ADRA Distributes Medical Relief in Critical Areas of Sri Lanka Colombo/Sri Lanka | 31.12.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is distributing 30,000 pounds of medical and water purification supplies that were airlifted to Sri Lanka yesterday. The supplies, provided by AmeriCares, are being distributed by ADRA to inpatient hospitals and clinics in affected regions that have depleted their supplies aiding survivors. “These medical supplies are urgently needed by medical facilities in Sri Lanka,” said Frank Teeuwen, bureau chief for disaster preparedness and response
ADRA Continues Multi-Country Tsunami Response Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 30.12.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is continuing its response in India, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and the Andaman Islands to assist those affected by last Sunday’s earthquake and tsunami. ADRA's office in Sri Lanka is distributing World Health Organization emergency kits, which will provide a one-month supply of medicine for 90,000 people in Colombo. These three tons of medicines, provided through ADRA Germany, arrived with a team of medical specialists. Formula, valued
Adventist World Church: Paulsen Offers New Year's Greeting, Inspiration Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 30.12.2004 | International "Give of your best for the Lord. Let us give Him every opportunity to use you and me," declared Pastor Jan Paulsen, world president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in a New Year's message for 2005 offered to the 25 million people who attend weekly worship in 203 countries and areas of the world. "You are the church, I want to thank you for what you bring to the ministry of the church, the service we try to give to the world," Pastor Paulsen told the Adventist world wide family of believ
ADRA Feeds 7,250 People Affected by Tsunami in India Tamil Nadu, India | 30.12.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) office in India is providing food for 7,250 coastal inhabitants of Tamil Nadu for ten days, following the December 26 tsunami that struck their coastline. Food items include, rice, cooking oil, suji (cream of wheat), and drinking water. ADRA India, in cooperation with the Southeast India Union of Seventh-day Adventists, will identify critical areas affected by the tidal wave and provide meals to displaced and homeless inhabitants. Special con
Cambodia: Hundreds Attend Evangelistic Meetings in Majority Buddhist Country Phnom Penh, Cambodia | 29.12.2004 | International In a country that had no Seventh-day Adventist Church members just 10 years ago, hundreds attended a series of evangelistic meetings in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on December 27. This is believed to be the largest Adventist outreach initiative ever held in the Southeast Asian country. It is also the largest Christian event to be held in the majority Buddhist country in almost ten years, said Garth Anthony, president of the Adventist church in Cambodia. More than 100 buses transported Cambodians to
Southern Asia: Tsunami Kills Thousands, ADRA, Adventist Church Moves to Help Colombo, Sri Lanka | 29.12.2004 | International Nations in Southern Asia are reeling in the wake of a devastating tsunami that swamped coastlines from Indonesia to Africa December 26. Hundreds of fishing villages have been decimated, towns have been destroyed and many tourist resorts flooded. It is estimated that more than 100,000 people perished due to the crushing waves that struck following the 9.0 Richter scale earthquake with the epicentre near Northern Indonesia. Thousands more are feared dead, according to earlier reports. Sri Lank
ADRA International Commits Emergency Funds to Asia Quakes, Tsunamis Washington D.C./USA | 30.12.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) International has committed US$500,000 of private funds as part of the agency’s initial response to the recent Asian earthquake and tsunamis that killed more than 123,000 and devastated the region. "At this time, ADRA is on the ground in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and India responding to and assessing the damages," said Frank Teeuwen, bureau chief for disaster preparedness and response for ADRA International. In Phuket Province, Thail
Adventist Global Mission Experts Meet, Discuss Cross-cultural Mission Sydney, Australia | 22.12.2004 | International With a focus on interacting with secular, post-modern people, Seventh-day Adventist mission experts and directors from the church's Global Mission study centers met in early December in Sydney, Australia. They reported on progress and challenges facing the centers and discussed future plans for Adventist relations with other faith communities. "The study centers were established by Global Mission to research and model methods of building bridges and reaching out to people from other faith an
China Readies Rules on 'Religious Freedom' Beijing, China | 22.12.2004 | Religious Liberty The People's Republic of China will implement a series of new rules on March 1. 2005, safeguarding religious freedom for those who worship in state-approved churches. The Xinhua News Agency and China Daily newspapers, both official government news sources, reported on these changes. The China Daily reports the regulations are "the first comprehensive ones of their kind concerning religious affairs promulgated by the Chinese Government," and are the result of a six-year development period. Th
US-Non-Combatant, Sentenced to Jail by U.S. Marine Corps Court-Martial Camp Lejeune, North Carolina/USA | 19.12.2004 | Religious Liberty APD A United States Marine Corps court-martial has sentenced a Marine, who came to a belief in non-combatancy shortly after signing a two-year re-enlistment, to seven months in jail, rather than separating him from the military. Observers say this is a highly unusual outcome for such a case, which is usually handled less drastically. Marine Corporal Joel David Klimkewicz, a native of Birch Run, Michigan, is married and has a 3-year-old daughter. He will be imprisoned, suffer a reduction
Adventist World Radio to Ring in the New Year with Turkish Broadcasts Binfield, Berkshire/UK | 19.12.2004 | Media Adventist World Radio (AWR) will start off the New Year airing programs in the Turkish language, which is the result of the combined effort of producers in Turkey and France, said Bert Smit, AWR Europe region director. "Initially, the programs will be available via AWR's direct-to-home Hotbird satellite service in Europe and via a live stream on the Internet," he added. AWR plans to start introducing the programs to local FM stations in Turkey as a public service later in the year. Broadcast
U.S. Air Crash Tragedy: Thousands Fill Memorial Service Dalton, Georgia/USA | 08.12.2004 | International Thousands gathered Tuesday for a memorial service for three officials of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who were killed last week when a church plane crashed in Tennessee. "Today is a sad occasion, but their families do not want you to mourn," said Kevin Costello, treasurer of the church's Georgia-Cumberland Conference. "Instead they have asked for us to focus on celebrating the rich, beautiful, and happy lives each man lived as we honor them together." Conference president David C. Cres
Plane Crash Claims Lives of Five U.S. Adventists, Including Three Administrators, One Director Collegedale, Tennessee/USA | 03.12.2004 | International A small plane crash took the lives of three administrators and a director of the Georgia-Cumberland Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, based in Calhoun, Georgia, as well as their pilot, just north of Collegedale, Tennessee., on December 2, at approximately 1:15 p.m. local time. The copilot of the aircraft survived. Killed were Pastor Dave Cress, 47, president; Pastor James H. Frost, 53, vice president of administration; Jamie Arnall, 29, director of communication; and Pastor Clay Farwell
Peru: Local Government Recognizes Adventist Pioneer Educator Lima/Peru | 02.12.2004 | International Manuel Z. Camacho, an indigenous Aymaran Seventh-day Adventist who pioneered education for indigenous peoples in the Puno, Peru region more than 100 years ago, was honored recently by regional government officials. The Lake Titicaca Adventist Mission accepted the recognition in memory of Camacho and pioneer Adventist missionaries to Peru, Fernando and Ana Stahl. Members from local institutions, businesses and government attended the ceremony that recognized outstanding persons. Camacho r
Adventist Radio Broadcast 'Voice of Prophecy' Celebrates 75 Years on Air Simi Valley, California/USA | 02.12.2004 | Media What began as a devotional on a single Los Angeles radio station, today circles the globe as the Voice of Prophecy. VOP, the Seventh-day Adventist Church's premiere radio outreach, celebrated it's 75th anniversary this year. "I'm just thrilled at what the Lord has done during these first 75 years," said Pastor E. Lonnie Melashenko, who for 12 years has been speaker/director of the international broadcast, based at the Adventist Media Center in a Los Angeles suburb. "We're excited about what
Bangladesh: Two School Children Killed as Boat Sinks With 22 Dhaka, Bangladesh | 02.12.2004 | International Two children were killed when a boat transporting students of the Southern Musuria Seventh-day Adventist school sank. Twenty other students survived, officials report. The accident occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 24. After three days, searchers found the bodies of the young victims, ages 8 and 10. The cause of the accident is unknown. The teacher who piloted the craft left the village after residents attacked him. Local church leaders went to the nearby village, to visit
Adventist Center for Women Clergy at Andrews University Provides Support, Mentorship Berrien Springs, Michigan/USA | 02.12.2004 | International Addressing the need to provide for a growing enrollment of women in seminary classes, the Center for Women Clergy opened at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan in the United States in October. "Obtaining professional degrees is equally important to women as to men, so attending seminary is a logical next step following college," says Dr. Patricia Mutch, vice president for academic administration at the university. "Many of these women are also professionals from other fields who
Adventist Relief Agency Provides 9.9 Million Bread Rolls to School Children in North Korea Berne/Switzerland | 28.11.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) bakery school feeding program in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has produced and distributed 9.9 million calcium-enriched bread rolls in its second year of operation. The bread rolls were supplied to nearly 21,000 children in 396 kindergartens as part of ADRA’s Kindergarten Nutrition Project. Each child received a daily ration of two bread rolls. To produce the bread, the World Food Programme (WFP) supplied wheat flour, veg
Adventist Church Ordains First Native Pastor in Albania Tirana/Albania | 25.11.2004 | International Alban Matohiti became the first Albanian to be ordained as a pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Albania. Twenty-nine year old Alban from Albania’s capital city Tirana was among the first group of Albanians to become Christians and join the Adventist church. Participating in the ordination service was Pastor David Currie, former Ministerial Secretary for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans European region, who pioneered the work in Albania following the fall of Communism.
