News Agency APD Switzerland celebrates 40-year anniversary Basel/Switzerland | 04.12.2014 | Media End of November the congregational Adventist News Agency of Switzerland (Adventist Press Service / German: Adventistischer Pressedienst - APD) celebrated its 40th anniversary. The agency was founded in 1974 on the initiative of the journalist Christian B. Schaeffler in Basel/Switzerland. APD appeals with its services primarily to secular media (print and online media, radio, television), the ecclesiastical press and other institutions of public information. In 2004 APD Switzerland was reorganise
Christian Communicator Walter R.L. Scragg 84 dies <br> Headed Adventist World Radio and World Church Communication Department Wahroonga, NSW/Australia | 21.09.2010 | Media Walter Robert Lambert Scragg, a retired president of two Seventh-day Adventist world regions, a former president of Adventist World Radio (AWR), and a former General Conference communication director, died at Lady Davidson Hospital, North Turramurra, NSW, on September 20, aged 84. Scragg gave 48 years of distinguished service to the Seventh-day Adventist Church mainly as Christian Communicator, and in many leadership and departmental roles around the world. He attended Avondale College,
New documentary takes pulse of Adventist Church's impact in North America <br> <br> Film set to air on public television next month Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 03.04.2010 | Media A documentary showcasing the Seventh-day Adventist Church's health message and ministry is scheduled to air on Public Broadcasting Stations across the United States beginning April 3. The Adventists explores what independent filmmaker Martin Doblmeier sees as paradox: a conservative faith community at the forefront of medical technology. Learning why Adventists, who believe in the soon coming of Jesus, are committed to living long and well motivated the documentary, Doblmeier said. T
Adventist Media Center in Middle East launches Television Channel Beirut/Lebanon | 23.02.2010 | Media A new Seventh-day Adventist television channel in Beirut is expected to help spread the Bible-based Adventist church's message of hope among Arabic-speaking communities in the Middle East, a region "rich in Biblical history," its director said last week. Church leaders said the "Al Waad Channel", launched along with the Al Waad Media Center February 13 at a packed Middle East Adventist University Church, will potentially reach an audience of more than 300 million Arabic speakers in the regio
Adventists in U.S. slower to adopt new personal technology than public, study reveals Orlando, Florida/USA | 13.09.2009 | Media While Seventh-day Adventists in the United States are slower to adopt new personal technology than the public, they are on the "cutting edge" of Internet evangelism, research presented during the Global Internet Evangelism Network (GiEN) Conference on the church's approach to technology suggested this week. Adventists in the U.S. are generally older than the wider public, which may explain the trend, said Paul Richardson, executive director for the Center for Creative Ministry for the Advent
International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (August 9) <br> <br> WACC Calls for recognition of Indigenous Peoples' Communication Rights London/Toronto | 09.08.2009 | Media On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, August 9, 2009, the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) calls for recognition of Indigenous Peoples' communication rights as integral to their human rights. "Such rights are not just a matter of civil and political rights, but include economic, social and cultural rights" says the Rev. Randy Naylor, World Association for Christian Communication General Secretary. "Implementation of human rights demands recognition of
Adventist Church television network breaks ground on new studio Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 25.03.2009 | Media Since its launch in 2003, the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Hope Channel television network has operated out of a basement studio at the world church's headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland/USA. The current studio floor has enough space for one set, and production assistants need up to half a day to change designs for different shows. A new US$5 million, multiple-use building with 3,000 square-feet of studio space and room for six sets is expected to change that. The new facility will hel
Hollywood Star Power Shines at Seventh Annual SONscreen Film Festival in April Simi Valley, California/USA | 23.03.2009 | Media The seventh edition of the Californian-based "SONscreen Film Festival" in 2009 continues its tradition of giving young filmmakers star access. The SONscreen Film Festival is annually held at AMP Studios facility in Simi Valley, California/USA. Confirmed presenters are Dick Wolf, award-winning creator and executive producer of the three Law & Order drama series, Christopher Erskin, feature film director, Chris Christmas, renowned marketer and official Denver Democratic National Convention merchan
"Hope Channel TV" To Air U.S. Adventist Ministries Convention Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 15.01.2009 | Media "Come and See! Renewing the Call to New Testament Evangelism" is the theme for the 2009 Adventist Ministries Convention, January 18-21, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina /USA. Hope Channel will broadcast all of the general sessions of the convention, including the general Leadership Sessions, the Worship Services, and the launch of "Share the Hope," the kickoff event for the 2009 Year of Evangelism. Speakers for general sessions include: George Barna, Ron Clouzet, Gwendolyn Goldsby Grant, Karl
