ISSN 0819-5633

November 18, 2006

In this issueChristians fl ee Iraq in wake of war

Students empty closets for charity

When God does something new

SA schools celebrate 100 years

AMN provides Pacifi c Focus

WAHROONGA, NEW SOUTH WALES

A new resource, Pacifi c Focus, has been launched by the Adventist Media Network (AMN). True to its name, it will focus on church news

from around the South Pacifi c.“Pacifi c Focus is the result of our vision

to connect, resource and inspire church members in the South Pacifi c,” says Dr Allen Steele, CEO of AMN. “We hope to create a sense of community and belong-ing within the wider church with this production.”

A collection of short fi ve-minute video clips, Pacifi c Focus showcases the stories and activities of church members.

From stories about the fi rst missionary pilot to Papua New Guinea to testimonies, interviews and a vegetarian cooking seg-ment, viewers can choose to watch it in the comfort of their own home either on DVD or on Hope TV, download it from the church’s members site, <spd.adventist.org.au>, or show it at church at an appro-priate opportunity, such as part of or before or after worship services.

Pacifi c Focus is the fi rst of several new projects by the entity formed to fully har-ness the communication and media poten-tial of the Adventist Church, particularly in

(Continued on page 5)

Dr Allen Steele, CEO of the Adventist Media Network, watches the new

Pacifi c Focus DVD, which replaces the quarterly Adventist News.

45 cover.indd 145 cover.indd 1 1/11/06 11:50:01 AM1/11/06 11:50:01 AM

2 November 18, 2006

editorial

If I were to ask about the “sins of Sodom,” chances are there would be those who would almost automatically launch into an almost perversely vivid

description of various sexual and other de-pravity. After all, that’s where the term “sod-omy” is derived and “Sodom and Gomor-rah” have become bywords for a plethora of lascivious and decadent behaviour.

Interestingly though, that’s not the an-swer the Bible gives: “Sodom’s sins were pride, laziness, and gluttony, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door” (Ezekiel 16:49, NLT). Contrasting with our assumption of sexual outrage, Ezekiel’s focus is on economic injustice.

And it’s not something confi ned to Ezek-iel. From Amos’ description of the rich women of Samaria as “fat cows” (Amos 4:1) to Mary’s song describing how God has “sent the rich away with empty hands” (Luke 1:53) to the “anti-Beatitudes” Luke records, which contrast the blessing of the poor with “woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort” (Luke 6:24, NIV), to Paul’s repeated condemna-tion of the greedy (see, for example, Eph-esians 5:5; Colossians 3:5; Titus 1:7), it seems the Bible has something against the rich and their/our accumulation of wealth.

Perhaps this biblical concern has its high point in Jesus’ parable of the rich fool (see Luke 12:13-21). This story “gives no in-dication that the greed being condemned involves anything other than the accumula-tion of wealth by legitimate means” (Brian

Rosner, Beyond Greed). But through this parable Jesus leads into a description of a life lived with a different set of priorities (see Luke 12:22-34). Jesus is criticising an approach to life that is “measured by how much we own” (Luke 12:15, NLT).

In Seven Types of Ambiguity, Australian writer Elliot Perlman describes this all-pervading measure of life: “The relentless pursuit of the bottom line is the siren song of the times and the song is played over the public-address systems in banks, in stores and supermarkets. . . . It has never been so loud. It’s never been so ubiquitous. It has never before so routinely, so blatantly, oust-ed and nullifi ed citizenship and notions of the common good. . . . It has never before so successfully colonised men’s souls.”

The economic mythology criticised by both Jesus and Perlman is the supposed “trickle-down” effect of prosperity. While economic prosperity can bring some benefi ts to all, generally only a small portion “trick-les down” to the people who most need it. This is compounded when the economic growth is driven by exploitation in its vari-ous forms—people, labour, the environment and other resources. So a small portion of the gains are “generously” made available to alleviate the suffering from which those gains were derived. It is a downward spi-ral with a veneer of economic growth and upward mobility.

And if the prosperity is derived from un-sustainable development in whatever form, the prosperity will only ever be an illusion

bought at someone else’s expense, whether it be at the expense of the working poor, those marginalised by society, developing countries or future generations.

Clearly this is not the way of God: “Econ-omies built on destruction and exhaustion must be replaced with economies that model hospitality and care. We need to see that our economic lives give the most honest portrayal of how we understand salvation” (Norman Wirzba, The Paradise of God).

The connection of economics and our appreciation of salvation is one usually only employed in announcing the offering at church, but it isn’t limited to that small part of our income. It’s about all our lives, how we arrange all our fi nances, our priori-ties in our work, our families and our faith. Jesus said, “A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relation-ship with God” (Luke 12:21, NLT). One evidence of that “rich relationship” is our focus on material resources and what we do with the resources we are given.

In the midst of our market-driven, con-sumer-focused and advertising-saturated culture, the economics of the Bible call for a radical reordering of our priorities. As Will O’Brien has put it, “When we truly discover love, capitalism will not be pos-sible and Marxism will not be necessary” (quoted by Shane Claiborne, The Irresist-ible Revolution).

Nathan Brown

The sins of Sodom

Jesus leads into a description of a life lived with a diff erent set of priorities.

Offi cial Paper of the South Pacifi c Division Seventh-day Adventist ChurchABN 59 093 117 689www.adventist.org.au

Vol 111 No 45Cover: Melody Tan

Editor Nathan BrownSenior assistant editor David EdgrenEditorial assistant Adele NashEditorial assistant Scott WegenerCopyeditor Graeme BrownEditorial secretary Meryl McDonald-GoughLayout Nathan CheeSenior consulting editor Barry Oliver

www.record.net.au

Mail: Signs Publishing Company 3485 Warburton HighwayWarburton, Vic 3799, Australia

Phone: (03) 5966 9111 Fax: (03) 5966 9019Email Letters: editor@signspublishing.com.auEmail Newsfront: record@signspublishing.com.auEmail Noticeboard: editorsec@signspublishing.com.auSubscriptions: South Pacifi c Division mailed within Australia and to New Zealand, $A43.80 $NZ73.00. Other prices on application. Printed weekly.

45 Editorial.indd Sec1:245 Editorial.indd Sec1:2 1/11/06 11:50:41 AM1/11/06 11:50:41 AM

November 18, 2006 3

news

PORT MORESBY, PAPUA NEW

GUINEA

The Women’s Ministries Department of the Central Papua Mission and local churches used the Child Abuse and Violence to Women Awareness

Week of August 20 to 26 to raise awareness about these problems in society.

Jeanette Egu, women’s ministries direc-tor for the Central Papua Mission, organ-ised a committee of 11 people to arrange presentations aimed at helping to tackle these problems. United Nations statistics state that 67 per cent of women in Papua New Guinea suffer abuse of some kind.

Women in Port Moresby churches ran a three-night seminar about child abuse and domestic violence early in the week, which was designed as an in-reach to local churches.

Mrs Egu says, “The women’s ministries department in each church worked really well with the pastors and other depart-mental leaders and ran a very successful in-reach and outreach program on abuse and violence. Professional speakers, including those from government departments, were invited by churches to give talks against

abuse and violence—it was eye-opening for many who attended the program.”

The programs were advertised on local television on the EM TV Toksave program in Tok Pisin, as well as on radio stations. “We also issued a press release on the sub-ject for radio stations so everybody around Central Province heard our message,” says Mrs Egu.

Following the seminars, the churches in and around Port Moresby organised a procession of fl oats around the city. The procession started late in the morning and ended at the Sir John Guise Stadium for the conclusion of the program.

“The purpose was to raise public aware-ness about child abuse and violence to women,” Mrs Egu says. “Each church or-ganised one or more fl oats, with women and young people putting on displays and acting out dramas that spoke against abuse and violence. Women and young people used megaphones to speak to the public about these problems as the trucks took them along the streets.”

Four government speakers spoke to the people who congregated at the stadium, including Ume Wainetti, the executive offi cer of the consultation, implementing

and monitoring committee for the Abuse and Violence Offi ce, and Dame Carol Kidu from the Offi ce of the Ministry of Com-munity Development.

The other speakers were from the Women Policing and Welfare for Chil-dren Departments of Community Development.

“They gave us good talks and the pro-gram was very encouraging,” adds Mrs Egu. “Dame Kidu pointed out that the government could not stop the abuse and violence problem. Governments and mem-bers of the public need to work together to fi ght abuse and violence in the country. Together we have to break the silence. We must put a stop to abuse and violence against our children and women.”

Mrs Egu believes the week’s programs were successful, saying, “We got the mes-sage out to the public that abusing our children and causing violence to women are against God’s intention. God intended us to be happy and enjoy the life He has given, and we have the right and freedom to live happily and safely, just as any other human being, rather than live a miserable life caused by the evil or thoughtless people of this world.”—Adele Nash/Jeanette Egu

Women’s ministries condemns domestic violence in PNG

Weet-Bix’s website support-

ing the Socceroos at the recent

FIFA World Cup in Germany has

been archived by the National

Library of Australia as a publica-

tion of lasting cultural value. The

National Library of Australia will

add the website to a comprehen-

sive collection of Australian publi-

cations to ensure that Australians

have access to their documentary

◆

heritage now and in the future.

