ANN Bulletin
Adventist News Network
Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters
March 15, 2005

In This Issue:
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* Spain: Be a Voice of Tolerance, Understanding and Hope, Paulsen
Exhorts Believers
* Spain: New School and Community Center to be Model of Integration
* Iraq: Baghdad Truck Bomb Damages Adventist Church
* South Africa: Spiritual Nurture for Business and Professional People

* United Nations Meeting Pushes for Gender Equity
* Jordan: English-speaking Church Plant Eager to Engage in Youth and
Community Work
* Papua New Guinea: ADRA Leads Literacy Initiative
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Spain: Be a Voice of Tolerance, Understanding and Hope, Paulsen Exhorts
Believers
Madrid, Spain .... [Ray Dabrowski/ANN]
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Speaking to a gathering of nearly 3,000 members of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church in Madrid, Spain, Pastor Jan Paulsen, president of the
Adventist world church, expressed condolences and solidarity with the
nation on the day when Spain observed the first anniversary of the
terrorist attack in Madrid, March 11. "We will remember. We will
remember," he said.

"These days are ... are symbols of a trauma," he stated, referring to
consequences of the attack, which killed 191 people and wounded more
than 1,800 in Madrid. He extended words of sympathy to family members
of those affected by the tragedy, among them Seventh-day Adventists,
two of whom were killed with 14 others injured. (See ANN, March 14,
2004.)

"Terrorism has become a fashionable way to resolve conflicts between
people. Many of us are uneasy about the future. We look around and ask:
What does the future hold?" Paulsen said. "But we believe that while
nations make plans for the future, God will unmake them. God knows and
holds the future and He will choose when to end it," he asserted.

"Events like the 11th of March [2004] in Madrid and the 11th of
September [2001] in New York City are very traumatic moments. To me,
they signify a bankruptcy of a system of not resolving differences
between people. These terrorist acts are mindless, senseless acts of
brutality. ... They reflect frustration of unresolved issues maybe in a
different part of the world," Paulsen said in an interview for the
Spanish church's magazine.

Paulsen also reiterated earlier statements that violence and war are
"terrible solutions to human tensions and controversy. Whenever a war
happens, to me, it is a statement of failure."

He also offered a view of what should be the response of the Adventist
community to issues in the troubling world of today: "We should be a
voice of tolerance, understanding and hope, and in our voice create
understanding rather than caricatures of unresolved matters," Paulsen
declared.

"We can say: It does not have to be this way. We are the children of
God."

The third biennial Madrid congress of Adventists met under the theme of
"Transformed in Christ," and brought together believers representing a
12,000-strong faith community worshipping in 114 congregations. The
event featured local musical talent from numerous churches and Sagunto
Adventist College. The proceedings were broadcast live on the Internet.
Participating in the opening program of the convocation were
representatives of the Religious Affairs Office, Ministry of Justice of
Spain, representatives of Christian faith communities, and the national
Bible Society. Pastor Ulrich Frikart, president of the church's
Euro-Africa region, accompanied Paulsen on his visit to Spain.

"This is a growing church. Last year we had a 9 percent increase in
membership. Ours is a multi-cultural church with hundreds of immigrants
joining us every year. Adventists from Romania are the single largest
national group that has come to be a part of our faith community in
recent years," said Alberto Guaita, president of the Adventist Church
in Spain. The dynamic growth of a church in a country with a rampant
European secularism was seen in an ordination service of six ministers
at a concluding event of the congress.

Recognizing the change in becoming a community formed by an influx of
immigrants to the church in Spain, Paulsen remarked, "I commend you for
the way you have integrated within the church. But I would say to those
coming to Spain and those who live here: 'Allow some room to adjust to
live together. Be patient, open, cordial, accepting and loving. There
is so much you have in common.'" He suggested "on-going consultations
and planning so that this can be a sharing [process of integration],
and it would result in mutuality of thinking."

Frikart referred to the issues of integrating immigrant members of the
church as "a challenge, but also an opportunity for enrichment."

Addressing believers in Madrid, the world church president spoke about
a responsibility of Christians for the community in which they live.
"It's a failure of a Christian not to care for the society. On your
journey we should treat people with care and love."

Adventists live in anticipation of the Lord's coming, Paulsen said in
his Sabbath sermon on March 12. "What is God expecting of the Adventist
community?" he asked. "We must attend to our own spiritual lives, but
we must also attend to the mission we, as a church, must carry out."


