The Upside 01 - July, 2017

SPIRITUAL SWELL AT

Surf Camp

CYCLONE DEBBIE COULD NOT DROWN THE AUSSIE

ASIAN AID:

CHILDREN ARE PEOPLE TOO!

Love Matters

Why do you want to be in a relationship?

SPIRIT

6

HEALTHY HABITS

About

The Upside is published 10 times per year by the Seventh-day Adventist Church (North NSW Conference).

Editor-in-chief Nic Coutet

Editor Adele Nash

Designer Susan Merchant

Contributing authors Neil Thompson, David Stojcic and Sharna Kosmeier

Printed by WHO Printing

Enquiries

PO Box 7

Wallsend NSW 2287

Phone (02) 4951 8088

Email northpoint@adventist.org.au Web nnsw.adventist.org.au/news

Contributions

The editor welcomes contributions, but does not guarantee publication, as space is limited. Articles express the opinions of the authors and not neccessarily those of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

A letter from the editor

Welcome to the new-look!

Welcome to the new-look North New South Wales Conference magazine. This is a magazine we want you to share with family, friends, neighbours and others.

Why? It’s simple. We want more people to hear the good news about what Adventist Church members are doing in and for their communities. We want to share what we know about God, health and lifestyle issues. We want you to find someone in your circle of friendship who you can inspire and uplift with this publication.

This change is not only aesthetic. Our aim is to make things more accessible for

SPIRITUAL

SWELL

AT Surf Camp

It has often been said that “There can only be one winner,” but when it comes to Surf Camp, would like to argue that everyone is a winner!

everyone — not just Adventists. This involves things like explaining traditions and reducing in-house jargon, while still communicating our love for God and others.

Your participation doesn’t end at sharing The Upside with people you know! You’re also invited to submit your stories, whether they’re news, features or testimonies. Email your content to us at northpoint@adventist.org.au

what is to come? Let’s find out!

The Kingscliff Adventist Church-organised Surf Camp Weekend was held on 10 to 12 March at the beautiful and centrally located Yarrahapinni Youth and Ecology Centre. Approximately 110 people of all ages and surfing abilities attended the weekend, which was full of sun, sand, surfing and a great spirit of friendship. God supplied amazing weather and pumping surf (which thankfully dropped to a manageable size by Sunday morning for the Surf Contest).

There was much relaxation to be had over the weekend, and as much sun and surfing as one could handle. Saturday was full of great music, supplied by a very talented group of young people from as far away as Queensland, and right down to Avondale College in Cooranbong and surrounding areas. The music team was headed up by Luke Slade.

Assistant Pastor of Kingscliff Adventist Church Joel Slade shared a sermon entitled, “Did Jesus Get a Barrel?” His talk looked at Jesus’ ability to calm the great storms of life and how He longs to give us peace in every aspect of our lives.

The afternoon of the Saturday of Surf Camp was a perfect time to head down to the beach and enjoy the amazing day that God had provided. The surf was pumping, sun was shining — Sabbath was great.

Closing Sabbath was then enjoyed around a bonfire with guitar, songs, a short message and prayer.

Saturday night was time for a round-robin indoor soccer tournament, which was highly contested by a number of teams. The coveted winner’s title went to team “North America.” Surf movies were then the flavour of the evening in preparation for the main event the following morning — the Surf Competition.

The weather was perfect for both surfers and spectators alike, and enjoyed by all with lunch being provided on the beach by our trusty kitchen staff. Final surfing heats were finished up by 2.00pm, and presentation and trophy/prize-giving followed in the chapel.

So as you can see, Surf Camp is a time where friends from all

Sunday morning was an early start for the surfers, whose names featured in the early heats, with the surfing continuing throughout the day for all ages and abilities, with surfers and body boarders — some as young as three years old — joining in.

around the North New South Wales Conference can come and be spiritually encouraged, physically challenged and enjoy relaxation time together in a beautiful environment. It truly is a weekend where everyone is a winner!

Winning positions were as follows:

Men’s A — Ruben Brinsmead

Men’s B — Silas Brinsmead

Men’s C — Jay Davis

Women’s — Beth Edwards

Masters — Andrew Weekes

Body Board — Aaron Osmond

Juniors — Taj Moore

Adele Nash

— Darnelle Johnson

Childrenare people too!

What would your life be like if you were born in another country or at a different time? What if your nearest source of clean water was hours away; healthcare for a preventable sickness was unaffordable; the community you lived in was unsafe for children; education and skills training were only for the rich?

This is the reality for millions of people, especially in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

• One third of girls in the developing world are married before the age of 18 and one in nine are married before the age of 15

• 66 children for every 1000 live births do not reach the age of five in Southeast Asia

• There are an estimated 33 million primary and lower secondary outof-school children in South Asia in 2016

• Past trends indicate that more than 40 per cent of these out of school children will never enter school; half of the children who are out of school have dropped out

• More than a quarter of the world’s slaves are children

• Worldwide, it’s estimated that there are 4.5 million victims of sex trafficking

is raised about these issues in order to protect the children.

Empowered to empower Asian Aid believes that teaching children, parents and members of the public to stand up for their rights and the rights of others more vulnerable than them will help break the chain of social evils. A lack of awareness puts children at a high-level of risk for trafficking and other child rights violations; therefore it is important to ensure that awareness

Shafiya Banu was at the forefront in a rally against human trafficking in Bangalore. She says, “This is my first experience of this kind — being part of organising a rally to spread awareness on human trafficking.