The library has traditionally col-

lected items in print but in this

modern era is also committed

to preserving electronic publica-

tions.—Jaemes Tipple

ADRA–PNG staff put into prac-

tice its philosophy and beliefs in

September when two raskols

held an ADRA driver at gun-

point in the offi ce car park with

a handmade gun (pictured) and

◆

stole the ADRA four-wheel drive.

Even though the vehicle was

returned, the raskols were beaten

badly by the police. In a country

where the usual way to repay a

bad deed is by payback, ADRA

staff decided to forgive and visit

the two raskols. A rehabilitation

program was arranged for them,

food provided and painkillers

and medical supplies were also

given to treat them for their inju-

ries sustained at the police sta-

tion.—Tok Save

Luke Thomas, a Year 5 student

at Prescott Primary Southern,

◆

SA, achieved the highest mark

in his year level for the state of

South Australia in the English

International Competition and

Assessment for Schools. Ms Gay

Thompson, local Member of Par-

liament, attended assembly to

present Luke with his award.—

Mitsy Bullas

SIGNS MAGAZINE IS NOW PODCASTING @ WWW.SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU/PODCAST

45 news.indd 345 news.indd 3 1/11/06 11:53:01 AM1/11/06 11:53:01 AM

4 November 18, 2006

news

ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

In 1906, Adventist believers in Ad-elaide opened their fi rst school in South Australia with 15 students, and Nellie Mountain as the teacher

at Prospect,” says Marion Shields, di-rector of Adventist education for the South Australian Conference.

One hundred years later, on Sep-tember 30 and October 1, Prescott Primary Southern, Prescott Primary Northern and Prescott College, to-gether with hundreds of parents and alumni from across Australia, cele-brated a centenary of South Austral-ian Adventist education.

At the worship service, attendees were encouraged by addresses from the South Australian Minister for Education, the Honourable Dr Jane Lomax-Smith, and the national director of Adventist Schools Australia, Dr John Hammond.

Mrs Shields says, “School captains from all three schools honoured the alumni and schools of the past, while musicians and singers enhanced the congregational praise throughout the program. In a fi tting cli-max the three school choirs united on stage at the end, with a hymn of commitment, joined by the audience.

“On the Saturday evening, an excellent

concert displayed the talents of past teach-ers and students from the different decades as well as current alumni.”

The weekend concluded with a fair at Prescott College and tours of the current facility.

The Prescott school system fi rst began with one classroom, which was attached to the rear of the Prospect Adventist church.

In 1936 the school was transferred to its present location in Koonga Avenue, Prospect, with the primary school levels dividing into new schools in 1952.—Adele

Nash/Marion Shields

SA schools celebrate 100 years

Prescott students from the 1920s and 1930s:

(back, L-R) Bruce Durrant, Noel Duff y, Ruth

Maywald, Loyd Schrader, John Wilkinson,

Front, L-R: Rhonda Good, Loloma

Pepper and Delmai Streeter.

Students empty closets for charityCOORANBONG, NEW SOUTH WALES

More than 3000 articles of clothing were donated to a local women and children’s refuge on Septem-ber 4 following a clothing drive

at Avondale School. After an intensive campaign throughout the K-12 school, stuents proudly handed over piles of win-ter clothing.

“We believe it is important for children to be involved in helping others,” says the event organiser and assistant head of pri-mary, Ruth Webster. “Each year we engage in a service project, rotating between sup-porting a national project, a local project and a church project. This year we sup-ported a local project. We were not re-ally surprised at the level of participation. Enthusiastic teachers lead to enthusiastic students.”—Braden Blyde

Avondale School students with

bags of donated clothes.

Each Christmas Signs of the Times

extracts an appropriate feature

from its December issue for reprint-

ing as a brochure for distribution

at your church’s Christmas event

or for letterboxing in the area

around your church. This year Signs

has produced “Christmas at our

place,” an interesting story by Pas-

tor Harold Harker. These must be

ordered in time for printing, mail-

ing and distribution, so a prompt

reply is needed. Speak to your per-

sonal ministries leader if interested

or contact Signs by November 23.

Orders will be dispatched in the

fi rst week of December. A sample

◆ has been sent to your church pas-

tor or personal ministries leader

with the November 11 RECORD

for preview. Inquiries, contact Les-

ley (03) 5966 9111 or email <les-

ley.wood@signspublishing.com.

au>—Lee Dunstan

Gympie church’s, Qld, personal

ministries team ran a stall earlier in

the year at the local show. Being

allocated a prime position in the

main pavilion, and with adequate

willing helpers, items covering

many areas of the church’s out-

reach were handed out, includ-

ing seven sets of the 5-Day Stop-

◆

Smoking Clinic DVDs, ADRA news, a

response to the movie The Da Vinci

Code, more than 100 vegetarian

cookbooks, 32 copies of The Ten

Commandments Twice Removed

and “Try Jesus” cards. Colouring-in

sheets were off ered for the children

and a TV constantly ran 3ABN pro-

grams.—Ruth Rickets

The Adventist Develop-

ment and Relief Agency (ADRA)

◆

received the prestigious Sitara-i-

Eisaar Award on September 21,

from the president of Pakistan for

its work in providing emergency

relief in response to the South

Asia earthquake of 2005. Pakistan

created the Sitara-i-Eisaar (Star of

Sacrifice) to recognise humani-

tarian aid organisations, commu-

nity groups and individuals that

provided emergency relief and

rehabilitation work in the wake of

the 2005 disaster. President Gen-

eral Pervez Musharraf presented

the Sitara-i-Eisaar to ADRA–Inter-

national during a ceremony held

at the Pakistan Embassy in Wash-

DAYS AND OFFERINGS: ◆ DECEMBER 9—MISSIONS EXTENSION OFFERING

45 news.indd 445 news.indd 4 1/11/06 11:53:03 AM1/11/06 11:53:03 AM

November 18, 2006 5

news

PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

A new counselling and media-tion centre located in Perth can now be accessed by West-ern Australian Adventist

families. Danny Bell, the centre’s manager,

says, “The most important thing we want people to know is there is now a counselling service specifi c to the beliefs and culture of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to go to.

“Going to secular or other Chris-tian counsellors may expose members to unsympathetic and even prejudicial out-comes over sensitive issues about our faith and practice. Sometimes Adventist family disputes involve our unique belief system and way of life and cannot be given the sympathy deserved in secular counselling settings.”

Australian Family Court legislation re-quires that the disputing parties fi rst ne-gotiate their dispute out of court with a mediation service provider. Mr Bell says, “This gives us a tremendous opportunity to work with families and rescue the situ-ation instead of heading for the graveyard

of failed marriages.”The All Families Meditation and Coun-

selling Centre is also being used as the base for a new church-plant group currently meeting once a month.

Mr Bell says, “One of the spin-offs we hope to accomplish through this associa-tion is to feed people who access our service into the group’s various outreach activities currently operating in the area. People are already requesting information and access to some of our clubs, meetings and Quit program.”—RECORD staff /Danny Bell

More @ www.allfamilies.com.au

Adventist counselling centre opens in WA

One of the counselling rooms in the All Families

Meditation and Counselling Centre in Perth.

AMN provides Pacifi c Focus(Continued from page 1)

the South Pacifi c region. AMN is the result of a merger of the Ad-

ventist Media Centre, the Communication and Public Relations Department of the SPD and Signs Publishing Company.

A major Web development that will see better integration with conference and union websites, a research of public opinion on their awareness and understanding of the Adventist Church and improved ways of promoting the church and its products to the public are some of the upcoming projects for AMN.

Pacifi c Focus is available on DVD as a 30-minute television program, and 10 epi-sodes will be produced annually. Individual clips will be available for download on the church’s members site, <spd.adventist.org.au>, soon. A free copy of the DVD is avail-able with this week’s RECORD.

