ANN Bulletin, June 28, 2005 - 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

You are not logged in. [Log In] unOFFICIAL WORLDWIDE ADVENTIST FORUM » Forums » Adventist News » Adventist News Network » ANN Bulletin, June 28, 2005

Topic Options

Rate This Topic

#44803 - 06/29/05 05:19 AM ANN Bulletin, June 28, 2005
Stan Jensen Carpe Diem!!! Registered: 09/15/06 Posts: 3945 Loc: 49.05° Lat- 122.3° Long	ANN Bulletin Adventist News Network Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters June 28, 2005 In This Issue: --------------------- * Advertising: Session Message Beamed to St. Louis Area * Boonstra Takes Helm of the Ministry that Led Him to the Church * High-level Conference Inaugurates Religious Freedom Institute at Andrews University * Sweden: Church at 125 years Commits to Evangelism * Korea: New Church for Teenagers in Toegyewon * News Briefs: ADRA Assists Uzbek Refugees in Kyrgyzstan --------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- Advertising: Session Message Beamed to St. Louis Area St. Louis, Missouri, United States .... [Mark A. Kellner/ANN] ------------------------------------------------------- With as many as 70,000 Adventists and friends expected in St. Louis during the 58th world church business session, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is explaining the sudden influx to the local community. A series of billboards, television, radio and newspaper advertisements will tell residents about the meetings and why the 142-year-old denomination is assembling in the center of the United States to conduct its official business. "We're in town in a big way, but a lot of people don't know who we are and why we're there," said Reger Smith Jr., director of public relations for the world church. "We [Adventists] have a challenge of presenting ourselves to the community as a face they can recognize," he added. Normally, the local Adventist church membership of roughly 3,500 people would be all but lost in the 2-million-plus St. Louis area, where the majority of people are Roman Catholic Christians, followed by members of the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod, with headquarters in a St. Louis suburb. But the presence of the General Conference Session will draw attention to the Adventist movement, creating an opportunity, Smith said. The advertising "becomes part of a bigger outreach that we are doing, saying we're here as part of the community," he said. Other outreaches will include cultural events, community service projects and a Bible festival to which the community will be invited. A key element of the advertising program is five large billboards visible on major roadways around town. Each shows two expressions on a person's face, one that is sad or conflicted, and another that is happy and confident. Headlined "The Ultimate Makeover ... Transformed in Christ," the billboards are designed to quickly convey the Session's theme of regeneration through faith. "Our challenge was to make 'Transformed in Christ' not just an internal slogan for the meeting, but also something that reaches and connects with the community; the idea was to add 'the ultimate makeover,' playing off the public's interest in [television show] makeover themes. It's the makeover that lasts," Smith said. He added, "Then we found we had the opportunity to do television, newspaper and radio; so that's when we decided to expand the same theme to a television commercial. Using this theme of people, we wanted to represent a variety of people showing the spectrum of the church's membership." All the models were people who either work at the church's world headquarters or are members of nearby congregations. The creative team included Smith, Ray Dabrowski, communication director, John Banks, media relations director, John Torres, public relations specialist and Melita Pujic, communication intern. Global Mission videographer Daniel Weber and freelance musician John Stoddart contributed to the television ads, which were voiced by Adult Bible Study Guide editor Clifford Goldstein. The TV spots, the first Adventist church advertisements filmed in high-definition, used still photos as visuals, with Pujic and Smith as the photographers. Two additional informational TV ads, created by Adventist Media Productions (AMP) in Simi Valley, California, will air in St. Louis. One pre-Session spot explains why Adventists are coming; a second, to air during the meetings, will offer more information. Both spots invite the public to attend events at the America's Center venue. The world headquarters and North American Adventist church region are sharing the cost of the media buys, while North America has covered the production costs for the ads, Smith said. The media campaign is likely to be repeated in Atlanta five years from now, when another major city will wonder who is visiting in such large numbers, and why. ------------------------------------------------------- Boonstra Takes Helm of the Ministry that Led Him to the Church Thousand Oaks, California, United States .... [Michele Stotz/ANN Staff/It Is Written] ------------------------------------------------------- Shawn Boonstra could not have known many years ago as a child when he was watching It Is Written on an old television set with his brother that one day he would take the helm of the international television ministry. The newly-appointed Boonstra is now the third speaker/director in the ministry's 50-year history, taking over from Mark Finley who was appointed director of Global Evangelism for the Seventh-day Adventist world church. The television ministry, affiliated with the Adventist Church, is focused on communicating the Gospel to the world through a weekly telecast, a worldwide evangelistic ministry, and Christian living and faith-sharing resources. Boonstra was not raised in the Adventist faith, but was drawn to the ministry as a