Growing Faith

Lessons From Luther the Lab

As a kid, like many of you, I wanted a dog. As it turned out, my family didn’t get on board with that idea until I was 22 years old. And so it was that the summer after I graduated college, Luther the Labrador came to live with us.

By that point I had lost my fascination with wanting a pet. But Luther had come to us from another family, so he was well trained and a bit on the older side and very mellow. Therefore, there wasn’t a whole lot we had to do with him. He was housetrained, and when inside, he would lie down and let us bury our feet under him to warm them up. He seemed to enjoy running laps in the backyard and barking at the opossums scaling our fence at night, but was intimidated by the neighbor’s Chihuahua that yapped at him all the time—even though he was four times that little dog’s size.

Since Luther did a lot of running around in our backyard, we didn’t have to take him on daily walks. But there was one time I attempted to. Luther was large and heavy. When he wanted to stop and look at something, I didn’t have the strength to drag him away. He also managed to slip out of his collar that was connected to the leash. Lucky for me, he didn’t take off down the street. In fact, he stood there waiting for me to get the collar back on him. That’s when I decided we just needed to go home before I really did lose him.

Luther had the shiniest black coat of fur. It was so dark that at night if there was no light in the yard, it was hard to spot him. Luther also liked to lie out in the shade of our lemon tree when it was hot outside. At night, when he came inside for bedtime, he curled up in a big, soft dog bed, and he sometimes snored.

I got married and moved away the year after we got Luther, so I didn’t have that much time with him. The memory of him running laps around our backyard still makes me smile.

While Luther was around for a short time, there were a few things he taught me that I’d like to share with you. 1 Animals are very special creatures. The way they sense things in people and provide comfort and companionship are gifts. 2 Luther might have been a big dog, but he was tenderhearted, and we felt that. It’s important to remember to have a soft heart for others. 3 It is important to be kind to animals, as they are creatures created by God. They have feelings too. 4 Having a big dog around, often acting in funny ways, showed me that God has a sense of humor. If you have a pet, you probably understand that. 5 God has much to teach us through our interactions with animals and the natural world— keep your eyes open!

Weddings

BOTTIN—WALKER. Matthew Bottin, son of Darryl and Tania Bottin (Kempsey, NSW), and Kerryn Walker, daughter of Greg and Jane Walker (Park Ridge, Qld) were married on 9.1.22 in an outdoor ceremony at Caves Rocks Cottages, Lamington. Matt and Kerryn met while working with youth but closed churches (due to COVID-19) and a home group that helped their relationship to blossom. They will live in the Kempsey area. May they have a long, happy marriage in the service of Jesus.

Dana Howard

KADVANEY—FILBIN. Karoly Kadvaney married Janine Filbin in a small intimate wedding on 6.2.22. They were surrounded by family and friends and wish to thank those who were able to be there to help make their day special.

David Yeo

Obituaries

AKROYD, Christopher Edward, born 12.1.1940 Gisborne, NZ; died 23.1.22 in Avondale House, Cooranbong, NSW. On 31.12.1963 he married Lorna Petrie. Chris is survived by his wife (Cooranbong); children, Jennie and Cameron Mowbray (Lismore), Chris and Rie (Auckland, NZ), Keryn and Andrew Mowbray (Burrell Creek, NSW) and Dean (Cooranbong). Chris served as ABC manager in South and North NZ, then transferred to Melbourne from where he was called to serve as CFO for the Pakistan Mission. He completed two Masters Degrees, one at Andrews University and another at Wisconsin University. Early in 1981 the family returned to Cooranbong where Chris was appointed head of the Business department at the then Avondale College, where he was greatly appreciated by his students.

Alex Currie DUNCAN, Graham Edward, born 10.4.1941; died 31.1.22 in Bonnells Bay, NSW. On 24.1.1971 he married Barbara. Graham is survived by his wife; children, Michael and Nerissa, Matthew and Leah, Keralie and Peter and Andrew; and grandchildren, James, Taya, Noah and Charlotte. Graham, baptised in Launceston in 1969, was active in many church roles and was a Lifeline counselor. After a career, mainly with Telecom being the local Mr Fix-it, and completing a mechanical engineering course as a mature age student, he was employed by Sanitarium and the family enjoyed 11 years in New Zealand, then back home to Cooranbong, NSW. A gentle, humble, wise man with integrity, he delighted in family, had a strong faith in God and always had time to listen and encourage. Graham looked forward to spending eternity with his family and friends.

