Adventist U.S. Soldier Dies in Iraq Newark, N.J./USA | 30.04.2004 | International The Adventist Press Service (APD) has learned that Army Spec. Frank K. Rivers, Jr., of Newark, New Jersey, (USA) is the first reported Seventh-day Adventist to die in military service in Iraq. [img id=129 align=right] Rivers, 23, enlisted following graduation from high school in 1999. He died April 14 after collapsing during physical training exercises in Iraq, according to a report in the Washington Post on April 17. Army officials said the cause of his death is being investigated. Activ
Germany: Mennonite Couple Face Critical Situation:- Siamese Twins to be Separated Hamburg/Germany | 27.04.2004 | International An evangelical couple in Germany is facing a life-and-death-situation. Their two daughters, Lea and Tabea, are Siamese twins. This summer, Ben Carson, an American pediatric neurosurgeon and expert in separating conjoined twins, will attempt to separate the two children, grown together at their skulls. For reasons of personal Christian faith, abortion was never an option for parents Nelly and Peter, reported German reporter Frank Ochmann in an interview with "idea television", a news program broa
Italy: Prime Minister Berlusconi Meets With Italian Adventist Church President Altin Rome/Italy | 23.04.2004 | International The Italian Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and the president of the Italian Union of the Seventh-day Adventist Churches (Unione Italiana delle Chiese Cristiane Avventiste del 7° Giorno), Pastor Lucio Altin, signed an agreement concerning the recognition of the Degree in Theology attained at the Adventist Theological Faculty, Institute of Biblical Culture "Villa Aurora", in Florence, which replaces the current agreement with this Protestant mainstream church. The new text of the agreement – a m
Adventist World Church: Resources To Be Evaluated For Next Five Years Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A | 21.04.2004 | International With 111 people joining the Seventh-day Adventist Church every hour, world church leaders are weighing the impact of this growth, as well as how to respond. Michael L. Ryan, a general vice president of the church and head of its Global Mission initiative, used a suggested theme of "Tell The World" to cast a vision for mission to delegates at the church leadership's Spring Meeting 2004 on April 14. "We have certain values that guide us as a church," Ryan explained to ANN in an interview.
Adventist World Church: Web Site Redesigned To Focus on Mission, News Site Launched Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A | 21.04.2004 | Media The Seventh-day Adventist Church has redesigned its Web site, www.adventist.org, giving more focus to the people of the Adventist Church rather than administration structure. The Adventist News Network is no longer a prominent feature; instead, visitors can choose from some 15 profiles of Adventists around the world. "When visitors come they see it's about people, not about [church] structure," says John Beckett, webmaster for the Adventist Church world headquarters. "Seventh-day Adventist p
Adventists make impact at Australian Gospel Music Festival Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | 18.04.2004 | International Seventh-day Adventists had a strong presence at the Australian Gospel Music Festival (AGMF) in Toowoomba, Queensland, over Easter. Adventist musicians, stall holders, worship service coordinators and volunteers were all part of the festival, which in its sixth year has grown to become the largest of its kind in Australia. More than 30,000 people attended AGMF over three days. The up-front Adventists were the musicians, including "ep" (Endless Praise) returning for a second year, children's mu
Adventist Church: Proposed New Fundamental Belief Statement Voted for Study Silver Spring, Maryland, USA | 18.04.2004 | International "Growing in Christ," a proposed addition to the "Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists," will be studied by world church leaders, pastors and lay members in the coming months, the Adventist Church's spring meeting of leaders voted unanimously April 14. A draft of the new statement will be presented to the Church's Annual Council, held in October. If approved, it will then be circulated for comment and discussion in advance of the 2005 General Conference Session to be held in St. Loui
Iraq: Adventist Church Holds Year-End Meetings Despite Nation Baghdad, Iraq, | 16.04.2004 | International The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Iraq held its 2003 year-end committee meeting on April 7, the delay due to turmoil in the nation. While everyday life have has become increasingly difficult in Iraq over the past couple few weeks, the committee still met, voting several initiatives for the future. In earlier years, the church in Iraq operated several Adventist schools in major cities, but they have been forced to close. In view of a changing climate and possible new freedoms, the committee
ADRA Celebrates 20 Years of Service Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 15.04.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) International is celebrating this month its 20th anniversary of providing development and relief assistance worldwide. "Over the past twenty years, ADRA has forever changed the lives of tens of millions of people--both the lives of those directly benefiting from our projects as well as the lives of each staff and volunteer who dedicated moments and years of their lives to further the mission of ADRA," said Charles Sandefur, president of ADRA
Remembering Rwanda.... New York, N.Y., USA / Geneva/Switzerland | 07.04.2004 | International It was exactly 10 years ago when many in the international world watched helplessly as children, fathers, mothers, and grandparents were slaughtered in what is considered one of the greatest crimes against humanity in the second half of the twentieth century. In 1994, over 800,000 people were murdered in one hundred days. Known as "the land of a thousand hills," Rwanda is a tiny country of only 26,000 square kilometers (about the size of Maryland) with a pre-genocide population of seven mill
Adventist Church: High Aims as 2005 World Session Offering, Campaign to Offer "Hope for Big Cities" Silver Spring, Maryland, USA | 06.04.2004 | International The Seventh-day Adventist Church will focus on expanding its presence in large cities around the world from funds raised at next year’s church world session, which will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, June 29 - July 9, 2005. Each of the Adventist Church’s 13 world administrative regions will choose a city in an initiative called "Hope for Big Cities." "We aren’t just going in there with a big campaign," says Matthew Bediako, secretary for the world church and chairman of the "Hope for B
Peruvian Parliamentary forum emphasizes educational work of Adventist missionary Lima, Peru | 05.04.2004 | International Congress representatives and Peruvian intellectuals and from other countries attended a forum held in the legislative palace in homage of Fernando A. Stahl (1874-1950), considered the father of rural education in Peru. Congresswoman Graciela Yanarico, organizer of the forum "Genesis of Rural Education in Peru" said she could not help but express her profound gratitude to Stahl. She considers herself to be the fruit of this education and the efforts of a man who opted to leave the comforts of
