CANADIAN ADVENTIST � May 1998 .:feeitng Hope ne Life at a Time Readers Respond Well, we finally covered an issue that generated some response from readers and resulted in several letters to the editor! We welcome your feedback. Please continue to write in with your viewpoints and reactions to the news and issues that are featured in the Messenger. Re: "Why We Do Not Support Labor Unions" (January, 1998), I would like to correct, if I may, two misconceptions the writer appears to have about unions: 1) that all unions are the same, and 2) that all unions are "money grabbers." Last year I retired from a provincial government union position, so I believe I have some experience with a union. Not all unions are the same. I agree, some unions have their problems but most work for the betterment of others. A group of employees can organize as a union of workers to speak as one voice for better working conditions for all concerned (not to "bring the employer to their knees"). Yes, that includes "fair" wages. However, they are also "commit- ted" to: • healther working environment (e.g. protection from environmental pollutants) • healthier and safer working conditions (e.g. allowed breaks, safe machinery) • protection from harassment (sexual or otherwise) • fairer hiring practices (e.g. friends are not hired above qualified workers) • educational opportunities • protection from discrimination (e.g. color, sex, disability) I believe most Christian churches, including the SDA, have not shown a great interest toward the above concerns. If they had, maybe we would not have had the need for unions. Union mem- bers are not "contented" to sit back and watch others suffer. The writer mentions that Jesus is "not so much interested in the fairness of the issue as He is about the heart of the issue." I'm suggesting the lack of fairness causes the heart to question. I believe in that particular story the employer appeared to be deceptive. Most union members do not "pick up picket signs and scream `scab'." Most contracts are settled amicably without any action taking place. I found the tone of the article intol- erably self-righteous and as far as Mrs. White's statement that the trade unions "will be the cause of the most terrible violence that has ever been seen," one only has to study history to see that most of the terrible violence in history has been on the "behalf" of religion, especially the Christian religion. When I first joined the SDA Church, I asked why union membership was dis- couraged. I never really got a straight answer. They either said, "Well, some of our members are union members" or "Well, I just don't believe in joining a union." Having read this article, I still feel I have not been given a straight answer. Those who do not agree with their unions have a voice and opportu- nity to work within the union. They also have the choice of not joining a union. Fay Atkins, Vernon, B.C. I am writing to comment on the article "Why We Do Not Support Labor Unions." As indicated by its title, the article was mostly one-sided. In the inter- ests of religious liberty (of viewpoint), I would therefore like to offer some points to balance those in the article. Modern-day unions have changed beyond recognition from those that existed in the days of Ellen G. White. Would she still be warning us off joining organizations which uphold professional standards of craftsmanship, which work toward recommending a decent wage for their members, and which provide com- petitive group rates for insurance and health benefits for their members? Unions would probably not be need- ed if all employers treated their employ- ees fairly. Unfortunately, many business owners and managers do not follow a Christian work ethic. Those who work for these employers — the ones who are in business purely for profit — risk being summarily dismissed in an eco- nomic downturn, despite the employers making motherhood statements that "our employees are our most valuable resource." How many Adventists who work in a non-union shop have been dismissed when they refuse to work on the Sabbath? It is surely the greedy employers (who place the "need" of the shareholder to receive increased divi- dends above the needs of the employees who helped to make the profits in the first place) who can be likened to "the rich fool who built bigger barns." It would seem that Jesus' idea of fair- ness in business is different from our present-day standards (see Matthew 20:1-15); in this parable, the business owner is favored! So much has changed in the intervening years, particularly the concept of job security and the complex- ity of employment contracts. Unions provide a unifying structure to help employees understand the complex issues and bargain as a body so that they can earn a living wage for their families. To participate in this process is not to imply that employees are covetous or greedy. Of course there are bad unions, but then there are bad employers too! And I am sure that in the good unions, there are leaders who believe in showing God's love to humanity — the down- trodden segment of it who make up their membership. I believe that it is time that the Adventist Church softened its atti- tude against unions and left individual members to form their own opinion for or against this issue. Roger Gregory Fort McMurray, Alberta continued on page 27 2 �May 1998 Messenger HEART TO HEART A Vision for Service by Frank McMillar Director of ADRA/Community Services British Columbia Conference Name recognition of the Adventist church is diminishing year after year, according to the North American Division's Commission on the Public Image of the Church. However, every Adventist can do something about it. At the end of its five-year study, the commission concurred that "if every member would model the beautiful life of Jesus in their everyday living, and simply let people know they are Seventh- day Adventists, it would be a powerful publicity money could never buy." Why is it, many wonder, that in spite of all the outstanding achievements of the church over the decades, we are not known nearly as well as, for example, the Salvation Army? Is it the uniforms? Their standing by street corner donation receptables at Christmas? While that may all help, I submit it is something far more fundamental than that, something requiring careful evaluation by each of our churches. Sitting in a recent meeting to plan emergency preparedness initiatives of our church with the British Columbia gov- ernment, I was fascinated by a comment from a senior official when I told him what organization I was representing: "Oh, yes. ADRA! It's one of those agen- cies that just quietly, determinedly goes about its work without blowing its horn." How insightful, and what a neat way to be known! When you're focused on mission, performance is the burden, not publicity. Yet lack of positive awareness can sometimes be a result of our careless indifference to opportunity. One thing I've noticed: whenever there is a good story happening to cast the Salvation Army's organization in a positive light, the Army is in the news. This is good communication at work, which we should not overlook. But I submit that one prominent reason the Salvation Army is so widely respected is that the public has come to know that when people are down and out, the Army is always there. That's a vital secret: just being there for people. It's down-on-your-knees, scrubbing- the-floor religion that God wants more of. Practical piety, arm around the shoulder, caring for people no matter who they are or what they are like. Are we willing to spend time and step low with the lowly of society? Our Public Image Commission admitted that the "caring church" coat we tried to wear years earlier was a failure because, except for isolated incidents, the church at large was simply "not there" for people. The "people of prophecy" must as importantly be God's benevolent bene- factors to the world around us. We have said that philosophically, but now we must show it more tangibly in the com- munities we serve. As I move among our people and churches, I see a new paradigm emerg- ing. There is a hungering in the hearts of our people to take their religion to the streets, ministering to the felt needs of the community. This is an exciting day for the church if we can but catch the vision for service! As Larry Buckner, disaster consultant/trainer for the North American Division, puts it, "It ain't your grandma's Dorcas anymore." Comm- unity Services must become an energiz- ing force in our church, involving not only the wisdom of the elderly, but the vigor of our youth. Working during the last 18 months to build a disaster response program by our church in the B.C. Conference has given me a galactic view of community services compared to an earlier, narrow planetary view. Now I see Adventist Community Services as an umbrella ministry under which all non-proselytizing outreach of the church is to be done. A multitude of positive-lifestyle programs need to be brought to communities in the name of ADRA, making it and Adventists a household word in every town and city. Will it take work and energy? Believe it. But it will produce phenomenal results for God's Kingdom. On every conceivable front, we must be there for people, not to present pushover religion, but to model Jesus' compassion for meeting human needs. No baited hooks! Let's work and let the Spirit lead. How appropriate that our Public Image Commission finalized the follow- ing image theme for the next decade or more: "Seventh-day Adventists will com- municate hope by focusing on the quality of life that is complete in Christ." God has surely given this church deep insight on the abundant life as it is in Christ. We know our days are numbered for accomplishing gospel work, yet I cannot escape the overwhelming conviction that Community Services is that compassion- ate caring work that must characterize God's church. I'm very sure there will be people in God's kingdom who decide to cast their lot with God's people in the end, purely over the remembrance of benevolent deeds done to them in the spirit of Jesus. Let's take our religion to the streets and model Quality of Life as it is in Him, and work and watch as God's work flourishes. I May 1998 Messenger � 3 Uganda Over the past 10 years of working for ADRA Canada, I have been very proud of the work we have accom- plished with the Lord's help Philippines Bangladesh Bangladesh COMMUNITY SERVICE FEATURE ADR A A Global Ministry of Love by Lisa Mercer Associate Director/Programs I could hear the laughter and singing of children in the distance as we drove up to the village. It was very hot due to the intense sun burning down that day. I was visiting ADRA Canada-funded projects in beautiful Dominican Republic. This was my first field visit, and I was very excited by the fact that I would finally see what I had read so much about. Our first stop was a small village where ADRA had sponsored a water project. As I stepped off the bus, I was overwhelmed by the greetings of the local people, especially the children, and all the happy smiles I saw. Everyone was so excited to greet me and to thank ADRA for the new village water system. Even now, I still remember the smiles and joy of that day. Our next stop was an orphanage where ADRA had built an irrigation system. The water helped the gardens flourish, which in turn provided fruits and vegetables for the many children who lived there. As we walked near the boarding houses, I was surrounded by little ones who took turns holding my hands and singing Jesus Loves Me for my benefit. They all wanted to show me their rooms and introduce me to their foster families. After hearing some of the tragic stories of some of the small tenants, I was amazed at how children are children wherever they live, whatever their circum- stances. They loved to sing and just wanted to be loved. At that moment, I realized how important the world- wide ministry of ADRA really was, and I was greatly touched to be a part of it. ADRA is really a wonderful means by which we share the love of Jesus to those who are hurt- ing and broken. It provides a way for people to have hope in their lives. Through these opportunities, people have a chance of realizing happiness and self-worth. I personally believe that it is our responsibility to help each other no matter where we live or what we look like. Over the past 10 years of working for ADRA Canada, I have been very proud of the work we have accomplished with the Lord's help. Since 1985, ADRA Canada has grown from a two-per- son organization to the present staff of seven full- time and four part-time positions. Our organiza- tion has developed a very strong partnership with the Canadian government as well as with workers overseas. It is very important to us that we execute our work duties effectively and efficiently, and that depends on having capable, caring people working in the local communities. 