Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church in New Orleans, Louisiana, hosted a Community Services training for its members on May 28, 2022. It was coordinated by the Community Services team under the leadership of Lucinda Keller and her family. The meeting went very well and all of the speakers who committed to speaking came through. The attendees enjoyed the training, as well as the food and snacks that were provided.
On June 13, 2022, catastrophic flooding due to heavy rainfall and rapid snowmelt resulted in the closure of Yellowstone National Park with over 10,000 tourists evacuated. The unprecedented flooding has caused massive destruction in several surrounding communities in Southwest Montana. Road closures, collapsed bridges, damage to homes and property are forcing residents to evacuate. The Montana Conference ACS Disaster Response team has been engaged in the Recovery Efforts under the coordination of ACS Director, Gabriele Miranda-Laub.
A group of volunteers led by ACS trained member, Sheila Elwin, helped clean out areas in Livingston that were flooded and distributed 5-gallon flood buckets filled with cleaning supplies. The Southwest Montana COAD organized a Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) at the Livingston Fairgrounds where people could come and get information for help from various organizations, including the State of Montana and FEMA. A MARC was also held in Gardiner last Sabbath where buckets donated by a local company were distributed.
Pastor Carlile and church members from the Billings and Bridger churches responded in the Red Lodge and Fromberg areas. Hundred flood buckets filled with cleaning supplies donated by the Upper Columbia Conference, and 200 blankets as well as some comfort kits were distributed in Fromberg. “The buckets represent a collaborative effort of ACS, Pathfinders, and NPUC Disaster Response Coordinator. Thank you to Richie Brower and Pathfinders, Larry Mays (NPUC Disaster Response Coordinator), and others who assisted in filling these buckets several months ago in readiness of such a disaster occurring,” stated Patty Marsh, ACS Director of Upper Columbia Conference.
“I want to thank all of the volunteers, as well as the Upper Columbia Conference, that have been serving in our conference and state. ‘In Christ’s name’…is what we do. God Bless each one of you, stated Miranda-Laub.
Let us keep the affected communities in prayer as they cope with this tragedy.
Adventist Community Services was one of 70 national member organizations that participated in the annual National VOAD Conference held from May 2-5, 2022, at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. The theme for this year was “Empowering Resiliency”. Despite having not met in person since 2019, the 2022 Conference was well attended with over 700 people attendees, including around 350 first-time attendees. ACS leaders from the North Pacific Union Conference, and Texas, Georgia-Cumberland, Allegheny East, and Chesapeake conferences joined the NAD ACS team at the event. For some of us who were first-time attendees, the First Timer Orientation Session gave an insight on the VOAD Community and the role of the network within the disaster community.
The mission and purpose of National VOAD (National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) is to provide a forum where organizations can gather to collaborate and network, sharing knowledge and resources, to effectively assist communities affected by disaster. ACS is one of the few original founding members of National VOAD which was founded in 1970 when seven voluntary organizations convened together to discuss how to improve responses following Hurricane Camille in August 1969.
There were fifty exhibitors and sponsors. Besides ACS, the exhibit hall was filled with booth displays from several other faith-based disaster response and relief organizations such as FEMA, American Red Cross, Islamic Relief USA, Salvation Army, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, Mennonite Disaster Services, Good360, and United Methodist Committee on Relief, and etc. We had ACS volunteers from the Chesapeake and Allegheny East conferences who helped us out by managing the ACS exhibit and educating people on our services.
In addition to the exhibit, the other highlights of the conference consisted of various plenary sessions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities.
It is w
ith deep sadness and a heavy heart to inform you of the death of Phyllis Alexander who passed away on Friday, May 20, 2022. Phyllis was the ACS Disaster Response Director for the Dakota Conference for over 25 years. She also served as the President of South Dakota VOAD for four years and worked closely with the local Emergency Managers and taught Disaster Preparedness to the local community. “Phyllis was a special and dedicated person, and we’ll miss her deeply,” stated Wynelle Stevens, Assistant Director of NAD ACS.
Information on her funeral service is not available at this time.
Click here to read more about Phyllis in an article from 2019: https://issuu.com/outlookmag/docs/oct_2019/s/149095
The North American Division Adventist Community Services (NAD ACS) celebrated its 50th anniversary at the ACS Convention in Grapevine, Texas from April 7-9, 2022. It was widely attended by more than 200 ACS directors, pastors, lay members, ministry leaders, volunteers, and those interested in community outreach. Many traveled from regions around the nation, as well as from Canada, Bermuda, and even Indonesia, to attend this monumental event. The convention was also offered virtually for those who were unable to attend in person.
