Welcome Summer Celebrations
From weddings to graduations to Father’s Day to the beginning of summer—this June is already beginning to feel different from last June! There are more in-person gatherings, in-person worship services, and restrictions lifting all over our union as more and more people are getting vaccinated and feeling a sense of normalcy returning to their lives.
And, of course, there’s the June Recorder! If you haven’t read it cover to cover yet, take a Sabbath afternoon to do so. The cover features Pastor Andrea Trusty King as she sets an example of leading in the age of COVID. Elder Brad Newton’s editorial, "The Ransom of Greatness," is a must-read as well as Part 1 of the historical piece on Merritt Gardner Kellogg by Jim Wibberding. Part 2 will be featured next month. And the news from our conferences continues to inspire me each month. The Recorder in English and Spanish is always available on our website at adventistfaith.com if you prefer to read it online.
Refugee Sabbath, June 19
Tomorrow, June 19, is Refugee Sabbath. Adventist Refugee and Immigrant Ministries invites churches across North America to remember the 68.5 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, including more than 3 million refugees who have come right here to North America.
Some religious denominations choose to focus on refugee awareness around the time of World Refugee Day, designated by the United Nations and celebrated annually on June 20. The North American Division and the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church designate a special day each year during June for Refugee Sabbath to raise awareness of the needs of the unprecedented numbers of refugees who have fled their homes due to war and persecution.
Adventist Refugee and Immigrant Ministries (ARIM) was created to inspire, coordinate, facilitate, and expand Adventist ministries to and by refugees, immigrants, and visitors to North America, especially among the least established and least reached people groups. For more information, visit the links below.
Refugee Ministries
refugeeministries.com/about
The UN Refugee Agency
unhcr.org/en-us/news/latest/2016/7/55df0e556/unhcr-viewpoint-refugee-migrant-right.html
Juneteenth
Tomorrow is Juneteenth—also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day—a holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States.
Even though the Emancipation Proclamation had been enacted by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, many enslaved persons in the Confederate states had no way of learning of this change in the laws of the United States. On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, in one of the first actions of his command, Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order Number 3, announcing that the Emancipation Proclamation was the law, and that enslaved African Americans in the Texas District were free. The day became known as Juneteenth—a second independence day! The celebration of Juneteenth has grown tremendously over the years, and is now recognized by 47 states and the District of Columbia. Juneteenth is a day to celebrate for All God’s People!
Learn More
history.com/news/what-is-juneteenth
Father's Day, June 20
This coming Sunday, June 20, is Father’s Day—a time to honor and celebrate those amazing men in our lives: our fathers, stepfathers, and grandfathers. There’s a wonderful new book from Pacific Press called Fathers: The Meaning of Being a Father in Today’s Society. It’s a collection of insights, scientific findings, and powerful stories about the meaning of being a father. See the links below to learn more. And a very happy Father’s Day to all the dads!
Adventist Book Center
adventistbookcenter.com/fathers-the-meaning-of-being-a-father-in-today-s-society.html
Father's Day Video
youtube.com/watch?v=U5lXqSn9FOc&feature=youtu.be
A Word from President Ricardo Graham
From Dads to Grads—graduations in our union from kindergarten through college have taken place in recent weeks. We close today’s episode with a very special graduation message from the president of the Pacific Union Conference, Elder Ricardo Graham. Click the link below to watch Elder Graham's message on Vimeo.
Watch on Vimeo
vimeo.com/563909145
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"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
– Deuteronomy 31:6
