Adventist Record | October 18, 2025 ISSN 0819-5633
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Blank space
Ashley Jankiewicz Assistant editor
I don’t want my relationship with Jesus to be shaped by the modern-day societal norm of filling every gap in my life without leaving space to just be still.
When was the last time you were bored? Really, truly, unequivocally bored. Do you remember? For your sake, I hope so. Boredom traditionally has a negative connotation. “Only boring people get bored,” I was told growing up. And really, I don’t think any parent likes their kid whining, “Muuuum, I’m bored!” But boredom is important. Society tells us to find something to do, to keep busy, to fill in the gaps—and that’s exactly what we’ve done. We have filled the previously empty spaces of our lives with the 21st century. Because we don’t have to be bored, we choose not to be.
Social media apps like Instagram and YouTube cause our brains to release dopamine, known as the feel-good hormone. When we stop scrolling, our brains have to adjust to the sudden lack of dopamine, and we crave returning to our devices. Add in AI algorithms learning exactly what keeps us engaged, and we’re hooked.1
Generally, people associate younger generations with technology addiction, but older generations are not exempt. Elderly people experiencing loneliness or anxiety often turn to smart phones to find connection, which then can lead to a screen addiction, just like us “digital natives”.2 If you’ve fallen prey to this—and there’s no shame, I myself find it hard to resist the allure—maybe you’ve noticed how much harder it is now to simply do nothing. It’s more challenging to be by yourself for long stretches of time, without a phone or laptop, left alone with nothing but your own thoughts (scary!).
After scrolling or spending too much time on a screen I often feel frazzled and restless and find it difficult to focus, so a few years ago I decided I had to be a lot more intentional about my tech use. As someone who’s grown up with technology, I recognised I needed to unlearn these habits—and it’s still an ongoing process. I began calling intentional time without my phone “blank space”. I go on walks without my earbuds. I do tasks around the house or work on projects with my phone in the other room. And sometimes it’s very boring. However, when I create this space to be bored, my anxiety levels go down, my creativity goes up and I find it easier to focus.
However, it doesn’t just stop there. I’ve found that this spills over into my relationship with God. The verse “be still and know I am God” (Psalm 46:10) is very familiar to most people. It sounds so easy. There are entire songs and sermons on this phrase, on slowing down and sitting in the moment, just you and God—but no-one ever tells us how. And really, how are you supposed to sit and be still when your brain is overstimulated and running a hundred different directions? Reading your Bible won’t get you the same dopamine hit that your smartphone will. Devotionals are not fast paced—they’re thoughtful and require an atmosphere of just being able to sit and ponder.
1 Kings 19:12 says that the voice of God comes “in a gentle whisper”. I don’t want to miss that whisper because I rush through my devotional time. I don’t want to miss being still in the presence of my Creator because I can’t focus. I don’t want my relationship with Jesus to be shaped by the modern-day societal norm of filling every gap in my life without leaving space to just be still.
And so I challenge you to try and sit in the discomfort of being bored. Bring back those blank spaces to your life and learn to enjoy the quiet of your own thoughts so that you can meet God in the stillness without a constant tug towards something “more interesting”. Because at the end of the day, what could be more interesting than the God of the universe wanting a relationship with you?
1.Goldman, Bruce. “Addictive potential of social media, explained.” Stanford Medicine News Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Oct. 29, 2021.
2. Yujing Xu, Kai Zeng, Lucong Dong, Xiaofen Zheng and Yuxiu Si. “Understanding older adults’ smartphone addiction in the digital age: Empirical evidence from China.” Frontiers in Public Health, vol. 11, 2023. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1136494.
Chaplaincy centre of influence at Sydney Adventist Hospital
Brett Goods, CEO Adventist HealthCare
Chaplaincy and spiritual care services have been a foundational part of mission-focused service provided at Sydney Adventist Hospital (the San) since it opened in 1903.
The benefit to patients, families, visitors, staff and doctors cannot be measured. The training of chaplains through the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program at the San was recommenced in 2018 after a short break, and since then, 212 chaplains have been trained. This includes 115 women and 97 men, with 124 participants coming from an Adventist background and 88 from other faiths.
These chaplains have gone on to provide the ministry of presence to hospitals, aged care, education and corporate sectors, prisons and armed forces across Australia, the South Pacific, Asia and Africa.
We have a small but mighty spiritual care team at the hospital. The hospital’s director of Mission Integration, Dr Stenoy Stephenson, has been instrumental in the expansion of the CPE program at the San. Special acknowledgement goes to CPE director Pastor Cheryll Bird; the San CPE program would not have been possible without her.
Chaplains follow Christ’s example of meeting people where they’re at. It is a powerful, impactful part of ministry. Chaplains at the San often interact with people during the most difficult times of their life—death, dying, crises, emergency care, intensive care.
The San’s CPE program is a centre of influence for the training and equipping of chaplains who will go back to their communities and minister. Our CPE program is a very important resource for the South Pacific, particularly in the post-graduate space. It offers a unique service provided by no other site within our Division.
I believe the impact of chaplaincy training will only be truly known in heaven, and I’m so grateful to the spiritual care team at the San. I ask you to join me in praying for God’s blessing on the CPE training program and each participant as they go on to serve their own communities.
Union and missions leadership appointed at 6th TPUM Session
Sabeto, Fiji | Juliana Muniz
Delegates at the 6th Trans Pacific Union Mission (TPUM) Session, held September 16-20 at Fulton Adventist University College in Sabeto, Fiji, appointed leaders who will guide missions, departments and institutions across the Pacific for the next five years.
The session included another step forward for women in leadership with the appointment of Pastor Loleth Worwor as secretary of the Vanuatu Mission—the first woman to serve in this capacity at a TPUM mission.
Pastor Worwor has led family life, women and children’s ministries for TPUM since 2020. Before that, she served as children and welfare director for the Vanuatu Mission. She said she considers the new position a calling from God. “I stand committed to what God has called me to do, and that is to serve with love those around me,” she added.
South Pacific Division president Pastor Glenn Townend affirmed her leadership capacity. “She has proved herself at the Union and at the Vanuatu Mission before and got very good commendation. I believe she’ll do really well.”
Alongside Pastor Worwor’s appointment, delegates also elected Maryanne Suisala as chief financial officer of the Samoa-Tokelau Mission. Pastor Townend said her election reflects the growing presence of women in leadership across the region. “It’s good to see women being involved in leadership,” he said. “Maryanne is very competent and I believe she will do a good job.”