The opening session on Thursday, April 7th, commenced with a devotion entitled “Who Is My Neighbor” by Pr. Jamie Kowlessar, senior pastor of the Dallas City Temple church. Carl Wilkens, founder of “World Outside My Shoes” and former ADRA Rwanda director, provided the initial keynote message, which was followed by workshop sessions on fundraising, media and communications, youth involvement in ACS, and seniors ministry. Retired ACS director, Dollie Williams, was honored for her 66 years as community services leader in Chicago. She was presented with a lifetime achievement pin by W. Derrick Lea, executive director of NAD ACS. 
On Friday, April 8th, the devotion was given by Dr. Mansfield Edwards, president of Ontario Conference. The general session speaker was Dr. Calvin Watkins, vice president of evangelism at NAD. Workshop sessions on this day covered topics such as government relationships with ACS, disaster response, AmeriCorps, and refugee ministry. Colette Newer, associate director of NAD ACS, ushered in the Sabbath with a short devotion, which was followed by a mini concert by Jaime Jorge.
Sabbath morning began with a devotion by Theodore Sargeant, director of Ministries of Compassion at the Ontario Conference, followed by nine ministry highlights. The featured ACS ministries shared what they are doing and how their ministry is impacting their local community. Dr. Alexander Bryant, president of the North American Division, delivered the sermon for the Divine Service entitled “Two Classes, Two Paths, One Way”. A panel discussion was held in the afternoon to discuss the vision for ACS, challenging issues faced by ACS leaders today, and the future of ACS.
As we spoke about what is currently taking place around the North American Division, there was also discussion on determining how we move forward and enhance the scope of ACS ministry, resulting in the initiation of two committees. One committee will focus on refugees entering the NAD territory, and the other will focus on getting our young people in the Church connected with ACS.
The closing ceremony on Saturday night started off with special music by Paul Heflin, followed by remarks by Pr. Joe Watts, former ACS and DR director of Texas Conference and Southwestern Union. The keynote message was delivered by Dr. Sung Kwon, former executive director of NAD ACS. He currently serves as associate professor of leadership at Andrews University, and director of the new social innovation concentration for the Master of Arts (MA) in leadership program. The convention was brought to a close with the NAD ACS team honoring Kwon for over 20 years of exceptional leadership, dedicated service, and commitment to ACS ministry.
“This was life-changing. It gave life to the things we have been saying in our local area,” said one of the participants who attended in person. Another said, “I love coming to the conventions and being able to connect, be blessed, and get fresh ideas on how to serve and help the growth of our community services.” One of the virtual attendees stated, “Streaming through the website and not Zoom or YouTube was an excellent idea. It balanced accessibility with limiting distractions in a way that kept quality, while allowing our not so tech savvy members to not have to figure out how to stop things popping up as they viewed.”
The participants were blessed with uplifting music, inspirational messages, informative workshops, and a time of reflection and networking. They also had the privilege to take a tour of the ACS depot in Keene the following day after the convention. “I thank each of those that participated either in person or virtually. Your willingness to be a part of the 50th Anniversary Convention helped make it a successful one,” stated W. Derrick Lea. 
The ACS Disaster Response team at the Rocky Mountain Conference is leading the efforts in response to the recent Marshall Fire, the 6,000-acre wildfire that has destroyed 1,270 homes and businesses in Colorado. The estimates on damage exceed a half-billion dollars, making it the most destructive fire in Colorado history.
The ACS team, under the leadership of Cathy Kissner, Conference ACS director, has been at work serving at the Distribution Center in Broomfield for the past few weeks. The center which is located in Flatiron Mall at a former Nordstrom department store is operating seven days a week. Over 150 volunteers are working hard sorting, moving, and distributing goods to the affected communities. ACS will continue to lead this operation for the next three months or so, before turning it over to a local NGO.
On December 30, 2021, multiple growing and fast-moving grassfires raged through the Colorado suburbs of Louisville and Superior at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder County. These record-setting fires have destroyed more than 1,000 homes and property as powerful winds rained down embers on subdivisions that fires had never before touched. Tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated as strong winds continue to blow through these areas and spread the fire to homes.
North American Division Adventist Community Services (NAD ACS) has been in communication with the Rocky Mountain Conference ACS leadership, Colorado Emergency Management, and Colorado VOAD, to determine how our ACS DR teams will be utilized to render assistance to the communities in Boulder.
