NorthPoint - July, 2023

July 2023 North New South Wales Conference News

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Are We Listening?

I was a teenager once—a long time ago. I grew up in Adelaide, the youngest of five children. For most of my teenage years, I attended what was then called Adelaide Adventist High School in the suburb of Prospect. My parents sacrificed significantly to send me and two of my siblings to an Adventist school. It seems more than a lifetime ago. We rode our bikes the 4 kms to and from school, rain, hail or shine. No mobile phones. The only computer we had was a calculator. But they were good years with great friends and dedicated and caring teachers.

Today’s teenagers are growing up in a completely different world, one that is digital, experiential and post-pandemic. It was important for me that adults listened to us back then and so much more important that we are listening to our teenagers now. If we are looking at how to transform the Church into a ministry that youth want to be part of, it really starts with their voice, not ours. The research organisation Barna Group conducted a huge international research study in 2021 involving 25,000 random teens from 26 countries including 1000 from Australia. Part of the study centred around three core questions:

• What do you think about Jesus?

• What do you think about the Bible?

• Are you interested in social justice?

Most teens seemed okay with Jesus but there was a drop off in those who saw the significance of the Bible. However, there was a big jump in those wanting to make the world a better place. What is also clear from the study is that teens in general do not have a sense of identity, purpose and connection to community. Relationship with God and Church have so much to offer them.

The top four things that teens are worried about are mental health, climate change, their future jobs and extreme poverty.

Thank God for churches around our Conference that are actively engaging with juniors, teens and youth. Thank God for Pathfinders, Adventurers and Youth ministry. My question to myself and you is: when was the last time you had an in-depth conversation with a teenager not part of your family?

Pastor Adrian Raethel NNSW Conference president

Illustration: Midjourney/Henrique Felix

What are the roles of our different committees?

As a delegate of a constituency meeting, it is important to have an understanding of the different committees that are being considered. The North New South Wales Conference has five different committees that are active across any given quadrennium.

Role of Committees

Committee No. of Members

Selection Committee 70+

Elected by each church in the Conference (churches with >500 members get more representatives)

The selection committee, the nominating committee, the executive committee, the appointments committee and the constitution committee. Lets explore how these committees are formed, their composition and what their duties are.

Nominating Committee 15-20 (exc. chair)

Elected by Selection Committee

Local church lay people and pastors

On the scheduled meeting day only

Select Nominating Committee, up to 14 members for Appointments and Constitution Committees

Executive Committee

15 (at least one <30 years old if possible)

Appointments Committee No more than 29

Elected at Constituency Meeting

Selected by Nominating and Selection Committees

Constitution Committee Recommended by Selection Committee

Union President (or designee) as chair, mix of lay members and Church employees

Balanced mix of lay members and Church employees, incl. Conference officers and up to 12 more elected members

Union President, Executive Committee Members, and additional local lay people and pastors

Chaired by NNSW Conference Secretary, includes an officer of the AUC

No less than 3 months before Constituency Meeting

At least 8 times per year, plus special meetings as needed

Nominate President, Secretary, CFO, Ministerial Secretary, Departmental Directors, and Executive Committee members

Act on behalf of constituents between regular Constituency Meetings

Active between Constituency Meetings

As recommended by the chair or Executive Committee

Fill casual vacancies until next Constituency Meeting

Revise and make recommendations to the Executive Committee based on model GC constitution

Children’s stories and youth rallies at Murwillumbah Church

Megan Southon

Murwillumbah Church

Murwillumbah Church was in stitches on June 3 when Pastors Ashley Smith, Boris Jovinov and Matt Atcheson acted out the story of David and Goliath. The story was told engagingly by schoolteacher Leisa Cobacoglo while the pastors revealed their secret acting skills to visiting conference president Pastor Adrian Rathael. The children learned how David did not fear lions or bears or giants because he had God by his side.

Two weeks earlier on May 19 and 20, Murwillumbah and Kingscliff Youth joined together at Murwillumbah Church to host a youth rally focusing on the theme of revival. Many young people were blessed by this program and left revived and passionate about Jesus.