Rwanda: Resurrection A Goal For Adventist University of Central Africa (AUCA) Kigali, Rwanda | 21.11.2004 | International Ten years after a barbaric genocide swept through this Central African nation, the process of reconciliation and rebuilding continues. For Seventh-day Adventist church members -- who comprise one out of every 21 people in Rwanda -- that includes the "resurrection" of a cherished institution, the University of Central Africa in Rwanda, or AUCA. "We have chosen not to sit back and mourn the genocide," said Josef Szilvasi, chancellor of AUCA. "We are opting to be instruments in God's hands, and
Adventist Health Professionals Say Smoking Cessation Requires Complete Program Loma Linda, California/USA | 21.11.2004 | Health & Ethics With many options for ending the fatal habit of smoking, millions have found that trying to quit using only one of the following methods: support groups, taking medicines, or using nicotine replacement aids such as the patch or gum, is not enough, said Dr. Linda Hyder Ferry, M.P.H., in a recent interview. Ferry is a Seventh-day Adventist pioneer in the field of smoking cessation and the primary consultant for the booklet "Tobacco: You Can Be Free," which came out in June. Ferry added, o
ADRA Offers Free Resource Kit for World AIDS Day Commemoration Washington D.C./USA | 21.11.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) International has produced an HIV/AIDS awareness kit, a video/DVD, and red ribbons to encourage the commemoration of World AIDS Day, December 1. The curriculum is structured for faith-based groups, especially schools and churches. The kit provides a curriculum for adults and youth, including a discussion and activity guide, poster, sermon/speech outlines, announcements, activity ideas, facts, and other resources. ADRA’s red ribbons and six
ADRA Implements Innovative Agricultural Technique in Brazil Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 17.11.2004 | ADRA In the semi-arid region of Bahia, Brazil the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is implementing polyculture, an innovative agricultural method to improve crop production and increase the income of families in the community of Uauá and surrounding areas. Polyculture is a diversified multi-crop farming practice that focuses on the interaction of crop components. The technique matches plants that complement each other – one plant’s outputs are another plant’s inputs. For example, in
Slovenia: Religious Freedom Violations Must Be Combated, Adventist Leaders Say Rogaska Slatina, Slovenia | 17.11.2004 | Religious Liberty Increasing violations of religious freedom must be combated, leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Europe said last week. Church representatives from 21 countries met in a series of meetings from November 7 to 9 in Rogaska, Slatina, Slovenia. They worked on issues of concern, including the rise of religious extremism, the problems of intolerance and discrimination, and the need to defend freedom of conscience and belief. "Today religious freedom is more important than ever," sai
Ivory Coast: Church Official Describes Life Under Siege Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 17.11.2004 | International Returning unharmed after spending five days in the heart of a clash between French troops and natives of Ivory Coast, Roscoe Howard, an associate secretary of the Seventh-day Adventist world church, and also secretary of its North American region, told his story to colleagues at the church's headquarters on November 15. Howard said he appreciates both God's protection and the kindness of others in the midst of crisis. "I learned something about humanity" during the experience, Howard said. "
Adventist Church to Create Awareness of Child Abuse Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 17.11.2004 | International With the annual World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse coming up on November 19, the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Children's Ministries department hopes to bring awareness to a problem that affects Adventist congregations. "In our churches [people] don't feel comfortable actually talking about abuse. ... But children are facing problems we feel that members need to be aware of," says Linda Koh, Children's Ministries director for the world church. "I suppose in our minds it's against o
Jamaica: 10,000 Adventists March Against Violence Kingston, Jamaica | 10.11.2004 | International More than 10,000 Seventh-day Adventist men, women and children marched through the streets of Kingston and St. Catherine, Jamaica, on November 6 (Saturday) bearing a message of hope and family unity. The march, said to be the largest ever on the island in the Caribbean Sea, kicked off a summit aimed at countering a steep rise in violence in Jamaica over the past 12 months. "Members from the Western and Eastern [regions] of the island came in buses, cars and motorcades to march with signs and
Adventist Church Joins Coalition Against Worldwide Human Trafficking Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 09.11.2004 | International APD In an effort to bring more attention to international human trafficking, often equated to modern-day slavery, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has joined a coalition of non-profit organizations dedicated to extinguishing this growing practice. Members of the church's world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, met with Ralph Benko and Kari Rai, consultants to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on November 3. "Between 800,000 and 900,000 people fall victim
Egypt: New Adventist Church Dedicated; Leaders Meet Government Officials Dahasa, Egypt | 09.11.2004 | International Nearly 18 months after excavations for a neighbouring mosque caused the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Dahasa, Upper Egypt to collapse, a new building was dedicated October 16. Sixty members will now worship in the new structure. Pastor Kjell Aune, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Egypt, dedicated the building in a two-and-one-half hour service that included the baptism of six new members and a celebration of the Lord's Supper. Sameh Doss, the local pastor, assisted the new
Ivory Coast: Adventist Leaders, Guests, Safe As Fighting Breaks Out Abidjan, Ivory Coast | 08.11.2004 | International Officials of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's world headquarters and Adventist Risk Management are safe in Abidjan following a weekend of violent clashes between mobs in Abidjan and French troops, following French retaliation for an Ivorian assault that killed nine French peacekeeping troops and an American aid worker. The church officials are expected to leave on Tuesday, November 9, to return home. Pastor Gerald Karst, a vice president of the Adventist world church, is reported as stayin
Russia: President Putin Meets Religious Leaders to Counter Terrorism Moscow/Russia | 20.10.2004 | International Nine religious leaders, including Pastor Vasily Stolyar, Seventh-day Adventist Church president for West Russia, were part of a September 29 summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in which the state leader called on pastors to help stop terrorist activities by promoting tolerance and understanding. The meeting, held in the Kremlin's famed "Catherine's Hall," was the first involving religious leaders with President Putin in three years, Pastor Stolyar noted. "Your words and
Iraq: Synod of Chaldean Church in Baghdad postponed Baghdad/Iraq | 19.10.2004 | International Chaldean Patriarch Emmanuel Delly decided to postpone the Synod of the Chaldean Church scheduled for October 19-21 in Baghdad, according to the news agency "AsiaNews". The decision became necessary as result of the increasing violence and worsening security situation in the country. The procurator of the Chaldean Church in Rome Philip Najim told AsiaNews of the decision stressing that it was made before the multiple attack against five Baghdad churches in the night from October 15 to 16. Ac
Thailand: ADRA to help prevent trafficking of children Bangkok/Thailand | 19.10.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) has launched a DVD to raise awareness of a project to prevent the trafficking of children in northern Thailand. The DVD, called "Keep Girls Safe", uses the story of Nowarat to illustrate the issue of trafficking. Two ADRA Thailand employees installing a water system in Ban Maenawang in the mid-1990s noticed Nowarat appeared to be the only 12-year-old girl in the village. Most, they learned, had been "recruited" to serve as sex workers in t
ADRA-Kenya Selected As Lead Agency In Kitui Emergency Operations Nairobi/Kenya | 17.10.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency in Kenya "ADRA-Kenya" has once again been selected to be the Relief Lead Agency in the Kitui district during the current joint efforts by the Government of Kenya and international donors represented by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to respond to the threat on human life posed by the ongoing drought. WFP will sign an agreement with ADRA-Kenya anytime this week. ADRA will collaborate with three other local NGOs who will be implementing Partners takin
