Thursday, June 11, 2026
What is the image of the beast and what is the act of worshiping it?
Mathew 28: 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations.....
"But what is the “image to the beast”? and how is it to be formed? The image is made by the two-horned beast, and is an image to the beast. It is also called an image of the beast. Then to learn what the image is like and how it is to be formed we must study the characteristics of the beast itself—the papacy." GC 377
"When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state and employed it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of “heresy.” In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends." GC [443]
"When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result." GC 379
SUMMARY OF THE KEY CONCEPTS BASED ON THE GREAT CONTROVERSY REFERENCE ABOVE:
1. What is the "Image to the Beast"?
· The "image to the beast" is a replica of the papal system that arose when the church of Rome used secular power to enforce its doctrines. This union of church and state led to the persecution of those labelled as heretics.
· In Protestant America, the "image" refers to a similar union where Protestant churches will influence the state to enforce religious decrees and sustain their institutions, similar to what the papacy did.
"When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state and employed it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of “heresy.” In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends." GC [443]
"When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result." GC 379
SUMMARY OF THE KEY CONCEPTS BASED ON THE GREAT CONTROVERSY REFERENCE ABOVE:
1. What is the "Image to the Beast"?
· The "image to the beast" is a replica of the papal system that arose when the church of Rome used secular power to enforce its doctrines. This union of church and state led to the persecution of those labelled as heretics.
· In Protestant America, the "image" refers to a similar union where Protestant churches will influence the state to enforce religious decrees and sustain their institutions, similar to what the papacy did.
Sabbath School Class Hosts Lavender Graduation to Honor LGBTQ+ Graduates
Jared Wright|June 10, 2026![]()
Among Adventism’s underreported stories are the accounts of communities within the denomination that value and affirm queer people—places where “safe space,” “chosen family,” “preferred pronouns,” and “LGBTQ+ affirming” are not catchphrases but meaningful realities.
On Friday evening, June 5, La Sierra University Church’s (LSUC) Kinship Sabbath School transformed Sierra Vista Chapel in Riverside, California, into one of those places for its sixth annual Lavender Graduation. The event stood out not only for its rainbow decor, but also and more significantly for its poignant celebration of seven graduating LGBTQ+ students from La Sierra University (LSU) and other Southern California schools—one of whom received recognition in absentia.
Celebrants included members of the LSUC pastoral staff, LSU faculty and administration, family and friends of the graduates, and yes, chosen family there to provide support in place of family members who could not or would not attend.
Among Adventism’s underreported stories are the accounts of communities within the denomination that value and affirm queer people—places where “safe space,” “chosen family,” “preferred pronouns,” and “LGBTQ+ affirming” are not catchphrases but meaningful realities.
On Friday evening, June 5, La Sierra University Church’s (LSUC) Kinship Sabbath School transformed Sierra Vista Chapel in Riverside, California, into one of those places for its sixth annual Lavender Graduation. The event stood out not only for its rainbow decor, but also and more significantly for its poignant celebration of seven graduating LGBTQ+ students from La Sierra University (LSU) and other Southern California schools—one of whom received recognition in absentia.
Celebrants included members of the LSUC pastoral staff, LSU faculty and administration, family and friends of the graduates, and yes, chosen family there to provide support in place of family members who could not or would not attend.
Small rainbow pride flags outside Sierra Vista Chapel marked the entrance to the Lavender Graduation. Raquel Mentor/SPECTRUM
Lavender Graduations date back to 1995 at the University of Michigan (U-M), when Ronni Sanlo—a woman from Florida who in 1979 lost custody of her children after coming out as lesbian—decided to do something about traditional graduation ceremonies’ failure to provide “safe or affirming environments for LGBTQ+ graduates, leaving some students feeling alienated on a day meant to celebrate their hard work and success.” Sanlo wanted to give U-M’s LGBTQ+ students the support she never experienced, and created the first Lavender Graduation to show “LGBTQ+ students they were seen, valued and celebrated.”
The La Sierra community held its first Lavender Graduation virtually in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when LSUC’s Kinship Sabbath school class partnered with Kinship International to honor three LGBTQ+ graduates. After going dark in 2021, the event has honored a total of 35 graduates including this year’s cohort.