The weekend began with a Friday night program to introduce the speaker, Pastor Mark Sutherland. The youth handled most of the Sabbath program from the preliminaries to the music and the children's story, all of which highlighted the theme of revival.

In Pastor Sutherland’s sermon, he explained how preaching, giving Bible studies, worshipping God, and going to church does not replace the need to be born again and experience a revival. The message was quite powerful and at the end he appealed to anyone who had not personally given their life to Jesus to do so in that moment. The front row of the church was filled with people, either dedicating their lives to God for the first time or recommitting themselves to God.

In the afternoon, Pastor Kyle Morrison led a workshop on service and outreach, and the weekend was wrapped up with pizza and a bonfire on Saturday night, leaving the youth inspired to dedicate their lives to God.

Youth leaders Lauren Fua and Lachie Townend gave an overview of past and upcoming events for the youth ministries and announced the next youth rally which will be held at Kingscliff in July.

TOP: Young people from Murwillumbah Church leading the congregation in song. ABOVE: Pastor Mark Sutherland prays over young people that have responded to appeal to commit their lives to God. BELOW: Pastor Ashley Smith as David. BOTTOM: A young man telling children's story at the Youth Rally.

Spanish Church celebrates new church building

Roberto Velasquez Pastor, Newcastle Spanish Church

With boundless joy and gratitude, the Newcastle Spanish Church gathered on March 25 to dedicate their newly acquired worship space. The momentous occasion was attended by administrators from the NNSW conference, pastors, pioneers of the Hispanic work in Newcastle, friends, and members from other Spanish churches, creating a spirit of unity and celebration.

For over three decades, the Newcastle Spanish Church had been without a dedicated place of worship. Initially, they met at the Elermore Vale School and later had the privilege of using the chapel provided by the Conference for many years. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, gatherings transitioned to virtual platforms like Zoom. However, upon the conclusion of the pandemic, they were faced with the news that the Conference offices would be leased, needing a search for a new meeting place.

Driven by fervent prayers, the church rented a Baptist church in Boolaroo, all the while beseeching God to provide a building of their own. The answer to their prayers came when Ana Boggiano, a dedicated member, discovered a church for sale in Teralba. Inspired by this providential opportunity, the church started a Pro-Temple plan, where members committed to systematic contributions for this purpose.

Despite meeting obstacles along the way, including another buyer unexpectedly acquiring the church initially identified in Teralba, the church continued to honor their commitment to the Pro-Temple offering. They persisted in fervent prayers, gathering every Thursday at 6am via Zoom, humbly seeking God's guidance and provision for a suitable temple.

Miraculously, three months later, the same church in Teralba reappeared on the market. The Conference administrators and executive committee rallied behind the congregation, supporting their dream and ensuring its realisation. With immense joy, the Newcastle Spanish Church now finds themselves in their own church building, a tangible testament to God's faithfulness.

TOP: Many gather at the new building for official ribbon cutting. ABOVE: Pastor Adrian Raethel sharing the message. BELOW: Conference administration front row at the service. BOTTOM: Young children's choir singing a special song.

‘We The Girls’ event encourages leadership

Kim Parmenter Pastor, Charlestown Church

The third annual ‘We The Girls’ event was held at Avondale School on May 27. Over 250 women and girls of all ages gathered to worship and hear inspiring talks about leadership from Professor Kerri-Lee Krause and Pastor Eden Ashcroft.

The program was an energetic celebration of the calling that God has put on each woman’s heart. This was then followed with a wonderful marketplace with a variety of foods and stalls supporting businesses and charities run by women from all over the NNSW conference. Many women expressed how much they enjoyed having the chance to get together with their mothers, daughters, sisters and friends for such a fun and uplifting night.