Five churches bombed in Baghdad, no casualties reported Baghdad/Iraq | 16.10.2004 | International A string of bombs exploded at five churches across Baghdad early Saturday though no casualties have been reported, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said. [img id=253 align=right]The explosions rang out in quick succession over an hour and half starting at 4:00 am (0100GMT) at St. Joseph Church in the Nafaq Al-Shurta area, said ministry spokesman Col. Adnan Abdul-Rahman. The other churches hit were St. Jacob's Church and St. George's Church in the Doura neighborhood, the Church of Rome in the Ka
USA: Southern Adventist University Professor Receives Fulbright Grant Collegedale, Tennesse/USA | 15.10.2004 | International Michael G. Hasel, professor at the Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennesse (USA), received the Fulbright Scholar grant for the 2004-2005 academic year. Hasel will be researching and writing the book The Name Equation: Designating Eastern Mediterranean People, Places and Polities in New Kingdom Egypt. Currently Hasel directs the Institute of Archaeology and is curator of the Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum. He will be conducting his research at the Cyprus-American Archae
Southern Asia-Pacific: Adventist Chaplaincy Department Braces Pastors on Crisis Situations Silang, Cavite, Philippines | 30.09.2004 | International Some 170 pastors and chaplains working in Myanmar and Indonesia received training in crisis intervention in two separate venues between Aug. 31 and Sept. 7. The first seminar was held in conjunction with the Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries' retreat at an Adventist university in Manado, in terror hard-hit Indonesia, while the other was at the Adventist headquarters in Yangon, Myanmar. Hospital, college and school chaplains within the Southern Asia-Pacific church area joined the first retreat
Adventist Relief Agency Aids Survivors, Families of Russian School Tragedy Moscow/Russia | 30.09.2004 | ADRA Survivors of the tragic school attack that took place September 1, 2004 in Beslan, Russia, are being provided assistance by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). Survivors, their families, and families of the 331 people that died in the attacks will benefit from a community centre that will assist with the psychological and social rehabilitation of the affected population. The one-year project will provide post-trauma training for teachers of Beslan schools and the centre volun
East Africa: New Adventist Church Leaders Prepared In Training Eldoret, Kenya | 30.09.2004 | International Developing a new generation of leaders is at the top the Seventh-day Adventist Church in East Africa's agenda, reports Jules K K Lumbu, spokesman for the church in the region. A joint program of the 1978 established University of Eastern Africa - Baraton (Eldoret/Kenya) and the U.S. based Andrews University (Berrien Springs MI/USA), both connected with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is helping to prepare a new generation of leaders. September 23 saw the "proxy" graduation of 62 Master of
Philippines: Government Accredits Adventist Pastors as Healthy Lifestyle Promoters Manila, Philippines | 30.09.2004 | International The Philippines is set to activate church resources to improve lifestyle of its citizens, according to Jonathan C. Catolico, Seventh-day Adventist Church spokesman in the region. A three-day, government-sponsored seminar has led to the accreditation of 28 Seventh-day Adventist pastors and church workers as trainers for healthy lifestyle programs in the Philippines. The government's Department of Health sponsored and led the seminar. Dr. Judith Tawatao, technical program coordinator for t
Russia: Adventist Church, Government Seek to Help After Beslan Terrorist Killings Beslan, Northern Ossetia, Russia | 30.09.2004 | International Following the recent terrorist siege at a local school in Beslan, organizations and the local government are continuing efforts to help neighbors in the region. Seventh-day Adventist church leaders in the North Caucasus area and in the church's Euro-Asia region are bringing various forms of aid. "The Seventh-day Adventist Church [in the] North Caucasus [region] is doing everything possible to comfort people of Beslan and help in this situation. It is the most important work of the church at
Haiti/Dominican Republic: Church Mourns and Prepares to Rebuild After Hurricane Tragedy Gonaives, Haiti | 30.09.2004 | International "There is such a devastation here; [the] people need everything; people are dying, they need food, water, clothing and medicines," said Pastor Etzer Obas, president of the Adventist church in Haiti while assessing the aftermath of hurricane Jeanne which flooded and levelled parts of his country. "Flood waters are still present, and the people are mourning. They cannot bring people in the morgue, they cannot bury their dead, they cannot find their loved ones amidst the dead animals and bodies
ADRA Continues Distributing Hurricane Aid in Cayman Islands, Grenada, Jamaica Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 26.09.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is continuing with its comprehensive assistance to those affected by the recent hurricanes in the Caribbean. On September 22 nearly 8,000 pounds of items were airlifted to the Cayman Islands to be distributed by ADRA. Included were 300 blankets, 200 food boxes that are a two-week food supply for a family, 560 hygiene kits, can openers, hammers, Hibachi grills, nails, rope, tarps/plastic sheeting, and five pallets of water. The Church of Jesu
Southern Asia-Pacific: Adventist Chaplaincy Department Braces Pastors on Crisis Situations Silang, Cavite, Philippines | 26.09.2004 | International Some 170 pastors and chaplains working in Myanmar and Indonesia received training in crisis intervention in two separate venues between Aug. 31 and Sept. 7. The first seminar was held in conjunction with the Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries' retreat at an Adventist university in Manado, in terror hard-hit Indonesia, while the other was at the Adventist headquarters in Yangon, Myanmar. Hospital, college and school chaplains within the Southern Asia-Pacific church area joined the first retreat
ADRA Angola Improves Food Security of IDP Returnees Berne, Switzerland | 26.09.2004 | ADRA Thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) returnees are benefiting from a unique project being implemented by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) aiming to improve their food security through increased attention to the health of cattle. The majority of the beneficiaries recently returned to their homes in Huambo Province, Angola since peace came to the country approximately two years ago The project is currently funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Adventist Describes Resistance to Rwanda Genocide; Pleads for Civil Society Washington, D.C., U.S.A., | 22.09.2004 | International At a time when world leaders including U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan are focusing their attention on a looming genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan, a soft-spoken Seventh-day Adventist pastor, Carl Wilkens, told an audience of congressional staffers and human rights advocates that standing against the 1994 genocide in Rwanda "was the right thing to do." He then added a plea for a more civil tone in society, contending that even jokes that disparage others can be a portent of civil stri
Grenada: Two Adventist Church Members Killed, Church Hit Hard By Hurricane Ivan Grenville/Grenada | 16.09.2004 | International Hurricane Ivan's impact on Grenada included the deaths of two Seventh-day Adventist church members, looting of the local church headquarters, and the destruction of the church's two schools and half of its 37 church buildings. The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Grenada has more than 10,000 members, officials report. Funeral services for an Adventist mother and daughter were held on September 11. On that same day, Adventist leaders from the church's Caribbean region visited Grenada to meet wi
Iraq: No Injuries As Car Bomb Explodes Outside Baghdad Adventist Church Baghdad, Iraq | 16.09.2004 | International A car packed with an estimated 330 pounds (150 kilograms) of dynamite was detonated outside the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Baghdad late Friday night September 10. While there were no services in progress at the time, a guard was present on the church compound and escaped unhurt. "Details are still sketchy, but it appears to have been a deliberate attack on the church since there are no other significant targets on the side that was bombed," says Homer Trecartin, secretary-treasurer for
Adventist Named One Of Most Influential U.S. Foreign Policy Makers Washington D.C.,/U.S.A. | 16.09.2004 | International Seventh-day Adventist U.S. Congressman Roscoe G. Bartlett has been named one of the 500 most influential people in United States foreign policy by the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA), a non-partisan international affairs system. Each person’s influence is determined by their impact on broad national opinion through their prominence, their writings, public presentations, media appearances, and their influence on government decision-makers. Within government, this influence derives fro
