ISSN 0819-5633

D E C E M B E R 4 , 2 0 0 4

R E C O R DIn this issue

$A6000 in the can for charity

Signs makes new friends in Greece

The heart of worship

Music guidelines votedWahroonga, New South Wales

Seventh-day Adventists in the South Pacific now have two documents to help guide themin their musical choices. Delegates attending the year-end executive committee of the South Pacific Division (SPD)

voted to accept a document giving guidelines about an Adventist philosophy of music andone suggesting how to implement that philosophy in local churches across the SouthPacific.

The first document comes from the General Conference (GC), the second from the SPD.“We believe the gospel impacts all areas of life,” the GC document reads. “We therefore

hold that, given the vast potential of music for good or ill, we cannot be indifferent to it.”The church has not had a music statement, or guideline, since the early 1970s, explained

Pastor Ted Wilson, a general vice-president of the GC and member of the music committee,during the GC’s Annual Council in October. “This document, I’m sure, has some items thatmay not be agreeable to everyone,” he said.

The committee aimed at a “very balanced approach to this subject based on Scripture” andthe counsel of one of the church’s founders, Ellen White, who wrote on the subject.

Pastor Jan Paulsen, GC president, emphasised the nature of the document. “A documentsuch as this is presented as guideline, not policy,” he told delegates.

(Continued on page 5)

Nativitycelebratesdecade

Adventists in the South Pacific now have two documents to help guide them in their musical choices.

December 4, 2004

E D I T O R I A L

Stewardship of little thingsIn his victory speech on the night of theAustralian Federal election, PrimeMinister John Howard made reference tothe re-election of his coalition govern-ment as a vote for good stewardship inknowing how to manage the resources ofthe country.

As an Adventist Christian, I wasencouraged to discover that the conceptof stewardship, then, was not an out-dated concept but a dynamic andmeaningful word, even in governmentcircles of a secular society, such asAustralia.

Acknowledging the lordshipof Jesus Christ

But what is stewardship? Is it merely ahigh-sounding word a politician mightuse for a political purpose? Is it a biblicalanachronism, a term that’s lost its mean-ing in the complexity of living in today’sworld?

I think not! Rather, stewardship is aspiritual response that calls us tosurrender our will and total being to therulership of God in Jesus Christ. In thissense, stewardship is the overarchingtheme that ties in everything we are asChristians in terms of living as disciplesof Jesus today.

Let me share some simple examples ofhow stewardship ought to encompasseverything we think and do in society.

Living on the Central Coast of NewSouth Wales, I am reminded constantly ofthe value of water. The water restrictionsin many parts of Australia remind uswater is a resource that can run out (atleast from the reservoirs), if not usedjudiciously and managed properly. Butbeyond the responsible use of water andfines for misuse, as a Christian, I amforced to think of this government-

imposed regulation as an expression ofmy stewardship responsibility toward theneeds of the community and conservingone of God’s natural gifts to humankind.Water conservation is good stewardship,and a spiritual reminder that water, likeall of life’s gifts, comes from God (seeJames 1:17).

Shopping at supermarkets, I’m alsoconfronted with a creative and simpleway to control the excessive use ofplastic, and care for the environment atthe same time. I’m talking about thegreen bags (an environment-friendlyoption) sold to shoppers at checkouts.These bags can be recycled indefinitely.

So what is the point of these twoexamples? We, as Adventist Christians,can make a big difference through littlethings we do often in everyday life toshow we care not only for biblical truth,but for living out the principles ofstewardship in society.

A personal witnessBut stewardship is more than using less

water around your home and using greenbags when shopping. It is more thanreturning to God the tithe that is His, andthe giving of free-will offerings.

It also includes the commitment andinvolvement of all of Jesus’ followers inthe Great Commission to make disciplesof all people groups. In this Year ofEvangelism, I have been privileged to beinvolved in a number of reapingprograms around the South Pacific, andin training church members to becomepersonal witnesses for Christ.

What I’ve found empowering in thesesituations is the willingness ofindividuals to build relationship withothers—neighbours, work mates, schoolfriends, relatives, even strangers—and

share their story of what God has done intheir lives.

I think of a pastor’s wife in Brisbane,who befriended a young person on a trainand invited her to church. Today thisyoung person is baptised and a memberof the Adventist family. I think of a meter-reader for a power company in an islandmission, who takes Signs magazines withhim when he does his run, and givesthem to the people in the homes he visits.

In stories such as these, we seediscipleship—the building of friendshipsand the sharing of the good news ofJesus—taking place as a personalexpression of one’s faithfulness to God.Discipleship is a lifestyle of the believer.

The sum of little thingsStewardship is not a program. Steward-

ship is a matter of living the life of adisciple in whatever situation we findourselves. It is faithfulness to God in thelittle things, recognising who He is asCreator, Redeemer, Saviour and Lord ofour lives, and responding to Him with allwe are and have.

And when He comes to usher us intoHis eternal kingdom, you and I canexpect to hear these words from Him:“Well done, good and faithful servant!You have been faithful with a few things;I will put you in charge ofmany things. Comeand share yourmaster’s happiness!”(Matthew 25:21,NIV).

Erika PuniStewardship, PersonalMinistries and SabbathSchool DirectorSouth Pacific Division

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OFFICIAL PAPERSouth Pacific DivisionSeventh-day AdventistChurchACN 000 003 930www.adventist.org.au

Vol 109 No 47Cover: David Flemming

Editor Nathan BrownSenior assistant editor Lee DunstanAssistant editor Kellie HancockEditorial assistant Scott WegenerCopyeditor Graeme BrownEditorial secretary Meryl McDonald-GoughLayout Peta TaylorSPD news correspondent Brenton StaceySenior 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 Pacific Division mailed withinAustralia and to New Zealand, $A43.80 $NZ73.00.Other prices on application. Printed weekly.

December 4, 2004

F L A S H P O I N T

The General Conference’sOffice of Global Mission ishosting an interfaith sympo-sium at Fox Valley Commu-nity church in Wahroonga,NSW, on December 11 and 12,which will help Adventistchurch members and pastorsbuild bridges to the growingsegment of Western societythat subscribes to belief sys-tems other than Christianity.The Sabbath afternoon pro-gram will feature shortpresentations from a Bud-dhist, a Hindu, a Jew, aMuslim and a Christian.Each will explain why theyfind their respective religionattractive. Pastor James Coffin,director of the Center forSecular/Postmodern Mission(CSPM) based in Longwood,Florida, USA (and formereditor of RECORD), says,“Adherents to the various faith systems willdescribe their own faith, giving an insider’sview. On Sunday, CSPM directors will lookat the same belief systems through the lensof Adventism, showing where we havecommon ground on which to build as weseek to establish a relationship in which wecan, by both word and deed, share thegospel.” (See Noticeboard for details.)