Nearly a decade ago, Gabriel Uribe, a healthcare professional and former Social Work instructor at La Sierra University, and his husband Chase Uribe, a licensed clinical social worker, launched the Kinship Sabbath School, a first of its kind weekly gathering with LGBTQ+ members and allies from multiple continents. The group meets regularly on Sabbaths to study and worship. The couple has coordinated the La Sierra community Lavender Graduations since their start in 2020. For the second year in a row, Gabriel’s absence due to a deployment with the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps saw Chase host the event solo.
Lavender Graduations date back to 1995 at the University of Michigan (U-M), when Ronni Sanlo—a woman from Florida who in 1979 lost custody of her children after coming out as lesbian—decided to do something about traditional graduation ceremonies’ failure to provide “safe or affirming environments for LGBTQ+ graduates, leaving some students feeling alienated on a day meant to celebrate their hard work and success.” Sanlo wanted to give U-M’s LGBTQ+ students the support she never experienced, and created the first Lavender Graduation to show “LGBTQ+ students they were seen, valued and celebrated.”
The La Sierra community held its first Lavender Graduation virtually in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when LSUC’s Kinship Sabbath school class partnered with Kinship International to honor three LGBTQ+ graduates. After going dark in 2021, the event has honored a total of 35 graduates including this year’s cohort.
Nearly a decade ago, Gabriel Uribe, a healthcare professional and former Social Work instructor at La Sierra University, and his husband Chase Uribe, a licensed clinical social worker, launched the Kinship Sabbath School, a first of its kind weekly gathering with LGBTQ+ members and allies from multiple continents. The group meets regularly on Sabbaths to study and worship. The couple has coordinated the La Sierra community Lavender Graduations since their start in 2020. For the second year in a row, Gabriel’s absence due to a deployment with the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps saw Chase host the event solo.
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Worldliness in the Church | Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, Chapter 19
Chapter 19 - Worldliness in the Church | Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5
Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5 contains some of Ellen G. White's most solemn messages, written from 1882 to 1889. Covering the need for revival and reformation, the Three Angels' Messages, and the approaching time of trouble, it is one of her most compelling volumes.
📖 Listen to all chapters of this audiobook:
• Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5 - Ellen...
• Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5 - Ellen... Mayor Mamdani Hosts Pride Event
Mayor Mamdani Hosts Pride Event
NYC Mayor's Office
Mayor Mamdani Hosts Pride Event Surrogate's Court; New York County 31 Chambers St, New York, NY, 10007 June 9 , 2026
NYC Mayor's Office
Mayor Mamdani Hosts Pride Event Surrogate's Court; New York County 31 Chambers St, New York, NY, 10007 June 9 , 2026
NYC City Hall Turns Council Chambers Into Over-the-Top Runway for First Pride Ball
The New York City Council hosted its first-ever Pride Ball in the council chambers on June 2, transforming the space into a runway to celebrate Pride Month. Video shared by Council Member Carl Wilson showed performers dancing and walking the runway during the event, which was organized by the Council’s LGBTQIA+ Caucus.
Tuesday, June 09, 2026
The Cost of Doing Nothing: How Tim Walz and Keith Ellison Fueled Minnesota’s Fraud Explosion
NOTE:
Press Release
Published: Jun 8, 2026
Oversight Committee Releases Bombshell Report Exposing Rampant Fraud Plaguing Minnesota’s Taxpayer-Funded Social Programs
Chairman Comer urges President Trump’s Anti-Fraud Task Force to conduct a thorough review of Minnesota’s social services program
WASHINGTON—The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released a staff report today titled, “The Cost of Doing Nothing: How Tim Walz and Keith Ellison Fueled Minnesota’s Fraud Explosion.” The report exposes how senior Minnesota state officials, including Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison, were aware of widespread taxpayer fraud in federally funded social programs for years, possessed the authority to stop payments and ban fraudulent providers from participating in these programs, but repeatedly failed to act. As a result, billions of American taxpayer dollars were potentially paid to fraudulent actors. The report includes testimony and documents obtained by the Committee showing that Minnesota state leaders consistently failed to address known fraud concerns and retaliated against state employees who sought to protect taxpayer funds, allowing criminal schemes to flourish and diverting critical resources from vulnerable Americans.
“Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison are responsible for one of the most stunning oversight failures this Committee has ever examined. Today’s report is the culmination of months of investigative work and reveals hard evidence showing how the Walz Administration failed to stop widespread fraud, allowing criminals to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers. Billions of dollars were stolen because Minnesota state leaders turned a blind eye to rampant fraud and retaliated against state employees who dared to raise concerns. It is now clear the Walz Administration chose to protect the system rather than protect the taxpayer. Americans are fed up with fraud and expect action from the government entrusted with their hard-earned money. The House Oversight Committee has now passed over a dozen bills aimed at protecting taxpayer funds and strengthening oversight of federal programs ripe for fraud. This Committee will continue to work alongside President Trump’s anti-fraud task force to have the backs of hardworking Americans,” said House Committee on Oversight and Government Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.).
Karmelo Anthony found guilty of murder in Texas high school stabbing
BREAKING NEWS
Jun. 9, 2026, 3:39 PM EDTAustin Metcalf was fatally stabbed in April of 2025 during a district-wide track meet in Frisco, a Dallas suburb.
Karmelo Anthony leaves jail in April 2025. NBC Dallas-Fort Worth
By Suzanne Gamboa, Maria Guerrero, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth and Dennis Romero
McKINNEY, Texas — A Texas jury found Karmelo Anthony guilty Tuesday of the 2025 murder of Austin Metcalf, a fellow high school student at a Dallas-area track meet.
The verdict, reached in less than three hours and read by Texas District Court Judge John Roach Jr., carries with it a sentence of five years to life in prison. Anthony was 17 at the time, but Texas law allowed him to be charged as an adult. He is now 19.
Some in the courtroom reacted with cries and Metcalf’s twin brother, who made his first appearance in the courtroom, leaned forward. Anthony’s mother wept. Roach had warned people in the courtroom to control their emotions when the verdict was read. Anthony’s attorney kept an arm wrapped around him.
Metcalf, 17, was fatally stabbed on April 2, 2025, as the track teams of Anthony’s Centennial High School and Metcalf’s Memorial High School participated in a district-wide meet in Frisco, a Dallas suburb.
Anthony admitted to the stabbing, but his legal team argued he acted in self-defense after he’d sat in the bleachers under the tent of rival high school Memorial and was confronted by members of its track team and told to leave, under the pressure of physical intimidation.
By Suzanne Gamboa, Maria Guerrero, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth and Dennis Romero
McKINNEY, Texas — A Texas jury found Karmelo Anthony guilty Tuesday of the 2025 murder of Austin Metcalf, a fellow high school student at a Dallas-area track meet.
The verdict, reached in less than three hours and read by Texas District Court Judge John Roach Jr., carries with it a sentence of five years to life in prison. Anthony was 17 at the time, but Texas law allowed him to be charged as an adult. He is now 19.
Some in the courtroom reacted with cries and Metcalf’s twin brother, who made his first appearance in the courtroom, leaned forward. Anthony’s mother wept. Roach had warned people in the courtroom to control their emotions when the verdict was read. Anthony’s attorney kept an arm wrapped around him.
Metcalf, 17, was fatally stabbed on April 2, 2025, as the track teams of Anthony’s Centennial High School and Metcalf’s Memorial High School participated in a district-wide meet in Frisco, a Dallas suburb.
Anthony admitted to the stabbing, but his legal team argued he acted in self-defense after he’d sat in the bleachers under the tent of rival high school Memorial and was confronted by members of its track team and told to leave, under the pressure of physical intimidation.
A 17-year-old student fatally stabbed another 17-year-old student at a high school track meet. NBC Dallas Fort Worth
Metcalf died in his twin brother’s arms that rainy day, their father said.
Metcalf died in his twin brother’s arms that rainy day, their father said.
Southern Baptists Want to Shrink First Amendment Protections
As messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention gather in Orlando, Florida, this week, they will debate several significant issues, including an effort to further restrict women from serving in ministry or even talking publicly about Scripture. And those gathered at the annual convention of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination will also consider several resolutions through which to sound off on key issues like assisted suicide, antisemitism, and immigration. But it’s the proposed resolution on “the 250th anniversary of the United States” that caught my eye for its rhetorical sleight of hand.
At first glance, the resolution seems like a good effort to particularly highlight “the Baptist contribution to religious liberty” during this year’s Semiquincentennial celebrations. It’s much milder in its “God and country” mixing than I expected, acknowledges the nation has often been wrong (including with slavery), and insists that we should protect “religious liberty for all people.”