Rwanda: In Rebuilt Adventist Church, Satellite Series Yields 10,000 Baptisms | 03.09.2004 | International The just-concluded ACTS* 2004 evangelistic series in the Rwandan capital yielded a large number of new Seventh-day Adventist church members - more than 10,000 at last count. However, that's not the only residual effect of the campaign. Thanks to efforts by Adventist broadcast ministry It Is Written, the church's East-Central Africa region and local church leaders in Rwanda, the Remera Seventh-day Adventist Church, in a suburb of Kigali about five miles from the city center, was refurbished a
Blast rocks Kabul foreign quarter Kabul, Afghanistan | 29.08.2004 | International At least seven people have been killed by a powerful explosion building in the Shar-e-Naw area in central Kabul, where aid agencies are also located, Afghan officials say. The blast went off near a building housing a private US security firm that works for Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the officials said. The blast also destroyed several vehicles and damaged buildings in the area, housing a number of aid agencies, including two buildings of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA
Australian Christians launch election website Box Hill, Victoria Australia | 26.08.2004 | Ecumenism The Australian Evangelical Alliance (AEA) has launched a website to help Christians think biblically about political and social issues before voting in the Federal election. The website, at www.evangelicalalliance.org.au features articles about social issues, comparisons of the values of political parties, discussions about policies released by the parties, prayers, reflections on Christian responsibilities, song suggestions and statements from Christian politicians. [img id=228 align=righ
Adventist Member of Parliament speaks in Fiji Suva Fiji | 26.08.2004 | International A Seventh-day Adventist minister who is also a Member of Parliament in Hawaii has shared his testimony with church members holding public office in Fiji. Pastor David Pendelton spoke at a seminar for Adventists in government about balancing the demands of ministry and of politics. "He has survived four election campaigns in his eight years in parliament," says Pastor Ray Coombe, the director of public affairs and religious liberty for the church in the South Pacific. Pastor Pendelton co
Australia: Adventist Church leader affirms church, state separation Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia | 26.08.2004 | Religion + State A Seventh-day Adventist Church leader says other denominations should be congratulated for refusing to sponsor political parties or candidates in the upcoming Federal election. Pastor Ray Coombe's comment comes in response to criticism from the director of the Christian Democratic Party in New South Wales, Phil Lamb. According to Mr Lamb, most church leaders privately support a bid by the Reverend Fred Nile for a seat in the Senate, "but in a recent request for a public statement of suppor
Russia: Adventist Church Burns In Midnight Blaze; Investigation Continues Rostov-on-Don, North Caucasus, Russia | 26.08.2004 | International An investigation is continuing into the middle-of-the-night August 20 blaze that destroyed a Seventh-day Adventist Church in the city of Rostov-on-Don in the Northern Caucasus region. The fire, which started at or near midnight, saw the arrival of firefighters 10 minutes later. However, efforts to contain the blaze took more than four hours, and were not totally successful: after pronouncing the fire "liquidated" at 4:30 a.m. local time, the roof reignited four and one-half hours later. Fire
ADRA Provides Afghan Schools With Water, Sanitation Kabul, Afghanistan | 23.08.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) office in Afghanistan is implementing a project funded by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to improve access to clean water and promote safe hygiene practices in Jawzjan province, northern Afghanistan. The project aims to decrease the prevalence of diarrhea-type diseases by targeting 50 schools attended by 13,500 students. “Clean water and sanitation is a serious problem in Afghanistan,” said Fabiano Franz, projects director for AD
Cuba/Florida: Adventists Aid Community In Hurricane Charley's Aftermath Punta Gorda, Florida, USA | 23.08.2004 | International Seventh-day Adventists and their neighbours are teaming up to provide relief and comfort to victims of Hurricane Charley, which struck August 12 in Cuba and the next day, August 13, in Florida (USA). At least 22 people are confirmed dead in that state, with another five reported dead in the Caribbean. Estimates of property damage are in the billions of U.S. dollars, as the hurricane flattened entire communities. "We plan to be here for three weeks at least and plan to rebuild people's lives
Refugees Baptized In Switzerland; Adventist Church Gains Notice For New International Congregations Berne, Switzerland | 19.08.2004 | Switzerland Many Christian denominations -- and congregations -- talk about diversity and the need to reach across cultural boundaries. In Switzerland, Seventh-day Adventists are living out such goals. Recently, in the town of Fribourg, Switzerland, 21 miles (34 km) southeast of Berne, two refugees -- an Iraqi and a Rwandan -- were baptized as members of the church. The local minister, Pastor Dominik Frikart, met the two, studied the Bible with them and accompanied them in their decision to follow Chris
West Africa: 3,000 Adventist Women Gather For International Congress Grand Bassam, Ivory Coast | 19.08.2004 | International More than 3,000 women from countries in West and Central Africa gathered in Grand Bassam, Ivory Coast, for a first-ever international congress of Seventh-day Adventist women from the region. The event was held August 8 to 15. About 30 tents were set up in the city stadium but even these cannot house all of the women who came to Grand Bassam to take part. Fasting, prayer and a communion service were the essence of the first day's events. "I have never seen such a great number of people pa
Russia: Youth Congress Draws 1,000 With A Renewal of Christian Commitment Zaoksky, Tula Region, Russia | 19.08.2004 | International An estimated 1,000 young adults from the 12 nations of the of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Euro-Asia region gathered in the town of Zaoksky, approximately 80 miles (100 km) south of Moscow, for a youth congress that ended with a massive renewal of Christian commitment. "During this congress I realized that I love my church and saw that the church loves me and does many things for me," said one young man. Others came forward for baptism and to serve as pastors or bible instructors. Stil
International Temperance Role of Adventists to Continue Auckland, New Zealand | 12.08.2004 | Health & Ethics Seventh-day Adventists continue to influence the international temperance movement with the election of a church leader to the World Woman's Christian Temperance Union, or WWCTU. Joy Butler is the WWCTU's new director of Christian outreach. She accepted the position at the organization's 36th triennial convention, held recently in Auckland, New Zealand. "I have had misgivings about the WWCTU, but attending the convention has strengthened my commitment to it," says Butler, the director of
Christian Churches Bombed In Iraq –Adventists Spared But On High Alert Baghdad, Iraq | 11.08.2004 | International The world watches in stunned dismay at the carnage and chaos that continues to plague Iraq. Only the other week, several churches in different parts of Iraq were the targets of bomb attacks, killing a number of people. Seventh-day Adventist Churches were spared, but leaders remain on high alert. Threats against other churches have increased concerns which led to a decision to cancel worship services for Saturday (Sabbath) August 7. One week earlier, Adventist Church leaders had announced a speci
Iraq: Religious Affairs Ministry Officials Visit Adventist Headquarters In Baghdad Baghdad, Iraq | 11.08.2004 | Religion + State Church leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Iraq met and hosted a visit from the newly formed Ministry of Religious Affairs. This ministry has three separate branches, one each for Shia, Suni and Christians. The ten-member team of Ministry officials visited the Church headquarters last week to discuss the future of the Adventist Church in Iraq. Basim Fargo, Secretary-Treasurer for the Church in Iraq commented that, "one of the officials had studied in the Adventist school in Mosul year
Turkmenistan: Arbitratry Rule at Police: Finding Nemo, Hunting Adventists Turkmenabad, Turkmenistan | 11.08.2004 | Religious Liberty Nine children were watching a video of the animated film Finding Nemo when police raided the home of an Adventist family in the eastern city of Turkmenabad (formerly Charjou) on August 7. "Without showing any warrant they immediately began confiscating all the literature they could find," a Protestant who preferred not to be identified told Norway based "Forum 18", an independent News Service promoting religious liberty. Police then put pressure on the owners to admit an "illegal" religious serv
Greece: Adventist Church Grows to 500 Members, Nine Churches Athens, Greece | 11.08.2004 | International With attention firmly focused on Greece in the midst of the Athens Olympic Games, the small Seventh-day Adventist Church community in Greece is planning renewed evangelistic energy as their nation winds down after this national and international event. "We decided not to have any special program during the Olympics," says Pastor Apostolos Maglis, president of the Adventist Greek Mission. "Those whose jobs will be affected by the Olympics will stay in the city and work 8 am to 9 pm every day.