Small-group evangelism has beenintroduced into all 20 districts of theWestern Highlands Mission, PNG, and asa result some churches are now full at 2.00pm. It is during this time that all the smallgroups present their inreach andoutreach activities of the week, blessingsand problems encountered, and sing a songof praise and thanksgiving. Churches ofother denominations are emptying asmembers make the shift to the AdventistChurch because of small-group evan-gelism. Reports from the Porgera Districtalone show 142 people have been baptised

in the past few months.—Alex Kiluwe Palie

In October, the Northpine ChristianCollege, Qld, worship band and singers(pictured) had their inaugural tour, whichincluded visits to Ipswich Adventist Schooland Darling Downs Christian School.Some 21 people took the two-day, 400-kilometre tour that allowed them to usetheir talents to share in worship withstudents from other schools. “Our studentsloved having the Northpine band andsingers at our school and were inspired tolearn new songs and improve their own

musical ability,” says MsSharon Littlewood, principalof Ipswich Adventist PrimarySchool. “They want to knowwhen they are comingback!”—Katy Bidmead

Yarra Music, with thevision of giving musicians andsongwriters the chance tohave their music publishedfor Adventists to use andsing in theirchurches, hasreleased twobrand neww o r s h i palbums. The“Show methe way”album is allabout praise,w o r s h i p ,reflection and

inspiration. The album“For you” has beeninspired by the notion thateverything we have is a gift to give back toGod. For more information see:.—Bevan Craig

The Dubbo Adventist church, NSW,has been renting their church to the DubboCity Church (AOG) for their worshipservices. Recently, renovations to therostrum provided the situation where thetwo congregations met and worshippedtogether on a Sabbath morning in theirhall. The pastor of the Dubbo City Churchrequested to join the Sabbath service assome of their members wanted to helpwith the Sunday renovations. Commentssuch as “It seems just like Sunday today.Why do we worship on Sundayanyway?” were heard, and some whobelieved Adventists were a cult whoexcluded other Christians enjoyed theworship experience.—Laurie Landers

• Small groups go big in PNG • Assembly of God joins Dubbo church for Sabbath worship • Adventist churches spread worldwide • The Passion shows Muslims the gospel • and more

—Compiled by Scott Wegener—

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More than 2.5 tonnes of cannned food was collected by AvondaleCollege students for the Salvation Army in Newcastle to stocktheir shelves for Christmas. At the end of October, 70 collectorsdescended on the streets of Wallsend, Cooranbong and other suburbs,asking residents to dig deep into their pantries. Doing so enabledthem to collect cans of food to the approximate shelf value of $A6000.Howard Mole, Salvation Army liaison for the event, was impressed

and expressedthanks on behalf ofthe organisation.The Salvation Armyworkers now havehours of workahead of them withthe sorting andstocking of shelves.Avondale Collegehas been collectingcans for Christmasover the past fewyears.

$A6000 in the can for charity

December 4, 2004

F L A S H P O I N T

Danielle Carins of Scottsdale church,Tas, has once again won the Ag ArtWear Competition at Agfest with her“hessian bride” outfit. Having tomodel an outfit made from materialsfound on a farm, Danielle’s outfitincluded materials such as hessian seedbags, milk filters, a birdnet veil and an old pairof Blundstones coveredin wool. In a previousyear’s competitionDanielle was requestedto model her outfit on aSabbath, which shedeclined to do. Then,given the opportunity to model heroutfit on another day, she ended upwinning first prize.—Tasda News

Warwick church, Qld, heldcelebrations for their 50th anniversary,filling the churchwith members,former membersand friends. Eightprevious ministerswere present forthe anniversarycelebrations (pictured, with theirwives). Four of the original membersstill regularly worship at Warwickchurch.—Mary Fedorow

Six-year-old Nikki Miles (picturedwith her teacher, Mrs Hanley) ofPapatoetoe church, NZ, won first placein the poetry category at the 2004Young AustralianWriters Awardwith her poem,“When we wereChicks.” “It wasn’tmeant to be apoem,” she says.“It was a story.” Open to primary schoolstudents throughout Australia and NZ,almost 2000 entries across eightcategories were received this year. Nikkiis the daughter of regular Signsmagazine writer Christine Miles.

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Off the recordMany new Adventist churches are beingplanted around the world and include:Britain: more than 25 new churches in twoto three years, with 20 planned in the nextfive years in London alone. Hungary: 16new churches in five years; another 20church plants in early stages; plans for 15more in the next five years. Finland: fournew churches in the past five years and fivechurch plants launched; plans for 13churches in the next five years. Israel: 24new churches and companies in the pastsix years; plans for more than 12 new

churches in the next three years. SouthSudan: 52 new churches planted and 43new branch Sabbath schools organised inthe past six years; plans for 32 newchurches each year in coming years, with40 new church buildings to be completedin 2005-06. Netherlands: nine newchurches and three projects moving towarda plant; plans for 15 new church plants inthe next three to five years. Poland: sixnew churches and five new groupsestablished since 1999; plans for 10 newchurches in the next three to five years.Norway: three new churches and plans foranother five to seven planting projects inthe next four to five years.—PeterRoennfeldt

Muslims have been seeing Mel Gibson’sThe Passion of The Christ film becausethey heard that it’s anti-Jewish. This moviehas broken records in all Middle Easterncountries and in Kuwait the film has beenso popular that theatres have cancelledother films to show it. Muslim audienceshave been shocked by the message: “Loveyour enemies! Forgive them!” In Qatar, amissionary says, “In two short hours, moreQataries heard the gospel than I have beenable to reach in nearly five years.” Even inSaudi Arabia, which has no movie theatres,vendors report they can’t keep up withdemand for the pirated DVDs.—ACC

An elderly Christian couple hasembarked on a year-long prayer journeythat will take them to every state capitalin the USA. Phillip Epperson, whorecently turned 65, and his wife of 38years, Vicki, began their Prayer AcrossAmerica campaign on September 11 inSpringfield, Illinois. The two will concludetheir odyssey on September 11, 2005, atthe US Capitol in Washington, DC. Inbetween, they will be praying from 1.00 to2.00 pm every Thursday afternoon, whiletravelling the 27,000-kilometreexpedition in a recreational vehicle.—Charisma News Service

Days and offeringsDecember 18—Pacific Islands

Advancement Offering

Don’t panicAfirst-time youth crusade with adifference, “Don’t panic,” kicked offin Christchurch, NZ, on October 23.Stepping outside the traditional churchbuilding location and onto the 14th floorof Christchurch’s Grand ChancellorHotel, each night attracted between fiveand eight new people. The presentersranged in age from 19 to 27, speaking ontopics such as, “Is God real?” and “Thetruth about death.”

Advertising for this event featured full-colour brochures, created by local designstudent Blair McLean, which weredistributed around the three maineducational campuses in Christchurch—Teachers College, Canterbury Universityand Polytech (TAFE).

The purpose for this youth event wasto foster the speaking talent of Seventh-

day Adventistyoung adultsin South NewZealand andto share Jesuswith thosewho don’t yetknow who Heis. Galina Sen-kovich, one ofthe speakers,summed theevent up bysaying, “It wasgood to have avariety ofspeaker styles

because we could reach more people thisway.”—Zara Hardy

December 4, 2004

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(Continued from page 1)

“Guidelines are a point of reference. . . .I would hope and will make specificrecommendation that any guideline onmusic our church adopts does not becomean instrument by which we measurespirituality. It is destructive to ourcommunity to engage in such.” He added,“We allow it to talk to us in our variouscultures. . . . Music must express itself inevery culture.”

