Adventist TV Evangelist Finley to Hold Ukraine Satellite Event, Will Chair Internet Evangelism Panel Kiev/Ukraine | 27.02.2005 | International Evangelist Mark Finley, one of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's most recognized television presenters, is ready for a month-long "It Is Written" public campaign that will broadcast from Kiev, Ukraine, globally via satellite. The Kiev broadcast, dubbed "ACTS 2005," will be held in the Ukrainian capital's International Centre of Culture and Arts, and will help bring down the curtain on one of the more audacious claims of former Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev. Finley will speak from the
Members of the World Council of Churches Geneva/Switzerland | 25.02.2005 | Ecumenism Efforts to shape a new ecumenical vision, as well as confront the world's continuing crises, topped the agenda when the council's decision-making body met February 15-22 in Geneva, Switzerland. It was the committee's last gathering before the World Council of Churches' 9th Assembly, set for February 14-23, 2006, in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Retooling the ecumenical vision for the new century is not only "a matter of structures" but also "a process of transformation," the Rev. Samuel Kobia, a Meth
Myanmar: Religious Liberty Affirmed as Christian Church Leaders Meet Rangoon, Myanmar | 23.02.2005 | Ecumenism For the first time since the once open nation of Burma entered a phase of martial law, renamed itself Myanmar, and turned away from significant contact with the world community, a conference of more than 40 leaders of the Christian community was held in Myanmar February 10 in Rangoon to express commitment to religious freedom and Christian solidarity. The meeting was propelled by the visit of John Graz, secretary-general of the Conference of Secretaries of the Christian World Communions (CWC)
Lebanon: Protestant Christians Wounded in Car Bomb Blast Beirut, Lebanon | 16.02.2005 | International Among the dozens injured in a February 14 car bombing that killed former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri was also a Protestant Politician. Basil Fleihan, the only Protestant deputy in the Lebanese Parliament has been seriously wounded in this car bomb attack, according to the European Baptist Federation (EBF). Basil Fleihan, former minister for economic affairs, was flown out for medical treatment, according to the director of the Baptist Lebanese Society for Schools and Social Development, Nabil
Native Peoples In North America Target Audience for Adventist Bible Course Vancouver, Washington/USA | 13.02.2005 | International For the first time, a Bible correspondence course has been created for Native people in North America, a group that numbers at least 5.5 million. Creating the "Native New Day Bible Correspondence Course" spanned an 11-year period. The editorial committee of five Native Americans researched each lesson, to ensure the content would be acceptable to all North American native tribes. The reading level, artwork and stories were carefully developed to have a strong appeal to Native people, accord
Wright Elected President Of Adventist Georgia-Cumberland Conference Calhoun, Georgia/USA | 11.02.2005 | International Dr. Edward (Ed) Wright has been chosen by a committee of the Georgia-Cumberland Conference of Seventh-day Adventists as the president. Dr. Ed Wright will serve the nearly 30,000 Seventh-day Adventists of the Georgia-Cumberland Conference, which includes Georgia, eastern Tennessee and Cherokee County in North Carolina. The decision was reached by the 45 members of the conference Executive Committee and the Standing Nominating Committee, which considered more than 40 names. These commit
Caribbean: Thousands Pledge to Avoid Tobacco, Alcohol and Other Harmful Substances Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 08.02.2005 | Health & Ethics The word "temperance" may bring to mind the 1920s prohibition era in the United States of America (USA) where the government instituted laws against the sale and consumption of alcohol, but for members of the Seventh-day Adventist church, the practice is still relevant today. Part of recognizing the addictive and general harmful nature of alcohol and smoking is signing a temperance pledge, church officials say. More than 4,500 people signed the pledge in the Caribbean during the last two wee
Adventist Mission Awareness Appeal to Boost Church in Tsunami Region Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 08.02.2005 | International A special live satellite broadcast on February 11 hosted by evangelist Mark Finley aims to strengthen the Seventh-day Adventist Church's mission of helping others in the tsunami-ravaged areas of South Asia, church officials say. "In producing this program, we wish to raise awareness of the post-tsunami needs and to help strengthen the Adventist Church in the regions affected by the tragedy so they can be more effective in helping their communities -- spiritually [and] physically," says Gary
