ANN Bulletin - January 22, 2008 - unOFFICIAL ADVENTIST FORUM

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do.
And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with
– even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department.
Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently. Romans 14.1: The Message

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#153102 - 01/24/08 04:59 AM ANN Bulletin - January 22, 2008
magilly46 Registered: 10/29/02 Posts: 120 Loc: BC	Seventh-day Adventist Church world headquarters January 22, 2008 In This Issue: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kenya: Adventist university re-opens after post-election violence forced evacuation January 16 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States Full student body not expected to return U.S. court upholds Adventist's religious discrimination ruling January 16 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States Worker keeps lost pay, loses punitive damages; a 'mixed decision' say church leaders Study to examine omega-3 deficiency, teenage depression link January 22 Sydney, Australia Fatty acid found in fish might be mood booster Goodbye to Postum January 17 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States Many found it a healthier alternative to coffee Chile: Adventist media guru keeps country on communication edge January 18 Santiago, Chile Director of church's 'Nuevo Tiempo' seeking new outlets, audiences Leading Adventist surgeon, medical missionary dies January 17 Loma Linda, California, United States Multitalented Zirkle also flew planes, fought fires and launched Loma Linda Broadcasting Network -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kenya: Adventist university re-opens after post-election violence forced evacuation January 16, 2008 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States ... [ Taashi Rowe ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The campus of the University of Eastern Africa Baraton reopened January 14. Vice-chancellor Dr. Nathaniel Walemba says the atmosphere is one of calm and peace with no animosity, just people sharing their stories. [photo courtesy the University of Eastern Africa Baraton] Some faculty, students and staff are returning to the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton after post-election violence in Kenya forced a January 6 evacuat ion of some 280 people from the campus. The school reopened Monday January 14 with classes starting today. The school's vice-chancellor, Nathaniel Walemba, said he is expecting some 1,600 students out of the full 2,300-student body to return this quarter. Some of the lecturers have not yet returned from the church's regional headquarters in Nairobi after being evacuated. Walemba said Wednesday that only 500 of the 1,200 students who registered online have returned to campus. "The opposition has declared that today, tomorrow and Friday are dates of public demonstrations, so many parents are still apprehensive and haven't sent their children back. They are waiting until Sunday to send them." Walemba says the campus is now peaceful. "The government has sent some security reinforcement, including police; they are not always visible but they are there," he said. Registration has been extended to the end of the week. U.S. court upholds Adventist's religious discrimination ruling January 16, 2008 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States ... [ Ansel Oliver/ANN ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attorneys Charles M. Kester of Kester Law Firm, Fayetteville, Arkansas; retired Adventist associate general counsel Mitchell A. Tyner and associate general counsel for the Adventist Church, Todd McFarland, right, flank former UPS driver Todd Sturgill, who won a civil rights case in a United States district court in 2006. Sturgill's case was upheld by a federal appeals court January 15. [ANN file photo] A United States federal appeals court yesterday upheld a ruling that a Seventh-day Adventist worker was discriminated against for not working on Sabbath. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a former driver for United Parcel Service (UPS), Todd Sturgill of Springdale, Arkansas, will keep his award of nearly US$104,000 in lost wages and court fees from an earlier district court ruling and will get his job back. The 8th Circuit justices reversed the award of $207,000 in punitive damages, saying UPS did not act with malice or reckless indifference. Sturgill was reportedly pleased with the outcome. The case originated from a December 2004 incident in which Sturgill returned from his delivery route to the UPS center with 35 undelivered packages before going home on a Friday night, the beginning of the Biblical Sabbath. He was soon fired for what UPS called "job abandonment." Though, as the court acknowledged, Sturgill had previously sought accommodation for his Sabbath-keeping beliefs, managers at the firm that day took no steps to enable him to complete his work before sundown. Adventist Church leaders called the ruling a "mixed decision." "The reason that the decision is mixed is that the court rejected both ours and UPS's standard of what constitutes 'reasonable accommodation' for religious beliefs in the workplace," said Todd R. McFarland, associate general counsel for the Seventh-day Adventist world church. "At trial and at the appellate court we argued that [law] requires that accommodation eliminate the conflict between the work rule and the religious belief. The employer offering something that only minimizes the