2022 Big Camp Appeal - six-month report

Pastor Abel Iorgulescu - NNSW General Secretary

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.

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)

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:

Church Multiplication - $200,000

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.

Bible Workers - $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.

Adventist Students Association - $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.

Faith FM - $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.

Residential Mental Health Program - $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...

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.

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>.