OUR MISSION
The goal of the Family Ministries Department is to help grow and strengthen families in their relationships to God and each other.
RESILIENT FAMILIES
Resilience. It’s something needed in the time in which we’re living. Strong families. Families who worship together. Pray together.
The General Conference Family Ministries Department is offering a free resource for 2022 that’s filled with sermons, seminars, power points, children’s stories, and leadership resources which have all been created by Adventist leaders from around the world.
You can download the resource along with presentation files HERE.
It’s a great resource for creating a family-focused theme for the year.
OUR EVENTS
Growing Unshakeable Families One-day Conference
Join us for a jam-packed day of worship and breakouts designed to equip families with practical information and resources for growing strong families, staying connected, and preparing for eternity.
Sabbath, September 24, 2022
10:00 am-6:00 pm
Grace Outlet Seventh-day Adventist Church, Sinking Spring (Reading), Pa.
This event is sold out.
Our Speakers
Dr. Tom Grove will be our featured worship speaker and will also present a seminar, “Three People We Need in Our Lives.”
Dr. Tom Grove is a proud native of Pennsylvania who calls Texas home. He is serving as the Associate Director for Ministry & Evangelism for the Texas Conference. Prior to his transition to the Texas Conference office, he served as the executive pastor of the Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church in Arlington, Texas. Before coming to Texas, he spent fifteen years pastoring in the Pennsylvania Conference. He is an alumnus of Columbia Union College (now Washington Adventist University) as well as Andrews University where he received his Master of Divinity and his Doctor of Ministry. Tom is the author of the Men’s Spiritual Leadership curriculum, “Joshua’s Men: Mentoring Men for Spiritual Leadership,” which is published by AdventSource and is being used throughout the North American Division to mentor men to be leaders in their homes, communities, and churches.
He has been married to his wonderful wife Deborah, a speech-language pathologist, for twenty-five years and is the proud father of Mark and Caroline. In his time off, he loves reading, traveling, playing racquetball, and cheering for all the sports teams who call Pittsburgh home.
Pastor Scott Haakenson will present two seminars.
Child-centered Marriage vs. Marriage-centered Parenting
Join Pastor Scott Haakenson as he explores the difference between a child-centered marriage and marriage centered parenting. One small shift in our thinking as couples can make a huge difference in our marriage and our parenting.
Important Parenting Transitions You Don’t Want to Miss
Transitions. Life is about transitions. From infant to toddler to preschooler to elementary school to junior high to high school to young adult to adult to senior citizen. As parents, how we transition in our parenting as our children grow impacts how our children transition as well. Join Pastor Scott as he looks at the different transitions and equips us to recognize them and transition in our parenting in ways that will grow stronger and healthier adults.
Scott Haakenson, a graduate of Blue Mountain Academy, serves as the pastor for both the Grace Outlet Seventh-day Adventist Church, Sinking Spring, Pa., and the Kenhorst Boulevard Seventh-day Adventist Church, Reading, Pa. Before coming to Pennsylvania, he was the stewardship, development and trust services director for the Iowa-Missouri Conference. Haakenson served in various capacities for nearly twenty years in Iowa-Missouri, includingpastoring the Cedar Rapids church in Beirut, Lebanon as part of a conference-subsidized mission program; as evangelism director at Sunnydale Academy; as a pastor and Bible worker; and as director of the conference’s Magabook student literature evangelism program.
Meghan Harrom is one of our seminar presenters.
Building Community
Being a mama is the most amazing adventure. But it can also be lonely. We were never meant to be in this alone. We need friendships and connection and someone who will tell us we’re not crazy. How do we build community? Where do we find friendships in the midst of naps, story time, and juggling a myriad of things to do?
Join Meghan Harrom and explore ways to connect, find encouragement, build relationships and community.
Meghan Harrom is the director for Grace Outlet’s LookOut play center and MOPS group. A wife, mom, and friend, she enjoys building friendships and a community that brings encouragement for moms and their kiddos.
Dr. Erwin Hein is one of our seminar presenters.
Fun and Fit Families
Looking for ways to get your family moving and exercising? Join Dr. Erwin Hein to learn fun ways to exercise together as a family.
