NorthPoint - July, 2014

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Another great camp for Grey Nomads

The theme for this year’s Grey Nomads Camp, which was held from 9 to 17 May, was “In His Steps,” and campers who gathered at the Stuarts Point Convention Centre were blessed by great speakers, good weather and the Spirit-filled atmosphere of the camp. More than 640 campers stayed on the site, with 700 Nomads filling the Big Tent on the first Sabbath morning.

Nomads flocked to the meetings at camp — including the bright-and-early, but also somewhat chilly, 7.30am ones. Dr Allan Lindsay and Pastor Adrian Craig were the main speakers for the camp. Pastor Craig brought to life the stories of some of the great Bible characters each evening, and Dr Lindsay’s deep knowledge of the church’s early years was an inspiration to all during the morning Bible study periods. Pastor Justin Lawman, President of the North New South Wales Conference, preached at the first Friday night program of the camp.

A variety of great music was also enjoyed by the campers, with Murray Oliver coordinating the musicians. Pastor Bob Possingham was the compere of the MV Program held on the first Sabbath afternoon, which featured a mix of testimonies, music and mirth. The Promise and Avondale College Jazz Ensemble presented a superb program on the first Saturday night of Grey Nomads. On the final Sabbath afternoon, a group of Brisbane-based musicians delighted and inspired the capacity crowd with their presentation of “Pillars of Faith.”

Nomads also enjoyed setting off on a variety of excursions, including a river cruise at Port Macquarie and a visit to the Coffs Harbour Dolphin Pool. These adventures were led by Pastor John Lang. Debbie Head worked tirelessly to set up and coordinate many of the camp activities too, and her efforts were greatly appreciated by campers. Thanks were also given to Brendon and Veronica Linneweber for their audio team work, while Colin Christian devoted many hours of his time, both before and during camp, to ensure the visuals went without a hitch.

— Adele Nash/Allan Dalton

Photos courtesy of Allan Dalton. You can find more photos on page 3 or view the full Grey Nomads gallery at <http://nnsw.adventist.org.au/grey-nomads>.

2: From the President: Role models

4: Pathfinder Expeditions held over long weekend

5: Head Shave Fundraiser supports Indonesians in need

Northern Pathfinder Expedition 2014

OUR CONFERENCE From the President: Role models

As I write this article, I’m about to attend the funeral of a very close uncle. I spent most of my school holidays with this man right throughout my teenage years. His values and view of the world had a profound impact and rubbed off on me.

It’s only as an adult and as I look back now that I realise what a difference it can make to have someone invest in your life. Mum and dad are important, but we need some other people to look up to as well.

I have to say up front that my uncle was a complete redneck, and it’s no accident that I tend to lean that way myself. But what he also had was an absolute belief in God and the authority of the Bible.

The way he kept Sabbath, the way he paid his tithe and the way he valued honesty were things that made a profound difference in my life. They were not the reasons I hung out with him though — it was because we did fun and exciting things out in the bush. He had a great capacity to laugh and have fun, and it was through hanging around him that I began to mature and become a man.

So many young people today don’t have a role model — even through their parents — who they can look up to. Or if they do, it’s not necessarily someone who is a good role model. I wonder sometimes why there are so few men in church, and I think it is related to that. Young guys need danger and excitement, and they seek it out. My uncle kind of represented that, but at the same time he did it with a set of Christian values and an absolute, black-and-white belief in God. As I conduct the funeral in the morning, I will be deeply emotional and sad, but at the same time very thankful that someone took the time to intentionally invest in me. My uncle was someone who cared enough to spend time with me.

The challenge we have today in the church is who will step up to be a role model?

— Pastor Justin Lawman

Around The Traps is a weekly e-newsletter from Pastor Justin Lawman. It features a devotional and news from the conference. To subscribe, send an email to <northpoint@ adventist.org.au> with “E-newsletter subscription” in the subject line.

Feature: AAA builds Brewarrina connections

It’s at least an eight-and-a-half hour drive from Newcastle to Brewarrina, where one of the more remote church groups in our conference is located. But if you fly — perhaps in an Adventist Aviation Association (AAA) plane — it takes less than a quarter of that time.

AAA in North New South Wales has a long history of providing services to churches in some of the more remote areas of our conference, and this year, they have stepped up their involvement with the community of Brewarrina, making a commitment to being part of the church plant there. The work they do is aimed at connecting with the community, and working strategically with Keith Stockwell and his wife Danuta in their outreach to the town and its people.

In June, AAA visited Brewarrina to help run their very first church camp. Our Children’s Ministries Director Pastor Daron Pratt joined them to conduct Safe Places Training with the new church leaders.

Although it looked like bad weather might thwart the plans for the weekend, Alicia Cooke, a member of the AAA NNSW team, says God provided miracles that allowed them to fly there and back safely. “On departure, the sky was completely covered with heavy clouds and fog all around, except for the runway and a path in the sky headed straight in the direction we had to go, allowing us to depart,” she says.

