ANR Bulletin, 21 September 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

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#54411 - 09/22/05 03:57 PM ANR Bulletin, 21 September 2005
Stan Jensen Carpe Diem!!! Registered: 09/15/06 Posts: 3945 Loc: 49.05° Lat- 122.3° Long	ANR Bulletin Adventist News Review Trans-European Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church 21 September 2005 In this Issue: * Poland: LIFEdevelopment.info IN POLAND * Cyprus: Middle East headquarters to return to Lebanon * USA: Christians call for partnership against poverty * TED Prayer Guide for week 25 September ? 1 October ?LIFEdevelopment.info? IN POLAND PODKOWA LESNA, POLAND [ANR] ? On September 11-15 about 80 pastors from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Poland gathered at the Seventh-day Adventist College of Theology and Humanities (ACTH) in Podkowa Lesna for their yearly workers meeting. This was followed on 17-18 September with meetings for Elders from 130 Adventist churches. The guest speaker for both meetings was Pastor Miroslav Pujiæ, Communication Director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-Europe region. Many reports by institutions of the church were discussed and presentations on ministerial ethics and legal issues were made by Pawel Lazar and Roman Chalupka, president and secretary respectively for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Poland. However, the main topic for discussion was ?mission in postmodern society?; its goals, directions and methods. Pujiæ highlighted the evangelistic strategy, known as ?LIFEdevelopment.info? which has been so successful in other European countries. Explaining the name of the concept Pujiæ said that the focus is on LIFE; not static but growing, nurturing, developing life. The core values of the ministry are Friendship (relationships), Process (growth) and Nurture (support). The ?info? should lead us to the latest forms of communicating about a better life. Pujiæ said, ?The focus of our interest should be the part of society that doesn?t attend church.? In Poland that is 46% of the whole nation according to the European Social Survey. Pastor Pujic shared information about the cultural conditions that help in reaching those people who are interested in spirituality but not belonging to any kind of denomination. Brain storming groups discussed ideas for reaching postmodern people in Polish society. The ?LIFEdevelopment.info? materials will be produced in the Polish language by the Polish Media Centre ?Voice of Hope? and three Polish conferences and the Publishing House will distribute them among members and pastors who have registered to participate. Pujiæ commented, ?I am very please that Polish pastors are eager to share the gospel with unchurched postmodern people using the concept LIFEdevelopment.info. The enthusiasm that I found among pastors and Elders is encouraging. We need to be seen, heard and felt with unchurched postmodernists? ?It was a good week? said Chalupka. ?It is fantastic to be able to implement such a concept, though it is not new. With God?s blessing we will find this method effective in sharing Jesus with the people of Poland. We have been stirred by the energy and enthusiasm of Miroslav Pujiæ as he has presented this strategy to us.? [Andrzej Sicinski/ANR] MIDDLE EAST HEADQUARTERS TO RETURN TO LEBANON STROVOLOS, CYPRUS [ANR] ? In a historic decision, the executive committee of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Middle East Region voted to move its headquarters from Cyprus to Lebanon, as soon as practicable in 2006. The decision came on the final day of their mid-year meetings, which were held on the campus of the newly renovated, church-owned, Middle East University in Beirut. The committee spent nearly all day on 18 September discussing various issues surrounding this matter; financial implications and cost factors of relocation, political stability in the aftermath of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri?s assassination in February and the subsequent Syrian withdrawal, and being able to carry out the mission of the church freely. ?We have seen and know how God will lead in His work here in the Middle East. I can't help but believe this is His work and He is in control,? says Michael Porter, president of the Adventist Church in the region. The administrative headquarters of the Adventist Church in the Middle East supervises church and humanitarian activities within the fourteen countries of the region, representing some 14,500 church members. It was evacuated from Lebanon to Cyprus in 1984 during the long-running Lebanese civil war which severely disrupted the activities of the church and made travel to reach members outside the country almost impossible. In the relatively peaceful years that have followed, there has been growing sentiment that