ANN Bulletin
Adventist News Network
Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters
June 24, 2004
In This Issue:
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* Russia: Anti-Semitic Vandals Deface Adventist Seminary
* Siberia: Pastor, Church Members Die In Car Crash; Bodies Found Five
Months Later
* King-size Evangelists Preach to Peers
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Russia: Anti-Semitic Vandals Deface Adventist Seminary
Zaokski, Tula Region, Russia .... [Valery Ivanov/ANN Staff]
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The Federal Security Service and local police are investigating an act
of anti-Semitic vandalism following an attack on the Zaokski
Theological Seminary, a Seventh-day Adventist institution, June 17.
In the early morning hours, Russian-language slogans such as "Death to
Jews", "There is no space for you here," "Russia for Russians," "Jewish
sect get out of Russia," were painted on Seminary buildings and a
recently paved sidewalk, along with Nazi symbols such as the swastika
and the words "skins" and "skinheads" in English. Although the
Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination,
its members observe the Biblical, seventh-day Sabbath, Saturday, as
have Jews throughout history.
Seminary officials and students are concerned about the attack. The
vandals have not yet been found, and while police are investigating,
prayers for safety are solicited.
The town of Zaokski, approximately 80 miles (100 km) south of Moscow,
has greatly benefited from the presence of the Adventist Seminary
during the past 17 years. Residents gained additional roads, water
supplies, streetlights and a small telephone exchange as the Seminary
was built and as it has grown over the years. Real estate values for
homes and farm buildings are said to have increased ten-fold because of
the general community improvements made by Adventists.
At a May 2004 conference on the influence of Protestants in Russia, the
mayor of Zaokski said the presence of the Adventist Church was
important to the region.
"It was the will of God that Adventists picked out this place for the
Seminary. We are satisfied and happy because they made [a] better
atmosphere in our region, they teach people to live happier [lives],"
he said. (See ANN, May 18, 2004.)
"We are sorry that our efforts to make the Zaoksky settlement as pretty
as possible have been poisoned by such acts of vandalism," said Pastor
Artur Stele, president of the Adventist Church in the Euro-Asia region.
"We don't know who did this, whether it was local people or strangers,
although we hope it is not our neighbors. We ask that the police would
pay serious attention to this incident, and toward finding the
perpetrators."
The Seminary remains a good neighbor in the community, and does not
seek to do anything outside its mission of education. Approximately 300
students attend classes at the school, which has expanded its offerings
beyond theology into general education categories. In March 1991, the
Russian Federation's Ministry of Justice registered the Seminary as an
institution of higher education, and the Accrediting Association of
Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities, a body of
the Church's world headquarters, also recognizes the institution.
"The anti-Semitic graffiti at our college at Zaoksky shows clearly the
real nature of anti-Semitism, which is an irrational hatred," declared
Dr. John Graz, public affairs and religious liberty director for the
Adventist world church. "It will target religious minorities just as it
does ethnic minorities. We hope that all religious leaders in that
region will take a stand against this kind of intolerance, which is
spreading in too many places."
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Siberia: Pastor, Church Members Die In Car Crash; Bodies Found Five
Months Later
Sayanogorsk, Republic of Tuva, Russia .... [Valery Ivanov/ANN Staff]
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A pastor's desire to help Adventists in Sayanogorsk, a city in the
central Asian republic of Tuva, ended tragically with the mid-winter
deaths of the pastor, a member of his congregation and her daughter.
The bodies of the victims, buried in a ravine under heavy winter snows,
were only located at the end of May.
Dead are Pastor Alexey Sasov, age 29, who had recently transferred from
Kyzyl to Sayanogorsk, about 250 miles (350 km) north, as well as
Natalia Soldatova, 40, and her daughter, Tania, 14. The Soldatovas were
being transported by Sasov to and from a medical appointment in Kyzyl.
Returning from Kyzyl after heavy snowfalls, Sasov apparently steered
the wrong way and his car fell into a ravine. The actual details of the
accident appear to be lost, but it is believed that Sasov, a very
careful driver, may have been forced off the road.