4 � May 1998 Messenger Bangladesh Philippines Nepal I am continually impressed by the fact that ADRA provides an oppor- tunity for people to have the simple basics of life — those same simple things that we take for granted: love, good health, self-respect, quality of life, and the ability to speak out about what is hap- pening in our communities. So many of the people we help don't have clean, safe water to drink — a basic item that we Canadians take for granted. Many don't have a decent place to live, and they may not have the means to feed their children. They have no social system set up to help support them. When ADRA meets with local communities, people are given an opportunity to express their needs and, working together, we implement projects to assist in providing these basics of life. In Rwanda, for example, ADRA Canada is helping to resettle people who fled during the terrible war. They have no place to live, no food, no dean water, and are very unsure about what life will be like when they return to their homeland. ADRA Canada, with the help of the International Humanitarian Assistance fund (a sub-section of the Canadian gov- ernment), is helping these returnees build homes, plant gardens, and repair the water system. The local people are very appreciative of what ADRA Canada has helped them accomplish. Thanks to our partnership with the Canadian International Devel- opment Agency (CIDA), ADRA implemented a million-dollar housing project in Rwanda. Families now live in homes, are growing vegetable gardens, and have easy access to dean, safe water. The Canadian government was so impressed with the quality and efficiency that went into this program that they have given a second million-dollar grant to build 700 more houses in Rwanda. ADRA Canada is making a difference in these peoples' lives by helping them recover from a terrible tragedy. ADRA Canada is committed to help- ing the poorest of the poor, and this is seen over and over again in the many projects we do. We make sure that our programs are helping women and chil- dren, and that they do not harm the environment. We evaluate and focus programs so that we target those who need help most. It is impossible to solve all the problems of the world, and some people wonder, "How can a few dollars help in the midst of so much need?" Our philosophy is that we are making a difference . . . one life at a time. Each person we help is a success story, for there is a global need for the basics of life. In some cases, problems exist simply because people just do not have a chance to determine their destiny. This is where we can truly make a difference. We can provide that opportunity, and we are making a difference in the life of each person we help. Again and again we hear stories of how ADRA has helped mothers with their sick children, how people have witnessed love in action for the first time in their lives, how they have been given back their self-worth because they can provide for their families and be proud of who they are. ADRA is much more than just feeding the poor or teaching someone to fish. It is a means of showing the love of Jesus, and each of us as Christians is responsible for that. Sometimes we are asked, "Why isn't ADRA bigger? Why don't we ask for more money from the government and do more projects?" The simple answer is that the government only matches funds that ADRA Canada collects through the ADRA Annual Appeal, donations, and offerings. If we do not have the funds to match, we can't get additional money from the government. ADRA Canada has changed my life, and I know it can change yours. ADRA Canada has helped me keep in perspective what is most important in life: love, happiness, acceptance, peace, and the opportunity to share what I have with those who don't have. You may ask, "What can I do?" The answer is simple. Help ADRA help others. Help show Jesus' love to those who have never been loved. Help provide the basics that we take for granted. Support your local Adventist Community Services program, get involved with the ADRA Annual Appeal, organize a fundraising event to help bring awareness to what ADRA is doing in other parts of the world. With your help and support, we can make a big difference . . . one life at a time. I May 1998 Messenger � 5 As the end of the century draws near, it is an amazing exercise to reflect on the last 100 years of Adventist history, particularly on how Adventist Community Services (ACS) has evolved. In doing so, one can learn a great deal about what our pioneers have accomplished and can walk boldly into the future to finish God's work. by Nadia Bettencourt National Program Coordinator Early History Denominational interest in non-sectari- an humanitarian work first appeared in an organized way in the early 1890s. The Seventh-day Adventist Medical Missionary and Benevolent Associat- ion started as a charitable program in the urban slums of Chicago. Initially funded by profits from the denomina- tion's fledgling medical work and later by significant donations from church membership, the Chicago mission included a homeless shelter, a "penny-a- meal" cafeteria, inexpensive overnight lodging, clothing distribution, a home for unwed and destitute mothers, a community health and recreation center for mothers and children in the stock- yard district of the city, and an employ- ment agency for released prisoners. The idea caught on in other cities until, by 1903, Adventists operated mis- sion centers in 24 cities located in 17 states and three countries. It was not long before these social services were drawing attention overseas. By 1918, pioneer church workers had caught the vision of overseas outreach and raised funds for relief supplies for Europeans affected by World War I. World War II brought unprecedent- ed devastation to Europe, parts of Asia, and North Africa. Whole nations were threatened by starvation and disease. By COMMUNITY SERVICE FEATURE Adventist Community Services: 1944-5, the church had set up ware- houses in New York and San Francisco to process relief materials for overseas shipment as a response to the human suffering. During the 1940s alone, almost three million pounds of clothing were shipped to 41 countries and island groups, many of these areas affected by World War II. First Disaster Relief Efforts Because of these world events, one of the church's emphases necessarily turned toward disaster relief. In the decade fol- lowing World War II, church leaders saw advantages in giving these growing inter- national operations a clearer identity as a distinct service of the church. In Nov- ember, 1956, the General Conference voted articles of incorporation for the Seventh-day Adventist Welfare Service, Inc. (SAWS). The mandate given SAWS kept the organization's focus almost exclusively on relief activities, both overseas and here at home in North America. Imple- mentation of the broader concept of development was at least two decades in coming. Development Initiatives By the mid-1970s, SAWS began to broaden its mission from disaster relief into programs leading to long-term development. Successful development initiatives overseas coincided with a broadening vision, symbolized by a slight but significant change in the agency's name. In 1973, the word "Welfare" was replaced by the word "World," suggesting the move beyond crisis assistance to worldwide initiatives for general human development. SAWS became Seventh-day Adventist World Service, Inc. The church wanted to emphasize the shift from a predominantly relief organi- zation to one that included community and institutional development. It also 6 � May 1998 Messenger All photos are from the Fredericton SDA Community Services Center in New Brunswick The Past, Present, and Future wanted to provide better coordination and promotion of these different, yet related, programs. In 1983, further reor- ganization resulted in the birth of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). At the time of this restructuring, ADRA established affili- ates in other countries, including Canada. Strengthening the Domestic Canadian Program During the 1980s, the church's humani- tarian programs in Canada appeared to have dwindled to the point where the majority of existing programs were in the form of Dorcas Society rooms in many church basements. These programs worked diligently on a case-by-case basis to help provide relief — primarily cloth- ing and some food baskets — for the needy, but no real lasting impression seemed possible. Increasingly, Adventists were asking, "Why doesn't the church in North America do something for the homeless, Native people, and others in need?" Because so many local churches thought only in terms of a traditional Dorcas Society, they sometimes overlooked the work Adventist Community Services (ACS) could do. In the early 1990s, ADRA Canada — who, as the humanitarian agency of the church had already shown much success overseas with development pro- jects — was asked to become involved with the ACS program. It was recom- mended that ADRA Canada develop a domestic program to be responsible for: • Adventist Community Services • Adventist Disaster Response • ADRA Annual Appeal ADRA Canada had already been fielding questions from the Canadian Interna- tional Development Agency (CIDA) such as, "How can a church-based agency be interested in the needs of peo- ple overseas, yet not be interested in, and indeed, not doing anything about the needs of people right here in Canada?" The timing seemed providential. Adventist Community Services In 1992, ADRA Canada hosted a visioning and strategic planning meeting with administrative representation from across Canada. It was agreed that ACS would gradually shift its focus from that of a church-based, relief model of com- munity services toward that of a more community-based, development model. The following methods would be used: The Relief Model This approach aims at helping people survive by meeting their immediate emergency needs. Habitually, churches have done this through the process of donations of food and clothing, and the outcome is survival. This does not address the real problem; it simply takes care of it for today, but tomorrow we must do the same thing all over again. Rehabilitation and Education Another basic approach to helping the needy is called rehabilitation or educa- tion. This helps people to restore their lives and/or to get education. This is done through the process of therapy or teaching. The outcome is that of restora- tion or learning. This approach may be utilized after emergency relief has been offered and the individual no longer has to worry about his/her survival. Development The development approach allows peo- ple to start acting on their own behalf; May 1998 Messenger � 7 it empowers the individual. This is done through the process of facilitation or community-building, and the outcome is that of enablement. People are sup- plied with the necessary tools to make positive changes possible within their own lives, and therefore within their communities as well. ADRA Canada believes that all three approaches can be used as building blocks within an ACS program to be an effective outreach in Canadian communities. E Pie ea One example of successful implementa- tion of these combined approaches is Fredericton Community Services Inc., of the Adventist church in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The members had a dream. In 1983, with only a small room set aside in the basement of the church at 870 Grandame Street, the Dorcas Center was mush- rooming to the point where it was beginning to engulf the whole church basement. One day in June, the church board went to the Lord in prayer. The path became clear: they needed to step out in faith and build. Today, operating out of a debt-free building located next to the church, Fredericton Community Services cur- rently serves approximately 800 families per month. Food and clothing are dis- tributed twice weekly to needy families and individuals at no charge. In addition to their food and cloth- ing distribution programs, they provide health-oriented projects such as Breathe Free, health, and nutrition classes; a seek-and-find furniture exchange; com- munity cooking clubs; and Christmas gifts for children. Pending seminars to be offered by the Center include pro- grams on family violence and child development. In 1992, a new program was intro- duced. Community Academic Services Program (CASP) is a free academic upgrading service program, where adults over 22 years of age may come and receive assistance in English, math, sci- ence, etc., from a Grade 2 up to Grade 12 level. Program participants receive assistance in preparing for their Graduation Equivalency Diploma (GED). They may also receive help with creating a job resume or learn how to do simple banking tasks. These students have access to a computer as well as the Internet. Each individual is tested for grade placement into the program. They may continue in the program as long as they wish or until they have completed a Grade 12 equivalency. There are two classes, four hours each, five days per week. There is space for eight students in each class, and the classes are always full. A letter from the New Brunswick government said, "Please accept this letter as an unqualified endorsement of your services. The Fredericton Seventh- day Adventist Community Services Center and its directors and network of volunteers provides an invaluable ser- vice to the economically disadvantaged in the Fredericton area." E pie • OtherC fD �include AthSe prga Halifax orrs n x � Community Care Network CI) � Society, which runs the Parker Street Food Bank and Furniture Bank. This organization is also an ADRA affiliate agency striving to meet the needs of the community. • Adventist Community Services — Winnipeg just opened their center in downtown Winnipeg in January, 1998. The classes to be offered at this center include health education, liter- acy, money management, sewing, stress control, weight control, parent- ing, and basic life skills. Their ser- vices currently include clothing dis- tribution and operating a food bank depot in conjunction with the Winnipeg Harvest Food Bank. • The van ministry in Calgary feeds up to 250 people each Sunday, bringing much comfort to the city's homeless, especially during the cold winter months. • The Toronto Adventist Community Services Center is providing much- needed relief to many in the greater Toronto area through their food 8 � May 1998 Messenger Is This Us? I was hungry, and you formed a humanities club and discussed my hunger. Thank you. I was imprisoned, and you crept off quietly to your chapel in the suburb and prayed for my release. I was naked, and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance. I was sick, and you knelt and thanked God for your health. I was homeless, and you preached to me of the shelter of the love of God. I was lonely, and you left me alone to pray for me. You seem so holy, so close to God; but I'm still very hungry, and lonely, and cold. pantry and clothing distribution. They have tremendous potential to add other services which will help rehabilitate and/or educate individu- als and eventually enable them to take steps to help themselves and provide a better future for themselves and their families. When this hap- pens, communities are built up and become better, safer, and happier places to live and thrive in. Adventist Disaster Response — 1998 ADRA Canada wishes to thank the many participants who so generously donated goods, time, and money in an outpouring of support to the victims of the recent ice storm in Quebec and Eastern Ontario. Some conferences gen- erously pledged $10,000 each, and church member offerings made our response not only feasible but quite suc- cessful. The Quebec Conference has scheduled December 4 to 6 as the