'Treasured’ adventurer rallies for west and south

Adventurers hailing from the western and southern regions of our conference have convened in recent weeks for the esteemed 'Treasured' adventurer rally. The first of the two was held in Tamworth on May 20 with the second at Gateway Church on June 3. The children and leaders enjoyed music, children’s skits, and other engaging activities. Colleen Savage, NNSW children and family ministries director was the guest speaker for the event and reminded the adventurers of their worth in God and how much He treasured every one of His children. The afternoon was an opportunity to complete a treasure box craft that encouraged the children to remember what they had learned at the rally.

‘We the Girls’ is an initiative started by a group of pastors from NNSW conference. The main purpose was to bring women and girls together in community to minister to and empower them. It was exciting to see God move once again in a powerful way, and we are already looking forward to our next one!

To keep up with future 'We the Girls' events search for 'We The Girls' on Facebook and Instagram.

NNSW youth director, Pastor Dana Howard shares how adventurer rallies are an excellent way for clubs to network and mingle with other clubs in their area. Pastor Howard adds that “adventurer rallies are a great opportunity particularly for smaller clubs to interact with larger clubs and it is just a lot of fun for the kids.”

TOP: Praise and worship at 'We The Girls'. LEFT: Leila Davis is awarded and affirmed for her leadership in multiple spaces. RIGHT: Guest speaker, Pastor Eden Ashcroft, encouraging women from the pulpit.

Megantha Kiruwi Associate Editor, NorthPoint

Young people experience country life at youth muster

Megantha Kiruwi Associate Editor, NorthPoint

The Western Youth Muster was held on the weekend of May 26 to 28 out in Narromine on Wiradjuri country. The muster was a collaborative effort between the North and South NSW conferences and saw more than 50 youth from both conferences in attendance.

The event began on the Friday evening with an opening Sabbath program led by NNSW conference youth director, Pastor Dana Howard. Attendees gathered around the main fire socialising and admiring the beautiful display of stars that presented themselves.

The Sabbath program consisted of Sabbath school which involved various ice breakers and activities. Participants worked together on an activity that involved the reenacting of different scenarios young people face within our local churches. After being filled spiritually the campers enjoyed a haystack lunch before heading to Goobang National Park. The youth spent the remaining hours of the Sabbath appreciating the scenery from the Caloma lookout.

Pastor Rangi Eiao, youth director for the South NSW conference, led the closing Sabbath program. This was followed by a sheep shearing demonstration performed by one of the young shearers from Narrabri. The demonstration was an educational and entertaining experience for many of the campers from urban towns.

Unfortunately, there is limited human capital in our rural communities to host and organise youth rallies and functions in which youth can interact. Pastor Eiao shared how the muster was a great venture for our youth out west as well as youth from coastal and urban areas. “It was really nice to see all the city kids from Canberra come up. They’re not used to country life but they were really blessed.” Many young adults said they found peace, a chance to reset and breathe some fresh air.

TOP: Group photo of attendees on Sabbath. ABOVE: Young people gathering around the fire for Sabbath school. BELOW: Campers enjoying the fire on a cold Sabbath evening. BOTTOM: Attendees reinacting different church scenarios during Sabbath school.

Women fellowship at Wallsend Church

Narelle Arblaster Wallsend Church

The Wallsend Church Women’s Ministry team hosted a night of swapping clothes and toys, having their nails done and enjoying live music and a beautiful supper on May 6. Ladies of all ages enjoyed each other's company while participating in the various activities. Many Wallsend church members also invited their friends and family to enjoy this special event. Not only did all attendees have a wonderful evening but all leftover clothes and toys were donated to a charity which funds a women's refuge.

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE: FIND-A-WORD

Meeting the needs of the community at Wyee Hub

Barry Chapman Wyee Community Hub

Wyee Community Hub was born from humble beginnings around three years ago. There was a plan put in place to develop a building that could host community projects. The pandemic stopped most of the development as building was slow, prices were increasing and the budget we had set out was starting to blow out.

I recall going to bed countless nights pleading with God. “I know this is Your project. We are going to run out of money. It’s in Your hands,” I prayed. After these prayers, money started flowing in and we were able to generate the funds needed.