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Spain: New School and Community Center to be Model of Integration
Madrid, Spain .... [Ray Dabrowski/ANN]
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Seventh-day Adventists in Madrid recently approached municipal
authorities to establish a multi-faceted community project, which
includes a church, a school and a community center in the Eastern part
of the country's capital.

"We asked for a piece of land to build a church project that would help
integrate the immigrant groups which we are currently experiencing in
our church," said Alberto Guaita, president of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church in Spain. "We received not only a warm welcome for
such an initiative, but they approached the request in a generous and
practical way by donating a piece of land worth 13 million euros"
(approximately U.S. $17.4 million). From then on, Guaita said, the
church embarked on a challenging journey to make the project happen.

A visitor to the building site recognizes the project instantly as
being a Christian institution. A ten-meter high cross can be seen from
afar among the high-density apartment buildings in a suburb
predominantly occupied by the city's immigrant populations.

"It will be a school for 320 students, ranging from kindergarten to
high school level. Yes, it will be a school operated by our church with
all the aspects of Adventist education, but the difference will be that
80 percent of the students will be recruited from among the immigrant
population. It will serve as an example how to integrate," Guaita
explained. "The state will assist us in the running operation of the
school, including salaries for the faculty, purchases of the equipment,
and furniture," he added.

"Our churches have already developed a sense of pride in this new
venture and I believe that they will support with their resources to
complete and pay for the building. As a denomination, we are also
partially solving a big problem of providing a home for our growing
congregations. This church sanctuary will house a congregation of 600,
and included in the project are two parish apartments," Guaita
continued.

According to church sources, Adventist churches in Madrid swelled in
recent years by 4,000 immigrants from Romania. "Today in Spain we are
no longer as we used to be. We are an international church in Spain,"
Guaita stated. The church in Spain has also opened its doors to
immigrants from South and Central America, as well as from various
Eastern European countries.

Pastor Jan Paulsen, president of the Adventist world church, visited
the site on March 11 during his three-day visit to Madrid. The project
is a "wonderful statement from the government toward the church to
become a model of integration for those who have come to your country,"
Paulsen said.

"I am very impressed," he said during an inspection of the site. "It
will be difficult to see such [a high] quality project anywhere in the
world," he added.

The architecture and design of the interior speak of a well-thought-out
plan. But according to Guaita, the center is only "built within the
expected construction norms established by the government. There is
nothing extravagant here. These are Spanish norms."

Europe's issues with immigration are exemplified by what the Adventist
Church is faces. "We welcome every one with open arms, but not
everything in relationships can be solved instantly. Cultural
adjustments take time. Customs vary, styles of worship vary, but we
live in the church together and [are] making an effort to recognize
both diversity and unity," Guaita explained.

Commenting on the Spanish immigrant integration efforts from a
perspective of a common challenge for many other European countries,
Pastor Ulrich Frikart, president of the Euro-Africa church region, who
visited the project, said that "politically speaking, we see an
affirmation of nationalisms in Europe. Development of the church goes
in other directions. We cannot see ourselves as clearly defined
national entities anymore.

"The trend to integrate immigrants into the society must be different
in the church," he continued. "And we have to be very open to welcome
these new members. Yes, it is a challenge, but also an opportunity for
enrichment of our church life and witness."

Frikart also believes that for many "church leaders and for the young
generation there is no problem. What is needed is that we welcome
everybody and become sensitive to the needs of those who join us."
Looking at some practical approaches in the integration processes,
Frikart sees pastors of these new communities becoming integrated into
respective local church boards. "A day will come when the immigrant
members of the church will become so numerous that they will become a
part of the church leadership."

The Madrid project is expected to be completed in July and ready for
the new school year. "We are still seeking resources to satisfy the
budget demands, but we hope that the generosity of the church will see
us through." said one of the church leaders. The church in Spain
operates four schools throughout the country, including a college,
Collegio Adventisto de Sagunto, with more than 1,000 students.


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Iraq: Baghdad Truck Bomb Damages Adventist Church
Baghdad, Iraq .... [Alex Elmadjian/ANN]
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A suicide truck bomb, which rocked the center of Baghdad on March 9,
broke the two remaining stained glass windows of the Baghdad
Seventh-day Adventist Church. The force from the blast also shattered
the floor-to-ceiling window, which separates the parents' room from the
worship hall inside the building. The blast occurred close to the
Ministry of Agriculture, just 100 meters from the church compound, at
around 6:30 a.m. local time. There were no church members inside the
building at the time.