Pacifi c Focus replaces the quarterly Ad-ventist News, which ran from 2002 to 2005 and was produced by the SPD Communi-cation and Public Relations Department.—Melody Tan

Contact the Adventist Media Network on

<info@adventistmedia.com.au> or +61 2

9847 2222 if you have stories about your

church or for a VHS copy of Pacifi c Focus.

ington, DC, USA. “It was truly an

honour to be recognised in such

a way by the nation of Pakistan,”

says president of ADRA–Interna-

tional Charles Sandefur. “ADRA–

International is also pleased to

accept this award on behalf of

the many donor offi ces and pri-

vate donors who contributed to

ADRA’s response.” One year after

the earthquake, ADRA continues to

aid survivors.—Nadia McGill

During a sermon series on

Adventist heritage, Chris Oberg,

senior pastor of Calimesa church,

California, USA, held up a can of

◆

Nuteena and said, “You might be

an Adventist if, when you heard

Loma Linda Foods was going to

discontinue the production of

Nuteena, you ran out and hoarded

two cases.” When church members

asked if they could buy the can

later, Pastor Oberg joked, “We bet-

ter put this on eBay and raise a little

money for our Christmas mission

project.” Within a few weeks the

Nuteena was available for bidding

and within a few days the highest

bid came in at $US540—for one

can of Nuteena! But another church

member purchased a second can

for $US1000. Pastor Oberg says,

“This began as a fun

and light-hearted way

of talking about some-

thing uniquely Advent-

ist—I was joking about

placing the product on

eBay.”—Don Roth

The Biblical Archaeological and

Anthropology Museum, behind

the Ridgecrest Adventist School,

California, USA, is now open to the

public from 2 pm to 5 pm on Sab-

bath afternoons. The museum is

overseen by the church minister,

Pastor John Aitken, who is also

an archaeologist, and consists of

◆

artefacts he has collected over the

course of 40 years. The collection

includes a mummy replication, a

wall of time and a replica of the

ark of the covenant, a replication

of bones from a baby tyrannosau-

rus. The museum was originally

created for the Adventist school,

which has archeological classes.—

Victor Garcia

STRETCH YOUR HEART AND ATTITUDE @ WWW.ADVENTISTVOLUNTEERS.ORG

45 news.indd 545 news.indd 5 1/11/06 11:53:04 AM1/11/06 11:53:04 AM

6 November 18, 2006

news

Ke

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utt

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Co

e

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

Civil unrest in Iraq—home to the cities of Nineveh, ancient Babylon, Ur of the Chaldees and even the biblical Garden of Eden—is taking

a toll on the already small Christian com-munity. Many who can leave the country, including Seventh-day Adventist Chris-tians, are continuing to do so in the face of daily terrorism.

“Yes, some are still leaving [Iraq] from our church,” said Pastor Basim Fargo, pres-ident of the Iraq Field. “Of course, those who are leaving are [educated], well-to-do; those who are staying are poor people who cannot afford to leave.”

Pastor Fargo said there are now approxi-mately 75 Seventh-day Adventist church members in Iraq, down from around 150 before the 2003 invasion and subsequent domestic disturbances.

He spoke by phone with Adventist News Network in the wake of an October 17 New York Times report documenting a general departure of Christians from Iraq.

According to that report, the total number of Christians in Iraq is unclear: a 1987 census—the last conducted—listed 1.4 million Christians; today, estimates range between 600,000 and 800,000.

Whatever the number, Iraq’s Christians are feel-ing uncertainty in the wake of the war and from external factors, such as the recent con-troversial remarks of the Roman Catholic pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI, about Islam.

“The declaration of the pope has caused a bit of opposition and an unhappy situation [for Christians] with the peo-ple in the country,” Pastor Fargo said.

“This ignited a fi re in the country. Most people go by tradition [in their religion]. When things like this happen, it affects them very badly,” he added, speaking of Muslim believers.

“Such effects roll over to the Christian community,” he said.

“Some people can stand it, some cannot, so they have to leave the country looking for their safety.

“The situation that is in the country will not allow us to practise our services freely. It is not safe to go [out] from home,” he said. “We are meeting every Sabbath, but

it is very diffi cult. We expect an explosion any time during the day.”

Pastor Fargo said Iraqis hope for better times ahead.

“We hope that in the near future, things will be better; at least what we hear from the news, we expect that in the coming months things are going to improve. But no-one knows except God,” he said.

In a comment addressed to Advent-ists worldwide, he said, “We ask that you keep us in your prayers, [fellow] believers around the world.”—Mark Kellner/ANN

Christians fl ee Iraq in war’s wake

Pastor Basim Fargo, president of the Iraq Field, asks

that people pray for Christians in Iraq, many of whom

fear for their safety if they remain in the country.

Some 58 riders and support

staff pulled into St Luke’s Anglican

church, Miranda, NSW, on October

14, ending a 4100-kilometre Bike

for Bibles ride. The Perth–Sydney

ride raised more than $A120,000

for an HIV/AIDS project in Kenya

and Uganda. Bike for Bibles was

started in 1984 as a fundraiser for

Bible distribution around the world

and has now spread to more than

25 countries. In Australia, more

◆

than $A10m has been raised for

Bible literacy projects and more

than 760,000 kilometres ridden by

more than 30,000 riders.—Bible

Society NSW

More @ www.bikeforbibles.org

Elders of Henderson Hills Baptist

church, Oklahoma, USA, recently

decided against proceeding with

a church-wide vote on a proposal

to remove baptism as a require-

ment for church membership. Four

Henderson Hills elders discussed

the issue with a “recognised Bap-

tist theologian and author” for

19 hours at his home, beginning

◆

at 9 am and concluding at 4 am

the next day. “Sentiments among

members ranged from very sup-

portive to very much against the

proposal,” says Henderson Hill’s

minister, Dr Dennis Newkirk. “Our

concern is for Christians in two cat-

egories: those who physically can-

not experience immersion due to a

disability and those who are under

the mistaken conviction that sprin-

kling is baptism.”—BPNews

Twentieth Century Fox has

launched a movie distribution label

targeting the Christian community,

with the goal of releasing at least

◆

six “faith-based” and “inspiration”

theatrical fi lms a year. The label,

“FoxFaith,” will house both DVD

and theatrical faith-based fi lms that

have a clear Christian message or

are based on material by Christian

authors. FoxFaith also will mar-

ket the movies to churches and

ministry organisations. One Night

With the King, a $US20 million fi lm

on the book of Esther launched in

October, played at more than 1000

theatres across the USA.—Baptist

Press/Jason Anthony

More @ www.foxfaith.com

IS YOUR CHURCH DOING SOMETHING EXCITING, INNOVATIVE OR INSPIRING? EMAIL RECORD@SIGNSPUBLISHING.COM.AU

45 news.indd 645 news.indd 6 1/11/06 11:53:05 AM1/11/06 11:53:05 AM

November 18, 2006 7

news

New VC appointed for PAUPORT MORESBY, PAPUA NEW

GUINEA

A senior lecturer in the School of Theology has been ap-

pointed as the new vice-chancellor of Pa-cifi c Adventist Uni-versity (PAU). Dr Branmir Schubert, 45, originally from Croatia, is a natural-ised citizen of Aus-tralia. He is married with two sons. His wife, Daniela, is also a lecturer in the School of Theology at PAU.

Dr Schubert will take over from Dr Ne-mani Tausere, who has served as vice-chan-cellor for fi ve years and requested a return to Fiji at the end of year.

Prior to coming to PAU, Dr Schubert was principal at Pakistan Adventist Seminary. He has also served as a church pastor of two churches in Melbourne, Australia. He holds a Master of Teaching Ministry and Theology. He has a PhD in Administrative Leadership and a wealth of experience in various capacities.

His appointment was made by the South-Pacifi c Division’s Executive Committee. When accepting the appointment he said, “I feel very humbled. To be selected for such a role brings feelings of excitement and joy, but this is heavily tempered with feelings of total dependency on God and His grace.

“The job is too big for one person. So, if we all work as a team, having God as our leader, we will make the difference that will contribute to the development of God’s work here in Papua New Guinea as well as the Pacifi c region. “

In a letter of appreciation to the PAU community he said, “PAU is a special uni-versity—God is the leader and we all follow Him in various capacities. My dream is to see PAU grow, not so much numerically, but in quality and infl uence. PAU can be the best privately owned university in the country.”—Edna Worri

ANGWIN, CALIFORNIA, USA

RECORD readers who gifted money in the mid-to-late 1990s in order for an all-weather-surface road to be

laid on Pitcairn Island will be cheered to know the diffi cult and complex construction project is now com-plete,” says Dr Herb Ford, director of the Pitcairn Island Study Center, based at Pacifi c Union College, California.

Thousands of people from the South Pacifi c Division and through-out the world donated funds to complete the new concrete road, replacing Pitcairn Island’s former roads, which were often muddy and landslide prone.

Dr Ford adds, “Hundreds of Adventist schoolchildren gave funds through their schools, and a number of world notables, including the late King Hussein of Jordan, gave funds to the project. Governmental and bureaucratic red tape delayed the start of construction for years, but work fi nally began in mid-2005 and was completed in mid-2006. The new road up Pitcairn’s steep ‘Hill of Diffi culty,’ leading from the island’s boat landing at Bounty Bay up to the little village of Adamstown, has fi nally been fi nished.”

Pitcairn Island, one of the world’s most

remote islands, was a base for sending Ad-ventist missionaries to other Pacifi c-island countries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

“From a population high of some 230 inhabitants in the 1930s, Pitcairn’s popu-lation has dwindled to about 50 persons today. From a once near 100 per cent of its inhabitants being Adventists in earlier years, the number today has fallen to below a dozen, though an Adventist pastor min-isters on the island, and upwards of half of the population often attends Sabbath serv-ices,” says Dr Ford.

The Pitcairn Island Study Center houses the world’s largest collection of information and artefacts about various elements of “The Bounty Saga.”—RECORD staff /Herb Ford

More @ www.pitcairnstudycenter.org

Pitcairn road completed

WARBURTON, VICTORIA

Two new Christian books, published by Strand Publishing, have been re-leased featuring writers for Signs of the Times magazine.

