St. Louis, Missouri to Host Seventh-day Adventist Church 2005 World Session
June 7, 2005 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States .... [ANN Staff]
Five years ago 70,000 people attended the General Conference Session of Seventh-day Adventists in Toronto Canada. It is during this business session that meets every five years that 2,000 voting delegates will determine the direction of the church for the next five years.
For the first time in 15 years the Adventist Church's business session will be held in the United States.
The world Session of the Seventh-day Adventist Church will bring an international flavor to St. Louis, Missouri, the heart of the United States of America. The gathering will be representative of the 25 million-strong Adventist family from around the globe, and will meet under a theme of "Transformed in Christ."
Convening the Session will be Pastor Jan Paulsen, world president of the church, who shared his expectation that the meeting will be a "time of wonderful fellowship and spiritual refreshment." He added that the theme of the St. Louis gathering "provides the spiritual focus of the Session -- it will be a celebration of what Christ has performed in our lives, and a reminder that we also have been called to be agents of transformation within our communities."
The Session, to be held June 30 through July 9, is primarily a business meeting for the global church family. Denominational leaders are elected, church business is attended to, and policy decisions are often made. Because the core "business" of the Adventist Church is proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that challenge will permeate activities at the St. Louis 2005 convocation, Paulsen said.
"At the heart of all that we will do, and all our decision-making, there is really only one objective: to better prepare and equip our church for the mission God has given us," Paulsen said. "We are essentially a witnessing community, living in anticipation of the return of our Lord, Jesus Christ."
Some 2,000 voting delegates from all over the world will gather at the America's Center/Edward Jones Dome in downtown St. Louis to participate in meetings that will determine many of the church's administrative actions for the next half decade. They will receive reports on the church's growth in those parts of the world where the Christian message is "reaching the unreached," and have the opportunity to meet fellow believers and church workers from other lands.
Participants of such world convocations have often favored the international evening programs, which feature reports from all over the world. Other special events associated with the Session will aim at creating global awareness and sensitivity to the world community, which is part of the Adventist mission to the world.
Highlights of the St. Louis 2005 event will be broadcast on Adventist Television Network and other communication delivery organizations, including Adventist World Radio. Regular reports will be available to delegates of the Session and church believers around the world through the church's weekly magazine, Adventist Review, and the worldwide press coverage of the Adventist News Network.
Organized by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, the highest administrative body in the church's worldwide system, the quinquennial world Session will be the 58th for the denomination since its first in 1863. The St. Louis convocation marks the first time Adventists have held their worldwide gathering in the United States in 15 years. Daily attendance at the event is expected to average more than 10,000 people; on the two weekends, more than 70,000 are expected to attend.
Around the world, Adventist Christians are among the fastest-growing churches today. Adventists work in 203 of the 228 countries and areas recognized by the United Nations, and communicate in more than 717 languages. The church also operates one of the largest Protestant educational networks in the world, with 6,846 elementary through university level schools worldwide. Of those, 101 are colleges and universities, and more than 1 million students attend Adventist institutions each year.
Session meetings are open to the general public. More information can be found at www.gcsession.org.
Peru: More Than 30,000 Respond to 'Caravan of Hope'
June 7, 2005 Lima, Peru .... [Michelle Stotz/ANN Staff]
Months of small group Bible studies and six nights of evangelism meetings in Peru has led to more than 30,000 baptisms into the Adventist church. [Photo: Robert Costa: It is Written]
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Peru has experienced what can only be termed incredible growth during the first part of 2005, church leaders in the country say. More than 30,000 new members have joined the church as a result of careful planning and commitment, which culminated with It Is Written's "Caravan of Hope" evangelistic meetings, held May 23 to 28. The It Is Written television ministry teamed up with the Adventist Church in Peru to hold the series.
Nearly 13,000 small groups met in Bible study prior to the main series. Pastor Mark Finley, director of the world church's Office of Global Evangelism and It Is Written's speaker emeritus, preached for six nights alongside Spanish translator Robert Costa, It Is Written's Hispanic ministries coordinator.
Local preparation activities began in early December of 2004 as church members and pastors reached out to their communities. Finley was encouraged by the unprecedented level of church member involvement: "The thing that impressed me most about Peru is that evangelism is a way of life. It's not a program and it's not an event -- it's a lifestyle," he said.
Costa preceded the arrival of Finley and Royce Williams, It Is Written's director of global television and evangelism, with meetings in several churches in North and South Lima over two weeks.
Finley then spoke to large crowds in Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna and Ilo in the South, and Trujillo in the North. The grand finale was held in Lima's Monumental Stadium, where 55,000 people gathered for the largest meeting in the history of the South American region of the church. A total of 135,000 people attended the six meetings, and many more watched via satellite or online.