A funeral service for the victims was held June 1 at the Sayanogorsk
cemetery.
Although two families are devastated by the tragedy--Sasov and his
wife, Vica, had three small children; Soldatova and her husband had
three others in addition to Tania--Church officials in the region
report that some lives were touched during the recent months. The two
families remained faithful in their commitment to Christ, and Sasov's
father accepted Jesus as his savior during the period.
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King-size Evangelists Preach to Peers
Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia .... [Bob Donaldson/ANN]
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With 2004 being the Year of Evangelism for the worldwide Seventh-day
Adventist Church, children at the Port Macquarie, New South Wales,
congregation are showing the way.
A public evangelistic campaign entitled "The God Factor" was conducted
by 10- to 15-year-olds in the new church building over four consecutive
Saturday evenings in May and June.
"This outreach series was a project of our very committed and visionary
junior and teen Sabbath Schools, although the whole church community
gladly supported it," says Pastor Justin Lawman, who leads the
congregation.
Four thousand youth-oriented postcards were distributed and the events
were widely publicized in the local newspaper. Months beforehand the
junior and teen Sabbath Schools organized a prayer list, and then
personally invited their friends from nearby schools.
"The target age group was the 10- to 15-year-olds," says junior Sabbath
School leader Trish Campbell, "but parents were also welcomed with open
arms." And they came. The average attendance over the four nights was
135, 40 of whom were not church members.
According to George Smith, principal of Port Macquarie Adventist School
(PMAS), "About 70 percent of our students come from non-Adventist
homes. Quite a few came to 'The God Factor,' and some brought their
parents too."
Pastor Lawman adds, "There were people there who had never set foot in
our church before."
At the conclusion of the meetings, Jacob, an 11-year-old who attends
the Adventist school but not the church, commented, "One of the things
I learned was how to get to heaven. And I came really close to God.
I've never really been close to God before, and it felt really cool."
Two young people preached each week for seven to 10 minutes each.
Topics included, "God R U really there?" (Prophecy), "Why do bad things
happen to good people?", "What do I have to do to get to heaven?"
(Salvation), and "A future without fear" (Second Coming).
The children chose the topics and were involved in all aspects of the
planning. "The subjects were not only relevant to children," says
Pastor Lawman, "but adults as well."
Each program began with a praise and worship service conducted by the
young people and accompanied by a 12-member junior and teen band.
Other regular features, all conducted by young people, included a quiz
(with prizes), a bracket of "Whacky but true" facts, and a short
dramatized sketch related to the night's topic.
At the close of each meeting, everyone was invited to the school hall
for two hours of recreational activities and food.
Three days after "The God Factor" concluded, students in the Years 5
and 6 classrooms at PMAS were invited to write down their thoughts on
the program. Ten-year-old Peta wrote, "I learned to know God better,"
while Zac, 11, said, "I don't need to worry, because God is always by
my side."
All the children who helped lead the program now have a new focus in
life as expressed so well by 11-year-old Lara. "You feel good inside
with the feeling that you are sharing God's love with others."
"It doesn't matter if you are scared about doing it," according to
Anita,11,. "God helped me through and I didn't freak!" And Lachlan, 14,
adds, "We all appreciated Pastor Lawman's help too."
Reviewing the series, Campbell says, "From responses on returned quiz
cards it's gratifying to know that many lives have been
touched--especially those we've been praying for--and many decisions
made for Christ."
Pastor Lawman adds, "We now have a number of interested people to
follow up."
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Copyright (c) 2004 by Adventist News Network. 12501 Old Columbia Pike,
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address:
adventistnews@gc.adventist.org.ANN World News Bulletin is a review of news and information issued by
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World Headquarters and released as part of the service of Adventist
News Network. It is made available primarily to religious news editors.
Our news includes dispatches from the church's international offices
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ANN Staff: Ray Dabrowski, director; Mark A. Kellner, assistant director
for news; Wendi Rogers, editorial coordinator; Ansel Oliver, editorial
assistant; Lynn Friday, administrative assistant.
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