Marienhöhe Academy is one of the first schools within the state of Hesse, Germany, to receive an award for promoting good health. The certificate was awarded by Germany’s education minister, Ms. Dorothea Henzler to the academy’s director and staff in a festive ceremony on May 15, 2010.

Ms. Dorothea Henzler (left) and Gunther Stange.

Ms. Karen Nattrodt, a teacher at Marienhöhe Academy, encouraged school leaders, staff and students to participate in the “School and Health” pilot project launched by the Ministry of Education in Hesse. A new project control group, led by Dr. Christian Noack, was established to monitor the academy’s progress toward promoting good health at school.

The academy also received another certificate in the field of environmental and ecological education. On May 9, 2010, Director Gunther Stange signed the Charter for Climate Protection in the state of Hesse. By signing the charter, the academy has committed to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 10 % within a year. The topic of climate protection is also to become part of the academy’s curriculum. The school will offer workshops and courses in which the students will be encouraged to find more effective ways to conserve energy. Marienhöhe Academy ranks number 13 in the list of schools classified as environmentally friendly.

On Saturday, June 12, 2010, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Piteşti, Romania, celebrated 130 years of the publishing work by the Adventist Church in Romania. During the ceremony the church reviewed the challenges of the mission in the city by launching the June issue of the Romanian Signs of the Times magazine (Semnele timpului).

One of the most important years in the history of Adventism in Romania is the year 1870, when Michael Belina Czechowski, after a year of missionary work, organized in Piteşti the first company of Sabbath keepers.

The Sabbath-keepers in Piteşti were the first Romanian Adventists mentioned by the official church press in America. The oldest report is dated November 1, 1879: “Our dear Brother Bertola writes very pleasing news from Piteşti, near Bucharest... A little church of twenty Sabbath-keepers has been formed there; it is increasing in numbers, and he baptized several new members during his visit.”

Piteşti became the launching pad from which the Adventist message spread to various parts of the country. According to evangelist Bertola, the church in Piteşti increased mainly due to the use of the Les Signes des Temps magazine – the French edition of the Signs of the Times, which was published by John N. Andrews, the first official missionary of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Europe. At that time French was considered the second language for educated Romanians.

Later, the merchant Thomas Aslan, one of the first converts, translated from French and published tracts about the three angels’ messages. Piteşti is also where the first Romanian missionary magazine and the first brochures were published. The first literature evangelists started to work there as well.

In December of 1883 the official church paper Review and Herald reported: “There is a small church in Romania which embraced the Sabbath from hearing M. B. Czechowski some years ago. Brother Thomas G. Aslan has acted as leader among them. He is a man of intelligence, and has translated several tracts from French into the Romanian tongue at his own expense. He was very anxious to have a paper for circulation among his people, even if it was no more than quarterly.”

A few weeks later, in January 1884, the Review and Herald informed: “The first number of the paper which is to bear the message to the ten million inhabitants of Romania has come to our table. Its title is Adevărul Present or Present Truth… and is issued from Basel, Switzerland and Piteşti, Romania. Sixteen pages neatly printed on good paper. We hail its appearances as another addition to the agencies which are fast bearing the truth to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.”

The first Romanian Signs of the Times magazine – Semnele timpului – was published in 1908, and printed in Hamburg. It is the oldest publication of the Adventist Church in Romania that is still being published today. From the beginning, Semnele timpului aimed to provide its readers with a Christian perspective on important contemporary events, serving as a missionary tool. It aimed to make the Romanian readers aware of the fact that they live in the last days of this world and that they must prepare for the second coming of Christ. In addition, the articles address various topics on family and health.

After the minority churches were banned in 1942, the Semnele timpului ceased to be published. Also during the communist regime it was not allowed to appear. This situation persisted until the end of the communist regime in 1990.

The current Semnele timpului  is designed primarily for the urban audience – active and informed, interested in opinions and debates. Its content is divided into two major sections which address current and perspective issues. Religion, politics, economy, culture, family life, health and education are areas most often covered by the magazine. The 48-page magazine is published monthly and its 5,000 copies are read by approximately 20,000 people. During the last 12 months, the editorial office published two special issues, one on the family and the other on the Passion Week. Both issues were presented in the Romanian Parliament, in the presence of important personalities of the Romanian political scene.

The magazine’s web version (www.semneletimpului.ro) was launched earlier this year. In addition to the articles included in the printed magazine, the website offers daily news, reviews and editorials. The visitors can access the digital archive which contains the issues published in the recent years.

During the last 130 years, the Romanian Adventist publications in general and Semnele timpului in particular have been a special tool in communicating the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ and His imminent return.

The Stimme der Hoffnung Media Center in Alsbach, Germany, has successfully completed the development of the iPhone App (applications for iPhone and iPod Touch by Apple). An App is a program which can be installed on a mobile phone, making it possible for the iPhone and iPod owner to watch the Hope Channel programs anytime and anywhere. All information related to the time zone of the respective mobile phone is displayed automatically.

Hope Channel is the first German TV station releasing an iPhone App. The app is programmed to receive several channels and was presented by its developers at the Church world conference in Atlanta, USA, in June 2010. It is available from the app store for the price of only Euro 0.99 (itunes.com/apps/hopechannel) and permits the free reception of the Hope Channel in German as well as in other languages.

In early 2009, Hope Channel received the required licenses from the Hesse State Office for Private Broadcasting and New Media (LPR), and from the Commission for the Evaluation of Concentration in the Media (KEK) as a 24/7 TV station.  Hope Channel programs can be received free of charge via ASTRA satellite, some cable networks and the Internet.

Euro-Africa Division delegates voted several new department leaders into office at a July 1 business meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. Leaders and delegates are in Atlanta as part of the General Conference Session, which is the highest administrative body of the Seventh-day Adventist Church that selects church leaders and decides on church policies. Leaders, both at the world level and the Euro-Africa Region level, are elected for a five year term. The following people have been elected to serve in the Euro-Africa Division:

Denise Hochstrasser, director of Women's Ministries, comes from Switzerland. Mrs. Hochstrasser, 56, has studied languages and secretarial skills. She has worked for several companies and church institutions in England and Switzerland. She has served as the women's ministries director for the German Swiss conference since 2006. Mrs. Hochstrasser is married and has three daughters.

Paolo Benini, director of Personal Ministries and Sabbath School, currently lives in Italy. Pastor Benini, 58, received his degree in theology from Collonges Adventist Seminary in France. He has worked in Italy since 1979, serving as a church pastor in different districts, departmental leader and church administrator. He was the president of the Adventist church in Italy from 1990-1995. Pastor Benini is married and has three adult children.

Barna Magyarosi, director of Education and Family Ministries, comes from Romania. Pastor Magyarosi, 36, has a bachelor's degree from the Romanian Adventist Theological Institute, a master's degree from Andrews University and a doctorate in theology from the University of Bucharest. He spent 6 years as a pastor and 2 years as the Sabbath School Director in the South-Transilvania Conference. Later, he worked 4 years as the Spirit of Prophecy Department Director in the Romanian Union. For the past 5 years, he has served as the president of the Adventist Theological Institute in Cernica, Romania. Pastor Magyarosi and his wife, Noemi, have one daughter, Blanka.

Stephan Sigg, director of Youth Ministries, studied at Bogenhofen Seminary, Marienhoehe, and Newbold College. Currently, he is completing his doctoral studies through Andrews University. He served in Switzerland as a pastor for 4 years and the youth director for 10 years. In addition to his doctoral studies, he currently teaches practical theology at Friedensau University and assists with the European Valuegenesis research project. Pastor Sigg is married and has 2 young-adult children.

Mario Brito, Ministerial Association Secretary, formerly served as the Personal Ministries and Sabbath School director for the Euro-Africa Division.

