NorthPoint - October, 2023

North New South Wales Conference News

Heavenly wisdom: The key to unlocking our Church’s potential

With those opening words from James 3:17, I shared your Conference’s four nominating committee reports at the 59th constituency meeting on Sunday, September 17th, 2023, as outlined by the NNSW Constitution and meeting procedures. I’d like to commend and thank each of the 402 attending delegates for their respectful deliberations throughout the day. The spiritually unifying atmosphere from the start of Charissa Torossian’s opening devotional until the closing of proceedings, was one that we should all be grateful for, and we give praise to God.

That does not mean that substantial differences are no longer in our community. Conflict is an unavoidable fact of life even amongst Godly people. “Conflict occurs wherever human beings live or work together. The only place there is no conflict is in the cemetery.”1 “The mark of community, true biblical unity, is not the absence of conflict. It’s the presence of a reconciling spirit.”2 As our verse said, the heavenly wisdom that is reasonable.

M Scott Peck research showed that there were four stages for developing true community:

1. Pseudo-community: a group of individuals fake it by trying to be pleasant while avoiding disagreement and it never works. Many churches exist in this sphere as it’s the easiest one to live with, requiring little engagement or knowledge of one another.

2. Chaos: efforts are made to manage differences that begin to surface in the group. It’s confrontational, but lacks the trust needed to deal with complex issues. Painful wounds from the past may easily be triggered and living in pseudo-community becomes unbearable. But Peck states that this is an essential part of the process of community development.

3. Emptiness: the letting go of barriers which have kept members from being fully present and getting in the way of honest and meaningful communication. In effect it’s the surrender of self to God and allowing Him to then use you to build community

4. Community: acknowledgement and respect for individual differences with a depth of listening within the safety of the group with the possibility of emotional and spiritual healing.

The challenge for us is how are we going to move from pseudo-community to true community fellowship in NNSW? I leave it to you, your new executive committee along with your administration and leadership team to work out as you honestly tackle the differences that have plagued and work towards the unity that comes from our shared mission and faith as we prepare people for the 2nd coming of Jesus.

On behalf of the AUC and NNSW membership, we farewell Pastor Adrian and Laurel Raethel and thank them for their diligent, dignified, christian disposition and service. They have worked tirelessly on behalf of your conference over the last four years, and we acknowledge their contribution with deep appreciation. May God continue to bless them in their new phase of pastoral ministry. We say thank you to Pastor Cranville Tooley, Pastor Bethany Chapman, Pastor Joseph and Camila Skaff for their leadership and blessings as well.

Lastly, we welcome Pastor Cristian, Erika and their daughters to the role of president for the next 4 years. We pray for God’s heavenly wisdom to anoint him in his leadership of the NNSW Conference along with each of the new leaders who have accepted departmental roles for the quadrennium. Let’s all work together to build a community of trust in NNSW.

Pastor Terry Johnson Australian Union Conference president

The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peaceloving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."

James 3:17-18

Abundantly . . .

Sin and selfishness stole it. Jesus has come to restore it. Life.

And not just life in the sense of being alive, breathing, moving, surviving.

But life more abundantly, to the full, rich and satisfying.

A life filled with peace and assurance knowing we have been rescued from certain death.

A life filled with joy and satisfaction knowing we are children of our Heavenly Father.

A life filled with value and warmth as we love each other in our community of faith.

A life filled with purpose and passion fulfilling our mission to seek, serve and save.

A life filled with anticipation and hope knowing Jesus is coming back for us very soon.

We have so much to be grateful for, so much to celebrate, so much to look forward to.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honour beside God’s throne.” Hebrews 12:1-3

Because of Jesus, let us live and experience this abundant life together, now and for eternity.

Yours in Christ,

Cristian Copaceanu

Pastor Cristian Copaceanu NNSW Conference president

New Conference president elected at 59th Constituency meeting

The NNSW Conference held its 59th Constituency meeting on September 17 where 402 delegates gathered at Yarra Holiday Park to elect a new president and department directors.

