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The Cutting Edge – August 3, 2012
Here’s what’s happening right now in our Conference, at least what I’ve heard
about. Feel free to share this with anyone.
1. “We had a very high Sabbath at KC New Haven last week,” says Associate Pastor Luke
Self. “It was the 10 th anniversary of the move to our current facility. The Sabbath began
with Sabbath School in the gymnasium. We met there because that's where the members
met for worship while they were waiting for the sanctuary to be built. From there, we
made our way to the sanctuary for a very special service. Our singing was accompanied
by our brass ensemble, Carol Blackwell shared the history behind the move to the new
location (so many miracles!), and the former senior pastor, Jerry LaFave, brought us a
message from the Word. And if all that wasn't enough, we witnessed two of God's
children--Jason Foster and Paige Kreiter--publicly declare their desire to follow Jesus and
join His church by being baptized!” says Pastor Luke.
2. “On a hot summer Sabbath at the Lincoln New Creation Church, Malachi Behrens and I
stepped into the water to say yes to Jesus,” shares Pastor Marty Thurber. “This young
friend and I have been talking about Jesus for a couple of years now and he has been after
me to baptize him almost since we met three years ago. He loves Jesus and I was so
happy to help him on his journey with his best friend Jesus watching us and his family
from far and near joining in.”

3. “12-year-old Lauren Knoff made the decision to be baptized in spite of many obstacles,”
shares Pastor Angel Bock (College View Church). “Born with one leg shorter, many
surgeries, and a difficult home life, Lauren has a deep desire to follow God’s leading.
Such an inspiration!” says Pastor Angel.
4. “This past Sabbath three precious souls committed their lives to Christ through baptism at the KC
Maranatha Hispanic Church,” says Pastor Willie Vazquez.
5. “Our Hepler, KS Community Vacation Bible School hosted 23 happy, active boys and
girls at “The Storytelling Tree” to study parables of Jesus,” shares Carol Pearson. Our
church works together with the community from the 4 th of July parade float to the Friday
evening parents’ program. The children loved Leafy, the crazy, wacky and sometimes
confused leaf puppet that flitted around and spoke from the tree during the week of VBS.
Our mission project was to buy one goat through ADRA for a family in the Philippines.

When all the daily offerings were tallied along with the offering from parents’ night we
had money for THREE goats. We call it our miracle offering. The children loved the
water slide and the huge plastic slip and slide. Everyone got wet including staff that got
splashed and hugged by wet children,” says Carol.
6. Pastor Luke Self (KC New Haven) let me know, “On Sunday, we took a group of youth out to
play paintball. It was a great opportunity to strengthen relationships, not only with our own youth
but also with the three non-Adventist youth who joined us,” says Pastor Luke.
7. “Carlyle Thompson and Melvin McRoy have started a new outreach to our community,” shares
West Lenexa, KS pastor, Morgan Kochenower. “Carlyle picks up as much produce from the
farmers market that hasn't sold and Melvin brings in day old Panera Bread and they bring it to
the church. We then advertise free food to the community around the church. The first night was
last night and we had 10 families from the community come. This will be something we do every
Wednesday,” says Pastor Morgan.
8. Tomorrow is Pastor Jeremy Wolk’s first Sabbath with his new congregations, El Dorado, Eureka,
Fredonia, and Sedan, KS. Jeremy is a graduate of Pacific Union College and finished the

Seminary in 2008. He and his family moved from Wisconsin. We welcome the Wolk family to
our excellent team of pastors.
9. “Five members of Lincoln’s Piedmont Park Church just returned from a mission trip to Tacna,
Peru,” shares Leon Smith, one of the five. “While in Tacna, the group held evangelistic meetings
using the ShareHim DVD presentations. In addition to the evening meetings, three of the group
of five held two Week of Prayer meetings during the first week at the two largest church schools
in Tacna with 800+ students in one school and 1,000+ in the other. One of the highlights of the
Week of Prayer meetings was seeing students come forward weeping with joy as they had found
Jesus. What wonderful hugs we received! The group of five can state with conviction that the
harvest truly is great. The total harvest of all 17 sites was 1,020 baptisms! Praise God! The
Piedmont Park group’s four sites and the two schools represent 300+ of the total baptisms! All
five would say of their trip that it was one of the most incredible experiences of their lives.
Would they go again Most Definitely!” says Leon.