See “Music principles to guide theChristian” for a list of the document’s nineprinciples.

The document from the SPDcomplements these guidelines. Its pur-pose, according to the preamble, “is not todictate a list of dos and don’ts, but ratherto provide both broad-reaching statementsand practical considerations.”

Ten sections make up the document.One contains a list of music principleswith reference to specific Bible verses.Others consider the role of lyrics, of musicand of the audio and visual team, and theimpact of culture. One section addressesworship leaders. Another encourageschurches, schools and families to providemusic and technical education.

“We should have prepared a document

like this years ago,” says Pastor AndrewKingston, chair of the committee thatproduced the document. “Tragically,churches have split over the issue ofmusic. It’s tragic because music is a God-given gift that allows us to offer Him ourpraise and worship.”

The document, like that from the GC, isnot prescriptive. Pastor Kingston: “Thechurch in the South Pacific is multi-cultural and multi-generational. Who arewe to say, ‘You must worship this way’?”

Pastor Kingston recommends theworship committees of local churches“thoughtfully study” the document.“First, look at the biblical principles andask, ‘Do we understand them?’ Then lookat the practical considerations.

“This is a helpful document if takenseriously. It’s written in a positive waybecause it is a genuine attempt to enhanceand improve our worship.”—BrentonStacey with Wendi Rogers/ANN

Visit or write to the SPDCommunication Department (Locked Bag 2014,Wahroonga, NSW 2076) to read the documents.

Music guidelines voted

The music that Christians enjoy should be regulated by thefollowing principles:1. All music the Christian listens to, performs or composes,

whether sacred or secular, will glorify God.2. All music the Christian listens to, performs or composes,

whether sacred or secular, should be the noblest and the best.On these two foundations—glorifying God in all things and

choosing the noblest and the best—depend the other principleslisted below for the selection of music by Christians.

3. It is characterised by quality, balance, appropriateness andauthenticity. Music fosters our spiritual, psychological and socialsensitivity, and our intellectual growth.

4. It appeals to both the intellect and the emotions and impactsthe body in a positive way. It is holistic.

5. Music reveals creativity in that it draws from qualitymelodies. If harmonised, it uses harmonies in an interesting andartistic way, and employs rhythm that complements them.

6. Vocal music employs lyrics that positively stimulateintellectual abilities as well as our emotions and our will power.Good lyrics are creative, rich in content, and of good composition.They focus on the positive and reflect moral values; they educateand uplift; and they correspond with sound biblical theology.

7. Musical and lyrical elements should work togetherharmoniously to influence thinking and behaviour in harmonywith biblical values.

8. It maintains a judicious balance of spiritual, intellectual andemotional elements.

9. We should recognise and acknowledge the contribution ofdifferent cultures in worshipping God. Musical forms andinstruments vary greatly in the worldwide Seventh-day Adventistfamily, and music drawn from one culture may sound strange tosomeone from a different culture.Excerpt from “A Seventh-day Adventist Philosophy of Music—Guidelines.”

Support for massdistribution of literatureWahroonga, New South Wales

Seventh-day Adventist literature willreach more people in the South Pacificunder three plans presented to thechurch’s year-end executive committee.

Signs of the Times will be distributed to allhouseholds in Australia and New Zealandunder a plan presented by the magazine’svolunteer ministry coordinator, Pastor DesHills. Three church members have alreadypledged $A100,000. Members of the com-mittee referred the plan to the executivecommittees of the Australian UnionConference and the New Zealand PacificUnion Conference.

They also endorsed, in principle, a planto distribute a new edition of AdventistReview. Adventist World will replace theworld edition of the magazine inserted intoRECORD each month. The worldwidechurch will cover all printing costs.

The third plan is to distribute 10 ofchurch founder Ellen White’s books toevery Adventist family in the South PacificDivision. The cost of the seven-volume setwill be only $US1.00. The plan will cost theSouth Pacific Division about $A30,000 andits unions about $A30,000 over fiveyears.—Brenton Stacey

Music principles to guide the Christian

See RECORD next week for a full reportfrom the year-end executive committee

of the South Pacific Division.

Two Asian countries recently celebrated100 years of Adventist presence. The SriLankan Mission (SLM) marked itscentennial with three days of meetingsfrom October 22 to 24 and the KoreanUnion Conference (KUC) capped a year ofcelebrations with a huge rally onNovember 6.

Sri LankaThe first Adventist to visit Sri Lanka was

Abraham La Rue, who visited Colombo in1893 and distributed literature. Then in1904, Harry Armstrong came to Sri Lanka,settled there and laid the groundwork for

the Adventist Church, alongwith a fellow pioneer.

It took 16 years to establishthe first Adventist church inKollupitiya, along with othersin Moratuwa and Kandy.Today the SLM has amembership of almost 3600.

Pastor Jan Paulsen, GeneralConference president, and a guest digni-tary at the celebrations, said, “One of thestriking features of the church in Sri Lankais that it exists in a region where anotherreligion is dominant; a religion that isembraced by two-thirds of the people andis embedded in the culture of the nation.Yet even in this environment, our church—just a tiny minority—is able to give anappealing witness for Christ, last yearshowing a net growth of some 200 newbelievers.”

He adds, “The church in Sri Lanka hasnot presented itself in an aggressivemanner, speaking negatively about otherreligions. Sri Lankan Adventists havedemonstrated that their purpose is not todiscredit others, but rather to do goodwithin the communities where they live—through their education and health-caresystems and their commitment to being aproductive part of society.”

KoreaThere are more than

171,000 Adventists inKorea, and more than15,000 of them attended thecentennial rally at OlympicStadium, Seoul.

Seventh-day Adventism inKorea began in 1904 with

two pioneers, Son Heung Cho and LeeEung Hyun, who were baptised at the KobeSeventh-day Adventist church in Japan. MrCho returned to Korea to spread theAdventist message to his neighbours, andwas joined by Im Ki Ban, with whom hehad shared the message while on board theKorea-bound ship.

National figures also came to honour theKUC’s centennial. Reflecting the earlymissionaries who preached aboard a Korea-bound ship a century ago, one of whomwas his own grandfather, Im Chang-yeol,former governor of the Gyeonggi Province,and former minister of Finance andEconomy and Deputy Prime Minister,attended the centennial ceremony.

During his congratulatory speech hesaid, “My heart is full of deep emotion andthankful to be invited to give acongratulatory message as a descendent ofan Adventist pioneer.”—ANN

More than 10,000Adventist men,women and childrenrecently marchedthrough the streets ofKingston and SaintCatherine, Jamaica,bearing a message ofhope and family unity.The march, said to bethe largest ever on the island, kicked off asummit aimed at countering a steep risein violence in Jamaica over the past year.

The summit, “Men: Agents of change,”took place in National Heroes Park in

Kingston at theconclusion of themarch. Thousandsgathered in the parkto hear a messagefrom local churchleaders.