date for an Adventist Disaster Response Training workshop to occur. Please con- tact the Quebec Conference for more information. Numerous Volunteers Trained 1997 was a busy year for ADRA Canada's Adventist Disaster Response (ADR) training program. More than 100 volunteers were trained at Camp Hope in April, while another 45 attended an ADR training course held in Oshawa for Eastern Canada. The first ADR training workshop of the new year was held in the London South SDA Church on Feb. 20 to 22, 1998. Twenty-one volunteers participated and are now certified as ADR volunteer responders. During the weekend of March 6 to 8, 1998, the Maritime Conference sponsored an ADR training workshop at Sandy Lake Academy in Nova Scotia, where another 20 volunteers completed their training. During March 13 to15, 1998, at Kingsway College in Oshawa, the Ontario Conference-sponsored training workshop saw 34 individuals complete their ADR training. On March 27 to 29, 1998, ADR training for the Manitoba/ Saskatchewan Conference was held in Winnipeg, and more than 35 volunteers were certified. The next ADR training workshop is scheduled for Red Deer, Alberta, on May 8 to 10, 1998. Please contact Evangeline Medavarapu at the Alberta Conference office at 403/342- 5044 if you would like more informa- tion or to register. This Year's Goal Our ADR goal for 1998 is to double the number of trained volunteers we current- ly have in Canada. As of December, 1997, we had 200 people who completed training courses and received their certifi- cation. So far in 1998, 110 people have been through training courses. There is so much more to do. ADRA Annual Appeal Many innovative and creative ways of raising funds for the ADRA Annual Appeal (AAA) were utilized in 1997. A few churches did walk-a-thons, and two individuals completed marathons to raise funds through sponsors. Many churches reached their goals through door-to-door solicitation and communi- ty campaigns. Thank you for your faith- ful and generous support. Throughout the year, ADRA Canada's periodic newsletter, The Periscope, will continue to keep members informed of ADRAs national programs and projects. From the smallest rural gathering of car- ing believers, to the largest urban church, each individual and congregation in Canada can help make a difference. We are partners together. Let us continue to fulfill the vision of the pioneers that has made ADRA the life-changing agency that it is today. I May 1998 Messenger �9 COMMUNITY SERVICE FEATURE Q & A's about ADRA Canada What is ADRA? What is ADRA Canada? ADRA is an acronym for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency. It is an internationally-recognized nonprofit charitable organization established by the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the specific purpose of community development and disaster relief. ADRA Canada is the Canadian arm of the worldwide network of ADRA offices. ADRA Canada is assisted by CIDA (the Canadian International Development Agency of the Canadian government) in its operations of integrated community projects in the two-thirds world (also known as the Third World). What kind of projects does ADRA do, and who benefits? Functioning as a humanitarian agency, ADRA helps support, rehabilitate, and enhance the quality of life and well- being of developing peoples. While it is impossible to change the circumstances that determine the plight of millions of people in distress, ADRA seeks to attack the problems of poverty, hunger, homelessness, disease, and disaster in an effort to make a difference every day. ADRAs main focus on development covers health, basic educa- tion, women in development, water and sanitation, small enterprise development, food securi- tY; and emergency response. It provides training programs to encourage people to help themselves and to effect desired change. ADRA encourages the development of self- reliance and determina- tion regardless of ethnic, political, or religious asso- ciations, with particular emphasis on the needs of the very poor. It regards them with respect, as partners with whom it works in a learning and sharing relationship. The majority of ADRA projects have women and children as prima- ry beneficiaries. Nepal Why should we send funds overseas to help develop- ment programs for the underprivileged when we have people here in Canada who are unemployed, home- less, and hungry who need our help? That Canada has unemployed, homeless, and hungry people in our communities is a fact that cannot be denied. However, Canada also has social programs in place where people in these circumstances can get assistance. We have shelters for the homeless, soup kitchens for the hungry, and training programs to help the unemployed upgrade their skills so they can get jobs or even start their own businesses. In developing nations overseas, many underprivileged people don't even have water to drink or clothes to wear, let alone a house to live in or a means of earning an income. The gap between our lifestyle and theirs is sometimes shocking, and there are no social programs that will help them. They don't even have access to life's basic necessities. As a faith-based organization, ADRA follows the Biblical man- date to be good neighbors and to be "our brothers' keep- ers." Our Biblical directive is based on the words of Christ, "Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these, My brethren, ye did it to Me." (Matthew 25:40 New King James Version) We believe this includes God's children all over the world. ADRAs mission is to provide those basic needs and alleviate the incredible suffering. How is ADRA helping to meet the needs? We are making a difference, one life at a time. Simply by pro- viding water, families now have an opportunity to grow gardens as a source of food, and in many cases they can also market the surplus produce to gain an income. This in turn helps them buy clothes, and upgrade their living standards. ADRA Canada also helps in providing food and shelter in disaster situations until people can re-establish themselves. What other skills is ADRA teaching people? One of ADRA Canada's main goals is to provide people with the ability to take care of themselves. This may start with providing them with a water system and educating them on hygiene, health, and sanitation. Then we teach them gardening techniques and the importance of nutrition. In many countries, we also train people how to market goods such as handcrafts and produce from their gar- dens. Soon, these people are earning their own living and are not dependent on anyone. Once skills have been mastered, many individuals start their 10 � May 1998 Messenger by Kay Bacchus, Lisa Mercer, and Nola Pal own businesses; ADRA Canada has assisted many com- munities by setting up cooperatives and loan centers which provide start-up funds to get small businesses going. In no time, these small loans are paid back and are used to start up other businesses. What happens when the project is finished? ADRAs goal is for the local community to become self-sufficient and, in a sense, establish their own social system. In the Philippines, for instance, a common water-taps project was funded in a particular community. Because the local people supported the project so well with their dues, they were able to expand the project to bring water right into their homes. Even then, they still had money to send water to the next com- munity. Once the sec- ond water system was installed, the dues were used as a pool to help families within their community if they were Nepal � in need (sickness, death, loss of home, etc.). In this way, the community no longer depended on ADRA, and developed their own way of supporting themselves. How do you know the funds are being spent correctly? ADRA Canada makes special field trips to each partner coun- try office and evaluates the programs being funded. This includes seeing the project, checking the office files for all the necessary documents (such as approvals), review- ing the accounting of the project funds, and checking the bank accounts to make sure the funds were spent appropriately. ADRA Canada also answers any questions the partner office has on the management of programs or possible future funding for new projects. How is ADRA Canada helping local people to have a voice in their communities? Besides providing the tools and skills for people to take care of themselves, ADRA is also giving communities a sense of pride and self-sufficiency. No one likes to be dependent on anyone, and just because two-thirds nations do not have all of the amenities Canadians have access to, doesn't mean they don't want to have some say in what affects them, their self- worth, and their destiny. Why isn't ADRA on TV? � Nepal ADRA Canada recognizes that individuals who make dona- tions to our organization do so in good faith and that the funds must be spent responsibly. In order to be frugal in this matter, ADRA Canada has refrained from the exorbitant costs of TV advertising and has resorted to less costly, yet effective, promotional media. We try to keep our administrative costs to a minimum. Our donors prefer that we spend their contributions on helping the poor rather than on high-priced TV awareness. Why do we spend money on advertising and printing newsletters? I prefer for my donation to help some- one directly. It seems we are caught between the feelings of people who want ADRA to be more visual and those who feel their donations need to be sent exclusively overseas. Part of the Canadian International Development Agency's (CIDA) mandate is to educate the public. CIDA recognizes that without advertising, there wouldn't be much fundraising to support ADRAs ongoing program to humanity. ADRA wants to inform its donors about the wonderful changes our programs are effecting in the lives of people, so that they may know they are making a worthwhile contribu- tion. Once-a-year communiques, such as a Christmas card, are sent as gestures of goodwill in appreciation of our faithful supporters. It has been suggested that we thank donors through the Canadian Adventist Messenger. However, this would only reach people who receive the Messenger and not our total Kenya May 1998 Messenger �11 clientele. We have quite a number of non-Adventist people who have learned about ADRA over the years who also support our programs regularly. Our com- munications department works very hard to keep the friendship of these individuals and the public at large. In doing so, most of our materials are produced in-house to keep publication costs to a minimum. How much of my tithe does ADRA receive to pay for salaries and operation costs? Zero percent! Part of our funding comes from our faithful and generous donors, and part of it comes from CIDA. Sometimes, we also have outside contracts with other organizations from which we get an administrative fee. Wills, estates, and investments are also sources of income. The ADRA Annual Appeal is a big part of the money we are able to raise in order to sponsor projects. How does matching from CIDA work? For every dollar we raise for the overseas development program, CIDA has matched it at a ratio of three to one. It is very important that the ADRA Annual Appeal is given full thrust and support, as this is where a good portion of our matching dollars come from. Other areas within CIDA provide different matches as well. For example, the International Humanitarian Assistance Fund (IHA) gave us two projects of a million dollars each for housing in Rwanda, and it was more than a ten- to-one match. The Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) also provides an opportunity for matching anywhere from four to one or more depending on the program. ADRA administration attempts to obtain the maximum match for every dollar donated. Recently, the Auditor-General of Canada commended ADRA Canada, saying that ADRA was one of the best non-governmental organiza- tions (NGO) for financial accountability. What can I do in my own community to assist with ADRA's work? Escalating social, economic, and natural disaster problems in Canada and around the world have mandated a strong ADRA outreach program now more than ever before. Church members and volunteers can serve people at home and on the world front by joining forces with Uganda ADRA so that together we can channel our combined energies and resources in a great humanitarian work. Each community has unique needs as well as needs that impact all communities. Loving and compassionate concern for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of people in any commu- nity is fundamental to Christian service, which is a requirement for discipleship. By building self-esteem, self-reliance, and workable relations with people in our community or in the world community, we declare that as followers of Christ we do care, and thereby we role- model His love and His manner of serving others. What are the needs in your community? Awareness of the needs first requires an assess- ment, followed by preparedness for some sort of response, whether immediate or long-term. Whatever the need, whatever the assistance rendered, helping people in a real, tangible way builds more than public relations for your church. Most importantly, it is serving others in Jesus' precious name. ADRA is helping people help themselves. The invitations are compelling and call for speedy action. We invite you to be partners with us so that we may complement each other in a wonderful ministry of compassion and gen- uine love. We suggest that you network in your church and community. Befriend your neighbors and communi- ty leaders. Coordinate your efforts and pool your resources. Keep in touch with your local and conference representatives. Your goals and objectives may be reached as you plan and execute your plan of action. We will be happy to support you in any way we can, and we con- tinue to anticipate your prayers, financial support, and involvement in our projects and outreach programs. Help us build awareness by telling others about us so that they too may become involved. ADRA gratefully acknowledges all our supporters, donors, and friends. As you continue to support us, we are confident that God will bless the good and life-saving work which we have begun in Him. I 12 � May 1998 Messenger CUC business teacher Kojo Akabua Business Department Taking Bold New Steps SAilonu ADIPISO,u, Drawing