the time is now right for the headquarters to return to Lebanon where the church still owns significant property on Sabtieh Hill in Beirut. ?Enormous amounts of work will be involved in repairing and renovating the war-damaged or neglected housing as well as suitable office space in Beirut, not to mention the work here in Cyprus; packing up and moving an entire office and the families involved,? says Pastor Porter, ?However, the administrative staff is ready to respond to the opportunities which have been presented. I invite your prayers on behalf of us all as we move forward in His service.? [Alex Elmadjian/ANR] CHRISTIANS CALL FOR PARTNERSHIP AGAINST POVERTY WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES [ANR] ? Churches and governments must pursue partnerships to eradicate extreme poverty if the Millennium Declaration of 2000 is to meet its 2015 deadline, faith leaders who met at a two-day summit at the Washington National Cathedral, said in a communiqué. Religious leaders from a wide range of denominations crafted and signed the communiqué outlining steps for governments and churches to take in building a global movement to help the poor. On 13 September the document was presented to United Nations officials in New York, on the eve of the world body's 60th anniversary, by a delegation representing the creators of the communiqué. The call for action against poverty came from a ?Consultation of Religious Leaders on Global Poverty?. The two-day session, 11-12 September, was sponsored by the Centre for Global Justice and Reconciliation, a new initiative of the Cathedral College of Washington National Cathedral, which is part of the Episcopal Church U.S.A. Among the 36 participants of the consultation were the former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Leonard Carey, as well as other leaders of world Christian communions. ?This is an urgent call and one that responds to the cry of the least among us -- the voiceless," said Pastor Rajmund Dabrowski, communication director of the Seventh-day Adventist world church, and a participant in the consultation. "It's a cry for justice to be done, and for equitable redistribution and accountability of the world?s wealth. As Christians, we know this cry, but we also know that much more must be done and that intentions must turn into actions.? ?Managing the world in which we live, a world of so many needs, is what Christians can contribute through their faith and actions,? he said. ?In the context of the abysmal presence of poverty; as a Christian I am compelled to consider generosity, solidarity and human justice and place it at the forefront of my Christian witness and presence, wherever I live. The Christian's response to a world of needs is driven by the gospel commission. Our response to God's call is a response to partner with Him,? said Dabrowski. Related Sites For full ANN article see http://news.adventist.org/data/2005/08/1126733071/index.html.en Call to Partnership communiqué You can read the "Call to Partnership" communiqué at this link. [ANN Staff/ANR] TED Prayer Guide for week 25 September ? 1 October 2005 ST ALBANS, ENGLAND [ANR] ? Across the world this weekend, members will be inviting their friends to join them in their Sabbath School and church worship. This is a great opportunity to show that we are not ?strange? people, but people who have found joy and hope in following what God asks us to do. What will visitors see in your church? Will they hear a strange language which excludes them when we talk in Seventh-day Adventist language? Will they seem strange rituals which nobody explains to them? Will they hear long quotations from ?Sister White? or ?the GC? whom they will not know? Will they find a neat, tidy church and rooms, a reverent but relevant worship? Above all, will they be so moved by their experience that they will really want to return? Let us pray this week for those who will arrange the services that they may look at the programme through visitor?s eyes. Prayer Requests: 1. For courage to invite friends to worship with us 2. For tact and a welcoming spirit to greet our visitors 3. That all visitors may be blessed by their experiences.. [Paul Clee/ANR] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ANR Staff: Miroslav Pujic, news director, Beverly Coysten, editor ANR, 119 St Peter's Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3EY, England E-mail: anr@ted-adventist.org Website: www.ted-adventist.org ANR (Adventist News Review) is a news and information bulletin issued by the communication department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-European Division. You are free to re-print any portion of the bulletin without need for special permission. However, we kindly request that you identify ANR whenever you publish these materials.
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