Australian Stories to Inspire the Heart and Australian Stories for Teens are part of the “Australian Stories” series, which aim to encourage and inspire readers with often-hu-morous real-life stories by Christian authors.

Both books contain

more than 40 sto-ries, covering topics like grace, love and overcoming fear.

Signs writers Linzi Aitkin, Braden Blyde, Kellie Han-cock, Grenville Kent, Nathan Brown, Alan Holman and Robert Wolfgramm contrib-uted stories to the collections.

A number of well-known Australian Christian personalities also contributed to the books, including Kel Richards, Dar-lene Zchech, Tim Costello and Geoff Bul-lock.—Adele Nash

Two new books feature Signs writers

Australian Stories to

Inspire the Heart.

Australian Stories

for Teens.

The Adventist church on Pitcairn Island.

Dr Branmir Schubert,

the new vice-

chancellor for PAU.

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8 November 18, 2006

perspective

God seems to love to surprise the human beings He has made—to shake them from their lethargy, to save them from mediocrity, to put a

new spring in their step, to hurry forward the work of His kingdom. So almost as far back as recorded human history reaches, God has been at work in the world, always doing something new.

Imagine an old man and an old woman—striking fi gures, impressive, powerful lead-ers, but way past child-bearing. And God, needing both, takes this man Abraham and this woman Sarah, and from their digni-fi ed, but ageing fl esh, He fashions a baby and launches a family and a nation.

But He isn’t done yet, even though the plan looks as if it is derailed. The fam-ily—the big family now—is saved from starvation in Egypt, but then becomes marooned in Egypt, and fi nally enslaved in Egypt.

But God is not overwhelmed. He simply does something new. He sets a bush on fi re that never burns up. Successful with bushes, He decides to do it with humans. He sets Moses on fi re and he never burns up either.

Moses puts a path through the sea, wrings water from a rock in the desert, drops su-pernatural food into hungry mouths. God is doing something new.

But there’s more. In even the darkest of days, when this big family–nation that He loves is down and out—slaves again, in Babylon and then Persia—He’ll try something new. Witness a courageous girl locked in a deep hole of prejudice. Esther: marginalised because she’s Jewish; mar-ginalised because she’s a woman—and what can a woman do anyway? There’s no doubt about what a woman can do by the end of this story.

God is talking to Himself: “I love these humans so passionately but there are things they don’t realise. They don’t really under-stand that I want the whole human race reached with My love. They are trapped in a groove of ethnic prejudice with Israel at class one, and all the rest at class two, so how can I reach My world? How can I grow My kingdom?”

They are locked into other kinds of prejudice too. A fi rst-century Jewish prayer illustrates the problem. With deepest sin-

cerity and piety a fi rst-century Jewish man could pray this prayer: “Thank You, God, that I was not born a Gentile; thank You, God, that I was not born a slave; thank You, God, that I was not born a woman.”

So God initiates the most incredible new thing of all. “I’ll need a woman,” He says, “so I’ll select one—a teenager. She won’t let Me down. Teenagers don’t let you down when you trust them and empower them and believe in them. She’ll have the energy, the resilience and the raw courage—and how she will need them all.”

And God leaps down from high heaven. He takes on fl esh. He nestles in the womb of that teenage woman. He comes to the people He loves. The One who made them and fashioned them, the One who longs to be with them, does the most spectacular new thing in all of human history. He takes on human form. He takes our pains, our joys, our sorrows, even our sin and rebel-lion, and makes them His own.

He does this because He has a vision of a new humanity: a new community of people overwhelmed by His grace, a new community bathed in forgiveness. He sees

When God does something newBY LYELL HEISE

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November 18, 2006 9

perspectivea new community capable of reaching into every seemingly God-forsaken and deso-late corner of this planet with good news. A new community where artifi cial barriers and walls of distinction are gone. A new community lives out the breathtaking de-scription of itself we read from Paul: “For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptised into Christ have clothed your-self with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26-28, NRSV).

So God launched this new community. His sons and daughters did—and still do—prophesy (see Acts 2:17) and the walls started to come down (see Eph-esians 2:14).

And then God asked Himself, “How will I nurture this new community? This community is My chosen way of reach-ing to the ends of the earth. I could write in the sky spectacular things to tell the world I love it and want it back. But My best way of telling them is through this new community, this body I will call the church. So how will I nurture the church, how will I empower it to do business for Me? I’m not sure that I want to carry on with the old way. I nurtured My people Israel through a line of hereditary male priests. Some of them made Me proud, but some of them made Me cringe.

“So let’s do something new,” says God. “Instead of focusing most leadership gifts on the hereditary line of male inheritance, let’s gift every member of this new com-munity. Let’s fl ood it with the power and energy of the Spirit, and let’s tell everyone, ‘You are absolutely crucial to the mission of this new community, the community called the Christian church. If the church and the world misses out on your gifts, your uniqueness, your energy, your pas-sion, then the church and the world will be forever impoverished. Because it needs you, Jesus needs you.’”

God listed the gifts He was pouring out: teaching, healing, encouraging, evangelis-ing, giving, hospitality. And then if people were still locked into the old hereditary way of thinking, He said it another way. Through Peter He exclaimed, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you

may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9, NIV).

“If you want to think ‘priest,’ that’s OK. But just know,” says God, “that every last member of My new community is a priest.”

He goes on. “Now I need a way to en-courage and nurture all My gifted people. I need them to know that they are supported, that they are not alone. I need them to fl y, and I need them to be encouraged as they learn to fl y.”

So God poured out into His church one gift along with all the others that was re-ally the gift of coaching and nurture. He

called it pastoring. This gift often works best when people express it in a full-time way. It’s no more important than all the others, and it certainly does not make the people who have this gift more holy or more valuable to God. Never. But when people with this gift are willing and able to put their time into using it, then God smiles and says, “Watch My community grow now. Watch the people learn to fl y. See the dark corners of the planet lightened. See My kingdom advancing.”

And in the new community God has established through Jesus, there are no restrictions on who may receive the gift of being pastor, coach, nurturer. The big-gest threat to the new community was that people were tempted to think that the old barriers were still there—barriers of race, social standing and even of gender.

But God would have none of that. He was doing something new. His servant Paul almost weeps with passion as he shouts across the miles to his new friends in Gala-tia, “You are one in Christ Jesus.”

God did something new when He called a tiny group of Christians 160 years ago to put their energies into advancing His king-dom. He was desperate for the world to be reminded there was a better day coming, that His kingdom would triumph, that Jesus would return. So He poured out those gifts again—the same ones with which He started the kingdom journey 2000 years ear-lier. The gifts went to everyone, and they were diverse gifts. God saw no difference between men and women, young and old, Anglo-Saxon or African as He lovingly poured out His gifts.

And God is still doing new things today. When we recognise and affi rm the gifts,

abilities and passion of a new minister, we are recognising that God still uses people in special and new ways.

What we are doing is reminding everyone in the congregation how valuable this person is to God. We are also reminding ourselves that He has gifted us all and that there is no fi rst and second class in the new commu-nity He is building. We are celebrat-ing and acknowledging the fact that another of God’s gifted ones is willing to put full time and full energy into his or her particular task, which is to be coach, nurturer and encourager of all of God’s gifted people.In recognising these gifts of ministry, we

are saying no to status and privilege. We are saying no to a view of ministry that puts power and authority above service and nurture. We are saying no to gender exclu-siveness that would deny more than half the members of God’s new community an opportunity to express their gifts as coach and nurturer when God so gifts them.

When we recognise God is still doing new things among us, we are saying yes to God’s call. We are opening our hearts again to the Spirit He wants to pour out on us. We are saying yes to the specifi c gifts we know He has lodged in each and all of us. R

*This article is adapted from the sermon preached by Dr

Heise at the commissioning service of Kylie Ward at the

Ferntree Gully church (Vic) on August 19 (see “Celebra-

tion as ministry is affi rmed,” News, October 28).

Lyell Heise is director of the South Pacifi c Division’s Institute of Worship,

based at Avondale College, Cooranbong, New South Wales.

When we recognise and affi rm the gifts, abilities and passion of a new minister, we are recognising that

God still uses people in special and new ways.

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10 November 18, 2006

feature

SERVING HUMANITY IS NOT A SUGGES-tion; it is an act motivated by our faith. As my mind took in these words, a panorama of Jesus’ life began to un-

fold before my eyes. I sat back to watch.Filled with compassion and a love be-

yond understanding, Jesus left heaven and entered the world of humanity. He came as a poor man so that through His poverty we might become rich (see 2 Corinthians 8:9). He took up the mission to save a despairing world with the knowledge that it would cost Him His life.

Jesus entered communities as a humble man with a servant’s heart. Radiating a deep love and care, He ministered in the streets and associated with the outcasts. He saw past their faults and em-pathised with their situations and struggles. He spoke passionately for the poor and vulnerable and responded to their cries. He was a true servant of God and humanity.

Jesus’ life showed that serving God goes hand in hand with worshipping Him—and one cannot serve God without serving oth-ers. Serving humanity is not a suggestion; it is an act motivated by our faith. To minister is to be as Jesus was to others. To neglect to minister is to fail others by not passing on Jesus’ love.