The Baghdad church has now been damaged three times over the last 17
months. A car bomb at the Red Cross building in October 2003, 200
meters from the church, took out several windows and covered some of
the church's office workers with glass. Then in September 2004, a car
packed with 150 kilograms (330 pounds) of explosives was detonated just
outside the side entrance of the church, causing U.S. $150,000 worth of
damage. No one was injured.

The Baghdad Adventist Church was deliberately targeted, church sources
said of the September 2004 incident, which prompted church leaders, out
of concern for members' safety, to cancel Sabbath services and advise
members to meet in homes.

"A few days ago we were rejoicing that worship services had resumed at
the church after the September incident," says Michael Porter,
president of the Adventist Church in the Middle East. "Now our Iraqi
brothers and sisters must endure another period of uncertainty."

Basim Fargo, secretary of the Adventist Church in Iraq, reports that
there have been extensive repairs over the last several months to an
electrical circuit that was damaged by the September blast. "We have
boarded up windows and done what we can to make the church premises
barely usable, but much of the building remains unrepaired," Fargo
says. So far, all efforts to secure funding for the repairs have been
unsuccessful.

"This latest hostile incident, while not specifically targeting the
Adventist church, could not have come at a worse time for the morale of
our members," laments Homer Trecartin, secretary treasurer for the
Adventist Church in the Middle East. Already the church administration
in Iraq has received 24 requests for membership transfers in 2004. That
translates to one Iraqi member in every nine emigrating to a
congregation in another country. The indication is that many more have
already left without officially transferring their membership.

"While we are eager for our members to remain and flourish," says
Trecartin, "these latest statistics are hardly surprising. Their daily
routine of insecurity is nerve-racking. They cannot see the situation
improving. We are praying that the Lord will give the Adventists a
supernatural courage and make them a force of peace in this land of
turmoil."


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South Africa: Spiritual Nurture for Business and Professional People
Pretoria, South Africa .... [ANN Staff]
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Six hundred business and professional people who are also members of
the Seventh-day Adventist Church, from nine African countries gathered
in Pretoria Feb. 24 to 26 for a retreat that focused on their unique
spiritual needs. They came from Angola, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Mauritius and Madagascar.

The three-day camp meeting, held at the St. George's Convention Center,
was designed to support business and professional leaders in their walk
with Jesus, said Pardon Mwansa, president of the Adventist Church in
the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean region.

We believe "there is a class of people that need special nurturing and
care. We thought of you, business men and women, professionals that God
has called into the church," Mwansa said. "We thought of you and
believed that you need to be given a special forum at which your
spiritual needs could be attended to."

The comprehensive program -- a daily devotional, two worships and five
seminars each of the three days -- drew a wide range of international
speakers. For daily devotions, speakers were Pastor Dwight Nelson,
senior pastor of Pioneer Memorial Church in Berrien Springs, Michigan,
United States, as well as Dr. George Knight from Andrews University and
Dr. Delbert Baker, president of Oakwood College, Huntsville, Alabama,
United States.

Dr. Oscar T. Mngqibisa, president of the Adventist Church in Port
Elizabeth, South Africa, spoke on "Ethics and the Adventist Business
and Professional Person," while Pastor Jeffrey K. Wilson, trust
services director for the world church, addressed stewardship
principles. Also visiting from the world headquarters was Pastor James
Nix, director of the Ellen G. White Estate, who spoke on "The Role of
the Spirit of Prophecy in Spiritual Nurture."

A former South African ambassador to the European Union, Dr. Eltie
Links, addressed a subject with which he was quite familiar, "Living
for Christ in a High Profile Position." Dr. Links is now executive head
of corporate governance for Santam, a leading short-term insurance
company in the nation.

Meeting attendees raised 80,000 South African rands (approximately U.S.
$14,000) from the Sabbath morning offering and the delegate fees. This
was handed over to the eight church regions that comprise the area;
each received R 10,000 (approx. U.S. $1,750) toward local projects,
including printing spiritual growth literature, "Big City" evangelism,
and training students for denominational employment.


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United Nations Meeting Pushes for Gender Equity
New York, New York, United States .... [Taashi Rowe/ANN]
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Ten years after meeting in Beijing to promote economic, political and
social advancement for women worldwide, thousands of women from all
around the globe met in New York City Feb. 28 to March 11 to continue
the cause. Among the many women from governments and non-governmental
organizations was Heather Dawn Small, acting director of the Women's
Ministries Department of the Seventh-day Adventist world church.

The 49th Session for the United Nation's Commission on the Status of
Women (CSW) reviewed progress made since Beijing and encouraged
governments to do more to enhance gender equity in their homelands. The
United Nations, a humanitarian organization, "established the
Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to promote implementation of
the principle that men and women shall have equal rights," according to
its Web site.

