What an incredible blessing it was to attend the first-ever Alberta Conference Health Leadership Training Workshop held June 26-28 at Parkview Adventist Academy in Lacombe, Alta. The theme “Transform your Community” truly conveyed the desire which health leaders are passionate about as we assembled to connect, learn, and grow. It was a fantastic opportunity to network with other health leaders from across the Alberta Conference with an emphasis on learning practical skills, focussing on community impact, and discovering holistic health. One participant remarked, “[It was] so nice to meet with ‘like-minded people,’ each with a story and the same passion for health ministry.”
Participants had the opportunity to register in one of four workshop tracks: “Hydrotherapy: Basic Remedies for Healing,” with DonnaLee Lehmann, MPH; “Community Gardens with Purpose,” with Paul Pineo; “Health Expos: From Planning to Impact,” with Dr. Darlene Blaney, PhD, NCP, CFT; and “Mastering the Plant-Based Cooking School: From Planning to Production,” with Nina Chernipeski and Sheila Beaudoin.
“I attended the hydrotherapy track and I loved the whole thing,” commented one attendee. “I especially enjoyed how the lectures were interspersed with practical, hands-on training that all of us could participate in. So well done!”
Attendees were inspired by other presenters—Jon Nichols, who guided us through an engaging lesson study on Sabbath morning; Keith Richter, who has a passion for health ministry and shared words of wisdom prior to his retirement the very next day; and Paul Lehmann, who contributed to our enjoyment through interactive movement. Another attendee said, “I really appreciated Keith Richter’s message! I learned to take the health message and ‘own it’ as a tool, and to feel good about doing God’s work!”
Participant comments truly summed up our weekend together: “I absolutely loved the games that Donalee’s husband did with us!!! That was so fun!” Another stated, “I would love to attend again and I am hoping that you will definitely hold another one!!”
None of this weekend would have been possible without the vision of Darlene Blaney, Health Ministries coordinator for both the Alberta Conference and Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada. Her commitment and dedication were clear from how smoothly the sessions flowed through the entire program in addition to delicious meals. On behalf of all the participants, I want to sincerely thank Darlene for her vision and endless service to health ministry. In Him we serve.
–Irma Gordey, Health Ministry Leader, College Heights Seventh-day Adventist Church