But there’s a sneaky way the First Amendment’s religious clauses are summarized: “which guarantees the free exercise of religion and prohibits the establishment of a state church.” While it correctly uses the Constitutional language for protecting “the free exercise” of religion, it misquotes the other clause. The First Amendment prohibits “an establishment of religion,” but the resolution instead says it stops “the establishment of a state church.” That’s not the same thing.
Faith in New Jersey
About Us
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Welcome!
Faith in New Jersey (FINJ) is a multi-faith and multi-racial network of faith leaders and faith communities working together to advance a social and economic justice agenda at the local, state and federal level. Faith in New Jersey’s mission is to develop grassroots community leaders, analyze the policies that shape our communities, and mobilize faith voices and faith voters to effectively act on the prophetic call to build the Beloved Community.
Grounded in the various faith traditions of our participating congregations, as well as Dr. john a. powell’s landmark work on race and bias, we seek to widen the circle of human concern by putting people at the center of decisions that impact their lives. We believe that all communities, even those at the margins, can and must come together and act powerfully to transform the structures that shape their lives in order to create communities that reflect the dignity inherent in all of God’s children.
FINJ has been organizing statewide (as PICO New Jersey) since 2010 and changed our name in 2015 to better reflect our goal of building a powerful faith voice in New Jersey. We are affiliated with the Faith in Action Network (Formerly known as PICO National Network), which involves 45 federations with more than 1200 congregations in 21 states across the US in faith-based community organizing initiatives to reduce racial and economic disparities – making us one of the largest community-based efforts in the country.
As the only faith-based organizing institution in the State of New Jersey, FINJ has developed a model that leverages commonalities of faith to transcend political divides and effect positive change within a political environment with stated hostilities towards progressive issues. FINJ starts by building relationships with congregations and faith communities that reflect the diversity of the state, providing faith leaders and laypeople with the training and resources to form organizing teams who can rally their communities to action. For many, this represents the first time they have heard about these issues from a faith-based perspective, which is effective in creating buy-in from communities members outside of the traditional progressive base. Unlike other organizations doing similar work, FINJ goes beyond education to effectively mobilize and organize our constituents. This model has proven its effectiveness and is currently being replicated in other states.
FINJ’s model is effective in part due to a structure that allows it to reach diverse faith communities across the state. FINJ currently has four county regional chapters; Essex, Union, Middlesex, and Camden. Each region consists of clergy of different faiths, congregation members, community leaders, students, and partnership organizations that support and complement FINJ’s work. Segmenting our work by regions enables FINJ to organize communities and collectively advance statewide legislative agendas. All regional members participate in a leadership institute training and are ready to advocate for statewide issues, as well as more localized issues in their regions, creating collective power through regional diversity.
We also have congregations that are part of FINJ in counties outside of our regional chapters, as statewide partners. They work on our statewide and/or national issues. They may also be members of thier closest regional chapter where they gain training, build power, and strategize to build their regional chapter. We believe this method of growth builds a sustainable regional and statewide movement to build the Beloved Community we believe in; one of hope, justice, opportunity, and love.
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Welcome!
Faith in New Jersey (FINJ) is a multi-faith and multi-racial network of faith leaders and faith communities working together to advance a social and economic justice agenda at the local, state and federal level. Faith in New Jersey’s mission is to develop grassroots community leaders, analyze the policies that shape our communities, and mobilize faith voices and faith voters to effectively act on the prophetic call to build the Beloved Community.
Grounded in the various faith traditions of our participating congregations, as well as Dr. john a. powell’s landmark work on race and bias, we seek to widen the circle of human concern by putting people at the center of decisions that impact their lives. We believe that all communities, even those at the margins, can and must come together and act powerfully to transform the structures that shape their lives in order to create communities that reflect the dignity inherent in all of God’s children.
FINJ has been organizing statewide (as PICO New Jersey) since 2010 and changed our name in 2015 to better reflect our goal of building a powerful faith voice in New Jersey. We are affiliated with the Faith in Action Network (Formerly known as PICO National Network), which involves 45 federations with more than 1200 congregations in 21 states across the US in faith-based community organizing initiatives to reduce racial and economic disparities – making us one of the largest community-based efforts in the country.
