It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of Pastor Henry and Mrs. Sharon Fordham on Sunday, July 18, 2021, in a tragic house fire. Pastor Henry J. Fordham III was the president of the Allegheny East Conference. Local authorities have not determined yet the cause of the fire.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and the conference as they grapple with this devastating loss. Please know that the NAD ACS office is here to support through these trying times.
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One of our Emotional and Spiritual Care providers speaks with Search and Rescue workers during one of their breaks, offering support to those working on the scene.
UPDATE – July 7, 2021
Adventist Community Services Disaster Response (ACS DR) teams continue to assist with Recovery Efforts in Surfside, Florida. Donations are pouring into the Warehouse which are being sorted and categorized for distribution for families of those affected by the condo collapse. Local churches such as the Tabernacle Seventh-day Adventist Church are being utilized as Distribution Sites where the survivors and other community members can have access to these donated goods that include food, clothing, personal care kits, and other essentials items. Several areas surrounding the Disaster Site are shut down and multiple buildings in Miami have been evacuated due to safety concerns. The American Red Cross is helping displaced residents and emergency providers find a safe place to stay by setting up shelters in a hotel nearby, as well as offering their headquarters to house evacuees. In addition, we are working in coordination with them to provide counseling through our credentialed personnel. ACS Emotional and Spiritual Care providers are teaming up with Red Cross providers to render aid to residents and community members in various areas around the Disaster Site.
One particular survival story was told by a young lady who lived in the collapsed building. She explained to our Providers that her mother had saved her life. Upon inquiring as to how this was so, she went on to share that the only reason she was not home on that fateful night was because her mother had fallen ill earlier in the day. She decided to leave her apartment and stay with her mother that night just to ensure that she would be okay. As she spoke, she got emotional and our Providers offered to pray with her. Right there in the middle of the hotel lobby, our Providers prayed and asked God to continue to be with her and her mother. At the end of the prayer, she asked if she could receive a hug. Though as Providers we are careful with how touch is used, each of the Providers embraced and asked God to be with her. “There are more stories that could be told, but needless to stay ACS is participating in work that will have impact on those affected by this event,” said W. Derrick Lea, Director of NAD ACS.
Click here to read article on the Miami building collapse by NAD Communications.
ACS Warehouse Management team sorting through boxes of donated goods.
ACS personnel cleaning and preparing a couple of extra rooms in the Tabernacle SDA Church for distribution of supplies.
W. Derrick Lea, NAD ACS Director, meets with the Providers to ensure that they are abreast of their role in lending comfort and support.
ACS and Red Cross providers discussing on how to coordinate the counseling sessions.
One of our Emotional and Spiritual Care providers speaks with Search and Rescue workers during one of their breaks, offering support to those working on the scene.
Comfort animals worked in concert with our Emotional and Spiritual Care providers.
Care Providers praying with the young lady who resided in the building but was not home on that fateful night.
ACS Providers connecting with people in the community.
ACS Disaster Response personnel from the Southeastern and Florida conferences assembled early this morning at Feeding South Florida in Pembroke Park which will be utilized as a Warehouse. It is located about 15 minutes away under normal traffic conditions from the Disaster site. This area of the city is shut down currently allowing only designated response personnel and residents within a 15-block radius of the site, and police are ensuring these restrictions are enforced through verification of credentials every other block. ACS conference directors Conrad Duncan and Robert Moore outlined the plan of operations for the team. Each person was designated with a particular role and then a tour of the facility was given to the entire team.
In addition to collecting the donated goods that come in, we have identified various Distribution Sites which include our local churches. We will utilize our ACS Volunteers to operate at these sites in order to be able to provide these goods directly to families of those affected. In addition, the team traveled to the Disaster site and met with Serve Florida at their Command Center. They discussed what support ACS would consider helpful which included travel cost coverage for our volunteers, increased messaging to the public of the donations that will be helpful, and transportation support for the Warehouse to deliver goods to those affected.
Video: Southeastern Conference ACS Director Robert Moore and Florida Conference Ryan Amos speak about ACS involvement.
