ANR Bulletin
Adventist News Review
Trans-European Division of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church

26 April 2006

In this issue:
*England: New director from Croatia for Adventist World Radio Europe
*Latvia: New Lithuanian officers elected
*Croatia: Nine pastors ordained in the Adriatic Union
*Croatia: Croatia Conference votes commitment to mission and staff
changes
*Sweden: Success in a hard place


NEW DIRECTOR FOR ADVENTIST WORLD RADIO ? EUROPE

ST ALBANS, ENGLAND [ANR] - Pastor Tihomir Zestic from the Croatian
Conference has accepted a call to be the new director for Adventist
World Radio ? Europe. Pastor Zestic is 42 years old and has worked
many years in Communication and Radio Ministry and has distinguished
himself as an efficient and spiritual leader. He was one of the nine
young pastors ordained in the Adriatic Union last Sabbath. His wife
Mirna and children are now planning to move to Bracknell in the
United Kingdom during the summer, where the AWR-Europe Office is
situated in brand new facilities. Pastor Zestic will be responsible
for coordinating and leading the work in the three European
Divisions: The Euro-Africa Division, the Euro-Asia Division, and the
Trans-European Division. This is an enormously large, complex and
challenging territory. Pastor Ben Schoun, the World Leader of
Adventist World Radio expressed to the Trans-European Division his
satisfaction that pastor Zestic has accepted the call and that he
will come with the blessing of his home field. ?We think Tihomir
Zestic is a very capable and visionary leader who will lead the work
in AWR-Europe eminently?, said pastor Schoun.

[ANR staff/ANR]


NEW LITHUANIAN MISSION OFFICERS ELECTED

RIGA, LATVIA [ANR] ? On Sunday, 23rd of April, the Baltic Union
Conference Executive Committee (BAUC) elected new officers for the
Lithuanian Mission. Bertold Vinston Hibner was re-elected as
president, and Deividas Vanagas was elected as secretary/treasurer.
The other positions in the Lithuanian Mission will be filled at the
Lithuanian Mission Constituency meeting, which will be held in
Kaunas, Lithuania, May 4?6.

Members of the Executive Committee also stressed the need to
co-ordinate the work across the outreach and nurture approaches of
LIFEdevelopment (LD), Natural Church Development (NCD), and Church
Planting Ministries (CPM). The LD concept provides materials to reach
secular people, Natural Church Development helps to revitalise
existing churches and the Church Planting Movement helps to
understand the process of organising new churches.

To improve co-ordination across the different departments, the
Executive Committee also voted to create the BAUC Strategic Planning
committee, which will consist of the president Valdis Zilgalvis,
Global Mission Secretary Andrejs Arinsh, Outreach and Nurture
Ministries Co-ordinator Guntis Bukalders, the Union Treasurer and the
conference/mission presidents.

"God has blessed the Baltic Union in a wonderful way. The growth in
membership, tithe and activities are clearly reflected in the reports
presented at our meeting. I am confident that God's blessings will
continue to flow in the Baltic region for His love will be manifested
to all people", said Ra?afat Kamal at the close of the meeting, in
which he served as the division president?s representative.
The Baltic Union has 6595 church members in 88 churches (as of March
31, 2006).

[Guntis Bukalders/BAUC]


NINE PASTORS ORDAINED IN THE ADRIATIC UNION

MARUSEVEC, CROATIA [ANR] ? On Sabbath, the 22nd of April, as many as
nine pastors were ordained for the gospel ministry, seven of them
from the Croatian Conference and two from the Slovenian Conference.
From the Croatian Conference: Predrag Brkiæ, Mladen Jurièeviæ,
Miroslav Mediæ, Zlatko Musija, Josip Peri?iæ, Darko Pirija and
Tihomir ?estiæ. And from the Slovenian Conference: Stjepan Jurèiæ and
Daniel Marin.