Outgoing TPUM secretary Jane Gibson-Opetaia, who has served in the role since 2022, said she was encouraged to see more women stepping into leadership roles within the Church. “The appointment of women into leadership roles in the Pacific is more than representation; it strengthens our witness to younger generations that gifts of all members are valued,” she said.
The session also confirmed new mission presidents, including Pastor Epeli Saukuru for Fiji, Pastor David George for Vanuatu and Pastor Afi Tuaoi for Samoa Tokelau. Returning leaders included Pastor Tui Tuliatu in American Samoa,
Pastor Taabua Rokeatau in Kiribati, Pastor David Filo in Solomon Islands and Pastor Fanueli Mataele in Tonga. Mission secretaries confirmed included Pastor Senitiki Waqa for Fiji, Pastor Kereba Roroa for Kiribati, Pastor Uili Tinomeneta for Samoa-Tokelau, Pastor Linray Tutuo for Solomon Islands and Pastor Sekope Finau for Tonga. CFOs appointed were Apisalome Seru for Fiji, Braden Vavoso for Solomon Islands and Rex Semeno for Vanuatu.
A new team of Union departmental leaders was also elected, combining continuing directors with fresh voices. Pastor Sione Ausage will serve as ministerial secretary, Pastor Steve Akuila as youth director, Alice Kaisuva as director for family, women and children’s ministries, Pastor Bruce Likaveke as stewardship director and Pastor Marcel James as director for Sabbath school and personal ministries. Education director Talonga Pita and health director George Kwong will continue in their roles.
In addition to mission and departmental leadership, delegates confirmed appointments at two of TPUM’s key institutions. Dr Ronald Stone will continue as vice-chancellor of Fulton Adventist University College, where enrolments have doubled in the past three years and preparations are underway for the college’s 120th anniversary celebrations later this year. At Atoifi Adventist Hospital in Malaita, Solomon Islands, William Baefua was reappointed CEO.
Reflecting on the process, Pastor Townend described the discussions as prayerful and inclusive. “This time there were lots of different opinions expressed and different names recommended. It was done very prayerfully, everyone was listened to and everything was carefully checked,” Pastor Townend explained. “The level of involvement and ability to handle diversity was really positive.”
TPUM president Pastor Charlie Jimmy expressed confidence in the newly appointed team. “By God’s grace we will be able to pull together, align together and embark on the journey for the next five years under the theme I Will Go,” he said.
TPUM president Pastor Charlie Jimmy (right) and secretary Pastor Clive Tefaatau. [Credit: Henrique Felix]
New Vanuatu Mission secretary Pastor Loleth Worwor is the first woman to serve in this role at a TPUM mission. [Credit: Henrique Felix].
Nominating Committee (NC) chairman and SPD president Pastor Glenn Townend and NC secretary Cherie Ann Aho. [Credit: Henrique Felix]
Delegates spent time in prayer. [Credit: Henrique Felix].
Victoria names new president and secretary
Nunawading, Vic | Tracey Bridcutt
Pastor Darren Croft has been appointed president of the Victorian Conference, succeeding Pastor Graeme Christian, who has retired after 12 years in the role.
The Victorian Conference officers were confirmed on September 21 during its constituency meeting. Pastor Jinha Kim was appointed secretary, while Graeme Moffitt was returned as CFO.
Pastor Croft commenced full-time ministry in 1995 and has served in South Australia, New Zealand and Victoria in pastoral, school chaplaincy and leadership roles. He also served as secretary of the Victorian Conference (2009–2013) and ministerial secretary (2014–2019).
“I come with the heart of a local church pastor, knowing that our Church in Victoria rises or falls based on the health of the local church,” he said. “I look forward to encouraging local
churches to be places of innovation when it comes to spreading the gospel in Victoria.”
Pastor Croft is married to Rosie, and together they have five children and one grandchild.
Pastor Kim, who most recently served as senior pastor of Melbourne City Adventist Church, has been in local church ministry for two decades.
“Stepping into an administrative role after 20 years in local church ministry is both humbling and daunting, but I trust God’s leading and faithfulness,” she said. “I’m deeply grateful for the supportive team and the experienced leaders whose wisdom I’ll be relying on as I learn and grow into this role.”
Pastor Kim is married to Roy, also a pastor, and they have two sons.
New leaders for Western Australian Conference
Perth, WA | Tracey Bridcutt/Andrew Skeggs
New leadership was appointed for the Western Australian Conference during its constituency meeting, held September 13–14 in Perth.
Pastor Ben Reynolds was elected as president and Pastor Kyle Richardson as secretary.
Pastor Reynolds has previously served as a pastor in New Zealand and Geraldton, WA, before his appointment as ministerial secretary for the Conference three years ago.
“It’s an honour and privilege to serve the Church and our Lord Jesus Christ,” he said. “Seventh-day Adventists are a people of hope with a message of hope. We’re excited about our direction as a Conference: to be a disciple-making movement that brings the hope of Jesus to every community in WA.”
He is married to Jessica, and together they have two young children.
Pastor Richardson has served in Western Australia for 12 years in a variety of roles, including pastor, chaplain, children’s ministry director and church planter. “I appreciate the vote of confidence that the WA constituency have placed in me and will endeavour
by God’s grace to fulfil all the duties and requirements needed to uplift His name and give Him all the glory,” he said.
He and his wife Nicole have four sons.
The meeting also marked the retirement of Pastor Steve Goods, who was presented with a citation in recognition of his 36 years of pastoral ministry, including 21 years in WA as a pastor and ministerial secretary, and the past eight as Conference president. Delegates also expressed appreciation to Pastor Brad Thomas and Graeme Drinkall for their service as secretary and CFO. Mr Drinkall has been appointed CFO of the Australian Union Conference, with a new WA CFO to be announced in due course.
Delegates also received reports highlighting 615 baptisms and professions of faith over the past four years, as well as strong tithe growth. Significant investments have been made in the expansion of Landsdale and Victoria Park schools, a multimillion-dollar high-rise development at the Rossmoyne Waters retirement village, and the creation of the new Mornington Adventure Camp to disciple young people and engage the wider community.
Pastors Reynolds (left) and Richardson.
Pastor Kim, Mr Moffitt and Pastor Croft. [Credit: Victorian Adventists Facebook page]
Pacific prepares for TPUM for Christ
At the conclusion of the 6th Trans Pacific Union Mission (TPUM) Session, leaders called delegates to turn their attention to TPUM for Christ, a major evangelistic initiative set to mobilise members across the Pacific.