“The rest of the trip featured lovely flying conditions until approximately 10 nautical miles from the Currawah airstrip, which was where we had planned to land. Heavy rain clouds had been sitting right above Currawah and the surrounds, dumping enough rain to look like there was minor flooding. I rang through to the caretaker’s house to ask if the airstrip was dry and safe for us to land. I was informed that it had been raining all night and all morning.”

This was an issue for the AAA group because the airstrip couldn’t be used if there was any rain. The airstrip, which was constructed by AAA NNSW, is a dirt strip and becomes unserviceable when it rains.

Alicia says, “From the air, we identified the location of the strip. It didn’t look wet, but that couldn’t be possible because we had a 360-degree view from the sky, and there were large puddles of water surrounding the area. The cars were waiting at the strip for us to land, and prior to landing, one drove along it to chase the kangaroos and make sure the strip was clear. From the plane, we could see dust coming off the wheels of the car, which meant the strip was safe to land on.”

(Feature continues on page 10)

OUR CONFERENCE

ATSIM active in NNSW

The North New South Wales (NNSW) Conference’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministry (ATSIM) Family Camp was held at Camp Obadiah, Coralville, from 7 to 9 March. With day visitors, there were

around 22 people in attendance. Pastor Lloyd Grolimund (pictured, left) was the guest speaker, and he was accompanied by his producer Andrew Hunt. His messages were uplifting and those who attended the camp were blessed by his presentations. Daryl Stafford, Camp Obadiah’s owner, joined the group with his family for the Sabbath lunch.

An ATSIM crusade was held over 21 to 23 March at Grafton. Pastor John Beck, ATSIM Director for the South Australian Conference, was the guest speaker. Lynelda Tippo, ATSIM Director for the NNSW Conference, notes that Pastor Beck is no stranger to Grafton, as he was the speaker for the ATSIM regional there last year.

Stephen Magaitis, the local Grafton Church pastor, came to support the work. Unfortunately, the rest of the church family couldn’t attend as they had their church camp that weekend. Lynelda says, “However, we were blessed to have Robyn Green, an Indigenous Gospel singer, as another special guest at the crusade.”

She says a few locals attended, as did Pastor Peter Compton, a Pentecostal minister from the Inverell area. He brought some of his congregation with him. “What a blessed time we had!” says Lynelda. “When Pastor Beck talked about the state of the dead, he later asked Pastor Peter what he thought of the presentation. He was surprised to hear that Pastor Peter thought people just automatically went to Heaven after they died. It’s always a time of rejoicing when people find out the truth in God’s Word.”

Earlier in March, Lynelda had been invited to a rally by Pastor Compton, where she met with other Indigenous church leaders from around the country in Inverell. A meeting tent was pitched in the park, which is central to where many of the Indigenous people of Inverell live.

— Lynelda Tippo

OUR CONFERENCE

Pathfinder Expeditions held over long weekend

The North New South Wales (NNSW) Conference’s Pathfinder Expeditions were held over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend in June. The Northern Expedition was held at Buccarumbi, with the Southern Expedition run at Spring Gully in the Goulburn River National Park. Both Expeditions had the theme of “Overflow” and looked at ways in which we overflow with God’s abundant love when we are connected to Him.

The clubs attending the Southern Expedition were Memorial, Central Coast, Footprints, Maitland, Southlakes, Tamworth and Wallsend. Coffs Harbour, Kempsey, Northern Tablelands, Grafton, Lismore, Manning Area Pathfinders and Murwillumbah clubs took part in the Northern Expedition, and were joined by the Nambour club from the South Queensland Conference.

Pastor Rick Hergenhan, Director of Youth Ministries for the NNSW Conference, was the speaker for the Northern Expedition. On the Sabbath morning before the groups headed out for their hikes, he talked about characters in the Bible whose relationships with God had overflowed into their lives. Some of the people included Peter, Noah, the demoniacs, Abraham and Joseph.

He says, “The Expeditions went really well. The weather was a real blessing. We had 220 Pathfinders at the Northern Expedition, and there were four hikes — A, B, C and D Grades. C and D Grades were very well-represented, with 101 participants in C and 73 participants in D. The 9 people who were A Graders would have hiked about 50 kilometres for the weekend, while the 21 B Graders did about 35 to 40. The Cs do about 25 kilometres and Ds about 15.”

The Northern Expedition was organised by a committed group of leaders, who were headed up by District Directors Ros and Daryl Camps. “There’s also a special mention to Gil Evans, as it was his 32nd year of involvement with Expeditions,” says Pastor Hergenhan. “I don’t think he’s missed one and he always does a top job. I also give a huge thank you to the volunteers who helped out. It would never have happened unless they were involved. We had great feedback from the kids too.”

The Southern Expedition was organised by Tim and Meredith Ethridge, who are District Directors for the Hunter region. Meredith says, “We have liaised with National Parks in the past and have a good rapport with them. It’s easy working with people you know, and National Parks has been quite excited to have the Pathfinders in.”

