ANN Buletin - March 18, 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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#162690 - 03/24/08 12:50 AM ANN Buletin - March 18, 2008
magilly46 Registered: 10/29/02 Posts: 126 Loc: BC	Seventh-day Adventist Church world headquarters March 18, 2008 In This Issue: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- World church leader reaffirms Adventist Church's noncombatant position March 11 Silver Spring, Maryland Healing and saving are first business of church, Paulsen writes Dominican Republic: Church targets commuters with modern screen ads March 11 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Electronic billboard messages point to freedom through Jesus Italy: Political, church leaders celebrate 20 years of religious freedom March 14 Rome, Italy Adventist religious liberty official cites Italy as model In Africa, Adventists promote new tools for outreach March 17 Cape Town, South Africa Office of Online Ministry planned; Text messages from church? Also In The News March 18 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States 30,000 join the church in Inter-America; Adventist students in Kerala, India win court case; Church in Russia emphasises family -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- World church leader reaffirms Adventist Church's noncombatant position March 11, 2008 Silver Spring, Maryland ... [ ANN Staff ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pastor Jan Paulsen is president of the 16-million member Seventh-day Adventist world church. In a recent article on noncombatancy the world church leader writes, "the church must constantly reflect God's infinite, healing love." [ANN file photo] Pastor Jan Paulsen, president of the global Seventh-day Adventist Church, has reiterated the church's long-held position on noncombatancy in an article published in the March issue of Adventist World, the church's international journal. In the article, "Clear Thinking About Military Service" the world church leader explains that deciding to carry arms puts "the spiritual and moral foundations of your life in serious jeopardy." Referencing a resolution made at the church's Fifth General Conference in 1867 Paulsen says "This has, in broad terms, been our guiding principle: When you carry arms you imply that you are prepared to use them to take another's life, and taking the life of one of God's children, even that of our 'enemy,' is inconsistent with what we hold to be sacred and right." The three-page article opens with Pastor Paulsen's own experience as a child during the Second World War, then goes on to say that because God values each human life Christians should never be involved in the taking of life. "Every human being, no matter what their choices or conduct is of infinite value to God ... the God we serve is a healer and a Savior. Healing and saving are the first business of the church," he writes. Paulsen also makes it clear that although there are more and more church members taking combat positions -- there are 7,500 Adventists engaged in combat positions in North America alone -- the church's position has not changed. He writes, "I have sensed, at times, a certain ambivalence toward our historic position, a sense, perhaps, that 'that was then, and this is now.' And yet I know of no reason why this should be so." But what about those who live in countries where military service is compulsory? Pastor Paulsen counsels them saying, "Accepting the penalty of dissent -- perhaps even imprisonment -- may be the decision you make simply to be faithful to your fundamental convictions and your Lord." Paulsen concludes by asking members of the world church not to put aside those who have made the decision to serve in combat positions but to embrace them. He admits that this is not a simple topic and encourages church members to consider this issue in "our homes, our churches, and our schools and let us do so with open hearts and a spirit of humility." Click here to read the entire article. Dominican Republic: Church targets commuters with modern screen ads March 11, 2008 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic ... [ Libna Stevens/IAD Staff/ANN ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Adventist Church is displaying 10-electronic billboard ads throughout the capital city of Santo Domingo to remind onlookers about God's Law during the month of March. [photo: Silvestre Gonzalez/ANN] Commuters in Santo Domingo are being greeted with a 10-second message about freedom several times a day courtesy of the Seventh-day Adventist Church there. On March 5 the Adventist Church in the Dominican Republic began projecting electronic billboard screen ads throughout four of the busiest intersections of Santo Domingo, the capital city. The ads are designed to remind onlookers about God's law and its power to free them. "It's a new form of evangelizing here in Santo Domingo with super modern screens," says Silvestre Gonzalez, communication director for the church in the Dominican Republic. "We want to spread a positive message to the pedestrians, drivers and passengers who travel the streets of our city every day." Gonzalez says the ad consists of three short slides: an image of Jesus pointing to the words "The law of Freedom," an image of the 10 commandment tablets and "The Seventh-day Adventist Church" with its logo. "We wanted to point people to the benefits of following God's Law in keeping with the celebration of the independence of the nation which began last month and will continue on during the days ahead," he says. The 10-second electronic ads will be played 50 times per day for the next 30 days, Gonzalez says. Although the church has made itself well known in Santo Domingo, a city with over 2 million people, through its many community ministries and through radio and television, the ads were designed to bring the church and its message to the attention of commuters. "[The ad] is positive because it reminds human beings that there is a Law of God that puts society and the family in order," says Juana Diaz, a local commuter. Church leaders are also planning to include ads which promote the family and education in the coming months. There are more than 242,000 Seventh-day Adventists in the Dominican Republic worshiping in 614 churches and congregations. In Santo Domingo alone there are 103,000 members worshiping in 282 churches. Italy: Political, church leaders celebrate 20 years of religious freedom March 14, 2008 Rome, Italy ... [ ANN Staff ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adventist religious liberty leader John Graz and president of the Adventist Church in Italy, Daniele Benini, flank Italian prime minister Romano Prodi, center. The three joined other government and church officials at a meeting this month to observe two decades of full religious freedom in the predominantly Catholic country. [photo: courtesy Italian Union] Seventh-day Adventist representatives met with Italy's prime minister and officials March 6 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the agreement between the government and the Adventist Church. Once signed into law, it legalized relations between the church and the Italian state without compromising the church's identity or independence. "We wish to thank the authorities of our