on the experience and background of instructors from four different continents, CUC's business department is break- ing new ground. Four new ini- tiatives and the success of its graduates are putting CUC in the happy position of finding that business instructors at public institutions are recom- mending CUC to their students. New Offerings in International Business and Customized Degrees The Faculty Council, which approves changes in curriculum requirements, recently accepted a course recommenda- tion of the business department that will strengthen the unique position of CUC as one of the few undergraduate business degrees where students can focus on international business. Now all business students will have at least one course in the area and can fur- ther tailor their degree in that direction if they so choose. Other areas that stu- dents can choose from to customize their three-year bachelor of arts or four- year bachelor of business administration are accounting, finance, marketing, and small business. I Accounting Software Proficiency Required Keeping an eye on the requirements of professional licensing bodies, CUC is phasing in new software requirements to ensure its graduates will have a step up if they elect to go on to write CA (certi- fied accountant), CGA (certified general accountant), or CMA (certified manage- ment accountant) examinations. "The CA program accepts all CUC courses for its requirements," notes Patricia Ng, who teaches the accounting courses, and who has an American CPA designation. She worked in accounting in the Philippines and Malaysia before obtaining a master of business adminis- tration degree in the United States. The CA designation, considered by many to be the toughest professional accounting designation to get, has for many years required a four-year degree before the exam can even be attempted, and CUC graduates have done well at professional examinations (see Graduates Excel article). To ensure this record continues, stu- dents in intermediate accounting are now required to be proficient in at least one accounting software program, and next year knowledge of a second soft- ware program will be required to keep in line with recent CGA requirements. This summer, the use of a taxation soft- ware package will also be introduced. I New Scholarship Promotes "Thinking Canadian" A privately-funded scholarship was estab- lished this year for business students who initiate projects or research of national interest. The chair of the department, � Marcus Berger Marcus Berger — who originates from Brazil and obtained his MBA at McGill University — sees the scholarship as a good incentive for the 40 students cur- rently enrolled as business majors to think of practical applications for the knowledge they are acquiring in the Canadian context. As a privately-funded scholarship, the donor will be the judge of whether there is a project or research undertaken in a given year that meets the criteria. If not, the money will be held and accumulated so that the effect will be a double schol- arship award the next year. I Business Advisory Committee Broadens Departmental Horizons To keep abreast of what other business programs are doing and to help CUC hone its program as both unique and practical, a new committee was struck at the beginning of this academic year. The Business Advisory Committee is composed of the chair of the finance depart- ment of the University of Alberta (U of A), the chair of the business department of Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Calgary business consultant Myrna Belyea, CUC business teacher Kojo Akabua (PhD agricultural economics, University of Alberta), CUC department chair Marcus Berger, and CUC dean of the division of profession- al studies Jim Jeffery. Akabua, who as part of his doctoral research developed software for valuing goods that do not have market prices (e.g. the contribution of recreational activities to a province's economy) was instrumental in obtaining some of the high-caliber committee members. The U of A chair, who was Akabua's doctoral advisor, has also co-authored a paper with Akabua, which is slated for publi- cation in a professional journal. After the fall meeting, the always- practical Belyea noted, "The input from the people from NAIT and the U of A was invaluable." Akabua agrees. May 1998 Messenger � 13 CUC accounting teacher Patricia Ng "We're young [in terms of established business programs]," Akabua says. Citing the uniqueness of CUC's international business offerings at the undergraduate level and the great resources available through the new committee, he adds, "We can become well-known, one of the big business programs in Western Canada." He notes that the NAIT chair has already recommended CUC to his students. I Graduates Excel in Accounting Positions There has been a surge of interest in accounting since Patricia Ng joined the faculty last year. Dubbed "the accounting dynamo" by colleague Karen Bottomley (MBA, University of Toronto), Ng's enthusiasm for her subject is contagious. "I had a great time with them last semester," Ng says. "Their interactions and comments showed a high level of enthusiasm." Taking no credit for her own role in this enthusiasm, she rates the students in her classes as very good to excellent. Her assessment of CUC's accounting student talent cannot be far off, judging by the success of CUC graduates. Not all opt to write professional accounting exams; there are, after all, many other things that can be and are being done with a CUC business degree. Included in the list of those who have gone on to professional accounting work, however, are: Stephen Roberts (class of '97, cur- rently with Collins Barrow in Red Deer, Alta.) was admitted to the Alberta Institute of Chartered Accountants and will be writing exams this summer (see A Summer in the Life article). Cindy Guttormson (class of '91, cur- rently with W.A. Sellmer Ltd. CA, Kamloops, B.C.) received her CA desig- nation in April and is planning to open her own office in Kamloops. Dan Graham (class of '96, currently with Melvin Thomson CA, Killam, Alta.) was accepted into the fifth level of the six-level CGA program in Alberta, exempt from the first four levels based on his CUC degree. Corine Bruce-Glover (class of '92, currently practicing in Prince Albert, Sask., and formerly assistant treasurer of the Manitoba/Saskatchewan Confer- ence) received her CGA designation this summer. I New President Named — Effective July 1, 1998, Randal Wisbey will be the 22nd president of Canadian University College. Wisbey, who teaches in and was a key archi- tect of the accredited master of arts in youth ministry degree at Andrews University in Michigan, has a keen interest in youth lead- ership training. His primary expertise is in the area of youth culture and in helping young adults find ways to transform their culture. Though only 41 years of age, his administrative, teaching, and training skills have taken him throughout North America and Europe. A full-length article on Wisbey will follow next month. New York Metropolitan Opera Winner Sings at CUC — Angela Brown, a recent winner of the New York Metropolitan Opera contest, gave the congregation of the College Heights SDA Church a taste of her ability in two well-known spirituals. She drew a large crowd to her evening program of spirituals and operatic music, accompa- nied by CUC assistant professor of music Jacquie Schafer. Though it was the dead of winter, her agent reports that Brown thoroughly enjoyed the warm reception to her music and her time at CUC. Library Gains New Computer Stations and Research Capacity — The five new workstations recently added to the library will help accommodate the new computer search capac- ity. One of these search engines, EBSCOhost, provides the full text of 1,000 current journals in all subject areas, with no charge to students for printing or E-mailing articles. CABL Challenge Weekend — During the weekend of events sponsored by Collegiate Adventists for Better Living (CABL), chap- lain Glenn Sackett, from Hawaii, demonstrated the fun and benefits of a Christian lifestyle. This included trad- ing in his surfboard for a snowboard and hitting the slopes with his son, CUC outward pursuits/education major Scott Sackett. I 14 � May 1998 Messenger Jerry Livadney 0 .0 For more information ALUMNI OFFICE CANADIAN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE (403) 782-3381 1-800-661-8129 A Summer in the Life Stephen Roberts, Co-op Student One of the opportunities CUC business students have is the option of getting academic credit for practical business experience. The business internship program allows professors to monitor student performance and progress through employer reports and personal contacts, while also allowing students to gain what 1997 bachelor of business administration graduate Stephen Roberts calls "excellent experience." Now employed by an international accounting firm with 560 offices in 80 countries, Roberts reflects on his co-op experience and the other business preparation benefits he found at CUC. "My co-op placement began during my second year as a business administration student at CUC. It was a new program within the department, and I and Nicole Miranda were the first to participate. My placement was with Marsha Duggan of Worklife Consulting. In my capacity as a co-op student, I had the opportunity to set up this small business' accounting systems — the entire gamut from the set-up of accounts to all daily entries. I worked closely with the owner and got to develop a portion of the marketing for the business. "Due to the nature of this business, I had the option of setting my own hours, and Mrs. Duggan was flexi- ble with exam schedules as well. This was an excellent experience in the running of a small business. At the same time, I was running the business end of an auto- propane business, so my knowledge of small business accounting was becoming diverse. "In addition to these experiences, I also worked in the CUC finance office. This exposed me to more of the practical work in the accounting field. "The 'real world' is much different from the class- room, and it is a drastic change to go from one to the other. The co-op program helps to make this transition smoother. "Currently, I'm employed with Collins Barrow Chartered Accountants in Red Deer as an articling stu- dent. This summer I will get to test my knowledge and experience when I write the first part of a two-part qualification exam. I feel fairly confident, as the firm I am with offers a lot of assistance to students and I am able to draw on the experience I have already gained in this field. "My time at CUC was a valuable part of this prepa- ration, due to small class size, low professor-to-student ratios, and the advantage of the co-op program." I WEEKEND PROGRAM Come for a weekend to Celebrate, Reconnect, and Renew as we look at what it was like IN THE BEGINNING At the conclusion of this 90th Anniversary Year All Alumni and Friends are cordially invited to celebrate HOMECOMING '98 on the campus of Canadian University College and Parkview Adventist Academy 5 — 7 June 1998 Honour Classes: 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, and 1993 Registration Drop by the Alumni Centre to let us know you're here. Browse through old yearbooks and other displays. Friday Vespers Whirl through 90 years of history and remember that "we have nothing to fear for the future" as we consider God's leading in the past. Sabbath School Listen to the Class of '73 talk about their commitment to service. Worship Service Participate in a time of praise and thanksgiving with special speaker Myrna Tetz. Fellowship Lunch Enjoy lunch with friends and classmates in the CHAJA gym. History Walk Meet the struggles, dreams, and visions of the past. Class Reunions Applaud the achievements of the present. Awards Banquet Celebrate the miracles God has worked in our lives. Golf Tournament Take time for exercise, fun, and fellowship on Sunday. May 1998 Messenger � 15 The Vision Team, on an outreach trip to Regina, Sask., presents a short skit. (L to R) Bjorn Hetland, Cheralee Shipowick, Matthew Hay, Nicholas Kydd, Marlin Morton Each semester, as part of the religious studies program at Parkview Adventist Academy, students are encouraged to participate in an active outreach program.There are planned activities such as sunshine bands, soup kitchens, food bank, handicapped exercise project, help unlimited and mentoring projects.The students may also choose other activities they find in their own neighborhoods and communities. As well, there are teams of students — Youthquake and Vision — that plan Sabbath programs and go out to share their love for God with churches who have extended invitations. The following is a small sam- ple of Grade 12 students, giving their testimony to the life-changing experience of sharing their time and talents with others. YOUTH LIVE The Outreach Program at Parkview Adventist Academy A Blessing to Our Student! This year I have gone to the elderly home with the sunshine bands. It was a good experience to go and sing of Jesus and His love to the old people at the home. Then I went to a soup kitchen in Red Deer with some friends, and we served pancakes. It felt good to be able to help those who were hungry by giv- ing them something to eat. Some people don't want to leave for a long time. I went and talked with one man, but it was very hard because he was fooling around and making no sense at all. He got a bright idea to untie my shoelaces. He really got a kick out of that, and when I tied them back up he would untie them, so I left them untied. I tried to tell him that there is a God that loves him, but I don't know how much he understood. He finally decided he should go, so I shook his hand, and it seemed like he didn't want to let go for a long time and just chuckled. It seemed like his hand hadn't been shaken for a long time by the way that he reacted. It was neat for me to see the response of a street person receiving love from a young person. Sheldon Trenchuk � A �. During my high school time, I have done some outreach such as handicap child project and soup kitchen. While helping Nancy, a handicapped girl, to exercise, I felt that I was very blessed as well as being a blessing to her. Even though it was very hard both emotionally and physically. I think it helped me to see a whole different