Viriato Ferreira was re-elected as the Health Ministries Department director, and Karel Nowak was re-appointed as the director of the Communications and PARL departments.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Euro-Africa faces a daunting mix of cultures, political systems and religions, but an Arabic television show and vibrant Health Ministries program are among initiatives spurring "consistent" growth in the region.
In Inter-America, 60 percent of Adventists are between the ages of 16 and 35, contributing to a young and rapidly growing membership.

Both church regions shared five-year reports with delegates and hundreds of excited spectators, many cheering for their region, in the Georgia Dome for tonight's program.

Euro-Africa spans 29 countries, among them Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran and other members of the 10-40 Window, a region stretching from Northern Africa to East Asia, where proselytizing is often illegal and many are unreached.

Many of region's countries face growing ethnic diversity -- almost half of Adventists in Spain emigrated from Romania.

"We even have the Vatican here," newly re-elected regional President Bruno Vertallier said.

Despite challenges, the region's members find ways to impact their communities. The launch in 2008 of an Arabic language Hope Channel broadcast from Beirut, Lebanon, is expected to make inroads in the region. And a recent collaboration with the World Health Organization, headquartered in the region, is bolstering the church's reputation as a caring, compassionate community, a video report showed.

In 1999, the region launched health expos, following Jesus' example of meeting physical and emotional needs, as well as spiritual ones. The expos continue to be popular with community members, who appreciate the practical guidance in well-being.

"There is a pace for everything," including church growth, the report said. "We may not be a quickly growing region, but our activities are numerous and we keep stepping forward."

Euro-Africa charted close to 177,000 Adventists in mid-2009, a "slight increase" from 2005 and a testament to the region's numerous outreach and community impact projects, the report said.

In Italy, an experimental Sabbath School program focusing on relationships, fellowship and outreach has doubled attendance. In Bulgaria, Adventists shared the book Steps to Christ in homes, covering half the country.

While Euro-African representatives at Session had planned to rain down Toblerone bars -- an iconic candy bar from the region -- on the audience, food restrictions in the Dome interfered. "We will not have Toblerone tonight, but if you come to the Euro-Africa booth [in the exhibitor hall], you will have your Toblerone," said Vertallier, waving a massive candy bar.

Representatives of the church's Inter-American region marched on stage to the infectious music of steel drums.

Before their video report, Theart St. Pierre, church president for Haiti, thanked the world church for its "support, prayers and generosity."

"It is clear that God is good, we are part of a great family and that family is bound by a love without borders," St. Pierre told the audience.

Inter-America is the world church's largest region by membership, with more than 3.2 million members. One in 12 Jamaicans is an Adventist, and it was clear from their applause that many were present in the Dome tonight.

Regional President Israel Leito praised the "ideas, initiatives and dedication" of members in the report. "It's not what we do, but who we are as Christ-loving people" he said, reciting the region's motto.

Luis Eduardo Giraldo, a security guard by trade, joined the police force soon after becoming an Adventist to widen his opportunities to share his faith. His work on the streets led him to launch a rehabilitation center for young people struggling with addiction. More than 30 youth have accepted the Adventist message this year through Giraldo's ministry.

In East Jamaica, Adventist-laymen's Services and Industries President Cecil Foster heads up the Good Samaritan Inn, where people on the street can find shelter at night. Twice weekly, about 400 people eat lunch at the Inn.

A similar project in Inter-America, Day of Kindness and Compassion, mobilized members to distribute more than 1 million meals in a single day.

Rapid growth in Inter-America has exhausted pastoral resources in some areas, but Adventist laypeople are stepping up to the challenge, planting and nurturing churches.

EUD delegates and their family members.

Brother and Sister Zens

Bruno R. Vertallier, 61, was re-elected as the Euro-Africa Division President June 28 by the delegates of the world church at their business session in Atlanta. Vertallier was appointed by the church’s 246-member Nominating Committee and confirmed by the General Conference Session delegation, which is an international body of 2 410 appointed members and the highest governing body of the church.

Vertallier was raised in the family of an Adventist pastor and missionary. He completed his theological education at Saleve Adventist University in Collonges-sous-Saleve in France and earned a doctoral degree at the Andrews University in USA. During his 36 years of denominational service, he has served as a church pastor, departmental director in Madagascar, seminary teacher and church administrator in France and at the division headquarters.

The division secretary was also re-elected by the same process. Gabriel E. Maurer, 52, third generation Adventist, was also raised by a pastoral family. He studied theology in Germany and England. Maurer worked as a pastor as well as a theology and religion teacher. He was the Division Ministerial Association Secretary for six years and has been the division secretary since 2003.

The session also elected a new treasurer to replace Peter R. Kunze, who announced his intention to retire. The new treasurer, Norbert Zens, 44, graduated from the University of Passau in Germany with a degree in Business Administration. After graduating, he worked for several companies in Germany. Later, he was the Business Manager of the Bogenhofen Seminary in Austria for nine years. Since 2004, he has been employed by the General Conference Auditing Service.

Division administrators (from the left) N. Zens, B. Vertallier, G. E. Maurer.

Nine appointed vice presidents; associate secretaries, treasurers also elected.

Some of the newly elected general vice presidents of the Adventist Church are introduced at the Adventist World Session. From left: Ella Simmons, re-elected vice president; Delbert Baker, president of Oakwood University; and Geoffrey Mbwana, president of the church's East-Central Africa region. [photo: Gerry Chudleigh]

The General Conference Nominating Committee selected 21 leaders for the Secretariat and Treasury departments on Sunday, all of which were approved unanimously by delegates meeting in the Georgia Dome at the Seventh-day Adventist denomination's 59th world conference.

The selection includes nine general vice presidents -- four of which are new to the position: Delbert Baker, Oakwood University president; Geoffrey G. Mbwana, East Africa Division president; Benjamin D. Schoun, general field secretary; and Artur A. Stele, president of the Moscow-based Euro-Asia Division.

Baker has been president of Oakwood University since 1996. Mbwana was a conference secretary, conference president and university president before becoming president in 2002 of the Nairobi-based division. Schoun was formerly president of Adventist World Radio and associate dean of the Theological Seminary at Andrews University, and who has traveled to more than 80 countries. Stele has been president since 2000.

The new members replace three vice presidents who are retiring -- Mark A. Finley, Eugene Hsu and Gerry D. Karst. A fourth position was made vacant by Ted N. C. Wilson's election to president of the world church.

Five other vice presidents were re-elected to a five-year term: Lowell C. Cooper, Armando Miranda, Pardon K. Mwansa, Michael L. Ryan and Ella S. Simmons.

Associate Secretary Homer W. Trecartin was promoted to undersecretary. Trecartin, a former student missionary in Brazil, has been secretary-treasurer of the Middle East Union, and planning director of the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, among other positions.

Five associate secretaries were approved, three of whom are new to the position: Robert S. Folkenberg Jr., president of the Upper Columbia Conference in Washington State; Harald Wollan, secretary of the Trans-European Division; and John Thomas, coordinator of the International Rescue and Relief program at Union College in Nebraska.

Folkenberg, son of a former General Conference president, has been a conference president for 18 months. He began his ministry as a church pastor in Port Charlotte, Florida, and later moved to China. He also served as associate director for ShareHim.

Wollan, has been secretary of the England-based division since 2001. He previously was union president in Bangladesh and served in Sierra Leone for a number of years. He began his career as a pastor in Norway, where he also was a conference president.

Thomas, a former history teacher, spent 22 years as an academy principal and participated in dozens of mission trips before becoming director of the rescue and relief training program. The novel program provides specialized degrees to students who are certified emergency medical technicians and travel to different parts of the world, including Haiti, to assist in disaster relief.

The two other associate secretaries are Rosa T. Banks and Augustin Galicia, who were re-elected.

Three vacancies for associate secretary were created by the retirement of Claude Sabot; the promotions of G. T. Ng to secretary; and Trecartin's elevation to undersecretary.