A 13-story condominium tower, Champlain Towers South, located near Miami, Florida, partially collapsed in the early hours of June 24, 2021 morning. Sixteen people have been confirmed dead and around 150 unaccounted for. We are working together with the ACS teams at the Southern Union Conference, and Florida and Southeastern conferences who are assessing the situation in order to determine how to best serve the affected community. The local authorities of Florida State have requested ACS to assist with Warehouse operations. ACS Disaster Response (ACS DR) leadership from both conferences are working in a coordinated way to form a Warehouse Management team and are in discussion on how the Recovery Efforts will take place. ACS Directors Robert Moore and Conrad Duncan have each identified trained members from their conference that will outfit this team for 24 hours a day during the first week of operations.
In addition to the need for a State Warehouse, we are also attempting to set up Distribution Sites for community members. We’ve also been asked by the American Red Cross whether our Emotional and Spiritual Care Providers could be utilized to provide assistance for families affected by this tragic event. We will be in discussion with them to determine the particulars of this assignment for this phase. Since Florida has been the site of several challenging circumstances, we have credentialed Providers who are ready to be of service. W. Derrick Lea, Director for North American Division Adventist Community Services, is currently onsite meeting with our ACS team members at the Warehouse to put the operational plan in place, set schedules of those assigned, and collaborate with authorities responsible for overall Response in the community. “The days will be long, but we trust that many will be helped through our efforts, and that those who observe us will see Christ working through us,” said Lea.
Please keep the individuals and families who have been affected by this tragedy in your prayers.
We are pleased to welcome Colette Newer as the new Associate Director for North American Division Adventist Community Services (NAD ACS). Before accepting this call, Newer served as the Director for Outreach Ministries at Washington Conference with focus areas on Prison Ministry, Community Services, and Disaster Response. In this capacity, she loved watching God call and empower church members to establish new and innovative ministries in their communities.
Newer has a bachelor’s in sociology from Whitman College (1990), master’s in administration from Andrews University (2015), and Certificate in Fundraising Management from Indiana University (2016). She would be a perpetual student if allowed to be and is always looking for a good workshop or class to attend.
“I am excited to continue our work with Colette Newer and take even greater advantage of the skills she brings to NAD ACS. We hope to expand the areas we can assist communities that are often overlooked,” said W. Derrick Lea, Executive Director for NAD ACS. Newer will be a great asset to the NAD ACS team with her outstanding leadership skills, wealth of knowledge, passion for community outreach and social justice. We look forward to working with her as we continue to grow and move forward in our ministry.
With mixed emotions, I would like to express my sincere appreciation; indeed, it has been my privilege and honor to serve you and the NAD ACS ministry over the last 20 years.
The NAD Executive Committee has decided to seek a new director for the NAD ACS ministry. Derrick Lea has been elected as the new director. He is a competent leader with knowledge and skills, and I have confidence that he will continue to enhance the ACS ministry to the next level of professional growth. The NAD ACS associate director will be elected later.
As I look back, we have had the privilege to experience the following blessings with your support, and much more:
Challenged the social dimensions of holistic engagement from charity to justice.
Developed and initiated three Leadership Development programs.
Expanded the scope of services from relief to individual and community development.
Increased the net assets from $215,000 to $8.3 million (as of February 2020).
Increased 125 to 1,358 ACS Centers (as of December 2019).
Reorganized and decentralized the ACS Disaster Response program.
Re-framed the North American Division ACS infrastructure.
Established six ACS ministries from Disaster Response and Inner City programs.
Transitioned from ADRA North America to ACS North America.
It has been an amazing journey, and I am sincerely grateful for your support and friendship over the years. Many of you, I feel as we grew together (not getting old, but more mature and experienced) and became brothers and sisters in Christ.
I don’t know what the next chapter of my life’s journey at this time is, but I believe that God will lead according to His will. We are simply a tool in His hands, and we will seek His guidance and commit our lives into His hands daily.
Please continually support the NAD ACS staff and keep them in your prayers as they journey through the transition. I was blessed with the faithful servants of the Lord; they are not only remarkable colleagues but also friends, and they are indeed God sent.
Thank you again for your love and kindness over the years, and I am looking forward to interacting with you in different opportunities.
Please feel free to contact me if there is anything that I could assist at SungKwon2021@gmail.com
Please take good care of yourselves and see you all in Heaven, if not before.
