Adventist Community Health Initiative

2015-2019 

 

A joint initiative headed by Dr. Randy Griffin was birthed in 2015. Ministry to those who are underserved by virtue of their socio-economic status has been the main focus of these  dental,  vision and medical clinics and health screening events. The obvious blessing to guests is knowing that these clinics have alleviated their dental, vision, medical and lifestyle needs, some who attend from chronic conditions that are accompanied by persistent pain. A wonderful by-product  of  these  joint ventures has been an enhanced sense of common purpose and association as health ministry clinics have many times been made up of volunteers from various ethnicities of differing churches and conferences. Dr. Griffin has stated that seeing people of differing ethnicities and backgrounds  coming together for a common cause to help the underserved has been one of the greatest blessings he enjoys as he helps churches facilitate these efforts of disinterested benevolence for many communities within our region.  

 

 

 

NEXT: Communication and Public Affairs and Religious Liberty

Spirit of Our Pioneers

Plans for the Future

That said, while supporting our local conferences, hospitals and schools and university through the COVID-19 crisis, the Lake Union officers are exploring new ways to address the needs of the underserved of every people group who cannot afford technology necessary for distance learning and also currently prayerfully entering into the early planning stages of hosting a Diversity Summit.

2021
Moving forward, as the official birthplace of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and stewards of the ministry of reconciliation that Jesus Christ has committed into our hands to reconcile man to both God and each other, we are committed to be conduits of Christ-like behavior and catalysts for change as we pray regularly and take actions to undergird three Lake Union executive committee strategies of leadership development, discipleship training and starting a movement of the Holy Spirit in our churches and communities in this quinquennium. We will continue to engage the Adventist faith community by continuing to resource our local conferences and schools, and engaging and encouraging our health systems to continue to hire employees of diverse backgrounds, especially those persons of African descent who are sparsely represented at the leadership level of our multiple health systems.
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Conclusion

Thank God for the not-so-little boat that could — and did because, at our inception as the movement of God,  the people of God reflected the heart of God by taking risks, even as Jesus did to save mankind because of God’s love for all people.  My prayer is, “Please, come, Holy Spirit, help us lay aside every weight especially avarice, division and confusion and revive us again.”  Then, as the quote above expresses, do bring about a reformation of our practices relative to the way we treat one another that is as sustained  and as everlasting as the gospel, because it began, not in our heads, but rather, within our hearts. (Eph 1:9-10) 


Maurice R. Valentine 
President
Lake Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventist 

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