As the only faith-based organizing institution in the State of New Jersey, FINJ has developed a model that leverages commonalities of faith to transcend political divides and effect positive change within a political environment with stated hostilities towards progressive issues. FINJ starts by building relationships with congregations and faith communities that reflect the diversity of the state, providing faith leaders and laypeople with the training and resources to form organizing teams who can rally their communities to action. For many, this represents the first time they have heard about these issues from a faith-based perspective, which is effective in creating buy-in from communities members outside of the traditional progressive base. Unlike other organizations doing similar work, FINJ goes beyond education to effectively mobilize and organize our constituents. This model has proven its effectiveness and is currently being replicated in other states.
FINJ’s model is effective in part due to a structure that allows it to reach diverse faith communities across the state. FINJ currently has four county regional chapters; Essex, Union, Middlesex, and Camden. Each region consists of clergy of different faiths, congregation members, community leaders, students, and partnership organizations that support and complement FINJ’s work. Segmenting our work by regions enables FINJ to organize communities and collectively advance statewide legislative agendas. All regional members participate in a leadership institute training and are ready to advocate for statewide issues, as well as more localized issues in their regions, creating collective power through regional diversity.
We also have congregations that are part of FINJ in counties outside of our regional chapters, as statewide partners. They work on our statewide and/or national issues. They may also be members of thier closest regional chapter where they gain training, build power, and strategize to build their regional chapter. We believe this method of growth builds a sustainable regional and statewide movement to build the Beloved Community we believe in; one of hope, justice, opportunity, and love.
“Loving our neighbors is our resistance.”
May 7, 2026
“Loving our neighbors is our resistance.”
The following reflection is written by Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace Kathy O’Leary, who serves as coordinator of Pax Christi New Jersey. Kathy is a lead organizer of the ongoing presence of support and resistance outside Delaney Hall, the massive ICE detention center in Newark.
Some people know Delaney Hall as the immigration detention center where the mayor of New Jersey’s largest city was taken into custody by ICE. However, to the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of visitors who have spent time there over the last year, it is the place where our kidnapped neighbors and loved ones are being held.
Doremus Avenue, where Delaney Hall is located, is not an easy place to be. It is in Newark’s “chemical corridor” surrounded by industrial facilities spewing various odors and toxins. It is a four lane road heavily traveled by trucks leaving the nearby port; a freight line across the street carries garbage to a nearby incinerator. Only a few blocks away to the south is one of the largest sewage treatment plants in the country. The management of the for-profit facility, GEO Group, has provided no parking, and until about February, provided no indoor waiting area for visitors.
Over the past year we have fostered a community that includes the visitors and volunteers. We bring what we need to be able to stay outside the facility, either to wait to get in or to offer help and support to those who are waiting. In the summer we bring things like cold water in coolers filled with ice to make the heat bearable and umbrellas to block the sun. In the winter we bring hand warmers, blankets, hats and gloves and hot coffee. We always have snacks and sometimes hot food. We set up pop-up tents and tables at the edge of the driveway to hold the “compliance clothing” that we loan to people who are wearing something that does not meet the dress code. We dubbed it the “radical hospitality zone.”
At the end of January, after several snow storms and bitterly cold nights, Essex County came through with a tent made of heavy vinyl which was set up on property adjacent to Delaney Hall. Our radical hospitality zone moved into the radical hospitality tent which is where we distribute diapers, grocery store gift cards, and pantry bags and where we offer hot coffee and food.
The visitors who are touched by the care they receive will often return with food and supplies or to help translate. It is common for people who have been released to come back and visit. Volunteers who come and witness the dedication of the visitors and the warmth and energy that a friendly face provides to someone who is incarcerated will offer to visit those who have no one.
COMECE outlines a vision for Europe’s future against populism and wars
Pope Leo XIV meets with the Presidency of COMECE (@VATICAN MEDIA)
Church
Church
Speaking at a press conference at Vatican Radio headquarters, the presidency of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) reflected on their meeting with Pope Leo XIV on Thursday morning and on presenting him with a proposal for a new edition of “Rethinking Europe” for fall 2027.
By Davide Dionisi
“Today’s audience was particularly cordial, direct, and open regarding the issues discussed. The underlying note was a strong harmony between our work and what the Pope teaches and bears witness to through his magisterium, his positions, and his initiatives.”
These were the words of Bishop Mariano Crociata, the President of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), during a press conference held in Sala Marconi of the Vatican Radio headquarters following the audience that the presidency of COMECE had with Pope Leo XIV this morning.