We are pleased to welcome W. Derrick Lea as the new director of the North American Division Adventist Community Services (NAD ACS). Lea had previously served as the NAD ACS associate director with focus areas on Disaster Response and Emotional and Spiritual Care ministries for five years. “While I am excited about this surprising opportunity, I want to express my sincere appreciation for the gentleman whose role I will fill, Dr. Sung Kwon. ACS would not have advanced to our present place without Sung’s tremendous efforts and work. We are indebted to him for his twenty-plus years of service and certainly wish him the best in his pursuits in the coming days,” said Lea.
We also would like to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to Dr. Sung Kwon who has been an instrumental leader over the years for ACS ministry. Kwon’s determination, dedication and commitment, outstanding leadership skills, wealth of knowledge, innovative ideas, and passion for community outreach and development throughout the last twenty years has brought ACS ministry to where it is today. We want to wish him all the best for a new chapter in his life and in all his future endeavors. “It has been my privilege and honor to serve the NAD ACS ministry over the last 20 years. Derrick Lea is a competent leader with knowledge and skills, and I have confidence that he will continue to enhance the ACS ministry to the next level of professional growth,” said Kwon.
”I want to thank Dr. Kwon for his 20 years of dedicated service to the Lord’s work and the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He has worked tirelessly to build up the work of Adventist Community Services throughout the Division and the world. His energy and vision have been integral to the work that he and his team have accomplished during these past two decades,” stated Bonita Shields, vice president for ministries of the North American Division.
“I want to thank the Lord for His leading in providing Derrick Lea to lead Adventist Community Services for the next quadrennial period. Derrick has been part of the NAD ACS team for several years, leading out in the Disaster Relief work in the Division—and he has been BUSY with the numerous disasters taking place. I am thankful for his expertise and his commitment to carry this work forward,” continued Shields.
BOULDER, CO - MARCH 22: Healthcare workers walk out of a King Sooper's Grocery store after a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado. Dozens of police responded to the afternoon shooting in which at least one witness described three people who appeared to be wounded, according to published reports. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images))
On Monday, March 22, a gunman opened fire at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, leaving ten people dead. Among the casualties was a police officer who was responding to this heinous act of violence. Derrick Lea, North American Division ACS Disaster Response director, has been in communication with Cathy Kissner, Rocky Mountain Conference ACS director, the Emergency Management in Boulder, Colorado VOAD, and other associated entities to discuss a plan as to how we can render assistance to the affected community. We have been requested to serve by filling the role of providing emotional and spiritual care. The local ACS team has selected some individuals who have been trained and equipped for this task. We’ve also communicated with the local Adventist church in Boulder, informing them of the resources we can provide. Additionally, we’re working with Salvation Army that has been asked to distribute food to the community to see if we could partner with them.
“While the tragedy is one we had hoped would not happen again, the reality of these type of events is hitting us with more regularity. Our continuous desire is to be prepared for these type of crisis events and also ultimately represent the love of Christ in our acts of service to those hurting,” said Lea.
Click here to read the statement put out by the Rocky Mountain Conference.
Please remember the families who have lost loved ones, the survivors, as well as those who are responding to this tragedy.
BOULDER, CO – MARCH 22: Healthcare workers walk out of a King Sooper’s Grocery store after a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado. Dozens of police responded to the afternoon shooting in which at least one witness described three people who appeared to be wounded, according to published reports. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images))
After 37 years of denomination work, Dr. Steve A. Rose Sr. retired on March 1, 2021. He served as the vice president for administration and also the director for Adventist Community Services in the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference.
Dr. Rose has been an instrumental leader over the decades for ACS ministry. It has truly been a privilege to have him serve in our ministry, and we want to express our sincere gratitude to him for his remarkable service. We also wish him the best of luck in his retirement years.
We regret to announce the passing of Pr. Frederick Crowell, former ACS Director of the Iowa-Missouri Conference. He also served as the Assistant Director for ACS Disaster Response for the North American Division. Besides leadership positions in Adventist Community Services, Pr. Crowell served as the Ministerial Director for the Northern Minnesota Seventh-day Adventist, and chaplain for the West Des Moines Police Department. He always loved helping people and doing whatever he could to make life easier for them. Pr. Crowell was 67 when he took his last breath surrounded by his family on October 28, 2020, following a brave battle with ALS.