Scheduled for July and August 2026, TPUM for Christ will involve more than 1800 sites across the Pacific. TPUM president Pastor Charlie Jimmy said preparations are already in motion.
“After this session, when the newly appointed leaders settle into office, it will become a priority,” he said. “We are using the farming cycle of discipleship—cultivation, harvest and multiplication—as our roadmap.”
South Pacific Division president Pastor Glenn Townend explained that TPUM for Christ is part of the wider SPD for Christ strategy, set to launch at Watson Park in Brisbane from April 28 to May 3, 2026.
“With TPUM for Christ, we will have preachers from Papua New Guinea, Australia and the New Zealand Pacific come to the various countries of TPUM and preach, just like we did in PNG in 2024,” said Pastor Townend. “In that way we see how God is working in the different countries and understand the cross-cultural ministry, but also learn the enthusiasm and the joy of working together and seeing what the Holy Spirit does.”
SPD vice president Pastor Maveni Kaufononga, who led the TPUM for the past 15 years, said it was fitting for the Union to host the first of the Division-wide evangelistic initiatives. “Even though TPUM for Christ is next year, each mission is running harvest programs this year,” he explained. “We are following the farming cycle and so there must be a harvest every year.”
Institutions are also preparing to take part. Fulton Adventist University College has identified 10 sites—six in the Nadi area, three in Fiji’s interior and one in Tonga. “All our theology department will be involved, including me and the pastoral team,” said vice-chancellor Dr Ronald Stone. “So next year we’ll all be going out during the month of July with our students as part of their practicum and also to fulfil the TPUM for Christ strategic plan.”
Atoifi Adventist Hospital in Solomon Islands will also be one of the sites. “The influence of our staff and students will really boost preparation for Solomons for Christ,” said CEO William Baefua.
Pastor Jimmy emphasised that the true measure of success will go beyond numbers. “More than results in baptisms, I want to see total member involvement,” he said. “If more members embrace [evangelism] and run with it, that would be a great outcome for TPUM for Christ.”
making headlines
Hope on the run
More than 500 people joined “Walk and Run for Hope”, a 5k/10k race organised by the Adventist Church in the Dominican Republic, promoting wellbeing and healthy living. The event highlighted the Church’s commitment to NEWSTART, the eight principles for a healthy lifestyle, and was an avenue for members to share the gospel with the community.—IAD
Empathy in action
ADRA Germany’s “Children Helping Children!” initiative is celebrating 25 years of giving. Over the years the campaign has distributed more than 774,000 boxes of school supplies, toys and clothing—packaged by German children and their families—to children across the Western Balkans.—ANN
Support centre
Almost 600 people gathered in Thailand for the inauguration of the West Thailand Region Centre of Influence, built by the Adventist Church. The centre will provide support for those working in communities displaced by conflict along the Thai-Myanmar border and will host seminars, leadership programs and community projects.—SSD
Strength in numbers
Those who join a range of groups—such as church organisations, sports teams or neighbourhood associations—are more likely to be happier, healthier and less lonely. Having a meaningful connection to a group and being involved can strengthen capacity for coping with adversity, and increase resilience and flexibility in response to challenges.
Greater Good
Session delegates committed to proclaim the three angels’ messages. [Credit: Henrique Felix]
Sabeto, Fiji | Juliana Muniz
Spirituality in care
Adventist nurses, students and educators from across the New Zealand Pacific Union Conference (NZPUC) gathered at Capital Church in Wellington from September 3–5 for the first Adventist Nurses Symposium, exploring the connection between faith, nursing and whole-person care. The symposium was titled, ”Te Manaaki Katoa—The ministry of whole person care”. Organised and hosted by Adrielle Carrasco, NZPUC health director and a nurse of more than 25 years, the symposium provided a space for Christian nurses to reflect on their unique calling. “As nurses of faith, we’re called to be bridges, honouring our Christian values while extending compassionate care to all, regardless of their spiritual background,” Ms Carrasco said.—Kirsten Oster-Lundqvist
Fuel for performance
Following its successful partnerships with The New Zealand All Blacks and Fiji Rugby Union, Sanitarium has committed to a sponsorship agreement with Tonga Rugby Union. The partnership took effect in September and is seeing Weet-Bix fuel the Tonga Rugby Union men’s, women’s and 7s teams. “Sanitarium and Weet-Bix are thrilled to be on board to empower, develop and fuel the current and next generations of male and female rugby athletes in Tonga,” said Lindsey Abrahams, Sanitarium’s senior business leader–international. In Nuku’alofa, Tonga Rugby Union CEO Aisea Aholelei said he was delighted to form this new partnership with Weet-Bix, “Nutrition is critical to performance and with Weet-Bix by our side, we’re ensuring our teams are fuelled with trusted, wholesome food.”—Record staff
Church beyond walls
Fifteen Mile church (PNG) celebrated World Pathfinder Day on September 21. More than 45 Pathfinders and young people took part in community service, beginning with a cleanup at the local police station and visiting 10 young prisoners. The group shared food, sang, prayed and encouraged the inmates with Scripture. They also extended an invitation, assuring the prisoners that once released they are welcome to attend church and find fellowship in a supportive community —Rose Sinias
Secret Sister
Forresters Beach church (Central Coast, NSW) held a special high tea on September 20, celebrating the conclusion of the women’s ministry team’s “Secret Sister” initiative. Throughout the year, participants shared Bible texts, prayers and small gestures anonymously, encouraging each other in faith and friendship. Coordinator Tamara Spencer said, “I witnessed many timely occurrences when specific gestures and Bible verses were shared, just when they were needed most.”—Rosemarie Els
Steps toward health
Health and wellness were a strong focus at the Trans Pacific Union Mission (TPUM) Session, where daily activities reminded delegates of the Church’s commitment to tackling lifestyle diseases in the Pacific.
Each morning began with Walk4Life at 5am, followed by health screenings where participants checked vital signs and consulted a doctor from Fiji’s Ministry of Health. Throughout the day, delegates sampled healthy snacks and visited the Bitu Bar— brought from Nadi to the session—where natural juices were served in support of the 10,000 Toes Campaign.
Next to the juice bar, a health booth provided resources on the Step Up to Wholeness program and challenged common health myths. TPUM health director George Kwong said the initiatives highlighted the urgency of health reform in the region. “Every 20 minutes there is an amputation in our region,” he said. “This is a great opportunity to create awareness among our leaders, so they can take ideas back home.”