Pastor Cristian Copaceanu, who had been serving as president of the South New South Wales Conference (SNSW) since 2019 has been appointed as new Conference president, replacing Pastor Adrian Raethel who is planning to stay in NNSW as a local church pastor.

“Cristian is an innovative, intellectual theologian who has a very strong sense of business,” said Australian Union Conference (AUC) president Pastor Terry Johnson. “He’s missional, he listens well, he’s a great supporter of pastors and the teaching, educational sphere. I believe he will do incredibly well as the president of the NNSW Conference.

“I am sad to see Pastor Adrian go, who is a friend, a colleague and who I think has done a good job as

Juliana Muniz/Megantha Kiruwi Adventist Record/NorthPoint

Conference president for the last four years through a tumultuous time. We wish him well and we’re so glad that he has handled it with the dignity of a Christian gentleman,” Pastor Johnson added.

Pastor Copaceanu previously served as AUC Personal Ministries, Sabbath School and Stewardship director and Faith FM manager. He is married to Erika and they have two daughters, Katylin and Sienna.

“It is an honour to work with and for Jesus, and a privilege to be asked to do so with the committed and passionate team of members and employees in the NNSW Conference,” said Pastor Copaceanu. “We also want to express our deep gratitude to our SNSW church family who have made the last five years a truly memorable experience of mission and service.”

Officers Pastor Abel Iorgulescu and Russel Halliday will be resuming their respective roles as secretary and CFO.

Several non-incumbents have been appointed as departmental directors for the next four years.

Pastor Travis Manners, who has been serving as Mission and Strategy coordinator at the Greater Sydney Conference, has been appointed Ministerial Secretary with Danuta Stockwell, current ATSIM associate director, as the new associate Ministerial Secretary.

Erin Keegan, registered nurse and wellness coach at ELIA Lifestyle Medicine Centre at the Sydney Adventist Hospital, has been appointed the Health ministries director.

Paul Fua, principal of Tweed Valley Adventist College, has been appointed director of Education.

Na Shen, an accountant at the NNSW Schools company, has been appointed Stewardship director.

Beryl Landers, a former Women’s Ministy director of the Greater Sydney Conference, has been appointed Women’s Ministry director.

Reflecting on the meeting, Pastor Iorgulescu said, “The most encouraging thing about today was to see 402 delegates spending their Sunday at Stuarts Point making decisions for the future of the Church which tells me that they are committed to see the Church thrive, to see the mission continue and prosper. It was inspiring to see how many people have set this day aside to have their voice heard and to make a difference for the future.”

TOP LEFT: Delegates at the session.

TOP RIGHT: Delegate using a digital voting system.  ABOVE LEFT: Pastor Johnson addressing the delegates.

ABOVE RIGHT: Departmental directors panel.  BELLOW: Re-elected young adults director, Pastor Blair Lemke prays for retiring ministerial secretary Pastor Cranville Tooley and wife Rona.

North New South Wales Conference

Officers and Directors

2023-2027

Meet the re-elected and newly appointed officers, departmental directors, and members of the executive, appointments and constitution committees, who will guide us in the upcoming quadrennium.