In the Treasury department, Juan R. Prestol was re-elected to undertreasurer, and the three associate treasurers remain in their positions. They are: George O. Edwakhe, Daisy Orion and Roy E. Ryan.

G.T. Ng, with wife Ivy, speaks after his election as secretary of the Seventh-day Adventist Church during its World Session in Atlanta. [photo: Gerry Chudleigh]

World church Treasurer Bob Lemon was re-elected to another five-year term Thursday, and Associate Secretary G. T. Ng was promoted to Secretary on the second day of the 2010 General Conference Business Session.
Delegates voting in the Georgia Dome unanimously approved the Nominating Committee's recommendations, which occurred just four hours after selecting Ted Wilson as General Conference president -- three significant actions that, observers said, occurred with remarkable speed.

Ng, a native of Singapore, began his ministry in war-torn Cambodia in the 1970s where he and his wife fled before the capital city Phnom Penh was taken by the Khmer Rouge political party. He later worked in various positions in Asia, including that of professor, and eventually received a call to the church's world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, where he serves as the secretariat liaison between the GC and three of the church's 13 world regions.

Addressing the delegates who voted him into the job for the next five years, Ng called the appointment a humbling experience.

"Never in my wildest imagination will I ever imagine that I would ever be put in this position of responsibility," Ng said, "but the Lord has his way."

He replaces Matthew Bediako, who was elected in 2000.

Lemon, treasurer since 2002, said his appointment "was a real privilege and an honor" to work with treasury staff from around the world. He asked that delegates pray for every Adventist member and worker around the globe.

In brief remarks, he also said, "We need to change the soft currency of this world into the hard currency of eternity."

The biggest challenge facing the church over the next five years, Lemon said in a brief interview after his appointment, is the need to increase involvement among young people.

General Conference Administrators with their spouses. From the left  T. G. Ng, T. N. C. Wilson,            B. Lemon.

Ted Wilson with his wife Nancy, during his inaugural speech at the Georgia Dome, Friday, June 25.

Ted N. C. Wilson, a vice president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and the son of a former church president, was today elected to serve as president of the 16.3-million member global Protestant denomination.

Wilson was appointed by the church's 246-member Nominating Committee and confirmed by the General Conference Session delegation, which is an international body of 2,410 appointed members and the highest governing body in the church.

Wilson replaces Jan Paulsen, who has served as president since 1999.

The appointment took place at the church's 59th General Conference Session, being held at the Georgia Dome and adjacent World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

"This is not just an organization, this is not just another denomination. This is God's remnant church," Wilson said in an address to delegates after his appointment.

"I do not know everything, but I shall seek wisdom from counselors and from the Bible and from the Spirit of Prophecy," he said, referring to the writings of church co-founder Ellen White.

"The Spirit of Prophecy is one of the great gifts God has given to the Seventh-day Adventist Church," Wilson said. "It applies to the past and to the future. And, we are going home soon."

Wilson asked that church members ask for God's guidance "and pray that the Holy Spirit would bring us revival and reformation."

Wilson, 60 years old, was elected as a general vice president of the Adventist Church in 2000 during the General Conference Session in Toronto. His 36 years of denominational service include administrative and executive posts in the Mid-Atlantic United States, Africa and Russia.

Wilson began his church career as a pastor in 1974 in the church's Greater New York Conference. He served as an assistant director and then director of Metropolitan Ministries there from 1976 to 1981. He went on to serve in the church's then Africa-Indian Ocean Division, based in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, until 1990. There he served as a departmental director and later as executive secretary, the second highest officer.

Following his post in West Africa, he served at the church's world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, as an associate secretary for two years before accepting the position of president of the church's Euro-Asia Division in Moscow, Russia, from 1992 to 1996. Wilson then came back to the United States to serve as president of the Review and Herald Publishing Association in Hagerstown, Maryland, until his election as a General Conference vice president in 2000.

An ordained minister, Wilson holds a doctorate degree in religious education from New York University, a master of divinity degree from Andrews University and a master of science degree in public health from Loma Linda University's School of Public Health.

During his address to delegates, Wilson was joined on stage by his wife, Nancy Louise Vollmer Wilson, a physical therapist. The couple has three daughters. "Our spouses are so important. This wonderful woman is a spiritual backbone for me," Wilson said.

Wilson is the son of former General Conference president Neal C. Wilson, who served in the post from 1979 to 1990.

Many delegates on the floor of the Georgia Dome said Wilson's election demonstrated the church's confidence in his leadership.

Rob Vandeman, president of the church's Chesapeake Conference in the U.S. state of Maryland -- where Wilson is a member -- said he was "pleased" with Wilson's appointment. "This vote is an expression of the world church's view, that they have confidence in Ted Wilson because of his extensive experience," Vandeman said.

Daniel Jackson, president of the Adventist Church in Canada said: "I think Ted Wilson has been given a clear mandate from the Nominating Committee. He needs our prayers and our support. I'm happy at the unity of our church."

Jeffrey Brown, president of the church in Bermuda, said: "We are happy, too. He will be a strong leader; his strong principles will be healthy for the church."
Wilson is expected to address a press conference this afternoon.

Of Adventist world church membership, roughly one-third resides in Africa, while another one-third lives in South America and Central America. There are about 1.1 million Adventists in the United States, where the denomination was established in 1863.

The Adventist Church operates the largest Protestant network of schools and hospitals worldwide. The church also runs disaster response and development programs through the Adventist Development and Relief Agency International. It also sponsors a religious freedom forum, having established in 1893 what is now the International Religious Liberty Association.

The General Conference Session, held every five years, is an international spiritual gathering and business session to elect leaders and vote on proposed changes to the Church Manual and Constitution. Session runs through July 3.

Mark Finley, program coordinator presents the traveling Bible to the General Conference President, Jan Paulsen.

For 20 months, it traveled to places as far-flung as Narok, Kenya, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The large Bible specially designed to embark on a worldwide tour ended its journey during a business session Thursday night at the 59th World Session of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

"This Bible has journeyed the world as a symbol of the commitment that Seventh-day Adventists have to the word of God," said Mark Finley, a church vice president. "Seventh-day Adventists still stand firmly on the Bible."

Finley stood in front of representatives from every region -- some dressed in cultural garb -- who spanned the length of the stage Thursday night. The 70 or so men, women and children passed the 12-by-18-inch book down the line while a video played describing its travels.

The black leather-bound tome was part of the church's "Follow the Bible" initiative, meant to encourage Bible study among members and the community. Church leaders launched the campaign in 2008, after surveys suggested about 50 percent of members regularly study Scripture.

Church leaders have said the book has brought Adventists around the world together, encouraging them to recommit themselves to study.

"The initiative revived the interest of the people in reading the Bible," said Gilbert Wari, president of the West-Central Africa region, in the video.

More than two million Bibles were distributed in the Inter-American region during the campaign, added its president, Israel Leito, describing the missionary effort in his area.

Thursday night, church delegates approved a resolution that reaffirms "confidence in the divine revelation and inspiration of the Bible," and calls on members and "Christians everywhere to make the Bible their daily source for personal study."
"The Bible contains everything that we treasure and hold high; everything that defines us as a people, as a community of faith, rests on the Bible," General Conference President Jan Paulsen said Thursday night. "The Bible is the means by which God speaks to us."

Written in 66 languages -- including Gujarati, Lithuanian, Xhosa and Vietnamese -- the large, world-traveling Bible has been at the center of stadium events, rallies and parades in nearly 130 countries and held by governors, tribal chiefs, presidents, kings and queens. It began its tour in the Philippines and returned to the United States late last month, arriving at Washington D.C. Dulles International Airport.

Euro-Africa Division Secretary, Gabriel Maurer, passes the traveling Bible to Ralf Wegener, Director of the Saleve Adventist University in France.