Percival Patterson,Jamaica’s PrimeMinister, attended the

summit and commended the church forits efforts in promoting moral values. Healso asked Adventists to remain unitedwith the government against crime andviolence.—ANN

December 4, 2004

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Jamaicans march against violence

The church in Asia celebrates centennials

Im Chang-yeol.

Adventists marched to an anti-violencesummit in Jamaica.

Dignitaries received a Sri Lankan welcome.

Adventists evacuated fromAbidjanSome General Conference (GC) staffmembers and other regional churchleaders were recently evacuated to theirhome countries from Abidjan, Ivory Coast,when a clash between French troops andIvory Coast nationals broke out.

In Abidjan to attend annual businessmeetings for the Cote d’Ivoire Conference,GC staff were evacuated after a five-dayconfinement in their hotel. Regional leaderswere able to complete their meetingsbecause the church compound was locatedclose to the presidential palace, which washeavily guarded.—ANN

Nunawading, Victoria

For the past 10 years, for one week inDecember, the lives of several thousandpeople in the eastern suburbs of Mel-bourne have been touched and changedby witnessing the Christmas story in itsraw state, seeing the birth of Christwithout the Hollywood glossiness or theChristmas-card halos.

Through dust, wind, heat and chillingrain (sometimes all on the one evening),the cast and crew of Road to Bethlehem(RTB) have always delivered a free programto the wider community on the VictorianConference grounds in Nunawading.

From humblebeg inn ings—with no funding,very little adver-tising and a tinyc o m m i t t e e —s o m e t h i n gunique was born.An event thatseems to cross allthe barriers—small childrenstand awestruckat the samemanger wheretears roll downwrinkled cheeks.

The first yearthe baby Jesus

was a porcelain doll,but every other yearit has been real,newborn babies—over 30 in all—thathave played the roleof Baby Jesus.

To run the lightand sound systemsthere are three kilo-metres of heavycable that must bewashed before being returned.

More than 700 people came toexperience RTB during the inaugural andrain-soaked sessions a decade ago. Some ofthose 700 have been back every year andstill marvel at the choir of angels, praise theprofessional acting and soak up theChristmas spirit. The comment book isoverflowing with positive affirmations.

Every visitor receives a show bagincluding items such as Sanitariumproducts, a Signs magazine, craft activitiesfor the children and a listing of localAdventist churches. This free bag furtheremphasise the “gift” of RTB. For that iswhat RTB is, “. . . a gift to the communityfrom the Seventh-day Adventist Church inVictoria.”

The phone at the Victorian Conferenceoffice begins to ring in November withpeople not wanting to miss out on the RTBexperience.

For those who know the story, RTBrekindles memories of Christmas, donkeys,soldiers and a babe in a manger.

For those who’ve never really heard theChristmas story, it opens their hearts to thereason Christmas is so special to Christiansacross the world.

But it does more than that; it builds abridge between the Adventist Church inthe eastern suburbs of Melbourne and thecommunity that surrounds it.

As one visitor remarked to an RTBgreeter, “I did not realise that Seventh-dayAdventists believed in the Bible and thestory of Jesus’ birth!” A 10-year-old boysummed RTB up by saying, “It isn’tChristmas till we’ve been to Road to Beth-lehem.”—Kate Jones

Road to Bethlehem will be held December 13 to 16.For more information phone 9259 2311 or log on to.

December 4, 2004

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Nunawading nativity turns 10

Athens, Greece

During the Athens Olympic Games, the local English-speakingchurch distributed Signs of the Times magazines. Prior to theGames, the Signs Publishing Company sent a box of Signs to theGreek Mission (Newsfront, August 28), where Pastor VictorKulakov led out in using the magazines for evangelism.

“We distributed the magazines in the streets, squares, everywhereEnglish-speaking people were found,” says Pasor Kulakov, ministerof the international groups in the Greek Mission. “Due to thesemagazines, we were able to establish friendships with new people.

“Each member of the group would carry magazines with themand hand them out to people they met, along with invitations to

programs the group was running, such as Taking Charge of YourLife seminars.”

According to Pastor Kulakov, the English church believes Signsmagazines played a very important role in their evangelistic efforts,which were part of their special project called Making Friends forChrist. The project emphasises the strategy of winning people toJesus through establishing friendships with them. This has provedto be successful.

The Greek Mission is hoping to purchase more Signs magazinesto use for outreach in the future. Lee Dunstan, Signs campaigncoordinator, is presently seeking donors for additional magazinesfor Greece among the large ethnic communities in Melbourne andSydney Adventist churches.—Adele Nash

More than 350 men fromlocal churches, schools and

Pathfinder clubs have playedthe role of soldiers in Road

to Bethlehem.

This year some 12,000 people are expected to visit Road to Bethlehem.

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Signs makes new friends in Greece

December 4, 2004

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Worship is an essential partof church life. In fact, as aword it is almost synonymouswith the word church. Yet theissue is a troublesome one in theAdventist Church.

Perhaps one of the reasons forthis is that whenever we discussthe subject of worship, theemphasis seems to be on twoaspects of worship—music andform. The dialogue usuallybecomes a heated debate on therightness or wrongness ofcertain kinds of music, or on thebiblical validity or non-validityof certain forms of worship.

The concept of worship is soentrenched in Adventistthinking that any discussion ofit becomes inevitably entangledwith notions of identity. Phrasessuch as true worship, falseworship, the three angels’messages (the first of whichdeals with worship),worshipping the image of the beast and soforth are deeply imbedded in the Adventistpsyche. So much so that some Adventistsbelieve that the way we worship should beas definitive of the remnant as are thedoctrines on the sanctuary and judgment.

And worship is a sensitive subject in theAdventist Church because of the placeworship occupies in Adventist under-standing of last-day events as depicted inthe book of Revelation and the desire toavoid deception. According to prominenttheologians, worship is the central issue inthe great controversy between good andevil. They believe worship is the mediumthrough which the powers of evil willmake a final concerted effort to delude thewhole world.

Breaking circular reasoningWhile these reasons may be significant

and inevitable, they represent leaningspeculiar to Adventists, which hinderattempts to discuss worship for worship’ssake. The perspectives they represent areintrinsically connected to and are pre-loaded in favour of Adventism. Forinstance, the anticipated end-time delusionengineered through worship is linked witha system symbolised by the beasts ofRevelation 13. The extension of thisinterpretation is the identification of theSeventh-day Adventist Church as theantithesis of this system, so that in anindirect but convenient way, true worshipis defined as that which is associated withthe Seventh-day Adventist Church.Worship thus cannot be rigorouslydiscussed independent of existingAdventist Church culture and teachings.

But let’s attempt to discuss worship froma perspective that is relatively neutral. It is

a layperson’s approach, whichbegins and ends with a simpleanalysis of what Jesus said to theSamaritan woman in John 4.Coincidentally, three of the fourmain points correspond roughlyantithetically with the threereasons given above.