"It is significant to note that a large number of these new church members are working professionals," Williams said. "Several high-ranking military officers have taken their stand for Christ. Young and old alike have cast their lot with God's people in this land where the dreaded Inquisition once took its toll on bodies, but could not break spirits."
Peruvian church members explained why the church in that country is the largest Adventist region in the world. Nearly every church member, from Peru's church president Melchor Ferreyra to young people, are involved in witnessing through small groups. These groups witness to others and bring many new members into the church.
Small church groups will meet for follow-up studies with those who showed interest in learning more about Christ. The church's goal in Peru is to see at least 50,000 people join the church by June 30.
"They believe that the God who has blessed the witness of His people so abundantly is able to do more -- much more -- until the task is completed and the family is gathered home," said Williams.
The church in Peru is planning "Caravans of Hope" for 2006, 2007 and 2008.
News in Brief
June 7, 2005 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States .... [Compiled by ANN Staff]
Venezuela: Auto Accident Claims Five Lives, One Left Critical
Barquisimeto, Venezuela ... [Libna Stevens/IAD] The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Venezuela and the Inter-America region mourns the loss of five of its members after a tragic automobile accident June 3. Three women and two children were killed, while another woman remains in critical condition.
The accident happened when hundreds of church leaders and their children were traveling by bus and car from Barquisimeto to Barinas for a children's ministry leadership event sponsored by the church in West Central Venezuela. According to eyewitness reports, the victims were hit head-on by an out-of-control Toyota Camry.
"Our [region] suffers because of this tragic loss, especially the faithful workers on the road on their way to do their duty. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the church in Venezuela and especially the ministerial families who have suffered great loss," says Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America.
The victims were identified as Gloria de Linarez, who was Children's and Women's ministry director in the west central region, and her daughter Maribel Linarez; Celilia Rojas Manrique, former Women's Ministry director; and Laura Fernandez, age 10, and brother Jesus Gabriel Fernandez, age 4. The only survivor was Lorena Fernandez, mother of the two children who were killed. Fernandez underwent surgery after the crash.
Church leaders in Venezuela declared June 6 and 7 national mourning days for the nearly 600 Adventist churches and congregations throughout Venezuela.
ADRA Launches New Web Site
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States ... [ADRA/ANN Staff] The Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA) launched its new interactive Web site June 1, www.adra.org, giving Internet users an opportunity to make a difference and stay informed with the click of a button.
ADRA's new Web site also allows people to make online donations, download and view photos from ADRA's extensive photo library, and read current news updates of ADRA's work around the world. The site offers free resources for individuals, schools and churches.
Adventist World Radio to Give Free Radios in St. Louis
Adventist World Radio (AWR) will provide free, digital AM/FM/SW radios for delegates, special guests and protocol guests at the church's world Session in St. Louis, Missouri this summer. The radios may be used during the quinquennial business meeting to hear the various language translations. The morning devotionals, business meetings and evening programs will be translated into nine languages.
Those who do not qualify for a free radio may purchase them for U.S. $20 at the Session.
Lebanon: Middle East University Perseveres, Plans Renewal
June 7, 2005 Beirut, Lebanon .... [Middle East Union/ANN Staff]
Along with updates to the building and curriculum, the Adventist-owned Middle East University is also strengthening its spiritual focus.
Newly renovated classrooms at Middle East University.
Following decades of civil war in Lebanon, Middle East University (MEU), which has spent nearly 60 years in a choice spot east of downtown Beirut, is planning a new era of service to a local, regional and overseas student body.
While the school, originally known as Middle East College and granted university status in 2001, first catered to a large number of international students, recent years of strife have led to a redefinition of its mission.
The school has developed a master plan to strengthen the spiritual focus, said Svein Myklebust, university president. This includes a faculty-led annual review to ensure it is carrying out the stated mission and action plan for spiritual activities.
Since gaining university status, MEU has also increased its support of the Adventist Church's ministry by starting two off-campus programs in Sudan to help train pastors there.
Over the last several years, efforts have taken place to upgrade the aging physical facilities of the university, Myklebust reported. "A new computer area with two laboratories, a classroom, and three offices [were] completed six years ago. The cafeteria and its surroundings were upgraded two years ago, and we have just completed the total renovation of the old administration building and the area around it," he said.
Myklebust said the school financed renovations largely through the sale of a portion of its property that had been bisected by a road.
"In a competitive market, the university cannot thrive unless we offer a variety of extracurricular activities," he said. "In addition to sports and other club activities, we are seeking to increase spiritual programs. A regular Friday evening praise meeting has started, and next academic year we will have one more staff member in the theology/pastoral area as well as a volunteer student missionary."
India: Hit by Tsunami, Adventist Church Members Get Help Rebuilding Lives
May 31, 2005 Andhar Pradesh, India .... [Dorothy Watts/ANN Staff]
Funding from the Adventist church and donations from fellow Adventists around the world are helping members in India recover from the tsunami.