"It was a good opportunity to know what goes on in the outside world,"
said Small. "The church can be so isolated. If we are to minister to
those women outside the church we need to know and understand their
challenges. Surprisingly many of the issues we are dealing with are the
same."

While the Adventist Church frequently participates in various United
Nations programs, Small said this is the first time that the Women's
Ministries department has been a registered CSW participant. As a
registered participant, the church could vote on recommendations and
resolutions.

"We voted to leave the Beijing recommendations as they were even though
some NGOs had amendments. So many countries have yet fully to implement
these recommendations," Small explained.

"The main thrust of the meeting was about gender equality," she added.
"In many parts of the world women don't have the same access to
education or health care as men."

The conference offered numerous workshops on a variety of issues
pertinent to women, but Small said she focused on workshops addressing
domestic violence, poverty, HIV/AIDS and human trafficking. Women's
Ministries is working to bring attention to these particular issues.

Through Women's Ministries, the Adventist Church has brought
information on abuse to its nearly 14 million members through its
"Abuse Prevention Emphasis" day program. This day is recognized by
Adventist churches worldwide on the last Sabbath in August. Last year
several of the world church's departments began supporting a national
coalition against human trafficking.


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Jordan: English-speaking Church Plant Eager to Engage in Youth and
Community Work
Amman, Jordan .... [Alex Elmadjian/ANN]
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A group of 18 people have planted an English-speaking Seventh-day
Adventist church in Amman, the Jordanian capital.

The group's objective is to "create a place of worship where everyone
feels safe and supported and where everyone finds acceptance and
involvement," says local church leader Curt de Gourville.

While Jordan is almost entirely Arabic speaking, Steve Manougian, an
Adventist pastor working in Jordan, sees a growing need for such a
ministry. "Over the years Jordan has attracted a lot of foreign workers
as a result of economic growth and political stability. With the
growing number of foreigners in Amman and attending the regular
Adventist church, we thought of diversifying our outreach program to
include foreigners in a step toward hastening the Lord's coming. At
present our group is comprised of English speakers of Kenyan, Armenian,
Canadian, American, Filipino, Mexican, Nigerian and Jordanian
[backgrounds]," he said.

The group is keen to initiate projects that will benefit the local
community. One such project will distribute food and household items to
needy families. "Out of this initial project we hope to develop a food
and clothing bank, based on donations from church and community
leaders," says Manougian.

Tasked with special responsibility for youth work for the Adventist
Church in Jordan, Manougian is involving young people in painting and
restoring one-room houses for disadvantaged families. He adds, "We are
working on including health and cooking seminars, seminars to help
people to stop smoking, English language classes, sports activities,
and youth programs for the community."

"Our long-term plans for growth are to involve attendees in all kinds
of ministries based on their spiritual gifts," Manougian adds.
"Involvement in lay ministry is fundamental to the growth of any
church."


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Papua New Guinea: ADRA Leads Literacy Initiative
Lae, Papua New Guinea .... [Chris Winzenried/ANN]
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An estimated 42 percent of males and 50 percent of females in Papua New
Guinea (PNG) have no formal education. Only 56 percent of women over
the age of 15 are literate. Statistics like this has led the Adventist
Development and Relief Agency in that country to set up literacy
programs in the Morobe, Central, Manus and Bougainville provinces.

One such program is a competition that ADRA PNG has been with another
nonprofit organization, Soroptimist International, aimed at motivating
Papua New Guineans to learn to read. Its inaugural competition was held
in Morobe earlier this year. There where 83 entrants to the
competition, with the theme "Kisim Save, Senisim Laip" (Gain Knowledge,
Change Life).

Another ADRA initiative involves students from Pacific Adventist
University (PAU) going into communities to teach both Pidgin and
English to the local villagers, who can then go on to teach others to
read and write.

"Twice a week my students gather their [readers] in small groups under
the mango trees to teach Pidgin while I collect a group of students who
want to improve their English," says Veronika Chester, a staff member
at PAU whose students work with local villagers.

ADRA PNG is also involved in HIV/AIDS education, Health Education,
Adult Literacy, Small Enterprise Development, Disaster Response and
Water and Sanitation.

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) of Papua New Guinea
works with people regardless of any ethnic, political, racial or
religious association to relieve human suffering, empowering both
individuals and communities to develop their full potential.
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ANN World News Bulletin is a review of news and information issued by
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ANN Staff: Ray Dabrowski, director; Mark A. Kellner, assistant director
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