Over the last five years, AdventHealth in the Mid-America Union continued to move the needle on its mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ. Through growth of the organization’s presence in the region, expanding its services for the community, building partnerships with hospitals around the world and across the street, AdventHealth is committed to giving all people the opportunity and support to feel whole.  A nationwide network  In 2023, AdventHealth renamed its five hospitals in the Rocky Mountain Region: Avista Adventist Hospital, Castle Rock Adventist Hospital, Littleton Adventist Hospital, Parker Adventist Hospital and Porter Adventist Hospital, as it assumed direct management of these owned facilities that were for many years been managed through a partnership with CommonSpirit Health called Centura Health.  The AdventHealth hospitals were rebranded as AdventHealth Avista, AdventHealth Castle Rock, AdventHealth Littleton, AdventHealth Parker and AdventHealth Porter. In addition, the related care sites and physician practices were also renamed to reflect AdventHealth’s national brand and the brand promise it is known fo—to help people feel whole.  The change in name and brand was welcomed with excitement and celebration by both leaders and team members of AdventHealth in the region. Welcoming the five hospitals back into the AdventHealth family created the opportunity for communities in the local Rocky Mountain Region to experience the nationwide network of AdventHealth. Growing to meet community needs in Mid-America    AdventHealth in the Mid-America region expanded in presence over the last five years to continue increasing access to whole-person care to more communities.  In the Kansas City metro area, AdventHealth Shawnee Mission expanded by opening a new cancer center and the AdventHealth Fertility Center Shawnee Mission in 2026. The fertility center is the only one within the AdventHealth system that provides in-vitro fertilization services and offers comprehensive fertility support to families in the Kansas City area and beyond including advanced diagnostic assessments, personalized fertility treatment plans and supportive care to meet the unique needs of each patient.  A new facility, AdventHealth Lenexa City Center, was opened in July 2025 spanning 25 acres and becoming the first inpatient hospital in Lenexa. At the time of opening, it was the  only inpatient hospital in Lenexa. The opening of the facility meant the community would now have access to a wide array of services including surgery, cardiology, orthopedics, a 24/7 emergency room and more. In addition to these essential services, AdventHealth Lenexa City Center offers a patient-focused approach, reflecting the system’s commitment to blending advanced medical technology with compassionate, whole-person care.  AdventHealth South Overland Park expanded its birth center in 2024, doubling its size to better serve the growing needs of the community. The expanded facility now features 15 modern birth suites designed to allow mothers to labor, deliver, rest and recover in one comfortable room. This expansion also includes the addition of six experienced OB/GYNs, bringing the total to 14, two minimal intervention birth suites, and introduces highly trained lactation consultant services to support breastfeeding and lactation needs.  At the same facility, expansions for the ICU and PCU (Progressive Care Unit) were completed in 2025 allowing for expanded capacity to serve patient needs and accommodate future growth. And in 2026, the facility opened the Infusion Clinic, providing patients in Johnson County with another convenient option for outpatient infusion therapy close to home.   At AdventHealth Ottawa, the Family Birth Place was reopened in 2025 after a three-year closure, bringing about the much-anticipated return of labor and delivery services to Franklin County and surrounding cities.  Since then, expecting families have been able to welcome their babies closer to home under the watchful care of Bridget Abney, MD, OB/GYN, Raven Weiss, MD, Family Medicine/Obstetrics, Haley Lowell, MD, Family Medicine/Obstetrics and a dedicated Family Birth Place staff.   AdventHealth Ottawa is proud to have brought back labor and delivery services to Franklin County and surrounding counties in a time when maternity deserts across the United States are on the rise in rural communities.  Providing whole-person care closer to home in Colorado  In Colorado, the AdventHealth Heart and Vascular Institute in Littleton was opened in 2025, providing a full spectrum of services in one place for the community, including minimally invasive electrophysiology procedures, open heart surgery, cardiac catheterization, intensive care and more. The institute is a direct response to sobering heart health statistics: more than 8,000 Coloradans die each year due to heart disease, ranking it as a leading cause of death. Research shows cardiac hospitalizations are projected to increase in the community by 22% by 2034. Opening this institute brings care closer to home for the people in the south Denver community who would previously need to travel 30 minutes or more for care.  