Dr. Erwin Hein is passionate about health. As a college professor, he sought to instill this passion in the lives of the students that he taught. Dr. Hein is a physical therapist with a Ph.D. in Public Health and a Master’s in Education. He loves to play sports, spend time in nature, and share good moments with loved ones. He and his wife, Nadia, live in the Hamburg area where he serves as the associate director of health ministries for Adventist WholeHealth Network.
Author Tamyra Horst is one of our seminar presenters.
Families are important to Tamyra Horst who believes the home is the most important “mission field” we each impact. She’s written the books, “Praying Like Crazy for Your Kids” and “Praying Like Crazy for Your Husband,” from her own passion and experience as a mom and wife, intentionally praying for her family. “Ratty Bathrobes, Cranky Kids, and Other Romantic Moments” was written from her commitment to making time for your relationship with your spouse. She longs to see families of all shapes and sizes–large, small, single parents, two parents, step-families, singles, children, grandchildren, grandparents raising grandkids, etc.–experience deepening relationships with each other and with God.
Tamyra is the author of ten books including “Teach Us to Pray” and “Enough: Discovering a God Who is Enough When You’re Not.” A popular speaker across North America, she serves as the communication director, women’s ministries director, and family ministries director for the Pennsylvania Conference.
Pastor Stewart Lozensky is one of our seminar presenters.
Responding to Conflict in My Home and Elsewhere!
In response to God’s love and in reliance on His grace, how can we respond to conflict accordingly? Join Pastor Stewart Lozensky and learn proven peace-making skills to help in your relationships and job.
Pastor Stewart Lozensky works with churches to help them grow and realize their full potential in impacting the world around them for Christ.
Pastor Shawn Shives is one of our seminar presenters.
Called to be a Leader
God has called men to be leaders in their homes. What does that look like today? How can men lead their homes in a way that deepens their family’s relationship with God and grow children who love God and continue to walk with Him throughout their lives? Join Pastor Shawn Shives as he explores God’s call to men and what it means to lead like Christ.
Pastor Shawn Shives currently serves as the Executive Secretary Elect for the Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Shawn has a passion for sharing biblical truth to a world in need of the hope offered only through Jesus Christ. Prior to his call to the gospel ministry, Shawn served in the United States Marines for over 21 years as an Explosive Ordinance Disposal Officer. He and his wife, Nephlen, have been married for more than forty years and have five children and thirteen grandchildren.
Educator Deb Wasmer is one of our seminar presenters.
Joy in the Journey
Joy can be elusive and powerful. Join Educator Deb Wasmer as she explores Biblical stories to find joy, peace, and strength for our everyday journey.
Deb Wasmer enjoys her journey as a wife, mother, sister, educator, and daughter of the King of the universe.
Marriage Retreat 2023
Ruber and Ketty Leal are the co-founders and director and associate director for ForeverONE. Ruber also serves as the Family Ministries Director for the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Alvarado, Texas, the associate pastor at Richardson Seventh-day Adventist Church in Richardson Texas. He has more than 25 years of ministry experience as a pastor, church planter, youth ministry, coach and evangelist.
Ruber and his wife, Ketty, created six spinner games designed to bring families together in a fun and creative way. They the proud parents of two adult children.
Mark your calendars for our next marriage retreat:
February 17-19, 2023
Gettysburg, Pa. (Tentatively)
Details will follow! Note this will be a small retreat and limited to couples within the Pennsylvania Conference.
OUR TEAM
Tamyra Horst
Women’s Ministries Director
Family Ministries Director
Families are important to Tamyra Horst who believes the home is the most important “mission field” we each impact. She’s written the books, “Praying Like Crazy for Your Kids” and “Praying Like Crazy for Your Husband,” from her own passion and experience as a mom and wife, intentionally praying for her family. “Ratty Bathrobes, Cranky Kids, and Other Romantic Moments” was written from her commitment to making time for your relationship with your spouse. She longs to see families of all shapes and sizes–large, small, single parents, two parents, step-families, singles, children, grandchildren, grandparents raising grandkids, etc.–experience deepening relationships with each other and with God.