Officers Directors

Cristian Copaceanu President

Keith Stockwell ATSIM

Lyle Southwell Evangelism and Sabbath School

Na Shen Stewardship Ministries

Abel Iorgulescu General Secretary

David Haupt Adventist Community Services

Colleen Savage Children and Family Ministries

Erin Keegan Health Ministries

Lazio Crescentini ADRA NSW

Beryl Landers Women’s Ministry

Blair Lemke Young Adults Ministries

Russell Halliday Chief Financial Officer

David Knight Adventist Senior Living CEO

Paul Fua Education

Travis Manners Ministerial Association Secretary

Danuta Stockwell Associate Ministerial Association Secretary

Jonathan Valls Trust Services

Dana Howard Youth Ministries

Executive Committee

Beulah James Lightning Ridge Church

Boris Jovinov Murwillumbah Church

Carina Mitchell Tamworth Church

Douglas Cloete Gosford Church

Julie Praestiin Bay Community Church

Kevin Johnson Kingscliff Church

Paul Kiruwi Newcastle Multicultural Church

Rachel Coelho Avondale Memorial Church

Rebecca Cheers Wallsend Church

Silvia Pedzisi Lakeside Church

Wade Beard Guyra Church

Warwick Schmitz Newcastle University Church

Additional members to the Appointments Committee

Brett Adams Moree Church

David Fox Wallsend Church

Michele Southwell Raymond Terrace Mission Church

Nina Atcheson Murwillumbah Church

Rachel Mapoli Haven Campus Church

Tom Kent Alstonville Church

Constitution Committee

Jessica Krause Avondale University Church Graduated Lawyer

Nerolie Dever Avondale Memorial Church Corporate Services

Vern Parmenter Kingscliff Church Retired Church Administrator

Warrick Long Avondale University Church Business Lecturer

Wayne Skinner Lismore Church Business Manager

New position of Associate Ministerial

Secretary appointed in NNSW

Megantha Kiruwi Associate Editor, NorthPoint

Current ATSIM associate director Pastor Danuta Stockwell was appointed associate ministerial secretary at the 59th Constituency meeting on September 17. This role is a new position introduced by the Australian Union Conference (AUC) in 2021 that aims to provide leadership, support a for women in pastoral ministry.

About 12 per cent of the 480 pastors actively serving in Australia are women, and this percentage increases when accounting for our chaplains. After the AUC created this role, the South Pacific Division adopted the role, followed by the Victorian Conference and now the North New South Wales Conference.

Lyndelle Peterson, AUC Associate Ministerial Secretary director said that “this role will provide an increased voice for women pastors at a conference level and liaise with the AUC on initiatives and programs that increase the support and development of our women pastors, as well as providing mentoring and support to the conference ministerial team.

Pastor Stockwell will work with the new ministerial secretary, Pastor Travis Manners. The team shared that “being called to be a pastor means that when we minister to people, there will be the highest of highs and the lowest lows. As a team, we want to celebrate and support [our pastors].”

62 baptised in the Philippines to conclude international evangelistic campaign

Megantha Kiruwi Associate Editor, NorthPoint

The North New South Wales (NNSW) young adults department conducted a mission trip from September 1 to 14 in the Negros Oriental province in the Philippines. In pairs, the 16 participants spearheaded a two-week evangelistic campaign across various regional sites, sharing the gospel message and guiding individuals towards decisions for Christ.

In the mornings, the evangelists paid visits to church and community members, extending prayers and providing support tailored to their needs. On the second Sabbath of the mission trip, 62 church and community members were baptised by local ministers with assistance from the mission trip participants.

NNSW young adult director Blair Lemke believes that when young people get engaged in mission, it energises and activates their faith in a powerful way. “A trip like this is intentionally designed to take youth out of their comfort zone and into the growth zone where they are stretched and challenged to experience what God can do through them.”

According to Pastor Elly Abejero, executive secretary of the Negros Oriental-Siquijor Mission, the presence of the 16 missionaries revived the spirit of the church members in the Philippines.

“We can hardly explain the joy we experienced during the campaign with the Australian team. It really helped us both spiritually, physically and emotionally. It inspires the people both inside and outside the Church.”

Pastor Abejero concluded by saying that “On behalf of the Negros Oriental-Siquijor Mission, we are grateful to the [NNSW] Conference for the resources you have spent and the great impact it has made here in the Philippines.”

TOP: Some of the 62 baptismal candidates with some of our NNSW young adults. ABOVE: NNSW young adults at the Central Philippine Union Conference. BELOW: One of the outdoor sites where the evangelists would preach in the evening. BOTTOM: The youngest evangelist, Austin Schmitz assisting a local pastor with baptism.

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Pathfinder clubs across North New South Wales celebrate World Pathfinder Day

To celebrate the global ministry of Pathfinders, World Pathfinder Day was observed on Sabbath, September 16, with churches across the Conference gathering to reflect on this year’s theme, “Go with Jesus”.

