The Society of Adventist Communicators (SAC) celebrated excellence in various communication related fields during its annual awards banquet, recognizing Adventist communicators and students from across the North America Division. Several individuals from the Mid-America Union Conference territory were honored for their significant contributions to communication ministry. Mid-America Union Honorees Jodi Dossenko, communication director for the Dakota Conference, received first place in the Professional Campaign Design category. This marks the first time a local conference in the Mid-America Union has won first place in this category. Her recognized work, Dakota Adventist Academy Today: A Comprehensive Picture, was created to help delegates clearly understand the academy’s situation ahead of a major vote. As a one-person communication department, Dossenko collaborated closely with conference leadership managing design, messaging, and strategy across print and digital platforms. “It was an honor to have Dakota Adventist Academy Today: A Comprehensive Picture recognized at SAC,” Dossenko said. “This project was created to give delegates a clear and thorough understanding of the academy’s situation ahead of a difficult vote, and our team worked through many revisions to handle it carefully. I’m grateful for leadership that allowed the time to do the work thoughtfully and in a way that honored our mission.” Campaign entries were evaluated on clarity, strategy, resource management, and creative direction. Savannah Carlson, communication and human resources director for the Minnesota Conference, earned an honorable mention for Long-form Feature Writing. Long-form submissions must be between 501 and 2,500 words and are judged on clarity, organization, reader engagement, relevance, and originality. Carlson serves as a single-person communication office supporting multiple ministries and departments across Minnesota, and her article highlighted Maplewood Academy during a challenging season. “Submitting work for review is always nerve-wracking, especially when the topic is as complex and close to the heart as our Maplewood Academy story,” Carlson said. “I’m both humbled and pleasantly surprised that our piece received an honorable mention — a small affirmation that honesty and hope can coexist, even in difficult seasons.” She also celebrated Dossenko’s award, noting that her thoughtful work encourages transparent communication and trust in God’s leading. Union Adventist University student Seth Coe also earned an honorable mention in Long-form Feature Writing, representing the next generation of communicators who are preparing to contribute to the church and community through media and ministry-focused storytelling. Strengthening Communication Across the Territory Mid-America Union communication director Hugh Davis expressed gratitude for the recognition given to communicators in the territory. “It is good to see the work recognized, because communication ministries work so hard throughout the year and then move quickly to the next project,” Davis said. “When done well, communication can have a significant impact, especially on projects like the Dakota campaign that helped constituents make a tough decision.” He added that recognition encourages communicators who often work with limited staff resources. “The award helps create value and appreciation for the dedicated work that was done by the individuals from our territory who were honored,” he shared. Davis also emphasized that attendance at SAC is made possible through strong partnership across the territory. “We are grateful for the support of our local conference administrations and university leadership,” he said. “They make it possible for their communicators and students to attend, and we gladly come alongside them with additional support. Mid-America Union proudly invests in professional growth, and when we work together, we strengthen communication across our territory. This partnership helps our communicators continue developing their skills and connecting with peers who share this ministry calling.” About SAC and the Awards SAC supports Christian communicators through training, networking, and spiritual encouragement. Its mission is to nurture the professional growth of communicators in a spiritual and social environment, and its vision is to strengthen a global network of leaders committed to communication excellence. The organization values communication as a holy calling, integrity, collaboration, diversity, and respect across all media roles and platforms. Through events like this awards program, SAC continues to inspire communicators, from students to single-person conference offices, to use their gifts to advance mission-driven communication and share messages of faith and hope. The next SAC convention will take place October 15–17, 2026, in Orlando, Florida. Those interested in attending or learning more about the convention and awards can visit:https://www.adventistcommunicator.com/ or subscribe to the newsletter here.  