It was also a great learning experience, understanding for the first time about social evils such as child marriage, child labour and trafficking and the importance of not encouraging such practices. I realise that every individual has the right to live independently and every child has the right to an education which will help them develop and be independent in the future. More awareness sessions should be conducted in the community, so that residents are able to spot the signs of trafficking.”

Around 80 children led the rally and more than 1500 pamphlets were distributed to individuals in the community. Children also shared pamphlets door-to-door, taking the opportunity to speak about human trafficking.

Children are people too!

Children and women are often the most vulnerable in disadvantaged societies, yet are exceedingly capable and resourceful, and have the ability to contribute to their own learning and development. However, in many places, they have very little control over the resources they use and the decisions that affect them. This issue is a key motivator as to why we are actively encouraging more involvement

of women and children in decisionmaking activities, so they can better contribute within communities. Kathir Ganesh is a 12-year-old boy who has been attending Asian Aid’s After-school Programme (ASP) in India since 2015. He is the eldest of three children. Kathir’s father is a truck driver who earns around Rs. 500 (10AUD) a day. His mother is a homemaker. Due to alcoholism, his parents could not get along, which affected the well-being of the children. His mother suffered with depression and had decided to divorce her husband. As a result of these issues, Kathir and his siblings had to drop out of school.

With the help of partner staff, the parents agreed to attend counselling sessions. His father was later referred to a legal counselling session at Tamil Nadu Free Legal Aid counselling. Now, the father has stopped fighting and the family is enjoying peaceful times together. All three children are now back in school. “With your help, my family problem is now solved, and I am able to concentrate on my studies without any disturbance. I thank you for this great help.” Kathir is now fully motivated and committed to excel in his education.

must help each other.” Kids like Kathir are waiting in the wings, eager to catalyse a holistic change in their lives and in the lives of those around them.

Including children like Kathir in decisionmaking processes is especially critical. At a young age, children begin to form a picture of themselves based on the messages they get from other people. If others see them as capable, strong, intelligent and valuable, children will also learn to see themselves in the same way.

To help young people like Kathir and Safiya become agents of change in their communities, Asian Aid relies on the generosity of thousands of supporters. You can shine some hope by donating to Asian Aid’s Next-Generation Fund.

— Joshua Moses

Find out more about the Next-Generation Fund and donate at asianaid.org.au or call +612 6586 4250.

The change in Kathir’s life took place in two levels — individually and in his family. However, we are looking for a change in one more aspect: that of the community he lives in. Kathir Ganesh lives in Venkatesapuram, Kannigapuram — an area where water stagnates during the monsoon. The problem of alcoholism is highly prevalent in this community.

Kathir says, “I will plant trees to reduce flooding. I also want to help all kids to go to school and not waste time. Everyone

Sources: www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/ education, World Health Organisation, 2015, UNICEF, 2015, International Labor Organization, 2014.

“Children begin to form a picture of themselves based on the messages they get from other people”

“More than a quarter of the world’s slaves are children”

“Everyone must help each other”

Tropical cyclone Debbie could not drown the Aussie spirit

The ARISE Bible school, held at Kingscliff Adventist Church, aims to train and equip people to be able to share Jesus with others in any way they can. Typically, the way ARISE students learn how to do this is via learning more about God and the Bible so they can better share what they know with others. But when the floods hit Kingscliff and surrounds after Ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie devastated parts of Queensland and New South Wales in late March and early April, ARISE students had an opportunity to share Jesus in a different way. They put down their books and got their hands dirty in a massive clean-up effort after the flooding.They joined with members of Kingscliff Church who were actively involved in the community clean-up efforts.

Joel Slade, Assistant Pastor of Kingscliff Church, was in charge of coordinating the church’s response to the floods and says, “The 45 ARISE students joined church members who went out on the Saturday morning after the floods and started cleaning up homes. We surveyed the community, asking what we could do. Some people had a foot of mud through their

homes. Others had lost everything. We helped move furniture, pull up carpets, and generally clean up and help families get on their feet.”

“So we instead prayed for God to give us an opportunity to help our community anyway”

The church had been scheduled to run an outreach series when the floods started. “We’d been praying at 6.00am and 6.00pm each day for the program,” says Joel. “So we instead prayed for God to give us an opportunity to help our community anyway. We may not have been able to preach, but that lost opportunity was more than made up for in a chance to show people who God is in a practical way.”

Kyle Morrison, ARISE Australia Coordinator, says, “On the Monday morning, we postponed all classes to run at nighttime — when the outreach program would have been on — and instead spent the days going out in teams cleaning.

We collected tools and divided them between teams. The immediate thing was shovelling mud and pressure-cleaning things with a gerni.”

Providing assistance continued for three weeks. But that didn’t mean the ARISE students missed out on study. “We switched a few times with classes and continued to do as much as we possibly could for those three weeks,” says Kyle. “We had a significant impact because there were 50 people who didn’t have solid commitments, so we could be extremely flexible in helping people. The other positive that comes from it is that there was a lot of positive talk on local Facebook pages about the Kingscliff Church team serving the community.”

