As you read this issue of NorthPoint, the first month of the new year will already be behind us. I trust that you had an enjoyable and relaxing Christmas break. For around 3000 Pathfinders and their leaders, being at the AUC Camporee was an exciting and action filled experience. I pay tribute to our local church volunteer Pathfinder leaders who gave up some of their precious Christmas holidays and travelled from across the country to give our energetic Juniors/Teens an amazing experience and spiritual memory event. Not to mention the summer camps before and after, run by the youth departmental personnel and their team of volunteers (seriously, please continue to pray for our youth directors, Dana Howard and Blair Lemke).
Let me share a promise with you at the beginning of this new year. It comes from John 16:33. Jesus says to us, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world.” What a precious thought. We know how the story ends. We know the outcome. We don’t have to worry. In Jesus, we can have peace, now, right through this year. When we face sickness, death, loss, whatever trouble it may be, let’s remember that evil is a conquered enemy. At the end of the day, Jesus wins. He always does.
Speaking of new beginnings, it is likely that the Conference office will relocate sometime this year from its current location at 112 Lake Road Wallsend to the Avondale estate in Cooranbong. With nearly all of the operations of Sanitarium having moved to the main factory at Berkeley Vale on the Central Coast, there are a number of vacant buildings on the estate that the South Pacific Division are willing to make available at reasonable rent. If we then rent out our current office building to a suitable long term tenant, it is possible to generate an additional income stream for ministry within the Conference. We will share further information as it comes to hand.
In the meantime, have peace in Jesus.
Pastor Adrian Raethel NNSW Conference president Photo: Kev Price/AUC CamporeeRegular attendance at Kyogle Church in the Northern Rivers has increased from eight to more than 50 in 18 months. With additional resources came the opportunity to continue previous outreach activities and the introduction of new strategies to optimise total member involvement.
Pastor Fernand Lombart was eager to resume the Kyogle Community Kitchen which operated out of the church hall. The current kitchen team comprises of 10 regular church attendees and occasional community volunteers. The community kitchen opens every Tuesday, providing a delicious vegetarian meal as well as dessert for the community. The outreach initiatives of the Kyogle church have made a lasting impact in the local community.
A traditional Hispanic Day was hosted by the Newcastle Spanish church on October 16. The celebration was postponed for the last two years due to the pandemic but ran successfully this year.
The celebration was created for two purposes: to unite the Hispanic community in Newcastle and to raise funds for ADRA through the sale of international food. Both goals were met as approximately 200 people attended, of which about 150 were from the Hispanic community. Nineteen countries were represented in a parade which showcased cultural attire and singing. More than $3200 was raised that day to support ADRA and combined with donations from local church members the total amount raised was $4021.80.
Ecuadorian food was served.
Members dressed with Peruvian and many other traditional costumes during the celebrations.
Ben Beaden
NNSW Adventist Education
Did you realise that across our North New South Wales Conference we have a dozen locations where cumulatively more than 4000 individuals attend each weekday to connect with others and learn about Jesus Christ? And when, including family members, the scope of influence extends to more than 10,000 people?
This massive missional opportunity is not always thought of when we think of our church. And for those of us who have been in the church for some time, it is easy to take for granted and not realise the scale and importance of these ministry centres that just
seem to keep running in the background, our Adventist schools.
Adventist Education has now been established in NNSW for more than 125 years! And while originally catering for Adventist families, the reach is now far greater. Conference President, Pastor Adrian Raethel gave a wonderful personal testimonial of the impact of Adventist Education in his life in the October 2022 issue of NorthPoint. He shared that 75% of students in NNSW Adventist schools are from non-Adventist families, with 50% not from any faith background at all. Over 800 dedicated teachers and staff are employed in Adventist Education in our Conference alone.
To support our schools in their ministry, it is crucial to have local church leaders and members on board with it’s mission. NNSW Adventist Education have developed a concept called ‘The Bridge’, to help illustrate how our schools and early learning centers are building bridges every day: developing minds and connecting communities to Christ, one heart at a time.
Thank you for being a support pillar for The Bridge in your local community.
At the beginning of 2022, everyone wished for a better, peaceful and a happy new year. Unfortunately, 2022 has brought multiple floods, increased fuel prices, numerous natural disasters worldwide and war in various locations. Nevertheless, the hope-giving message of the Bible continued to reach many precious souls.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for partnering with us in sharing the good news of salvation with a dying world. As a result of the generous spirit that God placed in your heart, an additional $600,000 is now invested in proclaiming the three angels’ messages in the North NSW Conference.