10,000 Toes coordinator Pamela Townend added, “Our Church actually is sick and we want healthy disciples, not sick ones.”
For some delegates, initiatives were impactful. Clarinda Molia Hanna, from the Western Solomon Islands, said the morning walks, screenings and healthy options inspired her to change her lifestyle. “Coming here has opened my eyes,” she said. “My blood sugar is sitting at the border, and I know I need to reverse it. This is a turning point for me.”—Juliana Muniz
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Signs of inclusion
South Queensland Big Camp (September 22–28) featured a strong focus on accessibility for Deaf and hard of hearing campers, with Auslan interpretation, daily workshops and an assistive listening system provided by Adventist Media’s Christian Vision and Hearing Services (CVHS). Coordinator Cassie Etwell said the initiatives equipped members: “These workshops have been very insightful and impactful for those in attendance, who will now have skills to implement into their ministry.” She noted that less than 2 per cent of the world’s 70 million Deaf people have experienced the gospel “and CVHS continues to work across the South Pacific to help change that”.—Tracey Bridcutt
Compassionate minister
Family, friends, colleagues and students gathered at Sydney Adventist Hospital on September 20 for the commissioning of Pastor Cheryll Bird to ministry. The service recognised Pastor Bird’s ministry and her efforts to help others. The commissioning prayer was offered by South Pacific Division field and ministerial secretary Dr Darius Jankiewicz. Pastor Bird, a clinical pastoral educator and director of the San’s Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Centre, has shaped the lives of many students and patients over the years. “Her work in clinical pastoral education at Avondale University, numerous healthcare institutions and the South Pacific has had a significant impact in shaping the role of chaplaincy in Australia,” said San chaplain Yvonne Hypolite. Dr Jankiewicz said it was a joy to participate in Pastor Bird’s commissioning. “I wish her every blessing as she continues to serve with compassion and gentleness,” he said —Yvonne Hypolite/Record staff
70 faithful years
doorknocking for ADRA
Delphine Trace (née McDougall) has been faithfully collecting for ADRA for more than 70 years. While still a student at the Mons Primary School, west of Buderim, Queensland, she started collecting in 1954 when she was 13 years of age. Delphine first heard about the ADRA Appeal while attending Yandina church with her grandparents. She took some brochures and decided to give it a try. One afternoon after school she approached a lady on horseback who was delivering mail for Australia Post and asked her for a donation. The lady responded positively and this began Delphine’s long ministry as an ADRA collector.
Living in the various places where her father’s work took the family, Delphine continued to collect. She remembers piling into the back of a ute with a group of young people from Nambour church and collecting from door to door.
During the three years as a student at Avondale University, Delphine, along with friends Glenda Harker (née Abbott) and Helen Hall, spent a week each year collecting in the Muswellbrook/Singleton areas. In the 1960s while working at the Sanitarium Factory, Cooranbong, Delphine would go into Newcastle and collect from 6-9pm.
In 1963 Delphine married Richard Trace and they set up home in Beaudesert. Here she continued to collect, sometimes with her husband, as well as caring for her three children. In 2005 the family settled in Morayfield where Delphine has become well known in her local neighbourhood. Many donors remember October as ADRA month and have their donations ready when she calls. A Fijian lady who usually gives $A50 recently moved to a different suburb, but she still wants to donate and has given Delphine her new address.
For many years, Delphine collected for ADRA at the
Brisbane Exhibition. Other charities noticed her dependability and successful collecting skills and tried to coax her to collect for them, but Delphine chose to continue supporting ADRA.
“Every year Delphine visits the ADRA stall at Big Camp with the biggest smile on her face and a new story to share from her time collecting,” says Charlene Luzuk, national program director for ADRA Australia. “We are so grateful to Delphine for her decades of doorknocking. The ADRA Appeal is the largest source of funding for our programs in Australia. Doorknockers like Delphine are helping to feed, clothe, empower and connect Aussies in need.”
Despite being swooped by magpies and bitten by a dog, Delphine faithfully continues her collecting. Her friendly, caring nature has endeared her to many people.
When asked why she keeps on collecting, Delphine says, “The ADRA Appeal is very important, and it needs to be done every year. Somebody has to do it so that’s why I keep doing it.” In 2024, despite being 84 years old, Delphine collected $A1020.
Thank you Delphine for your faithful ministry. All the money you have collected over the past 70 years will have had a positive impact on so many lives.
This October, your church can get involved in raising crucial funds for the ADRA Appeal. Register your church to doorknock or to do a fundraiser of your choice at <adra.org.au/appeal>.
Lyn Ashby
This article first appeared in Focus magazine, South Queensland Conference. Both Lyn and Delphine attend Caboolture church.
Growing pains in New Caledonia
In 1962, Jerome, an ex-navy cadet working for the government in Noumea, New Caledonia, first heard the gospel and was baptised as an Adventist. The truth he had learned inspired him greatly, and together with his wife Wakeo, they sought to pass on the thrilling message they had received at every opportunity.
A burden for his own kinsfolk back on the island of Mare deepened in Jerome’s heart until he decided he must return. This decision was not without some deliberation, because between them Jerome and Wakeo were earning a good amount of money where they were located. To leave this income would be a great sacrifice, however, they were convicted of their calling. They sent some money to Wabao, Jerome’s home village, for the construction of a small home and shopfront to be stocked with goods to sell when they arrived.
After travelling to the village and settling in, Jerome and Wakeo immediately began to minister to those around them. It was at this point that Jerome’s uncle, his guardian since his father’s death, told the young couple plainly that he was not going to have the place turned into a church and they must either stop their evangelism work or leave.
Pain tore through Jerome’s heart at the ultimatum given to him and the hardness of his uncle towards his faith after loving and raising him as his own. With great sorrow and determination not to let anything hinder their gospel work, the young couple with their two babies packed up their things in an old utility truck and left Wabao. They headed towards the middle of the island where there was a new garden plot which Jerome had been tending. There they built a rough bush hut for their family to settle. The soil was scarce and poor and surrounded by rubbishy bush which needed clearing before they could grow yams, bananas, beans and a few other plants to survive on.
Resigned to their simple life, Jerome and Wakeo continued in their mission of evangelising and working for others. Jerome established a few contacts in Noumea, three of whom were baptised. Soon, three more contacts came over to Mare from Noumea and were baptised alongside another woman from Mare.