The Adventist Church helped villagers in Eastern India purchase 40 fiberglass boats with nets and 50 country boats.
An Indian boy at a relief camp in the Southern Indian city of Madras, after the area was hit by a tsunami. [Photo: Reuters/Babu, courtesy www.alertnet.org]
Five months after a devastating tsunami struck the Eastern coast of India, hundreds of Seventh-day Adventist families are still recovering from the trauma, aided by donations from church members around the world. While the church's relief arm, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, ADRA, have channeled millions of dollars in aid to tsunami victims irrespective of affiliation, the church itself has mobilized to assist members in this time of need.
"I want to thank my church and my God for the help I got to repair my house," writes Mrs. A. Anbunathan of Subrayapuram, in the Tanjore-Karaikal section of Tamil Nadu. "I was able to make a new thatch roof and to purchase cooking utensils and other household items washed away when the waves came."
Anbunathan lost everything on the morning of Dec. 26, 2004 when the tsunami destroyed much of the community where she lives along the east coast of India. She is one of more than 7,000 Adventist members representing 1,015 families, affected by the tsunami.
The church has helped restore 143 houses and repaired and restocked shops owned by three families. Forty fiberglass boats with nets and 50 country boats have been distributed. Six hundred and seventy-two families have received compensation because of the loss of one season's crops. Goats, cows and sewing machines have been given to members to help them support their families.
"I am so thankful to God and my church for providing me with a boat so that I can go fishing again and support my family," says Naidu Sreenu of Gundaipalem.
Six hundred and sixty-one children in Adventist Schools were affected by the tsunami, losing not only their ability to pay fees because their parents could no longer earn money, but their books as well. Their school expenses were covered and books were provided by the church's tsunami fund.
At least 40 orphans have been moved into Adventist boarding schools. Initial help for clothing and food was provided from the fund, and they are now being supported through funding from Children's Health Education and Relief International Canada and Asian Aid International.
Churches at Port Blair, Andaman Islands, Karaikal and Subrayapuram are being rebuilt. Several classrooms in various schools are also being repaired.
"I appealed to our [church] leaders for help for our members," writes Pastor M. M. Samson of Andaman Islands. "Help came and our believers were able to repair their shops and houses and to replace their household articles and clothing. Also, we are able to rebuild our church. We are so thankful for the kind heart of our brothers and sisters who came to our aid."
"We cannot find words to express our gratitude for the great outpouring of love and support that came for our Adventist members," says Pastor Ron Watts, president of the church in Southern Asia. "All needs have not been fully met as yet, but we have tried to give some help to all."
Pitcairn: Adventist Pastor, Wife Find Paradise on Tiny Island
June 7, 2005 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States .... [Mark A. Kellner/ANN]
Earlier this year Michael and Anne Browning, a Seventh-day Adventist pastor and his wife, moved from Tasmania to pastor the Adventist church on the tiny island of Pitcairn in the South Pacific. [Photo: Melita Pujic/ANN]
Michael and Anne Browning, a Seventh-day Adventist pastor and his wife, have made some changes recently. They've gone from an island that is roughly 26,300 square miles (63,118 square kilometers) to one that is two square miles (5.1 sq. km). Instead of serving three congregations with 130 people, their new parish has 45 permanent residents and 15 "expatriates" who rotate in and out on three-month cycles.
There's one other difference: unlike their former home of Tasmania, a large island off the Southern coast of Australia, their new home shuts down on the Sabbath. Everyone, Adventist or not, lays down their tools for the only day of rest that this small, industrious community knows.
This is Pitcairn Island where residents of this British colony in the South Pacific -- once an outpost of Adventism -- still have a "high regard" for the church. The couple recently moved to a place famed for housing survivors of the "Mutiny on the Bounty" for what is expected to be a one- to two-year term.
While a "large proportion" of Pitcairners, as the residents are known, do not regularly attend weekly worship, the expatriates, who include police, a physician and a social worker, among others, frequent church services.
"We are pastors to the community," Browning, who was in the United States on a study trip, told ANN in an interview. "This is a totally different ministry" than his three-church circuit in Tasmania, where, he said, "I was driving all the time."
The Pitcairners "are amazing people," Anne Browning added. "They are survivors. They're great people and we've learned to love them."
Although the Seventh-day Adventist message reached the island in the late 1800s, recent years have seen a well-documented departure from church practices by some. While television isn't a distraction, the Internet connects to the remote outpost, and the rise of e-mail has led to a decline in postage stamp sales to collectors -- once the island's chief source of revenue. Today, Pitcairners sell carvings and artwork to passing cruise ships, and are developing honey and dried banana exporting businesses.
The church's key spiritual role in the community -- the Adventist Church is the only house of worship there -- is of great importance to Browning, who said he is "asking people to pray for a revival of spirituality on the island."