Fiji "Hope FM" radio station sends hope to listeners Suva/Fiji | 06.10.2008 | Media The Seventh-day Adventist radio station "Hope FM" in Suva, Fiji, is now offering listeners the opportunity to receive a daily Bible verse on their mobile phones. The Bible verse text message service commenced in September, and is a result of an agreement between Hope FM and Vodafone Fiji. Listeners will need to subscribe to the service in order to receive the Bible verse, which can be delivered to their mobile phones as a text message in either Fijian or English. Subscriptions are monthly and
60 Years of Broadcasting the Adventist hope in Christ by "Stimme der Hoffnung" Darmstadt/Germany | 22.06.2008 | Media The Stimme der Hoffnung (Voice of Hope) radio station held a festive church service on June 14, 2008, to celebrate its 60th anniversary. The celebration took place on the premises of the new Adventist Media Center "Stimme der Hoffnung" in Alsbach-Hähnlein near Darmstadt, Germany. More than 230 former staff members as well as "Zivis" - persons doing “civil” or community work instead of military service - gathered with their families to participate in this special event. During the first part
Adventist World Church President Grants First Interview Bloomberg TV Network New York, N.Y./USA | 23.01.2008 | Media The president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has accepted an invitation to be interviewed on "Night Talk" with Mike Schneider, a one hour program airing on Bloomberg TV. The interview will take place on January 24, 2008 at the Night Talk studio in New York, New York. This is the first time the president has granted an interview with a major international television network. Time and date of air to be determined. The interview is expected to discuss issues facing the church, Adventist bel
South Pacific: New Adventist weekly online TV news Wahroonga NSW/Australia | 29.07.2007 | Media A new weekly TV news service about Seventh-day Adventists in the South Pacific has started on July 27. It is called Adventist News. Viewers will be able to watch the three to five minutes long Adventist News on the internet each week. People who have iTunes will be able to subscribe to the weekly news service for free and watch it on their iPods and MP4 players. Produced by the "Adventist Media" Network, this initiative will deliver the news very quickly. Each weekly bulletin will be availa
Bible Study Podcast Targets Young People, Commuters Wahroonga, New South Wales/Australia, | 01.07.2007 | Media In a world where the Internet helps people fit news, entertainment and even spiritual enrichment into their increasingly multitasked lives, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific now offers the Adult Bible Study Guide on podcast. Digital mp3 files of each Sabbath School lesson, podcast onto the Internet, are available for free download worldwide and are playable on iPods, mobile phones and other podcast-supporting devices. Church officials in Australia hope the new lesson
New U.S. Television Series on Religion "I believe" also available online Washington D.C.,/USA | 12.04.2007 | Media "I believe", a new weekly half-hour television series, has begun distribution to U.S. Public Broadcasting Service stations and is now available for online viewing at www.ibelieve-tv.com Each week veteran television host and interviewer Dennis Wholey visits a different church, synagogue, mosque or temple to learn about that religion or faith. The centrepiece of each program is a conversation with the religious leader of the featured house of worship, a visit inside, and a brief look at a typic
Adventists Have Denmark Copenhagen/Denmark | 30.11.2006 | Media The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Denmark has won the first prize for Denmark’s best church-related web site of 2006 in an internet competition hosted by "Kristeligt Dagblad", a leading Christian newspaper in the country. Among 270 nominated sites ten finalists were chosen: • www.adventist.dk- Syvendedagsadventisternes officielle hjemmeside • www.barnetro.dk - En spilside fra Danmarks Kirkelige Mediecenter • www.bluz.fdf.dk - En ungdomsside fra FDF • www.christianskirken.dk - Sognes
Annual Council Votes Adventist Church-wide Web site Guidelines Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 11.10.2006 | Media Leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist world church voted official guidelines for the construction and content of church-related Internet Web sites during a meeting of the church's Annual Council on Oct. 10. Delegates voted unanimously to accept the guidelines. "This is a very important development as we hope that it will provide a blueprint for all church entities in what constitutes a Seventh-day Adventist presence on the Internet," said Rajmund Dabrowski, communication director for the worl
Adventist Communicator’s Meet in Slovenia Rogaska Slatina, Slovenia | 17.09.2006 | Media Nearly fifty Seventh-day Adventist communicators from all over Europe, along with representatives from Israel, Cyprus and North America, gathered for a Communication Conference in Rogaska Slatina, Slovenia, 8-12 September 2006. Experts from different fields of communication shared their ideas on how to use latest technology to promote the good news of Jesus Christ, in particular via the Internet. "One of the challenges our church is facing is to use arts and technology faithfully in comm