side of the world that I couldn't have discovered if I had not met Nancy. By looking at her par- ents' love, courage, and hope for Nancy, I thought that I should live my life better with hope and courage. At the soup kitchen, I've asked myself many questions like "Would I want to live like this?" "Why do they live like this?" "What has caused them to be like this?" Those questions, raised in my mind, allow me to think about my future more deeply and to see a different world that I've never seen! Soo-Young Song I have done quite a few outreach pro- jects, but the one that I would like to focus on is Project Ice Storm. It was a really good experience for me. I would have thought that people would have been more willing to give. I guess I was just very naive in my outlook on society. For those few people who were home, either they would not come to the door, or they would just close the door when they realized that we wanted money. They would often use the excuse that they didn't have any money. Some would give just enough to get us away from there, and still others were happy and excited to see somebody caring about those in trouble and would give all they could. This experience really opened my eyes to how cold our world really is. And it made me happy to think that even though the world may not be there for us in the time of need, God always will be! Collette Lofton 16 �May 1998 Messenger Self Denial — A Short Story 1 first came to live with the poor man in the middle of February. His rundown WWII-era house had no heat, and he had no blankets. He slept in his ragged coat on the bare wood floor. I could have helped him greatly. Each morning I observed that he would head out to find some form of work. Often I would be with him when he was rejected because of his shabby appear- ance. I was there one day as he sat on the curb. He said, talking not to me but to himself, "Why me? I've always tried my hardest. Why was I the first to be laid off when cutbacks came? I was always at work early, and I always stayed late. Now no one will hire me." Then he stood up, and we walked away. Shortly after, I went to live with a well-to-do businessman. He owned a chain of 30 liquor stores, which provided him with great wealth. His house could best have been called a mansion. It was composed of 13 rooms, the least of which was the size of the poor man's house. The heating costs alone could have fed the poor man a feast for a year. He had no need for my help. Unfortunately, there was no time left in his life for a family. In fact, his pool and three Porsches were seldom used. The last night I was with him, he was feel- ing particularly remorseful. He sent out his maid to get ice cream, which was the only joy he could find in his life. Then, as chance would have it, I went to live with a Christian. He was not poor, but he certainly wasn't rich. What he made in his little corner store barely covered his monthly living costs. But he truly was a Christian. He led a joyful life, according to his favorite Bible text, "Do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things." Matthew 6:31-32 New International Version. Money was not an issue in this man's life. I could not have done anything to improve his life. The very next day after I came to live with the Christian, we passed the poor man. The Christian was moved with compassion. He looked at me and then at the man. "Brother," he said, "accept my small offering. I wish I could do more. I own the grocery store just down the block. Come with me and eat. I've been looking for a new clerk." And he pressed me into the beggar's hand. I could have paid the phone bill or the electricity bill. Instead, I was given in love. I by Robert Holm a Grade 12 student from North Battleford, Sask. &Am ind Our Community 1 started outreach when 1 came to high school. When I took Religions Studies 15, I did a lot of soup kitchens and sun- shine bands. At first I felt a bit awkward, but then people started to open up to me. I found it fun to talk to strangers. About this time I joined a group called Joyful Voices. We are just a group of friends who love to sing and put on services. One experience that sticks out in my mind was the time we put on a church service at Edmonton South. It had been a long week and all of us were tired, but we all started to sing and sud- denly all of us were just smiling. We went on to put on one of the best services we've ever done. Not because we sang any better, but because we were all so happy, and our audience could see that. After we had finished our service, a guy came up and started talking to me. He was my age, and he said that he had really felt touched by our service because he saw that God can really make us happy. And that if He could make us that happy, then he wanted to try Christianity. It taught a good lesson. That a happy face goes a long way. Kris Samaraj Outreach has helped me through these last two years. CHAJA mentoring has shown me a new light in how little kids need someone always there for them just like we always need God there for us. Vision has been a blast and an encour- agement to my Christian faith because when you share God and your faith, you also grow in that faith. Sunshine bands is an enjoyment that should never be stopped. It is enjoyed by those who receive the music and by those who sing. When the seniors join in, it is even more of a blessing because you know they share the same type of faith as you. A while back, we went to Saskatche- wan with Vision, and just seeing the joy on the people's faces just brightened the whole weekend. Being able to work together with God and the group to bless others is worth every minute of practice and hard work. Cheralee Shipowick [abbreviated quote] When you have the responsibility of showing people God, you have a ten- dency to learn about Him for yourself. Greg Armson May 1998 Messenger � 17 (L to R) Blair, Doug, Roberta, and Cherie Knight NEW MEMBER PROFILE I Needed To Be Shown by Doug W. Knight member of the Creston SDA Church y ou know, this is about the last place on earth you would have found me three or four years ago. God and I had a thing going — I wanted no part of the church or anything that went with it! It wasn't that I didn't believe in God, you understand; I did, but because of religious abuses and things that happened in my family that split some of the family to this day, I wanted no part of churches or religion. Unknown to me, Roberta, my wife, had started searching for Christ in her life; at the same time Blair, my son, met with a crisis at university and began searching also. In the process, he ran into difficulties at the university and came home for eight months to find new direction. Dealing First with Stress About this time, a stress management seminar adver- tised at the local Adventist church in Creston, B.C., caught Roberta's attention, and she wished to attend. We had a lot of stress come into our lives over the last number of years, so I thought it would be a good idea to take the course. We had taken Gary Smalley's Love Is a Decision seminar a year earlier, and in 1976 I had taken the Five Day Plan to Quit Smoking seminar, which ended a 15-year, pack-a-day habit. We enjoyed the stress management seminar, and after it a Discover Jesus seminar was being planned which Roberta and Blair were attempting to get me to attend. I wasn't much interested, but my wife persisted, so finally I decided to go just to keep her happy. It didn't do much for me, though — some people can accept Christ by faith, but I am from Missouri. I needed to be shown. Intrigued by History and Prophecy The Net '95 prophecy seminar advertising began shortly after, and that really caught my attention. I had always been interested in the prophecies of the Bible. As a child, I read Daniel and Revelation but did not understand it at all. So when I heard of this prophecy seminar, I really wanted to attend and so did Blair. Roberta said, "You have to be crazy, do you know how long it runs — five nights a week for a month! You need to realize we live twenty miles from town, and it is the middle of winter." I had been a history major in school and knew quite a bit about the Dark Ages, the Reformation, and the Catholic Church's part in it, so I could relate the prophecies to history. Each night after the program, Blair and I would study late into the night. We wanted to check everything out to be sure what we were being told was true. One Last Chance Halfway through Net '95, I had a strange feeling come over me: I knew I had found what I had been search- ing for all my life — that the Bible was really true! For three days this strange feeling continued. You know how it is when you lose something really impor- tant, and when you suddenly find it you can't quite believe you really found it? The last night of Net `95 came, and Mark Finley made his final call. I was seated near the front of the church with Roberta and Blair. Pastor Dave Giles was standing at the front by the large overhead screen, and as Mark continued to make his call, I had a strong feeling inside me that I wanted to respond but kept resisting. 18 � May 1998 Messenger b Then an overwhelming sense came over me that this was one last chance to do my duty as a father and spiritual leader of my household. I had not raised my family with Christ in their lives. Slowly I walked to the front, not looking back, praying that Roberta and Blair would follow. After a little while, Blair stood beside me, but Roberta did not respond at that time. There was too much pain in her life — pain from her child- hood and problems in our lives — and she wasn't cer- tain if I was for real. Hoping My Family Would Follow Blair and I were baptized into the Creston Seventh-day Adventist Church on April 15, 1996. I began praying every night for Roberta and my daughter, Cherie. Cherie was living in Victoria, and we didn't get to see her very often but phoned her once a week. We didn't talk too much about religion, and I tried hard not to hammer our new beliefs on her, but even so she picked up on the changes that were taking place at home. She mentioned she attended the Adventist church in Victoria. Once in a while, out of enthusi- asm, we would share some of the new things we were learning. We had no idea what was happening with her spiri- tually until we went to our first camp meeting at Hope. We were introduced to Don Stoyanowski, pas- tor of the Victoria church at that time, and told him we were Cherie Knight's parents and were happy to hear Don say, "Oh yes, I know Cherie, she goes to just about all our church functions." God's providence was at work in strange ways — Cherie was laid off work just as camp meeting began, so she came over to Hope and the whole family was together for the week. What a spiritual feast it was. There was just too much good stuff to take it all in. "Hi Dad, I Couldn't Wait" When Net '96 came along, you couldn't keep me away. Roberta and I attended every night at the Creston church, and Cherie attended at the Victoria church. Unknown to me, Roberta and Cherie were trying to make arrangements to be baptized in Creston when the whole family would be home for Christmas, but when we got home after the last night of Net '96 there was a message on our answering machine from Cherie, "Hi Dad, I couldn't wait, the Holy Spirit is moving me, and I'm being baptized tonight at a special bap- tismal service at the Victoria church." When the kids were both home for Christmas, Roberta was baptized at the Creston church. I am so very blessed and humbled to see how the Lord brought my family into His church. I thank God for His answer to my prayers. I of Canadian Adventist members and churches in action I NEWFOUNDLAND/ LABRADOR Cable Station Supports ADRA ADRA Canada. It's a name that is slowly but surely becoming familiar among the general public from coast to coast. Thanks to the members of the Corner Brook church in Newfoundland and its affiliation with local media, ADRAs name is progressively becoming a household name. With only 40 active members, the Corner Brook church has collected an average of $5,500 in each of the last five years. In 1997, ADRA annual appeal coordinator Paul Casey, in consultation with the local pastor, John Redlich, created a new approach to the annual appeal and adopted the theme "Adopt-a-Street." Several members had their own particular streets that they could start in their own time. As well, they would go back to these same streets every year. Using this method, a better relationship would be established between ADRA, the volun- teer, and the potential donor. So far this method has proved very successful. We praise God for this effort and also attribute some of the success to the local cable station, Cable 9. Upon approaching program- ming manager Brian McHugh, Casey discovered that McHugh was familiar with the outreach of the church. After hearing from Casey about ADRAs work, ADRA coordinator Paul Casey poses on the set of Cable 9's program "Talk of the Town" May 1998 Messenger � 19 Enjoying their ADRA t-shirts are (L to R) Claudine Wall, host of "Talk of the Town"; programming manager Brian McHugh; and technical producer Daryl Murley Brian Favelle, of the British Columbia Association of Food Banks, signs the OVER BC constitution NEWS McHugh invited him on the community program "Talk of the Town," hosted by Claudine Wall. From there, many doors were opened to promote ADRA via cable television. Along with the taping, ADRA Canada has been promoted through commercial spots aired throughout the year, as well as advertisements notifying the public of ADRAs annual appeal. With the combination of church members and media working together, there is no limit to what can be done to help the less fortunate, both locally and overseas. Thanks so much to Corner Brook's community chan- nel Cable 9, and to all those nationwide who support ADRA Canada and the ADRA annual appeal. • by Paul Casey ADRA coordinator Corner Brook, Nfld. • BRITISH COLUMBIA B.C. Government Seeks Major Emergency Preparedness Support from Adventists An unprecedented opportunity for the SDA Church in British Columbia to put its community services program into action has been opened by the Ministry of Human Resources. Over the last two years, the government's emergency prepared- ness program, under the auspices of PEP (Provincial Emergency Program) and ESS (Emergency Social Services), has been looking