He adds, “One of the students had the idea to email The Good Guys and ask if they would donate washing machines and dryers. They did — $2200 worth! These were delivered to Murwillumbah Church, who opened their church to act as a laundry facility for people.”

The Kingscliff Church was a distribution point locally too for food, blankets and donations. With community awareness about this, people were arriving with carloads of food and donations. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency team in Kingscliff also assisted with an evacuation centre. There was a wide variety of people who the teams of students and church members helped, from older folk to a small local primary school. They were able to assist those who didn’t have a support network and lighten burdens.

“They were so blown away by what we were doing,” says Joel. “One lady was a devout atheist and quite against religion, but we got stuck in helping clean at her house. She said, ‘If all Christians were like you guys, that’s something I’d like to be part of.’ It was incredible to see the effect of being the hands and feet of Jesus.”

— Adele Nash

Murwillumbah Church mobilises to assist community after floods

After the flooding caused by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie, leaders and members of the Murwillumbah Seventh-day Adventist Church swung into action. They assessed the damage to their own church complex and began the clean-up there, including removing floodsoaked carpeting and clearing out mud.

But this wasn’t where the scope of their work ended, because the church group saw the floods as an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the middle of a tragedy, helping anyone in need. They swung into action, organising teams to go out and clean the homes of community members who had been hit by the floods. They worked hard to clear out mud, strip carpets, shift furniture and generally lend a hand in whatever way they could.

Letrica Lucas and her family were blessed to have a group of Murwillumbah Church members and the church’s pastor Ashley Smith assist them in their clean-up. She says, “My dad had a stroke eight weeks before the flood. He grew up an Adventist, but no longer practices. In a prayer meeting at the church the night he had the stroke, they prayed he would get all the help he needs when he needed it. On the Saturday after the flood when we tried to start the very overwhelming task of cleaning our home, we looked up as a group of Seventh-day Adventists, led by Ashley, walked into our house and said, ‘What can we do?’”

What they did was spend at least five hours under the house, cleaning out everything they could. “I calculated the hours they put in by the numbers that turned up that day,” says Letrica. “What they did would have taken Dad and a month — maybe longer because our animals were in the house.

“As they left, my Dad shook Ashley’s hand and said, ‘Thank you. That was the best sermon I ever heard!’”

Letrica sees several things that happened after the floods as miracles, including the safe return of the family’s horse, Tilly. Tilly had been swept away by the floods, but was found and saved by neighbours six houses up the road. She also believes that the church group’s arrival at their home — without them knowing it was where Letrica’s Dad lived — was an answer to the prayers for help coming when it was needed most.

After dropping two paramedics off, their boat propeller hit a submerged car, which made the engine stall. The boat was swept into a house, and Kenny and Alex were flipped into the water. Their training was put to good use as they managed to secure themselves to a verandah of a house. Their story was only one of the more than 500 rescues the SES was involved with in the region.

ADRA team

provides assistance in Lismore

The Lismore Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) team were kept busy during the floods in Lismore, which were the worst the town had seen in years and the first to go over the levee bank built around 12 years ago.

This need led to the church community providing assistance in areas other than accommodation, such as supplying food, bedding and electrical goods. The church’s op shop was also able to assist with clothing and other items.

There are also members of the Murwillumbah Church who are active State Emergency Service (SES) members, and their work was noted in the local newspaper (“Top praise for our local SES heroes following worst floods ever,” Tweed Valley Weekly, 20 April).

Alex Hetherington and Kenny Harrison are both trained in swift water rescue, and they were out helping to evacuate residents when the flooding happened.

In addition to assisting with the clean-up in the town, the church facility itself was turned into a distribution centre for food and goods, as well as a makeshift laundry. The washers and dryers were supplied by The Good Guys following a request from the Kingscliff Church and ARISE team, who delivered the white goods to Murwillumbah. They were put to good use! And once the demand for the laundry at the church died down, the washers and dryers were donated to people in need. The church grounds have also been an answer to prayer for people made homeless by the floods. They opened their doors to people from the local caravan park who lost their homes due to the flooding. The church’s two-hectare property has plenty of room for people, who set up caravans and tents. Although there was some damage done to some of the rooms at the church, with work required to get them back to a fit state for use, church programs have continued to run, with prayers for the community included in the services.

It was the ADRA representative team members’ responsibility to station themselves at the town’s evacuation centre, finding accommodation for those displaced by the devastating effects of the rising flood waters. When Lismore residents need to evacuate their homes, they can come to the centre and ADRA volunteers from the local Adventist Church will find them temporary accommodation, which is usually in a local motel. However, many of the town’s hotels and motels were affected by the floods. Some were inaccessible while others were severely damaged.

The ADRA team from Lismore Adventist Church were able to send many families to Alstonville and Ballina, and once the waters receded, some returned to Lismore accommodation. However, because of the town’s damaged plumbing and electrical systems, people were unable to access food and other necessities for a number of days.

“...finding accommodation for those displaced by the devastating effects of the rising flood waters”

A builder from Wallsend Adventist Church in Newcastle came up to the area and worked from daylight to dark, offering his expertise to residents. Joyce Hall, one of the church’s welfare leaders, said that some Lismore residents have still not been allowed back to their homes due to mildew and structural issues.

Many in the local community have appreciated the presence of the Seventh-day Adventist Church members, and their assistance and help wherever possible.