As a Christian, what is our core mission? To take the gospel to the world, I answered myself with a smile. But “suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15, 16, NIV). We cannot neglect situations where people’s physical, social and fi nancial wellbeing are not adequate. Serving those in need is one of the great-est opportunities where meaningful and

trustworthy relationships can be developed, opening people’s hearts for the gospel: “We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the Lord” (Romans 15:2, NLT).

The commandments are summed up in loving God and others (see Mark 12:30, 31).

We cannot do one without the other. Love must be the motivating force behind the desire to reach out to those in need: “But if one of you has enough money to live well, and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help—how can God’s love be in that person?” (1 John 3:17, NLT; see also 1 Corinthians 13:3).

I have become increasingly disturbed with the bombardment of news concern-ing disasters, accidents, crimes, violence and poverty and have realised how easy it is to become desensitised or unaffected by what we see and hear. The vast needs can seem overwhelming and the challenges are huge, but so are the opportunities and responsibilities: “Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to eve-ryone, especially to our Christian broth-ers and sisters” (Galatians 6:10, NLT). As Christians, we have inherited a social conscience and cannot ignore the issues in-creasingly plaguing our society. We have a vested interest and responsibility to take

action as individuals and as a church. We must endeavour to understand our local communities and fi nd the key issues im-pacting those around us.

What, then, should Christians do? This may start with spending time in the com-munity, developing a presence and form-

ing friendships, which can open windows into people’s lives. We need to get acquainted with those who are working in the commu-nity. This may be government or non-profi t agencies, law en-forcement, churches, education institutions and other welfare or-ganisations. Their knowledge and experience can provide valuable insight into our communities. In all of this, we need to commit our desires and plans to the Lord in continual prayer (see Ephesians 6:18). God does not ask or expect

us to be all things to all people. He is the best person to enlighten, guide and equip us in the areas in which we can make a dif-ference for Him.

We do not need to take Jesus to the com-munity. He is already there. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (Matthew 25:45, NIV). And He is also there working among these people, through us and others.

My contemplation had come full circle and the conclusions were obvious. One of the reasons I am a Christian is because of my admiration of the ministry of Jesus Christ to people in desperate need. I am compelled to follow this ministry, to reach out, to love, to care and to save—with Christ’s help—“the least of these.” R

Arianna Kane writes from Auckland, New Zealand, where she works with the North New Zealand Conference.

Contemplating compassionate ministryBY ARIANNA KANE

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November 18, 2006 11

feature

Peta

Tay

lor

The video minister’s prayer is that, on the basis of the friendship and from the information seen on the videos, people will make positive decisions in favour of Jesus and His salvation. But video viewing is an entertainment media.

How do you know people are thinking about what they’ve seen? How can you fi nd out without being confronting, threatening or intrusive? Small decisions pave the way for larger decisions. And, in video ministry, people have made many small decisions from when they requested the fi rst video.

Here is a simple but powerful way of fi nding what people are thinking about a subject. Ask three questions, which are non-threatening, non-invasive and non-confronting. They are easy to ask and can be worded in different ways. The three questions are: Is it new? Is it clear? Is it doable?

These three questions, asked in sequence, can be asked of any subject. By asking the fi rst question, you don’t have to go any further.

These questions are all closed questions: the answer is either yes or no. “Is this subject new to you?” If no, ask: “Where have you heard it before?” (You’ll learn a lot from this.) If they answer yes, ask the next question: “Is it clear and did it make sense to you?”

In response to the question Is it clear? if the answer is no, ask where the confusion is and offer a video on the same topic from another series to help make it clearer. If the response is yes, you can then go to the third question.

If the subject is clear, you want to encourage them to do some-thing about it. So you can ask the third question something like this: “Is there anything preventing you from following Jesus by [for example] keeping His Sabbath?” The answer to this ques-tion again is either yes or no, leading to further discussion. It’s an opportunity to minister, and to pray and help people work through their problem in responding and acting upon what they know. If they answer no, the video minister can simply ask: “I invite you to accept Jesus and to follow Him” by whatever the question may be.

One of the most challenging aspects of any outreach is asking for decisions. Not everybody is comfortable doing this, but often people want to respond. It takes courage, prayer and tact to put those questions to people. But they are vital in leading people to making decisions and also to fi nding out what is going on in peo-ple’s minds so supportive ministry can be offered. R

This is part of a series of articles exploring video ministry and how it can work in

your community.

John Gate is director of the Adventist Discovery Centre.

Making decisionsBY JOHN GATE

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12 November 18, 2006

Deciding factorsDAVID CHESNEY, VIC

There used to be fi ery disputes in the church about whether Paul was describing his pre- or post-conversion experience in Romans 7:14-25. It seems statistical analy-sis rather than theology has answered the question (“What difference?” Perspective, October 7). Using the experience of convert-ed Adventists as a guide, we would have to say Paul was describing his post-conversion experience, unpleasant though it was.

I have sometimes brandished statistics as this article did and concluded that the em-phasis on “cheap grace” has caused much of the problem. However, occasional intro-spection leads me to believe I ought to be all in favour of “cheap grace”—what the article refers to as “a legal and technical change in our standing with God.” But the article justifi ably asks if Adventists who are just like worldly people morally can really attract people to the church.

It seems too many of our church mem-bers are like the emperor who thought he was clothed but was actually naked. They are spiritually naked. John said so (see Rev-elation 3:17, 18), and wasn’t happy about it. He advised buying “gold refi ned in the fi re . . . and white clothes to wear, so that you can cover your shameful nakedness” (Revelation 3:18, NIV).

If, as we believe, the gold includes genu-ine love—the fi rst fruit of the Spirit—then such genuine love would solve most of the problems the article lists. That we are told not to love the world, but to love God and people, implies we have some control over where our affections are directed. But on the “burning issue: How?” question, I can only suggest God will eventually solve the problem in the furnace of affl iction.

Children matterMAYE PORTER, NORFOLK ISLAND

Congratulations to RECORD staff for providing a whole centrespread for chil-dren (and the young at heart) in the Oc-tober 21 issue. Scott Wegener (“Happy birthday, God!” Feature) has given us another example of his real gift for writ-ing children’s sermons. And the children’s contributions were delightful. We need

more such pages. Thank you, too, to Julie Weslake (Edito-

rial), for the timely reminder that we each have “a legacy worth leaving.”

The only jarring note in the whole min-istry to children theme was the letter at-tacking a previous article, “What my par-ents passed on to me.” I reread that article and still failed to fi nd anything in such a beautiful tribute to the training given the writer by his godly parents that could be construed as a put-down. For sure, today we have many more resources that can be used in leading our children into a faith relationship with their Lord. And every set of parents will choose what models and re-sources they wish to use to achieve that aim.

But Bible study, family worship, church attendance and parental example should never be regarded as “dated behavioural absolutes” in a Christian home.

Sadly, many children miss out on the blessing of Bible lessons at an Adventist school. And as a primary Sabbath school teacher, I am reminded each week just how little most children know about the Bible, let alone the stories in it or the wonderful verses they should be committing to mem-ory during the week at home.

By the way, if my pastor–husband ne-glected to attend prayer meeting or board meetings, I would consider it a poor exam-ple both to his immediate family and the church family at large. I applaud all those who manage to balance home responsibili-ties, work responsibilities plus church re-sponsibilities so none are neglected.

Stand up and . . .KRISTINE STAHL, SA

Regarding the article “Adventists and noncombatancy” (Feature, October 21), I have just one question for all Adventists who would choose to join the army and bear arms. How can a Seventh-day Ad-ventist choose to take up arms against their brothers and sisters of other nationalities, when they have been called by God Himself

to bear a message of salvation to all people, irrespective of nationality?

We are asked to seek and save the lost, not to destroy and alienate them. The ar-mies of the world are engaged in a battle for earthly supremacy. This is not a battle Adventists want to be involved in for the sake of a fuzzy notion of patriotism.

The man of natureISOBEL SUTHERLAND, QLD

I have no idea of the late Steve Irwin’s thoughts on salvation or his standing with God. While the letter writer (“Croc hunter question,” Letters, October 14) may be cor-

rect, he has no right to point the fi nger at others. Judgment is the perogative of God and I am content to leave such matters in His hands.

TRUDI CARTER, QLD

Praise the Lord for Steve Irwin and his family who obviously practise what they preach! Perhaps Steve was put here for such a time as this to speak up for God’s creatures. He had a loving, intelligent and compassionate perspective and because he lived his passion for the environment, it now radiates through his family and into the community. What a life and what an impact for good he had and has! Perhaps Adventist Christians could learn a lot from Steve’s example and the Bible verse that says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21, NIV).

Thanks to Mike Brownhill for his kind perspective (“Mourning the Crocodile Hunter,” Feature, September 23).

This is not a battle Adventists want to be involved in for the sake of

a fuzzy notion of patriotism.