Poland: European Youth Congress Draws 3,000 From 30 Countries Wroclaw, Poland | 11.08.2004 | International Over 3,000 young people from 30 nations converged on the 'Hala Ludowa' hall in Wroclaw, Poland, center for the European Youth Congress from August 4 to 8, 2004. The youth meeting was jointly organized by Paul Tompkins and Corrado Cozzi, Youth directors for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-Europe and Euro-Africa regions together with a large team of helpers. Under the theme, 'Time 4 Action', it was a call for young people to commit themselves to the Lord. Bertil Wiklander, president
U.S. Wal-Mart Retailer Buys Almost 60'000 of The Passion of Love From Adventist Printer Bentonville, Arkansas/USA | 05.08.2004 | International By the end of August 2004, U.S. shoppers will be able to stop by their local Wal-Mart to pick up The Passion of Love, which is compiled from 13 of the last chapters of the book The Desire of Ages, written by the well-known Christian author and co-founder of world-wide mainstream protestant Seventh-day Adventist Church, Ellen G. White (1827-1915). The book was produced and printed by the privately owned printing company Remnant Publications, and it will soon be available in both English and Spani
Solomon Islands: Ecumenical Use of Adventist Sabbath School Material Buala, Santa Isabel Solomon Islands | 02.08.2004 | International Members of other Christian denominations on Santa Isabel in the Solomon Islands are using Seventh-day Adventist Church-produced materials in their children's Sunday schools. Deku Enoch introduced the new GraceLink Sabbath School curriculum at workshops organised by 200 Adventist women from Guadalcanal daily in the town of Buala and in villages along the coast during a visit to the island, June 7-12. The mission of the GraceLink Sabbath School curriculum is to help children joyfully experie
Report: Adventist Lay Ministers Lack Training In The Pacific Islands Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia | 02.08.2004 | International More than half the volunteers who are serving as Seventh-day Adventist ministers in the Pacific islands are not equipped to fulfil the role expected of them, a new report shows. Author Dr Brad Kemp, the director of leadership and Pacific resources for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific, estimates that almost 70 per cent of the more than 470 church members serving as volunteer ministers in the Pacific islands need in-service training and that more than 50 per cent have recei
Adventist Youths From South Pacific To Gather For Church Congress In Fiji Suva, Fiji | 24.07.2004 | International More then 4500 youths of the Seventh Day Adventist Church from around the South Pacific region will meet in Suva in what is expected to be a major boost for the country, according to a news report from the Fiji Times. The youths from Australia, New Zealand, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji are expected to be part of the 2004 Youth Congress from December 30 to January 4, 2005. Trans Pacific Union Youth Director Fred Toailoa s
Chamberlain Case: Baby Azaria mystery deepens Perth, Western Australia, Australia | 19.07.2004 | International By Sheree Went Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton is reportedly examining a claim that a "fair-skinned woman" aged in her 20s is living with a group of Aboriginal people in the remote Western Desert. Lindy investigates theory Azaria living with Aborigines Journalist Ray Martin said last night Mrs Chamberlain-Creighton was looking into the claim, made by a Seventh Day Adventist minister. Martin, who made the claim on Channel Nine's A Current Affair, did not elaborate, and there was no comment f
International Adventist Nurses' Convention Met in Coventry Coventry, U.K. | 19.07.2004 | Health & Ethics From July 12 to 16 a major Adventist Nurses' Convention was held at the Royal Court Hotel near Coventry. The event was organised by the Seventh-day Adventist General Conference Health Ministries department and U.S. based Loma Linda University School of Nursing, in conjunction with the British Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Health Ministries department. It was largely funded by "The Ralph and Carolyn Thompson Charitable Foundation" and was attended by around sixty people fro
Haiti: ADRA and Loma Linda University Partner To Create A National Crisis Intervention Team Port-au-Prince, Haiti | 16.07.2004 | ADRA In the aftermath of the floods that ravaged southeast Haiti last May, the Adventist Relief and Development Agency (ADRA) and the International Behavioral Health Trauma Team from Loma Linda University met in Port-au-Prince from June 28 to July 3 to train local medical professionals and volunteers in aiding disaster victims. The general public was also given an opportunity to attend the training. Reports say the floods killed 1,700 in the province of Mapou and surrounding communities, and left mor
Australian Adventist Evangelist Popular in Singapore Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia | 16.07.2004 | International A lifestyle series presented by an Australian Seventh-day Adventist evangelist has proved popular in Singapore. Average attendance for each of the programs in Pastor Peter Jack's Taking Charge series ranged from 150 to 290 over three months. The Adventist Media evangelist presented the programs at the Singapore Conference Hall and the Singapore Power Auditorium. "An Australian-based life management presenter working in Singapore at the time attended all the programs with his Singapore-base
Greece: Romanian-Speaking Adventist Church Established in Athens Athens, Greece | 16.07.2004 | International A new Adventist church was established in Athens on June 26 consisting mainly of Romanian Seventh-day Adventists working in Greece. There are more than 80 members in the congregation some of whom became Adventists as a result of the missionary activity of their Romanian country-fellows living in Athens. The first Romanian Adventists to arrive in 1997 formed a Bible School class and by 2001 they already numbered 20 members. Two evangelistic series were organized resulting in 14 persons being bapt
First Iraqi Adventist Death Mosul, Iraq | 16.07.2004 | International On July 11 (Sunday) a Seventh-day Adventist mother of three (the eldest only 11) was travelling to a relative’s wedding in Mosul. At some point an American convoy began to pass her vehicle. Just as it did, something in front of the convoy exploded. Immediately the soldiers began firing in all directions and our sister was one of the ones hit by the flying bullets. One of her children was also injured. Today they buried her in Mosul. Homer Trecartin, Secretary-Treasurer of the Seventh-day Adv
New ADRA Initiative Fights HIV/AIDS Throughout Africa Silver Spring, Maryland, USA | 16.07.2004 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) initiated a project to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in the continent of Africa. The three-year project, funded for US$526,000 by the Swedish government through ADRA Sweden, will train trainers of counselors in the care, support, and counseling of those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. A curriculum is being developed to train health professionals, teachers, and influential community or religious leaders. Once the selected trainers have bee
Adventist World Church: Hope 4 The Big Cities Campaign Raises Goals Silver Spring, Maryland, USA | 14.07.2004 | International "Hope 4 The Big Cities," a proposed worldwide urban outreach by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is raising its goals, hoping to reach out to even more large cities than originally planned. From an original initial proposal to engage the church in special evangelism efforts in 13 cities, at least 60 are now being targeted and more than 100 new congregations are planned for those cities, church leaders say. In 1950, only 18 percent of developing countries' populations lived in cities; soon,
United Kingdom: Adventists, Others Concerned Over Proposed London, United Kingdom | 14.07.2004 | International Seventh-day Adventist church leaders in the United Kingdom -- and others -- are concerned about a proposed "religious hatred" legislation called for July 7 by David Blunkett, the British Home Secretary. "We also need to acknowledge the risk that extremists of every kind -- whether political or religious -- will try to use this sense of insecurity to promote their objectives. That is what they want: to play on people's legitimate fears to create division and destroy the mutuality on which our