Many people from far and near had come to attend the ordination at
the Adriatic Union College situated in the beautiful surroundings of
Marusevec, the heart of the church in Croatia. In his sermon, the
Division President, pastor Bertil Wiklander, underlined that our
ministry should follow the ministry of Jesus, who mingled with
people, met their needs and won their confidence before he asked them
to follow him. The newly ordained pastors witnessed in the afternoon
meeting about how God has led them to become qualified for and accept
this important function in the church. These events were framed by
beautiful music in many different styles, showing a richness of ways
in which we give glory to God. ?It is very unusual in our division
that as many as nine pastors are being ordained at the same time,
said Pastor Wiklander. ?This is a sign of the good work of the church
in this part of our division and the wonderful potential God has in
Croatia and Slovenia for the future.?

[ANR staff/ANR]


CROATIA CONFERENCE VOTES COMMITMENT TO MISSION AND MAKES SOME STAFF
CHANGES

MARUSEVEC, CROATIA [ANR] - At an extra session called by the Adriatic
Union on 23rd February, the Croatia Conference delegates discussed
various challenges in the work, relating to mission, finances and
leadership. The session was attended by pastor Bertil Wiklander, the
Trans-European Division President, who shared a report on his
findings, after division assistance had been requested in October
last year. At the end of the session, decisions had been taken to
give full commitment to a new mission strategy where the Adriatic
Union and the Croatia Conference cooperate and act within the mission
plan of the Trans-European Division and the World Church. It was also
decided to review the staffing structure and the financial policy
compliance to enhance administrative efficiency. The combined
positions of secretary/treasurer were divided into two separate
positions: pastor Predrag Brkic was elected as conference secretary,
pastor Jakob Kelava as conference treasurer, and pastor Zlatko Musija
as youth ministries director. ?The change signifies a rejuvenation of
church leadership which is significant at a time of transition for
Croatia and Europe,? said pastor Bertil Wiklander, who also added:
?The Division is actively involved in making plans for strengthening
both the union and the conference, and it begins with leadership
development. I have always had strong faith in the great potential of
the church in this part of our division and I am confident that the
opportunities that God gives us for growth and development will be
well cared for.?

[ANR staff/ANR]


SUCCESS IN A HARD PLACE

MALMÖ, SWEDEN [ANR] - A week of evangelism training preparing young
and old demonstrated that the lost can still be reached and saved.
For the last 20 odd years the Swedish Union has experienced negative
growth. But the church is not giving up. Again and again, special
events take place to challenge the members and youth to witness, even
if the work is hard.

The latest of these events took place on Monday before Easter. 70
people met in Malmö in the south of Sweden for a week of hands-on
evangelism with a team from Michigan led by David Asscherick from
Michigan, USA. The mornings were spent in practical ?how to? seminars
covering: How to make and give Bible studies; How to gain a decision
for Christ; and How to make contact with others. The afternoons were
spent putting principles into practice.

On Thursday night 26 new contacts came to the meetings. And it will
now be the work of the local church to follow up and nurture those
contacts.

Linnea Utterbäck, a young Adventist in Sweden says, ?I was a little
unsure about coming as it meant studying in my holidays. But I feel
invigorated. I am going back to school more renewed than if I had
relaxed over Easter.? Another member of the youth, Rebecka Grennwall
adds ?I?ve learned so much, especially that when we dare to go out,
God is with us and gives us strength.? The Holy Spirit?s work was
tangible during the meetings.

Over the weekend 150 people came for a youth weekend ? Ambassadors
for Christ. When an appeal was made for people to be baptised, 12
young people came forward. Three were baptised on Sunday afternoon
and the others will be baptised in their local churches.

Swedish Union President Björn Ottesen says, ?The visiting team have
helped us get some wins under our belts and we are excited to see
what will happen as people go back to their local churches, share
their ideas and put into practice what they have learnt. It is still
true that the lost must be sought before they can be saved.?

[Audrey Andersson/ANR]


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ANR Staff: Miroslav Pujic, news director
ANR, 119 St Peter's Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3EY, England
E-mail: anr@ted-adventist.org
Website: www.ted-adventist.org

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