On May 23, 2010, a ceremony honouring the memory of Pastor Walter Guy Bond, an Adventist pioneer missionary to Spain, took place in the municipal cemetery of the city of Baeza in Andalusia. Pastor Bond's name was added to Baeza's wall of honour arranged in memory of all those who have died to defend their convictions and the causes of peace, freedom and democracy.

Baeza's mayor, D. Leocadio Marín, Mrs. Marín, and a city officer presided over the ceremony. The Adventist church was represented by the President of the Spanish Union, Elder Jesùs Calvo; Director of the historical archives of the Spanish Union and event organizer, Elder Andrés Tejel; as well as other pastors and numerous church members. A commemorative plaque was unveiled by the representative of the Adventist church in the Euro-Africa region, Elder Roberto Badenas.

Walter was born in California, USA, on February 6, 1879, to a strongly religious family. His parents, James and Sara, raised 10 children and an adopted girl. They became Seventh-day Adventists while Walter was a child. When his father became an Adventist, he quit farming and became a physician. After finishing his studies in medicine, he created a clinic in California.

Walter graduated in theology at Healdsburg College in 1899. In summer 1902, Walter and his brother, Frank, attended a camp meeting in Fresno, California, where A. G. Daniels challenged the young people to engage in missionary work. Along with 30 others, Walter and Frank responded to the call. Walter married Leola Gerow on November 12, 1902. Walter, Leola and Frank sailed for Spain to work as missionaries. They arrived in Barcelona on June 22, 1903.

In June 1904, they baptised the first three local converts. Many others followed until they created the first Adventist Church in Spain. In 1905, Walter Bond became the leader of the Spanish mission. One of the first local members, Lope San Nicolas, also became a successful missionary. Lope raised considerable interest for the gospel in the little city of Baeza, located about 750 kilometres South-West of Barcelona. Lope invited Walter Bond to present a series of Bible Conferences there.

On October 13, 1914, Walter arrived in Baeza. On November 1st, a telegraph message was sent to Walter's brother, Frank, stating that Walter was about to die.  Frank and Leola rushed to his side. Unfortunately, Walter died on November 12 at the age of 35. He left his pregnant wife with 3 children. The doctor told Leola that Walter had been poisoned. While dying, Walter said, “I forgive my murderers.” He was buried in the cemetery of Baeza. On January 6, 1915, his widow and children returned to the United States.

Sometimes between 1943 and 1945, Pastor Bond's tomb was desecrated, and his bones disappeared. During this period of Spanish history, many graves of the “enemies of the state” (democrats, republicans or simply non-Catholics) were exposed to such treatment with the idea that their memories would be wiped out for ever. During the  past few years, Baeza city authorities have been restoring the monuments in memory of those who once stood against the totalitarian regime or were considered to be a “disgrace” to Spain.

To conclude the ceremony, the president of the Adventist church in Spain read a letter from the family of Walter Bond living in the States, and his favourite hymn “Shall We Gather at the River” was sung by the assembly. The event was widely publicized by the local media.

The last EUD executive committee meeting before the General Conference Session in Atlanta took place in Krattigen, Switzerland, on May 25 -27.  The committee was composed of the fifty regular participants and some additional guests. Committee members serve for the five year period between the General Conference sessions. Members include division administrators, departmental leaders and regular members representing laity and pastors. Some members are elected and others participate in the committee’s work by virtue of their positions (presidents of unions and leaders of institutions). When a union elects a new president, that person automatically replaces his predecessor as a member on the committee.

At this meeting, the committee welcomed two new members: recently elected president of the Adventist church in Bulgaria, Elder Ventsislav Panayotov, and the recently elected president of the church in Italy, Elder Franco Evangelisti. In addition to welcoming these new members, the committee chairman, Elder Bruno Vertallier, recognized and expressed gratitude to those who will resign from the committee after the upcoming General Conference session.

In his report, Division President Bruno Vertallier summed up one and half years in office by expressing his gratitude for the work accomplished and for the excellent collaboration. He identified several areas where the progress of the church in the Euro-Africa region is evident and showing results: the use of TV and other media, small group evangelism, evangelistic literature and programs of spiritual development for children (Kids in Discipleship). He also enumerated some challenges that we need to address: unity in a very diverse community, accomplishing the mission of the church and developing a climate of tolerance and inclusiveness in our local congregations. Throughout the meeting, Pastor Vertallier stressed the fact that we are “people of the Book” and that the Bible must be our guide and companion.

Elder Gabriel Maurer presented the secretary’s report. He emphasized the progress of the division's work in territories outside of Europe, territories in the so called 10/40 geographical window. This progress is a token of God’s grace and a reason for gratitude. Another area that is cause for rejoicing is volunteer service. The number of volunteers and, therefore, the impact of their services have been increasing. In addition to these positive reports, the presented statistical overview also evidences several challenges. The committee took time to discuss some of these challenges. For example, the number of people leaving our church invoked a passionate discussion about the evangelistic and pastoral emphasis of the church and their effectiveness. It is clear that the committee will need to deal with these issues in the near future by developing a thorough analysis of the situation and establishing strategic plans in order to reverse these negative trends.

The treasurer, Peter R. Kunze, introduced and explained the financial situation of the division. Financial conditions are encouraging in spite of the economical crisis. He also furnished the committee with detailed information concerning the sale of part of the food factory in Germany that belonged to the division. Finally, the committee members received detailed technical information about the General Conference session that will soon take place in Atlanta, Georgia.

The departmental directors presented not only their usual reports but also their reflections and suggestions concerning the individual departments and their optimal functioning, recapitulating their activities, challenges, current projects, future orientation and recommendations.

The strongest emphasis during the committee session was the practical accomplishment of the mission of the church. Our church, on all levels, needs to recapture its vision and enthusiasm for mission and evangelism. Administrators have to lead by personal example and by providing support and necessary materials. We need to rethink and re-evaluate our methods and approaches. Evangelism should remain the focus of all of our activities.

The next committee meeting is scheduled for the beginning of November at which time the newly constituted governing body of the division will lay plans for the next five year period.

Photo: Elí Diez-Prida

The directors of the Adventist care institutions in Europe met for the second conference of the “Advent Age” network in Huis ter Heide (near Utrecht), Netherlands, May 2 - 5, 2010, to discuss current trends in the care of the elderly. The participants, who came from Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, France, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany, found that they are facing many common challenges. One of which is the increasing financial pressure placed on care institutions, although this pressure may look differently in various European countries. The professionalism of the management has improved over the past few years to meet the strict requirements of the different European countries.

Some of the institutions had to have major reconstruction work done to be able to provide high-quality care facilities. Most of the institutions were originally constructed as homes for the elderly. Today, however, the focus is more on senior citizens who need intensive care. For example, Vredenoord institution, located in Huis ter Heide, was reconstructed in 2005. This friendly building demonstrates the elegance and scope of daylight design and offers specialized care for residents with dementia. The rapidly increasing number of patients with dementia requires unique specialization within the European care institutions. For example, the institutions in Uelzen and Neandertal, both located in Germany, offer specially protected areas for this group of residents.

Vredenoord is located in close vicinity to the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Netherlands. In his opening address, Wim Altink, president of the Adventist Church in the Netherlands, pointed out that social work and Christian faith go hand in hand. “We will be recognized as Christians by loving our neighbors,” he stated. Vredenoord has a very good reputation in the neighborhood. The Seventh-day Adventist church is well known in the Netherlands and appreciated for its social activities.

Adventists have a long tradition in health care. A large number of hospitals, sanitariums, and care institutions have been built worldwide. The church’s latest worldwide statistics, obtained in 2008, indicate 129 retirement and nursing homes with a total of 10,490 beds and 7,535 employees and 171 hospitals and sanitariums with a total of 22,216 beds and 95,043 employees.