Tim adds, “They’re very supportive and forthcoming with information. National Parks did a lot of the background work for us.” This included speaking to the local landholders so that they were aware of the groups if there was an emergency. He notes that there was a total of around 240 people at the Expedition, with 38 Pathfinders undertaking A Grade, 70 in B Grade, 58 in C Grade and 64 in D Grade. “They all do day walks with packs,” he says. Meredith adds, “The A Graders had to walk 24 kilometres on one day. They also did an abseil and rescue scenario with some dummies, meaning they had to cover a lot of distance, but also had activities to complete along the way.” She adds, “The spiritual feeling at the Expedition was really good — we had morning and afternoon worships. The C Graders had a really social time too, with a big communal fire. A lot more networking went on there, as well as all gathering for meals and worships at the fireside.”

Pastor Michael Chapman, Associate Youth Ministries Director for the NNSW Conference, experienced his first Expedition ever this year and was the guest speaker for the Southern Expedition. He says, “The Expedition exceeded my expectations. I had no idea of how intensely the kids would push themselves, and what impressed me the most was how thoroughly these guys enjoyed it. From a generation where it’s almost impossible to get kids outside and to take them to a place with no mobile coverage or internet access, the Pathfinders were all raving about what a good time they had. It’s so effective.”

— Adele Nash

Expressions of interest sought: NNSW Youth Ministries RTO

For many years now, the NNSW Conference has operated a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) to deliver training for Pathfinder leaders in qualifications toward a Certificate in Outdoor Recreation.

For the RTO to continue to offer this training, we are required to operate in accordance with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), which is the regulatory body for RTOs in NSW.

As the compliance required is a significant and ongoing commitment, we are seeking the assistance of a person or persons who have experience in this area to assist us in meeting our obligations. If you can help us, please contact Rick Hergenhan at the Conference Office on (02) 4951 8088 or email <rickhergenhan@adventist.org.au>.

Photos courtesy of Pastor Rick Hergenhan, Warren Lemke and Avondale Memorial Pathfinder Club

OUR CHURCHES

Head Shave Fundraiser supports Indonesians in need

Shavers buzzed. Hair fell to the floor. A palpable and nervous excitement penetrated the curious crowd at Avondale College Church’s 7.28 program on 30 May. This unique introduction to 7.28 had everyone watching intently.

Before Phil Page passed away on 11 April 2014, the former Avondale College of Higher Education staff member and longtime friend of Asian Aid wanted others to continue his legacy by giving hope, not flowers at his funeral.

With this in mind, Phil’s sister-in-law Sheree Ashton decided to shave her head and do something positive out of “something that made no sense.” “Phil was taken away from us too soon,” said Sheree, before stepping on stage to lose her locks.

Seven other family members and friends joined Sheree in the Head Shave Fundraiser to honour Phil and his passion for helping people.

Having set a “lofty” goal of $5000, Phil’s family did not anticipate raising the $7000+ that was raised to support Asian Aid’s Health and Education Lifestyle Project (HELP) in Indonesia. “We should have set a higher goal!” said Sheree.

During the Head Shave Fundraiser, Leigh Glaspell, an Asian Aid staff member, had his head and beard shaved for the first time in 38 years in memory of his long-time friend.

“While it was daunting to go from mane to bald instantly, it was worth it to honour Phil and to help change the future for disadvantaged Indonesians,” said Leigh.

Asian Aid has been overwhelmed by the sacrifice shown by Phil’s family and friends who lost or coloured their hair in memory of Phil, and the generosity of the friends and family members of the Head Shave participants.

Money raised from the Head Shave Fundraiser will support Asian Aid’s Health and Education Lifestyle Project in Indonesia to help disadvantaged Indonesians learn valuable English language skills for employment, and gain knowledge about healthy living for a quality life.

Please visit <www.asianaid.org.au> if you would like to support the Health and Education Lifestyle Project in memory and honour of Phil.

— Sonja Larsen

Head Shave for Asian Aid: Sheree’s story

Sheree Ashton from Lakeside Adventist Church wanted to do something special in memory of her much-loved brother-in-law Phil Page. She decided on a head shave with the proceeds going to Asian Aid, a charity Phil was an ardent supporter of. When she contacted Asian Aid, they were most enthusiastic and volunteered to do all the advertising. The special project they suggested was a new one in Indonesia — a literacy program to help people get out of dire poverty.

Friday, 30 May at Avondale College Church at the commencement of the 7.28 program was chosen for this event to take place. Seven people joined in the head shave — Sheree, her son, Braydon; Josh, Phil’s younger son; Brendan, another nephew; Brian, a friend of Sheree’s from Lakeside; and Josh and Leigh who work for Asian Aid. Hailey, Sheree’s daughter, opted for dying her hair purple instead of shaving it. Josh and Leigh also had beards to be removed.