Jerome’s uncle had taken over their home and shop, and was selling their stock and keeping the profits for himself instead of sending the profits through to Jerome.
This was especially painful after Jerome had also paid a large proportion of the cost of a car for his uncle to drive. The village chief where Jerome and Wakeo were living was sympathetic with Jerome’s situation and offered to call the elders of the village together to reinstate Jerome in his home and store, or at least get the money from his uncle for the proceeds of sale from his store. But Jerome refused the offer, choosing grace instead so as not to deepen the rift between his uncle and himself, hoping instead to one day win his uncle over to Christ.
Jerome constructed a little chapel next to his home on the garden plot so that the growing group of believers from his village could meet on Sabbaths. When the construction work was nearly completed, Jerome arrived home one day to fire-blackened remains of his newly built little church. It is not known whether the flames were caused by accident or human intent, but Jerome’s joy was shattered. All his hard work seemed lost in an instant, with even his tools being burned alongside the chapel.
But the little church community around Jerome continued to meet and inspired him with hope that not all was lost in the fire—only temporary things of this earth. Especially touching was being able to reach Jerome’s own brother and family with the gospel, who joined their group of believers.
At this time, there is still one church on Mare for the 5000 inhabitants of the island.
This story has been adapted and derived from the Australasian Record, February 27, 1967.
Olivia Fairfax Producer, Adventist Media
Chickpea Pilaf with Spinach
A fragrant, wholesome pilaf that combines chickpeas with tender spinach, sweet currants and warm spices. Finished with fresh herbs and a sprinkle of roasted almonds, it’s a simple one-pot dish that’s hearty enough for a family dinner yet light enough for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups basmati rice
1 tbs olive oil
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
60g currants
¼ tsp turmeric
2 tsp curry powder
400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
400ml vegetable stock
300ml water
200g spinach
100g slivered almonds, roasted (reserve 1 tbs for garnish)
2 tbs chopped coriander leaves
2 tbs chopped mint leaves
low-fat natural yogurt and coriander sprigs to serve
Method
1. Place rice in a sieve and rinse under running water until water runs clear. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, leek, garlic, currants and spices. Cook, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2. Add chickpeas, rice, stock and water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 12 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, place spinach over rice, cover and stand for 8 minutes.
4. Uncover, add ¾ cup almonds, coriander and mint into rice. Stir ingredients in using a fork. Serve topped with yoghurt and remaining almonds.
Tips: This recipe can be kept frozen in individual serves and reheated for an easy meal.
Serves 6 Prep 10 Cook 20
FAITH, WHEELS AND GRIT:
REWRITING THE RULES OF ADVENTURE AT 66
Christopher Bennett, a 66-year-old Adventist from New Zealand, set a new record in the Guinness Book of Records for the Fastest Known Time for a veteran, becoming the oldest person to circumnavigate the globe by bicycle. Not only that, but Bennett is also the first person to complete this challenge with a disability.
The feat was acheived as Bennett competed in the Tour Divide Race—riding a bicycle for 29,000km around the world while unsupported by other riders or vehicles. The Guinness Record requirements for cycling around the world require travelling 29,000km in one direction and passing through two antipodal points of the globe. Riding unsupported means that Bennett had to carry all his gear and supplies on his bike with no crew or support vehicle to travel with him.
Bennett suffers from post-concussion syndrome after a traumatic brain injury in 2018. During the Tour Aotearoa bicycle race in 2018 across the length of New Zealand, he crashed his bicycle. Not knowing how the accident happened, he only remembers waking “up in the forest lying in a ditch with my face torn open and a broken helmet”. Bright lights and loud noises can overwhelm him, and he experiences bad headaches and migraines, panic attacks and occasionally loses the ability to speak.
Bennett started his Tour Divide race on May 1, in Nukus, Uzbekistan and travelled 8500km across Asia to Shanghai, China. From Shanghai, he flew to Darwin, Australia, and rode down to Port Macquarie before flying to Wellington, New Zealand, and riding to Auckland, travelling a total distance of 3500km. He then flew to Anchorage, Alaska (USA) and rode 10,300km across the United States of America to Nova Scotia, Canada. His final leg of the journey was across Europe, starting in Lisbon, Portugal and riding 6700km to Vantaa, Finland where he finished on September 7. In total, he rode 29,051km across the world with a 156,888m of climbing distance, crossing 16 countries in 129 days, and travelling a maximum of 605km in one single push.
During the race, Bennett averaged around 220km of cycling each day. He had to deal with injuries, bike repairs, health scares, panic attacks, headaches and brain shutdowns completely on his own. He stated that at one point, he had to “lie down on the side of the road and cover my eyes for two hours just to reset my brain and calm it down”. He faced multiple hurdles during this race aside from just health challenges. In Kazakhstan he rode through massive storms with nowhere he could seek shelter for 40km. In China, police stopped him from cycling through a restricted region, and placed him on a train to go elsewhere.
Although Bennett’s terrible bicycle accident changed his life significantly, he didn’t lose his love for cycling. Riding his bicycle is his “happy place”, and he relishes the freedom of the open road and the challenges involved. He couldn’t continue work after his accident, however, he maintains a healthy mindset, stating that “recovery isn’t about getting back to how things were. It’s about finding what you can do.”
Bennett attempted this record for his tribe: “people with disabilities, people over 60, people who think adventure ends when you get old.” He expressed the importance of individuals with disabilities, especially brain injuries, redefining what is possible and working around challenges that arise. “Either you master your disability, or it masters you.”
For Bennett, cycling is a key part of his Christian walk. It is a way for him to witness to others, being able to interact with people he would not have the opportunity to interact with otherwise. “Although these are bikepacking races, as a Christian we have a different philosophy towards competition. . . You have an opportunity as a Christian just to show God’s love to people, and that’s what we’re supposed to do.”
Olivia Fairfax Producer, Adventist Media
I’m still here
Some mornings I wake up with a weight already pressing on my chest, like grief came before I opened my eyes. The room is still, quiet, but inside me there’s a storm that never sleeps. And the worst part? It’s not new. It’s not sudden. It’s familiar. It feels like a shadow that follows me from sunrise to midnight, whispering lies I’ve heard too many times before: You’re not enough. You’re too tired to fight. It would be easier to let go.
I don’t even remember when the battle started. I don’t remember when living started to feel like a decision I had to remake every single day. There are no dramatic moments, no big tragedies that broke me in one blow. Instead, it’s like a slow erosion, a thousand small cuts of disappointment, loneliness, exhaustion and grief. And yet, despite the darkness, despite the aching urge to escape it all, I’m still here. I’m still fighting, even though every day I question whether I should be. And I know it’s not my strength that keeps me breathing. It’s Jesus.