The Northern Tablelands Pathfinders, comprising young members from combined churches in Armidale, Guyra and Glen Innes, gathered from far and wide to celebrate. Every Pathfinder actively engaged in the main service, including participating in sermons, songs, dramas, offering and more.

The Newcastle Tongan and Newcastle Multicultural Pathfinder clubs hosted a combined program featuring musical performances and skits prepared by the Pathfinders. The program was attended by district directors Dallas Savage and Matthew and Helen Clarke with guest speaker Pastor Nick Kross, South Pacific Division director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty.

At Hillview Church, the Pathfinders delivered monologues playing the roles of Peter, Paul, and Timothy; and interviews with “William Carey”, “Ellen White” and our church pastor Leslie Ncube. Pathfinder director Jonathan Christian then spoke on what it means to go with Jesus, and in response to his invitation, the whole Pathfinder club sang a song of commitment, Loving the Forgotten, as a special item.

At Port Macquarie the teens Sabbath school class wrote hand-

written, personal letters to the people in the women’s prison, for Kairos Prison Ministry. NNSW youth director Pastor Dana Howard attended the divine service which included six young people preaching the sermon.

Pastor Howard shared that “seeing our clubs wholeheartedly embrace World Pathfinder Day, with preaching, songs and more was remarkable. It reminds us to encourage our young people to go with Jesus everyday of their lives.”

TOP: Newcastle Tongan and Newcastle Multicultural Pathfinder clubs.

LEFT: Hillview Pathfinder club.  RIGHT: Northern Tablelands Pathfinder club

NorthPoint Staff

Central Coast Community Church celebrates new home after 25 years

Toni Fortune and John Sanburg Central Coast Community Church

The Central Coast Community Church (C4) rejoiced on September 9 as they inaugurated their long-awaited church building, marking an end to a 25-year search journey. More than 140 attendees, including long-standing members, gave thanks for their new "home" after transitioning through various sites since their establishment in 1999.

The theme, “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants,” acknowledged the contributions of key figures like Dr Wayne and Tracy Krause, founders of the church, and loyal members who’ve been the backbone of the church's existence. Also recognised were Pastors Mark Craig, Mathew Pearce, Kevin Robinson, and particularly Michael (Chappo) and Bethany Chapman, who played pivotal roles in sustaining the church's spirit. The South Pacific Division and NNSW Conference were commended for their financial support, alongside several local sister churches.

NNSW CFO Russell Halliday narrated the highs and lows of C4's journey, emphasising the church's resilience during setbacks, such as a 2011 building deal which fell through. Members testified to the church's tenacity and attributed their eventual success to divine timing. Dr Wayne Krause concluded the morning with a call for active engagement beyond attendance.

The gathering also highlighted the church's proactive community outreach. Noteworthy programs include the Pinacle—a youth suicide prevention initiative—and the Beauty for Ashes project, offering support to the homeless.

Ending the festivities, C4 expressed deep gratitude to all contributors, calling them “the giants that paved their way”. The church also acknowledged: "He [God] is the Rock on which ALL giants stand."

Consulting Editor Cristian Copaceanu

Editor Henrique Felix

Associate Editor Megantha Kiruwi

Cover Jasmine Flamenco

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>.

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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

Phone (02) 4951 8088

Email nnsw.conf@adventist.org.au

Website nnsw.adventist.org.au

North New South Wales

NNSW CONFERENCE

President’s Scholarship

The NNSW Conference is offering a President’s scholarship for a student who enrols in a Bachelor of Ministry/Theology, Nursing, or Education course at Avondale University in 2024. The scholarship is worth $5000 per semester during the first year of the course to be spent on tuition, accommodation at Avondale, a meal package at 7@Avondale or a combination of these.

TO APPLY, VISIT

Eligibility – All students who are considering studying a Theology/Ministry, Nursing, or Education degree at Avondale University and who meet the specified criteria, are eligible to apply.