The aim was to raise $5000, but by the time of the shave the total had already been surpassed. By the end of the evening, the total had reached more than $6000. The figure raised at this stage is just over $7000, with a few more donations to be processed. There are some very cold heads at present, but they are also very happy that they have been able to contribute in a small way to the work of Asian Aid, as well as commemorate Phil’s memory.

— Pam Hill

OUR CHURCHES

“Eat Well, Exercise, Feel Great!” success at Hillview

The “Eat Well, Exercise, Feel Great!” health series was the fruition of a dream after Elaine Woolley read an article in the local paper that stated that Adventists have knowledge about how to have good health — and that they should share this knowledge with the community. A challenge!

After graduating from a Government Health Department approved CHEP (Community Health Education Presenter) course, which was run by the North New South Wales Conference Health Department, and a lot of planning with the Hilllview Health Team, the “dream” of sharing the message of how to have good health came true.

Including the staff, there were 55 people the first night (28 April) and on the last night (7 May), there were more than 60 people in attendance.

Lionel Hughes stated, “This was the most professional health lecture I have attended in an Adventist church. The whole program, from the video before the presentation to the serving of the food, flowed smoothly. You should be proud of such a presentation.”

Each session consisted of an introductory PowerPoint presentation by Elaine on the following topics: “Importance of Having a Healthy Digestive Tract,” “Hidden Sugar” and “Understanding the Importance of Drinking Water.”

The following women demonstrated four recipes each session — Lenora Hurlow, Colleen Stevens, Katrina Boyd, Estelle Ulrich and Elaine. The recipes demonstrated included healthy breakfast dishes using wholegrains, salad dishes and protein dishes, as well as healthy desserts! Evaluation sheets were collected each session and the

overall impression of the food was “excellent.”

Dr Trevor Hurlow from the Waratah Medical Centre spoke on “REAL FOOD — Foods to Live by and Help Prevent Disease.” Dr Lillian Kent, Manager of the Lifestyle Research Centre in Cooranbong, shared a presentation entitled “The value of Exercise and Nutrition in Maintaining a Healthy Weight.” Dr Paul Rankin, MPH, Program Director for CHIP (Community Health Improvement Program), presented the topic “Five Secrets of Dealing with Stress and Feeling Fantastic.” He also shared testimonials of the results of a healthy lifestyle.

Hillview Youth were involved in placing the food samples on plates and serving them to the participants, collecting the plates and helping with washing up. Zoe, Luke, Jaymi, Jo, Sahara, Nic, Josh and Hannah did an exceptional job. One of the participants asked, “Where did you get the youth from to help?” The answer was given, “They are our Hillview Youth and we are really proud of them.”

Twelve aprons — white with the Hillview Church logo embroidered on them — were anonymously donated by a family who are passionate about the health outreach of our church. Thank you to them. The aprons added a real professional touch. The budget allocated by the Church Board was $600. The program was run under budget by $266.39 and the treasurer has been given an analysis of all income and costs. Elaine says, “Thank you to all the other Hillview members who helped make the program a success — Alvin, Larry and Kaye, Dawn, Heather, Eileen, Bruce and Penny, and Tony. We couldn’t have done it without you!”

Many of the participants requested another program, similar to this one. The Hillview Health Committee have already decided to run another “Eat Well, Exercise, Feel Great!” series in October this year on 15, 19, 22 October.

— Elaine Woolley

“Tasty Tucker” series connects with community at Maitland

Another successful series of “Tasty Tucker with a Healthy Twist” has just concluded at Maitland Church. This series ran over four nights in May and June, with each night featuring four or five tasty, healthful, plant-based recipes. Eighteen people from the local community attended each night, with several of those being folk who attended the two programs held in 2013.

The recipes each night were based on a theme — Oriental Food, Easy Meals, Getting the Balance Right and Winter Foods — and an eye-catching display around each theme was set up by one of the team members, Kay Wallaston.

Participants have been pleasantly surprised to discover that tasty, nourishing meals can be prepared from basic ingredients, which don’t include animal products.

The favourite dishes were the Indian recipes (which were demonstrated by James and Rose Reid), the Banana Ice-Cream and 4C Salad demonstrated by Lyn Dose, and Donna’s Vegetarian “Meat” Pie.

The “Tasty Tucker” program is not just about sharing recipes. Each program featured a short talk on a health topic such as “Sugar — Sweet or Sour?” “The Eight Keys to Healthy Living” and “Bone Health.”

On the third night, attendees were challenged to identify samples of a selection of food products — some familiar and some not so familiar — many of which had been used in the recipes, and the person with the highest number of correct answers received a recipe book as a prize. This activity encouraged fun as well as learning.

The “Tasty Tucker” team at Maitland consists of people from a wide variety of ages from retirees, to busy working mums, to teenagers.

The contribution by the three teenage girls, Emily, Madeline and Shanna, has been very valuable and many of the attendees have expressed their delight at seeing young people involved in the program.

As a church, we have been given so much knowledge about healthful living and it is a privilege to share this with people in our local community who are keen to learn, and as we interact with them we are making many new friends.