At AdventHealth Avista, a food pantry was opened in 2025 on the first floor of the hospital to address food insecurity—a key priority identified in its Community Health Needs Assessment. The initiative ensures easy access for both patients and team members, reinforcing the hospital’s commitment to whole-person care and its mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ.   AdventHealth Castle Rock made history in 2025 by becoming the first hospital in the Rocky Mountain Region to implement hellocare Smart Room Technology, marking a milestone in hospital innovation.  This technology transforms the traditional hospital room with electronic door signs, digital whiteboards, and advanced video capabilities. These enhancements streamline communication, reduce disruptions, and help care teams focus on what matters most: supporting the well-being of patients and their families.  The same facility also expanded its services for the community, opening a cancer care center and breaking ground on a new ER and urgent care center in Crystal Valley. These expanded services are designed to meet the area’s increasing demand for accessible emergency and primary care services.  Beyond medical care, AdventHealth Castle Rock also opened the Pittman Pathway Wellness Trail in 2025 to help team members, patients and the community feel whole.  Located on a 10-acre site in the southeast corner of the hospital campus on Limelight Avenue, this publicly accessible quarter-mile trail includes several pieces of outdoor workout equipment, an incline and useful health tips along the path.  The primary goal of the trail is to embody AdventHealth’s C.R.E.A.T.I.O.N. life principles (Choice, Rest, Environment, Activity, Trust in God, Interpersonal Relationships, Outlook, Nutrition), serving as a resource for those seeking healthier, more fulfilling lives based Read more…

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If teenage Susan J. Bysong’s youth made her an unexpected outlier for the lone first Seventh-day Adventist in Colorado Territory, the second Seventh-day Adventist to arrive in Colorado Territory was also an outlier for her advanced age. Amy E. Dartt was 66 years old and in poor health when she arrived in 1871. Amy Elizabeth Sanford was born on January 11, 1805, in Prospect, Connecticut. Her parents, Jared Sanford (1780-1845) and Abigail Wooster (1780-1845) were members of the Congregational Church. Jared was a shoemaker by trade. Amy was the eldest of their seven children. The senior Sanfords remained in Connecticut until they moved to Byron, Illinois, later in their lives when several of their children moved west in the 1840s. Why and how Amy came to live in Pennsylvania is unknown. The Dartt family (originally spelled Darte) into which she married had early ties to Connecticut, but her first husband was born in Castleton, Vermont. His family moved from Vermont to New York, and finally Tioga County, Pennsylvania, where his grandfather founded the Dartt Settlement in Charleston Township, near Wellsboro. Amy married Spencer Dartt (1808-1833) in 1830. They had one daughter, Martha Ann (1831-1881). After Spenser’s death, Amy married Spenser’s first cousin, Josiah Dartt (1818-1881) in 1841. He was thirteen years younger than Amy, yet she gave birth to two more children—Mary Emma (1842- ) and Sarah Elizabeth (1844-1939)—at the advanced ages of 37 and 39. Amy and Josiah Dartt left Pennsylvania around 1844. Records differ as to whether their youngest daughter was born in Pennsylvania or Byron, Illinois, where members of Amy’s family had migrated. By 1850 the Dartts were living in Baraboo, Sauk County, Wisconsin. Meeting Seventh-day AdventistsAmy later wrote that she had been aware of the Millerite Movement in 1844, but she had not understood what it was all about (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald). In 1851, Hiram S. Case of Jackson, Michigan, visited southern Wisconsin and began making converts that included J. H. Waggoner, an editor of the Sauk County Standard newspaper in Baraboo. In 1852, Waggoner reported to the Review that Waterman Phelps and Hiram S. Case had visited Baraboo, bringing encouragement to their small group, some hearing the Adventist message for the first time (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald). Amy Dartt was probably one of the individuals in this group. She started subscribing to the Review 1853. In our day of online church services and instant communication, it is difficult for most of us to conceive of how isolated early Adventists were. Waggoner soon moved away from Baraboo, and for some time after 1852, apparently there were very few other Adventist, if any, in the area. This left Amy and her two younger daughters feeling isolated from other Adventists. Amy enjoyed correspondence with the Review: I have seated myself to enjoy for a few moments the great privilege conferred upon us, of speaking often one to another through the Review, and indeed it is the only medium of communication that I enjoy with sabbath-keepers at present, for I have not seen one for the last six months excepting my two young daughters. But notwithstanding my lonely situation, I am not in the least discouraged, but am daily looking forward with joyful anticipation to ‘—that blest home, Where none shall sigh with pain, Where hours of parting never come, Nor human frailties stain.’ (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald) Apparently, Josiah did not join his wife in her newfound beliefs, nor did her eldest daughter Martha Ann, who was a student at Oberlin College in 1851-1852. Aloneness was a constant refrain in Amy’s letters to the Review. In 1858 Amy had not heard an Adventist preacher speak in three years (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald). Though she was spiritually lonely, she was not physically lonely. In 1854, Martha Ann married James Maxwell, an older man with six children. They had another daughter, Mabel, together in 1857. When the Maxwells headed to the Colorado gold fields in 1860, they left Mabel with her grandparents. Then, Amy grew seriously ill. Her daughter, Mary Emma, wrote: My mother Mrs. Amy Dartt has been sick for the past four weeks and now lies at the point of death.  We think she is beyond human aid; but we know God is able to save her, and we wish to ask for the prayers of the church in her behalf. We do not feel as if we could give her up, as we three, mother, a younger sister, and myself, are all the Sabbath-keepers in this place, and we know of no one we could call upon to comfort us, and pray with us for her recovery. She feels that the prayers of the church may prevail in her behalf, as they have done in many instances, and she yet be spared to her family and the church of God. Oh pray for her! We do not yet feel strong enough to do without her counsel and advice. Pray that with her returning health, (if God in his mercy should see fit to spare her,) we may all have more grace given us to take a firmer stand for God and the truth. (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald) A few weeks later, Amy herself wrote a follow up letter, praising God for her healing. She admitted that this was not the first time that she had been healed in response to prayer. It seems that her health issues were an ongoing concern (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald). Move to Colorado In 1871 the Dartts moved first to Central City and then to Boulder, Colorado. Their motivation for the relocation is not clear. Perhaps they desired to be closer to their children who had settled in the territory. Josiah had been a surveyor and civil engineer in Wisconsin. He continued this work in Colorado until his death in 1881 in Boulder. Meanwhile, Amy remained committed to her faith. In 1872, her first letter to the Review sent from Colorado (probably Central City) <a class="cat-post-excerpt-more" href="https://www.outlookmag.org/younger-sisters-and-older-women-part-ii-amy-elizabeth-sanford-dartt/" title="Continue reading Younger Sisters and Older Women Part II: Amy Elizabeth Sanford Dartt Amy E. Dartt was 66 years old and in poor health when she arrived in Colorado Territory in 1871, but that did not stop her from sharing her faith.“>Read more…

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On Sept. 13, 2026, delegates to the Mid-America Union Conference constituency session voted 85% in favor for Hubert J. Morel Jr. to serve as president of the union for the coming five years. Dr. Hubert J. Morel, Jr. begins his new role as president of the Mid-America Union Conference with a clear conviction: the position belongs to God, not to him. After serving the past six years as the union’s vice president for administration and executive secretary, Morel brings decades of pastoral, departmental and administrative experience to the presidency. But as he takes on the responsibility of leading the Mid-America Union, he says his first priority is seeking God’s direction. “As I take the helm of the Mid-America Union Conference, I want to first of all look to God each day and seek His counsel and direction,” Morel said. He wants to help the union’s conferences support local churches as they lift up Jesus and prepare people for Christ’s return. He also hopes to encourage the Mid-America Union office staff in their own spiritual and professional growth. “I would love for each person in the office to be the best they can be, so that we can serve the field with joy in our hearts,” he said. Morel’s approach to leadership is shaped by a lesson he has carried through many years of ministry: leadership positions are temporary opportunities to serve. “The one lesson I will carry with me in this new role is to constantly remind myself that the position does not belong to me,” he said. “It is God who placed me here. Therefore, the position belongs to Him.” A friend once encouraged Morel to “wear the position like a loose garment”—not becoming too attached to a title or position because it ultimately belongs to God. That perspective comes from a ministry journey that has included both pastoral and administrative leadership. Morel pastored for about 20 years before becoming church ministries director for the Southeastern Conference in 2000. His responsibilities included personal ministries, Sabbath school, Adventist Community Services, disaster response, children’s ministries, prison ministries, disability ministries, adult ministries and inner-city ministries. In 2004, Morel was elected executive secretary of the Southeastern Conference. Four years later, he became conference president, serving