It has now already been more than six months since you gave your financial support, and I would like to share with you how the funds have been invested or plan to be invested.
Based on the following key strategic goals: ‘Proclaiming the Gospel’, ‘Making Disciples’ and ‘Serving Humanity’, the 2022 appeal funds are being invested as follows:
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.”
2 Corinthians 9:10 (NLT)
The NNSW Church Planting Department praises the Lord for its allocation from the 2022 Big Camp Appeal. The funds are being used to support the following initiatives:
• Funding of a health Bible worker and a volunteer to establish a new church plant in Cardiff in connection with our flagship centre of influence (Food Farmacy);
• Funding of the disciple-making efforts of newly established plants (Central Coast Samoan, Evans Head and Pottsville), including sponsoring a Bible worker and two part-time pastoral positions;
• Plus: equipping, supporting, and funding the mission of yet another 18 established church plants and companies across the Conference.
$100,000
The Big Camp Appeal partnered with the NNSW Evangelism Department to support Bible workers serving across the Conference, focusing on areas with little Adventist presence. This project will not be implemented until early 2023 due to the changes that occurred in the Evangelism Department, following Pastor Matt Parra’s return to the United States in mid-2022.
$100,000
The NNSW Young Adults Department is grateful for the allocation of funds from the 2022 Big Camp Appeal for the purposes of advancing university ministry and Adventist Students on Campus (ASOC) student associations in the North New South Wales Conference. In the six months since Big Camp the funds have been used to:
• Run a University Ministry Summit with trainer Johnny Wong for the purpose of inspiring and equipping university students, Bible workers and passionate lay people to share the three angels’ messages more effectively at their local University and reach campuses for Christ;
• Employ a Bible worker who is actively engaged in establishing an ASOC on the Tugan campus of Southern Cross University with the support of Kingscliff Church;
• Employ a Bible worker to support the existing ASOC ministry on the Port Macquarie campus of Charles Sturt University.
$150,000
A significant portion of these funds will be invested in new licenses and sites around the Conference. Once those are in place, we then need to work with the churches to share in the cost of purchasing the equipment to broadcast the signal.
$50,000
On March 2, 2022, the World Health Organisation released a report, stating that in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a massive 25%, according to a scientific brief. The brief also highlights who has been most affected, namely young people and women. It further summarises the effect of the pandemic on the availability of mental health services, as being the hardest hit, reporting major disruptions in life-saving services for mental health, including for suicide prevention. Your generosity will assist the Adventist Community Services department to conduct a third 10-day residential program, scheduled for February 13-23, 2023, at the Log Cabin, Natural Bridge. This is an opportunity for individuals suffering with long-term (treatment resistance) depression, anxiety and trauma exposure to attend a 10-day residential program, bringing hope and recovery.
We cannot thank you enough for your generosity and dedication to supporting the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North NSW Conference and beyond.
All praise to God...
Sign of the Times, 22/01/1902
If you have any questions regarding the 2022 Big Camp appeal, don’t hesitate to contact me at <abeliorgulescu@adventist.org.au>.
God desires us to give — cheerfully, willingly, gladly. None can keep His law without ministering to others. Happiness is the gift of God to him who, in the spirit of Christ, toils for the good of others.”
Kingscliff Church hosted a family week of prayer from November 27 to December 2. The focus was to encourage families to strengthen their faith and take practical steps in inviting Jesus into the home.
Pastor Andrew Pratt found that rebuilding the family altar is essential for the faith of children and the church’s future.
Videos, resources, and tips were shared with families to create meaningful family worship moments in the home. Families could use the provided resources to help them do family worship in their home. Pastor Pratt says that “a lived faith is far greater than a performed faith.”
JAMES JESUS JOHN JEREMIAH JONATHAN JOSHUA JOSEPH JOEL
JOB JETHRO JEDIDIAH JEHOVAH JABAL JABEZ JACOB JAIRUS
Ivan Leahy ADRA Op Shop Manager, Ballina
Nobody can forget the severe rain and flooding that impacted the east coast of Australia in March 2022. The flooding devastated many families, local businesses and shops including the ADRA Op Shop in Ballina.