Chamberlains Tragedy: Azaria still a vestige of human frailty Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | 12.07.2004 | International Nearly 24 years after her death, news of missing infant Azaria Chamberlain can elicit fervour throughout Australian society, writes Gary Tippet. Years ago America's most dysfunctional family visited Australia, outraging the nation so severely that the worst offender was condemned to receive a traditional public Booting. Bart Simpson's response? "Hey, I think I hear a dingo eatin' your baby." Back in New York, Seinfeld's Elaine insults a stranger in similar terms. On the West Coast, one
Sudan: Darfur Adventists 'In A Dire and Desperate Situation' Darfur, Sudan | 12.07.2004 | International Concern is mounting over the increasingly desperate humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of western Sudan, according to Paul Yithak, secretary for the Adventist Church in Sudan. "Thank God no one [among our church members] was killed or injured; however, they are in a dire and desperate situation." In a July 8 e-mail to the church's regional Middle East headquarters, Yithak expressed his anguish that Adventists from the church in Nyala province "have no access to help." Around 50,000
Adventist World Church Works With WHO On Antiretroviral Treatment Geneva/Switzerland | 30.06.2004 | Health & Ethics Religious denominations in Africa are being told to emulate Seventh-day Adventist churches as models "of health and healing and treatment" for HIV/AIDS patients, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO, an agency of the United Nations, recently made special mention of Adventist churches, whose emphasis on healthy living has been a hallmark of its message since its earliest days. "As a special recognition of the work of the Adventist communities, [the WHO committee] also a
Russia: Anti-Semitic Vandals Deface Adventist Seminary Zaokski, Tula Region, Russia, | 25.06.2004 | International The Federal Security Service and local police are investigating an act of anti-Semitic vandalism following an attack on the Zaokski Theological Seminary, a Seventh-day Adventist institution, June 17. In the early morning hours, Russian-language slogans such as "Death to Jews", "There is no space for you here," "Russia for Russians," "Jewish sect get out of Russia," were painted on Seminary buildings and a recently paved sidewalk, along with Nazi symbols such as the swastika and the words "sk
U.S. City of St. Louis to Host Seventh-day Adventist Church 2005 World Session St. Louis, Missouri, USA | 23.06.2004 | International The 58th world session of the Seventh-day Adventist Church will bring an international flavour 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 spiritua
Greek Bible Society Outreach During Athens Olympic Games Athens, Greece | 20.06.2004 | Bible The Greek Bible Society of Greece has announced that the country's three major Christian denominations, Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant, will be distributing 50,000 copies of a scripture portion to be called "The Apostle Paul in Greece" during the 2004 Olympic Games to be held in Athens from August 13 to 29. Based on the account of Paul's visit to Greece in Chapters 16 to 20 from the Book of Acts in the Bible, this multilingual scripture portion edition, with illustrations of Greek Artist S
Latvia: Adventist Church Signs Agreement With State Riga, Latvia | 16.06.2004 | Religion + State Seventh-day Adventists in the Baltic nation of Latvia are on the verge of full legal status as an agreement between the church and the Latvian government is signed and waiting approval from the Latvian parliament, the Saeima. Church leaders expect that the deal will either be ratified or postponed. Discussions between religious denominations and the Latvian government have been ongoing for many years. When the Latvian state signed a concordat with the Catholic Church, the government promised
Turkmenistan: Adventist Church Is First State-Registered Congregation, Five Years After Building Was Destroyed Ashgabat, Turkmenistan | 02.06.2004 | International Call them Number One--officially, Number 0001, the registration number granted Seventh-day Adventists in this central Asian nation on June 1, making them the first Protestant Christian congregation to gain such status in Turkmenistan. Five years after it bulldozed a Seventh-day Adventist Church building, the government of Turkmenistan has officially recognized the small group of believers remaining. Adventists are the first Protestant congregation to be registered by the country's Ministry of
ADRA Aids Dominican Republic Flood Survivors Silver Spring, MD, USA | 01.06.2004 | ADRA Severe flooding in the Dominican Republic has killed hundreds, with many more still missing or unaccounted for. Those affected by the flooding are receiving aid from the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) office in the Dominican Republic. In response ADRA will provide clothing, shoes, medicine and food supplies to 1,000 people affected by the flooding. Food supplies will include rice, beans, cooking oil, potatoes, pasta, salt, milk, and oatmeal. Medical consultation, treatment, an
Sudan: Darfur Crisis Deepens As Adventist Churches Are Destroyed Darfur, Sudan | 30.05.2004 | International Seventh-day Adventist churches in the Abu Garajil and Juruf districts of the Darfur region of western Sudan have been destroyed during the escalating humanitarian and security crisis unfolding there, church leaders say. "Our members have been displaced. They are without food, clothing or shelter to sleep under," reports William Kabi Oliver, a pastor and district leader for the Adventist Church in the area. In spite of their difficulties and constant threat to personal security, Oliver sa
Christians Plan Day Of Prayer For Children Around The World San Jose, Costa Rica | 29.05.2004 | International Christians around the world will pause on June 5, the World Wide Day of Prayer for Children at Risk, to remember children on the streets, children abused by their families, children serving in armies, children forced into prostitution, children who are malnourished, children everywhere who need the help of others who care. Worldwide, Christians will gather in churches, schools and at home to pray for these children and seek the Lord's guidance in ministering to them. There will be prayer e
ADRA Encourages World No Tobacco Day Observance Silver Spring, MD, USA | 28.05.2004 | Health & Ethics The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) International is urging the observance of World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) on May 31 by making resources available that raise awareness of the impact and dangers of tobacco use and what individuals can do to play an active role in commemorating the day. "Although ADRA’s worldwide anti-tobacco programs are making great progress, much more remains to be done," stated Charles Sandefur, president of ADRA International. "I encourage individuals and le
Denmark: New Adventist Church Leaders And Strong Support For Youth Evangelism Himmerlandsgården, Denmark | 26.05.2004 | International At the General Assembly of the Danish Union of Adventist Churches (Syvende Dags Adventistkirken i Denmark), which took place from May 19-23 at the Danish Union youth campsite, Himmerlandsgården, near Jylland in Western Denmark, delegates elected a new church leadership and executive committee for the Danish Adventist Church. Under the session motto "United in Mutual Care for Each Other" delegates voted for an enlargement of the administrative level, having three officers instead of the regu
Ebola Outbreak Kills 5 In Sudan; ADRA Workers Affected Geneva | 26.05.2004 | ADRA The World Health Organization (WHO) believes a new strain of the Ebola virus is responsible for four deaths in Yambio, southern Sudan. According to WHO, an additional 15 people are thought to be infected with the virus. The WHO has restricted public movement, public gatherings, and person-to-person contact, such as shaking hands. To prevent the spread of the virus, staff of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in southern Sudan are taking precautionary measures. Teacher training
Adventist Church Anticipates Launching Latino TV Programming in North America Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. | 23.05.2004 | Media Plans have been announced for the scheduled summer 2004 launch of new Spanish-language television programming for North and Central America on the Adventist Television Network (ATN). Members of the Hispanic advisory meeting for the Adventist Church in North America learned of the development at a recent meeting in Denver, Colorado. According to Manuel Vasquez, vice president of the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, "this new programming will be a blessing not only to H