 “Advent Age” network is a European network based on the health care principles of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It supports directors of retirement homes in their endeavors to offer top quality health care and lifestyle, considering the needs and wishes of senior citizens. The network also promotes all efforts aimed toward optimizing services for the elderly within the Seventh-day Adventist Church and throughout our whole society.

Conference participants.

On the 450th anniversary of the death of German reformer Phillip Melanchthon, Bishop Dr. Johannes Friedrich, presiding bishop of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany, commemorated Melanchthon's life.

Philipp Melanchthon, originally named Philipp Schwartzerd, was born in Bretten, Germany, on February 16, 1497. He was a philosopher, philologist, humanist, theologian, textbook author and poet. (His poetry was written in the new Latin language.) Like Martin Luther, Melanchthon was a driving force of the reformation in Germany and Europe. He was known as praeceptor Germaniae, a teacher of Germany. Melanchthon died in Wittenberg on April 19, 1560.

In his commemoration, Bishop Dr. Johannes Friedrich emphasized how the ideas of the reformer are a model for the present time. Melanchthon’s demand for education is fully up-to-date. Today, it is a fact that education is key to an intact society. “The social problems in our country, as well as those in developing countries, can only be solved by qualified and qualifying education. Social assistance does not solve the problems, which is why we need to invest in education, at an early age and not only at the university level,” Friedrich said. Melanchthon not only advocated for education in the spheres of natural sciences but also in the fields of humanities. He promoted character education and the formation of conscience as well as an attitude to a life committed to ethical standards. “It is not just about educating people but turning people into humans,” Friedrich added.

Melanchthon’s ideas focused on the question of how a gracious God would secure more humane people. Both humanism and Christian faith require and advocate for the appreciation of freedom and dignity of the individual. Humanity and education go together. “Nazi and Stalinist terror have shown where a society that does not teach freedom and individual dignity in its educational curriculum is led. Melanchthon wrote that as a result of their barbaric ways, people turn into monstrous beasts. Far from simply reinforcing previously unwritten laws, the Ten Commandments are meant to protect human life. They teach us to respect the individual rights of our fellowmen. “This respect is especially important in our interfaith and multicultural world,” Friedrich said.

It is also essential to retain Melanchthon’s complimentary concept of the spiritual and worldly spheres. Where religion is conceived as opposed to the “bad world”, fundamentalism will be the natural consequence. We can see this in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, when religion is used as a weapon against the secular world and dissidents. In the same way, the secular world, which declares religion as evil, leads to self-glorification, which adopts religious traits as was the case with national socialism and communism when those ideologies were turned into religion. To avoid such reversals, Melanchthon wrote that equal attention must be given the spiritual and secular spheres, especially in one’s own life.

Another of the reformer’s mottos was “back to the source!” “We have returned to the consumption mentality of the late Middle Ages when people were served second-hand information. Today, only those who have acquired a critical mind can discern if the media and other news information technologies report facts objectively or if the information is filtered and manipulated. One source is the Bible. “What Stern or Spiegel magazines write about Jesus Christ or issues of faith is not important. Go to the source,” encouraged Bishop Friedrich.

From 2000 to 2005, Bishop Friedrich was the “Catholic” representative of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany. Since then, he has been a member of the Council of the Protestant Church in Germany. Bishop Friedrich is committed to ecumenism and advocates inter-religious dialogue.

On Saturdays, Seventh-day Adventist believers in Bucharest are traveling librarians. The Mobile Library is a ministry designed to lend books to those who might not otherwise be able to afford them. Every Sabbath, volunteers deliver books about education, health, family and religion to the homes of those eager to learn more about God.

The initiative originated from the desire of a group of believers to serve. They started by handing out books in one of Bucharest’s districts in the autumn of 2008. Their goal was to distribute books all over the city. Then, they noticed people’s interest in a Mobile Library. Eighty percent of those approached accepted the book distributed in 2008, and 35-40 percent of those wanted to borrow more books through a Mobile Library. More and more believers have become interested in volunteering as librarians. The program has grown to include nine churches and 70 volunteers.

Mircea Boieriu, one of the project’s coordinators, said that the most important part of the ministry is prayer. While teams are in the field, others stay at the church to pray. In addition, one member of the visiting team speaks while the other member constantly prays. On the day of the project, all of those involved also fast. At the end of the day, the volunteers eat together, share their experiences, and praise God for being with them and for the opportunity of serve and pray for those to whom they lent books.

"Volunteers do not work through their own power," stated Cristian Voicu, pastor of one of the involved churches. “It is important that all church members are involved, that those who cannot distribute books stay and pray in the church and develop their relationships with God," he continued.

In autumn of 2009, volunteers introduced the Mobile Library in Voluntari, a city near Bucharest. After three Saturdays, the volunteers had registered approximately 200 contacts. Volunteers regret that at this time, they can only serve about 100 of those contacts. As the number of volunteers grows, so can the number of “library patrons”.

Bianca Afloarei, one of the volunteers, agreed to participate in this project because she would have liked to have had such a library available to her when she was beginning to learn about God.

Beatrice Boieriu, another volunteer, emphasized the need for the Mobile Library to have various kinds of materials available. To a 13-year-old boy who does not like to read, Beatrice offered the movie Gifted Hands, with Romanian subtitles. “There are many people who we cannot reach because they do not want to read or they cannot read. We still have to find appropriate materials for them,” she said.

The De Forest Residence – a new facility at the Clinic La Lignière (Lake Geneva Sanatorium) located in Gland, Switzerland - was inaugurated on April 15, 2010, in the presence of 80 guests including local authorities and administrative staff.

De Forest Residence derives its name from Dr. Perry Alfred De Forest, born in 1867. De Forest was the first physician in charge of the Lake Geneva Sanatorium, which was purchased in 1904. Dr. De Forest used to be an associate and disciple of Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, who is still well known for the brand name cereals. When he arrived at La Lignière in 1905 with his wife and two eldest children, Dr. De Forest started his practice with four nurses and five patients.

Under the leadership of Dr. De Forest and his staff, an impressive array of institutions has emerged: a nursing school, a primary school, a faculty of theology, a publishing house that used to print books on health and spirituality, as well as a church.

De Forest, a Canadian-born British citizen, lived in Gland until his death in 1947. Three of his grandchildren still live in Switzerland.

Also in 1905, under the leadership of Dr. De Forest, the health food factory (PHAG) was founded. This factory, which was the first of its kind in Europe, closed in 1994. Its building was demolished to make room for the new Residence.

The Dr. Perry Alfred De Forest Foundation, established in March 2007, aims to promote safe accommodations for elderly or disabled people and to improve their quality of life. The project was launched thanks to a generous donor. In order to follow the Foundation’s purpose, which is to provide apartments at a reasonable price (in collaboration with social insurance and lodging services), an agreement was made allowing people who benefit from social systems to have secure housing and assistance. The current structure includes 18 apartments, some additional rooms, some one-room flats and a multipurpose hall. The first residents moved into their new homes on May 1st. To date, 21 inhabitants are occupying 16 of the units.

The project represents a new page for the entire institution. The residents living at De Forest Residence have access to all the services provided at Clinic La Lignière.

Clinic La Lignière offers a comprehensive approach to each individual patient, taking into consideration his physical, psychosocial and spiritual dimensions. Diseases and conditions related to stress, various constraints and poor lifestyle habits (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, etc.) require concerted management between different care units, medical infrastructure, advanced technology and a quality humanitarian approach.

La Lignière has been a vanguard of health care for more than a century. The clinic property covers an area of 8,800 square meters, employs 230 people and provides 95 beds.

Tens of thousands of Seventh-day Adventists are expected to gather in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta for the 59th Adventist Church World Session June 23 through July 3. For those wishing to follow news from the Session, the church is offering several media resources for daily coverage of news, features and analysis.