There are days when I can barely whisper His name, when reading Scripture feels like lifting heavy weights. But I do it anyway. Not because it’s easy. Not because I always believe with perfect faith. But because I’ve learned that Jesus is closest when I’m at my weakest.
I’ve read, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18) and I cling to that verse like a drowning person to driftwood.
Sometimes I wonder what people would think if they knew how much I cry in the shower. If they saw how often I stare into space, trying to will the pain to numb. On the outside, I try to function—go to work, put on a smile, even laugh. But underneath it all, there’s this desperate prayer: “Jesus, please don’t let go of me. Please. Not today.”
And He doesn’t.
There have been no lightning bolts, no miraculous overnight changes. But there have been small mercies that have kept me alive. A song playing at just the right moment. A message from a friend. A Bible verse I wasn’t even looking for that speaks directly into the ache of my soul. A random act of kindness. Those are the moments I know He’s still with me. Those are the threads of grace I keep weaving into my will to live.
I am so ashamed of how much I struggle because I thought being a Christian meant I had to be joyful all the time, full of praise and peace. But I’ve come to understand that real faith doesn’t always look like victory. Sometimes it looks like barely holding on. Sometimes it
looks like dragging yourself to church with tears in your eyes, or whispering prayers through clenched teeth. Sometimes faith is simply refusing to die when the darkness tells you that dying would be the only relief.
And here’s what I’ve learned in this valley: Jesus isn’t disappointed in me for struggling. He’s not distant because I cry or because I’m weak. He doesn’t look down on me for questioning whether I can make it through another day. Instead, I believe He kneels beside me. He holds my trembling hands. He weeps with me. He says, “I see you. I love you. I’m not going anywhere.”
Most days I still want to give up. I won’t lie about that. The pain doesn’t vanish just because I pray. But Jesus gives me the strength I don’t understand. He gives me one more breath, one more sunrise, one more reason to try again. And slowly, oh so slowly, I’ve started to see that my story isn’t over. That there’s purpose even in this pit. That maybe, just maybe, my brokenness is the place where His glory shines the brightest.
If you’re reading this and you feel like I do, like the darkness is too much, I want to say this as clearly as I can: you’re not alone. Jesus hasn’t left you. You are not weak for feeling this way. You are not faithless because you struggle. In fact, the very fact that you’re still here is a sign of astonishing courage.
You don’t have to pretend. You don’t have to fix it all. Just keep breathing. Keep whispering His name. Keep showing up. Even when it’s messy. Even when you feel like a failure. Because Jesus isn’t waiting for you to get it all together—He’s walking with you through every broken moment. This battle is real. But so is the Saviour who holds us. And every day we choose to live, even when it hurts, we declare that His love is stronger than the darkness.
I’m still here.
And by the grace of God, I’ll be here tomorrow too.
To learn more about depression and suicide, visit Beyond Blue <www.beyondblue.org.au/>.
For crisis support or suicide prevention, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (AU), 0800 543 354 (NZ), 1543 (Fiji), 3260011 (PNG) or Lifeline’s equivalent in your local country.
Tanya Leigh Wood is a self-published author from Western Australia. A devoted wife and mother of four, she has a passion for writing and sharing everyday stories that reveal God’s presence in our lives, through every season of life.
A woman seen by God
This Living Covenant series has explored the lives of some amazing people of God. In the early stages of planning this series for Adventist Record magazine, our editorial team brainstormed people from the Old Testament who should feature: Moses, Elijah, Joseph, Daniel, David . . . the list goes on. But the name that God put on my heart to explore for this series was not one of these great men of God—it was Hagar. In some retellings Hagar is seen as the obstacle in Sarah and Abraham’s story, a scornful and proud villain who is an obstruction in the holy lineage of God’s people. But if we go back and examine more closely, we might begin to look at the story in a new way. Her experiences remind us that those who are neglected or dismissed are seen and valued by God. Hagar’s story is unique but it runs parallel to a Bible story that we’re all very familiar with. Hagar’s story is just like Israel’s story. Hagar was an Egyptian enslaved by Israelites, just as the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. Hagar
became a threat to Sarah once she had a son to Abraham, just as the Israelites became a threat to Pharaoh when they grew in number. Hagar suffered abuse as a slave, just as the Israelites did in Egypt, and both ran to escape their predicament. But God heard their distress and met them (Hagar in the wilderness, and the Israelites in the desert) with promises for great futures. In both situations, God revealed Himself as the One who sees and hears the cries of those who are distressed.
Genesis 16 is where Egyptian slave, Hagar, enters the narrative. Biblical commentators have theories about Hagar’s origins (like being Pharaoh’s daughter), and how she came to be in her position (one suggestion is that she may have been a gift from Pharaoh to Abraham after the whole debacle which saw Sarai passed off as Abram’s sister and adopted into the harem of Pharaoh).
Regardless of Hagar’s history, we know that she was an Egyptian woman living captive as a servant in a foreign
community and culture. I caught a small glimpse of that disorientation when my husband and I moved from our home in Australia to New Zealand early in our marriage. Though the two countries are very similar, leaving behind the big city of Sydney–which had been my home for 24 years–and the safety of a close-knit group of friends, for the regional city of Palmerston North felt like stepping into foreign territory. It was a lonely season of life, and I would ask God daily for a close friend like the ones I had left behind. If I felt that kind of isolation with so many familiarities still around me, I can only imagine how difficult it would have been for Hagar. Her Egyptian heritage meant she would have needed to learn a new language, a new set of customs and practices, and a new God–a singular God— different to the multiple gods of the Egyptians.
Not only suffering culture shock, Hagar was living a life of servitude to Sarah, Abraham’s wife. With no input to the situation, she is used as a tool to gain the son that God promised Abraham and Sarah. In the culture of the day, the inability to have children was seen as a female problem. They believed that the man would always be able to plant a seed, but if this did not come to fruition as a child, it was a divine judgement against the woman. So, when Hagar discovers she is pregnant with Abraham’s child, it is interpreted as God’s blessing towards her, and by extension seen as a curse on herself by Sarah.