conflict is not enough." McFarland said it is rare for a religious discrimination case to receive punitive damages, an award to punish the offender and deter others. The impact of the case is unknown, McFarland said. Future scenarios might leave Sabbath-keepers climbing two legal hurdles: "reasonable accommodation" for the employee without creating "undue hardship" for the employer. "The 8th Circuit has taken the position that it is an individual decision for the jury to decide whether an employer has offered reasonable accommodation or not," McFarland said. Study to examine omega-3 deficiency, teenage depression link January 22, 2008 Sydney, Australia ... [ Elizabeth Lechleitner/ANN ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Australian research professor Dr. Margaret Morris and Australasian Research Institute director Dr. Ross Grant say low levels of omega-3 could contribute to teenage depression. Previous studies have suggested the fatty acid found in fish and other dietary sources is necessary for normal brain function. [photo: courtesy SAH] Whether low omega-3 levels trigger the doldrums is the focus of a new joint research project between the Sydney Adventist Hospital-based Australasian Research Institute and the University of New South Wales. Studies touting omega-3 as the holy grail of health are hardly new -- the fatty acid found in fish, walnuts and flax seed has long been cited to lessen health risks ranging from stroke to psoriasis. With the project, "How Food Affects Mood," researchers say they hope to buoy most recent research that suggests low levels of omega-3 in the diet correlate with equally abysmal moods, particularly in teenagers. "Research now indicates a link between a person's brain chemistry and their risk of developing depression or a psychological illness," says ARI director Dr. Ross Grant. Normal brain activity depends on communication between cells, and there's reason to believe that low omega-3 levels block synapse back-and-forth, he adds. A deficiency of essential fatty acids such as omega-3 is even thought to deform brain cell membranes, leading to cerebral dysfunctions that can include depression, autism, dyslexia and eating disorders, Grant says. Grant and Dr. Margaret Morris of the School of Pharmacology at UNSW say the study is timely and hope its results will curb "sobering" statistics -- 28 percent of young people suffer from a major depressive disorder by age 19 and depression is the leading cause of both suicide and substance abuse, according to Australian researchers. Researchers will study the DNA samples and dietary questionnaires of 500 15- to 19-year-olds to examine the relationships between depression, anxiety, obesity and brain cell communication. Early results of the study are expected to be released next year. The study is funded by the Novus Foundation, the Rotary Club of Wahroonga and Sydney-based businessman Phil McCarroll, and supported by the Australian Ministry of Education, Science and Training. Goodbye to Postum January 17, 2008 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States ... [ Taashi Rowe/ANN ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kraft Foods has said it is no longer profitable to manufacture the 112-year-old coffee alternative. [photo: John Beckett/ANN] Kraft Foods, the makers of coffee alternative Postum, recently announced they will no longer make the once popular beverage. The drink had a small but loyal following among some Seventh-day Adventists who believe that caffeine negatively affects health and some members of the Church of Latter day Saints who don't drink hot caffeinated beverages. Kraft Foods spokeswoman Laurie Guzzinati said the company stopped making Postum last fall because the demand for it was so low that manufacturing it no longer made sense. Postum was created in 1895 by C.W. Post who stumbled upon the recipe while he was a patient at Adventist-owned Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan, United States. Contrary to rumors, Post was not an Adventist, said James Nix, director of the estate for Ellen White, an Adventist Church co-founder. "Post was a charity patient at the Battle Creek Sanitarium when Harvey Kellogg was there and while the Sanitarium was still Adventist," Nix said. "He was snooping around the kitchen and discovered that Kellogg was making a caramel cereal coffee. Kellogg is reputed not to have minded when Post took the recipe. He said 'so much the better if it helps people's health,' having no idea that it would make Post so much money." Made of wheat bran, wheat, molasses, and corn dextrin, Postum was considered a "healthier" drink. It did not cause the jittery side effects that coffee gave some people. Chris Sadanala, an employee at the Seventh-day Adventist Church world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, has a strong reaction to caffeine products. "I can't take caffeine, it gives me vertigo," he said. "But you can't find Postum [in the United States]. I get it at an Indian store and sometimes [I buy] Roma. I wasn't crazy for that thing but sometimes it was nice in the morning." Milton Anderson, an Adventist living in Decatur, Georgia, said although he wasn't a huge fan of the drink he had noticed the disappearance of Postum from his cupboards. "I buy the stuff," said Yvonne Vanderhorst, another church headquarters employee. "I'll look to see what store has it now. [Local grocery store] Giant used to have it." When reminded that similar drinks, such as Roma, Carob and Chicory, are still available, Vanderhorst responded: "I'd rather have