child. "My brother and I watched It Is Written because everything on the program was taken directly from the Bible," he said. He considers this particular appointment as proof of God directing his life. "Little did I realize where that first contact would eventually lead. It Is Written has played a substantial role in my spiritual life. ... Now, every week in front of millions of viewers, I get to do for others what It Is Written did for me," he said. The ministry continued to be integral in his spiritual journey long after childhood. Boonstra, a native of British Columbia, joined the Adventist Church 12 years ago after attending an It Is Written evangelistic series in Victoria. After he and his wife, Jean, were baptized, both decided to commit their lives to gospel ministry. "What I enjoy most is sharing Christ with people and seeing their faces express the joy only He can place in their hearts," Boonstra said. "I found Christ through It Is Written's outreach and the work of the Adventist Church. I grew up in a Christian home and knew the Bible, but it took It Is Written to get me across the line and into a firm commitment to Christ." Soon after joining the Adventist Church, he graduated with a degree in political science from the University of Victoria, and later attended the Adventist seminary, Andrews University. He went on to work as associate pastor in the church that originally baptized him in Victoria. From there, he accepted an evangelism internship with the church in British Columbia. Following this internship, he was given three churches along the Alaska Highway. Boonstra said, "My district was larger than the state of Washington. I spent my days ministering to families in this region, and it was incredibly rewarding." Approximately seven years ago, Boonstra became an associate speaker for It Is Written Canada under the leadership of then-speaker Henry Feyerabend. In 2001, he became the speaker for It Is Written Canada. Over the past few years, It Is Written Canada has grown exponentially. Estimates show that as many as 2 million people watch the program on a weekly basis, and on one network, it held the highest ratings for 25 weeks, beating out all other programs. It Is Written was the first ministry to use satellite uplink technology to spread its evangelism messages, and continues to find new and creative ways of impacting the world. The ministry recently concluded a historic satellite series that was beamed from the city of Kiev, Ukraine, to the former Soviet Union and Europe. Over the next year, Boonstra will hold meetings in the United States and India. The new position is a humbling one for Boonstra. "No one can replace Pastor Finley, just as no one could have replaced [founder] Pastor Vandeman," he said. "I am confident It Is Written will continue to be a dynamic force in global evangelism with Pastor Boonstra at the helm," said Finley. "Under his direction, this ministry will break new ground in online, broadcast and live evangelism." ------------------------------------------------------- High-level Conference Inaugurates Religious Freedom Institute at Andrews University Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States .... [Jonathan Gallagher] ------------------------------------------------------- Under the theme of "Religious Liberty: Last-days Outreach," religious liberty leaders and experts met at the Andrews University -- a higher education institution of the Seventh-day Adventist Church -- to inaugurate the new International Religious Liberty Institute. The June 26 and 27 conference brought together promoters and activists to launch the new institute that will bring "a new focus to these vital issues and provide a working location to better enhance the religious liberty program," said newly-elected institute director attorney Nicholas Miller. "Through this conference we hope to make a statement that we are even more committed to issues of freedom of conscience than ever before," Miller continued. "Adventists have long been known as faithful defenders of religious liberty, and by basing this new institute at Andrews University we believe we can further strengthen our commitment to the fundamental God-given rights to freedom of belief. By combining academic studies with practical involvement in the field of religious freedom and human rights we hope to make an even greater difference." A certificate program in church-state studies is planned. Visiting scholar Dr. Derek Davis in his keynote address spoke of the importance of guarding the separation of church and state, and analyzed the current situation of religion in politics and issues of civil religion. He also commended the Adventist Church for its ongoing commitment to promoting and defending religious freedom for all. Davis is director of the J M Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies, Baylor University, and editor of the prestigious Journal of Church and State. Former United States ambassador for International Religious Freedom, Robert A. Seiple, added his enthusiastic words of encouragement and identified those present with the title of his presentation: "Ambassadors of Hope." He looked forward to an institute where "truth is passionately pursued on behalf of the most vulnerable -- the persecuted." Seiple, once head of World Vision, now chairs the board of the Institute for Global Engagement. Also attending the conference were international visitors and leaders including Dr. Corwin Smidt from Calvin College, Dr. John Graz and associates from the Adventist world church's department of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, along with scholars from Andrews University. ------------------------------------------------------- Sweden: Church at 125 years Commits to Evangelism Ekebyholm, Sweden .... [Audrey Andersson/ANN Staff/ANR] ------------------------------------------------------- Swedish Seventh-day