This change in dynamic causes tension between the slave and her mistress. When Hagar discovered she was pregnant, Scripture says she looked with contempt on her mistress—a shift in attitude that, while understandable given her years of powerlessness, only deepened Sarah’s feelings of jealousy and resentment. Choosing not to be involved in the dispute, Abraham renounces his rights over Hagar, leaving her in the sole hands of Sarah, who treats her so harshly that Hagar saw no other choice but to run away.
a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers” (v 11,12). The donkey part of the promise might seem strange to us, but Hagar heard it as good news because in the culture of the day, wild donkeys were admired for their freedom (see Job 39:5-8). In this promise from God, Hagar understood that her children would have a future of freedom, though not without cost—but they would be a strong and resilient people. This moment is so impactful for Hagar that she gives God a name: El Roi (which means “You are the God who sees me”), “for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me” (v13). The slave woman who had been unseen in Abraham and Sarah’s household was now the first person in the Bible to declare that God is “El Roi”, the God who sees.
In a smaller way, God saw me in my isolation. After relocating to a new city, my daily prayers for a friend were answered and it was so much better than I could have imagined.
This is not the only encounter that Hagar has with God. Later, in Genesis 21, Sarah asks Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away. After consulting with God, Abraham gives Hagar some food and water and sends them to wander in the Desert of Beersheba. When the food and water run out, Hagar places Ishmael under a bush and sits sobbing “about a bowshot away” because she can’t bear to watch him die. “God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, ‘What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation’” (v17,18). God opens Hagar’s eyes to a well of water, and as promised, He was with them as Ishmael grew up.
It’s at this point in the story where some monumental events occur.
While a pregnant Hagar flees through the wilderness towards her home of Egypt, an “Angel of the Lord” appears to her with a difficult command from God, saying, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her” (v9). But then God makes Hagar a promise that could be considered equivalent to Abraham’s promise of numerous offspring: “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count” (v10). Going into further detail, the angel tells Hagar, “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of
Hagar, who was marginalised on multiple fronts as a woman, a slave, a foreigner and later a single mother, was personally sought out by God. She is the first person recorded in Genesis to be visited by an angel of the Lord, the first person noted in the Bible to give God a name and is one of the only women in the Old Testament recorded as having two direct encounters with God.
Through Hagar’s story we see that God’s love is not limited to the main characters, but it also extends to those on the margins. His heart is for the oppressed, regardless of nationality, gender or social status. The same God that Hagar named El Roi, the God who sees, is still looking out for the forgotten today. The question is: are we?
Danelle Stothers assistant editor, Adventist Record
DAVID’S REMIX: LOVE SONGS FOR THE SOUL
If we were to open the music charts of the top 100 songs on Spotify or iTunes right now, we would undoubtedly find many of the most popular songs feature love and devotion. Where there are people there will always be music, and people will always create songs and poetry about that which they adore.
The Psalms are music written from the heart to express love and devotion to the Creator God. Like a song that gets stuck in your head, Psalms have the potential to echo in our soul. I can see Jesus, filled with love for His Father, humming these songs wherever He went. He sings Psalms several
times throughout the Gospel accounts. Often they came out at times of pain and suffering. Most of His recorded sayings on the cross are Jesus singing Psalms. The Psalms were the songs stuck in His head.
It is worth hearing the words of these songs often and letting them sink deep into the soul. One song (of many) that has resonated in the hearts of those who love God is Psalm 19.
Its concluding words are a prayer: “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (verrse 14). David adores God and the words of this
song show what devotion to Him feels like.
David’s remix (Read Psalm 19:1-6)
Look at the universe around you and discover the God who made it all. Over millennia these words have filled the hearts of many who loved God. It has the effect of changing the way people see the world. Paul’s challenging words to the Romans bring the words of this song to his mind. Their voice is to go out to the whole world telling everyone about Jesus (Romans 10:18). It’s meant to be a catchy song that gets shared around. Music has a charm that turns the monochrome
world to full colour and just wants to be shared.
Johannes Kepler’s groundbreaking study of planetary motion “Harmonies of the World” quotes Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God.”
This song has been on the heart as lovers of God broadened their understanding of the world they lived in. Wanting to discover the one God who made it all, they explored nature.
Like Psalm 19, other popular songs were written about nature, but instead of discovering the God above nature, they are written in devotion to the gods of nature. The great hymn of Shamash contains words that sound like Psalm 19: “Regularly and without cease you traverse the heavens . . . You Shamash, direct, you are light of everything” (WG Lambert, Babylonian Wisdom Literature, 1960). The rest of the hymn continues to show how justice and truth radiate from Shamash, the sun god.
David’s nineteenth Psalm is a remix of this well-known genre. It is a blend of something familiar with something people had never heard before. His invitation is the same: go listen and learn from nature, but the message is unique—discover the Creator God who made it all. It’s as if David took the well-known songs sung by other cultures and infused it with the theology of Genesis 1, making a beautiful new song.
Why would David compose a song that sounds like other songs? I think it’s for the same reason Paul used an inscription in the Areopagus “To the Unknown God” (Acts 17:23) or why he quotes the poetry of Aratus of Soli who writes about Zeus “For we are also his offspring” (Acts 17:28). Paul and David both saw the longings of their wider culture around them to be full of real and true aspirations but never able to achieve these aspirations.
Our world around us is the same today. Through the Holy Spirit God can remix the songs of society to create a new beautiful melody. In Australia we talk of “a fair go for all”.
I don’t see this kind of fairness and
justice when I look around. Only in the gospel message can we ever experience such a justice that sees equality shared across our beautiful nations of the South Pacific (Matthew 5:6; 25:31-46).
My heart is yours (Read Psalm 19:714)
In the second chorus David connects six ways the word of God changes a person’s life. Using six synonyms for God’s revealed word David describes them as perfect, certain, right, pure, clean and true. Each lyric highlights the positive effect of the law or what makes it worth your attention.
1. “Converting the soul.” As we listen, it changes us for the better.
2. “Making wise the simple.” It helps us know the best way to live.
3. “Rejoicing the heart.” Applying the word of God brings us joy.
4. “Enlightening the eyes.” Knowing what choices to make comes easier.
5. “It endures forever.” God’s word endures and can be relied upon.
6. “True and righteous altogether.” When God speaks, He speaks only that which is right.
David describes God’s word as more valuable than gold, sweeter than honey, a warning worth following, and containing a valuable reward (verses 10,11).
God’s word is good, and it’s good for you
A seventh and final point brings the song to an end. Just as the days of creation end with the Seventh-day Sabbath—God’s gift of sacred time purely for relationship and connection to His creation—here the Psalm ends with a final relational theme. The coda of this Psalm is a relational plea from David:
“How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord,
my rock and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:12-14, NLT).