“A Word Called Favor” — Pastor Gregory Fontus, Sr. Pastor Gregory Fontus, senior pastor of Beacon Light Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kansas City, Missouri, described his ordination in a single word: favor. “When I reflect on my journey toward ordination, the one word that comes to mind is favor,” Fontus said. “Over the past four years, I have seen the unmistakable hand of God moving in my life, in my family, and in my church.” When he first arrived in the Central States Conference in June 2021, Fontus recalled coming with his wife and their nine-month-old daughter. Today, that daughter is about to turn five, and the family has grown to include a three-year-old son. “God has not only expanded our family,” he shared, “but He has faithfully guided us every step of the way—growing us spiritually, emotionally, and in our understanding of what it means to serve Him.” At Beacon Light Church, Fontus has also seen God’s favor in tangible ways. Under his leadership, the congregation has renovated 75% of its building debt-free, increased youth and young adult engagement, strengthened community outreach, and witnessed more than 40 baptisms and professions of faith. “There is a renewed energy and excitement among our members,” he said. “It is nothing more than a testament to the favor that only God could have orchestrated.” Fontus described ordination as the church’s public recognition of a call that God had already placed on his life. As a second-career pastor, with more than a decade of experience in higher education and the corporate world before ministry, answering God’s call required a leap of faith. “God has led me every step of the way,” Fontus said. “Ordination serves as a confirmation that He has indeed called, equipped, and been with me in this season.” Looking ahead, Fontus said the moment grounds him more deeply in God’s grace and renews his commitment to serve with integrity. “I don’t take this mantle lightly because I carry it with gratitude, humility, and a renewed commitment to do all that God has called me to do,” he said. “I’m looking forward to what God will do for me and through me.” “Saying Yes Again” — Pastor Elijah Johnson For Pastor Elijah Johnson, known to many as “Pastor EJ,” ordination was more than a ceremonial milestone. He called it a holy “yes” that has echoed through the years of his walk with God. “On August 2, 2025, I stepped into a sacred milestone—ordination into gospel ministry,” he said. “Yet, more than a ceremony, it felt like a holy ‘yes’ echoing through the years.” Johnson’s ministry began with music. As a student at Oakwood University, he believed the only way God could use him was through song. Worship leading, he thought, was his highest calling. But God had other plans. “He revealed there was more He had ordained me to be,” Johnson reflected. “That was the moment I accepted the call to pastoral ministry.” Since then, Johnson has embraced preaching, evangelism, Bible study leadership, and even creative tools such as graphic design to reach people for Christ. Quoting Jeremiah 1:5, Johnson said he came to understand that God’s call on his life was established long before he was born: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I consecrated you.” His journey also included God’s provision in his personal life. In 2019, while hosting Bible studies, Johnson met his future wife, Chevelle. They married in 2020 and now serve together as a ministry team in Iowa, leading the Philadelphia SDA Church in Des Moines and New Life Christian Ministry in Waterloo. When the day of ordination arrived, Johnson admitted he thought of the times he wanted to run from the call. Yet he testified that God’s grace sustained him through doubt and fear. “Standing alongside my brother Greg Fontus in ordination, I realized the moment was more than recognition of ministry,” he said. “It was a testimony of grace—the grace that called, carried, and continues to mold us.” For Johnson, ordination was also a chance to recommit: “So I say: This is what grace looks like. And with a grateful heart, I say ‘yes’ again to the next season God has already prepared.” A Testimony of Grace Through their words, both Fontus and Johnson pointed not to themselves but to God’s favor and grace as the foundation of their ministry. View images from their ordination service here.

Versacare Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of a new grant initiative supporting journalism within the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. The Journalism for Adventist Solutions (JAS) grant aims to promote ethical reporting and diverse storytelling by encouraging integrity, creativity, and journalistic excellence through targeted grant funding.  Versacare Foundation president Thomas K. Macomber says of this grant: “We are pleased to launch the new Journalism for Adventist Solutions grant to empower thoughtful, principled journalism within the Adventist community. Our intent is that this initiative will inspire, enhance and encourage ethical journalism within the denomination.”  The Versacare Foundation JAS fund operates under the guidance of a designated committee chaired by Jim Walters and vice chaired by Charles Sandefur. Other committee members include Ezrica Bennett, Garrett Caldwell, Alva James-Johnson and Ray Tetz. JAS committee chair Walters explains: “This initiative aims to foster responsible, solutions-oriented church journalism, luring the hundreds of church communicators from mere best practices to advanced practices.”  Timeline  The JAS application is scheduled to launch January 1, 2026, with submissions open year-round, and funds awarded annually each July and January.   Eligibility  Qualified 501(c)(3) organizations headquartered in North America in the following categories: Seventh-day Adventist publications, Seventh-day Adventist universities and academies, independent organizations supporting or reporting on issues affecting the Seventh-day Adventist church.  Grant Range  Grants will be awarded in the range of $5,000 – $15,000.  Use of Funds  JAS grants will fund educational coursework, competitive journalistic story grants, workshops, collaborative projects, and assessment.   Reporting  A report on use of funds will be required within a reasonable time after the grant award. Applications open January 1, 2026.  About Versacare Foundation  Versacare Foundation is an independent private foundation which funds grants for programs and projects that are consistent with its mission and with the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. A self-funded lay organization, it is comprised of both lay Adventists and present and former Adventist Church employees. Since 1990 it has awarded 2,471 grants totaling over $39,000,000.   For More Information  Program Director: Kelly Jackson Daugherty, 951.343.5800, kelly@versacare.org  President/CEO: Thomas K. Macomber, 602.421.6589, tkmacomber@versacare.org  Journalism for Adventist Solutions Committee Chair: Jim Walters, 909.518.8879, jwalters@llu.edu  Versacare Foundation, 25745 Barton Rd, Suite 515, Loma Linda, CA 92354   951.343.5800 • www.versacare.org 

Many readers are familiar with Guide, the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s weekly magazine for ages 10-14—and sometimes older! Always in search of true stories, Guide has created a way to help students hone their writing skills. The free online Young Writers Course reveals crucial writing elements that engage today’s younger readers.  Check out a sample of the Young Writers Online Course at GuideMagazine.org/youngwriters.  Appropriate for middle school through high school levels (and some beginning college levels) the course is based on the book How to Write True Character-Building Stories for Kids by Guide editor Randy Fishell. The course includes simple quizzes, with a more comprehensive test available for download. Writers whose stories are accepted for publication in Guide will be paid. Stories not accepted may still be submitted for possible online publication. There is also a very active young writers online community at the Guide website. Look for the complete course on the home page at GuideMagazine.org. (You’ll need to create an account.) If you have any questions, please contact Guide at guide.magazine@pacificpress.com.   See a Guide sample issue HERE.