The Adventist News Network (ANN) will regularly publish daily news and features on its website news.adventist.org, as well as a daily podcast, Atlanta 2010 Today. In addition, ANN will also produce a daily television news show, Adventist NewsLine - World Session Edition, broadcast on the Hope Channel at 6:30 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time.

Also, the Adventist Review will continue in its historic role of making official record of Session with a daily print edition of the magazine. Regular subscribers to the magazine will receive the daily magazines automatically.

ANN will also tweet Session news updates at twitter.com/adventistnews.

"We want church members to be able to know what their leaders are doing, saying and voting," said Rajmund Dabrowski, the Adventist Church's Communication director. "Our team will provide news stories on policy and financial agenda items, as well as feature stories on Session life, personalities and quirks."

ANN's daily one-hour podcast will be produced by former British Broadcasting Corporation radio producer John Smith. Available at the ANN homepage, Atlanta 2010 Today will offer in-depth features, interviews with new church leaders and commentaries, as well as coverage of worship services, music and the Session's Parade of Nations.

"A world church session is a unique and exciting experience, and the podcast will take you to the heart of the most important event in the church's calendar where listeners can share the experiences of some 70,000 Adventists gathered in Atlanta," Smith said.

Smith will be joined by other broadcasters, including representatives from the U.S.'s National Public Radio and veteran Session reporters.

ANN's 30-minute daily television news show, Adventist NewsLine, will give viewers a glimpse of Session activities and a daily wrap-up of news. The show's producer, Williams Costa Jr., associate Communication director for the world church, said the goal is to inform the world church of developments and changes.

"If we have clear communication, it will help everyone have confidence in the world church," Costa said.

Willa Schornmeyer, a veteran TV reporter for KTLA in Los Angeles, will coordinate news for the television broadcast.

Atlanta 2010 Today and Adventist NewsLine will begin broadcasting on Wednesday, June 23. For other news about Session, visit news.adventist.org or gcsession.org.

Waldfriede Adventist Hospital, located in Berlin-Zehlendorf, is “a small but fine house,” stated Ms. Katrin Lompscher, Berlin senator for health, environment, and consumer protection, in her welcome address to the guests attending Waldfriede Adventist Hospital's 90th anniversary celebration on April 17, 2010.

The 170-bed hospital is an important care center for people living in the southwest area of Berlin. In addition to being an acute care hospital, it also provides primary clinical care and other services such as outpatient physiotherapy, short-term care and social assistance care. The hospital has adopted a holistic approach in caring for patients: equal attention is given to prevention, medical care, follow-up care, pastoral care and counselling. Norbert Kopp, district mayor of Berlin-Steglitz-Zehlendorf, praised this holistic, patient-centered approach based on Christian charity.

The hospital not only feels a responsibility for people but also for the environment. Waldfriede Adventist Hospital has twice received the quality award from the German environmental organization BUND for establishing facilities that effectively reduce energy consumption and carbonic acid gas emissions.

When Dr. Louis E. Conradi first opened the hospital on April 15, 1920, it had only 39 beds, and the operating room was not yet finished. Since then, Waldfriede has been constantly growing. Additional construction and other enhancements have been implemented over the years to ensure professionalism and a high-quality of medical care. For example, Waldfriede was the first clinic in Germany to introduce the “baby hatch”.

“Waldfriede Hospital has developed into a health center one can be proud of,” stated Hermann Schmitt, manager of Barmer-GEK health insurance company and chairman of the national committee of the health insurance companies of the Berlin/Brandenburg area. The hospital houses the following departments and services:

• the Prima Vita health center, which offers more than 400 preventive medical courses and seminars to young and old.
• social assistance care, which provides nursing home care to approximately 160 patients daily.
• 2 short-term care facilities.
• the Academy of Health and Nursing (former Nursing School), which offers a bachelor’s degree in health and nursing sciences in cooperation with a university in the US.
• a service company, which caters to other care institutions, schools and day-care centers in the area.
• a day-care center for 65 children.
• a swimming pool for hydrotherapy treatment.

“The patients benefit from the commitment of the hospital’s staff as they put the guiding principles of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in to practice. It is an enriching experience to see that state-of-the-art medicine and loving care need not contradict each other,” Schmitt added.

In his key address, Pastor Günther Machel, president of the South German Union of Seventh-day Adventists, stated that although many people know what they are against, they lack common values. A person may be judged by his or her economic value, employment position  (CEO, artist, or footballer) or outward appearance. With this judgement, the danger exists that one becomes classified as either “valuable” or “worthless”. However, Waldfriede Hospital believes that even the neediest human being is not worthless but equipped with dignity bestowed on him by his Creator.

Despite the fact that the number of beds decreased from 230 in 1985 to 170 today, the number of patients has increased. Nine thousand inpatients and 13,000 outpatients were treated in the clinic last year. In 1985, there were only 5,500 inpatients and 3,500 outpatients. In addition, since 1985, the total number of staff has doubled from 410 to 820. “Due to its specialization, the hospital has also developed into an international health network center and enjoys the confidence of several diplomatic embassies located in Berlin,” stated Bernd Quoß, the hospital manager.  

Waldfriede Hospital cooperates with partner hospitals worldwide. Since 2008, an especially close cooperation has been maintained with the Florida Hospital Group in Orlando, USA.

About 35 young people spent a week at the studios of Stimme der Hoffnung media center, Alsbach-Hähnlein, Germany, to create a music DVD for children. The young members of the multinational orchestra ensemble came from Germany, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, and Switzerland. The orchestra recorded works by Grieg, Händel, Haydn, Mussorgski, Strauss, Tschaikowsky, Berkowitch, and Vivaldi. The week culminated with a concert at the Orangery in Darmstadt on Saturday evening, April 10, 2010.

The project was supported by the Baden-Württemberg Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Project director and cantor Dr.Günter Preuβ shared that the idea originated with the “Kinder helfen Kindern” (Children Help Children) project, sponsored by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) located in Weiterstadt.

“We have a strong interest in promoting music education among our young people. We wish to cultivate their musical talents in a caring, enjoyable atmosphere. Fewer and fewer children nowadays play a musical instrument. Interest in classical music is continually decreasing, although it is just this kind of music that has a very positive influence on a child’s learning ability and concentration,” explained Günter Preuβ, who served for several years as music director at Saleve Adventist University in Collonges, France.

The young performers, who volunteered to spend part of their holidays attending this music recording week, showed a lot of enthusiasm, commitment and endurance through the last performance. Their dedication left a deep impression on those working with them.

In response to this first successful joint project, an association has been founded whose long-term objective is to permanently secure funds, through a foundation, to develop the musical talents of children and youth. The Stimme der Hoffnung media center greatly favors and supports this project. Hopefully, we will soon hear more concerts performed by the multicultural youth orchestra on the Hope Channel.

Church Health Ministries Director Allan Handysides outlines a World Health Organization (WHO) proposal soliciting the Adventist Church's efforts to reduce infant and maternal mortality worldwide. The partnership, approved April 6 by church leadership, broadens the scope of the church's collaboration with the WHO. [photo: Rajmund Dabrowski/ANN]

Seventh-day Adventist Church officials voted yesterday to accept a proposal from the World Health Organization (WHO) that seeks the denomination's partnership with the United Nations' agency in a program to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

The approval paves the way for expanding the church's fledgling alliance with the WHO in helping to implement public health initiatives.

Church administrative and health leaders first explored a collaboration with the WHO last summer during a health conference in Geneva. In October, they released a statement positioning the denomination to better improve global health through partnerships with allied health organizations, such as the WHO.

The WHO proposal discussed yesterday during Spring Meeting at world church headquarters requests that selected Adventist-run schools of nursing that teach midwifery or obstetrics serve as "laboratories of change." There, the WHO, Health Ministries and church-run Loma Linda School of Nursing in Loma Linda, California, will concentrate resources to graduate Highly Skilled Birth Attendants, said Allan Handysides, director of the world church's department of Health Ministries.

