Iraq: Insurgent Blasts Damage Baghdad Adventist Church Baghdad/Iraq | 27.10.2005 | International For the fourth time in two years, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in central Baghdad was damaged as a result of bomb blasts. The October 24 explosions were aimed at the Palestine Hotel, located 802.2 feet (250 meters) from the church building. Media reports indicate the attack, which killed 17 and injured 9, was the work of insurgent bombers, whose first two explosions first breached a wall in the hotel's perimeter. They then drove a third vehicle in to the hotel, which was detonated. The P
European Evangelical Leaders Address Role as God Tavira/Portugal | 26.10.2005 | International European Evangelical leaders addressed their roles as transforming agents in an increasingly secularized Europe at the conclusion of their four day annual assembly in Tavira, Portugal on October 22. Over 200 Christian leaders representing 35 countries gathered for the joint four-day assembly held by the European Evangelical Alliance (EEA), the European Evangelical Missionary Alliance (EEMA) and Hope for Europe (HfE), building stronger ties and renewing their faith focused on the theme, "Gosp
Evangelical-Lutheran Bishop to Chair Ecumenical Council of Churches in Austria Vienna/Austria | 25.10.2005 | Ecumenism Bishop Herwig Sturm of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria Is the new chairperson of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Austria(ÖRKÖ). He has been elected for a two-years term at the council’s annual general meeting on October 18, in Vienna. Sturm succeeds Mother Superior Professor Christine Gleixner of the Roman Catholic Church, who has chaired the council over the past six years. The National Ecumenical Council is a learning community, which the Lutheran bis
ADRA Emergency Response Continues for Katrina Evacuees Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 25.10.2005 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) International continues to aid Hurricane Katrina survivors and evacuees, continuing to provide emergency response as well as focusing on long-term development. ADRA has funded, to date, close to US$1 million through local partners and organizations on the ground that are directly involved in emergency response programs providing food, clothing, and other relief items for evacuees. Additionally, ADRA has shipped more than US$1.2 million w
"God's 'Business' is Salvation", Adventist World Church President Tells University Students Berrien Springs, Michigan/USA | 21.10.2005 | International "God is in the business of saving everyone He can lay His hands on," Pastor Jan Paulsen, world president of the Seventh-day Adventist church, told a group of students during an informal discussion October 16 at Andrews University, the protestant mainstream church's flagship educational institution. The meeting followed dedication of a new Campus Ministries center. Students who participated in the dialogue represented a range of degree tracks and interests. Guillermo Magana, president of
Largest Medical Missions Conference in World Celebrates 10th Anniversary Louisville, Kentucky/USA | 20.10.2005 | Health & Ethics Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization to Host HIV/AIDS Consultations November 11-12 in US city of Louisville The Global Missions Health Conference is the largest event of its kind in the world. This year the GMHC celebrates its 10th anniversary, Nov. 11-12, at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky/USA. For the first time the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (LCWE) will host the North American Consultation on the Role of the Church in the HIV/AIDS Pandemic, No
ADRA Emergency Food Aid Benefits More Than 100,000 in Jamaica, Congo, Niger, Mongolia Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 20.10.2005 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is providing food security for thousands in Jamaica, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, and Mongolia. In February of 2005, ADRA shipped a 40-foot container of seeds to Jamaica, launching the start of a project entitled, “Resuscitating Jamaica’s Farming Stock after Hurricane Ivan.” The project, serving 20,000 people and valued at more than US$9.000, is designed to help Jamaican farmers recover from the loss of crops after the onslaught
Starving Hurricane Stan Survivors in Central America Receive Food Aid from ADRA Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 18.10.2005 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) has begun its initial response to aid families in Central America whose lives have been ravaged by the heavy rains, flooding, and landslides caused by Hurricane Stan earlier this month. In El Salvador, ADRA is delivering food baskets to families whose homes have been damaged or destroyed during the hurricane. "In the shelters, hunger is real, and the scarcity of foodstuffs is creating a crisis across the country," reported Reynaldo Canales
Guatemala: Adventist Church Members Among Dead in Mudslides Guatemala City, Guatemala | 16.10.2005 | International Just days after Guatemala was hit by Hurricane Stan, which caused deadly mudslides that buried hundreds of people, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is still trying to account for missing church members. So far, church leaders confirm 22 members are dead and nearly 3,400 members' families' homes were damaged or destroyed in the wake of the hurricane and mudslides. The deadly mudslide was triggered last week after heavy rains overflowed Lake Atitlan in the Southwest region combined with the er
Report Finds Seventh-day Adventist Schools Doing Well, But Lists Areas of Concern Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 14.10.2005 | International Imagine an Adventist school with few or no Adventist teachers or students. Such a school might well have trouble maintaining an "Adventist environment," but that is the future facing several of the church's colleges and universities worldwide if they do not work to reverse current trends, an October 12 report concluded. The report, from the Adventist world church's Commission on Higher Education, was presented to members of the church's executive committee at its autumn business meeting. The