We are amazed at how God is opening the windows of heaven and pouring out blessings on the Wyee Community Hub Program. Our weekly program has expanded to a level never dreamed of. Each week on Thursday we offer food support to the community. We are now supplying more than 100 food hampers each week. There are approximately 50 volunteers supporting the program, about half of which are from the community.

Our 'Doing Life Together' program is a mental health, counselling, training, and well-being service that is run by mental health professionals, psychologists and counsellors who volunteer their time. This is run on a Thursday afternoon and around 40 people attend weekly.

Between these two programs, we now have many people attending church weekly. God is certainly using these methods of evangelism to impact the community, people often ask why we do this. The answer is simple, it is one of the things Jesus asked us to do!

TOP: The Wyee Community Hub. ABOVE: The hub supplies more than 100 food hampers a week. BELOW: Around 50 volunteers support the program. BOTTOM: The volunteers also make connections with the community.

Consulting Editor Adrian Raethel

Editor Henrique Felix

Associate Editor Megantha Kiruwi

Cover Dianne Howard

We would love to share news from your local church with the Conference in print or online. Please send through relevant contributions to <nnswcommunication@adventist.org.au>.

Youth inspired to ‘go hard’ for the gospel

Megantha Kiruwi Associate Editor, NorthPoint

Forresters Beach Church held a youth rally for young people from the Central Coast on June 3. The rally was well-attended and featured guest speaker Pastor Simon Gigliotti, youth director at the Greater Sydney Conference.

The program included wonderful music from local young people and ice breaker activities led by local youth leaders Jared Walton and AJ Tuiafiso. Pastor Gigliotto preached a powerful sermon on the theme, ‘The Gospel and Me’, and concluded by encouraging the youth to let the gospel govern their lives, stay on point and to go hard for God before we go home to heaven.

Don’t miss out on the excitement. Get the Conference news straight to your inbox! advnt.au/NorthPoint

Publisher The NorthPoint Bulletin is printed 10 times per year by the Seventh-day Adventist Church (North New South Wales Conference)

Disclaimer

Articles express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The North New South Wales Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church acknowledges the First Nations People as the traditional custodians of this land. We also pay our respects to the elders, past, present, and emerging.

Read the full acknowledgement at advnt.au/AckCountry

Program coordinator Jared Walton shared that he was particularly blessed by the message, music and fellowship. “I think it's important for events like this to happen because they're a really great way of meeting new people and connecting with other churches and their members. It also provides an excellent opportunity to share God's word with others.”

Many other young people enjoyed the opportunity to socialise with other Adventists in the community and went home feeling a sense of renewal by the program.

Phone (02) 4951 8088

Email nnsw.conf@adventist.org.au

Website nnsw.adventist.org.au

TOP: Congregation participating in ice breaker. LEFT: Pastor Simon Gigliotti sharing 'The Gospel and Me' message. RIGHT: Praise and worship band consisting of mostly Central Coast Adventist School students.

North New South Wales

Conference Office Relocation Our Temporary Home

The North New South Wales Conference Office has started the twostage relocation process.

Our former office at 112 Lake Road, Wallsend closed its doors on June 16, 2023. We have since moved to our temporary home at the Avondale University education building, in Cooranbong.

As of June 26, 2023, we have been operating from the Education building, where we will be based until our definitive move to our new office location, still on the Avondale estate, in early October 2023.

During this transition, our phone number, email, and PO Box will remain the same. After the final move, mail sent to the PO Box will be redirected to the new office for a period of time. You can continue to reach out to us using the following contact details:

Phone: (02) 4951 8088

Email: nnsw.conf@adventist.org.au

PO Box: 112 Lake Rd (PO Box 7), Wallsend NSW 2287

Scan the QR code or visit the webpage advnt.au/OfficeRelocation for more details and updates about our relocation, Resource Centre and Faith FM studio. We look forward to continuing to serve the community from our new address.