The local church elder on the phone was a friend: “I cannot wait to get back to the church building for worship so I can talk with people face to face.” Earlier in the week I had talked to another friend, “The COVID pandemic has helped me get my Sabbaths back—instead of leading in programs, I am doing Bible studies with my family and spending time in reflection with God in nature. I’m not sure I want to be in the church building as much.” 
Another friend emailed, “I like meeting in small groups…Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ann-en/~3/gl0grqza31M/

Mary left her husband when she was 30.
She had biblical grounds for the divorce, but she didn’t say a word to anyone because she didn’t want to publicize private matters. Moreover, her former in-laws were respected members of the local Seventh-day Adventist church, which she still attended.
Church members didn’t understand why Mary’s marriage had ended, and they blamed her. Several bluntly told her that she had forfeited salvation by leaving her husband.
Mary, who had been raised in the…Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ann-en/~3/N2frucaMQWA/

Blood donations in Rio de Janeiro fell by 60 percent in April, at the beginning of the pandemic, according to the National Cancer Institute (INCA). This is the fourth year of decline in the number of donations in Brazil. In 2019, there was a 2.5% decrease in the number of blood bags collected across the country.
For this reason, the Ministry of Health launched on the 12th the campaign “Be supportive. Donate blood. Donating is an act of love ”  to reinforce the importance of maintaining blood…Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ann-en/~3/T6ysTDlBDzs/

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Fiji is celebrating a significant milestone—25 years of serving the community.
From small beginnings with just one worker, the agency has grown into a dynamic team of more than 40 dedicated individuals who are making a real difference in the lives of people around Fiji.
Over the years, the ADRA team has provided emergency response to assist communities affected by natural disasters, the most recent being Tropical Cyclone Harold. The team…Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ann-en/~3/FVKczfIjTd0/

In a special live-streamed event July 3-4, the Seventh-day Adventist Church will unveil its strategic focus for 2020-2025. Building on the Reach the World theme begun in 2015, the next five years will see a focus on mission through the Reach the World: I Will Go initiative. 
Originally set to launch at the 2020 General Conference Session in Indianapolis, plans for presenting the initiative to the World Church had to be adjusted due to the coronavirus pandemic. This will now take place in a…Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ann-en/~3/YCygviAUM40/