to nonprofit corpora- tions and voluntary agencies to fill supportive roles in times of disaster. Larry Buckner, disaster response consultant/ trainer for the North American Division, spear- headed disaster response initiatives in the confer- ence at a training seminar at Camp Hope in 1996. Enthusiasm among 45 attendees blossomed into a group tripling in size a year later, and participation is continuing to mount steadily. Adventist Disaster Response (ADR), a division of ADRAs work, has been a concern of the church for years, but only in the last half decade has it become a driving force, particularly in the United States. Since hurricanes Hugo and Andrew, the response program has become proficient in managing donated goods that accumulate from the general public in times of major disasters — so much so that in some states, ADR is top-listed for "first call" among voluntary agencies. God has opened doors unbelievably for this unique humanitarian endeavor to come into Canada, particu- larly British Columbia. In 1996, Buckner also initiated dialogue with Ivan Carlson, leading bureaucrat in emergency preparedness with the B.C. government. A preliminary meeting welcomed a dozen voluntary agencies to the table to discuss the formation of a gov- erning body to coordinate a collaborative effort for emergency response. Since September 1996, this group of agencies — which includes the Canadian Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Adventist Disaster Response, and others — has formed a nonprofit corporation known as OVER BC (Organizations Volunteering for Emergency Recovery in British Columbia). While ADRA will be playing an important role in any long-range recovery process — by virtue of its spe- cial mandate to deploy trained volunteers for handling donated goods in collection and distribution centers set up in disaster situations — it is targeted especially to help as "first responders." At recent planning meetings, ESS discovered Adventists could fulfil a task they have long sought an agency to perform province-wide: to assemble and co- distribute with ESS volunteers personal comfort kits to disaster victims and evacuees. This places the Adventist church in a unique place of service to our government and fellow citizens. • by Frank McMillar, director of Adventist Community Services, British Columbia 20 � May 1998 Messenger The Flame This shape is formed by three lines encircling an implied sphere. The lines represent the three angels of Rev. 14 circling the globe and our commission to take the gospel to the entire world. The overall shape forms a flame sym- bolic of the Holy Spirit. The Open Bible The Bible forms the base of the design and represents the Biblical foundanon of our beliefs. It is portrayed in a fully opened position suggest- ing a full acceptance of God's word. NEWS ISDA CHURCH IN CANADA New Corporate Identity — Speaking with One Voice The lines at the top of the design suggest a continued upword mamma symbolizing the resurrection and ascension to heaven at Christ's second coming, the ulti- mate focus of our faith. The Cress The symbol of the cross, representing the gospel of salvation, is positioned in the center of the design to emphasize Christ's sacrifice, which is the central theme of our faith. The General Conference communication department has introduced a new communication initiative and visual identity for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which the Canadian conferences and national head- quarters are in the process of adopting. The main feature of the identity program is the graphic symbol; the goal is for the symbol to be imple- mented by church entities world wide and — through consistent use — to become synonymous with the name Seventh-day Adventist. Ray Dabrowski, director of the General Conference communication department, explains further, "We, as Seventh-day Adventists, should be known for what we stand for and how we identify our faith and mission. The new corporate identity reflects our deep and abid- ing belief in Jesus Christ as the center of our lives and our faith. The logo is a symbol and a message. "We are constantly bombarded with a barrage of images shouting for our attention. As a church, it is an ever-increasing challenge to differentiate our message from the crowd. The solution is not to shout louder but to communicate efficiently with a strong, unified `voice.' "When all the entities of our diverse family present the same visual identity, our combined 'voice' has much greater visibility and impact and is more quickly recognized. As a result, our message is more effective." If you would like information on implementing the new Adventist logo and graphic identity standards in your church stationery and materials, please contact your local conference. I Five-Year Education Master Plan Voted After a 15-month strategic planning process conducted by the SDA Church in Canada office of education, a five-year education master plan was voted by the SDACC K-12 board in February. The process involved Adventist education leaders across Canada and included feedback and input from church members, who shared their dreams and expec- tations of the Adventist education system in Canada. The master plan covers administration, spirituality, marketing and enrollment, curriculum and instruction, school facilities, finances and development, and ongoing evaluation and revision. You may soon view the docu- ment in its entirety on the new Canadian Adventist Teachers Network (CAT-net) Web site — www.sdacc. org/catnet. SDACC education director Mike Lekic says, "'Educating Children and Youth for Tome and Eternity' is our mission slogan, and our mission is to build committed Christians and responsible citizens through strong academics, family living, social interaction, work experiences, and Christian growth and service. We believe that the fulfillment of our mission is made easier by the existence of a working plan — a master plan that outlines our intent. Since we value spiritual growth and development in addition to academic excellence, we will plan for it in a purposeful way. Foremost, we like to see our schools built on the Rock, Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18). Only as we seek to be like Him who is our hero, will we experience success." I www.everything.web Everything is on the Web! Need a new measuring tape? Try , and Seiko will sell you a $50 electronic tape measure. Want to send a floral bouquet to a faraway friend, but you don't have any money? No problem! Just con- nect to , and the Virtual Florist will send the flowers of your choice over the Internet. For free! Are you visiting Ohio and wondering where to go to church this Sabbath? The Columbia Union Web page has a listing of all Adventist churches with addresses and phone numbers. And the Centerville church has its own Web page listing its programs and even giving you this week's sermon topic at . The Web is changing the way many of us get and exchange information, making it easier to find what we need and to communicate with friends. For Adventist churches and organizations, the Internet offers an instant — and inexpensive — way to share informa- May 1998 Messenger � 21 NEWS tion about everything from church locations to mission statements. It is truly "a new road for evangelism." The Internet — and the World Wide Web — is really just a vast library in the sky, a maze of stacks, card catalogues, and magazine racks. Unlike a library, howeVer, the Internet is accessible 24 hours each day everywhere in the world. A computer with a modem will get you into the library, and one giant section of that library is marked "Adventist." This past evening, I opened my home page, selected the Excite search engine and entered "Adventist." Almost immediately, 8,752 "hits" came up, each of these representing an Internet location that talks about Adventists. These Web sites included several Adventist churches in England, an Adventist health center in Malaysia, Adventist college and academies around the world, the Three Angels Global Network, several Adventist radio stations, an Adventist club at Oregon State University and EMALE. I went to first EMALE, spon- sored by the men's ministries department of the North American Division, is dedicated to providing resources and spiritual sustenance for Christian men. Each day, dozens of men log onto the site, read the devotional of the day, laugh at the picture of the week, print sugges- tions on how to start a men's ministry and send very private questions to a professional counselor. Another of the sites in my Excite list is . On the desktop of my laptop computer, there is a small copy of the WGTS logo. When I click on that logo, I'm immediately connected, through the Internet, to the Columbia Union College radio station, WGTS. Within seconds, my computer's speakers fill with the music being played by the station in Takoma Park, Maryland. What's most amazing is that a picture fram- ing shop in New Jersey, a craft store in Kenya, and a professional office in Australia all play the CUC station during their workdays. Columbia Union College is reaching all around the world. I by Dick Duerksen, vice president for creative ministries for the Columbia Union Reprinted by permission I NORTH AMERICAN DIVISION Become a Global Mission Pioneer for Service to People of Islamic Faith Special training is scheduled on May 17 to 24 for North American Division (NAD) members to become Global Mission pioneers to reach Muslims living in Canada and the United States. This training event is sponsored by the NAD and will take place at the Mission College of Evangelism in South Dakota. The classes will be taught by Jerald Whitehouse and John McGhee, directors of Islamic relations for the General Conference and NAD. This will be a rewarding cultural exchange and spe- cialized ministry for both pastors and laypeople. Participants will learn how to think, speak, and act appropriately, in cooperation with other members of their congregation or neighboring churches, and to appreciate and develop friendships with future Muslim friends, neighbors, and business associates. More than five million orthodox Muslims from numerous countries are currently living in North America. Join your Adventist colleagues who are preparing to minister cross-culturally throughout the division, by participating in an organized effort to reach this group of people. For more information, contact the NAD Global Mission office at 301/680-6416. PlusLine —Your Ministry Info Source North American Adventists are invited to visit PlusLine's Web site during PlusLine's Internet grand opening on May 4 to 15. During this time, you will be able to sign up for valuable door prizes. PlusLine is the North American Division's designated help desk for ministry information. As well as Internet access, you can call 800/SDA-PLUS (732-7587) to find resource information for all areas of local church ministry. Go to http://plusline.adventist.org/ I Here are several Adventist Internet sites worth a visit. They're packed with informa- tion, are easy to use, and provide hot links to dozens of other valuable Internet locations. The worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church. The North American Division. The SDA Church in Canada's site, which contains links to Canadian conferences' sites and CATNET, the Canadian Adventist Teachers Network. Canadian Union College's home page includes information about the college as well as an alumni directory. The Three Angels Global Network provides links to many independent Adventist organizations, offers excellent devotional material, and even lets you search Ellen White's writings online. The SDASource site includes links to many useful Adventist sites; the graphical church locator is particularly handy. SDA Net is probably the oldest Adventist Internet site and one of the most useful. In addition to providing information about Adventist beliefs, it offers excellent Sabbath School commentaries each week. 22 � May 1998 Messenger NEWS Master Guides Hone Leadership Skills The first ever North American Division (NAD) convention for Master Guides was held in Los Angeles in February. Canada was rep- resented by attendees from four provinces, and partici- pants came from 29 other countries. There are approx- imately 2,300 registered Master Guides in North America and many more in other countries. The convention was a training event for current and future Master Guides and also served as a celebra- tion of 70 years of the Master Guide program. Two dozen workshops were offered on topics ranging from Master Guide requirements and outdoor skills to church heritage and youth evangelism. Each of the workshops filled a certification requirement. The Master Guide program represents the highest level of youth training in the Adventist church. It pre- pares individuals for leadership in Adventurer and Pathfinder clubs, as well as in senior youth ministry and other church offices. Willie Oliver, NAD Pathfinder director, notes, "People who enjoy working with young people are drawn to this program because it provides them with leadership tools and training. Since churches across the division are always in need of trained ministry leaders, Master Guides are ready to fill important positions. Many of the convention attendees were volunteers who took vacation time and paid their own way. This speaks volumes for the level of commitment Master Guides show." The convention raised the visibility of Master Guides as a pool of well-trained leadership. Master Guide training is not solely attached to youth ministry any more, explains former Pathfinder director Norm Middag. "This training applies to other types of church leadership such as elders and Sabbath School leaders. Older people can benefit from it because it applies to all types of ministry. The myth is that Master Guide training is only for those involved in youth." I Net '98 Digest • Overseas countries are signing up for Net '98! In the British Union, 150 churches will participate. A report of German-speaking countries indicates that baptisms and professions of faith related to Net '96 in that field totaled 303, more than twice the num- ber leaders "dared to dream about when we plunged into the Net '96 adventure on short notice," accord- ing to Net '98 coordinator Matthias Mueller. He anticipates approximately 350 church sites will par- ticipate in Net '98 in the