— Sherree Merritt

— Adele Nash

“As they left, my Dad shook Ashley’s hand and said, ‘Thank you. That was the best sermon I ever heard!’”

AN IMMEASURABLE GIFT

by Susan McPherson

To appreciate a miracle, you first need to understand the significance of what happened — or, in this case, what has been saved. Firstly, my choices haven’t made for an easy life. I was married to a man who forbade the mention of God in the house. So great was his hate that I had to keep my little yellow Bible hidden and read it when he wasn’t around.

Before I left the relationship, my then-husband found my Bible and threw it in the fire. Without thinking, reached into the fire and reclaimed it. Neither I nor the book was marked. However, the second time he took it from me and threw it into the flames, he held me in place, forcing me to watch it burn. My heart broke.

My choices after this led me to the women’s refuge. You can’t imagine my delight when, on arrival, they found me a little red Bible. This little red Bible helped me stay close to God and helped me heal. I was encouraged by the words to seek others who love God. My Bible stayed with me on my journey. I should explain I live with anxiety — the kind that just the thought of mixing with others causes me physical pain. It’s not because I don’t like people. I feel discomfort even among family and close friends. They just know and accept me for who am, and still love me. My little red Bible has become a shield of strength and courage. It was with me the first time I braved the steps of the Lismore

Seventh-day Adventist Church, and the following two times made it inside. I continually read it as I dedicated myself to God and was baptised last year. It was this Bible that caught every tear when my father was killed. So what happened next was devastating.

It was a long night of checking the water levels creeping up the road. At 5.00am, it was lapping the cement. A text woke me at 6.00am and the water was lapping at the door. woke the children and got them to carry what they could upstairs. The water had started pouring in the door. My son Lynkane grabbed some important items, including my Bible, to make his way upstairs. I heard some items drop and could see my Bible fall and sink below the water’s surface. His face said it all. I quickly retrieved my Bible and told him to hurry everything upstairs. grieved the Bible, along with all the material possessions we lost. Three weeks later as we were getting back to some normality, the children brought the items from upstairs. The Bible was amongst them.

My first reaction on seeing the Bible was sadness. It had been sitting at the bottom of a laundry basket. When I opened it, I was surprised that the pages were not sticky like the hundreds of other books we had to throw away. The pages were a little damp, but none of them had stuck together. None of the ink had bled. The pages I had made notes on were unblemished. So you see the gift God gave me is immeasurable!

FaithFM competition winner visits Breakfast Show crew

interested in completing Bible studies, but Vernon’s parents — who owned the farm they lived on, which had been in the family since the 1850s and passed on from generation to generation — threatened to disown them if she joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church. However, because of her persistence and refusal to give up, she would faithfully ride her pushbike to Wingham Church every Saturday, opting out of her using her car so as not to alert her in-laws when she left for church.

Not long after, Nicolle was baptised in secret. However, after many years, she began to feel a burden for her own family. In their weekly prayer meetings, the church began to pray for her family — especially for her husband Vernon that he would come to know the love of Christ.

It was at the beginning of 2015 that Vernon miraculously began attending Wingham Church with Nicolle. One of their sons Aaron and his wife Robyn also started attending church at Taree, and it was at a church service in 2016 that Vernon responded to a call for baptism. He studied with Pastor Uriah St Juste and was baptised on New Year’s Eve with his faithful wife standing right next to him. Wingham and Taree Church members saw it as an encouragement to remain faithful and be steadfast in praying for others who don’t know Jesus yet.

New Year’s Eve saw a celebration of commitments to God through baptism. Those baptised were Vernon, his son Aaron with wife Robyn Brown, and sisters Naomi and Rachael Brown. It was held at the Brown’s farm in the Manning River region, and was conducted by both Wingham Adventist Church’s Pastor St Juste and Taree Adventist Church’s Pastor Graham Stewart.

— Bernince Underwood

If you regularly listen to FaithFM, you might remember a competition that was run earlier this year to win breakfast with the FaithFM Breakfast Show team. Rebecca Martin from Burnie in Tasmania was the lucky winner, and on Thursday, 6 April, she spent half the day with the hosts in Newcastle.

Rebecca joined Breakfast Show team for a delicious breakfast at the Estabar café, where she met hosts Adele Nash and Michael Lilikakis. Zeni Goldsmith, a FaithFM representative from Tasmania, accompanied Rebecca for the visit. Rebecca and Zeni had met each other the day prior, and Rebecca says, “She’s the loveliest person! It feels like we’ve known each other for ages. [Meeting Zeni] is a God appointment in His time.”

Following breakfast, the group headed

Baptism stories

back to the North New South Wales Conference Office, where the Breakfast Show is recorded. The team interviewed Rebecca, who has a fascinating life story and says she entered the FaithFM Breakfast Show competition on a whim.

Her friend, Gloria — who, coincidentally, is also friends with Zeni, introduced Rebecca to FaithFM. “After church one day, Gloria and I had lunch together and she said, ‘Have you heard of this radio station?’ She brought an MP3 player over and put it in my ears. The first message I heard is still the best — it was someone reading Bible passages and speaking love over every one.”

Rebecca’s been listening now for about a year and says, “I’ve heard some fantastic messages on FaithFM. It’s been a bit of a refuge. There are definitely times when

feel prompted to tune in. It’s often when I’m listening to something I like on another station, but feel prompted to change to FaithFM. There’s always a reason and I get a blessing from things hear.”