Jesus’ statement onworship

Jesus made the followingstatement on worship: “A time iscoming when you will worshipthe Father neither on thismountain nor in Jerusalem. YouSamaritans worship what you donot know; we worship what wedo know, for salvation is from theJews. Yet a time is coming and hasnow come when the trueworshippers will worship theFather in spirit and truth, for theyare the kind of worshippers theFather seeks. God is spirit, andhis worshippers must worship in

spirit and in truth” (John 4:21-24, NIV). Inthese few sentences are set out for us theparameters by which we should be able tounderstand worship fully.

God is spiritAt a glance, the phrase “God is spirit”

would suggest Jesus was simply making acasual reference to God the Father. But acloser analysis of its relation to the rest ofthe passage namely “and his worshippersmust worship in spirit and in truth,”reveals that Jesus is making a profoundstatement about the nature and origin ofworship.

The fundamental point expressed here isthat as Spirit, God grants to us aconnection with Himself, which not onlyenables us to worship Him, but alsovalidates that worship. Worship does notbegin with us but with God. Worship is a

The heart of worship by Neone Okesene

December 4, 2004

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relationship rather than a set of rituals, andJesus bypassed the what, the when, the howand the why of worship to focus ondefining the true worshipper.

Worship begins with GodThe main point of most articles on

worship is what we do. It might be singing,playing music, praying or preaching, but itis always an action by us. As a church werecognise that God is our Creator and ourSaviour, and it is because of these aspects ofwho He is that we worship Him.

But too often in the execution of ourworship and in the discussion of the sub-ject, the starting point seems to be aboutus, about what we should do to serve,please or appease the God we worship.This may well be why the debate onworship continues in the AdventistChurch; because it is always over what wedo, how we should do what we do, andwhat we should use in what we do.

If we worship on the basis of thispremise, we will always struggle to acceptforms of worship that are different fromours. We will also find that reality willalways contravene our efforts to formaliseworship across the board because, exceptfor where absolute morals are the pre-emptive requirements, cultural and socialbackgrounds tend to dictate what we doand how we do them.

After reading Jesus’ dialogue with theSamaritan woman, we should shift thestarting point of worship to God. Realworship while it involves us, and whatwe do, is not about us or about theseactions. It is about who God is, and whatHe did, does, and will continue to do forus and to us. Worship starts with God,not with us.

Worship is a relationship, nota set of rituals

It is interesting that when Jesus talksabout worship to the Samaritan woman,He does not use the commonly acceptedrituals of His time. These would haveincluded such practices as offeringsacrifices and the singing of songs.Traditionally, these were rituals pagans alsoused in the worship of their gods.

Most ancient Middle Eastern paganworship systems revolved aroundappeasing a wrathful god with sacrifices

and with much passionate expression ofhuman emotions. According to thissystem, the bigger the sacrifice and thelouder the worship, the more likely thatthe god being worshipped would beappeased. Basically it was a “god overthere, and the worshipper over here” kindof a system.

But Jesus does not use these symbolicrituals. Instead, He uses a simple state-ment, “God is spirit, and his worshippersmust worship in spirit and in truth.” TheChristian God is not worshipped through aset of rituals pertaining to actions weperform, or through some so-called trueworship system as opposed to a falseworship system, but through a relationshipwhere He comes in to be with theworshipper. If we analyse what Jesus saidto the Samaritan woman in the light ofwhat He said to Nicodemus in the previouschapter, we see that worship is arelationship initiated by God Himselfthrough Jesus Christ, and through thework of the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus Christ, God establishedjustification for everyone. This makes itpossible for whosoever will believe to havethe confidence that all has been done forhis or her salvation in Jesus Christ.Through His Holy Spirit, God gives to uspersonally the life-changing blessings andmerits of this salvation and enables acontinuous interaction and relationshipwith God. Worshipping God thus is aprivilege afforded to us by God Himselfthrough a relationship, which He initiatesand in which He imparts to us His HolySpirit.

Jesus intentionally definedtrue worshippers

The last important aspect of worship inthe context of the dialogue between Jesusand the woman is that Jesus was by-passing the where, the how, the why andthe when of worship to focus instead ondefining the true worshipper. In definingthe true worshipper Jesus starts with Godand motives, not forms or styles.

God is seeking the true worshipper, nota worship system. In other words, God isnot looking out for what we bring to Himor perform for Him, nor is He looking outfor where or when we may present these toHim. Rather, He is looking out for the

person who sincerely desires to have aclose relationship with Him.

The validation of worship is not on thebasis of prescribed forms and styles, but onthe basis of the worshipper being a trueworshipper. The worship of God isacceptable to God not because of the wor-shipper adhering to some system, butbecause of the worshipper’s sincere desirefor a relationship with God through whichGod subsequently validates His conditionas true worshipper by His own Spirit andgrace. This genuine and sincere longing forGod is the emphasis of the Saviour in theuse of the word truth in His definition ofthe true worshipper.

A simpler perspectiveThe parameters in Jesus’ statement have

helped me realise I do not have to bebogged down with the never-ending debateon the rightness and wrongness of music,for they transcend music; that I do nothave to be hung up on the issue of identity,because my identity is not linked to nordoes it come from a system, but is fromGod and it links me to Him; and thatneither do I have to be paranoid about thedelusion in the last days as for me, worshipis a relationship with God sustained andaffirmed by His Holy Spirit as it works inmy life through His Word.

In knowing the essence of what Jesussays, I can look beyond the complicated,sometimes disconcerting, and oftencontrasting milieu of worship rituals andpractices, beyond the multitude of rhythmsand sounds in the worship of differentcultures, beyond the free-flowing style ofthe contemporaries and the restrainedrituals of the ancients, beyond thecacophonous worship of the Corinthiansand the pedantic ways of the Jews, and feelfree to worship God through a relationshipwith Him in any Christian settinganywhere in the world.

More importantly, it has helped me to berespectful and accepting of the way otherpeople have chosen to show their gratitudeto God for the relationship God has calledthem into through the sacrifice of His Sonand the fellowship of His Holy Spirit. r

Neone Okesene pastors the New Lynn Samoanchurch, Auckland, New Zealand.

December 4, 2004

V O L U N T E E R 2 0 0 5

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More and more people are discovering that serving others is asgood as it gets. Being involved in a service project is thehighlight of a year.

In 2003 a record number of volunteers from this divisionserved through Adventist Volunteer Service. This year will seemore. A strong and growing culture of service within the churchin the South Pacific beckons people of all ages to live extra-ordinary lives. And a kaleidoscope of opportunities exist bothwithin the church and community—STORM Co, fly’n’builds,the ADRAcare challenge (two hours a week in your localcommunity), the Pinnacle team, youth and children’sministries, teaching ESL, nursing,

caring for kids inorphanages, tentmakerministry, maintenanceand prayer support. Thelist is comprehensive, andnew opportunities areadded weekly.

If you haven’t yetdiscovered the miracle ofservice—you receive morethan you give (see Acts 20:35)—make thechoice to give it a go in 2005.

Start with a short-term project or local,regular commitment to your community.And when the time is right, move into alonger-term stint as a volunteer. It willchange your life.