— Lyn Dose

More @ <http://maitland.adventist.org.au>

Community responds to health program

Karen Hodge, a Registered Nurse and Wellbeing Consultant, was the speaker at the popular “Improve Your Health Naturally” seminar held at the Blue Haven Adventist Company. Sixty people attended from the 90 names registered for the first session, where Karen shared her own journey from crippling Multiple Sclerosis to vibrant health. Participants then enjoyed a healthy afternoon tea, with some new recipes to taste.

Afterwards she continued to speak on the topic of “Air” and the role of correct breathing and posture, along with the importance of leaving your windows open to allow fresh air to circulate through your house.

After the first week, they had one lady sharing that she would like to attend church on Sabbath, five names recorded for Bible studies, 23 copies of Steps to Christ taken by those attendees wanting to get to know Jesus, and many more interested in receiving DVDs.

The course explored the eight vital principles of health that help bring recovery from illness and aids in prevention of disease.

— Karen Hodge

Institute of Worship supports local musicians

OUR CHURCHES

Couple baptised at Bray Park

Joel and Tahyna Penman had been studying the Bible with Rick Sharp. They decided to commit their lives to Christ and both be baptised together on 21 December 2013 at the Bray Park Adventist Church.

The Holy Spirit was there on this lovely day, and many family members were present to witness their commitment.

The lovely flower arrangements and the frangipanis floating on the water in the font brought God’s creation indoors.

— Lois Chilton

Calling the children “home”

Sabbath, 9 November 2013 was a special Sabbath at Maclean Church. It was the baptism of Keith McLeay. Keith’s late Mum, Gwen, was a devout Seventh-day Adventist and mother who prayed for her children.

Keith had been away from church for many years, so it was also Alice Bushell’s sharing with her brother that led Keith back to church and studies with the minister.

Pastor Paul Richardson said what a pleasure it was to study with Keith and share in his conversion experience.

During the service, church elder Ivan Bell encouraged Keith in his decision for baptism and reminded the community of the need to continue in their support of Keith.

The front of the church was beautifully decorated with floral arrangements by Fay Chandler. Following the service, the women had made a beautiful lunch that helped to make it such a special day.

— Pastor Paul Richardson

Valmai Hill, assistant to the director at the South Pacific Division’s Institute of Worship, visited Lismore Church on Sabbath, 31 May. In preparation for the visit, Pastor Keith Jackson had organised a small orchestra to play in the church worship service — a first for the Lismore area. The group of 14 musicians, mostly youth, played violins, viola, cello, flute, clarinet, recorder, saxophones, trumpets, guitars, piano and organ. Dr Barry Hill was the preacher of the morning.

To support worship leaders, an afternoon workshop was conducted on resourcing leaders and how to choose music wisely. There was also a practical session for piano, organ and keyboard musicians. These workshops were open to worship leaders, worship teams and musicians of all local churches.

Congratulations to the pastor and musicians who made Sabbath a very special day. It was wholeheartedly agreed that this was just the beginning of many more performances from a group of musicians who are passionate about sharing their love of music and their love of God. Valmai is committed to involving children and youth in various aspects of worship, so she intends to return to Lismore later in the year to continue her support for worship participation by all age groups.

— Valmai Hill

School captain baptised

Two years ago, Tamsyn Quick, one of the school captains at Macquarie College, started Bible studies with the school’s chaplain Pastor Brad Rea. On Sabbath afternoon, 12 April this year, he baptised her at Shingle Splitters.

Tamsyn wanted to follow the example set by her older brother Jamie because she wanted to “be closer to Jesus and go to Heaven with my family.” She said the water was very cold, but it was very calm and peaceful. It was exciting to have a number of people from school attend to sing some awesome praise songs with her and make the experience so much more special.

— Macquarie College Newsletter

OUR CHURCHES

“The Beautiful Shepherd” youth program at Woy Woy and Ourimbah

D2BD training at Boolaroo

Boolaroo Children’s Ministries held a Dare 2 Be a Daniel (D2BD) training weekend focused on our Primary–Junior Division in mid-December 2013. D2BD is a training resource that enables children and teens to be willing to stand strong for God at school, at home and in their local communities.

It teaches them how to pray for and disciple their friends as they share what God means to them. The training was held over a weekend as a family-style camp at beautiful Lake St Clair. While the kids were doing their D2BD sessions (with Lindy Walker and Jonathon Coombes), Pastor Kevin Amos ran sessions for the parents on how to parent “Daniels” now, and the lessons parents can learn from the values Daniel’s parents instilled in him, knowing what was prophesied for their children’s generation.

There were also a number of younger siblings aged two to six, so a preschool program for them was run simultaneously with Andrea Hoschke. This was based on the same principles of the D2BD program, but adapted to preschool level with some specially designed activity booklets just for them.

“Can you recite Psalm 23?” This was the question that was asked to various people leading up to “The Beautiful Shepherd” youth program (based on Psalm 23) held at Woy Woy Adventist Church on 29 March and Ourimbah Adventist Church on 5 April.