10. Pastor Willie Vazquez says, “My KC Maranatha, Topeka, and Olathe churches are using soccer
as one of the means to attract young people to Christ. This past Sunday was our first match.”
11. “Wichita Adventist Christian Academy (WACA) Principal Sharon Burton is helping a family get
registered for the new school year,” share Pastor Michael Campbell. “Wednesday was our
registration and then this past Sunday we had a WACA workbee. We had a great turn out of
volunteers helping to get the facility ready for another great school year,” says Pastor Michael.
12. Pastor John Abbott begins his work with the Lincoln Northside & Holland congregations
tomorrow. John is a graduate of Union College and moved from Hawaii. He, along with wife,
Maria, and children, Noah & Hannah are getting settled in Lincoln. Noah will attend College
View Academy and Hannah will be at Union College. “I'm very optimistic about the future of
this district and what God can do,” says Pastor John.

13. “Last week the Great Bend, KS Church held VBS with the theme “Walking with Jesus
through the Parables,”” shares Doris Reile-Kneller, VBS leader. “We had a nature feature
with real animals from the zoo. Crafts included making sandals. One Bible lesson and
skit included the Sower and the Seeds. We had wonderful cooperation of all the members
which helped to make this a successful VBS.”
14. "Last Sabbath Piedmont Park Women's Ministries honored seven women for their impact
in our church and our community by calling them up front, reading a short bio and giving

each of them a certificate of appreciation. The women honored were: Barb Weiss for
Missions; Charlene Hawkins for Music; Tellie Lewis for Community Service; Deanna
Allen for Arts & Crafts; Renee Schaecher for Hospitality; Mary Pukey for Serving
Seniors; Michelle Thompson for Serving Teens. It was lovely to learn more about what
some of our church members are doing to share Jesus in tangible ways with others,"
shares member Vanessa Schaecher. (Charlene Hawkins & Michelle Thompson not
pictured.)
15. More than 6,000 Adventist educators from across the North America Division will be joining
together to hear inspiring music and motivating speakers in devotional worships, general
sessions, and more than 450 breakout sessions beginning this Sunday evening in Nashville, TN.
http://2012teachersconvention.com. All 54 of our KS-NE teachers will be present for this
amazing event.
16. Here’s what some of us from the office are up to this weekend:
Don & Connie Stricker (Conference VP) are in Little Rock, AR this Sabbath on
their way to Nashville for the NAD Teachers’ Convention.
Norm Zimmerman (Trust Service Director) will be in El Dorado & Eureka, KS
tomorrow to welcome and introduce their new pastor, Jeremy Wolk.
Our Education Department, Gary Kruger, Roma Sanders, and Sherri Cash will
be heading to Nashville for the NAD Teachers’ Convention.
John & Susan Sweigart (Ministerial Director) will be in Lincoln to introduce
Pastor John Abbott and his family to their new congregations at Lincoln
Northside and Holland, NE.
I joined Sue in Kettering, OH last evening to meet my new grandson, Lincoln
David Howard (our daughter’s son). Tomorrow we will worship at the
Kettering Adventist Church. Then I get to preach on Sabbath afternoon for the
ordination service for our son, Steve, Youth Director of the Ohio Conference.
On Sunday I’ll head for Nashville for the NAD Teachers’ Convention.

**If you know of something that you think would be of interest to other Kansas-
Nebraska Adventists, please let me know. I am trying to keep everyone on the
"cutting edge" by sending this out each Friday.
Have a wonderful Sabbath!
Ron
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Ron Carlson
President
Kansas-Nebraska Conference of Seventh-day Adventists ®
3440 Urish Rd.
Topeka, KS 66614
785-478-4726
www.ks-ne.org
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