Adventist Internet Experts Share Strategies For Global Evangelism San Diego, California/USA | 06.09.2006 | Media A passion to reach the world for Christ via the so-called "information superhighway" brought together some 100 Seventh-day Adventist technologists, pastors and lay members for four days of meetings at the Fourth Global Internet Evangelism Forum in San Diego, California, August 31 to September 3. [img id=798 align=right]"The gathering considered a wealth of ideas and strategies for using the Internet's reach and power to help finish the task of global evangelism," said Rajmund Dabrowski, comm
Ghana: Media Must Accurately Report Religion, Newspaper Editor Says Accra/Ghana | 12.05.2005 | Media "People need accurate, timely and unbiased information, especially on religious issues," Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, editor of Ghana's "Daily Graphic" newspaper, told delegates at the recent All-Africa Conference on Religious Liberty. "People rely on the media to explain issues, policies and programs aimed at moving nations forward." In a speech entitled "The Role of the Media in Promoting Religious Liberty," Boadu-Ayeboafoh emphasized the public service nature of media, and the responsibilities th
Web Sites for Adventist Congregations Worldwide are Church Goal Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 18.04.2006 | Media Seventh-day Adventist local congregations around the world will soon be able to have their own Web page on the Internet, based on a consistent format including dynamic content, video feeds and podcasts. Already, the netAdventist.org service is available in the United States of America, and other world church regions have expressed interest in utilizing that service. At the same time, the church's North American region is offering AdventistChurchConnect.org , a hosted service that provides a
Africa: Satellite Developer Hones Skills for Jesus, Not Riches Nairobi/Kenya, | 12.04.2006 | Media News Feature: Many of us have read stories about technological experts who start a business in their garage, and grow it to become billion-dollar successes. Hewlett-Packard Company and Apple Computer are two examples of small beginnings that have had huge results. You can add a young Kenyan Adventist, Enoch Mogusu, to the list of those who started their enterprises in a garage. Mogusu -- who is not a billionaire, by the way -- built his garage-based start-up into an enterprise. Only his
Germany. European Adventist Media Center Foundation Stone Placed Darmstadt/Germany | 28.03.2006 | Media The placing of the foundation stone in a March 22 ceremony at Alsbach-Sandwiese, next to the city of Darmstadt (Germany), marked the formal start of construction of a new media center in Europe. Dedicated to producing and distributing messages of hope, the new facility will house the "Stimme der Hoffnung,"("Voice of Hope,") ministry operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Euro-Africa region. The new Media Center is not only "the [realization] of a vision," but also a "necessity which
Adventist Church Communicators Affirm Ethics, Professional Development Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 28.03.2006 | Media Seventh-day Adventist world church communication directors, representing each of the church's 13 global regions (divisions), voted to approve a statement of ethics for church communicators, a key conclusion of a five-day advisory session held March 20 to 24. The group also learned about a new certificate program for communicators, which is being developed by faculty at U.S. based Andrews University and the General Conference as world headquarters. "To glorify God is the ultimate intent of al
U.S. National Interfaith Cable Coalition Announces Election of Fred Kinsey and Eric C. Shafer to Board of Trustees New York; N.Y./USA | 18.01.2006 | Media The National Interfaith Cable Coalition, Inc. (NICC), doing business as Faith & Values Media, announced on January 17 the election of Fred Kinsey and the Rev. Eric C. Shafer to its Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees makes policy and has fiduciary responsibility for Faith & Values Media, the nation’s largest coalition of Jewish and Christian faith groups dedicated to media production, distribution and promotion. “We are honoured to announce the addition to our Board of Trustees of Fred K
Kenyan Government Granted Broadcast Licences To Adventist Church Nairobi/Kenya | 30.11.2005 | Media The Kenyan government has granted a broadcasting licence to the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) to operate 10 Television and four Radio stations. The stations will be operated in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Kitui, Nyeri, Kakamega, Bungoma, Homa Bay, and Kisii towns. Also granted were licenses for TV station channel 21 and 105.4 FM for Kitui town and its environs. Speaking to pastors during the quinquennial session for SDA church leaders at Kamagambo Adventist College in Mig