Note: Views in Letters do not necessarily represent those of the editors or the denomination. Letters should be less than 250 words, and writers must include their name, address and phone number. All letters are edited to meet space and literary require-ments, but the author’s original meaning will not be changed. Not all letters received are published. See masthead (page 2) for contact details.

letters

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November 18, 2006 13

noticeboard

AnniversariesHyland, Jim and Pat were married on 4.9.56 by Pastor Claude Judd, in the Moonah SDA church, Tas. They recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at their home in Orford with their four children, Philip, Michael, Sharon and Shelley, and many close family and friends. They are now enjoying a quieter life after 17 years be-ing caretakers of Orford Youth Camp, and previously dairy farming in Smithtown. We wish them good health and God’s blessing for the future.

Mitchell, Kenyon and Felicia (nee Osborne) recently celebrated 50 years of marriage with family and friends from WA, SA, Qld, Tas and Vic in the Waitara (NSW) church hall. After meeting as students at Carmel College (WA) in 1954, they were married on 20.8.56 in the old Mount Gambier (SA) church by Pastor Wilf Rudge, before mov-ing to Sydney. They were both employed at Sydney Adventist Hospital for 17 years until retirement, and have enjoyed travel-ling around Australia and overseas. A quilt with 50 yearts incorporating memories from over the years was lovingly stitched by their daughter, Lynette Rappell.

Schneider, Richard and Hazel (nee Merton) were married on 29.8.46 by the late Pastor E R Tucker, in the Ballarat SDA church.Recently they enjoyed a happy celebration of 60 years of marriage, along with their

two daughters, Faye and Joylene, and their families. Richard and Hazel worked hand-in-hand on a property in SA for most of their married life and were faithful mem-bers of Copeville church. They have now retired near their families and are loved and valued members of the little church at Bayles, Vic.

WeddingsGruar—Rantall. Jason Gruar, son of Lind-sey and Diane Gruar (Portland, Vic), and Bianca Rantall, daughter of Christopher and Bernadette Rantall (Dennington), were married on 14.10.06 at Our Lady Help of Christians church, Warrnambool. Lawrence O’Toole

Nicoll—Jones. Jayson Luke Nicoll, son of Neil and Robyn Nicoll (Gladstone, Qld), and Jessica Renee Jones, daughter of Brett and Rose Jones (Gladstone), were married on 8.10.06 at Tondoon Gardens, Gladstone. Malcolm Potts

Sia—Rennie. Moses Sia, son of Stephen (Ma-laysia) and the late Mary Sia, and Jennifer Rennie, daughter of Del (Chancellor Park, Qld) and the late Lionel Davis, were married on 22.10.06 at Avica Resort, Nerang, Qld. Bob Possingham

Thomas—Cartledge. Martin Des Thomas, son of Graham and Gillian Thomas (Ad-elaide, SA), and Maria Eleanor Cartledge, daughter of Sydney and Hazel Terry, were married on 22.10.06 at Civic Park, Smithfi eld. Lee Bowditch-Walsh

Williams—Hurt. Grant Williams, son of Dale and Karen Williams (North Avoca, NSW), and Kirstee Hurt, daughter of Bry-an and Susan Hurt (McDonald, Tennessee, USA), were married on 30.7.06 at the 1st Cumberland Presbyterian church, Tennes-see. Ken Rogers

ObituariesAndrews, Marian Paterson (formerly Groom, nee Burgher), born 5.9.1932 at Innisfail, Qld; died 11.9.06 in Allamanda Private Hospital, Gold Coast. She is sur-vived by her husband, Bob; her son, Calvin Groom and Margaret; her daughters and sons-in-law, Loanne and Karl Branster, and Julie and Graeme Behrens; her sisters and their spouses, Mima and Jim Roberts, and Florence and John Anderson; and her seven grandchildren. Marian was known for her caring nature and her hospital-ity. She will be sadly missed by her family and friends. Peter Stojanovic, Casey Wolverton

Bakker, Jean Amelia (nee Hort), born 6.3.1927 at Swan View, WA; died 3.10.06 in Bellbird Hospital, Blackburn, Vic. On 16.7.58 she married David. She is survived by her husband (Warburton); her sons, Jonathan (Burnie, Tas) and Raymond (Murtoa, Vic); and their families. Jean was renowned for her storytelling ability. She gave a lifetime of dedicated service to the church through her work in the bindery at the Signs Publishing Company, as well as in her local Warburton church and the Warburton community. Eric and Joy Kingdon

Belford, Richard, born 30.3.1926 in Texas, Qld; died 30.9.06 at Stanthorpe. He was predeceased by his wife, Daphne, in Janu-ary 2000. He is survived by his sons, David (Perth, WA), Tim (Hervey Bay, Qld); and his daughter, Gail (Warwick). Dick was a man with a ready smile and helping hand, who will be sadly missed by his family and friends. Warren Fedorow

Cahill, Doris (nee Robertson), born 11.9.1916 in India; died 25.9.06 in Adelaide, SA. On 13.8.38 she married Harold, who predeceased her in 1979. She was also prede-ceased by her daughters, Joan, in 1941; and Kathleen, in 1982. She is survived by her children and their spouses, June and Dun-can Wadforth (Adelaide), Patrick (Casino, NSW), John (Adelaide, SA), Sue and Pastor John O’Malley (Geelong, Vic), and Richard and Juanita (Adelaide, SA); her 22 much-loved grandchildren; and 18 precious great-grandchildren. Doris, who came to Aus-tralia in 1969, went to school at Lawrence Military Academy in India, where she won a scholarship to study nursing in England. Doris always did her best, had an amazing sense of humour and never gave in. She had a soft word of wisdom for everyone. Ross Simon Dave Hamilton, John O’Malley

Chalmers, Dene Maurice, born 28.11.1922 in Adelaide, SA; died peacefully 24.7.06 in Parkview Nursing Home, Moonta. He was predeceased by his wife, Ruth (nee Man-ners). He is survived by his children and their spouses, Janice and Kelvin, Christine and Denis, and Ian and Robyn. Dene will be sadly missed by family and friends, but they are comforted by the fact that he died at peace with his God. “Till we meet again.” Glynn Slade, Eric Wolfe

Cinzio, Pastor Aldo Giuseppe, born 15.9.1924 in Province of Udine, Italy; died 19.8.05 in Adelaide, SA. He was prede-ceased by his second wife, Lavra, in 2002. He is survived by his brothers, David (Ad-elaide) and Steve (Brisbane, Qld); his sister, Marianne Sessero (Switzerland; and his son, Paul (Adelaide, SA). Aldo was the fi rst Ital-ian SDA pastor sent by the Italian Mission to come to Australia in 1948 to work for the Italian migrants in Ingham, north Qld. He arrived with his fi rst wife, Anna, and Paul, his six-month-old son. Steve Cinzio

Cox, John Bruce, born 1911 at Drummoyne, Sydney, NSW; died 1.10.06 at Port Stephens Gardens Nursing Centre. In 1939 he mar-ried Marjorie Chester, who predeceased him. In 1982 he married Doris McPhee. He is survived by his wife; his son, Dr John Cox (Avondale College); his daughter, Jenny Shaw (Port Stephens); and their families. Bruce was a highly valued and respected State school principal in NSW. He was a notable leader in church and community, his witness resulting in numerous baptisms. He is remembered as one who loved his Lord, embraced the assurance of the gospel, and lived according to its principles. Ross Goldstone, Lyell Heise

Eakins, Henry Gillett (Harry), born 21.3.1920 at Marnoo, Vic; died 29.9.06 at Coronella Retirement Village, Nunawad-ing. On 1.8.42 he married Eileen Uhlhorn. He was predeceased by his son, Lloyd, on 10.3.2001. He is survived by his wife (Coro-nella, Nunawading); his sons and daugh-ters-in-law, George and Noela (Brisbane, Qld), Fred and Chris (Lilydale, Vic); and Lyn (Croydon); his 13 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Harry was a de-voted family man, a master artisen in cabi-netmaking; a down-to-earth Aussie, who loved motorbikes and life in general. Ken Mead, Nerellie Hyland

Hankinson, Fay (nee Brown), born 14.2.1914 at Glenorchy, Tas; died 29.9.06 in the Ad-ventist Retirement Village Nursing Home, Victoria Point, Qld. In 1943 she married Jack, who predeceased her. She is survived by her daughter, Dawn Hankinson (Lennox Head). Sister Fay Hankinson spent many years in youth ministry with her husband. She was later appointed matron of the SDA Park Lee Nursing Home; and retired in the Victoria Point Retirement Village. Selwyn Bartlett

Hethrington, Alan James, born 6.2.1940 at Carlton, Vic; died 28.9.06 in Gandara Hospice, Ballarat. On 6.4.63 he married Joy Catherall. He is survived by his wife; his son, Andrew (both of Ballarat); his daughters, Sharon Lawrey and Christine Driscoll; and his sister, Patricia Sargent (Ballarat). Ballarat

church was packed with family and friends, as Alan was a well-respected man within the Ballarat community. His later life was a struggle, which he endured without com-plaint, trusting God and looking forward to the Resurrection. Mike Francis, Brian Lawty Frank Smart, Ted Merritt