Adventist Year Of Evangelism For Children Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia | 18.05.2004 | International Children will have an opportunity to make a commitment to Jesus Christ during the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Year of Evangelism this year. The church's Kids Light Up Your World initiative "involves reaching out to children in the community and children using their gifts to witness to others," says Julie Weslake, the new director of children's ministries for the Adventist church in the South Pacific. "[Church founder] Ellen White assures us children aged from eight to 10 are not too you
Brazilian Census 2000 Shows Revealing Data About Religion Brasilia, Brazil | 16.05.2004 | International The largest group of Brazilian Christians are between 30 and 39 years of age, followed by those aged 40-49, according to the 2000 Demographic Census. This is true both for Catholics and for Protestants, whether they are members of mission, historic or Pentecostal Churches. The data forms part of the results about the population by religion and by age groups, carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in the 2000 Demographic Census. Among those who say t
Spanish Interior Ministry Project Unsettles Religious Leaders Madrid, Spain | 15.05.2004 | International A proposal from the Spanish Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso, to create a "registry of religious activities," supervising who is responsible for the worship services and what type of services are carried out "fills us with an undeniable concern," said Juame Llenas, general secretary of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance (AEE). The majority of Islamic associations present in Spain also repudiated the minister’s declarations. However, Monear Mahmoud, Imam of the Mosque of Madrid, the larges
U.S. Evangelist Billy Graham Admitted To Mission Hospitals Asheville, North Carolina, USA | 15.05.2004 | International Evangelist Billy Graham was admitted to Mission Hospitals in Asheville, NC for evaluation and treatment of injuries from a fall he suffered early morning, May 14. Reverend Graham had been home recovering from a partial hip replacement performed January 6 at Mayo Clinic's St. Luke's Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. His orthopaedic surgeon stated that he was in stable condition and that preliminary tests indicated a possible hairline fracture to the pelvis. Further tests will he performed to
China: Seventh-day Adventist Church Leaders Visit State Officials, Believers Beijing, China, | 09.05.2004 | International A 10-day visit by leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist world church to the People's Republic of China, April 22 to May 2, connected the delegation with local Adventists, as well as with government officials overseeing religious work in the world's most populous nation. Pastor Matthew Bediako, general secretary of the world church, headed the Adventist delegation. Dr. Lyn Behrens, president of Loma Linda University Medical Centre, was part of the group, as was Dr. Jairong Lee, president of th
Continuing Vandalism And Church Attack In Serbian Cities: Hatred Anti-Albanian, Anti-Semitic and Anti-Hungarian Graffiti Novi Sad, Serbia | 07.05.2004 | International Acts of vandalism were committed on different buildings of Novi Sad, in the Vojvodina province of Serbia on the last few days. According to the Serb media, the graffiti contained threats and Nazi symbols. The independent news service "Kosovonews" reports that slogans such as "Shiptars out of Serbia" (Shiptar is a Serb derogatory term for Albanians), "Kosovo is Serbia", "Serbia to Serbs only", "Expel all Hungarians from Serbia" and symbols like the Star of David with swastikas on top were wri
Pregnancy and Childbirth the Leading Cause of Death for Teen Girls in the Developing World Washington D.C:/U.S.A, | 04.05.2004 | International More than 1 million infants – and an estimated 70,000 adolescent mothers – die each year in the developing world because young girls are marrying and having children before they are physically ready for parenthood, according to the fifth annual State of the World’s Mothers report issued today by Save the Children, a leading U.S.-based global independent humanitarian organization. The report includes an Early Motherhood Risk Ranking that identifies 50 countries where motherhood is most devast
New Bible Centre In Cultural Heart of Vienna Vienna/Austria | 02.05.2004 | Bible A new building being constructed by the Austrian Bible Society (Österreichische Bibelgesellschaft) is set to bring the Bible into the cultural heart of the Austrian capital Vienna. Located within the city’s museum area, the Bible Centre is intended to be a cultural attraction in its own right, both for its architecture and its contents. The old Bible House in central Vienna (Breite Gasse 8, 1070 Wien) had served the Bible Society well since the 1950s, but a few years ago it became clear that
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
100 Countries Have Now Signed UN Tobacco-Control Treaty Geneva/Switzerland | 28.03.2004 | Health & Ethics One hundred countries representing 4.5 billion people have signed the global treaty aimed at curbing tobacco use, which now claims nearly 5 million lives every year and causes an estimated annual net loss of $200 billion in treatment and lost productivity, the United Nations health agency WHO reported March 25. With the signatures of Ecuador and the Republic of Congo, 100 countries and the European Community have now signed the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The convention, unani
World No Tobacco Day 2004 Geneva/Switzerland | 28.03.2004 | Health & Ethics The Tobacco Free Initiative proposes that World No Tobacco Day 2004 focus on tobacco and poverty. The contribution of tobacco to death and disease is well documented. Less attention is given to the ways in which tobacco increases poverty. Tobacco is the fourth most common risk factor for disease worldwide. The economic costs of tobacco use are equally devastating. In addition to the high public health costs of treating tobacco-caused diseases, tobacco kills people at the height of their pr
Adventist "Hope Channel" on TV in Papua New Guinea Lae, Papua New Guinea | 22.03.2004 | Media Seventh-day Adventist programming is now available through the only cable television provider in Papua New Guinea's second largest city, Lae. The "Hope Channel", an initiative of Adventist Television Network (ATN), is one of 16 channels included in the basic package from Tolec Electronics. "The only cost to us has been the receiver we bought from the company," says Benson ToPatiliu Diave, the satellite ministries coordinator for the church in Papua New Guinea. "Tolec even installed the rec
North America: Adventist Church recognized by slim majority Silver Spring, Maryland, USA | 22.03.2004 | International A majority of North Americans surveyed have heard of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but some of them have the denomination confused with other religious groups. A survey taken over several months last year found that 56 percent of respondents had heard or read about the denomination, according to a new report by the North American Division (NAD) of the Adventist Church. That marks an increase from the most recent survey done by the church, in 1994, when 53 percent of respondents indicated
International Women New York, NY., USA | 16.03.2004 | International Celebrating International Women's Day on March 8, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on all men to assume the responsibilities that would reduce the "terrifying pattern" of HIV/AIDS infection among the world's women. Such responsibilities "would be ensuring education for their daughters; abstaining from sexual behaviour that puts others at risk; forgoing relations with girls and very young women; and understanding that when it comes to violence against women, there are no grou
Adventist Church supports UN plan to promote women's peace in the Pacific Wahroonga, N.S.W., Australia | 15.03.2004 | International Wahroonga, N.S.W., Australia, 15.03.2004/ANN/APD The Seventh-day Adventist Church is supporting a plan by the United Nations (UN) to promote women's peace and security in the Pacific islands. Joy Butler, Rose Howson and Bronwyn Mison, all departmental directors or managers at the Seventh-day Adventist church in the South Pacific's head office, attended a breakfast organised by the UN's Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in Sydney on March 8 to raise money for the plan. "I believe it i