ADRA International President and Executive Vice-President Re-appointed Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 14.10.2005 | ADRA On October 12, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) International Board re-appointed Charles Sandefur and Mario Ochoa as President and Executive Vice-President of ADRA International for a new term of duty. “We are humbled and honored for the opportunity to serve and work in this outstanding organization,” says Sandefur. “ADRA’s work is foundational to the improvement of quality of life worldwide for the millions of people whose lives we impact through our programs.” Sandefu
South Asian earthquake more devastating than tsunami Cairo/Egypt | 13.10.2005 | International South Asia's earthquake was more devastating than last year's Indian Ocean tsunami in terms of the number of homeless and destruction to infrastructure, a UN official said. Hussein Gezairy, who heads the World Health Organisation's Cairo-based regional office that covers Pakistan, said it would be "much, much more difficult" to reach quake victims in the Himalayas than the tsunami survivors. "In the tsunami 1.5 million people were made homeless, but in this case we expect more than 2.5 m
Adventist-Jewish Relationships In Serbia Celebrated Belgrade/Serbia | 13.10.2005 | International The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Serbia has celebrated a special week of "Adventist-Jewish Relationships". Pastor Richard Elofer, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Israel and a Jew by birth, was invited by the Serbian Adventists as guest speaker for the celebration week from September 26 to October 2. Travelling throughout the country Elofer lectured, ran courses and demonstrated Jewish style worship. Eight hundred people attended lectures and a special worship in Belgrade,
SMS Bible launched in Australia Sydney/Australia | 12.10.2005 | Bible Each verse of the English version of the Bible has been translated in Australia into text message-speak, so called "SMS-Language" to allow its lessons to be disseminated more easily. "The old days when the Bible was only available within a sombre black cover with a cross on it are long gone," said a spokesman for the national Bible Society. "In da Bginnin God cre8d da heavens & da earth," it begins. The Bible Society in Australia scripture director George Rodriguez said only the spellin
ADRA Increases Assistance to Earthquake Survivors in Kashmir, South Asia Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 21.10.2005 | ADRA In response to mounting dangers in the aftermath of the earthquake that hit South Asia on October 8, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) has increased its assistance for desperate survivors in Kashmir, providing food, clothes, tents, and more to families in need. ADRA is providing tents, blankets, water, and food packages to residents in the towns of Khajgan, Saddat, and Khan. The food packages will provide for a family of six for one month. The project will benefit a total of
World Association for Christian Communication decides on new directions and relocation Brighton/U.K. | 07.10.2005 | Ecumenism Significant and far-reaching changes were made by the Central Committee of the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) at a meeting held 1-6 October 2005 near the East Sussex town of Brighton. The former Central Committee, WACC’s governing body, will be replaced by a Board of Directors comprising its President, Treasurer, General Secretary and 16 elected representatives from its eight regions. The new Board of Directors approved the theme of ‘Communication for peace and social
Adventist World Church President Paulsen: Opening Annual Council, Points to Jesus as Unique One Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 07.10.2005 | International "The Second Coming of Christ is very good news indeed; and it is a unique event to be believed and preached," Pastor Jan Paulsen, world president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, declared in an October 7 sermon opening the church's Annual Council. "And, Seventh-day Adventists have a specific mandate to do that," he added. Paulsen delivered his sermon, "Embracing the Unique," at the start of the world church's administrative session to an audience of 500 delegates, guests and friends gath
Andrews University Gets Top Ranking in Diversity, International Makeup Berrien Springs, Michigan/USA | 05.10.2005 | International When Erica Slikkers and Kristin Denslow sit in their university classroom today, they sit next to students representing a rich tapestry of races and countries. Slikkers and Denslow attend a school that is regarded as one of the top educational institutions in the United States recognized for its diversity and international makeup of the student body. They are at Andrews University, a private school operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and one of the denomina
Upcoming Adventist Church Annual Council Focuses on Organizational Matters Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 05.10.2005 | International More than 200 leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church from around the world will meet at the church's world headquarters starting October 10 for an annual meeting of the movement's Executive Committee. The event comes on the heels of the quinquennial world church session in St. Louis, Missouri, in July, and will address issues raised there as well as pending administrative matters. One of the major aspects of the, gathering, will be continued presentations on "Tell the World: A Vision fo
ADRA Improves Health and Access to Water in Sudan Darfur/Sudan | 03.10.2005 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) recently completed the Water Access Capacity Building project. This project improves hygiene practices and access to clean water for thousands of Sudanese in West Darfur, benefiting a total of 56,895 people. In less than a year, ADRA constructed 21 new wells and rehabilitated 85 broken wells in West Darfur. ADRA also trained 20 community hygiene promoters to encourage safer hygiene practices in western Darfur. They held 17 community presenta
Hungarian Jewish-Christian Theology Day Budapest/Hungary | 03.10.2005 | International The Hungarian Jewish-Christian Society (KZST) met on September 26 in the Central Seventh-day Adventist Church in Budapest to hear lectures, participate in discussion and listen to music organized by Catholic theologian József Szécsi, President of the Society. The opening address was presented by Andras Szilvási, President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Hungary. Csaba Török, a Catholic theologian, emphasized in his presentation that "it is very important to 'remember'" referring his a