Postum." Cesar Gonzalez, an employee of the church's North American region, said he grew up in Florida and didn't drink many hot drinks. "But every time the temperature dipped, what else was I supposed to drink if I was Adventist?" he said. "We had Postum. I enjoyed it. Now I feel bad; I should have bought some more." Angela Wickline, associate manager for Employee Food Services at the church's headquarters, said she bought the now half-empty jar of Postum in the cafeteria two months ago "because I was trying to surprise some people here. For a long time all we had was Roma. We don't have a lot of Postum drinkers here so I just pick it up when I need it." Postum, which normally sold for US$3.50 per jar, can still be found on the online auction site Ebay where one seller is offering three jars for US$70. Chile: Adventist media guru keeps country on communication edge January 18, 2008 Santiago, Chile ... [ Rajmund Dabrowski/ANN ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As director for the Adventist Church's media presence in Chile, former advertising CEO Ewaldo Bustos oversees 43 television channels and 26 radio stations that cover an estimated 70 percent of the country's 16 million population. [photo: Rajmund Dabrowski/ANN] Chilean actress Maureen Sales dramatizes a Nuevo Tiempo program likening the body to the temple of God. Bustos says the station, in its effort to vary programming, employs a number of actors. "So often ... [Adventist media] resorts to showing talking faces, but the viewer needs to feel the program," he says. On the program, "Interactivo, Jeszs es Todo," a group of Bible scholars break down tricky passages in an inviting, casual setting. Other popular programs cover family issues and practical, everyday spirituality. [photo: courtesy Nuevo Tiempo] Ewaldo Bustos' enthusiasm is contagious as he describes how media has changed the Seventh-day Adventist Church's image in his country over the past decade. As director of programming and production for the church's communication center in Chile, Bustos has overseen a reprogramming of the church's attitude toward media. "For a long time [Adventists] were mostly unknown to the public. Our media work is now changing the image of who we are," he says with a smile that seems permanent. "Today, [Adventist media in Chile] has a name, and that name opens doors." At Santiago-based Centro de Comunicacisn Adventista Nuevo Tiempo, Bustos coordinates a team of 12 people involved with Adventist radio and television programming in this South American country of 16 million. A former advertising CEO, Bustos accepted his current position four years ago when the church invited him to use his skills in Adventist media. Today, Bustos, 55, still pushes the edge of Christian communication. "We cannot make a dent in social and spiritual influence unless we listen to what people are talking about. That's the edge I am walking on," he says. "When someone writes: 'Your channel gives me peace,' I know it's worth the effort." Religious broadcasting is on the agenda of many churches in many countries around the globe. However, Adventist broadcasting in Chile puts Adventists ahead of others with six open channels and 37 cable TV stations, as well as 25 FM stations and one AM station covering the entire country with religious programming. "We don't regard it as a monopoly, but others envy our vision and media presence," Bustos says of the church's 70 percent potential audience reach in Chile, one of the largest countrywide Adventist broadcasting networks in the world. Bustos says the church in Chile takes seriously the "great responsibility" of wisely using that level of influence. Even individual church members feel a sense of ownership over the church's programming, he says. Many of Chile's 127,000 Adventists refer with pride to Nuevo Tiempo and how it is changing the place of Adventists on the Christian landscape in Chile. Patricio Olivares, director of the Nuevo Tiempo Center, explains that the church aims for two outcomes with its programming. First: "An internal outcome for the church in which our people feel they can fully identify with the content of the programs." A second objective relates to the church's influence in society and its image in the community. "We focus on breaking down the barriers and prejudices that people in general have toward Adventists," Olivares says. He says they try to present "a church that can be taken seriously, whose people view life in an intelligent way with a purpose that is both open and attractive." Not all can be accomplished overnight. While the church's TV and radio programs are gaining new viewers and listeners, Bustos says the church in Chile still faces challenges. Perhaps the greatest one is transferring the warmth seen on Nuevo Tiempo programming to the pews of local churches. Those who visit a local church are often confronted with indifference, Bustos says, citing letters and comments he has received. "I was invited to come, but felt I wasn't welcomed," one reads. "What is needed is warmth to welcome those who cross our doorstep as a result of watching or listening to Nuevo Tiempo," Bustos says. "When we state that 'this was a message from your friends,' we should reflect that in real life. It complicates matters when our viewers or listeners discover something different in the way we act." Bustos smiles when he recalls hearing about Lucy, a women who was so enchanted with the Nuevo Tiempo programs in Santiago that she installed five television sets -- one in each room -- so as not to miss the program. It goes without