The program was presented by dedicated, enthusiastic and passionate young people who want others to know about the love they have found in Jesus Christ. The youth team interviewed several people for the companion DVD that accompanies this project, including Pastor David Asscherick, Ty Gibson, Jeffrey Rosario, James Rafferty, Braedan Entermann and a few ARISE students (class of 2014). The program was a huge blessing to church members and visitors, and brought Psalm 23 into a whole new perspective. The program featured a six-part sermon presented by six different young people, with music in between each sermon.

Social get-togethers were also on the agenda for the participating youth to have some fun with each other — relaxing, playing ping-pong, eating pizza, and participating in other various activities that took place leading up to and following on from this production.

During filming, there were countless answers to prayer that convinced the youth that, even though this seemed a big task to accomplish, with God’s help, they could carry it out to its completion! “We could see God‟s hand through it all,” said one of the youth team members.

Several hours of filming, editing and rehearsing paved the way for “The Beautiful Shepherd” youth production to go to the church community. This youth production has also blessed many of its own team members, and given them the courage to get up in front of the congregation and preach.

“It was kind of scary at first,” said one of the speakers. “My knees were knocking together when I was sitting in the pew, but as soon as I got up and started speaking, I was fine! I felt real confident and I knew that God was speaking through me.”

This project has not only given those who have attended the programs a desire to look at Psalm 23 in a new light and to see Jesus, their Beautiful Shepherd, with new eyes, but it has also given the youth a desire to dig deeper into the Bible and to find things that they had never seen before! It has wrought a transformation in their lives, and our prayer is that it will do the same for others too.

— Kynika and Kayma-Ree Clarke

The youth are more than willing to share this message with other churches and those who they come in contact with, and have prepared the companion DVD for that reason. They’re not able to go everywhere in the world, but “The Beautiful Shepherd” companion DVD can! If you would like a copy of the DVD, email <ps85vs13@live.com> or write to PO Box 3303, Erina NSW 2250.

Overall, the group had an awesome weekend and many of the kids — and parents — asked that something similar be done each year at least. Commitments made by the Juniors at the camp are being followed up with Bible studies and ongoing accountability though Sabbath school, as well as at home.

On Sabbath, 29 March this year, each of the children, who were aged from two to 14, stood before their church family and accepted the Daniel Challenge. This was followed with a special prayer of commitment by head elder Antonio Moreno and Bibles were handed out to the children. The church prays that God will richly bless each one of these “Daniels” as they stand strong for Jesus — Just Like Daniel!

The Daniel Challenge is as follows:

1. Just like Daniel, I can stand up and stand out for Jesus! Will you dare to be different — choosing in your heart to do what God wants you to do, regardless of what those around you are doing?

2. Just like Daniel, I want to know and trust Jesus more! The better I know Jesus, the better I can help others get to know Him too! Will you dare to be disciplined — will you pray and read God’s Word every day, exercising your faith muscle, so you can learn to recognise God’s voice and put His plans into practice?

3. Just like Daniel, I want to do what God wants me to do with the encouragement of Godly friends. I need His help to know what is right from what is wrong. Will you dare to be discerning — picking Godly friends who encourage you to stand firm in your faith, even when it is really hard?

4. Just like Daniel, I want to be just like Jesus. I want to do what Jesus would do. Will you dare to be a devoted disciple — pointing others to God by what you say and do in all aspects of life, public and private?

5. Just like Daniel, by standing strong for God, I can share Jesus with everyone I meet. Will you dare to be a witness and share your faith — looking for opportunities to tell others about the way God can forgive them and transform their lives, and how faith in Jesus can be really awesome?

— Andrea Hoschke

Macquarie College camps

Earlier this year, senior school students from Macquarie College enjoyed a week of school camps. Year 7 students visited Camp Toukley, Year 8s went to the Blue Mountains, Year 9s visited Kosciuszko National Park, Year 10s enjoyed an Amazing Race challenge in Sydney and Year 11s explored urban Melbourne.

Year 7 student Radhika Tamhane says, “Finally it had arrived — camp week, the week all of us Year 7s had been looking forward to the whole of Term 1. We all knew it was going to be a very exciting and challenging four days as we boarded the bus and headed to Camp Toukley. The bus trip down was very lively, as everyone was excited for their first Senior School Camp at Macquarie College.

“As the bus arrived at Camp Toukley, we were all eager to get started with our activities. We had a range of different activities, such as surfing, giant swing, flying fox, leap of faith, BMX, quad bikes, high ropes, abseiling, canoeing and bush initiatives. . . . My group had quad bikes first and, thanks to the rain the night before, there were lots of muddy puddles, which made things 10 times more fun and also 10 times messier!

Camp Toukley was definitely a fun experience with a lot of challenges along the way.”