On March 1 waters flowed into the community of Ballina, bubbling up through gutters as the 1.8 m king tide met the Richmond River. The extent of the flood was unprecedented as a staff member travelled by canoe to assess the damage. Upon arrival 400 mm of water filled the store and many articles were drenched.
On the following Sunday, the staff cleaned out the shop with support from Ballina and Alstonville church members. All timber and wet stock were discarded and the shop was completely pressure washed. Over the next week the shop was opened with limited stock and some new metal shelving. It was temporarily closed for reconstruction on March 31 and recently reopened on November 14.
Would you like to introduce Jesus to a child who has never heard about Him before?
Special Religious Education (SRE) is an unequalled, outreach opportunity for school children across NSW. The gospel is presented by trained SRE volunteer educators, utilising approved curriculums to thousands of government primary and secondary students each week.
There are many stories of God’s leading in these schools as these SRE educators administer the gospel. At one school, Bibles were offered to all Scripture students in Year 6. All students accepted a Bible and to the educator’s surprise, a non-Scripture student asked for and accepted a Bible.
At another school, an SRE coordinator contacted a school that had stopped participating in Scripture. The coordinator left many messages with the administration, but no response was received. One of the SRE educators in the team reported that the school principal had decided to attend church with their family and requested SRE to return to the school. More than 75% of students now attend scripture classes.
During this time they were supported by numerous volunteers to restore and fully stock the shop. The reconstruction gave the staff the opportunity to redesign the layout to allow more space and light to welcome all customers. Local community members were thrilled to see the op shop reopen as they received many positive comments complimenting the fresh, modern layout.
ADRA Ballina would like to thank all volunteers for their efforts over the last eight months. They are again able to serve the community with quality clothes, household items and financial support.
This method of outreach must be used while the opportunity is present. More SRE educators are needed, and the training has never been more accessible. Please pray for this witnessing opportunity as the love of God is shared in public schools across NSW.
If you want to be a SRE volunteer, contact Louise at (02) 4951 8088 or email <LouiseGinn@adventist.org.au>
Adra Op Shop during the floads. Inside the store after renovations.My wife Ruth and I met a woman named Olga at the Coffs Harbour Church on October 29. Olga had been a resident of Coffs Harbour for quite some time; however, this was her first time attending the church service.
She shared that she was led to the church through listening to FaithFM. “I listen to FaithFM and often hear a chap by the name of Lyle Southwell[...] I believe the Sabbath is true and am looking forward to being here,” she mentioned to me. The speaker that Sabbath happened to be Pastor Lyle Southwell, who previously hosted the Breakfast Show on FaithFM.
My wife asked me, “how does a person just rock up to our church as a result of listening to FaithFM and the preacher today is the person she has heard on the radio?” I answered, “we had overlooked the chance to promote that Lyle was coming, but God stepped in and sent Olga along anyway! The Spirit of God moves in wonderful and mysterious ways.”
Gillian Knight, director of Natural Church Development, gave a spiritual gifts workshop at South West Rocks Church Plant on October 29. The workshop encouraged church members to consider their different spiritual gifts and come to understand that some may be balanced between the groups or aligned more in just one group. Between the two different workshops there was a chance to have fellowship lunch together and discuss points from the workshops and results.
Megan Southon Murwillumbah Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Murwillumbah Church congregation increased on September 3 as sister Sandy Lane entered the waters of baptism. During the morning church service, she shared her powerful testimony and was baptised in the afternoon at Hastings Point beach.
Honorary Chaplain Paul Roussos, who served NSW Police for 27 years, led the prayer at the Newcastle Awards Ceremony on Thursday, December 1, 2022. He was later awarded with a Commissioners Emergency Commendation presented by Northern Region Commander AC Peter McKenna.
Megantha Kiruwi Associate Editor, NorthPoint
As the social committee leader for the Taree Seventh-day Adventist Church, Christina Cowan was tasked with organising an assortment of social events for the community. On the evening of November 12, the church held a talent night fundraiser for two deserving, international mission projects.
The first project provided funds to help parents in Indonesia pay for school and medical fees while the second project supplied Munda Hospital in the Solomon Islands with medical equipment including chairs for wards, thermometers, heartbeat monitors and blood sugar machines.
All attendees were well-fed and entertained by the team’s brilliant performances and efforts. Christina added, “we are living in a wealthy country, we [need to] use our talents to praise God and to help our neighbours who are in great need.”
