November 13, 2012  
 
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Atlantic Union College Board Appoints New Interim President
On November 11, 2012, the Atlantic Union College (AUC) Board of Trustees appointed Duane M. Cady, M.D. as interim president. Cady is a general surgeon of more than 30 years in upstate New York, an immediate past chair of the American Medical Association Board of Trustees, and a graduate of Atlantic Union College in Lancaster, Massachusetts, and Loma Linda University in California. He is also an elder in the Syracuse Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Earlier this year, AUC applied to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education for the purpose of reestablishing degree-granting authority at the college after it was informed in 2010 by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) that its accreditation would be discontinued for financial reasons. The college is now in the final phase of the application and has asked Cady, currently a board of trustees member, to assume the position of interim president. In this role, Cady will work with board chair, Donald G. King, president of the Atlantic Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, to carry forward the mission of the institution.

Click HERE for the full biography of Duane M. Cady, M.D.

Atlantic Union Conference administration
 
Update on the Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts
Below are a few updates on the hurricane relief efforts in New York City.

1.  Nearly 2 weeks after superstorm Sandy made landfall, there are still people without heat and electricity in New York City. At 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 13, gas rationing in New Jersey is scheduled to end. However, NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg has decided to continue the gas rationing program in New York City. Cars alternate days to fill up at the gas pumps, depending on the last digit on the plate.

2.  Greater New York and Northeastern conference officers and the Adventist Community Services (ACS) leaders reported that more than 48 churches have been severely damaged by the hurricane. One of them, Solid Rock church is reported to be a total loss as a result of water damage. Adventist Risk Management is assessing the property damage and will process claims as soon as possible. The ACS departments of the conferences involved purchased generators from all over the country to help storm survivors.

3.  Donald King, Atlantic Union Conference president, expressed an urgent appeal to the North American Division at its recent year-end meeting in Silver Spring, Maryland, to help the victims of this destructive hurricane. The General Conference and the North American Division responded by making an appropriation of $200,000 and $500,000 respectively for storm relief. The Atlantic Union Conference administration made an appropriation of $30,000 and several other unions also promised to help. A North American Division Relief Committee was immediately formed to begin allocating the above funding to the affected areas in New York City and New Jersey. The Greater New York and Northeastern conferences have each already received $100,000 with the balance to be dispersed as relief plans are submitted by the conferences to the committee.

4.  More than 100 students from seven academies in the Atlantic Union participated in the I Academy Compassion and Leadership Mission and went to New York City on the weekend of November 8-11 to assist with disaster relief. Originally, the I Academy Compassion and Leadership Conference was scheduled to occur at Camp Winnekeag in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, but it was turned into a mission trip instead. The event was sponsored by the Atlantic Union Conference Adventist Youth Ministries and Office of Education and organized in collaboration with the Adventist Community Services department.

5.  About 500 volunteers from Atlantic Union churches participated in the relief effort in Far Rockaway on Sabbath, November 10.

6.  The Adventist Community Services Disaster Response department will organize another group of 100 adults from various churches in the Boston area to go to New York City on November 25 to help with the clean up effort. The Atlantic Union Conference will continue to assess and monitor the situation in New York City.

7.  A special offering was taken in most Atlantic Union Conference churches on November 10 to assist the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Sandy has left millions of people in need of food, water, personal care items, cleaning supplies, shelter, and much more. Continue to pray for those who are still suffering from this disaster. Donations are still being accepted. Make checks payable to the Atlantic Union Conference and indicate in the memo line that it is for the "ACS Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund." Mail donations to Atlantic Union Conference, P.O. Box 1189, South Lancaster, MA 01561.

Additional updates will be shared as they become available. Updates are supplied by Pierre Omeler, director of the Atlantic Union Conference Adventist Community Services Department.
Fast Facts About the North American Division
The following information was shared at the recent year-end meeting by Alex Bryant, executive secretary for the North American Division.

●  While Seventh-day Adventist membership in North America is 60 percent female, only 14 of 214 executive-level positions in conferences and unions are filled by women.

●  In the six-year period from 2006 through the end of 2011, a total of 240,891 joined the denomination in North America. However, a total of 130,929 members either died, were missing from church activities, or dropped out. For the six-year period the net membership gain was 109,962 members.

●  Every day, an average of 108 people join the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America.

●  As of June 30, there are 1,154,428 Seventh-day Adventists worshipping in 5,413 churches and 773 companies across the North American Division. 
The Edward D. Herndon Legacy Group Logo Creation Contest
Attention all former and current Northeastern Academy students! The
Edward D. Herndon Legacy Group is holding a contest for the creation
of their logo. Entries must be submitted by December 20. For more
information and submissions please contact Avery Dawson at
aldawson@northeastern.org.
November's Poll Question
November's poll question is on the Atlantic Union Web site. Take a moment to register your response to the question: "Do you use Facebook?"
      So far, 80 percent of those who have already answered November's question say that they use Facebook. Invite a friend to stop by the Atlantic Union "Home" page and answer November's poll question.  
 
Atlantic Union Conference Wednesday Morning Prayer 

Join the Atlantic Union Conference Prayer Ministries Department every Wednesday morning from 6:30-7:30 a.m. for early morning prayer. Call (712) 451-6100. Code: 3687072#.     

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In This Issue
AUC Interim President
Sandy Relief Efforts Update
Fast Facts About NAD
Logo Creation Contest
November's Poll Question
Wednesday Morning Prayer

  

 Submit your prayer request. All prayer requests will be prayed for individually.

What's Ahead

November
16: Union-wide Day of Prayer and Fasting
16-18: Grand Concourse Anniversary Celebrations
25-Dec. 1: Christian Fellowship 75th Anniversary

December
8:  Learn How to Minister Behind Bars (Worcester church)

2013 
January 31-Feb 2: NNEC Art Clinic 2013

February
17-20: NEC Departmental Convention in Albany, NY
15-17: NEC Clerks and Treasurers Workshop in Albany, NY
27-Mar 2: Atlantic Union Choir, Fitness, and Wellness Clinic

March 
16: Edward D Herndon Memorial Benefit Concert 





About Atlantic Union Conference
Founded in 1901, the Atlantic Union Conference is the headquarters for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the northeast United States and the islands of Bermuda. It serves six conferences, more than 108,268 members who worship in 567 churches and 56 groups, 63 schools, one health care facility, and numerous community-based ministries.

The Atlantic Union Gleaner FYI is a news and information bulletin produced by the Communication department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Atlantic Union Conference. You are free to reprint any portion of the bulletin without the need for special permission. However, we kindly request that you identify Atlantic Union Gleaner FYI whenever you publish these materials.

Ednor A. P. Davison, communication director/editor
Joanne Cortés, Communication Office Assistant 
Web site: www.atlantic-union.org           E-mail: communication@atlanticunion.org