Samuel Holding, a Year 8 student who went on the Blue Mountains camp, says, “The Katoomba camp trip was a brilliant way to wrap up the term as 10 weeks of school work finally came to an end. The excited, focused and nervous looks from students, parents and teachers were the start of what we had been told would be a memorable camping trip, and it didn’t disappoint.

“From the bus trip down to the bus trip back, every student had been mentally and physically challenged, experienced hunger and thirst and had gotten dirty, but the smiles on our faces said it all. Some people found it harder than others, but the support from the teachers was remarkable, making sure everyone had a great time.”

Dimitri Patsan says the Year 9 Invictus Camp to Kosciuszko National Park was one of the highlights for the year. “I had never been hiking before and was a little apprehensive about how I would go in the bush,” he says. “We had an early morning start and a long trip to the Blue Waterholes area. The first night we all camped in our separate groups. My group had a great conversation around the fire and our spirits were high before we went to sleep.

“The next two days we hiked and navigated around some of Australia’s most beautiful terrain. Despite the rain, it was a new experience for us all, and we got to know ourselves and our peers much better. Wild brumbies and kangaroos populate the alpine plane, and it was amazing to see the wild animals in their natural environment.”

Emily Clement says the Year 10 camp was held over three “exhausting, but exhilarating days” where they were challenged physically and mentally. “The popularly-viewed reality TV show The Amazing Race was the main theme and inspiration of the challenges to be completed throughout Sydney’s most exotic and well-known locations,” she says. “Singing on the steps of the Opera House, ferry rides to Manly Beach and photos of Chinatown are just a few of the many enjoyable activities we participated in.”

Gabriella Maughan describes the Year 11 camp as a time of “rain, art and good food” in a “cultured city full of people.” On the first day, they had time to explore Melbourne, visit a Buddhist centre and enjoy an Italian dinner on Lygon Street. “After dinner, the Advanced English class experienced a Hangman’s Night Tour at the Old Gaol, and the General English class watched a feature at the IMAX Theatre,” she says. “The second day was filled with a tour of the MCG and National Sports Museum, an optional tour of Melbourne University and time for DFO shopping.”

Other activities included a viewing of the Melbourne Theatre Company’s Neighbourhood Watch, a visit to the Queen Victoria Markets, visiting the National Gallery of Victoria and exploring the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Students also enjoyed the “fantastic Melbourne food experience.” Gabriella says, “Many students tried new and foreign flavours, from Spanish to African food.”

They ended the tour on a “high note,” visiting the Eureka Skydeck Tower. “Even though the views were hindered by the rain, the experience was appreciated,” says Gabriella.

— Radhika Tamhane (Year 7)/Samuel Holding (Year 8)/Dimitri Patsan (Year 9)/Emily Clement (Year 10)/Gabrielle Maughan (Year 11)

OUR SCHOOLS

FEATURES

AAA builds Brewarrina connections

The Brewarrina group has been growing since the plant commenced at the beginning of the year. Starting out with around 20 people from the community attending, numbers have now grown to around 70 each week — and they’re all there because they want to be.

And if you’re wondering what you can do to help, you can join in the work being done by AAA — and you don’t even have to get on a plane.

Although if you would like to join the teams that visit various churches around our conference, AAA NNSW would love to hear from you. They’d also be grateful to have some assistance from people who are willing to do things like cook food for the team to take out to churches or prepare Sabbath school craft activities.

“Air travel allows us to further the Gospel and do it more effectively,” says Alicia. “There is a large population of Adventists in the Central Coast/Cooranbong/Newcastle region who can be transported to these isolated communities and help the work taking place there. We have 93 per cent of our congregations on the eastern side of the New England Highway. I would love to see as many congregations on the western side of the highway as on the east.

(Continued from page 2)

As the planes came in to land, it started to rain. Within minutes of landing, the strip was no longer serviceable. “God kept this one piece of ground dry long enough for us to arrive,” says Alicia. “He didn’t just give us coincidences that allowed us to reach our destination safely — He gave us miracles so we could see first-hand that He was in control.”

When they arrived at Brewarrina, the team helped run church, assisted with craft activities, and captured the kids’ attention with puppets and ballooning (one of Pastor Pratt’s special skills). Pastor Pratt engaged the congregation with a powerful sermon based on Philippians 1:6 that challenged both young and old. Each person was encouraged to have a personal relationship with Jesus because He has an awesome plan for each of them.

Other highlights from the church camp included a drama of the story of David and Goliath acted out by the children, the Aboriginal women cooking Johnny Cakes and scones for everyone on the Saturday night, sitting around the huge bonfire that evening and kite-making with Tim White on Sunday.

The ages of Brewarrina’s congregation cover a broad spectrum, from little kids to teens, and young parents to great-grandparents. “There’s a real family spirit and everyone looks out for each other,” says Alicia.

She adds, “We feel very privileged to work with this church plant. The experiences we’re having are like the stories I’ve heard from people working in the Pacific Islands, and I can’t believe we have these opportunities sitting right here in our very own backyard. It’s so easy to share Jesus with this community — they want to learn more about the God we love and serve, and it’s such a blessing to see this first-hand, and to work under the leadership of Keith and Danuta. God is at work in this community and amongst these people.”