An increase in birth attendants is expected to curb the number of maternal deaths per births in many African and Asian countries, which stands at 600 per 100,000, compared to 16 per 100,000 in Western countries, Handysides said. The ratio represents an estimated 3 million preventable maternal deaths per year, he said.

"I want to stress to you that through this partnership, the image and reputation of the Adventist church may be held up to the scrutiny of the WHO," Handysides told the delegates. He urged them not only to approve the proposal, but also to commit to "100 percent participation" and "keen oversight" by all levels of church administration in implementing the project, particularly in church regions where the effort is concentrated.

Patricia Jones, associate Health Ministries director for Nursing, reiterated Handysides' call for full involvement. Jones, also a professor of Nursing at the Loma Linda School of Nursing, said if problems in implementation arise, the goal of the partnership -- fewer infant and maternal deaths -- would suffer most.

Delegates seemed largely in favor of the partnership, one calling it a "vote of confidence" in the work of the church's Health Ministries department. However, they asked that potential downsides to the partnership be fully analyzed before the church moves forward.

"I am reluctant to enter this partnership -- even though the benefits may be tremendous -- without a thorough plan to avoid any risks that may arise," said Paul Ratsara, president of the church's Southern Africa-Indian Ocean region.
While potential risks cannot be eliminated, "thorough work has and will yet be done" to "minimize" them, said Peter Landless, associate Health Ministries director. Landless called for a "careful, measured pace" as the church proceeds with the partnership, which, he added "may serve as a very needed injection of new life into some of our health institutions."

The partnership is expected to upgrade the quality of instruction and increase the number of instructors at the selected nursing schools. Also anticipated is a spike in enrollment, due to students contracted by the government to return to their rural communities, where infant and maternal mortality is the highest, Handysides said.

Developing an extensive network of such "laboratories of change" is expected to cost an estimated $5 million, he said.

"We were at first apprehensive about this because the cost of such a project would certainly be beyond our capabilities," Handysides said. However, the WHO has since said they are "very willing" to secure funding for the initiative, he added.

The Adventist Church "should embrace this opportunity to have a public expression of our healing and serving values as a global organization," said Lowell Cooper, a world church vice president and Loma Linda University's board chair.

Cooper is also a member of the church's administrative committee, which delegates agreed will guide the partnership's progress during its five-year duration.

While "ambitious," the partnership is admittedly short-term and thus an "experiment," Handysides said, adding that ideally it will give the WHO a positive impression of what a relationship with a denomination can achieve.

"This may be a possible model for future partnerships," Adventist world church president Jan Paulsen said following the vote.

Independent filmmaker Martin Doblmeier directs actors portraying early Seventh-day Adventists in his latest film, The Adventists, which traces the church's heritage of healthy living to the late 1800s. [photo: courtesy Journey Films]

A documentary showcasing the Seventh-day Adventist Church's health message and ministry is scheduled to air on Public Broadcasting Stations across the United States beginning April 3.

The Adventists explores what independent filmmaker Martin Doblmeier sees as paradox: a conservative faith community at the forefront of medical technology.
Learning why Adventists, who believe in the soon coming of Jesus, are committed to living long and well motivated the documentary, Doblmeier said.

The film begins with Adventist Church chronology, focusing on church founder Ellen G. White and other early members' disappointment after Jesus failed to return to Earth in 1844. Adventists today, Doblmeier seems to say as the film progresses, have just as much faith as early members, but are committed to living responsibly and positively impacting those around them while they wait for the Second Coming.

That impact is largely rooted in the church's emphasis on healthy living, Doblmeier's film concludes. In filming The Adventists, Doblmeier said he was most struck by "how central the theology of health care" is to Adventism.
The film features stories from many of the Adventist Church's leading hospitals and medical centers, including Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda, California; Kettering Medical Center in Kettering, Ohio; St. Helena Hospital in St. Helena, California; and Florida Hospital Celebration Health in Celebration, Florida, where Doblmeier's mother once received treatment.

The Adventists traces the church's heritage of healthy living to the late 1800s. Even then, Adventist-run medical centers were health meccas known for offering the latest medical techniques -- the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan, drew patients such as Amelia Earhart and Henry Ford, the film says.

Doblmeier devotes considerable film time to more recent medical breakthroughs, such as Dr. Leonard Bailey's successful 1984 transplant of a baboon heart into an infant at Loma Linda University Medical Center, as well as advances in the area of robotic and even remote surgery.

He also emphasizes Adventists' commitment to Sabbath-keeping. "I was really moved by the Sabbath culture in the Adventist Church. Adventists are not simply sitting around being lazy on Sabbath -- they're out there helping people and impacting their communities," Doblmeir said.

The response to the film from the Adventist community has been "gratifying," Doblmeier said, adding that he hopes those without a background in the Adventist Church find the film a "balanced and positive portrayal" of the church's impact in the United States.

From an Adventist perspective, the film may seem resoundingly positive, but Doblmeier said he suspects viewers who aren't Adventists might see some aspects of the film differently. "They'll see Ellen White and her visions portrayed honestly in their central role in the founding of the church, and I think that will raise some eyebrows," he said.

The Adventists is the latest of Doblmeier's 25 award-winning films on religion, faith and spirituality, which include Bonhoeffer, a documentary on Nazi resister Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Albert Schweitzer: Called to Africa, a film recounting that Nobel Prize-winning humanitarian's life.

Doblmeier is president and founder of Journey Films in Alexandria, Virginia, United States.

Finding "what's happening in contemporary culture and see[ing] how religion is intersecting with that" drives his films, Doblmeier said. A discussion of the Adventist Church's holistic take on health ministry is "timeless," but the film's release when healthcare reform is making headlines in the United States is particularly "providential timing," he said.

Doblmeier said with its admittedly narrowed focus on health ministry in the United States, The Adventists doesn't cover many aspects of the global Protestant denomination. Another film exploring the church's international aspect and its emphasis on education may be on the horizon, he said.

Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church in Takoma Park, Maryland, will host a screening of The Adventists on Saturday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m. A question-and-answer session with Doblmeier will follow.

Screenings will also be held twice daily during the General Conference Session from June 27 to July 2 in Atlanta, Georgia.

The use of modern media has not stopped at the door of Adventist schools such as Marienhöhe Adventist Academy. Computers are being used more and more by students for school work as well as leisure. While some years ago the TV lounges were crowded, the computer has now become the media of choice.

Brain researcher and psychiatrist Manfred Spitzer stated, “Children and youth spend more time in front of the TV set and computer screen than at school. If nothing is done to counterbalance these influences on the young generation, media brainwashing will be the result.”

Critics of media raise – and not without reason – the following objections: “Computers make you feel lonely, video games make you violent, watching TV makes you stupid, and the Internet manipulates you. . . .” However, modern media can help us in many ways.
 
Media education has become a part of general education. Marienhöhe Adventist Academy has officially registered to join the “Schools on the Net” project initiated by the German Ministry of Research and Education. The Academy is also authorized to use “online teaching” with virtual classrooms equipped with modern e-learning devices. This is not to replace classroom teaching but to support it.

Communication occurs via the Internet and can be used for presentations, information, communication, documentation, and media practice. It promotes cooperative, student-centered and self-directed learning. It allows study groups to be more flexible as students can access virtual classrooms from home. Students can do their homework assignments online, and it gives them the opportunity to take practice tests and access free learning aids.

On the other hand, a careful eye should be kept on children and youth using the Internet. Often, too much time is spent on questionable computer games sending out questionable messages. In the case of Marienhöhe Adventist Academy, clear rules have been established and must be respected by students.

Students are not encouraged to sit in front of the computer for hours at a time. Marienhöhe Academy offers a more holistic and balanced approach to life. The school organizes many social activities such as special evenings, excursions, various sportive programs, lectures, seminars, participation in worship and church service programs, musical bands, creative workshops, Pathfinder groups, conflict solving courses, adventure education activities, editing a school magazine, health-related projects and involvement in community service.