So why not volunteer for 2005?—Mel Lemke

Volunteer: It’s as good as it gets

Volunteer service opportunities . . .Short termSouth Pacific Division● Karalundi Aboriginal Education Centre. A number of projects are available for individuals as well as teams through 2005. ContactGlenn Grey on (08) 9981 2933 for details.● Fly’n’builds. For short-term projects within the Pacific, contact your local conference’s short-term missions coordinator. A number ofprojects are available in Fiji this year end.● Youth mission trips. Contact your local conference youth director for mission trips to Fiji this year end.● STORM Co trips. Contact your local conference youth director.● ADRAcare. Contact your ADRA office for hundreds of ideas on how you can get involved in your local community.● Family service. Consider taking on either a local or overseas project as a family, during school or university holidays.

Longer termNew Zealand● Youth adventure training team member. Three positions available; 12-month call, starting January 27, 2005; ages 18-30; high schooldiploma. The Adventure Plus program works with high school students to teach life skills of communication, confidence building,good risk-taking skills and personal growth. Skills in dealing with young adults and children, public speaking (small groups), outdoorrecreation (rock climbing, abseiling, ropes) are useful.● Program facilitator. One position; 12-month call, beginning July 1, 2005; age 20-28; minimum of three years university level; Theprogram requires abilities in public speaking, program delivery, group facilitation, outdoor recreation instructing (training provided),general office administration, program development and evaluation.

Australia● Youth leader. South Brisbane church, Queensland; 12-month call, beginning January 1, 2005; age 23-25; experience in youthleadership, organisational skills; committed Christian; passion for people and witnessing. Duties include involvement in all aspects ofyouth church life, with particular emphasis on older teen and younger youth age groups. Work with youth leaders in coordinatingyouth program, including Bible study, music, worship and vesper programs.● Youth-teen minister. Kellyville church, Sydney; 12-month call, beginning February 1, 2005; age 25-35; minimum two years universityor active experience working with high school students; co-leadership of Sabbath school class (13- to 18-year-olds); assist or leadSabbath school three times each month; conduct weekly after-school, high school Bible-study groups during term; co-organise highschool group Sabbath school calendar, including spiritual, social, community and outreach activities; assisant chaplain at Adventistprimary school.● Pastor/youth minister. Westridge church, Toowoomba, Queensland; 12-month call; be involved in a wide range of ministry tasks,with emphasis on junior to young adults; limited chaplaincy at school.Pastor/youth minister. Central church, Toowoomba; 12-month call, similar to Toowoomba, above.

Other divisions● ESL teachers. Thailand, Japan, China, Korea, Poland and Russia.● Youth evangelist. France, Saleve Adventist University; age 18-35, fluent French speaker. Duties include witnessing, worshipcoordination, public relations and organisation. ● Science elementary teacher. Honduras, Maranatha Bilingual School; age 18-30; average Spanish speaker; one year college/university. ● Teacher aide.Hong Kong, Hong Kong Adventist College; 19 positions; 12- to 24-month call.● Computer teacher/teacher aide. Puerto Rico, Bella Vista Adventist Academy.● Maintenance worker. Delap, Marshall Islands; two positions; 10-month call; custodial duties, maintain physical plant (plumbing,electrics, carpentry); supervise student labour; teach classes on a casual basis.

For more informationContact Mel Lemke or Alex Sanchez, South Pacific Division Adventist Volunteer Service CentreInternet: www.adventistvolunteers.orgEmail: volunteers@adventist.org.auPhone: +61 2 9847 3275Mail: Adventist Volunteer Service Centre, Locked Bag 2014, Wahroonga NSW 2076, Australia

December 4, 2004 11

V O L U N T E E R 2 0 0 5

December 4, 2004

F E A T U R E

There is a river thatabounds with God’sresources and from it we cangather the refreshment ofsupport, love, courage,wisdom, experience, know-ledge, values andcompanionship. These arethings we need for thespiritual pilgrimage of life. It ismeant to be—as Goddesigned it—the communityof faith from which we canenrich our own faith.

A true community of faithbecomes God’s arm on theshoulders of the weary and heavy laden;they become companions for the journey.This is why studies show that unless a newconvert makes at least five friends in thechurch, they are unlikely to remain formore than one or two years.

Churches without friends are like bleakwinter landscapes. But friends appear evenamid the winter-chill of disappointments.They come when the summer dreams ofthe forest fades and the winter winds blow.There amid the blazing snowdrifts theevergreens emerge like lovely sentinels.Dotting the snow-clad landscape, theevergreens are like friends who remainafter the storm’s coldness has travelledthrough the forest of life. These arefriendships born in the cradle of chaos.Friends that come amid the trials andtribulations of life are gifts from God. Truefriends appear like stars in the night.

I never realised this when times weregood, but then the landscape of my lifechanged and I experienced this miracle ofChristian community. I was able to drawon the resource God provided long beforemy need. There is no sun without shade;even the night is but a shadow and sowhen the dark nights of our soul come,and we find ourselves under the mountainsof our troubles, we can either dig a cave or

a tunnel. In the cave we will become lost aswe grope friendless in darkness. In thetunnel we can hope for the better side. Inevery affliction there is the seed of a greatblessing or a window of opportunity. It wasin one of these dark nights that Iexperienced the river of grace upon whichmy vessel had been flowing all this time.

True friends are like angels that lift us toour feet when we have fallen. True friendsare like the rising of the moon when thetide of life is at its lowest ebb and the crabsare playing in the mud. It is the moon that

reminds us there is a sunand a new day. It is themoon that brings forth thewaters to fill the coast oncemore. It is the moon itselfthat waxes and wanes andreminds us that all naturehas seasons and the heartmust too. It is the moon thatreminds us that this is whatour righteousness is like,waxing and waning, at itsbest full of holes butbrightest when facing thesun.

So when does the churchshine brightest? When it is the river ofgrace, and the arm on the shoulder of theweary. When it is the evergreens amid thesnow-covered landscapes in somebody’slife.

Then, like the moon, it is fully reflectingthe light of the Son, and all itsimperfections are lost in the splendour ofits glow. r

Ross Chadwick writes from Oak Flats, New SouthWales.

12

"... Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."

James 1:2, 3

Just for childrenP

eta

Tayl

or

Like river, snow and moonby Ross Chadwick

December 4, 2004

Action worth more than wordsClara Pongrass, NSW

As one of the daughters of the Michnayfamily, let me tell you about my mother—missing from the short “Adventist pastor:Holocaust hero” Newsfront report(“Gender sensitivity missing,” Letters,November 6).

Our mother was a most devotedSeventh-day Adventist Christian, a wifeand a mother who toiled hard for everyone,including the persecuted and the poor ofthe church. She would spend weekspreparing food for poor members for thewinter—a long and difficult process beforethe blessing of factory processing. Charitywas always in her heart.

Indeed, many risks were taken duringthe Holocaust, but both of our parents,possessing a devotion to and faith in God,knew nothing would ever harm us. Shewas the epitome of virtue and what a trueChristian woman ought to be.

I sincerely hope this fills the gap, for ourmother’s life resonates with the words ofProverbs 31:10-31.