Lionel Smith, Rein Muhlberg, Peter Howard

MOSS, Lynette Margaret, born 3.4.1950 in Melbourne, Vic; died 13.1.22 in Caulfield Hospital, Melbourne. Lyn is survived by her brothers, Peter and Bev Moss (Cooranbong, NSW) and Bruce and Joan (Melbourne, Vic); nieces, Michelle Coyte and Elizabeth; nephew, Wayne and Naomi; and great-nieces Summer and Pipa Coyte. Lyn loved to travel and utilised her excellent office administrative skills to work for the church in London and the Bangkok Adventist Hospital. Returning to Australia, she worked for the Education Department in Victoria which included trips to China, Brazil, Chile and Japan. Lyn was also very skilled in crafts including her beautiful patchwork quilting.

Paul Kotanko

POLLOCK, Leonie, born 11.11.1921 in Ararat, Vic; died 19.12.21 in Inglewood. She was predeceased by her husband, Neil in 1995 and her youngest son, Brian in April 2021. She is survived by her children, Robert (Derby), Kathryn Symons (Bendigo), Marianne Lanyon (Torquay), Keith (Bendigo) and Rosalie Burton (Christchurch, NZ); 14 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren. She was dearly loved by all and excited to reach 100. Her faith and steadfast love for Christ never wavered.

Kathryn Symons

SLATER, Lesley Fay (nee Foster), born 2.10.1934 in Wauchope NSW; died 16.11.21 in Calvary Cessnock Retirement Community. On 19.12.1959 she married Leslie, who predeceased her in 1998. She was also predeceased by her daughter, Elizabeth Hicks in 1988. Lesley is survived by her daughters, Ann-Maree (North Rothbury), Alison (Gold Coast, Qld) and Felicity (Kurri Kurri, NSW); and son, Stephen (Wauchope). Lesley was well known and respected in the Wauchope community as a midwife and with the family business. She was a faithful church member.

David Kosmeier, Paul Richardson

Advertising

LOCAL MISSIONS VOLUNTEER Could you be Maclean Adventist church’s volunteer? We are followers of Jesus who have a strategic focus on children’s ministry, Pathfinders and Adventurers. We will help you with accommodation and a stipend. You will participate in evangelistic outreach in the lower Clarence Valley, covering Maclean, Iluka and Yamba areas (NNSW Conference). You hope to see many people led to Jesus. You are a friendly and passionate Seventh-day Adventist who follows Christ’s method to help people generously, lead them gently to the Bible and share the good news with them. You have completed ARISE Express or have similar experience. You are comfortable with doorknocking and finding people to study the Bible on your own. You are willing to help with visitation, evangelism, community events and Sabbath services. Contact Pastor Adam Cinzio at <adamcinzio@ adventist.org.au>.

Positions Vacant

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, BUSINESS SERVICES WAHROONGA, NSW Are you logical and analytical in nature? The South Pacific Division (SPD) are seeking a highly skilled assistant who is committed to furthering God’s mission and eager to support the work of our administration business services team. Working in a collaborative team, this full-time role will support the work of the CFO, finance manager and division property trust manager. In addition to providing exceptional office administrative support, the role will also compile statistics, manage multiple outlook calendars, reconcile lists and policies, proactively obtain property quotes and comparisons, as well as manage data analysis in excel. For full details please visit <adventistemployment.org.au>. To apply, email a cover letter, your CV, three work-related referees and contact details of your church pastor, to <hr@adventist.org.au>. Applications close March 21, 2022. SIGNS DISTRIBUTION MANAGER, SIGNS PUBLISHING COMPANY,PERMANENT, FULL-TIME WARBURTON, VIC Can you see yourself managing the processes for Signs Publishing Company’s wholesale and retail sales and distribution of Adventist Media products through various channels? Signs Publishing Company, part of Adventist Media, is seeking a full time distribution manager who will be based in Warburton, Victoria. This position is an important part of the operations at Signs Publishing Company. It involves a wide range of tasks including customer service and sales activities, stock control and warehouse logistics. The role combines both practical, office and IT-related tasks. If this sounds like you, what are you waiting for? Email <corpserv@ adventistmedia.org.au> for a copy of the full job description. The appointing body reserves the right to fill this position at its discretion and to close applications early. Only those who have a legal right to work in Australia may apply. Applications close March 25, 2022.

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