Modern technology and communication are useful for development and teaching; however, the other spheres of life must not be neglected.

CD EUD using information by Walter Waniek and Karl Straβner (published in Marienhöher Allgemeine Zeitung)
Photos: Ursula Kaija and and Karl Straβner

Cultural context can blur the line between theology and sociology.

Adventists have taken their mission mandate seriously and have been quite successful in taking their message 'into all the world'. This had a consequence we may not have predicted even half a century ago: people are more mobile than ever. We have seen large-scale migration from former colonies to the former colonizing nations; but also millions of refugees and asylum seekers, and vast numbers of migrant laborers have gone to live elsewhere. This, in turn, led to a continuing stream of newcomers, as family members go to join those who went before them.

This phenomenon has greatly affected Adventist Church life. American Adventism not only had to cope with issues of integration between Anglo- and African-Americans, but increasingly also saw large numbers of Latinos, Middle-Easterners, Asians and Africans join their ranks and change the composition of the church. In many European countries the effect might be even more dramatic. The Adventist Church in countries like England and France has changed forever, and is now largely of African decent. In Spain, almost half of church membership comes from Romania. In a small country like Belgium, the situation is probably more complex than anywhere, with a large percentage of its membership now consisting of Rwandans, Congolese, Romanians, Russians and maybe a dozen other segments.

I have lived for a number of years in Britain and am familiar with the recent history of Adventism in that country, and have also been very deeply involved with the administration of the church in the Netherlands. I have come to a number of conclusions and have tried to contribute to a process that would help the church to creatively and effectively accept the new situation and use it as a basis for greater strength.

No one can (or should) deny that the new reality causes problems. But leaders should do what they can to underline that the arrival of so many members from elsewhere also brings an enormous potential. It has in many places given a new vitality to a totally stagnant and discouraged church.

The new diversity can easily lead to an ugly struggle for influence, to division or an unhealthy competition between churches and pastors. Stereotyping of groups leads to bias and prevents openness to what others have to offer.

I have come to believe that a few basic elements will help us appreciate the new situation. There needs to be a genuine conviction that the new diversity means enrichment, and that learning from each other helps the church become more mature. The diversity must not just be tolerated in the sense of living with the inescapable, but needs to be positively valued. At the same time there must be enough space for all to retain their identity, in the realization that people can have more than one identity. There must be a combination of real togetherness and of enjoying the particular cultural expressions that are very much part of one's identity.

The important thing is that somehow the church finds a way to communicate about the issues. People often need help in understanding that differences are not primarily ethnic but rather cultural. Diversity in worship styles, in degrees of punctuality, in Sabbath keeping and youth activities are often presented as having great theological implications, while most aspects are primarily cultural.

In the long run, the most difficult aspect to deal with might be theological diversity. It often seems that newcomers are more conservative in their theology and ethics than "original" membership. Honest and tactfully led discussions will reveal that the main issue is usually in the selection of what is considered "real" Adventism, and what is secondary. I have more and more concluded that the line of division in the church runs in particular between "modern" and "postmodern" and that it is essential to help people understand what this entails and then to develop ways of dealing with this fundamental diversity.

Chile's President-elect Sebastian Piñera and United States Secretary of State Hilary Clinton spoke with ADRA volunteers during a visit to the Santiago Airport Tuesday, March 2. ADRA is currently working to distribute food and clean water to earthquake survivors. [photo: ADRA Chile]

Four Seventh-day Adventist church members in Chile are confirmed dead in the wake of the magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck the southern part of the South American nation on February 27, church officials have confirmed.

Two church headquarters have been severely damaged, while more than 10 places of worship have "been almost completely destroyed," according to Pastor Erton Köhler, president of the church in South America.

At the same time, the division reports United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with ADRA volunteers at Santiago's airport on March 2 and commended the group's relief efforts.

"Thanks to those who prayed and continue praying for our brothers and all who have suffered from the earthquake that happened last Saturday in Chile," Köhler wrote in an e-mail message March 5. "We remain united in intercession and supporting our fellow Chileans."

Köhler added, "Until now we have news of four killed Adventists and some still missing. We're still waiting for more news. Furthermore, we have two headquarters, the South Chile Conference in Temuco and Central Mission in Talca, Chile, [that are] highly compromised. More than 10 churches have been almost completely destroyed and some [church-related] academies and schools suffered significant damage. Many of our brothers are homeless, struggling to find food, water and a place to stay."

According to Köhler, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is continuing its assistance in the region. "ADRA is supporting the delivery of food, blankets and tents, as well as having a Canadian team working with water purification and a group of nearly 100 volunteers helping in Santiago to arrange the food to be sent to needy regions," he reported.

According to Karen Cordovez writing for the region, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with the outgoing Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and spoke with President-elect Sebastian Piñera while at the Santiago airport.

During the state visit, Project Coordinator for ADRA Chile Cristián Pincheira spoke with Clinton about the work that ADRA is doing in the country to help the earthquake survivors after Clinton approached the volunteers at the airport, Cordovez reported.

"Clinton expressed her appreciation for the work of the volunteers and related her own awareness of ADRA's work in the United States," Cordovez said.

With information from the Adventist Church in South America

An 8.8-magnitude earthquake, one of the most powerful in recorded history, shook the South American country of Chile early Saturday morning, taking hundreds of lives and damaging public and Seventh-day Adventist Church infrastructure around the quake's epicenter, some 200 miles south of the capital, Santiago.

The church's Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is coordinating with federal emergency officials to provide aid and a small crew is assisting with urban rescue efforts among collapsed buildings.

The Adventist radio station in Chile, La Radio Nuevo Tiempo, is announcing that fellowship halls at Adventist churches are available to the public in need of assistance, said Madigal Perez, executive secretary of the church's South American Division, based in Brasilia, Brazil.

More than 700 people have died in the disaster, an estimated 500,000 homes have been destroyed and 1.5 million others have suffered damage, according to Chile's National Office of Emergencies and Information (ONEMI).

Several Adventist Church buildings were destroyed in the city of Talca, including the Central Chile Mission administration office, an ADRA warehouse and the Talca Central Adventist Church, officials for the church in South America reported.

Church officials also reported structural damage to sanctuaries in Los Angeles, the Chile Union Mission office, located in Santiago, the South Chile Conference office, located in Temuco, and Chile Adventist University in Chillán.

"The ground was moving like ocean waves," said Nancy Roa Vidal, a resident of Santiago. "[The earthquake] lasted approximately two minutes. We're in a state of catastrophe."

Residents near the epicenter remain jittery as aftershocks continue. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has recorded more than 105 aftershocks stronger than 5.0-magnitude since the quake struck Saturday at 3:34 a.m. local time.

"People are out of their homes, and many are thinking of sleeping outside for fear of the aftershocks," said Jorge Alé, country director for ADRA in Chile.
ADRA dispatched a truckload of water, which left Saturday afternoon from Santiago to the cities of Talca and Concepción. Mattresses, blankets, and other basic necessities are also being procured for distribution.

ADRA's urban rescue team is also coordinating aid to the city of Villa Alemana, near Valparaiso.

ADRA International and ADRA of South America have pledged an initial $105,000 to help in relief efforts Chile.

Chile is no stranger to earthquakes. According to the USGS, Chile endured in 1960 a 9.5-magnitude quake, the most powerful earthquake ever recorded.
The long, narrow nation lies near a fault line between the Nazca tectonic plate in the Pacific Ocean and the South American plate. While building codes in the past few decades were designed to withstand earthquake damage, Saturday's quake was nearly unprecedented.

There are some 120,000 Adventist Church members in Chile, worshiping in about 600 churches and 260 organized groups.

More information will be provided when confirmed reports are available.