Rebecca says she enjoys the music played on FaithFM, but appreciates the messages shared by pastors the most, noting that they confirm a lot of things she’s found in the Bible or has experienced in life. “I’d recommend FaithFM to other people,” says Rebecca. “Even if you give it half an hour to an hour to find out what you hear!”

“It was wonderful to meet Rebecca, and to be able to show her a little bit of Newcastle and our studio,” says Adele. “We hope that God continues to bless her in her life and through the programs broadcast on FaithFM. It’s incredible what opportunities can arise from radio.”

Washed in the water

Jason Richards chose the south side of the headland at Scotts Head on the mid-north coast of New South Wales as the place he made his commitment to Christ during the recent North New South Wales Conference’s annual convention meetings at Stuarts Point (known as Big Camp). A beautiful rainbow greeted Jason and friends as they came down onto the beach. Jason has been attending the Coonamble Adventist Church for about 18 months and had been looking forward to attending his first Big Camp. He enjoyed the experience so much that he is already planning to be at the next one in 2018!

— Shaun Hepworth

For many, it was a Saturday like any other. But it was a different Saturday for a new member of Coffs Coast Seventh-day Adventist Church, as church members, family and friends gathered to witness the baptism of Michelle Kirkwood at Boambee Bay Reserve. After months of diligent Bible study and prayerful consideration with Pastor Abel Iorgulescu, Michelle publicly committed her life to the Lord through baptism. The Coffs Coast Church welcomed one of its long-standing members into official fellowship and church members promised to continue their support for her journey of faith. A picnic lunch followed the beautiful ceremony, with friends and family enjoying the celebration.

— Sikiki Lloyd

Baptism far from home for Coonamble Church member

Left to right: Rebecca, Adele, Michael and Zeni

At 7:30 am on the cheerful and bright morning of 25 March, Corbin Clay Stacey was baptised at Casuarina Point in Sunshine. He was baptised by his Pa, Dr Graeme Stacey, and Pastor Matt Tompson. His family and friends supported his decision to choose Jesus, and celebrated with a breakfast feast on the shores of Lake Macquarie. — Kylie Stacey

Baptism starts the day for Corbin

FROM

Prejudice

praise TO

A musical journey leads to pastor’s first album

Pastor Grego Pillay is a man of many musical talents, and he has recently released his first album titled Never Let Go. The journey to creating an album hasn’t always been an easy one, with a variety of challenges faced and overcome.

Grego was born in South Africa. His childhood passion was always music, but he could not pursue a career in it at school for many reasons, such as the political environment — Apartheid, which isolated and denied many cultural groups the opportunity to excel in the fine arts. He was born to parents of Indian origin whose lineage is traced to the indentured labourers who were brought to South Africa to work in the sugar cane fields.

Up until the age of nine, Grego and his family were Hindu. His family then converted to Christianity. In spite of prejudice and social adversity, Grego pursued his dream to inspire people through his music. He taught himself to play the guitar, piano, harmonica and saxophone, and is an accomplished gospel singer. In 2007, Grego and his wife Melanie and two children

Love

COFFS POD

The youth of Coffs Harbour Church have created a new online ministry, aimed at reaching people who may never walk through the doors of a church, but still need to hear the good news about God. The initiative was first inspired by Christopher Petersen, who, when preparing sermons, realised that a great deal of research never made it to the final draft of the sermon. However, Christopher still wanted to share this information with others and so created an online platform named “The After Sermon Podcast” (ASP).

stepping out of personal comfort zones to fulfill God’s plan for your life.

The presenters also give recommended readings for listeners who want to discover more about the studied topic, as well as behind-the-scenes information as to the inspiration and production of each individual sermon. So far, the podcast has even had Pastors Abel Iorgulescu and Peter Watts join in on episodes, and will continue to feature pastors from the North New South Wales Conference.

(Jehiel and Abigail) moved to Australia.

He has been working as a pastor for the North New South Wales Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church since 2009, and currently pastors the Toronto Seventh-day Adventist Church. It has been here in Australia that his childhood dream of producing an original music album has been realised. He is grateful to people for receiving him into their hearts, and is glad that they’ve been blessed by his music. Grego’s spiritual experience and allegiance to Christ, as evidenced in his ministry of reconciliation and as an ordained minister of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is channeled through his music to bring hope and restoration. This journey is reflected in the tracks on Never Let Go. His resilience is an inspiration to many — he challenges people to never give up on their dreams and to accept every obstacle as a steppingstone closer to making them a reality.

He believes that when you tune out the voices around you and listen to your heart, nothing is impossible. Grego is who he is today because

A great question to ask yourself is, “Why do you want to be in a relationship?”

You could also ask, “What’s the purpose of the relationship?” Is it to be loved by another or to share love and life with someone else? These are a good start — but wait, there is more! What’s your purpose in wanting to be loved and share life with another person? Is it to give and receive pleasure, happiness and joy?

The answer you give to these kinds of questions will say a lot about what drives you — and what drives you can sometimes create problems via the expectations you bring to relationships.

“...accept every obstacle as a steppingstone closer to making your dreams a reality”.