When the Stockwells were first approached about AAA assisting the group, Danuta told the team that they were a godsend and it was just the phone call they had needed. With so great an opportunity as the one in Brewarrina, the extra people to help out would be a real blessing and enable them to achieve more.

The work undertaken by the AAA team is designed to assist the Stockwells in sharing the Gospel. They also aim to serve the needs of the community, mentor and disciple the people, and provide relationship-building opportunities that connect the community to the church. “If we run a games night and invite the community, it’s not only a good, fun night, but an opportunity to build relationships,” says Alicia.

“I think it’s possible to achieve — sometimes we should ‘think big.’ The Gospel commission is to go and tell all the nations, and there is so much untouched territory in the western part of our conference. It’s time we did something about it. We just have to be willing to go where God sends. He does the rest.”

She adds, “We have a huge mission field here in our own conference. It’s exciting, it’s rewarding and it’s such a blessing to be involved in God working in our communities. This is our conference and it’s our job to do what God has called us to do as His followers. It’s not just work for the pastors to do, but it’s a responsibility for all of us.”

— Adele Nash/Alicia Cooke

If you’re interested in assisting AAA in its mission, you can contact Alicia on 0400 003 738. You can also connect with AAA NNSW on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AAANNSW?fref=ts

Adventist Discovery Centre launches Living Well course

FEATURES

Winter holidays are coming

School holidays offer a great opportunity for young girls to spend special time with their mums and/or grandmas. Research suggests that between the ages of six and 12, growing girls look up to their mums and significant other mother figures as role models for the future.

The Adventist Discovery Centre is excited to announce the launch of their brand-new health correspondence course called Living Well. In their opinion, the Living Well course is by far the best of its type in the world and they are thrilled to be able to share it with you.

It has been created and promoted as a collaboration between Sanitarium, The Adventist Media Network, the Sydney Adventist Hospital, the Australasian Research Institute and the South Pacific Division. It brings together the best of the latest research, and presents it in an easily readable and attractive format.

Living Well is available in both hard copy and electronic format. The online version will be released in the near future.

The course is available to applicants entirely free. It is a great resource to use in your local churches where members can do the course themselves and receive the benefits of it.

Lyell Southwell, Director of the Adventist Discovery Centre, says, “Even better, we encourage your churches to share it with as many people as possible. We have found that 44 per cent of our students who do one of our lifestyle courses then go on to do one of our other Bible courses. A full range of letterbox cards is available that your church members can use in their community. We will supply as many cards as a church can distribute for free.”

He adds, “Throughout the course, we will be making available free offers to all our students on a regular basis. These free offers will be sent to the local pastors to deliver, thus creating contact at the local level. On top of that, any church that is running any kind of outreach can apply to us and we will invite all our students to attend their program whatever it may be.

“We pray that this course will result in many people in the Kingdom of God and a significant improvement of health on this Earth.”

— Lyell Southwell

For more details about Living Well, visit <www.adventistmedia.org.au>, write to The Adventist Discovery Centre via Locked Bag 1115 Wahroonga NSW 2076, phone 1300 300 389 or fax (02) 9847 2200.

A mum’s or grandma’s relationship with their daughter and/or granddaughter is an important foundation to a growing girl’s sense of self-worth. Her confidence, security, compassion, love and relationship to Jesus depend on it. Spending quality time with mum and/or grandma will affirm and encourage a young girl.

Here is an idea for busy mums and grandmas to consider when planning quality time these school holidays: Baking, cuppa and snuggle time

• Make a special time for this. Put it on the calendar!

• Plan ahead to make sure you have everything for cooking.

• Pick her favourite cookie, cake, scone, popcorn or trail-mix recipe.

• Set up a special spot to enjoy your time together. Throw some cushions on the floor, or grab some warm blankets and a book or favourite magazine to read together.

• Bake and clean up afterwards together.

• And as you enjoy your baking and cuppa, chat about what you’re reading or looking at. You could also chat about favourite foods, crafts you’d like to do, why you like the friends you have, what qualities you’d like to have when you grow up and what you love about Jesus. The possibilities for talking and learning are endless.

Cinnamon-choc cuppa (serves two)

Mix ¼ tsp cinnamon, 1 T cocoa, 2 tsp cornflour, 1 T sugar and 400mL milk (soy, almond, oat or rice milk are fine too) in a saucepan. Heat over a low-medium heat until just simmering. Pour the mixture into cups (you could even use special teacups).

Top with grated chocolate and/or marshmallows.

— Michelle Villis

Ideas and recipe are courtesy of Amelia Magazine Amelia is a magazine created by a Christian mum for young girls aged six to 12 years. The magazine is about craft, cooking, friendship, Bible stories, reviews and even a paper doll! Check out <ameliamagazine.blogspot.com.au> to subscribe to the magazine and enjoy many more creative ideas.