country for the freedom we enjoy," said Daniele Benini, president of the Adventist Church in Italy. In 1988, Adventists were among the first Protestant denominations to sign the agreement in the predominantly Catholic nation. Dora Bognandi, director of the church's department of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL) in Italy, said the agreement made full provision for seventh-day Sabbath-keepers in Italy. It also officially recognized Adventist ministers and ceremonies officiated by them, allowed Adventist young people to choose community service over compulsory military service, and established Adventist chaplaincy posts in the country's hospitals and prisons. Following the agreement, the Adventist Church was allowed to publicize and collect contributions. "Italy is an incredible example of religious freedom," said world church PARL director John Graz, who joined the Adventist delegation for the meeting. "In a country that is home to the Vatican, not only are we recognized, but we are welcomed and well integrated. We have a voice in the public square and we are totally protected by the state." Graz told the officials that he holds up Italy as a model of religious liberty during his travels to promote freedom of belief. Prime Minister Romano Prodi, along with president of the Senate, Franco Marini, and former Republic President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, said personal religious freedom is vital in a nation made up of many cultures and belief systems. Prodi, whose political career is ending, said he would continue to work for religious liberty. Adventism first came to Italy in 1864. Today, nearly 8,500 Adventists worship in the country of nearly 60 million. "Despite our small numbers, almost everyone in Italy knows about the Adventist Church," Graz said. In Africa, Adventists promote new tools for outreach March 17, 2008 Cape Town, South Africa ... [ ANN Staff ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- An Office of Online Ministry planned for the church's Southern Asia-Indian Ocean region will study ways Adventist leaders there can use technology to further the church's work. [photo: Rajmund Dabrowski/ANN] Seventh-day Adventists in Africa might soon receive more messages of hope from their computer screens than from the pulpit. The continent is among the top world regions for Internet growth in the past decade. To capitalize on that potential and address related challenges, Adventist communication leaders, technicians and broadcasters met in Cape Town for an Internet ministry conference from February 28 to March 2. The conference -- a regional extension of the world church's annual Global Internet Evangelism Network conference -- drew nearly 100 delegates from around the world, including representatives from 15 African countries. "So often, there is great enthusiasm at a conference, and many plans and recommendations are made, but nothing comes of it. We are determined that this will not happen with GIEN Africa," said Andre Brink, communication director for the church's Southern Africa-Indian Ocean (SID) region. Church leaders there voted to establish an Office of Online Ministry, Brink said. "Perhaps the biggest discovery for me was the proliferation of mobile technology throughout Africa," said Rajmund Dabrowski, world church communication director. So-called "pocket" computers, or cell phones with Internet access and short message service (SMS) capabilities, are widely used even in the region's most remote communities. "We have to ask ourselves, 'How can we use SMS to spread the church's message of hope?'" Dabrowski added. SID President Paul Ratsara urged Adventists in Africa to be leaders in using new technology for outreach. Several other church regions in Africa plan to hold similar regional Internet ministry conferences to tackle local technological issues. Also In The News March 18, 2008 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States ... [ Compiled by ANN Staff ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- India: Adventist students allowed to take exams after Sabbath Two Seventh-day Adventist students from the Seventh-day Adventist Boarding School in Kottarakara won a court ruling in Kerla, India allowing them to take their exams after 6 p.m. on Saturday. The students, Remya Rajan and Jincy Monachan, refused to take exams on Saturday because they believe in keeping holy the Biblical Sabbath day from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. Some 60 more Adventist students who also refused to take the March 15 exam will be allowed to take the exam at a later date without penalty. Scheduling this year's exam on a Saturday interfered with a 1961 government order against Saturday exams. Government leaders explained that they scheduled the exam on a Saturday to avoid holding it on Good Friday, a holy day for Christians and Muslims. Church leaders are working with government officials to ensure that scheduling conflicts like these do not happen in the future. [Gordon Christo/Southern Asia Division] Jamaica: 30,000 join Adventist Church in a single day More than 30,000 people across Inter-America joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church in a live March 15 satellite evangelism program held at the National Arena in Kingston, Jamaica. The program, Pentecost and More, is in its second year and was designed to get every church member across the region involved in evangelism. The baptisms took place in nearly 40 countries spanning the Inter-American region of the Adventist Church. "The significance of it is not so much the numbers that we were able to achieve today," Israel Leito, president of the Adventist Church in Inter-America told the Jamaica Observer. "It is the fact that the whole church in Inter-America was involved in evangelism over the last two weeks because the members, pastors, everybody alike, was involved." At last year's event nearly 45,000 members joined the church through baptism causing the church's membership in that region to surpass 3 million for the first time. The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America covers Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and the northern tip of South America. [ANN Staff] Russia: Adventist outreach effort noted during country's 'Year of the Family' Russian media are noting a Seventh-day Adventist-run outreach effort for its strong family-oriented message. The meetings, broadcast from Nizhny Novgorod, Russia beginning March 14 and available on the church's Hope Channel and a number of satellite stations across Europe and Asia, correspond with the country's Year of the Family. President of the church's Euro-Asia region, Artur Stele, and Shepherdess International director for Russia, Galina Stele, delivered the nightly messages, which local church leaders say have already sparked feedback via email, text message and phone calls from nearly 100 cities in Turkmenistan, the Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and Russia. Church officials also say the six months of Bible studies and 40-day prayer marathon leading up to the meetings mean those attending are better prepared to consider accepting the Adventist message of hope. [ANN Staff] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
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