Tick for youth leadersJan Clarke Pearce, England

I enjoyed reading Muriel Cross’s “Youthleaders and lost dogs” (Feature, November6), especially as I recalled the influence sheand her late husband, Roy, had on theyouth of the Albion church in Brisbane,years ago. Their home was often open for

our social activities, even when they werewell into retirement. Roy was also willingto lead a youth meeting whenever needed.Thank you, Mr and Mrs Cross, as well asthe other youth leaders she mentions.

Christians, the church and politicsNick Brightman, email

“A victory for greed and fear”(Editorial, October 30) was important as,I suspect, the majority of Seventh-dayAdventists in Australia—like the popu-lation at large—based their vote on WIFM(What’s in it for me). The editorial and JeffCrocombe’s “How would Isaiah vote?”

(Features, October 30) remind us, asChristians, that we’re not on earth simplyto enjoy it but have a responsibility to ourneighbour. We Australians, while only aminute fraction of the world’s population,need to be reminded that we enjoy agreater fraction of the planet’s wealth andhave a responsibilty to those who haveless.

Next time around, give space to theseimportant issues as well as the impli-cations of voting for a particular party. Ourmembership might be able to approachelection date a little better informed abouttheir pros and cons. Our fear of addressingpolitical issues inside the church causes us

to remain quiet with respect to these moralissues.

Ray Dabrowski, USA

Thank you for zeroing in on the centreof Christian responsibility. We are often sopreoccupied with what is right that wemiss what is real. The Gospel is talkingabout our “realness” and a need to simplysay to God, “I am ready.” If the Gospelmessage is correct, God will open our eyesto see the needy, hear the voiceless andproclaim authenticity of deed, which willalways shout louder than the pointedfingers of moralists in the name ofrightness.

J Reid, NSW

“A victory for greed and fear” was abreath of fresh air. The self-interest inmodern politics should make us wary,especially when politicians court Christianpower groups. It was Jesus’ compassion forthe wounded that gained Him favour withordinary people, not holding up checklists to secular powers.

Name supplied

“A victory for greed and fear” missed themark, as it forgot the main issue: Ifeconomic ability isn’t competent andsustained by the top, then no matter whatyour opinion on social issues, the moneywon’t be available for them. Behaviour isalso important, as a government head is onshow, and isn’t that an issue for Christians?

I feel sorry for politicians, as they haveto balance justice for all and not just smallminorities—Christianity’s bottom line isthat your rights end where my nosebegins!

Let’s not criticise until we’ve walked intheir shoes.

L E T T E R S

13

Just a coincidence

Our fear of addressing political issues insidethe church causes us to remain quiet with

respect to these moral issues.

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

WeddingSmith—Finch. Dr James Patrick Finch,son of Dr and Mrs Ray Finch (Lansing,Michigan, USA), and Victoria Ann Smith,daughter of Kevin and Helen Smith(Wahroonga, NSW), were married on12.9.04 in a candlelight ceremony at thebeautiful seaside chapel at the GrandWailea Resort, Maui Hawaii.

Craig Young

ObituariesSamuels, Yvonne June (nee Freyling),born 15.7.1927 at Toowoomba, Qld;died unexpectedly 16.7.04 in St Vin-cent’s Hospital, Toowoomba. In 1946she married Bill, who predeceased herin 1989. She is survied by her children,Dale, Garry, Russell and Shane; her 11grandchildren; and two great-grandchil-dren. Yvonne was a devoted mother andnanna, and she loved her Lord.

Allen Sonter

Slade, Nathan Albert, born 16.12.1983at Bowral, NSW; died 25.6.04 as a result ofa car accident on the Central Coast. He issurvived by his father, Paul, and his wife,Teresa; his mother, Pamella; his brothers,Ben and Elton; his sisters Yvonne andAnna; and other members of the widerfamily circle. Nathan loved life, was a loyalfriend, and was not ashamed of his bestFriend, Jesus. John 5:24.

David McKibben, Lea-Anne Smith

Turvey, Kynan James Turvey, born16.7.04 in Canberra Hospital, ACT;died 23.9.04 in Canberra Hospital. He issurvived by his parents, Andrew andTania; his sister, Courtney; and his twinbrother, Jasper. A life of 69 days was justtoo short. “Come soon, Jesus, so we canhave him back and our family can betogether at home with You.”

Dale Arthur

AdvertisementsNote: Neither the editor, Signs Publish-ing Company, nor the Seventh-dayAdventist Church is responsible for thequality of goods or services advertised.Publication does not indicate endorse-ment of a product or service. Advertise-ments approved by the editor will beinserted at the following rates: first 30words or less, $A44; each additionalword, $A2.20. For your advertisement toappear, payment must be enclosed. Clas-sified advertisements in RECORD are avail-able to Seventh-day Adventist members,churches and institutions only. See mast-head (page 2) for contact details.

We are seeking suitably qualified andexperienced people who are looking forfull-time employment to join our teamin the following disciplines: Structural/Civil Engineers, StructuralDraftspersons, Mechanical Engi-neers and Mechanical Drafts-persons. We currently employ 13 full-time staff and are looking to expand ourteam. Situated on the Murray River on theborder between NSW and Victoria.100,000 regional population, 120 km tothe snowfields. Large water reserve cater-ing for waterskiing, sailing and fishing.Plenty of hills and trails close by, cateringfor all levels of dirt-bike riders. Three SDAchurches, including a Slavic church, andalso a church school that will offer Year 12by 2006. Country living at its best. To findout more, phone 0417 535 546 or apply inwriting to the Manager, PO Box 1549,Wodonga, Vic 3689.

Safe television—enjoy Christiansatelite TV. DIY satellite kits $A320 +freight, or $A475 for a “hassle-free” pro-fessional installation by an insured full-time installer. Country areas extra. Pen-sioner and group discounts. Phone Donand Aileen Sforcina 0417 855 795.

Go Veg supplying delicious vegetarianpies, schnitzels, lasagnas and more. 21Berry Street, Granville NSW. Phone (02)9897 0000. Delivery available Sydneyarea, conditions apply.

Ballarat Seventh-day AdventistChurch Primary School commencedin 1974 and, if circumstances had per-mitted, 2004 would have been its 30thanniversary year. To recognise this“anniversary,” Ballarat church is settingaside Sabbath, December 18, to giveopportunity for past students, parentsand staff to get together to reminisce.The day’s program will be: 9.30 am,Community hymn singing. 9.45 am,Bible study hour. 11.15 am, Worshipservice. Combined luncheon followed byreminiscences of school days. Free time.7.30 pm, Christmas program. Forinquiries, acceptances/inabilities, greet-ings or messages, please contact MerrilynHastings, phone (03) 53 346 472; oremail .

Medical Missionary CourseAccredited, Austudy approved. IncludesBible ministry, natural health and Diplo-ma of Community Education. To obtaindetails contact: Administrator, MedicalMissionary Training Institute, 1 FryersRoad, Herveys Range, North Qld 4817;phone (07) 4778 0000; fax (07) 47780077; or email .

A1 Rent-a-Car Christchurch(NZ). “Thrifty” cars, vans from$NZ49/day, “Budget” cars from$NZ39/day all inclusive (5/10 day min-

imum). Free pick-up. Phone 0011 64 3349 8022; fax 0011 64 3 349 8218.Check our web calculator .