saying that she joined an Adventist church, he adds. Church growth statistics reveal Lucy is among some 6,500 people who have joined the church because of contact with Adventist media. Nueveo Tiempo radio draws an estimated audience of 50,000, many of whom tune in for two annual series of programs called "Interactivo," during which three pastors discuss Bible doctrines in a live, colloquial and entertaining manner. Audience members are invited to follow a study syllabus in a home setting of church members. The attraction of each program also rests on monologues by well-known actors creatively depicting Bible topics. "So often we do not think of how to make our programs exciting. We resort to showing talking faces. But the viewer needs to feel the program," Bustos says. With the popularity of Nuevo Tiempo TV and radio programming, Bustos now wants to step up the Adventist Internet presence in Chile. "Having only 1,200 daily visitors to our Web site is not enough," he says. "The Web presence is a black spot for us. It needs to be developed to make our message attractive to the online community," he adds. Bustos also believes Nuevo Tiempo could be more genuine. "We need to speak less and show what we really do. We need to connect the dots between media and education, between media and disaster response and community involvement, between media and youth activities; between media and our health and joy of life," Bustos says. "It's exciting to see that we can make a difference in people's lives. In Chile, many people are accustomed to listening to Christian broadcasters who are asking the audience for money. Many are turned off," Bustos says. "We surprise listeners by not asking for money. Instead, we introduce them to Jesus with no strings attached." Leading Adventist surgeon, medical missionary dies January 17, 2008 Loma Linda, California, United States ... [ ANN Staff ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Thomas Zirkle, an associate director for the world church's Health Ministries department, served as a surgeon and medical missionary during his career. Outside of his surgical duties and travels spanning six continents, Zirkle acted as deputy chief of the local fire department and launched the church's Loma Linda Broadcasting Network. [photo: courtesy LLU] Dr. Thomas Zirkle, 71, a Seventh-day Adventist surgeon, medical missionary and an associate director for the world church's department of Health Ministries, died January 11 in Loma Linda, California from an unrelated medical event a week after he underwent bypass surgery. Zirkle served in the Loma Linda area as senior vice president of Loma Linda University Medical Center, assistant dean of the Loma Linda University School of Medicine and special assistant to the university's president. A fellow of the American College of Surgeons who completed his residency at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, Zirkle specialized in cleft palate repair, hand and cosmetic surgery, burn and trauma care and emergency medicine. He kept appointments at a number of area hospitals and taught and practiced worldwide as a medical missionary. During his more than 70 trips to China, Zirkle oversaw the establishment and upkeep of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital in Hangzhou, an affiliate of Loma Linda University. Also active in his local community, Zirkle launched an emergency medical service program at the Loma Linda fire department, where he served as deputy chief. He learned radio and television production so hospital patients could watch church events from their hospital beds, an effort that led to the Loma Linda Broadcasting Network. He was a pilot, gardener, avid reader, musician and active church member. Zirkle is survived by his wife, Carol, and three children. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, February 2, at the Loma Linda University Adventist Church. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- news.adventist.org ANN World News Bulletin is a review of news and information issued by the Communication department from the Seventh-day Adventist Church 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 and the world headquarters. Reproduction Requirements: Reproduction of information in this article is encouraged. When reproducing this material, in full or in part, the words "Source: Adventist News Network" must appear under the headline or immediately following the article. The words "Source: Adventist News Network" must be given equal prominence to any other source that is also acknowledged. Ground 7 News Podcast: Ground 7 News is a review of news and information issued by the Communication Department from the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters and released as part of the service of Adventist News Network. Reproduction of the ANN podcast is encouraged. When rebroadcasting this material, in full or in part, the words "Source: Adventist News Network" must be mentioned before and after the podcast. ANN Staff: Rajmund Dabrowski, director; Ansel Oliver, assistant director; Taashi Rowe, editorial coordinator; Elizabeth Lechleitner, editorial assistant; Natacha Moorooven, proofreader. Portuguese translation by Azenilto Brito, Spanish translation by Marcos Paseggi, Italian translation by Vincenzo Annunziata and Lina Ferrara and French translations by Stephanie Elofer. --- You are currently subscribed to ann as: sandyliving@shaw.ca To unsubscribe click on the link below: http://lists2.gc.adventist.org/u?id=17572238S&l=ann
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