Following a format similar to a Sabbath school lesson, Christopher and his guests discuss topics such as baptism, the Trinity and personal testimonies, as well as practical biblical principles, such as avoiding spiritual procrastination and

The ASP crew recently relaunched the program on 1 April, announcing that the podcast was now available on YouTube, SoundCloud and iTunes, and would upload on a fortnightly basis.

If you feel convicted, you can support the ASP ministry in two ways:

Share the podcast with friends and family, particularly those who have not yet made a commitment to Christ

By keeping the ministry and those who listen to the podcast in your prayers

The ASP crew hopes to continue to grow in its reach and produce content that will bring people closer to God and into his kingdom.

he has experienced Jesus’ never-failing love. Never Let Go is a testimony of the unrelenting love of God and praise to the One in whose image each of us are created.

—

Dr

Jessica Melanie Maistry

A quality purpose of a relationship is to love another unconditionally and bring out their best human qualities in a mutually satisfying way. The focus of love is on the one being loved. Yet the magic (for want of a better word) of a mutually-satisfying, other-centred love is you end up receiving the same kind of love. This delivers more feelings of love, joy, peace and happiness, and brings commitment, strength, honesty, vulnerability — and so much more — in a never-ending stream.

The tragedy is that, all too often, instead of these positive traits, couples are stressed and driven by deep sadness, fear, anger, loneliness, desperation and pain. The

prime driver of these negative emotions is often caused by the way couples think about their relationship and life story. If the chief reason for being in a relationship is to get something (eg: love, sex, companionship, healing and so on), then any time your partner doesn’t meet your expectations, you may experience negative emotional responses and you have made the relationship all about you. This has little to do with your partner, and more to do with your expectations and beliefs.

The way to change this and turn things around is to rethink why you are in a relationship. Relationships are about

— Christopher Petersen

giving love, pleasure, joy and happiness to another in ever-increasing amounts, without keeping score or thinking, “What’s in it for me?” Instead, the thinking needs to be around, “What can I do for you?”

“What can I do for you?”

This week, give yourself the gift of a relationship check-up. Are you in a relationship for what you can get? What do you bring? What can you give. The answers are well-worth thinking about and can make all the difference in the world!

3 Great Date Ideas

Plan a candle-lit dinner together at home — put the kids to bed early, pop on some nice music and enjoy your evening together!

Have a night where you turn off the TV, put the lights down low, play some music, and have a quiet night of talking, catching up and maybe even slow-dancing together

Go shopping together and buy each other an item of clothing as a gift (remember to set a budget before you go!)

The ASP hosts from left to right: Michael Godfrey, Jye Watson, Jesse Marks and Christopher Petersen

STUDENTS JUMP HIGH FOR

HEALTHY HEARTS

Students at Avondale School’s Toronto Campus jumped high for the Heart Foundation at the school’s recent Jump Off day. Students energetically skipped their way to fitness while raising money for much-needed heart research. The students participated in their four sport houses, with some healthy competition pushing teams to achieve their personal best. Parental support added a carnival feel to the day. It was all in aid of helping others — and getting fit in return.

“With a total of more than $3000 raised, the school with only 38 Kindy to Year 6 students has raised more money than schools with hundreds of students,” commented MontanaRose Tozer-Chahine, a representative of the Heart Foundation. Two-thirds of that total came from a tenacious six-year-old — Kyrah Page (pictured, below right), who now holds the Heart Foundation’s title of “Australia’s Number One Fundraiser.” Kyrah’s skipping campaign began with a dog leash and an infectious enthusiasm for jumping! The school’s Jump Off day was featured on the Heart Foundation’s website as a great example for others.

— Andrea Thompson

SWOMP A TREASURE TO PRIMARY

Avondale School’s Primary SWOMP (Super Week Of Mega Praise) was once again a massive success, and was built around the theme “We Are God’s Treasure.” Each morning, speaker Karlie Fraser dressed and spoke as a Bible character to demonstrate how “We are God’s treasure.”

The students gathered together to sing songs, hear stories, be a part of the Manna Mania Quiz, make and watch video clips on the daily big idea, and think about how special they are to God. Karlie focused on a number of characters associated with key Bible stories, including Eve, an Egyptian scribe in the court of Pharaoh, an Israelite girl crossing the Red Sea, David’s little sister, Mary Magdalene at Jesus’ resurrection, and finishing with an angel to recap the week and focus on Jesus’ Second Coming.

On the Friday, Years 4 to 6 were given commitment cards to fill in, resulting in 93 students wanting to join a Bible study group, and 86 requesting to be baptised. The week wrapped up on Sabbath morning with a special service put on in conjunction with Gateway Adventist Church.

— Colin Chuang

MEET OUR

Ministry Team

Pastor Paul Richardson cares for the Macksville and Nambucca Seventh-day Adventist Churches on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. His wife Jane is not only his partner in life, but also in ministry. They both have a passion for sharing God with others. Their churches are active in the communities they’re part of, with Macksville in particular having opened a Food Hub in 2016. But being a pastor wasn’t always Paul’s job…

What led you into ministry?

It was a personal encounter I had with the Lord where I felt His touch and heard His voice. While He was direct and in control, He was also most gracious, considerate and so polite — it was amazing.

What was it like becoming a minister after having had a career in other areas?

As had studied in a number of different fields, I had learned that each vocation has its own starting point. So in ministry it is also part of a learning and character building experience. While I did understand church culture, when we dedicate our lives to the Lord we are always learning.

