The Editorial
Profound thanks to the members of the Magazine Committee, for the effort extended in making our inaugural digital magazine a reality. Please enjoy reading these articles and viewing the pictures.
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has heralded many challenges mingled with opportunities. Some of these opportunities, born out of necessities, such as the maintenance of contact with our church members while observing the designated protocols, has led to the resuscitation of our newsletter. So, we went digital. This first filled a gap created by the absence of our weekly church bulletin.
)More recently, the suggestion of a monthly digital magazine emerged. This is aimed at a more relaxed mood with news, articles, puzzles and a wide cross-section of content, for the entire church.
The name – MARANATHA ANDREWS: This magazine provides the medium to highlight the work of various departments of the church. In short, it is a magazine for the church by the church. And what is the Church but a body of believers; persons aspiring for a greater spiritual attainment and a more enriching experience with the Creator. So, our objective is to attend to the whole man. This magazine, Maranatha Andrews, is designed to do these and more.
Health and Wellness: We commence our monthly Magazine with the focus on Health and Wellness. And what is the relevance of the theme to a spiritual experience? 3 John 1:2 (KJV) points out the desire of the Apostle John for the early church that “Beloved, I wish above all things that, thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” The NIV version of the bible expresses this desire for a “Dear friend” – individual and personal. No wonder it continues, not by just expressing a wish, but even more so, a prayer that your entire being will do well. This is our desire for you, and you, and you!
It is no secret that the Seventh-Day Adventist Church has always regarded our Health Message as the right arm of the Gospel message. A knowledge of our heritage is loaded with examples of the efforts of our church to increase the health of our members. This is evident in the operation of many hospitals, including the local Andrews Memorial Hospital, to which this church was once annexed.
The Psalmist pointed out that human beings are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps.139:14). In Exodus 15:26, the Lord admonishes the Israelites to listen to His voice in order to avoid becoming inflicted with as many diseases, as the Egyptians. This is more than a spiritual directive; more so a medical one, where lifestyle is seen as being akin to health status. Over the past few years, health has become a fad; a good fad. Let us make it into a positive lifestyle change. After all, we are what we eat. Hippocrates, the founder of Western medicine stated, “let your food, be your medicine”.
The Secretary General of the United Nations, in a briefing to its member states on March 27, 2020; encourages us to maintain wellness, rest and mental health, to fortify our bodies against COVID-19. This edition of our magazine highlights the achievement of one of our nearby hospitals, AdventHealth Ocala, in Orlando, Florida; in obtaining near perfect results of an experimental treatment of COVID-19. We also highlight assistance to another faith group in tackling the pandemic. It also explores lupus, breast health and several health and wellness related aspects. For many of us, the mood created by the present pandemic has thrust us into a pensive state; embracing things spiritual, delving into the Word and assessing our soul’s salvation as we reach out for a closer and richer relationship with God. Many have provided a prophetic tone to the occurrences and see the world coming to an end. As children of the King, we take comfort in the scriptures and the protection that our Lord has afforded us. And we know that He is coming soon. So, we say, “Maranatha Andrews!”