“Pastor Fred Crowell has been, indeed, a great blessing in my life and in the NAD ACS ministry, and I am so thankful for our acquaintance in the Lord for the past two decades. Pastor Crowell has been exemplary, and his life is epitomized by what it means to live gracefully. As he served as the Assistant Director for NAD ACS Disaster Response, he was an interquel part of the transaction and decentralization of the DR ministry. The love, compassion, and grace of the Lord he showed me will be remembered until the end of my life. We will be looking forward to seeing him again and being forever together in Heaven,” stated Sung Kwon, NAD ACS Executive Director.
Click here for obituary and funeral service information.
Let us keep the Crowell family in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Bob Mitchell, ACS and DR Coordinator of the Potomac Conference, is not only actively involved with ACS and VOAD, but also volunteers with the local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) as an instructor. He has been serving on their Steering Committee for over a decade and is a CERT staple every season, attending most of the classes and offering his wonderful insight and experiences to their students. Bob, who has always been a vital part of the CERT program, won the ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award presented by the Virginia Emergency Managers Association (VEMA).
Bob+Mitchell.jpg
This year, he went above and beyond and attended every level 2 course for their fall program. When the instructor for the very first class of the season had to cancel at the last minute – literally five minutes before the class was scheduled to start – without a second thought, Bob jumped to the front of the room and with grace and ease co-taught the class with Maribel Street, Acting Emergency Management Coordinator of Charlottesville-UVA-Albemarle Office of Emergency Management.
“Bob’s continued displays of passion and his effort to ensure we have a well-rounded program, is truly inspiring. Our students love coming to class to soak up Bob’s stories and learn about all the opportunities CERT has to offer,” stated Ms. Street. The Charlottesville-UVA-Albemarle CERT program has taught over 1,000 individuals and continues to increase enrollment each season, thanks to leaders like Bob, who drive student participation and create strong volunteers. “I wish every CERT program had a member like Bob. He has made an immeasurable impact on our program and in our community,” continued Ms. Street.
The administrative team of the Gulf States Conference present Pr. Elsberry with a plaque.
Pr. Ray Elsberry, ACS and ACS DR Director of the Gulf States Conference, has retired from his responsibilities on December 31, 2019. He held these positions officially for over 14 years and unofficially for over 22 years in various capacities, as well. He also held the State VOAD Chair position until his retirement.
“Pastor Ray Elsberry has been an instrumental leader over the decades for ACS ministry,” stated Sung Kwon, Executive Director of North American Division ACS.
Pr. Elsberry was recognized for his work in ACS at the Gulf States Conference Executive Committee meeting in October 2019. He was presented with plaques from NAD ACS and the Gulf States Conference to honor his dedication to helping others.
It has truly been a privilege to have Pr. Elsberry serve in the ACS ministry. We want to express our sincere gratitude to him for his remarkable service. We also wish him the best of luck in his retirement years.
Dave Livermore, right, president of Gulf States Conference, presents Pr. Ray Elsberry with a plaque to honor his service in ACS.
The administrative team of the Gulf States Conference present Pr. Elsberry with a plaque.
In addition to the need for a State Warehouse, we are also attempting to set up Distribution Sites for community members. We’ve also been asked by the American Red Cross whether our Emotional and Spiritual Care Providers could be utilized to provide assistance for families affected by this tragic event. We will be in discussion with them to determine the particulars of this assignment for this phase. Since Florida has been the site of several challenging circumstances, we have credentialed Providers who are ready to be of service. W. Derrick Lea, Director for North American Division Adventist Community Services, is currently onsite meeting with our ACS team members at the Warehouse to put the operational plan in place, set schedules of those assigned, and collaborate with authorities responsible for overall Response in the community. “The days will be long, but we trust that many will be helped through our efforts, and that those who observe us will see Christ working through us,” said Lea.
After 37 years of denomination work, Dr. Steve A. Rose Sr. retired on March 1, 2021. He served as the vice president for administration and also the director for Adventist Community Services in the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference.
This year, he went above and beyond and attended every level 2 course for their fall program. When the instructor for the very first class of the season had to cancel at the last minute – literally five minutes before the class was scheduled to start – without a second thought, Bob jumped to the front of the room and with grace and ease co-taught the class with Maribel Street, Acting Emergency Management Coordinator of Charlottesville-UVA-Albemarle Office of Emergency Management.