Spain: Adventist Church Mourns As Victims Are Identified Madrid, Spain | 15.03.2004 | International Pablo Sánchez Lucas, of the Adventist Church (Unión de Iglesias Cristianas Adventistas del Séptimo Día de España) headquarters in Madrid, asked for prayer for the victims of the apparent terrorist attack on March 11. [img id=78 align=right]Seventh-day Adventist Church members in Spain are mourning the loss of at least two of their fellow believers, who are among the 200 killed in coordinated bomb attacks in and around Madrid on March 11. One member, 27-year-old Nicoleta Diac, had been identif
Haiti: Adventist Facilities Affected by Looting Miami, Florida, USA | 02.03.2004 | International As chaos erupts in the wake of Haiti’s Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s presidential resignation, looting and other violent activities in the capital city of Port-au-Prince have affected Haitian Adventist Hospital and the Adventist university, both minutes from the city’s downtown. According to Pastor Israel Leito, president for the church in Inter-America, who has been in contact with church leaders in Port-au-Prince, there was looting February 29 in the vicinity of the hospital and university. "Th
Spanish Protestants denounce discrimination before European Parliament Madrid, Spain | 01.03.2004 | Religion + State In a letter sent to the European Parliament and to Spanish parliamentary groups, as well as to international institutions, Spanish evangelicals denounced the alarming lack of religious neutrality on the part of the Spanish government. The Federation of Religious Evangelical Entities of Spain (FEREDE) draws attention to the inequality and discrimination that Protestants suffer in the country and calls for international support to lobby parliament and the government that emerges from next Mar
Adventists and "The Passion of the Christ" Silver Spring, Maryland, USA | 25.02.2004 | Media "The Passion of the Christ," a US$30-million motion picture telling the story of the last 12 hours of the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth, has already provoked a worldwide discussion about those events and their significance. The film, co-written, produced, funded and directed by actor Mel Gibson, opens in North America on Feb. 25, with a release in Britain one month later. Other worldwide screenings are expected to follow. The movie has stirred controversy over the way it depicts the Jew
Haiti: Worship Services Continue Amid Political Violence Miami, Florida, USA | 25.02.2004 | International While there are news reports that rebels in Haiti threaten to overtake the capital city of Port-of-Prince, Seventh-day Adventist members continue to worship. With a membership of more than 260,000 adult baptized Adventists, Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America, said although communication in some areas has been scarce, he is in touch with church leaders in Haiti. "There are no casualties among members, and our properties have been spared thus far," said Leito. "Com
New Speaker for Adventist Television “It Is Written International” Thousand Oaks, California/USA | 22.02.2004 | Media Pastor Shawn Boonstra has accepted an invitation from the It Is Written executive committee to become It Is Written International Television’s (IIW) new associate speaker to share ministry responsibilities with Speaker/Director Mark Finley. As associate speaker, Boonstra will appear regularly on the weekly television program and will participate in evangelistic meetings, camp meetings, pastors’ seminars, international appointments and Partnership fundraising meetings. Finley was recently
Pierre Lanarès, a Jurist and Champion of Religious Liberty, died aged 92 Berne/Switzerland | 18.02.2004 | International Pierre Lanarès, a jurist and champion of religious liberty, died in Clapiers, Southern France, on February 2, 2004, aged 92. Born 1912 in Madagascar, he worked for more than 44 years in different positions in the Seventh-day Adventist Church: in Madagascar, France and Switzerland. Pierre Lanarès studied Law in Paris, got his Ph.D in Geneva, and graduated from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Faculty at Collonges-sous-Salève, France. He worked as a pastor, school principal, church leader,
Adventist Church Representative Condemns Death Penalty For Conversion Geneva/Switzerland | 18.02.2004 | International According to a statement made at the 59th Session of the Commission on Human Rights on March 15, 2003, by the Seventh-day Adventist Church's United Nations Liaison Office, ‘enforcing the death penalty for changing one's religion or belief is the most extreme form of religious intolerance’. [img id=56 align=right]In 2004, the Adventist Church expect to raise the issue again at the Human Rights Commission's 60th Session. They are also seeking the support of member organizations of the Committe
World-first surgery: Swiss ophthalmologist pioneers new glaucoma treatment Lausanne/Switzerland | 26.01.2004 | Switzerland Swiss ophthalmologist André Mermoud and his team have performed, at the Ophthalmic Hospital Jules Gonin in Lausanne ,Switzerland, a world-first surgery for the treatment of glaucoma. It consists in implanting a tiny tube (diameter of 50 microns) behind the iris in order to eliminate the excessive pressure in the eye. The surgery, performed under local anesthesia, lasts about 30 minutes. Dr. Mermoud, a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, is Head of the Glaucoma Department of the University-based Oph
Salvation Army, Adventist Theologians Meet in Dialogue Silver Spring, Maryland, USA | 14.01.2004 | Ecumenism Culminating a quarter century of informal contacts, theologians from the Seventh-day Adventist Church and The Salvation Army met for four days of theological dialogue January 5 to 8, 2004. "As with relationships with other Christian world communions, we recognize there are more things that unite us than divide us," declared Colonel Earl Robinson, secretary of The Salvation Army's Office for Spiritual Life Development and International External Relations. Both delegations, the seven-member Sal
Adventist Filmmaker’s “Good Bye Lenin” Gets Raves, Communicates Family Message Berlin/Germany | 04.01.2004 | Media Christoph Silber is a rising star in German cinema. The screenwriter is a devout Seventh-day Adventist who’s most recent project, “Goodbye Lenin,” won six top prizes at the European film awards in Berlin earlier this month. “Good Bye Lenin” tells the story of an East German woman who falls into a coma in October 1989. It’s not the best of times for the woman who is an activist for social progress and improvement in socialist Germany. Her son Alex finds himself in a bind when she awakens
36 Journalists Killed For Their Work In 2003 New York, N.Y./USA | 04.01.2004 | Media A total of 36 journalists were killed worldwide as a direct result of their work in 2003, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). This is a sharp increase from 2002, when 19 journalists were killed. The war in Iraq was the primary reason for the increase, as 13 journalists, more than a third of this year's casualties, were killed in hostile actions. In fact, according to CPJ's statistics, the death toll in Iraq was the highest annual total from a single country since 24 jour
Adventist Satellite Television Channel For Europe Launched London, United Kingdom | 04.01.2004 | Media In the first week of January 2004 the Seventh-day Adventist Church launched its new 24/7 satellite channel for Europe. The "Hope Channel" began test transmissions from the powerful Hotbird 6 satellite on December 18, 2003, and right from the start the signal was clear and stable. Up to thirty million homes across Europe now have the potential to receive the channel, with receiving dishes as small as 60 cm in diameter in the South-East of England. At present the programmes being broadcast on t
Adventist Church To Open Permanent Representation to the UN in Geneva Geneva/Switzerland | 04.01.2004 | International The opening of a Permanent Representation to the UN in Geneva in January 2004 marks a historical development for the UN Liaison office of the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church. This month an internship program starts at the UN Commission for Human Rights in Geneva. Until now the activities of the UN Liaison Office in New York and Geneva were mainly directed from the New York office. Its mandate is to provide a channel of communication and influence at the United Nations, working with the ma