What service work do your churches do for the communities you’re in?

At Macksville, we had a lady with a vision for a Friday soup and buns lunch for the town’s lonely and needy. This later relocated to the Anglican Church hall nearer the middle of town, and is serviced now by the Adventist, Anglican and Catholic ladies. Last November, Macksville opened a Food Hub from their church. Each Thursday morning, they offer Pensioners and Health Card holder’s significantly discounted groceries supplied by Food Bank NSW, with free bread, fruit and veggies provided by the local Woolworths store and Food Bank NSW.

While managed as a business, the Food Hub it is operated as a church ministry. One lady said this is the best thing to happen in our town. We have already had several folk visit our church [because of this ministry].

Nambucca Church offers a Depression Recovery program and is in the process of planning for a community garden. A community garden is not only for the hungry; it is for the lonely — young and old. It offers an opportunity to develop relationships and show

Bad news sells, and unfortunately we can’t avoid it. In the media, our communities and personal lives, we are constantly reminded of things that are going wrong. On the upside, the Bible shows us what can go right and offers hope in seemingly hopeless situations. To learn more, simply post this completed form to receive FREE “The Prophetic Code,” an ongoing series of beautifully-illustrated lessons. Topics include “The secret to Success”, “Life After Death” and many more. Experience this life changing opportunity, obligation FREE, today.

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that we are truly interested in our neighbours. This is a service project that attracts Adventist Development and Relief Agency and other funding grants.

What inspires you when it comes to ministry?

The life of Jesus and His passion to both serve and save inspires my ministry.

What things do you do to build/maintain/grow/feed your own spiritual life?

For myself, I spend time in the Word, prayer and read a range of books. also watch some YouTube speakers and enjoy inspiring music. With others at Macksville, we meet at church at 6.00am Monday to Friday for Bible study and focussed prayer. There are several other small groups in both churches.

Who has been your biggest inspiration in ministry?

Having a wife who walks beside you and covers your life in prayer is an inspiration. Yet ministry is to walk with the Spirit of God in a vocation where God amazingly turns our weaknesses into strengths. Considering my nervousness as a child and a stuttering tongue, God has given me a clear strong voice, which is both amazing and inspiring.

How do you maintain your energy to minister? thank the Lord for good genes, plus Jane’s healthy and tasty food! I appreciate her encouragement to walk and exercise on a regular basis. I have also learned that it is the mind and spirit that energises, plus the value of praise in our daily journey.

If anyone is interested in starting a Food Hub, Paul is happy to share the Macksville Church’s experience, and the reason for their vision and choices. You can contact him via PaulRichardson@adventist.org.au.

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health

EAT THE RAINBOW

Recently, the CSIRO released information they’d gathered from a survey about the dietary habits of 145,000 Australian adults. The results show that four in five Aussies aren’t eating enough fruit and veg — in fact, only 24 per cent of women and 15 per cent of men were eating the recommended two serves of fruit and five serves of veggies a day!

Research director Professor Manny Noakes told the ABC that the results were disappointing, but not surprising because the main issue is convenience, noting that vegetable intake is a “barometer of your lifestyle.”*

Eating a wide variety of all the colours of fruit and veg helps you get the most of all of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients they contain. So how do you ”eat the rainbow” by increasing your fruit and veg intake?

It can take some getting used to if your habit is to see fruit and veg as a garnish, but if you make the effort, it gets easier. The American Heart Association recommends filling at least half your plate with vegetables to make your serving goals.

* “Four in five Australians not eating enough fruit and vegetables: CSIRO” by Irena Ceranic, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 3 April 2017

7 TIPS FOR STARTING OUT ON A FITNESS JOURNEY

DID YOU KNOW?

Only 24 per cent of women and 15 per cent of men are eating the recommended two serves of fruit and five serves of veggies a day!

6 HEALTHY HABITS

Experiment with new, different fruit and vegetables. You don’t have to like everything you try, but give things a go — you might surprise yourself with what you like! Google ways to cook or prepare fresh produce for new, interesting ideas (especially if you’re trying fresh produce you’ve never prepared before)

Add a banana or some berries to your cereal in the morning

Add chopped veggies to things like soups, stews and pasta sauces

Keep raw veggies like cucumber, carrot, capsicums and celery on hand for snacking on instead of chips

Look at the labels of canned products — keep an eye on the amount of salt and sugar

RUSTIC ROASTED ZUCCHINI TART

Ask yourself WHY you want to get fit. Make sure this is clear in your head. This will be your fuel on days when you don’t feel like doing anything.

Set yourself a specific goal — even if it’s as simple as doing 10 push-ups or running one kilometre without walking. Commit to a do-able timeframe, such as 30 minutes of exercise three to four times a week (whatever works for your situation). Find an accountability partner. It’s even better if they can exercise with you!

Start easy and progress to more difficult levels of exertion (IE: a moderate-paced walk for a week or two, then a light jog; or join a beginners’ gym class).

If you need guidance and support, find a qualified personal trainer in your area.

Celebrate your wins as often as possible! That could be daily or weekly.

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Ingredients

– Three medium-sized zucchinis

– Two sheets of puff pastry, thawed

– Basil pesto — either store-bought or homemade

– 1/3 cup of grated cheese — a sharp cheddar contrasts nicely with the other flavours of the tart

– Two medium-sized eggs

– 50mL of milk

Salt, to taste

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.