German-speaking areas. Brad Thorp, director of Adventist Global Communication Network (AGCN) and Net '98 coordinator for overseas translations, reports that he has found strong interest throughout northern and southern Asia. The South China Island Union Mission — which includes Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao — has voted for a goal of 80 percent of their churches to participate, or more than 55 churches. Okinawa will have very close to 100 percent partic- ipation. India anticipates 200 sites. The South Pacific Division reports that 25 percent of their churches were already signed up early in this year, with more being added. Plans are underway in New Guinea to rent football stadiums in three locations to host Net '98. Attendance could reach 15,000 in each of these settings. In North America, hundreds of churches have already registered, and more are being added daily. To register in North America, contact your conference Net '98 coordinator for a registration form and infor- mation, or register on-line from our website (http:// www.Net98.org). To access the registration form and other information for participating churches on the site, type in User Name - church; Password - 89ten. • Discover Bible schools are helping churches pre- pare for Net '98. More than 1,200 Discover Bible schools are functioning in churches in the North American Division, with more signing on each week. To receive a packet of information about starting a Discover Bible school, call 805/373-7659. • Net '98 goes to college. The Atlantic Union College Church plans to conduct Net '98 as part of its joint worship evening schedule, involving all AUC students in the series. In addition, the college is among those planning to offer continuing education units (CEU's) for students or community residents who would like them for attendance at Net '98. Josef Ghosn, director of continuing education at the col- lege, is exploring the possibility of offering college credit for Net '98 attendance as well. At Andrews University, CEU's will be offered, and the Seventh- day Adventist Theological Seminary will grant gradu- ate credit for conducting the series to pastors enrolled in seminary programs, according to Doug Kilcher, director of continuing education at the seminary. All Adventist colleges have been made aware of the opportunity to offer either type of credit. • Visit our website (http://www.Net98.org) for the latest information on Net '98. Additions about to be made to the site include features and linkages for wide public access. Already available are RealVideo and RealAudio versions of "God of The Gaps," a series on creation and evolution, by Net '98 speaker Dwight Nelson. For access to the coordinators' area on the site, the user name is church and the password is 89ten. I May 1998 Messenger � 23 ANNOUNCEMENTS • Announcements The Winfield church has lost con- tact with the following members who have moved: Donna and Paul Dumane, Richard Pitzel, Dale Shaben, and Janet Shaben. If any- one knows their whereabouts, please send information to: Winfield SDA Church, 11373 Bottom Wood Lake Road, Winfield, BC V4V 1V4. Mamawi Atosketan Native School Open House. To all donors, interested persons, former principals, teachers, staff, and super- intendents, come and join us for an open house May 15 and 16, 1998. Come - see and hear. Leave - inspired and blessed. For further information, contact Mamawi Atosketan Native School, RR 4, Ponoka, AB T4J 1R4. Phone/fax 403/783-4362, E-mail mamawi@ telusplanet.net. Legal Notices Legal Notice: Seventh Constituency Meeting of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Newfoundland and Labrador. Notice is hereby given that the sev- enth constituency meeting (trienni- al) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Newfoundland and Labrador will convene at the St. John's Seventh-day Adventist Church, St. John's, Nfld., on May 31, 1988, at 10:00 a.m. NDST. The session is called for the pur- pose ofi 1) receiving reports for the past three years, 2) the election of directors of departments, officers are elected by the SDA Church in Canada, 3) to elect members of the Board of Directors of the Mission for the ensuing triennium, 4) to consider any proposed changes to the Consti- tution and Bylaws, 5) the transaction of any other business that may prop- erly come before the session. The Bylaws of the SDA Church in Newfoundland and Labrador provides that each SDA church in the Mission is entitled to one addi- tional delegate for each twenty (20) members or major portion thereof. Delegates to the session are appoint- ed by the local churches. David S. Crook, President Jack Baier, Secretary-Treasurer • Births Jordan Mackenzie Capcara was born Apr. 30, 1997, to Darvin and Pam Capcara of Saskatoon, Sask. Adrian Michael Casar Jones was born Jan. 13, 1998, to Christopher and Genica Jones of Whitby, Ont. Bondi Alexis Kapiniak was born May 30, 1997, to Arlen and Carolin (Konig) Kapiniak of Saskatoon, Sask. Kayla Drew-Anne McLean was born Feb. 15, 1998, to Scott and Debbie (Jenne) McLean of Oshawa, Ont. Elias Wayne Tanaka was born Sept. 17, 1997, to Jeremy and Renee Tanaka of Port Hardy, B.C. Adison and Lachlan Wood, iden- tical twin boys, were born Feb. 26, 1998, to Stuart and Melody Wood. • Weddings Martha Lucier and Bradley Boehner were married July 20, 1997, in Windsor, Ont., and are making their home in Killam, Alta. • Anniversaries Lovell and Alicea Hutchinson, of Toronto, Ont., celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Apr. 5, 1998. • Obituaries Olive Grace Bennett died Jan. 14, 1998, in Wahnapitae, at the age of 88. She was predeceased by her brothers Kenneth, Lyman, and Leonard. Surviving: daughter Gail (Ron) Jones; and two grandchildren. Isabelle Sarah Edes was born Dec. 26, 1912, in North Clemons, Alta., and died Jan. 27, 1998, in Salmon Arm, B.C. She was prede- ceased by her husband William. Surviving: sons Ted of Salmon Arm, and Leroy of Nanaimo, B.C.; sisters Naomi Campbell and Edna Campbell; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Violet Isabel! (Lambert) Elmer was born Oct. 7, 1903, in Worland, Wyo., and died Feb. 10, 1998, in Sidney, B.C. She was predeceased by her husband Ernie. Surviving: brother James (Winnie) Lambert of Comox, B.C.; nephews and nieces. Clara Sophia Hanson was born Sept. 2, 1899, in New Haven, Conn., and died Jan. 20, 1998, in Sidney, B.C. Surviving: sons Delbert, Don (Win), Bev (Edie), and Lloyd (Yvonne); daughters Lorraine (Frank), and Shirley; 16 grandchil- dren and 21 great-grandchildren. Lindy Jacobson was born Aug. 5, 1915, in Granum, Alta., and died Feb. 13, 1998, in Lacombe, Alta. He was predeceased by his first wife, Doreen, and son Jan. Surviving: wife Mavis; three daughters, five step-daughters, and two step-sons; two sisters and three brothers. Clara Berthy (Crandall) Oddy was born Dec. 20, 1905, near Ponoka, Alta., and died Feb. 5, 1998, in Abbotsford, B.C. She was predeceased by her first husband, Stanley Paproski, and by her second husband, Crossland Oddy. Surviving: daughter Elsie McLeod of Abbotsford; son John of Abbotsford; 10 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and one great- great-grandchild. Donald Charles Polishuk was born Aug. 19, 1929, near Viceroy, Sask., and died Feb. 29, 1998, in Oshawa, Ont. Surviving: wife June; daughters Janice (Paul) Newman, and Lynne (Ross) Girvan; brothers Ernest and Edwin of Alberta; sisters Lorraine of Washington, and Eileen of Alberta; parents-in-law Robert and Vera Russell; and two grand- children. Clara Mable Wageman was born May 26, 1913, in Lisbon, N.D., and died Feb. 5, 1998, in Kelowna, B.C. Surviving: husband Wilfred; sons Wayne (Loreen) Wageman of Grand Prairie, Alta., and Dwight (Linda) Wageman of Cambridge, Ont.; daughters Marlene (Bob) Mitchell of Victoria, and Pamela Harriman of Burnaby, B.C.; and 10 grandchildren. • Advertising Policies PROCESS: • All advertising should be submitted with local confer- ence approval. • Payment must accompany your ad, or it will not be pub- lished. • The Messenger assumes no responsibility for typographi- cal errors, nor liability for the advertisements. Acceptance of ads does not constitute endorsement of the prod- ucts or services by the SDA Church in Canada. RATES: Classified advertising - 518 for 50 words or less; 30 cents for each additional word. Display advertising (camera ready) - 518 per column inch. For larger display ads, please contact the Messenger for a rate sheet. Discounts - 10 percent dis- count for three or more con- secutive insertions without copy changes. August issue: � June 1 September issue: July 2 October issue: � Aug. 3 • Advertisements Retiring? Then spoil yourself in an apartment or garden court room in Florida. Only 20 minutes from Orlando. SDA church on grounds and 13 local churches nearby. Conference owned. For information packet, please call 800/729-8017 or 407/862-2646. You'll be glad you did! (6/98) Authors and writers: send for free publishing and marketing infor- mation. Complete typesetting, design, warehousing and distribut- ing. Competitive prices and high quality. Call 800/367-1844, 9 to 5 weekdays, Eastern Time. (5/98) Needed immediately: Administrator for Rest Haven Lodge. Please forward résumé, and letter to board chairperson, Reo Ganson, or phone 604/853-5451, ext. 306. (5/98) Thinking of retiring to the Okanagan? A lovely 2-bedroom lakeshore condo for sale in a 55 or older complex. With a view of the mountains to the west and Osoyoos Lake and the mountains to the east. Contact Bob McKinnon of Realty World. Phone 250/495-2606, or fax 205/495-7533. (7/98) Maui Condo: two-bedroom, two- bath, on beautiful Keawakapu Beach where Kihei and Wailea meet. Attract- ively furnished, kitchen, VCR, cable TV, non-smoking, shorefront pool, on-site laundry, boogie boards and snorkel gear. Nearby dining, shop- ping, and golf. Color brochure. Phone 503/626-7178, E-mail hhIc207 @teleport.com, or www.telepon.com/ -hhk207. (6/98) Why be lonely? Send $50 for large photo directory or $25 without photos. Full descriptions, addresses and phone numbers included. Free listing with your photo. Ages 18-90. SDA Singles, PO Box 694, College Place, WA 99324. Phone 509/522- 2379. (9/98) Attention all moms! Are you con- cerned that your children do not eat enough fruit and vegetables? Mannatech's Phytobears are now available in Canada. Each "gummy bear" contains flash-freeze dried juice from 11/2 pounds of the 12 fruits and veggies that the National Cancer Institute has shown to have the largest impact on health! They are naturally sweetened, flavored and colored. Kids love them, and the cost is only 50¢/child/day. You can even melt them in water for infants! Call 800/832-0797, follow prompts #1, then #5, for a brief message. To find out how to get Phytobears, call Vivian at 888/301- 3338, fax 306/246-2050, or email saccucci@sk.sympatico.ca. Phytobears are new in Canada, and I am looking for other moms, dads or families to become distributors. This will help with my mission of improving the health of children worldwide and give you the poten- tial of earning a sizeable income, right from your own home! (8/98) Laurelwood Academy, a support- ing ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, seeks a loving, caring, yet firm and consistent head girls' dean. Position will include corollary responsibilities. Please call Stephen Henton, Principal, at 503/985-7511. (5/98) 24 � May 1998 Messenger PLEASE PRINT! Mailing Label Code Name (including previous surname, if applicable) Former Street Address � 0 � City, Province, PCode � New Street Address City, Province, PCode Please send the Messenger this coupon AND your address label on the back cover. A new 7-day healthy lifestyle program is available at the Lifestyle Center of America, a modern pre- ventative care provider operated by SDAs in southern Oklahoma. Our physician-supervised, residential lifestyle programs can help prevent or reverse heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, excess weight and smoking. Call 405/993-2327 for free brochure. (6/98) Juicers for sale: Champion, Omega, and Green Power juicers. Bulk charcoal $6 per pound. Many other health products and supple- ments. For a complete list, phone toll-free 888/707-3663. (6/98) Glyconutrients: now available in Canada! Consider them in immune system diseases and for many other ills that are robbing you of an abundant life. Sound too good to be true? Science has proven that glyconutrients are immune modulating. Many people are will- ing to share their personal stories with you if ner,ssary. Glyconutrients are the newest area of science and are used by the body in a way that encourages it to repair itself. Glyco- nutrients are natural, non-toxic, and best of all, they work. For a brief message, call 800/832-0797, follow prompts #1, then #2. For more info on glyconutrients and how you can use and purchase them at wholesale prices to regain or maintain your optimal health, phone Vivian Saccucci, ANA certified and accred- ited educator, at 888/301-3338, fax 306/246-2050, or E-mail saccucci @sk.sympatico.ca. Talk to you soon! (8/98) Adventist healthcare executives and managers. Several opportuni- ties currently exist at Adventist healthcare organizations. Send your confidential résumé to Ed Fry. Fax 713/266-8133, or E-mail edwit- tkieffer.com. Witt/Kieffer is the old- est and largest healthcare executive search firm in the country. Your resume will not be presented to any client before you are personally interviewed by us and only with your permission. Fees are paid by the hiring organization. (6/98) National Conference July 6-11, sponsored by the 1888 Message Study Committee. To be held at Southern Adventist University. Theme: Sharing God's amazing grace. Topics: The neglected sanctu- ary message, What happened on the cross, and How can we tell the world? For information, phone 616/473-1888. For room reserva- tions, phone 800/277-7273. (6/98) Are you tired of your job but can't afford to quit? You don't have to until you can afford to. I have turned a part-time venture from home into full-time income in 15 months! The good news is that you can too! Take control of your time and your life. Perfect for SDAs. Call 800/832-0797, follow prompts #1, then #3, for a 2 min. message. For more info, call 888/301-3338, fax 306/246-2050, E-mail saccucci@ sk.sympatico.ca. (8/98) Travel worldwide ...travel any- time! Vacation, business