Let us remember the affected communities in our prayers.
https://adventist.news/news/wildfires-destroy-large-parts-of-superior-and-louisville
We are saddened to announce the passing of Lowell Irving Tripp, one of our long-time Adventist Community Services volunteers, on December 7, 2021 at the age of 100. He was predeceased by his wife of 72 years Betty Jean Tripp in 2018. They both volunteered for Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington in Silver Spring, MD for 20 years after his retirement in 1988 from Adventist Risk Management after working 35 years for the church. They managed the food pantry, picked up food from Safeway and Costco each week, stocked the food bags for customers, organized the food in the pantry, and helped out in other ways.
Lowell was a longtime member of the Takoma Park Seventh-day Adventist Church, and after he moved to Eltern Haus assisted living in 2017 he regularly watched Atholton Seventh-day Adventist Church livestream with his granddaughters Kristina and Amber. A memorial service will be held for him on January 22, 2022 at the Atholton Church in Columbia, MD. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations that can be made to Adventist Community Services.
He was greatly loved and is survived by his daughter Brenda Coffin of Beltsville, MD and companion Alan Jorgensen, son Warren Irving Tripp and daughter-in-law Tammy Tripp of Superior, CO, granddaughter Kristina Dahabura of Columbia, MD who he helped raise, great-granddaughter Amber Gramkow of Columbia, MD who he also helped raise, granddaughter Ashlee Tripp of CO, grandson Matthew Lowell Tripp and granddaughter-in-law Cristina Melendez Tripp of Westminster, CO, and great-granddaughters Olivia Tripp and Ava Tripp of Westminster, CO.
Let us keep the Tripp family in our thoughts and prayers as they cope with this difficult loss.
“God keeps bringing people to be a part of this ministry. About half of those who serve are from the community. This is how God works. He is so amazing!” says Karen, ACS Director of ReNewed Hope Food Pantry at New Haven Adventist Church.
ReNewed Hope Food Pantry in Overland Park, Kansas, experienced a dramatic increase in the number of people they serve each week when COVID-19 came to town. However, they continued to trust God’s guidance and have faithfully served their community each week.
Thank you to Karen and her team inspiring people to… “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)
The recent Midwest tornadoes have left communities with considerable damage to homes and property, closed roads, power outage, and numerous fatalities. ACS directors in the affected conferences have spent many hours connecting with members of their Disaster Response team to determine the needs that ACS might be able to assist with. These needs include warehouse management, mobile distribution of goods, and debris removal.
Please remember the communities affected by this tragedy, as well as those responding to the needs.
On December 10, 2021, a deadly tornado moved across Western Kentucky, causing havoc on numerous towns in the state. Crossing through twelve counties during its lifespan, the tornado was exceptionally long-tracked, traveling over 200 miles that produced a series of strong tornadoes in five other states, as well. At least 45 fatalities have been confirmed, although the total death toll is estimated to be nearly 100. It is declared to be the largest tornado recorded in history.
North American Division Adventist Community Services (NAD ACS) has been in communication with the ACS Disaster Response leaders in the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri, and Mississippi. Currently, Kentucky appears to be the State most heavily impacted. Assessment is taking place at present and some of our conferences, Kentucky-Tennessee, South Central, Arkansas-Louisiana, and Georgia- Cumberland, are actively putting together their teams for work. The Kentucky-Tennessee Conference is purchasing supplies to aid in the Relief Efforts. We are also staying connected to the Emergency Management in the affected areas.
Adventist Community Services continues to serve as a resource for communities around the North American Division. Though we are still in the middle of a pandemic, various ACS entities have found ways to actively be engaged in ministering to the needs of their community members who are facing hardship. The city of Fayetteville in North Carolina is one of several cities that have been affected by the ups and downs of the economy and many have found themselves lost in this environment. The ACS Center of the Abney Chapel Adventist Church began communicating with other Adventist churches and faith communities around North Carolina to determine how they can be of assistance. Through these conversations, ACS Coordinator Judy Toney, was able to organize a Food Distribution day on November 14, 2021, where she convinced around fifteen partner organizations to set up Distribution Sites in their community. “The day turned out to be a great success and enabled us to not only give goods but pray and serve as a resource connecting those often forgotten with help both today and into the future,” stated W. Derrick Lea, ACS Director for the North American Division.