Romanian Adventists: From a Bucharest Small Studio to a National Media Centre Bucharest/Romania | 30.11.2005 | Media A small studio in Bucharest was once the scene for the Seventh-day Adventist Church's television production in Romania. Today, a national media centre stands in this capital city with the task of producing radio and television programs for the nation. On November 24, the media centre officially joined six other major church-owned media centres around the world. "I come with joy to this place, and this centre is a way of bringing light to the hearts of many people," Romanian Senator Virginia
World Summit of the Information Society: A 100 dollar PC for Third-World children Tunis/Tunisia | 18.11.2005 | Media The prototype of a wind-up laptop which costs at most US$100 has been unveiled; it is geared for the education of children in developing countries. The prototypes were presented to the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the World Summit of the Information Society, under way in Tunis. The highest-ranking expert of the Institute of Technology, Nicholas Negroponte, showed the low-cost, colourful laptops for the first time. Their scope is to facilitate the education of millions of ch
Cameroon: New Radio Studio to Reach Africa's Fulani People in Their Language Maroua/Cameroon | 06.11.2005 | Media The Biblical message of hope and salvation will reach even more people in West and Central Africa with the opening of a new Seventh-day Adventist radio studio that will produce programming in the Fulfulde language spoken by the Fulani people who live in the Sahel region there. The Fulani are reported to be the largest nomadic group of people in the world. Construction of the new radio studio has just been completed. It is located at the North Cameroon church office in Maroua, Cameroon, Afric
Using the Internet for Evangelism and Ministry that Transcends Borders Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 27.07.2005 | Media While holding satellite evangelism meetings and passing out tracts has its place in helping the Seventh-day Adventist Church share the Gospel, the church wants to continue reaching the millions of people who log on to the Internet daily. Looking to increase awareness to the potential of the Internet to further enhance evangelism and ministry, world church leaders and lay people will meet in Bangkok (Siam City Hotel), Thailand for its third Global Internet Evangelism Forum September 1 to 4. 2
Boonstra Takes Helm of the Adventist Television Ministry "It Is Written" Thousand Oaks, California/USA | 29.06.2005 | Media Shawn Boonstra could not have known many years ago as a child when he was watching "It Is Written" (IIW) on an old television set with his brother that one day he would take the helm of the international television ministry, affiliated with the Adventist Church.. The newly-appointed Boonstra is now the third speaker/director in the ministry's 50-year history, taking over from Mark Finley who was appointed director of Global Evangelism for the Seventh-day Adventist world church. The telev
News Coverage of Adventist World Session 2005 on Adventist World Radio St. Louis, Illinois/USA | 06.05.2005 | Media For 10 minutes each day for about two weeks this summer, Adventist World Radio (AWR) will add something new to its regular broadcast. It will broadcast highlights of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s 58th General Conference Session, which will be held from June 30 to July 9, 2005, in the America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri (USA). In keeping with its mandate to share the Adventist hope in Christ with the hardest to reach people groups in their own languages, Adventist World Radio will be
Christian Communicators Call For A New Covenant For Europe Strasbourg/France | 14.03.2005 | Media The Assembly of the European Region of the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) has called for a new social and moral covenant for Europe. "Openness to re-negotiating and sharing public communication space will be the first signs of this new covenant, and shared ownership and editorial decision-making its inevitable consequences", participants in the 10-13 March 2005 WACC Europe Assembly in Strasbourg, France said in their final statement. The estimated 50 Christian commu
Germany and Switzerland: Reaching Young People With the Gospel Using High-Tech Tools Zurich/Switzerland | 01.03.2005 | Media As with nearly everything else in today's society, options are also available when it comes to learning more about God. Between October and December of 2004 an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people in Switzerland and Germany were able to choose how they wanted to learn more about God. They did this by tuning in to the second Youth Satellite Evangelistic event orchestrated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The eight-night event, better known as "Link2Life," (L2L) allowed young people to physical
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,
Internet Access - The Best Christmas Gift for the Adventist Church in Myanmar Dagon, Myanmar | 26.01.2005 | Media Staff at the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Union of Myanmar (Burma) gathered on Christmas Eve to celebrate their best Christmas gift ever: equipment that would grant them access to the Internet, a major breakthrough for the church there. In Myanmar, a US $80 airmail subscription to a church magazine costs a pastor two months' salary, so getting the Myanmar Adventist Church connected to the Internet -- a U.S. $3,000 expense -- was very important, national church lead
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