Mexico: Adventist Pastor Receives National Communication Award Mexico City, Mexico | 06.02.2005 | Media An Adventist pastor was among 19 people awarded the "Microfono de Oro" (Golden Microphone Award) by Mexico’s National Association of Announcers (NAA) at the Center of Performing Arts Polanco, in Mexico City, Mexico, on January 25. [img id=345 align=right]Pastor Baruc Lagos, who is the communication director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union, received the award for his contribution in organizing the First International Summit of Leaders and Communicators,
Salvation Army And World Methodist Council Meet Under Common Wesleyan Heritage Lake Junaluska, North Carolina/USA | 05.02.2005 | Ecumenism United in one Wesleyan heritage, members of the Salvation Army’s International Doctrine Council and representatives of the World Methodist Council (WMC) met at the Methodist Lake Junaluska campus in North Carolina, USA, in January 2005. The meeting is a follow-up of the last conversation two years earlier at the Salvation Army’s Sunbury Court in England. While the history of the two denominations and their common Wesleyan heritage was well appreciated, this time they focused both on their sim
ADRA Ghana Assists Farmers To Cultivate Citrus Aweregya/Ghana | 03.02.2005 | ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), a non-governmental development agency, with assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is helping 4,000 farmers in 137 communities to cultivate about 2,500 hectares of citrus in the Eastern Region of Ghana. For the past 8 years this assistance was part of ADRA’s food security programme. According to Samuel Asante-Mensah, ADRA-Ghana Country Director, the objective of the programme, which has been extended t
ADRA Provides Food, Medicine To Flood Survivors In Guyana Georgetown/Guyana | 03.02.2005 | ADRA From January 21-30, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) responded with potable water, food, and medicine to survivors of flooding that occurred in Guyana throughout January 2004. Approximately 650 food hampers were distributed to flood survivors. Each hamper contained toilet paper, laundry soap, and a food supply to feed a family of four for one week. Included were staple food items such as drinking water, rice, beans, cooking oil, flour, noodles, salt, milk, sugar, and cereal.
Canadian Government Proposes Marriage Redefinition; Adventist Questions Clergy Protection Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | 03.02.2005 | Religious Liberty The February 2 introduction of Bill C-38, the "Civil Marriage Act," to the Canadian Parliament, by Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cotler has raised concerns for religious freedom of clergy, congregations and individuals across Canada, according to Barry W. Bussey, public affairs and religious liberty director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada. The bill, which is expected to pass the federal Parliament before June, redefines marriage as "the lawful union of two persons to the ex
Nigeria: Visiting Speakers Aim to Strengthen Adventist Churches Abuja, Nigeria | 02.02.2005 | International A month-long evangelistic outreach in Northern Nigeria, recently in the news because of a religion-incited strife, will aim to communicate the Christian message to the local population while strengthening the faith of those already in the Adventist Church, an organizer said. "By three public evangelism campaigns and district meetings in two rural areas, [we want] to strengthen the churches and Christians who on occasion experience resistance -- even persecution -- in their sometimes hostile
Liberty Magazine, Adventist Voice Of Religious Freedom, Marks Centennial Washington D.C./USA | 02.02.2005 | International Demonstrating the power of print to mold opinions and promote human rights, "Liberty Magazine", the Seventh-day Adventist voice of religious freedom, marks 100 years of continuous publication this year. Liberty is designed to emphasize the separation of church and state, as well as to promote the rights of all to follow their conscience as they choose. Though at times these values seem to conflict, the publication has striven to reconcile them. "Religious freedom, and in turn the mission
Adventist Church: Massive Print Project Yields 14 Million Bible Lessons for Africa Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 02.02.2005 | International A flood of requests for Bible lessons in Africa has prompted a plan to print 14 million individual Bible lessons in five languages to help meet the demand. The massive print project was driven by an overwhelming response in Africa to Sow 1 Billion--a Seventh-day Adventist Church global effort to distribute 1,000 million invitations to study the Bible. Kurt Johnson, director of the "Voice of Prophecy Bible School" and Bible School coordinator for the Adventist World Church (General Conference