What does it feel like listening to God’s word? David answers this in a few ways. It makes you search your heart and question the bad things inside your heart bringing you down. It inspires you to something higher and more beautiful. It sifts your priorities to see God as the best and most important Person in your life. Most importantly, it connects your heart to God’s.
Good news of Psalm 19
This Psalm invites us to discover God’s beautiful way to live, but the reality is that we have all fallen short of this beautiful glory described. Like David, if you are looking at your heart and seeing the secrets and sins, this Psalm will make you cry out to God too.
Here is the good news David was looking forward to: Jesus was perfect, right, pure, clean, true and righteous altogether. He kept the law of God perfectly and chose only God’s way. Yet for Him there was no reward like that promised in Psalm 19. Instead, He went to the cross and died a horrible death. He was blameless and innocent of great transgression, yet He was not acceptable in God’s sight. This was not a mistake or failure on God’s part. In what is without a doubt the most beautiful variation on the song, the music moved to a new and beautiful melody. That same tune is transformed. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). He endured the cross for us. We failed to follow the law, but He did not. He takes our wages; we receive His reward. He takes the bitterness; we experience the sweetness. He takes our poverty; we attain His riches. He is forsaken, so that now we can sing: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight” (Psalm 19:14).
Jacob Ugljesa pastor, Gold Coast Central church, Qld.
Singing in the dark
Not long ago, we were unable to attend a friend’s funeral. He had been the prayer warrior for us through many difficult times, and so we watched the live stream from another state. Alas, the church interior was so dark that we could barely make out his much-loved family members, let alone others who were able to attend. Sad. And this same problem was experienced when attending a friend’s funeral service in a very well-known chapel. We were all in the dark, so if you were there, we didn’t know.
Last week we attended a reunion concert in a university venue. Upon entering the chapel we were “in the dark”. Any hopes of seeing a long-time college classmate or recognising a colleague were swept away by swathes of darkened pews, with spotlights only on the performers and/or speakers.
The reasons for the darkness appear to be “We can focus better on God, without getting distracted” or “You are able to focus on what is happening up front”.
So please indulge me as I ponder and make a plea.
I believe we should have an opportunity to be distracted—to share, to care, to be there.
How we “feel” (our mood) and what we absorb is not the total reason for worship. Not being able to see (relate to) who else is in the pew with you, or behind or in front, or across the aisle, is rather disconcerting. If your “sister-inJesus” has been touched by the message and needs a hug, you wouldn’t have a clue. If your “brother-in-Christ” needs a lift, there’s no way you can be aware, or share a smile.
Nature’s natural light (yes, God-gifted) is uplifting, soul-filling and a reason for joy. A smile springs from the heart and voices enthused when the ”Son” shines in.
Have those who dim the lights ever pondered how it affects the speaker of the day? Because he or she is quite unable to see the faces of God’s children gathered in the pews. He or she is quite unaware of the effects of the message presented. There may be tears
of repentance, or smiles of affirmation. Who knows?
When I attend my grandchildren’s school concerts, it warms my heart to see the affirmation from their classmates and teachers. If I attend a movie, I have no interest in seeing the audience. I am totally involved in the plot.
Sitting in our church pews, I am heartened by a smile from Mary, a hand wave from Bill, a prayerful amen from Jim and a comment from Ann during Sabbath school.
Since early childhood, we’ve been singing about letting our light shine. The deeper one delves into such a concept, the more we come to realise that God created the sun and the moon and the stars, for a reason. Mental, physical and spiritual health. Enlightenment. As another writer* so eloquently put it, “We are God’s children, joyfully and expectantly engaging together with the Creator of the universe, and the Redeemer of our lives, in the power of His Spirit. Surely that is something worth shedding some light on?”
Some of our ancestors may have lived in fear, worshipped in darkened rooms and been terrified of their neighbours discovering their commitment. There are still fears for the safety of our brothers and sisters in other lands but prayers for protection are the only gift we can offer for them.
Legally, we live in a country where we are free to worship as and when and how, and why and where we want to.
And just between us—you may be able to read Scripture on your lit-up phone (with all its distractions), but for those who prefer the written word and a Bible or hymnbook in their hands, darkened rooms are truly off-putting.
Read again Revelation 22:5 (ESV): “And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” Amen and amen.
*Citing from: worshipmatters.com Bob Kauflin 2015.
Emily Bee
New Zealand-born, Australian-based retiree who enjoys pondering and writing.
Obituaries
HURSEY, Pastor Eric John, born 7.8.1930 in Aldershot, Hampshire, England; died 25.8.25 in Birtinya, Sunshine Coast, Qld. He was predeceased by his wife, Lavena. Eric is survived by his daughter, Lynette Vidler (Caloundra); son, Paul and wife, Harna (Perth, WA); and grandsons, Chikara and Kale (both of Perth). In 1958 Eric converted to Christianity at a Billy Graham crusade in New Zealand. He became an Adventist shortly after, becoming a literature evangelist and accepting a call into leadership. He was publishing director for the Central Pacific Union and Pacific Union Missions, then moved on to the South Australian Conference. He ministered to several churches in South Queensland before retiring. Eric was a good, godly man who served his Master well. We are certain we will see him again.
John Rabbas, Lyn Vidler, Paul Hursey
SHERRIFF , John Murray, born 26.8.1932 in Mildura, Vic; died 2.8.25 in Wahroonga, NSW. In 1954 he married Annette Leeder, who predeceased him. John is survived by his children, Peter and Jacqueline. John spent his life working for the Church in many different capacities. He loved meeting people, never losing the ability to be curious and genuinely interested in their story and circumstances. He left a lasting impression on everyone he met. His final weeks were spent in the Sydney Adventist Hospital, surrounded by his loving family until his last breath.
George Porter
WAKUK, Marie
Akueit, born 25.8.07 in Dandenong, Vic; died 24.8.25 in St Kilda. She is survived by her father, Eltayeb; mother, Whilma; and siblings, Michael, Ayen and Deng (all of Deanside). Marie was just a day or two from her eighteenth birthday. She was a very beautiful, young girl with a lot of potential as a model. She was bright, intelligent and very
determined. She will always be remembered not only by her loving family and all her friends at school but also by her youth group at Melton church company. It is not goodbye but see you later. Till the call of the Life Giver. Malcolm Reid, George Latchman, Denzil Van Breda, Gatkouth Chol
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