and cruise travel consultants. Airfares to: Caribbean & West Indies Islands, Canada, USA, Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East ... worldwide! Holiday packages, car rentals, hotels, coach tours, VIA & Amtrak, travel insur- ance. Group rates. Air International Travel, Inc. Toronto—Scarborough- Markham 905/940-2955. (7/98) Finish your degree at home through the Columbia Union Colleige external degree program. Bachelors degrees offered in business, psychol- ogy, theology, general studies, and respiratory care. Enroll anytime, anywhere. For more information, ...ull 800/782-4769 and ask for the CUC external degree program. (1/99) Visiting CUC7 Stay at Elizabeth View — Bed & Breakfast, 37 Wildrose St., Rosedale Valley, Alta. One km from Lacombe or Canadian University College. Private entrance and bath; shared sitting room with TVNCR; adult oriented; no pets. For reservations, E-mail strama@ccinet.ab.ca, or call Straub's at 403/782-3407, evenings. (1 unit: $45 s/d; ad'l $15) (6/98) Canadian University College seeks a vice-president for acade- mic administration. An earned doc- torate. Experience in administration curriculum development. The vice- president for academic administra- tion is the second administrative officer of the college and serves as the executive officer in the presi- dent's absence. Reporting to the vice-president academic administra- tion is the director of admissions/ registrar; division deans; librarian; and the director of counseling. Interested Adventists contact Kenneth J. Fox, Acting President, or Dr. Randal Wisbey, President Elect, Canadian University College, 235 College Avenue, College Heights, AB T4L 2E5. Phone 403/782- 3381, or fax 403/782-7219. (5/98) Adventist Frontier Missions is seeking applications for the position of field supervisor. Person must be able to live overseas and travel. Must have soul-winning and man- agement experience. Send résumé to Clyde Morgan, PO Box 346, Berrien Springs, MI 49103, or E- mail clydemorgan@compuserve.com. For information, phone 616/473- 4250. (5/98) KCMA's new bachelor of science in health professions program pro- vides individuals with an opportunity to advance in their careers. Specialty tracks include: physician assistant, respiratory care, advanced imaging, and interdisciplinary studies. For more information, call KCMA at 800/433-5262. (3/99) Employment: Sunnyside Nursing Home is currently reviewing the structure of management in support services, i.e. housekeeping, laundry and dietary. If you have experience and ability to lead in two or more of these areas, strong communica- tion and employee relation skills, and would like to promote and be a part of the SDA Canadian health- care ministry, send your résumé to Sunnyside Nursing Home, attention Desmond Dobroskay, 2200 St. Henry Ave., Saskatoon, SK S7M 0P5. Fax 306/653-7223, phone 306/653-1267, ext. #23. (5/98) CANADIAN ADVENTIST MESSENGER May 1998 Vol. 67 No. 5 Editor — Shelley Nolan snolan@sdacc.org Production Assistant — Joan Tanasiychuk joant@sdacc.org Circulation Coordinator — Nicole Jordan njordan@sdacc.org 1148 King Street East Oshawa, Ontario L1H 1H8 phone 905/433-0011 fax 905/433-0982 The Canadian Adventist Messenger — the official magazine of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada — is published 12 times per year. Free to SDACC members. Annual foreign subscription price: USS10.00. Printed by Maracle Press Limited. Second class mail registration number 0912.55N 0702-5084. Indexed in the Seventh-day Adventist Periodical Index. Member of the Associated Church Press. Notice to contribu- tors: All unsolicited material for publication must be submitted through your local con- ference. SDA CHURCH IN CANADA 1148 King Street East Oshawa, ON L1H 1H8 phone 905/433-0011 fax 905/433-0982 President — Orville Parchment oparchment@sdacc.org Secretary — Claude Sabot csabot@sdacc.org Treasurer — Don Upson donupson@sdacc.org Undertreasurer — Brian Christenson bchristenson@sdacc.org Associate Treasurer — Clareleen many civany@sdacc.org Communication/ASI — Ralph Janes rjanes@sdacc.org Coordinated Ministries — John Howard jhoward@sdacc.org Education — Mike Lekic mlekic@sdacc.org CONFERENCES Alberta: Dale Kongorski, president; Bill Spangler, Messenger correspondent; 37541 Hwy #2, Red Deer County, AB T4E 1BI, phone 403/342-5044 British Columbia: Reo Ganson, president; Ken Wiebe, Messenger correspondent; Box 1000, Abbotsford, BC V2S 4P5, phone 604/853-5451 Manitoba/Saskatchewan: Dan Jackson, president and Messenger correspondent; 1004 Victoria Avenue, Saskatoon, SK S7N OZ8, phone 306/244-9700 Maritime: Robert Lehmann, president and Messenger correspondent; 121 Salisbury Road, Moncton, NB EIE 1A6, phone 506/857/8722 Newfoundland: Dave Crook, president and Messenger correspondent; Box 2520 Mount Pearl, NF Al N 4M7, phone 709/745-4051 Ontario: Derrick Nichols, president Dirk Zinner, Messenger correspondent; 1110 King Street East, Oshawa, ON LIH 7M1, phone 905/571-1022 Quebec: Nilton Amorim, president; Hector Jurado, Messenger correspondent 940 Ch. Chambly, Longueuil, QC J4H 3M3, phone 514/651-5222 August: �June 1 September: � July 2 October: �Aug. 3 National Conference SHARING GOD'S AMAZING GRACE July 6-11,1998 Sponsored by the 1888 Message Study Committee Topics will include: • What Happened at the Cross? • The Neglected Sanctuary Message • How Can We Tell the World? Seminar—Workshops • Children's Meetings To be held at Southern Adventist University For information call • For room reservations ca (616) 473-1888 II • (800) 277-7273 AS TIME RUNS OUT... r-r- r- I r— AS NEVER BEfORE presents a fascinating, new video: Setting Up the (2 hour) New World Order MAZING COVERI 141, 17y Pr. Walter Veith Latest information on the secrets of masonry, Jesuits and the new age movement as they pertain to recent political headlines. Meet for yourself the behind-the-scenes, end-time players. A vital message of the end-times to see, hear, and share! Ask for our newsletter or our free catalogue on more exciting topics such as evolution, creation, health, new age and Bible prophecy!! $19.99 + taxes + $ 5.00 Shipping & Handling Cheque, Visa & Mastercard accepted Order from: AMAZING DISCOVERIES PO Box 189 7101C - 120th Street Delta, BC V4E 2A9 Canada Tel: 604-572-9457 Fax: 604-599-9949 ShARE SIGNS Now To ORdER: CAR 1-800 545-2449 1998 PAcilic Nrss PUb[iShiNCI ASSOCIATION ,88,8511T, SEE US ON • TIA WEI) AT WWW.pACiliCpRESS.COM/SiGNS ADVERTISEMENTS ASI member organization has openings for mission pilot, A&P mechanic and FBO manager. Instrument/commercial, 500 hours minimum, SE, ME. For service in beautiful Tanzania. Wonderful opportunity for person looking for an exciting, challenging opportunity to use their aviation training in sharing the good news of Jesus' soon coming. All replies confidential. Box 350, Tecumseh, MI 49286. (5/98) Adventist Singles Ministries International Mission Outreach in Chile, South America, Oct. 18 - Nov. 1, 1998. Evangelistic and con- struction project: 2 hrs. north of Santiago, in the dark city of Cabildo we will work with Wayne and Rachel Dull and Guillermo Rojas in an evangelistic series and the con- struction of a church. Masons, car- penters, an electrician, a plumber, general laborers, cooks, musical tal- ent and translators are needed. Call Doris Durell at 209/583-1259, or Lorraine Hansen at 704/697-2409, or E-mail lorrhans@worldnet.att.net for further information. (6/98) gib Successful computer dating exclusively for SDAs since 1974 ADVENTIST CONTACT P.O. Box 5419 Takoma Park, MD 20913-0419 301/589-4440 Missionaries needed in Korea: SDA, native English speaking vol- unteers between 20 and 50 years of age; singles or couples (without chil- dren) who are college graduates with bachelor's degrees or higher to teach conversational English and Bible for one year or more at the SDA Language Institutes of Korea (experience not necessary — we train you). Volunteer missionaries are approved by the General Conference. Benefits include: round-trip ticket, housing, utilities, insurance and stipend. For more information, con- tact Ray James, 40 Pleasant Drive, Sutter Creek, CA 95685. Phone 209/267-0416, fax 209/267-0342, or E-mail jamegr@cdepot.net. (1/99) If you are interested in a change of venue, and if you are currently teaching high school French, then you should consider applying for the French teaching position at Okanagan Adventist Academy. The teaching position will be available for the 1998/99 school year. The successful candidate must have: a Seventh-day Adventist teaching certificate; a valid B.C. teaching cer- tificate, or B.C. independent school certificate. For further information, please contact the school: Mr. Lee Richards, Principal, Okanagan Adventist Academy, 1035 Holly- wood Road, Kelowna, BC V1X 4N3. Phone 250/860-5305, or fax 250/868-9703. (5/98) SIGNS® 26 � May 1998 Messenger enger Asks When you get to heaven, who would you like to meet, and why? The M When I get to heaven, the one person that I would love to meet is a man that I have never seen. He is someone that I hold close to my heart and is a part of me. He is a treasure that is mine, but I have not touched. He is someone I pray for, long for. He is someone people say I look like. He is someone special to me, for he is my dad. He was an instrument in bringing me into this world. Even if he doesn't know it, he gave me a chance to know my God. And for that I thank him. It is my prayer that he will be in heaven so that I may meet him, and have eternity to know him. TinaLynn MacIsaac Hamilton, Ontario In my opinion this is not a fair question, because there are so many people that I would like to meet. First, I would like to meet Jesus who died to save me from my sins. Next I would like to see my parents, also my husband and two children. There is one very important person I must see; her name is Rosie Whyles. When I was a child, this is the lady who asked my non-SDA parents to allow me to go to Sabbath School, and I have been attending since then. Because of this one invitation it also introduced my parents into the Adventist faith. Let this be our goal to tell someone about Christ, so they too may have a home in the kingdom, which Jesus is preparing for us. Elaine Marshall Caktny Alberta The Bible encourages us to seek the humble soul, not always the well known. I hope the same goes in heaven; for the common, yet faithful, will have wonder- ful love to give and stories to share. If and when that time comes for me, there is a child I long to hold. One I met acci- dentally a few years ago in a spiritual sense. One who once lived in Egypt around the second century of the C.E. During a trip to the museum in Toronto, I stumbled across a tiny burial tunic that the curators had labelled as being 16-century English. Something about this garment drew me emotional- ly into its very fibers. I just had to find out more about its origins. I couldn't stop thinking about the child who had worn it. After doing research, I found the garment was of Coptic style and had come from Egypt between 100 and 600 of the C.E. Not knowing who the Coptics were, I researched them and found they were the first Christians in Egypt. Somehow the pain of that child's death drew me to seek out its true iden- tity. Now I feel that one day I will meet this child and his pioneer Christian family, who with great sadness gently laid him to rest hundreds of years ago. Their pain drew us together, just as pain drew me to Jesus. When we all come together, time and death will no longer separate us. I expect to hold a smiling, healthy baby and share in the happiness of that newly-united family, whose sad- ness, and perhaps hope, I felt across time, and somehow, through that spe- cial love that is only begotten of God, created a bond for me that only He could have originated. Linda Nixon Hay River, N.W.T. Each month the Messenger poses a question to readers, inquiring about your experiences and viewpoints. August issue (deadline — June 1) Tell us about one of your memorable experiences of hospitality September issue (deadline — July 2) Which community services (both Adventist and non-Adventist) in your town have benefited you and how? (Names withheld on request.) Readers Respond — page 2 cont'd In regard to the article "Why We Do Not Support Labor Unions, I wonder if any- one in the Adventist movement has taken the time to research the reasons for the birth and growth of the labor movement. In the coal mines of Wales in 1800s, often the seams of coal were too small for a grown individual to work. Instead of going to the cost of widening the seam, they would employ young boys in the seam. The common practice was they would work a half shift in the mine and a half shift in school. This practice was done as a means of increasing prof- its for the corporate mine owners. Many young lads were killed or maimed by the overwork and poor working conditions in the mines. It was the organizing of unions that finally brought these archaic conditions to a halt. I do not agree with all that is done by big labor. I do know if labor does not look after those who are unjustly treated by management, the government and the clergy will not. As you have stated in "Why We Do Not Support Labor Unions." To intimate that all unions are cor- rupt, because of the few that are run by the criminal element, is akin to saying all churches condone sexual abuse, because of a small number of perverted clergy and lay personnel. I am a retired member of a labor union. I support any organization that legally improves the life of the less fortu- nate. I draw a pension from the union in which I worked and supported for 22 years. I also served and was wounded as a combat soldier in a war to preserve freedom. Even though I believe in the Sabbath and the Second Advent of Jesus Christ, due to the position of the Adventist church, I no longer consider myself a member. I would like to leave you with a quota- tion by Herbert Spencer, "There is a prin- ciple which is a bar against all informa- tion, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance — that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Charles Wilson Oliver, B.C. May 1998 Messenger �27 YOIAN life seems . . half ekvApty Yoti hecti, abot4-1- KivAgsway College Make stAre your life is filled completely-- mehtally, physically, and socially. Come join the Kingsway YO IA choose to attend Kihgsway College! Gall 1-800-298-1903 TODAY!