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Kids & Family

Smyrna Worshippers Rededicate Emory Adventist Hospital

Casey Leno, Emory Adventist Hospital chaplain: "You are the community. You are our hospital."

More than 250 members of the Smyrna-Vinings faith community joined hands to pray Friday afternoon at ’s rededication ceremony. The circle of worshippers held hands in a chain that wrapped around Cobb County’s only faith-based hospital. Observers of all denominations and their pastors turned out despite the chilly weather to recommit the hospital to its mission.

“We rededicate this hospital every year to our mission, which is to extend the healing ministry of Christ,” said Casey Leno, Emory-Adventist Hospital’s chaplain. “Now this year we really want to make a point from here on out to really connect to our community a little bit better. So what we’re doing is we’re reaching out to you guys. Clearly that’s why you’re here. You are the community. You are our hospital.”

Leno went on to say that while there are many hospitals in Cobb County, Emory-Adventist Hospital is the only one that strives to care for its patients’ bodies and souls.

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“We see you come through our doors every single day and we’re touched by you and hopefully you’re touched by us,” he said. “We want to be a facility that when you come through our doors as a patient you feel better, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. That’s what sets us apart.”

After a brief introduction from Leno, Darlene Kimbell of sang "Go Light Your World," a song that asks believers to share their faith with the world. The worshippers then joined hands around the hospital and were led in prayer by pastors from 20 Cobb County churches.

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Pastors from Smyrna churches included Steve Kimmel, ; Jamie Auton, ; Joey Hatchell, ; Jenny Anderson, ; Hector Guzman, ; Mike Parker, ; Jackie Sanders, ; Lee Delbridge, ; Shell Osbon, Life Church Smyrna Assembly of God; Jeff Buchanan, ; and Mateus Nanbu, Brazilian SDA Church; Jim Kuczynski, ; Barbara Hatchell, ; Moses Edwards, Shilo SDA Church; and Ronald Hopkins, . Teronda P. Hamilton from The Cathedral of Turner Chapel, Bill Levin from Marietta SDA Church; Rick Esterline, Atlanta North SDA Church; Matt Tinkham and Peter Kulakov, Lakeview-Hiram SDA Church also attended the ceremony.

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