Weakening of the EU’s mission
“The European Union,” Bishop Crociata stated, “was born as a project of peace, and peace lies at its roots and in its identity. It is therefore called to foster dialogue among countries and international institutions, while at the same time promoting multilateralism, as the Pope explicitly recalled.”
At the same time, the President of COMECE noted that the EU’s mission, in a world marked by strong polarization, “is weakened by the lack of unity, also as a result of populism.”
Promoting values
For Bishop Crociata, “the words of the Gospel and the Church’s social teaching, applied to the issues that concern us today,” remain fundamental.
This, the COMECE President insisted, is the central point, and “on this we cannot retreat out of fear, convenience, or worse, because of possible political preferences. Our task goes beyond divisions, majorities, and minorities: it is to promote values at the service of humanity and of today’s Europe.”
Bishop Crociata also emphasized that the Bishops presented to the Pope the proposal to organize, in the autumn of 2027, a new edition of “Rethinking Europe.”
Regional Conference Weighs in on Voter ID and Redistricting
May 26, 2026 NewsHound
On their Facebook page, the South Central (regional) conference posted a statement yesterday about voting rights. Here’s the statement:
Some Online Comments:
- “For all those saying this is inappropriate? Remember that this church was founded on the abolition movement, religious liberty (for all), and supporting public policies that improve the social fabric (as misguided as temperance was). The SDA movement was progressive and political”
- “As a SDA, and a person of color. I would like say this to this woke conference that no one is denying anyone to vote, especially me since I've been voting here in Georgia for many years. BTW...Showing your id to vote, is not racist. Perhaps the racists is the South Central Conference, please stop speaking for us, thank you.”
- “No one is being denied the right to vote. Redistricting needs to be done in some cases to prevent the gerrymandering that has gone on for years. The church needs to stay out of this.”
- “So what exactly is this letter saying? As far as I know, if you are a US citizen you have the right to vote. If you have to show identification to prove you are a citizen, I don't see the problem. Why would redistricting cause any issue? You still have that right. These are genuine questions, not arguments. Im not looking for opinion, I'd like facts.”
- “This is pure politics dressed in holiness robes. Gerrymandering voter districts by race is illegal! That it has been done, and a slight bit of it is now being UNdone, is not a civil rights issue to begin protesting.”
- “I wonder where the similar outrage post was when Virginia, California, New York, Massachusetts, etc. were all making similar redirecting changes. Strange how SDAs had no concern with politics then?”
- “Thank you for this statement! HOWEVER!! This is NOT the stance of “the church“ by and large ( that a party or candidate is not endorsed). We need to address that. We are here because of “the church’s“ participation in what got us here in the first place.”
- “Not like some SDA members care what is voted for. We voted on “no” women pastors but here we are.”
Monday, June 08, 2026
Street Church Speaking in Tongues outside of Delaney Hall ICE detention facility 6.7.26
----
P.S.
Louise Scott-Rountree
Councilmember At-Large, City of Newark
Sunday, June 07, 2026
Former head of Iowa school district sentenced to 2 years for falsely claiming to be a US citizen
This photo provided by WOI Local 5 News in September 2025 shows Des Moines schools Superintendent Ian Roberts. (WOI Local 5 News via AP, File)
By HANNAH FINGERHUT
Updated 3:41 PM EDT, May 29, 2026
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The former superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district who was arrested last year in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown was sentenced Friday to two years in prison.
Attorneys for Ian Roberts said they expect he will likely to be deported to his native Guyana in South America once he serves the sentence. He pleaded guilty in January to falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen and illegally possessing firearms.
Prosecutors alleged Roberts knowingly lacked employment authorization for nearly all of his two-decade career in urban education and submitted a counterfeit Social Security card when he was hired to lead the Des Moines public school district, which serves 30,000 students.
His September arrest outraged and stunned the Des Moines community as President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign was escalating in cities across the country. Roberts was subject to a final removal order issued in 2024.
Roberts, who appeared in the courtroom Friday with his wrists and feet cuffed, spoke to U.S. District Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for nearly a half hour. He pleaded for leniency as he acknowledged that his dedication to teaching thousands of children and his achievements did not “excuse my poor choice, my ethical lapse,” and he said he knew he had disappointed many people, including children.
Roberts wiped away tears as he described a letter he received from a Des Moines second grader.
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