Coronavirus Pandemic

For six years listeners have been enjoying the WGTS 91.9 Summer Concert Series with Tysons Corner Center. It’s the station’s premier summer event on Friday evenings on a large outdoor plaza. This year the pandemic changed everything, but the series continued, albeit in a new format.

Many churches across the Columbia Union Conference are still closed for in-person worship due to the coronavirus pandemic, including all churches in the Allegheny East and West conferences. Churches in the New Jersey Conference have experienced 38 deaths as a result of COVID-19. Eighty percent of these churches are now open at 25 percent capacity, reported President Dave Weigley at the September 17 Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee meeting.

These are five life-saving words. When each day seems to bring a heavy weight of chaos, conflict and uncertainty, these simple words of Jesus have a great impact: “I will give you rest.” He prefaces these words with an open invitation: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden” (Matt. 11:28, NKJV). 

As antiracist protests continue throughout the nation and worldwide, the Liberty church in Windsor Mill, Md., organized a peaceful demonstration supporting black lives. 

“Believing in the Lord was one thing; getting to know Him though has been life-changing,” shares Amanda Stevens. “I am not the same person that I was even three months ago. I have yielded my life fully to Jesus. And I love Him."

Perhaps some think of “the church” as simply the building where they worship. That term has taken on new meaning as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. A building is not necessary for ministry to take place. 

In 2010, Gavin Simpson, now a member of the Harrisonburg (Va.) church, embarked on a life-changing journey of faith as a missionary. Over the last decade, through Eleventh-Hour Laborers, a nonprofit ministering to the less reached regions of the world, he has worked in India, Nepal, Myanmar, and, most recently, Cuba.

Chesapeake Conference's Spencerville Adventist Academy (SAA) held an outdoor commencement service during the COVID-19 pandemic late July for both its eighth-grade and senior classes.

New Jersey Conference's Lake Nelson Adventist Academy (LNAA) shut their doors and moved to remote learning platforms last school year. So the senior class, “The Valiant,” hoped and prayed they would be able to experience the graduation exercises. The Lord blessed and provided a way.