Understanding our neighbours fromdifferent faith traditions—an inter-faith symposium at Fox Valley Commu-nity church, 183a Fox Valley Road,Wahroonga, NSW, December 11 and 12.For more details contact Dr Brad Kemp,director of the Institute of World Missionat the South Pacific Division on email; or phone(02) 9847 3333.

How secure is your future? Are yousure you have adequate finance or insur-ance? Phone M & A and Associates, con-sultants for your finance and insurancerequirements, on phone/fax (07) 46343995; 0419 789 940; or email.

Christian television available now24/7. Satellite kits only $A325 (+freight)and your purchase price includes a dona-tion to Adventist Media to expand satel-lite broadcasting. Three Angels Broad-casting Network and four other Christianchannels available now, free to air—nofurther charges. Phone Rural Electron-ics on (02) 6361 3636; email.

December 4, 2004

N O T I C E B O A R D

14

Positions vacant▲ Principal/Teachers—Bundaberg Adventist Primary School (Qld) isseeking expressions of interest for the positions of Principal, Teacher and LowerGrades Teacher. The successful applicants will be committed, baptised and practisingSeventh-day Adventists. Ideally suited to a husband-and-wife team. This is a growing,well-resourced two-teacher school that enjoys strong support from local churches.Bundaberg is a beautiful city with an agreeable climate, and has some of the bestbeaches in Queensland nearby. For further information contact Elwyn Cherry,associate director, on 0414 829 038; or email .

▲ Chef—Adventist Residential Care (Rossmoyne, WA) is seeking anexperienced and qualified Chef for their facility. The successful applicant will beworking in a well-equipped, modern kitchen, providing meals for 80 residents. A goodknowledge of vegetarian cooking is essential, and an understanding of the HACCPprinciples would be an advantage.▲ Registered and Enrolled Nurses—Adventist Residential Care(Rossmoyne, WA). Interested in continuing or commencing your career in thehighly specialised area of aged care? Then this is the place for you. Vacancies existfor day and evening shifts; rostering is flexible and above-award wages paid.Experience in aged care is desirable but not essential, and new graduates areencouraged to apply. For further information please contact the Director ofNursing, Karen Kinsella, on (08) 9354 4133; fax (08) 9354 3977; or at AdventistResidential Care–Rossmoyne, 31 Webb Street, Rossmoyne, WA 6148.

▲ Senior Accountant—North New South Wales Conference (Newcastle,NSW) is seeking a full-time Senior Accountant. The successful applicant will have adegree or other appropriate qualification in business or accounting and be a practisingSeventh-day Adventist. For further information contact Russell Halliday on or phone (02) 4951 8088. Applications in writing(including CV and the names of three references) should be forwarded to theGeneral Secretary, North New South Wales Conference, PO Box 7, Wallsend, NSW2287, no later than January 10, 2005.

▲ Bus Operations Manager, Brisbane Adventist College—SouthQueensland Conference is seeking a full-time Bus Operations Manager to maintainand operate the bus fleet in consultation with the school principal and conferencechief financial officer, effective as from January 2005. The successful applicant will bea practising member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church; possess appropriatemechanical qualifications and driving certification suitable for heavy vehicles; andhave experience in the repair and maintenance of buses. Applications in writingshould be forwarded to the Chief Financial Officer, South Queensland Conference, 19Eagle Terrace, Brisbane, Qld 4000, no later than Thursday, December 23, 2004.

Youth/Teen Minister—Kellyville SDAChurch, NSW. Work with young peo-ple aged 13-18, be co-leader of highschool Sabbath school class etc. 30hrs/week. Term: 12 months, com-mencing asap.

Pastor/Youth Ministry—WestridgeSDA Church (Toowoomba, Qld). Beinvolved in a wide range of ministrytasks, with particular emphasis onJunior/Teen/Youth/Young Adultministry. Term: 12 months, com-mencing asap. Application deadlineDecember 10, 2004.

Email:.

For more positions, check the web on

+61 2 9847 3275

Volunteers Youth Volunteer opportunity ofa lifetime! Travel Tasmania witha team of youth volunteers.

Operate the Pinnacle of Terror.Be involved in the running ofconference youth events.Operate a “Positive Life”

program for youth in high schools.Experience a year of new

friendships and memories.

Positions include:• 4 team members (ages 19-26)

• remunerated under the TaskforceVolunteer Program

Apply in writing to Jeff ParkerGPO Box 1039 Hobart 7001

Email jparker@adventist.org.auFor more information phone Jeff

0407 261 886

House sitter needed. Responsible ani-mal lover to look after our cat and dog,also water plants, December 19 to Janu-ary 2. Mud-brick house on idyllic,secluded 20 acres. Good bushwalkingand views, Smiths Gully, outer north-eastMelbourne. Phone (03) 9710 1090.

Data projectors, screens, soundequipment, TVs, DVD players,VCRs, PA systems. Rural ElectronicsOrange is run by an Adventist couplecommitted to helping SDAs to get a bet-ter deal for their churches, schools,homes etc. Avondale College, Wahroon-ga and many NSW churches helpedalready. DVD players on special for$A99. For more information phoneTrish (02) 6361 3636; email.

www.aucsda.com—Australian UnionConference web site. Do you have a min-istry idea to share? Or are you needingassistance? Check out the new IdeasExchange forum.

Funeral directors—K & E Swan-borough. Compassionate and profession-al care at an affordable cost from those whounderstand. Obligation-free advice on allyour funeral requirements, including pre-planning. Phone (07) 3800 9655 24 hours.

Move to Maroochydore, businesshub of the Sunshine Coast. Close touniversity, relaxed lifestyle. Friendly,welcoming church. Bus service toNoosa Christian College. Year 8 in2005. Phone (07) 5447 7808.

A working holiday at Avondale.Avondale College is seeking tradesmen(carpenters, painters etc) who are willingto volunteer for a working holiday at thecollege this summer from January 9-21.Free accommodation and meals. Formore information contact Allen Steele,assistant to the president at (02) 49802294; or allen.steele@avondale.edu.au>.

Web site design. We specialise indesigning web sites that you can eas-ily maintain yourself. Phone Webstu-dio 1800 008 606 in Australia; 0800249 735 in New Zealand, or visitwww.webstudio.com.au.

Bowen (Qld)—best of busy andbeach—deceased estated, quiet, 7.5 fer-tile acres, fruit trees, 2 dams, 2 bores, col-droom, 3-bay shed, 2 unique homes. A-framed “Swiss chalet,” handcrafted stair-cases, window hoods, boxes and shut-ters. $A425,000. (07) 4785 2456; email.

Rawson’s Retreat. Private camping/caravan park on the shores of LakeHume, 40 mins from Albury, NSW.Smoke-, drug- and alcohol-free. Peace-ful, natural bush setting, on-site vansalso available. (02) 6020 2010.

FinallyThere are no vacations fromthe school of experience.

N O T I C E B O A R D

December 4, 2004 15

Contact Chris, Fay or GregPh (02) 9989 8355 Fax (02) 9989 8340 acfi@avondale.org.au

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