Hughes, Neil, born 4.2.1930 at Tullibigeal, NSW; died 11.10.06 at Toowoomba, Qld. In his youth he studied accountancy before attending Avondale College to train as a teacher. It was there he met his “sweetheart” Anthea (nee Collett). His life was one of love and service to his God and church in Western Samoa, Vanuatu, Sydney Advent-ist College, the South Pacifi c Division and ADRA–Australia. He was a devoted hus-band to Anthea and father to Lynne, Lyle, Lenore and Grant. He was a fun “Pops” to 13 grandchildren, and is remembered for his humour, acts of kindness and care for anyone in need. Hennie Murray, Clif Maberly Arthur Patrick, Bob Possingham

Hunt, Jean Winifred (nee King), born 30.8.1914 at Berwick, Vic; died 28.9.06 at Colac. On 12.1.43 she married Les. She is survived by her husband (Port Fairy); her daughters, Elizabeth Spence (Colac) and Ruth Hayes (Geelong); her seven grandchil-dren; and three great-grandchildren. Jean accepted the beliefs of the Seventh-day Ad-ventist Church when Pastor Ed Totenhofer conducted an evangelistic program in Colac in 1967. She remained a loyal, enthusiastic member until her death. She was truly a selfl ess mother and church member. Edwin Totenhofer

Job, Edna May (nee Milner), born 21.5.1918 at Kew, Vic; died 18.9.06 at Cotham Clinic, Kew. On 30.3.40 she married Len, who pre-deceased her in 2005. She was also predecee-ased by her son, Norman. She is survived by her husband; her children, Ian, Rhonda, Leona and Colin (all of Melbourne); and their families. Edna was a devoted wife and loving mother. She blessed the lives of her nine grandchildren; and four great-grand-children. We will remember her as a kind, gracious and gentle woman. John Denne

Kennaway, Dorothy May (nee Leleux), born 13.4.1912 at Richmond, Vic; died 28.9.06 at the Adventist Retirement Village, Victoria Point, Qld. In 1944 she married Jack, who predeceased her. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Pastor Mervyn and Ruth (Brisbane); her grandchildren, Linley and Nadene; and her seven great-grandchildren. In the early 1930s Dorothy accepted the Advent message through the ministry of Pastor J B Conley and Louis Were, in Melbourne, Vic. She served the organisation over a number of years, both in Melbourne and Sydney, retiring from the Sydney Adventist Hospital. She was a quiet achiever, with her greatest loves be-ing her Lord and her family. Bob Possingham, Jorge Munoz

Laing, George, born 19.3.1917 at Carcoar, NSW; died 14.8.06 at Bathurst. On 25.2.40 he married Gwen. He is survived by his wife (Bathurst). Ken Bird

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14 November 18, 2006

noticeboardMaher, Mary Elizabeth (nee Bright), born 5.9.1924 at Carcoar, NSW; died 24.7.06 at Oberon, Vic. In 1942 she married Jack Sewell, who was killed in World War II; On 20.3.47 she married Ken Maher. She is survived by her husband; her children, Lor-raine Withington, Jennifer Steward, Harley, Wayne, Pamela McKinnon and Gai Booth; and their families. Ken Bird

Mitchell, Albert Edward (Bert), born 13.8.1919 at Murray Bridge, SA; died 27.9.06 in Armadale Hospital, Perth, WA. He was predeceased by his fi rst wife, Dul-cie Wheadon. He is survived by his second wife, Heather McCallum (Roleystone); his children, Loraine Munn (Perth), Gloria Thompson, Beverley, Robert Mitchell, Pam Mitchell (both of Perth); his brother, Sid-ney Mitchell (Adelaide, SA); and his sister, Beryl Carpenter (Perth, WA). Bert was a highly skilled bushman, who could turn his hand to anything. He will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather; and as a man of quiet faith in God. He was a man of integrity whose handshake was his word. Steven Goods, Piroska Vranyakne-Feith

Ovenden, Laura Iris (nee Watling), born 2.5.1915 in Perth, WA; died 16.9.06 in Freeman Nursing Home, Rossmoyne. On 25.4.40 she married Jim, who predeceased her in 1982. She is survived by her children, Mel (Perth), Marie Pratt (Northhampton), Lois Willis (Merredin) and Julie Rowe (York); and their families. Laura had a sun-ny disposition and her entire life revolved around two epicentres, her family and her faith in God. Her Christian faith was lived in such a way as to have considerable infl u-ence on those who knew her. Steven Goods

Perrett, Albert Henry, born 8.11 1934 at Opua, Bay of Islands, NZ; died 29.8.06 at Hawera. On 17.8.55 he married Doreen, who predeceased him. He is survived by his daughters, Rosalie Hunt (Upper Hutt), Marilyn Pasione (Cooranbong, NSW), Barbara Guy (Townsville, Qld), and Toni Brungar (Hawera, NZ); his son, Iain (South Island); and their families. Henry was an elder and an active member of the Hawera church. He will be sadly missed by family and friends. Lawrence Lane

Robinson, Frank, born 6.2.1913 in Lon-don, England; died 22.9.06 at Coronella Retirement Village, Nunawading, Vic. He migrated to Australia in 1955. He was pre-deceased by his fi rst wife, Ivy Hall; also his second wife, May Fowkes; and his third wife, Hazel Morrison. He is survived by his stepson, Neil Morrison (Ferntree Gul-ly); his step-grandchildren; and his step-great-grandchildren. Frank was a fabulous gardener and dedicated Chrstian. He was very much appreciated by the residents of Coronella. Ken Mead

Schultze, Mervyn Eric, born 25.3.1941 in Greymouth, NZ; died 1.10.06 at home in Amberley after battling an illness. He is survived by his wife, Rosina (Amberley); his children, Idena (Mackay, Qld), Eric (Wairau Valley, Marlborough), Leslie, and Ivan (both of Blenheim, NZ); and his fi ve grandchildren. Merv was an active layman and had a passion for sharing Jesus. His

strong spiritual journey was mirrored by his practical help to many people. He was gifted with practical and musical skills, which he shared. His faith in the coming Resurrection remained strong until the very end. Paul Gredig, Doug Hurley

Scott, Kevin Elliot, born 11.12.1937 at Mansfi eld, Vic; died 28.9.06 in Albury Base Hospital, NSW. He is survived by his wife, Val; his sons, Ricky and Tony; and his four grandchildren. Kevin was a devout servant of God, who was led to the truth by studies conducted by Pastor Tom Judd. During his fi nal illness Kevin unfailingly rejoiced in the certainty of the Resurrection. Russell Standish, Tom Turner

Stokes, Elsa Rose (nee Dunn), born 12.12.1912 at Kaitaia, NZ; died 5.10.06 in Auckland. She was predeceased by her husband, Lennard, in 1986. She is survived by her daughters, Deirdre and Robin; her grandchildren, Geoffrey, Heather, Jennifer, Bethli and Kylie; her seven great-grand-children; and one great-grandson. Elsa, who had the strong faith of her missionary forebears, showed great love and was loved greatly in return. Ritchie Way, Warwick Sheffi eld

Styk, Juraj (George), born 26.8.1949 in Ban-ska Bysrtica (Czechoslovakia); died 17.7.06 at Endeavour Hills, Vic. He is survived by his mother, Matylda; and his siblings, Karl, Stan and Lydia. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him, including his beloved nephew and nieces. Richard Araya-Bishop

Wong, Ronald, born 28.4.1933 in China; died 11.10.06 in Auckland, NZ, after a long illness. He is survived by his wife, Shirley; his daughters, Delaine (Sydney, NSW), Sharlene and Angela (Auckland, NZ); his step-daughters, Cassandra and Tammie; and his grandchildren. Ron was a man of integrity, who was loved by all who knew him. He worked hard all his life, had a wonderful sense of humour and was always very grateful for the blessings that God and people brought to his life. Ron’s smiling face will be missed by his Papatoetoe church family. Peter Howard, Stephen Davies

Woollard, Dorothy May (nee Russell), born 3.3.1924 at Abbotsford, Sydney, NSW; died 1.10.06 at Belvedere Nursing Home, Syd-ney. She is survived by her children, Susan, Don and Tricia; and her grandson, Andrew. They remember she was quick to laugh in any situation and knew that she placed her trust in Jesus. Stephen Bews

Yates, Edward (Ted), born 26.2.1916 at Bal-larat, Vic; died 10.9.06 in Ballarat Base Hos-pital. On 30.6.45 he married Nancy Brad-ford, who predeceased him on 10.2.05. He is survived by his daughter, Beverley Cham-berlain (Bendigo); his brother-in-law, Gra-ham Bradford; his sister-in-law, June Brady; and his grandchildren, Joy and David; and their families. Ted was a faithful Christian; he loved the Word of God and was always ready to share it with anyone who would listen; a man of strong conviction which he maintained to the very end. He will be missed by family and friends Mike Francis

AdvertisementsNote: Neither the editor, Signs Publishing Company, nor the Seventh-day Advent-ist Church is responsible for the quality of goods or services advertised. Publication does not indicate endorsement of a product or service. Advertisements approved by the editor will be inserted at the following rates: fi rst 30 words or less, $A49.50; each addi-tional word, $A2.20. For your advertise-ment to appear, payment must be enclosed. Classified advertisements in Record are available to Seventh-day Adventist mem-bers, churches and institutions only. See masthead (page 2) for contact details.