2. While the oven is heating, line a rectangular tart tin with baking paper and then press the puff pastry into the tin, ensuring there’s enough pastry for the sides of the tart case. Trim off the excess pastry, making sure that any overlaps are well-sealed.

3. Line the bottom of the tart case with non-stick baking paper and cover the lining with rice, dried beans or baking weights — these stop the pastry rising during baking.

4. Cut the zucchinis into eighths length-ways. Toss the zucchini with a little oil and salt to taste before spreading the strips on a roasting tray.

5. Bake both the tart case and zucchini strips for 20 to 25 minutes until both are lightly golden.

6. Remove both from the oven and allow them to cool enough for handling. Take the blind baking materials out of the tart case.

7. Spread three to four tablespoons of pesto over the base of the tart case —the pastry will get a little displaced with this, but don’t let it put you off!

8. Arrange the zucchini strips on top of the pesto. Top with the cheese.

9. Whisk together the eggs and milk, adding a pinch of salt. Pour the egg and milk mixture over the zucchini evenly.

10. Bake the tart for approximately 25 minutes until the filling has puffed up and is golden. Serve with a simple green salad.

Unleash Clean Living | Fit Living — Alisha Christie www.unleashfitliving.com

book review

FOLLOWING JESUS BY PETER ROENNFELDT

Following Jesus is what every person influenced by Jesus Christ is challenged to do. For some, it seems to come naturally but, for others, there is a tendency to stagnation, becoming a passive believer. So how can be a real follower of Jesus?

In Following Jesus, Peter Roennfeldt uses the story of Jesus in the gospels to show the intentional journey that He took His original followers on. There were clear steps in His plan and He was patient as His disciples followed, fell back, got up and moved on again. In Following Jesus, we are invited on the journey into discipleship that Jesus led His first disciples in. That this book is insightful should not surprise us; Jesus is profound. It is also practical, as following Jesus has to happen in real life now. As we read, Jesus’ love and presence will become more real and His desire for us to be all that we can will motivate us.

Peter Roennfeldt has experienced what he writes about as a pastor, evangelist, leader, church planter, trainer, motivator, mentor, public presenter, coach in a wide varieties of cultures and contexts. Above everything else though, he is a follower of Jesus. He has modelled the discipleship process with family, friends and colleagues. Peter’s passion is for believers in Jesus to become fully mature followers who disciple others. Following Jesus will encourage us to follow the methods of Jesus as much as holding to the beliefs of Jesus.

I have personally been blessed as I have been mentored by Peter in the past. More recently, we have talked and prayed together as we have trained others in the principles of following Jesus. I am still learning to follow Jesus more closely and Following Jesus will help me be more of who want to be — and who He calls me to be.

Kids MASTERCLASS

WHAT YOU NEED: Paint sample (or square piece of paper)

SPINNING PINWHEEL 4

In 1948 in its constitution, the World Health Organisation defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”1

While this definition was criticised by some because of the use of the word “complete,” for “lacking operational value” and for “the ambiguity in developing cohesive health strategies,”2 to its credit, it highlighted the multifaceted nature of human health. Since then, a lot of research has been done and there seem to be an increasing number of proponents calling for the addition of a fourth dimension — the spiritual one — to be added to the above definition of health.3

5

Harold Koenig, a psychiatrist on the faculty of Duke University (where he serves as Director of the Centre for the Study of Religion/Spirituality and Health), claims that “religion and spirituality can indeed affect health in a scientifically detectable way.” He probes into six specific areas of human health that are affected by religious involvement. According to his research, these areas are: mental health, immune and endocrine functions, cardiovascular function, stress and behaviour-related disease, mortality, and physical disability.4

6

The holistic approach to health that includes the physical, mental, social and spiritual aspects of our life is by no means new. The author of the Gospel of Luke, who himself was a physician, gives us a fascinating insight into Jesus’ childhood. He said, “Jesus increased in wisdom [mental well-being] and stature [physical well-being], and in favour with God [spiritual well-being] and men [social well-being].”5 How interesting that, 2000 years, ago someone would outline all of the four dimensions of human health when talking about the life of Jesus, whose life that has been studied more than any other on this planet. He still remains the One on whom millions of people throughout human history modelled and still model their lives.

How interesting and, indeed, how exciting it is to witness the gradual shift of the paradigm in the scientific world and the recognition of human spirituality as an important factor of our overall health and wellbeing. In the future issues of this magazine, we will be focusing on each of the four aspects of health.

By Michelle Villis,

— Glenn Townend (President, South Pacific Division)

Draw lines on the paint sample or paper as pictured above.

Cut on the lines (make sure you don’t go right to the centre!)

Fold the corners with the dot, into the centre.

Push the pin through the dots, matching them up, and lastly through the centre dot.

Push the pin into the pencil (ask for help if you need it!), then bend the pin over.

Slide on a button.

Paint samples are great to use — there are boundless colours and they’re free!

with Pastor David Stojcic

The four-dimensional nature of human health

“religion and spirituality can indeed affect health in a scientifically detectable way”

Amelia Magazine 2017

Catch that breeze! Can you? A gentle breeze is one of those things you can’t really see, but you can see what it can do. A pinwheel is a way you can catch the breeze and see what that gentle wind can do.