for eight years–the maximum time allowed there. He then returned to pastoral ministry for four years before accepting the call in November 2020 to serve as vice president for administration and executive secretary of the Mid-America Union. Looking back over those different assignments, Morel believes God has used each one to prepare him for his new responsibility. “Having served the church in these various capacities, I believe that God has uniquely prepared me for this position as president of the Mid-America Union Conference,” he said. One passage continues to guide him: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5–6. Its call to trust in the Lord rather than rely on his own understanding helps Morel stay grounded and focused on the work God has called him to do. For Morel, that dependence on God is especially important as he begins leading the union. His desire is not simply to carry out the duties of president, but to help conferences and churches keep their attention on Jesus. About Hubert J. Morel Jr. Dr. Morel holds degrees from Oakwood University, Andrews University and Trinity Theological Seminary. His ministry experience includes pastoral ministry and service as a conference church ministries director, executive secretary and president. Most recently, he served as Mid-America Union vice president for administration. He and his wife, Raquel, have been married for 41 years. They have two adult sons and one granddaughter.

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On Sept. 13, 2026, delegates to the Mid-America Union Conference constituency session voted 89% in favor of  Craig Carr to serve as vice president of administration for the union for the coming five years. Dr. Craig Carr steps into his new role as vice president for administration of the Mid-America Union Conference with experience that spans business, human resources, healthcare, pastoral ministry and church administration. For Carr, those different chapters are connected by a belief that God has been preparing him throughout his life for opportunities to serve. “I believe God is always preparing us for His will and plan for our lives,” Carr said. Carr earned a degree in business administration from Union Adventist University and worked in human resource management and healthcare administration before entering pastoral ministry. He began church ministry as an associate and youth pastor and later served as a district pastor and lead pastor. After 15 years in pastoral ministry, his calling shifted toward ministerial and administrative work. Along the way, he completed a Master of Divinity from Andrews University and, 12 years later, a Doctor of Ministry from Denver Seminary. Carr believes that wide range of experiences will be important in his new role. But he also recognizes that experience by itself is not enough. Serving as vice president for administration, he said, requires “a prayerful dependence on Jesus for wisdom to meet the growing complexities of life and ministry in 2026.” Carr hopes to use his role to encourage and support the union office team as well as conferences, pastors and teachers as they carry out their own callings. His years in ministry and administration have also taught him not to rush when facing difficult problems. Whether dealing with an organizational crisis or a situation involving an individual, Carr said it is important to remember that “where we find ourselves today did not likely happen overnight” and that quick fixes are often not the answer. Instead, he tries to understand the systems, processes, relationships and perspectives that helped create a situation. That means looking beyond assumptions and recognizing that people may have made difficult decisions based on what they knew at the time. “There’s always a story half-written,” Carr said. For him, good decision-making requires taking time to understand that story and prayerfully seeking a way forward. Two Bible passages help shape that approach to life and leadership. Gal. 2:20 has been Carr’s favorite verse for many years. Its message that “Christ lives in me” reminds him that his identity is found in Jesus. He sees everyday life as an opportunity to experience Christ living through him while remembering that his value comes from the One who loves him and gave His life for him. Carr, a runner, also connects deeply with the words of Heb. 12:1–2 and its call to “run with endurance the race that is set before us.” He sees the “great cloud of witnesses” described in the passage as a reminder of the mentors, leaders and people of faith who have gone before. Their examples can provide encouragement, but the focus must remain on Jesus. The passage also reminds Carr of the discipline required to remove things that hinder growth and effectiveness and to keep moving forward even when circumstances are difficult. About Craig Carr Craig Carr holds degrees from Union Adventist University, Andrews University and Denver Seminary. His 29 years of ministry include pastoral, ministerial and administrative leadership. Most recently, he served as Mid-America Union ministerial and evangelism director. He and his wife, Carisa, have been married for 30 years and have two adult children.

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