Missionaries lunch—Avondale Grad, Sab-bath, December 2. There will be a com-bined lunch (immediately after the church service) for the missionaries and ex-mis-sionaries, families and friends who attend the Avondale graduation. Please bring a plate of food suffi cient for your family and a little extra for a friend. Drinks and some goodies will be provided. This year’s

reports will feature the role of missionary women, married, single, paid and unpaid. If you have a good story, please phone John or Beth on (02) 4970 4075; or email <johnkosmeier@bigpond.com>.

A new budget-priced devotional daily-read-ing book, Living With God, will enrich your devotions, sermons and worships. Amazing stories of God’s providence—South Pacifi c and Europe, by David and Gaya Currie. Only $A19.95. This beautiful hardcover book makes an excellent gift. Orders before December 10 receive free DVD of North-ern Territory—Kakadu, Litchfield Park Waterfalls, Katherine Gorge etc. Adventist Book Centres, Adventist Resource Centre; or<davidcurrie35@primusonline.com.au>.

Electrician 4U— for all your electrical needs contact Bruce Petrie on 0418 333 175. Serv-icing Melbourne Eastern, South-Eastern, Outer Eastern and Yarra Valley areas.

If you know the whereabouts of Mr Robert and Mrs Karen Thompson, please phone Meryl on (03) 5966 9111 (BH).

Positions vacantSecretary to the Youth Department—North NSW Conference is seeking the services

of a Secretary to the Youth Department. This is a busy department involving plan-ning for summer camps, Pathfi nder events and youth rallies. The successful appli-cant will possess the following attributes: well organised and self-motivated, willing to participate in youth events, well-developed people skills, particularly with young people, committed to the teaching values and mission of the SDA Church.

Administrative Secretary—North NSW Conference is seeking the services of a Secre-tary to the conference General Secretary and Chief Financial Offi cer. The successful application will have appropriate secretarial administrative qualifi cations and experi-ence; a working knowledge of the SDA Church structure and organisation; well-de-veloped people skills; excellent oral and written communications skills; able to work to a dealine; self-motivated and well organised. For further information contact the General Secretary, Mr R Dale, PO Box 7, Wallsend NSW 2287; or email <rdale@adventist.org.au>; phone (02) 4951 8088. Applications close December 1, 2006.

Nurse Manager—Bethesda Home and Hospital (Manukau City, NZ) is seeking a reg-istered general or comprehensive nurse with a current practising certifi cate, preferably with a postgraduate qualifi cation related to the industry. Requirements include: strong clinical skills; experience in Human Resource management in nursing; the ability to work effectively with interdisciplinary and management teams; and fantastic rap-port with staff, residents and families. Applications in writing (including CV) should be forwarded to CEO, Bethesda, Private Bag 76900, Manukau City, Auckland, NZ; or email <jmarshall@adventist.org.nz: no later than November 27, 2006.

Karalundi Aboriginal Education Centre (Meekatharra, WA) is seeking expessions of interest in the following positions for 2007: Cook; Male Dorm Parent; and 2 Teach-ers (Years 1–3 and 8–10). For job descriptions and general inquiries please contact Glenn Grey <administrator@karalundi.wa.edu.au>; or phone (08) 9981 2000. Ap-plications in writing (including your CV) should forwarded to Administrator, PMB 6, Meekatharra WA 6642.

Accountant, Macquarie College (Wallsend, NSW). The Macquarie College Council is seeking to appoint an experienced and qualifi ed Accountant to oversee and admin-ister the fi nancial, business and property operations of the college. Job description: <principal@macquariecollege.nsw.edu.au>. Essential criteria: Practising member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church; fi nancial management experience; and relevant tertiary and professional qualifi cations. Applications in writing (including detailed résumé and references) should be forwarded to the Principal, Macquarie College, PO Box 517, Wallsend NSW 2287; no later than November 30, 2006.

Macquarie College teaching opportunities—Macquarie College (NNSW) is seeking qualifi ed teachers in the following disciplines: Senior Mathematics; Bible/History; Busi-ness/Legal Studies. Job description and applications: <principal@macquariecollege.nsw.edu.au>; phone (02) 4954 6222.

For church-related employment opportunities visit the Employment section on the SPD website <www.adventist.org.au>.

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November 18, 2006 15

noticeboard

Vietnam/Cambodia small group travel 03.02.07. 16 days 4-star accommodation, including all fl ights, meals, tours, trans-fers $A4990 pp based on twinshare. For details phone Ann at TimeOut Tours on (03) 5962 2999; 0402 990 277; or email <contact@timeouttravel.com.au>.

Giant book sale. 80% = $3–$4. Tomorrow, November 19, 11 am–3 pm. Nunawad-ing church, Central Road, Nunawading.Thousands of books, see last week’s ad-vertisement. Readers, preachers, Sabbath school teachers. Never been? Don’t miss this! Proceeds church building fund.

Tours 2007—Allround Travel. Introduc-ing our program for 2007. China/Thailand (May), Greece/Turkey (April), Reformation Tour (May), Mexico (April). Fully escorted, wonderful tours—travel with Adventists.Contact Anita or Debbie; phone (07) 5530 3555; email <alltrav@bigpond.net.au>.

For sale—Morisset, NSW. Attractive two-storey hardiplank, brick-and-tile home with 4 BR, study, 2 large living areas, large decking, semi-inground pool, double garage, soundproof music room, 2 car-ports, PLUS bonus 1 BR s/c fl at (tenanted, $A130/wk. Large 820m2 block with good sized backyard.Walking distance to rail, shops and local schools, 10 min drive to Avondale College and Avondale schools. $A379,000 ono. For details contact (02) 4973 3255 AH; or 0411 209 616.

Avondale Science+ Summer Camp 2007. Avondale’s 25th Science+ summer camp is on from Tuesday, January 16 to Tuesday, January 23, 2007. We miss the Camporee

by two days! And it is not just science! This year art, music and bioethics are represented in the subject list, along with other options. Subjects that rock, heaps of fun in a Chris-tian context, and lots of great new friends. Total cost: $A360 residential or $A240 for day students only. If you are currently fi n-ishing Years 10 or 11 and would like further information, please contact Dr Lynden Rog-ers, Science Summer Camp director. (02) 4980 2213 (offi ce); (02) 4355 1494 (home).

Receive the Hope Channel and 3ABN. Com-plete satellite kit $265 + freight. Full instruc-tions for DIY installation. Installers avail-able. Australia only. Rural Electronics (02) 6361 3636; or <ruralele@bigpond.net.au>.

Country Music Festival—Tamworth, NSW. Accommodation available home hosting January 18–29, 2007. One double @ $A90 per night. One single @ $A70 per night. Includes continental breakfast. Phone (02) 6760 5087.

Data projectors, screens, DVDs VCRs, PA systems etc. Lower prices for SDA churches, schools etc. Australia only. Rural Electronics (02) 6361 3636; or <greenfi elds@netconnect.com.au>.

FinallyWorrying is like a rocking

chair. It gives you

something to do but

doesn’t get you anywhere.

7.25%PA

7.25%60 Month Term - Minimum $10,000

6.75%24 Month Term - Minimum $5,000

6.60%12 Month Term - Minimum $20,000

6.35%12 Month Term - Minimum $5,000

5.80%6 Month Term - Minimum $100

4.25%At Call - Minimum $100

For a quote on amounts over$100,000 contact ACF.

Rates subject to change.No fees or charges.

ACF InvestmentsLTD

Contact Greg or FayPh (02) 9989 8355 Fax (02) 9989 8340

acfi@avondale.org.auPO Box 502, Wahroonga, NSW 2076

15 Ac ademic Ex cellence

Scholarships in 2007 15 Av ondale Foundation Academic Ex cellence Scholarships ar e being offered to first year Av ondale College students in 2007 .

Open to A ustralian and New Zealand students

Students must ha ve achiev ed a ter tiar y entrance ranking in the top 10% of the state, territor y or countr y during or after 2003

Av ailable to applicants for 3 or 4 year degree and double degree courses

Total value up to $ 27,500

Scholarship o f $5,000 per a nnum

Credit av erage is required for each year

Scholarship increases to $7,500 the year following a distinc tion av erage

Applications close 30 November 2006. For an application form o r fur ther information please contac t the following:

The Av ondale F oundation Phone: 02 9989 8355 or International +61 2 9989 8355 Fax: 02 9989 8340 or International +61 2 9989 8340 Email: foundation@av ondale.or g. au www .av ondale.or g. au

Av ondale College Enqui ry Centr ePhone: 1800 804 324 or International +61 2 4980 2277Fax: 02 4980 2151 or International +61 2 4980 2151 Email: enquiries@av ondale.edu.a uwww .av ondale.edu.a u

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