Adventists celebrated the 125th anniversary of the church's organization in their country with a five-day business meeting and spiritual session. The event was held in Ekebyholm, Sweden, and focused on ways to share the gospel story with yet more people. With a theme of "Come, Lord Jesus," 300 attendees responded positively to the challenge to win someone for the Lord in the next two years. "Throughout the business sessions and other meetings the emphasis has been on evangelism, on reaching out to family, friends and neighbors," said Bjorn Ottesen who was re-elected president along with Audrey Andersson as executive secretary, and Ronny Hermansson as treasurer. The evangelistic emphasis was reflected in sermons by guest speakers Dr. Bertil Wiklander, president of the Adventist Church in the Trans-Europe region, and Pastor David Asscherick from the United States, both encouraged everyone to recommit their lives to Christ and become involved in evangelism. "The re-elected leadership, led by pastor Ottesen, sets a clear direction for the growth of the church, and I believe we will see great things happening in the future," Wiklander said. "A spirit of optimism and hope has permeated the meetings and it was a wonderful ending to the session to see so many making a public commitment to winning souls for the kingdom," Ottesen added. The meetings blended church heritage with cutting edge technology. For the first time the morning worships and evening meetings were broadcast via the Internet using streaming video. They were also videotaped and will be available on DVD. Other church officials admired the work of everyone who worked to organize the sound, lighting and technology. "It has been very encouraging to take part. ... There are many talents in this union, and I have seen so many who are happy and proud to be in the forefront in their church," Wiklander said. There are nearly 2,800 members of the Seventh-day Adventist church in Sweden, who worship each week in 42 congregations. The church operates a junior college, publishing house and natural foods company in the nation as well. ------------------------------------------------------- Korea: New Church for Teenagers in Toegyewon Seoul, South Korea .... [Song Sung Sub/ANN Staff] ------------------------------------------------------- A newly-organized church designed for young people -- the first of its kind in South Korea -- is attracting teenagers to the Toegyewon Seventh-day Adventist Church, 6 miles (10 kilometers) Northeast of Seoul, the nation's capital. The church structure is along the same lines as a church for young adults which opened in 2004 in the same city. "There is not enough suitable culture or programs for the youth or teens in church," says Joshua Dong Hee Shin, youth director for the church in the Northern Asia-Pacific. The young people are not very satisfied with the current church [culture]." In the new church teenagers are given more freedom and more responsibility, operating their own worship service and programs. More than 100 attended the first service on May 28. Byung Kyu Kim, teenage group leader, said, "When I came to the church, most of the church programs were focused on adults. But now I am very happy to have our own space in church." "The Teenagers' Church is established to make church attractive to students and get them to love being active participants -- not just passive bystanders. They may realize the vision and mission of the Lord through their services in the church," said Toegyewon Church Pastor Jong Ho Yang. "The youth in the current church are the future leaders of the church," said Dr. Jairyong Lee, president of the Adventist Church in the Northern Asia-Pacific region. Young people under the pervasive pressures of secularism and materialism in South Korean society often find it difficult to become involved in church activities, regional church leaders say; this opportunity provides religious education and evangelism. ------------------------------------------------------- News Briefs: ADRA Assists Uzbek Refugees in Kyrgyzstan Silver Spring, Maryland, United States .... [ADRA/ANN Staff] ------------------------------------------------------- The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) became one of the first humanitarian agencies to provide emergency supplies to 530 Uzbek refugees in Kyrgyzstan. They fled to Kyrgyzstan after violence broke out in the city of Andijan, Uzbekistan, on May 13. The number of deaths resulting from the violence is yet to be determined. The refugees, who were suffering from bullet wounds, received clothing, hygiene products, towels, blankets, medical supplies, books, toys, and other necessities valued at more than US $20,000. "This assistance was vital for suffering people looking for asylum in the Kyrgyz Republic, and we express our gratitude for the participation of the organizations that contributed to the project," said Victor Zotov, director for ADRA Kyrgyzstan. The organizations that contributed to the relief effort include: ADRA, AmeriCares, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Sabre Foundation, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Kyrgyz Republic, and deputies from the local parliament in the Southern region of Kyrgyzstan. ------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) 2005 by Adventist News Network. 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA 20904-6600 phone: (301) 680-6306. e-mail address: adventistnews@gc.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. Adventist News Network is a registered trademark of the General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. 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. ANN Staff: Ray Dabrowski, director; Mark A. Kellner, assistant director for news; Wendi Rogers, editorial coordinator; Taashi Rowe, editorial assistant; Lynn Friday, administrative assistant.
Top