundreds of Braille books on a single digital device, using wearable technology like Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses with the Be My Eyes app to navigate airports independently, and participating in ministry through tools that were unimaginable just a few years ago.  “Technology has really blown the door open,” he said. “It’s made life so much easier.”   While accessibility is important, Thomas believes belonging is even more important. Too often, churches unintentionally see people with disabilities as recipients of ministry rather than participants in it. He challenges congregations to recognize that every believer has spiritual gifts to share.  “Everybody is a contributor, designed and destined to do great things,” he said.  He recalled introducing a blind church member to opportunities for ministry. That individual eventually became an elder, reminding the congregation that blindness was never a barrier to serving Christ.   To watch the complete conversation with Dexter Thomas of Christian Record Services and Amanda Colgan of Three Angels Deaf Ministries, visit the OUTLOOK YouTube channel and watch From Disabilities to Possibilities | Stories of Faith, Access & Belonging. The discussion explores how churches can remove barriers, create belonging and ensure that every person has an opportunity to experience the love of Christ.  To learn more about Christian Record Services or support its ministry, visit christianrecord.org.   

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As fairgoers filled the grounds at the Fayette County Fair in Iowa last July, one stop continued a cherished tradition of community connection and practical ministry. The Hawkeye Church welcomed families to their annual photo booth, offering a warm space to create lasting memories and experience Christian fellowship. What began as a simple creative outreach has blossomed into an eagerly anticipated highlight of the fair. Designed to reflect the area’s rich agricultural roots, the booth features a rustic wooden barn adorned with stuffed farm animals. Children and parents alike enjoy climbing atop hay bales, ride-on toy tractors and horses for picture-perfect moments. The photo booth has become such a staple that many local families now make a point to visit annually, capturing milestone photos to track their children’s growth year after year. “Our photo booth is more than just taking pictures—it’s a simple, joyful way to show our community that we care,” said church members involved in organizing the event. While the photo booth provides families with a fun and tangible fair keepsake, the heart of the outreach is personal connection. Church volunteers use the opportunity to build friendships, offer free Christian literature, and share the love of Jesus with neighbors in a relaxed, welcoming environment. Adding to the excitement each year, the church partners with local radio station KRJE – “Radio for Jesus” on one day during the fair by blowing up and handing out punch balloons to children. The bright, cheerful balloons proved to be a massive draw, bringing smiles to young fairgoers as well as advertising the radio station throughout the fairgrounds. Through warm conversations, shared laughter, and simple acts of service, members of the Hawkeye Church continue to demonstrate their commitment to stepping outside church walls and serving as a positive, loving presence in Fayette County. Eileen Birth is communication leader for the Hawkeye Church in Iowa.

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Minnesota Adventists are committed to making disciples who make more disciples. Since discipleship begins with relationships, church members around the state are working to form long-lasting connections with neighbors, visitors and young people. Teaching the youth to teach others Nobody is just an onlooker in Jose Luis Bello’s youth class and Pathfinder group. Along with other leaders at Northeast Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church (NESDA), he identifies talents and encourages teens to lead the younger children. His goal is to build a Christian community where all ages can experience camporees, outdoor challenges, and meaningful Bible study together. “So many youth now are lonely. They just stay home in their rooms without seeing each other,” Jose explains. “I refuse to accept that.” One way to build lasting faith is by equipping youth to witness. Recently Jose and a group of young men wore Bible costumes and acted out stories about Jesus during a children’s evangelistic weekend. And one youth member, Rachel, has accepted the task of teaching younger girls as they complete Pathfinder requirements. “Leaders need to do more than just talk, talk, talk,” she says. “If we just make rules, the girls will think no one cares about them. I need to be their friend.” Hosting the best party of the year It wouldn’t be Christmas in Hinckley, Minnesota, without the Community Christmas Program at the local Adventist church. More than 20 years ago the whole town was curious about the new church being built by member Terry Haavisto along I-35. “Can we see the inside?” people asked. Terry’s wife, Lori, and sister, Jodie, started by inviting community guests to a Christmas music program so everyone could view the new sanctuary. The first event was so successful that it’s become an anticipated annual tradition. The program is a true community effort. Neighbors and church groups are invited to perform, and no one is turned away, no matter how musically skilled. Members serve a free meal of spaghetti and Christmas cookies, and a free-will offering is collected for a worthy cause. As for advertising, they rely on word of mouth, plus posters in local businesses and ads on the church radio station. None of this could happen without the hard work of every church member, including the communication crew, parking crew, kitchen crew, set-up crew, and cleanup crew. Hinckley member Pamela Rodacker-Waye adds, “Most importantly, Jesus, as He’s the reason for everything we do here.” Last year a guest turned to a church member and commented, “I could see myself being part of a church like this.” That’s exactly why the program is still going 21 years later. Turning visitors into friends Two years ago Deborah Timasi first visited Kenyan Community Church, wondering what she was getting herself into. “Right away someone met me and showed me around and made me feel welcome,” she remembers. “It was the first five minutes that got me. If it wasn’t for that person, I wouldn’t have come back.” Now Deborah is a baptized church member and head of the Hospitality Committee that first welcomed her. Her team visits people in homes and hospitals, takes gifts to new mothers, and helps guests feel at home during potluck. She compares her ministry to that of the Good Samaritan. She says that people who find friends in church are more likely to stay and become followers of Jesus for a lifetime. Lighting up the dark with music More than 15 years ago, Mankato church member Jeff Buege faced a personal heartache and prayed for God to remove his sadness. Sensing a need to look outward, Jeff asked the Lord how he could serve others. Looking back, Jeff recalls, “Within three days, God provided the time, the resources, and the locations [for a new ministry]. What began in a moment of utter brokenness immediately became an inward healing for me.” As God opened unexpected doors, Jeff began singing and sharing the gospel at nursing homes throughout the Midwest. He encountered a deep thirst for the gospel and found that thousands in the closing chapters of their lives needed to be reminded how much Jesus loves them. “I truly didn’t know even mildly the direction God would lead me,” Jeff says. “Yet very quickly I understood His will and surrendered to His path.” Within two years he was doing 200 programs annually; by the tenth year it was over 800 programs. Jeff says the feedback has been “beyond words.” It’s not about fame but witnessing the love of Jesus reflected in the lives of grateful listeners. Always he relies on the strength of Jesus, who says, “I am the vine; you are the branches” (John 15:5). Passing on real-world skills Southview Pathfinder leader Lynnette Nyabuto noticed a pattern—some older teens were drifting away from the church when they outgrew Pathfinders. She wanted to keep them connected to their church family, while also creating space for teens who had never joined Pathfinders. Her plan: earlier this year she surveyed church members about what practical skills they could pass on to the next generation. Now all ages look forward to baking, painting, and fixing cars together. Lynnette says, “Once connections are established, the teens may be more open to other activities, including Bible studies—which is the ultimate goal.”

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